CHAPTER 2072: CHAPTER 2070: AMPLIFIED OBSESSION

In the Enlightenment Tablet’s secret chamber, Bai Zepei stood there with his eyes wide open, while his divine sense struggled desperately.

"Is your sister the one you care about the most?"

"Do you want to be with her? Be together with her?"

"If you know she isn’t your sister anymore, then why can’t you take a risk?"

"..."

Countless voices exploded in his ears—doubtful, questioning, and tempting ones—causing him to instantly lose his composure.

Even though he wasn’t thinking about Ruozhu, why did these voices know so much? Could they really see into his heart? Was his heart still unable to let go of his little sister?

He was exceptionally intelligent, almost like a demon, and during these days together, how could he not notice the differences in his little sister? He had even checked some books, suspecting that the original little sister had met with an accident, and she had come to take her place and care for the family.

At first, he had some resistance towards her, secretly avoiding her, somewhat blaming her for the little sister’s departure. But he outwardly showed no signs, and as he hid away reading to prepare for exams, she noticed nothing.

Later, he gradually saw her excellence, her kindness, and her wholehearted dedication to her family, genuinely treating them as kin. It was only then that he began to accept her, and before long, he found himself increasingly focused on her until he noticed he had developed different thoughts.

He had always been a rational person; as a child, while other kids played outside, he could stay quietly at home reading because he clearly knew what he needed and how to strive for it.

But this time, he was confused, though he quickly cleared his mind. Even if her soul wasn’t his biological sister, her body still was. How could he entertain such thoughts?

He felt despicable, questioning his own morals, and suffered for a while. Yet, he always managed to control himself, refusing to think beyond that, compelling himself to turn back in time.

But now, these voices seemed intent on leading him into madness!

He covered his ears, unwilling to listen or think, yet those voices grew increasingly numerous and louder—even more than before, asking him more than ever—they seemed to be overwhelming his brain.

What Bai Zepei didn’t realize was that the wiser the person, the stronger their obsessions. It’s just that his intelligence suppressed his obsessions. And the voices here were amplified by the Enlightenment Tablet, enhancing his obsession over Bai Ruozhu.

Eventually, his body was gradually crushed; his legs weakened, and he knelt on the ground, his upright back bent down, hunched like an elderly man.

His mind was empty, yet white specks of light continued to drill into his head until he cried out in agony.

"What is that sound? Is Bai Zepei crying out?" Those waiting outside exclaimed, as the sound transmitted through the stone gate, conveying pain and despair, sending chills down their spine.

At that moment, the yellow light on the Enlightenment Gate began flashing, seemingly about to extinguish.

"Oh heavens, is this—is this Enlightenment about to fail?" someone asked in disappointment.

"I heard that if Enlightenment fails, you might become an idiot. Bai Zepei cries so miserably, could it be..." The speaker was filled with emotion as well. Only one person from the Jiuli Clan could enter the Enlightenment Tablet every six years; how could it end in failure?

The Bai Family had already arrived, but they hid in the dark, observing without revealing themselves in front of the Second Elder.

Lin Ping nearly fainted upon hearing this sound, but Bai Yihong was quick to catch her.

"Don’t worry, dear. Er Lang is blessed and so smart; he will surely pass the test," Bai Yihong quickly consoled her, though he also bore deep worry in his eyes.

"Yes, passing the test isn’t easy, but Zepei will definitely be alright," Jiao Ling hurriedly comforted.

The Third Elder’s face, however, did not look good. Although he hadn’t been to the Enlightenment Tablet, he knew Bai Zepei’s current condition was very unstable and could fail if he wasn’t careful.

He suddenly noticed that Bai Zepei’s wife hadn’t spoken up—shouldn’t she be very worried at this time?

He turned his head and saw Si Yihuan tightly clasping her hands against her chest, seemingly praying for him, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on the Enlightenment Gate, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her—she neither heard other voices nor saw other people.

Perhaps Si Yihuan’s gaze was too steadfast, causing the Third Elder to suddenly feel at peace, believing Bai Zepei would definitely pass the test and come out safely.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Second Elder on the viewing platform was almost smiling; had there not been so many people around, he surely would have laughed aloud. He glanced again at the trial’s gate, now just waiting for news of Bai Ruozhu’s demise.

At the trial’s central area, Bai Ruozhu spat out for quite a while, finally clearing the bits of grass from her mouth. Heaven knows how she rolled in; quite a bit of grass got into her mouth and nose, causing great discomfort.

Had it been a regular day, she would’ve certainly entered the space to clean herself. But now, who knows what might be watching her—better to endure for now.

She didn’t know where she had arrived, cautiously advancing step by step. Not long after, a shadow suddenly attacked; she quickly dodged and used magic technique to create a defense. When the shadow attacked again, she finally saw clearly—it was a mechanical puppet beast, looking somewhat grotesque; calling it a cat was undersized, calling it a leopard was oversized, and a sharp horn grew from its forehead.

Well, mechanical puppets are man-made, some mechanists have rich imagination, and like to create unique designs; some prefer realistic effects, creating them based on nearby movements or people.

But the creator of this mechanical puppet had tremendous creativity; it not only bore a strange horn but had a row of sharp teeth beneath its belly, and a tail like that of a crocodile, but also lined with spikes on both sides.

Truly a destructive mechanical puppet.

Bai Ruozhu drew her dagger, not daring to show the slightest contempt, and in the next second, the mechanical puppet attacked again, her magical defense couldn’t resist as the mechanical beast opened its mouth to bite her fiercely.

With a clang, her dagger met the beast’s sharp teeth; a massive force traveled up her arm, flinging her whole body outwards, nearly causing her to stumble and fall.

Stepping back several paces, she barely regained her balance, her expression now solemn.

The mechanical puppets here were so powerful—just a single touch and she could tell their strength. She only encountered one, but if there were more such puppets here, or several more besieging her, what would she do?

In the next instant, the sound of rustling came from the grass, Bai Ruozhu glanced over sharply, her eyes widening in surprise...