Chapter 15
‘Conscience? The shadow froze for a moment.
Linda’s expression was calm. “Bury my conscience. From now on, this is my new life.”
The shadow didn’t understand Linda’s meaning. It just saw she pick up the sword that had fallen to the ground.
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Linda lifted it and walked step by step toward the phantoms. They were both the villagers and figures from the Coven.
She lifted the sword and struck. The raging demonic energy and piercing screams couldn’t stop her from cutting through the blood mist.
Linda spoke quietly. “Defending the city, that’s your path. Becoming a demon by killing, that’s theirs.
“Slaying demons and upholding the Right, that’s my path.”
Standing under the shower of blood, her voice calm, Linda looked back at the black shadow. “I won’t guide you. I don’t know Soul–Guiding Liturgy.
“But I know this, justice in this world isn’t measured by numbers.”
Linda pointed toward the villagers ahead, a faint smile on her lips. “Do you see them as just? I see them as demons.”
The shadow was silent for a long moment, then its eyes gradually turned red.
“Kill,” Linda murmured, her lips barely moving. “The path of slaying is still the path.”
She raised her left hand, fingers weaving, vellum sigil glowing, and the High–Anchor Gravity struck from above.
In an instant, nearly a hundred were slain. Among them was the phantom of Matthew.
Linda didn’t flinch and swung her sword past. One by one, they fell.
She walked over the corpse mountain, stepped across the blood–soaked ground, and advanced toward the opened city gate, surging forward through the students‘ trial.
As Linda approached the gate, the entire Spire of Blades trembled. From the peak, countless Ethereal Blades vibrated frantically.
The surging magical energy almost broke free from the Bound Void, threatening to engulf the Tectonic Resonance.
Laura, who had been practicing her punches, froze.
Rafael and Craig, who were digging and planting, both stopped in shock.
The mountains trembled. The entire Great Citadel Wards activated silently.
But this attack wasn’t from the outside. It came from within.
“The Spire of Blades is in trouble.” Laura reacted first, rushing toward it without hesitation.
Craig and Rafael hurried after her, dropping their work.
“Wait for me, I can’t fly,” Rafael called anxiously.
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Chapter 15
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Even though he felt Linda carried some heavy thoughts, she was their little junior. Rafael didn’t want anything to happen to
her.
Then Craig summoned a magical artifact and lifted Rafael toward the Spire.
Seeing Rafael staring at his artifact for a long time, Craig scowled. “What are you looking at? Never seen something special before?”
Rafael muttered, “I haven’t.”
Craig just stared at him, speechless.
By the time they arrived, Laura had already reached the Spire, trying to break through its barriers.
But right now, the Spire’s wards had fully activated. Ten thousand swords vibrated, the earth trembled.
Something extremely dangerous had been triggered, and Laura couldn’t even get close.
Byron had also arrived, brow furrowed tightly.
“Byron, look quickly.” Craig tugged at Byron, as if finding a savior. “Check this out.”
Byron gazed at the surging magical energy covering the mountain. “Who went in?”
“Linda,” Laura called urgently.
Craig quickly explained that the coven leader had ordered Linda into the Spire. Byron’s face filled with disbelief. “She’s only been at First Unity Coven for a short time. How dare they send her into the Spire of Blades?”
“Can’t she go? But the leader instructed it,” Craig asked worriedly.
“She can go.” Byron’s eyes flashed. “The Spire of Blades is the resting place for swords of past masters. Each sword contains a fragment of Primal Axiom. Whoever can be chosen by these swords may inherit a master’s path. It is an opportunity.”
“So…” Craig looked at the chaotic scene. “Linda was chosen by the swords?”
Byron hesitated a moment. “No. She is targeted by all the swords.”
The three of them exchanged puzzled looks.
“What does that even mean?” Laura blurted out, totally lost.
Even Laura, who didn’t know much, was stunned. Craig had entered the Spire before, but he had never stirred such a scene.
Craig had just selected his artifact and left. But now, Linda’s situation was different.
“Targeted by all the swords? Can she even come out safely?” Craig asked.
The swords here contained the essence of the path itself. If they combined their attacks, Craig didn’t dare to imagine that.
He only knew even an Astral Sovereign couldn’t endure it, let alone an Mana–Stoking Phase student.
Byron was also curious. “I want to see what she did to cause this.”
‘How did she manage to cause such a massive uproar?‘ Byron wondered.
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Chapter 15
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The Spire of Blades’s anomaly drew the attention of all the mountain leaders. They stopped their work to watch.
“It’s been years since it’s been this lively. Looks like the new recruits are impressive.”
“This damn demonic energy almost withered my seedlings. Who brought back Shadow Casters. My crops.”
“Hey, you’re a Thaumaturge. Leave planting to someone else.”
“Do you think I want to? F**k.”
Everyone looked at the blood clouds surging in the Spire of Blades.
The Great Citadel Wards tried to suppress it, but the energy kept surging upward.
“This child, her demonic heart is heavy.”
“This Trial of Conscience, she might not pass it.”
“Even if she doesn’t pass, I wonder if she can come out safely.”
If she killed by the Trial of Conscience, not even the soul could remain.
Everyone watched the Spire of Blades, curious and alarmed, muttering among themselves. No one believed Linda could pass this trial.
Only Kermit, in his meditation chamber, whispered, “If this child passes, she will soar beyond limits.”
Another voice asked, “And if she doesn’t?”
“Her soul will be scattered,” Kermit replied.
Linda’s sword was soaked in blood. The black shadow floated beside her as she cut down every attacker without fail.
The shadow’s own demonic energy began to dissipate. He said, “That should be enough.”
Linda tilted her head. “Is it really enough?”
“Since you’ve started, finish it,” the shadow replied.
Linda looked at the ten thousand demons outside the city. “Let’s deal with them all at once.”
The shadow asked, “Wait. Which of us is the demon, you or me?”
Linda laughed softly. “What difference does it make? You are me, I am you. Here, we are reshaping our core, not entering demonhood.”
“One step forward, limitless sky. One step back, endless frustration,” Linda said, flicking the tassel of her sword. “Since it’s like this, one sword strike clears the mind, fulfills the heart. This is my path.”
Her eyes were clear, free of demonic energy. Linda proved with her actions that her killing was the path, not demonry.
And she didn’t slay humans, she slew demons.
The shadow had regained the form of the young man. He hovered beside Linda, whispering, “So killing is right.”
Linda met his gaze. “The sword in my hand never strikes the innocent.”
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Chapter 15
Linda’s words lingered in the air over the city gate.
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Looking back at the gate, the blood mist cleared. Every fallen figure was bloodied from their own deeds. Those hiding behind the walls were the pure villagers.
At that moment, Linda stood at the gate. Light behind her, demon before her.
She stood at the junction of Right and Wrong, guarding her core. This was her path, both righteous and wicked.
The young man in the blue robe laughed suddenly, the sound echoing. A green sword shot from the depths of the Spire, cutting through the Sepulcher of Lost Steel.
Amidst thousands of spirit swords, it crushed all sword spirits by its own strength and manifested in the mortal realm.
The First Unity Coven students went pale. “Trial of Conscience!”
Byron froze for a moment. ‘She has actually awakened the Trial of Conscience?‘
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
