Free Web NovelChapter 135: Chapter 135: Twin Trial Canyon
Twin Trial Canyon was divided by a deep chasm.
On one side stood Qin Yuheng’s team.
On the other, across hundreds of meters of empty air, stood Zhao Tianyu’s team.
The two sides could see each other clearly, but no bridge connected them. The canyon walls were gold-gray stone carved with ancient trial runes. Above, two suns shone: one pale gold, one blood red.
The mission panel appeared.
[Floor 25: Twin Trial Canyon]
[Parallel Rival Trial Activated]
[Teams:]
Qin Yuheng Team
Zhao Tianyu Team
[Main Mission]
Each team must clear its canyon route and reach the Twin Trial Summit.
[Shared Objective]
Prevent rival corruption from exceeding critical threshold.
[Competitive Objective]
Higher contribution team receives superior reward.
[Hidden Warning]
If one team falls, the other team’s difficulty increases sharply.
[Current Rival Corruption]
Qin Yuheng Team: 0%
Zhao Tianyu Team: 12%
Qin Mo stared at the shared objective.
"Zhao starts with twelve percent corruption."
Qin Yuchen’s expression hardened.
"Blood Sun."
Across the chasm, Zhao Tianyu read his own panel. His face twisted when he saw Qin Yuheng.
"Of course," he shouted. "The Tower pairs me with you."
Qin Yuheng did not shout back.
The distance was too great for normal conversation, but the canyon carried voices strangely.
Zhao Tianyu’s aura flared crimson.
Qin Yuheng saw it clearly now.
The containment Qin Lian had described was there: a smooth layer over violent blood power. Beneath that layer, something darker pulsed in rhythm with the blood-red sun.
Not full possession.
Influence.
The trial began.
Each canyon route had enemies.
On Qin Yuheng’s side, golden stone warriors emerged.
On Zhao Tianyu’s side, crimson beast warriors appeared.
The teams fought separately but under linked conditions.
Every time Zhao Tianyu used excessive blood power, rival corruption rose.
Every time Qin Yuheng cleared a stabilizing altar, corruption pressure decreased slightly.
The Tower had turned the trial into both competition and rescue.
Qin Mo looked at Qin Yuheng.
"You see the trap?"
"Yes."
"If we focus only on winning, corruption may rise."
"Yes."
"If we spend too much effort stabilizing him, we lose contribution."
"Yes."
"I hate balanced moral math."
Qin Yuheng activated Gate Thunder Command Field.
"Then we choose priorities. Team survival first. Corruption control second. Contribution third."
Qin Yuchen nodded.
Qin Lian had already vanished toward the first golden altar.
Their route contained three stabilizing altars. Each required defeating a guardian and activating a rune. Qin Mo discovered that proper activation sent golden light across the chasm, weakening the blood-red sun over Zhao Tianyu’s route.
The first altar was easy.
The second was guarded by a Level 31 Twin Stone Guardian.
Qin Yuheng’s team defeated it through coordination.
Across the canyon, Zhao Tianyu fought brutally. His Crimson Beast Champion class gave him explosive strength. He tore through enemies faster than before, but every time his aura surged too high, corruption increased.
[Zhao Tianyu Team Rival Corruption: 21%]
Zhao Lan was not in his team. That made things worse. His teammates followed him out of fear and admiration, not balance.
At the third altar, Blood Sun interference appeared.
A crimson chain wrapped around the activation rune, preventing Qin Mo from stabilizing it.
Panel:
[Foreign corruption thread detected.]
[Stabilizing altar contaminated.]
Qin Mo looked furious.
"They infected the rescue mechanism."
Qin Yuheng used Law-Thread Severing Eye.
The chain was connected not to the altar alone, but to Zhao Tianyu’s class aura.
If they broke it violently, Zhao Tianyu might suffer backlash.
If they left it, corruption would rise.
Qin Yuheng used the Blood Contract Resistance Crystal and Contract-Breaking Law Crystal together while Qin Mo created a separation formation.
Qin Lian guarded against enemies.
Qin Yuchen held the guardian line.
The thread resisted.
Across the canyon, Zhao Tianyu suddenly roared and clutched his chest.
"Qin Yuheng! What are you doing?"
"Saving you from something you refuse to see," Qin Yuheng said, voice carried by the canyon.
Zhao Tianyu’s eyes turned red.
"I do not need saving!"
The blood-red sun pulsed. freeweɓnøvel.com
Corruption rose.
[Zhao Tianyu Team Rival Corruption: 34%]
Qin Mo shouted, "We need to finish!"
Qin Yuheng considered using Origin Purification but hesitated. The link was through Zhao Tianyu’s class influence. Purifying too strongly might expose too much or damage him.
Instead, he activated Gate Thunder Command Field toward his own team and focused on synchronization.
"Yuchen, pressure left. Lian, cut echo thread. Mo, invert on three."
They moved.
The chain loosened.
Qin Yuheng struck with thunder wrapped in law resistance.
The corruption thread snapped without backlash.
The third altar activated.
Golden light crossed the chasm and struck Zhao Tianyu’s side.
His corruption dropped.
[Zhao Tianyu Team Rival Corruption: 34% → 24%]
Zhao Tianyu staggered.
For a moment, his eyes cleared.
Then anger returned.
He looked away and charged toward his next enemy.
Qin Mo sighed.
"He is deeply committed to being difficult."
The teams continued upward.
At the summit, both routes converged at last.
Qin Yuheng’s team arrived first.
Zhao Tianyu’s team arrived shortly after, battered but alive.
At the summit center stood a twin-headed guardian: one golden, one crimson.
[Twin Trial Summit Guardian]
[Level: 34]
[Condition]
If rival teams cooperate, guardian weakens.
If rival teams fight, guardian strengthens.
Qin Mo looked at Zhao Tianyu.
"We are doomed."
Qin Yuheng stepped forward.
"Zhao Tianyu. If you want to compete, compete by defeating the guardian cleanly. If you attack us, Blood Sun wins."
Zhao Tianyu’s face twisted.
"Do not lecture me."
The crimson aura around him pulsed.
The guardian strengthened slightly.
Qin Yuheng’s eyes cooled.
"Then choose. Your pride or your path."
For one long moment, Zhao Tianyu looked ready to attack.
Then one of his teammates, pale and wounded, whispered, "Captain... please."
Zhao Tianyu’s fists trembled.
Finally, he turned toward the guardian.
"One fight," he snarled. "Do not think this means anything."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
"It means enough."
The summit battle began.
Not as allies.
Not as friends.
But not as enemies.
That was enough for the Tower.
