"Uh, alright then. If I lose, don't blame me." Liam Yang said helplessly.
"You can only win, losing is not allowed. Besides, don't you have that weird technique? I don't think my dad will set any overly difficult tests. You'd better give it your all, or you'll lose your antidote." Mira Ming said angrily.
Liam Yang heard this and could only say, "That harsh?"
"What do you think? You'd better hurry and prepare—the trials start the day after tomorrow." Mira Ming angrily dragged Liam Yang to the Demon Mask Sect's training grounds, where she taught him about Terry Tian's techniques and abilities.
On the third day, Terry Tian arrived as promised, bringing plenty of good things. Several attendants followed behind, pulling carts loaded with boxes draped in red cloth.
The Demon Mask Sect disciples immediately sensed something big was happening. Everyone crowded around, checking here and there. Mira Ming also walked over. "Brother Terry, you're here."
"Yeah, so how's your dad?" Terry Tian asked with a smile.
"Don't worry, I've already handled it. My dad agreed. Come on, I'll take you to see him." Mira Ming said.
Terry Tian smiled, "Let's go."
Mira Ming led Terry Tian to a house, where Sect Master Victor Ming was already waiting. Seeing him, Terry Tian laughed and walked up, "Sect Master Ming, long time no see."
"Indeed, it's been a while. How is Patriarch Oscar Tian doing?" Sect Master Victor Ming said with a smile.
"He's well, and he misses you. He's currently in closed-door cultivation, trying to break through, so he couldn't come himself. He sent me to deliver these gifts and hopes our families can form a marriage alliance." Terry Tian replied with a smile.
Sect Master Victor Ming smiled, "A marriage alliance sounds good, but I can't just agree so casually, right? I've thought it over and decided to test you all first."
"Test us?" Terry Tian asked, puzzled. Mira Ming also looked curiously at her father, unsure what he was planning. At that moment, Liam Yang and Mira Ming walked over.
Seeing the two of them, Terry Tian frowned, while Mira Ming was startled and quickly hid behind Sect Master Victor Ming, afraid her sister would scold her.
"Mira?" Terry Tian asked, puzzled.
"That's right, it's us. My dad said the three of us have to participate together." Mira Ming replied.
"Three people? What, you're joining too? I can understand him participating, but what's the point of you joining?" Terry Tian laughed.
"That's none of your business. My dad said to do it this way, so that's how it is. Besides, maybe I'll team up with him to take you down." Mira Ming smiled.
"You..." Terry Tian hadn't expected Mira Ming to dislike him so much.
"Alright, enough talk. I've prepared a space for you, inside are three trials. It's up to you now." Sect Master Victor Ming finished speaking and waved his hand. A passage appeared before them, flashing with light. He said again to the three, "Whoever comes out first is the winner—and will be my son-in-law."
The meaning was clear. Terry Tian secretly laughed—if this was the test, he was sure he'd win. Even if the other two teamed up, he wasn't worried. So Terry entered the tunnel without hesitation, and Mira Ming and Liam Yang followed right after.
Inside, the first trial wasn't too difficult. It tested ability: there was a stretch of snowy ground, and at the far end, a cave entrance.
Terry Tian was the first to walk ahead, but even he struggled against the raging blizzard, making progress difficult. Liam Yang and Mira Ming exchanged a glance; Mira Ming said with a smile, "Looks like this is your specialty. Give it a try."
"It really is my specialty. Hold onto me, we'll get through." Liam Yang smiled, and the two clasped hands. Liam focused completely on teleportation, while Mira Ming watched this 'black guy' and muttered to herself, "He actually seems like a man."
When they appeared again, Liam Yang and Mira Ming were already at the cave entrance at the end of the first trial, ready to enter the second stage. Terry Tian saw this and was both shocked and angry, speeding up his steps. Liam and Mira entered the second trial.
"What's this place now?" Liam Yang asked, puzzled as he looked around the second trial.
The second stage was filled with mist, making it impossible to tell direction.
"What's your dad testing in this stage?" Liam Yang wondered aloud.
"The first stage was probably endurance; this one must be patience. Looks like we have to find the exit ourselves in this fog. We need to hurry—can't let that guy get ahead." Mira Ming said.
Liam Yang nodded, so the two began searching together, hoping to avoid being separated. Even if they ran into Terry Tian, he wouldn't dare attack Liam with Mira present.
As for Terry Tian, who had been through plenty, he finally reached the second trial. Seeing the mist, he muttered, "Is this stage testing patience? Well, let's see where they are right now."
Terry Tian took out a mirror. The mirror shone a beam of light, making everything it touched seem transparent, letting him see everything not far ahead.
