Chapter 59
“Are you in or not?” Linda pressed again.
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The group looked pissed, and Neil was practically fuming. “What’s there to be afraid of? If you really manage to break it, I’ll kneel and call you grandma three times. Hell, make it ten if you want!”
“Yeah!”
“With all of us here, you think we’d be scared of just one Aether Stoking Phase rookie?”
Seeing everyone getting worked up, Matthew frowned slightly. “Everyone, calm down.”
The crowd was not happy. “Don’t bother trying to stop us, Matthew. We’re gonna make her see just how cruel things can get! Why’s she putting on airs? If she’s so tough, how come she didn’t do anything just now?”
“She only got into Cloud Cave because she cut in front of Matthew. Like she’d ever make the cut otherwise.”
Linda scoffed, her tone icy. “More than enough.”
She ignored the rest, locking eyes with Matthew. “Tell me, Matthew, wasn’t it you who lost the bet for Cloud Cave?”
The crowd grew even angrier. “You little punk, don’t get cocky. Matthew doesn’t lose, ever.”
“Matthew.” A cold voice rang out through the woods, making everyone instinctively fall silent.
Matthew froze, staring blankly at Linda.
Linda enunciated each word, her voice icy and deliberate. “Do you admit defeat?”
Matthew’s lips parted, but the words he’d been holding back for so long just wouldn’t come out.
‘Did I really lose? It seems so. But to lose to some nobody girl? What was the point of all those years of grinding?‘ Matthew thought, his mind spinning.
His body shook. ‘No way. I can’t lose. My master would never accept that!‘ He clung desperately to denial.
Doubt started gnawing at him.
Linda caught the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. That was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
Shattering Matthew’s heart was the whole point of her wager. And beating him this time was Linda’s first payback strike,
She’d never forget those seven sword strikes.
“Matthew!” Linda barked again, her voice cutting through the tension like a whip.
This time, she secretly laced her words with a hint of power. No one noticed.
Seeing Matthew still clamming up, the others got even more worked up. “Just say it, Matthew! You won, right? She only got in by gaming the system!”
Cold sweat broke out on Matthew’s back. All he wanted was to bolt. But there was no way he could escape now.
Just then, a voice rang out, like salvation to his ears.
“How could Matthew ever lose? No one’s ever beaten him at formations. The one who lost has to be you,” a sassy voice called out from the side. Everyone turned to see Marietta and Toney pushing through the bushes.
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Chapter 39
Matthew froze hi a moment, then nearly cited our in de her.
Unclese, his eyes were a little misty
That’s right. I can’t lose he told himself.
Marietta sauntered over with a bright sinile. “Mathew
She didn’t even spare Linda a glance.
Toney, meanwhile, shot Linda a hostile glare. “You think you can challenge Matthew? Looks like any riffaff thinks they can step up these days. What a dirty little upstart?”
Linda lowered her gaze, a cold, dark chuckle escaping her lips.
Good. Very good. I could kill every last one of them, Linda thought.
Maybe it was the murderous vibe pouring off her, but Craig and Rafael both caught it. Their eyes went cold. One’s hand went to his belt, the other’s to his sword hilt.
Both gripped their weapons, ready for trouble. They moved to shield Linda, stepping in front of her.
But Laura beat them to it. She stepped up, grabbed Linda’s hand, and her Giantforce Sword slid out, silent as a shadow.
Laura gripped her sword with one hand, pointing it at Toney. “Not happy? Fight.”
Toney’s face changed.
That’s late–stage Gilded Phase!‘ Toney thought, stunned.
Linda turned her head in surprise, meeting Laura’s clear, calm gaze. Laura said softly, “Just point out who you want to take down. I’ll handle it for you.”
Craig added, “Linda, just say the word. I’m in your corner!”
Rafael shouted, “I can’t stand those useless loudmouths. Every time they open their mouths, the witch–weeds for ten miles drop dead from the stink!”
Toney’s face darkened. “Who are you calling foul–mouthed?”
Rafael sneered, “If you’re talking, it’s you.”
Linda listened to the three of them, her eyes lighting up with laughter. She couldn’t help but smile, her brows arching and even her icy heart thawing a little.
Seeing Linda finally relax, the three of them let out a breath they’d been holding.
Craig leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. If they mess with you, I’ll poison them. And if we can’t handle it, Laurence and the others are waiting outside. They’ll step in for us, no doubt.”
Craig didn’t say it, but if even the masters couldn’t handle it, they’d just keep bringing in more people.
With the whole sect showing up, Craig believed they wouldn’t lose.
Rafael said proudly, “That’s right!”
Laura nodded. “Yes.”
The four of them had formed a tight little circle, shutting everyone else out. Not because others were isolating them, but
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Chapter Ay
because they were the ones who chose to shut everyone else out
All at once, Linda fell boundless courage rising up from deep inside her.
Unlike before. This time, she wasn’t alone. She had real backup behind her.
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“Sunce your won’t admit defeat, let’s settle this with real skill. The bet for Cloud Cave and this one are now merged. If I open the dreamscape.” Linda’s gaze swept over everyone.
Even Marietta looked like she’d seen a ghost the moment Linda showed up.
Linda’s voice rang out, firm and unyielding. “Listen up! If I win, every single one of you will kowtow to the four of us three times, slap yourselves ten times, and apologize to us!”
Rafael chimed in. “And us too!”
Linda added, “That’s right. Don’t forget us!”
Craig and Rafael nodded vigorously.
As soon as Linda finished speaking, she didn’t give anyone a chance to argue. She unleashed the Trial of Conscience. Her sword vibrated in midair, and with a flick of her finger, it shot out.
Linda said, “Go!” The Trial of Conscience drove straight into the swirling gray vortex.
The vortex quivered, but didn’t change at all.
Neil and his crew, who’d been all tense a second ago, cracked up, totally mocking her. “Is that seriously all you can do? I thought she was gonna blow us away.”
But deep within the vortex where the sword struck, blue radiance burst forth. In a flash, streams of light swirled around the blade’s tip, and as the sword’s power surged, a wave of golden light erupted.
Countless blue streaks burst apart! They scattered across the sky revealing countless writhing threads weaving through the
air.
Everyone blanched in shock. ‘What in the world is this…?‘
It was everyone’s dream threads. Everyone was freaking out!
“Quick, grab those things! Their souls are trapped inside. If they scatter, it’s all over!” one of them yelled.
Panic spread like wildfire.
Even Toney and Marietta scrambled to snatch the dream threads, but no matter what they did, the threads slipped right through their fingers, never coming back.
There was no way to get them back where they belonged.
Neil’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he charged at Linda. “You’re out to kill them on purpose, aren’t you? You damn brat!”
The others were just as furious.
But just then, Linda gave them a cold, cutting glare, formed a quick seal with her fingers, and intoned in a low voice, “Return!”
Everyone watched in shock as the dream threads, drifting like lost souls, suddenly shot back to settle on the foreheads of the affected group.
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Chapter 39
Countless dream threads returned to their rightful places.
Everyone who’d been asleep in the secret realm suddenly snappil awake, their eyes flying open.
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Their heavy, ragged breaths echoed through the clearing, leaving everyone frozen in shock. Neil, who’d been charging at Linda, stopped dead in his tracks.
He looked at the newly awakened group, utterly unable to believe what he was seeing.
“They… woke up, someone whispered, voice trembling.
All of them were awake!
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