After sweeping for a while, he finally found Liam Yang and Mira Ming.
"Found you at last! Kid, this time I'll send you to your death." Terry Tian snorted coldly. He teleported over, and soon Liam Yang sensed danger behind him, frowning, "Looks like he's here."
"Yeah, I noticed too. Be careful." Mira Ming said.
Just as she finished speaking, a figure appeared within their field of vision. Mira Ming quickly reached out to block Terry Tian's attack.
When he realized he'd struck Mira Ming's palm, Terry Tian backed off. "Mira, what's so good about him?"
"As long as he's better than you, that's enough! Stop talking so much!" Mira Ming replied.
"Then I'll just kill him right here today." Terry Tian said.
"You dare?" Mira Ming glared.
"You'd better move aside." Terry Tian said.
"What if I don't?" Mira Ming snorted coldly.
"Then I'll have to do it myself." Terry Tian stepped forward to attack Liam Yang, but Mira Ming naturally intervened. After several rounds, Mira Ming and Terry Tian had exchanged blows many times. When they finally stopped, Terry Tian said, "If we keep going, you won't be able to match me. You should just give up."
"Who says so!" Mira Ming replied.
"Don't you know what our Tian family cultivates?" Terry Tian sneered.
"The Starstrike Technique? You can stack its power layer by layer. I just don't know how many levels you've reached!" Mira Ming said with a grin.
"I'll tell you straight—I can boost my combat strength by ten thousand times. Do you dare take my attack?" Terry Tian said.
Hearing this, Mira Ming gasped. If it was really ten thousand times, she'd have a hard time stalling him. She quickly sent a voice transmission to Liam Yang: "Teleport us out, now!"
Liam Yang immediately grabbed Mira Ming and vanished. Seeing that strange technique again, Terry Tian was furious. "Just you wait!" he shouted.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Evan Yang got excited when he heard the name of that technique. His own power-boosting art was the same—did they have it too? Thinking of this, he really wanted to get out and see for himself.
After teleporting for quite a while, Liam Yang finally stopped with Mira Ming and frowned. "How did he find us?"
"No idea. We need to find the exit fast." Mira Ming said.
Liam Yang nodded, then continued teleporting with Mira Ming. Terry Tian had no choice but to give up chasing them and decided to clear the trial by himself. In the end, Mira Ming would still be his.
So, by the time Liam Yang and Mira Ming found the exit, Terry Tian had already entered the third stage.
"Not sure if he's already gone in." Liam Yang muttered.
"No idea. Let's go in and check." Terry Tian said.
The two entered, and were instantly enveloped by a mysterious force. This power separated Liam Yang and Mira Ming, and they saw Terry Tian trapped not far away by the same force.
When all three arrived, a voice rang out: "Only one of you can leave. That's the rule here. The other two will be trapped and die."
"Impossible!" Terry Tian shouted.
"Here, I am the law. If you don't believe me, try it for yourselves," the voice laughed.
"Can you teleport?" Mira Ming asked.
"No. The space here is too strange," Liam Yang replied.
As soon as they finished speaking, Terry Tian headed for the exit, trying to be the first out. Liam Yang quickly said to Mira Ming, "Hurry, stop him!"
Mira Ming didn't care whether the rules were real or not; she knew she couldn't let Terry Tian escape, or he'd win and she'd have to be with him.
So Mira Ming and Liam Yang sped up, struggling against the force but still able to move. When they reached the destination, Terry Tian was already outside the cave, and Mira Ming attacked him.
Terry Tian snorted, "Mira, I don't have time to play with you. Once I get out, I'll be your partner."
"Keep dreaming," Mira Ming said coldly.
Just then, the voice rang out again: "Once one person leaves, this place will be destroyed. Everyone here will die."
Hearing this, all three were shocked. Mira Ming looked at Terry Tian and said, "You heard that, right?"
"I don't believe it. If I get out, I win. Whether this place is destroyed or not, it's not my problem. I don't believe your father would really kill you," Terry Tian said stubbornly.
At that moment, Sect Master Victor Ming's voice came through, "I'm not lying. This is beyond my control. I used to be able to manage things, but now I can't. The best option is for you three to stay here forever."
"Forever? When can we leave then?" Terry Tian was shocked to hear it was really Sect Master Victor Ming.
"I'll try to find a way—maybe a few years, maybe much longer," Sect Master Victor Ming said.
Terry Tian was stunned. "That long?"
"I can't help it. I'm helpless, so you'll have to stay here. I'll try to find a solution." Sect Master Victor Ming's voice faded away.