Chapter 956: Breakthrough

Bai Xue stared at the rune formation in front of her, her face gradually becoming serious. However, Zhang Meng stood there smiling as if nothing had happened, with a confident look on his face that said, "I have a way."

"Zhang Meng, can you tell me what the hell this is?" Bai Xue clenched her fists, a trace of anxiety flashing in her eyes. "Aren't you going to give me some 'guidance'?"

Zhang Meng waved his hand and said in a leisurely tone: "Guide? Bai Xue, guidance means you walk behind me and don't care about anything. Do you understand?"

"Do you understand the word 'cooperation'?" Bai Xue almost exploded, "We really need to solve this problem together, not just you hanging around there alone."

"Hey, I'm shaking it for you to see, it's also art." Zhang Meng curled his lips and threw a stone at the edge of the formation. Suddenly, the light of the rune formation flashed slightly, as if it was activated.

"You...did you do this on purpose?" Bai Xue was stunned.

Zhang Meng scratched his head and said indifferently: "You don't understand. This is a 'clever layout'. Don't ask me how I know it. It must be useful anyway."

"You big head ghost!" Bai Xue couldn't help rolling her eyes, and she was about to explode. She walked over, stared at the formation for a long time, and suddenly put her hand on one of the runes: "Do you dare to give me a little clue?"

"Hehe, you finally started to think, Bai Xue." Zhang Meng smiled with a relaxed look, "This is the beginning of breaking the deadlock. Take a look at that rune and think about it carefully."

Bai Xue took a deep breath, then looked down at her palms, and pondered the rune formation for several seconds. Then she suddenly shouted, "I understand! It's 'reflection'! These runes can reflect energy!"

Zhang Meng smiled slightly: "Well, you are still a little smart, but you are wrong."

"What?" Bai Xue was confused. "Didn't you just say that I guessed right?"

"Yes, but you are wrong. Reflecting energy is correct, but look here." Zhang Meng pointed to another rune with a sly look in his eyes, "This is 'focus'. If we reflect energy, we have to use this rune to focus it."

"How did you know that?" Bai Xue was confused and angry.

"Bai Xue, don't think so complicated." Zhang Meng smiled and patted her shoulder. "Life is like solving a puzzle. If you know how to 'empty your mind', you will naturally be able to see everything clearly."

"I really want to give you a break!" Bai Xue rolled her eyes.

At this moment, the runes of the formation began to fluctuate violently, the light became stronger and stronger, and the entire space seemed to be shaking.

"Hey, Bai Xue! Look! You succeeded!" Zhang Meng waved his arms and smiled like a proud child, "Don't you feel a sense of accomplishment?"

Bai Xue clenched her fists tightly, feeling mixed emotions. "A sense of accomplishment? I just want to strangle you to death now."

"Haha, we succeeded!" Zhang Meng was very proud, and his tone suddenly became serious, "This is just the beginning, the next challenge is the most important."

Bai Xue took a deep breath and finally couldn't help but speak: "Give me a clear answer, what should I do next?"

"What's next?" Zhang Meng's eyes sparkled. "Next, we have to go through the 'Soul Test' together!"

"Soul test?" Bai Xue was a little dumbfounded. "You are such a good liar. What kind of test is this? Don't tell me this is a joke."

"Hey, Bai Xue, you're wrong to look at me like that." Zhang Meng waved his hand, looking somewhat innocent. "The soul test is no joke, it's real. Look, this formation has been activated. Next, you and I will both have to go through a spiritual challenge."

"Mind challenge? If you didn't tell me, I really wouldn't think you had that many 'minds'." Bai Xue couldn't help but complain. She was in no mood to be frivolous with Zhang Meng.

Zhang Meng smiled but didn't answer. He suddenly turned around and looked at the formation deep inside. The light in his eyes suddenly became deep. "Bai Xue, we all have to take this test seriously. It will reveal the deepest secrets in our hearts. Are you ready?"

Bai Xue snorted coldly: "I'm afraid you are the one who is really not prepared. With your level, I'm afraid you don't even know your own secrets."

"Ha! You're right, I really don't know what my 'secret' is." Zhang Meng patted his chest confidently, "But I can guarantee that your secret, hehe, will surprise you."

"My secret?" Bai Xue was stunned for a moment, "How do you know I have a secret?"

Zhang Meng suddenly lowered his voice, revealing a sense of mystery: "Everyone has secrets, Bai Xue, especially those like you who hide them deeply." There was a hint of playfulness in his words, "You obviously have a lot to say in your heart, but you always force yourself not to say it."

Bai Xue's heart trembled, and then she laughed disdainfully: "Aren't you just making random guesses? Everyone has their own worries. Can you please stop talking like a 'psychologist'?"

Zhang Meng looked at her, his eyes revealing a hint of understanding and challenge: "Okay, we'll see. After entering the formation, we will all have to face the 'inner demon'. Are you ready?"

"You just like to give me this kind of unclear answer." Bai Xue was stunned for a long time, and forced herself to calm down. "Okay, let me see how you can pretend first."

Following Zhang Meng's guidance, the two walked into the center of the rune formation. The light instantly intensified, and the air around them seemed to solidify. The surrounding runes gradually became transparent, and a rotating vortex was faintly formed. As the formation was running, suddenly, the entire space became extremely oppressive, and the energy in the air made people feel a little suffocated.

Bai Xue looked around uneasily, feeling uneasy: "Zhang Meng, what is going on?"

"Shut up and be quiet." Zhang Meng whispered, his eyes suddenly becoming serious. "In the next test, we will face our 'inner demons'. You must be prepared."

"'Inner demon'?" Bai Xue frowned, "Are you trying to scare me?"

"I don't have time to scare you." Zhang Meng's tone became unusually calm, "You will see your own 'inner demon'. If you don't believe me, just wait."

Bai Xue's heart tightened, and she suddenly felt an inexplicable force churning in her heart. She couldn't help but take a step back: "Zhang Meng, I... I feel a little uncomfortable."

"Keep calm, Bai Xue!" Zhang Meng said seriously, "If you want to escape, you will never be able to overcome this test!"

Bai Xue gritted her teeth and struggled to suppress her fear. She knew that if she backed down at this moment, she might really miss this opportunity. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

Just as she was concentrating, the space in front of her eyes suddenly distorted, and the runes in the formation spread out like water waves. A strong impact of consciousness came over her. Bai Xue only felt her head buzzing and her eyes were blurred.

Then, the scene in front of her changed instantly, and she seemed to be back in her childhood, standing in a familiar room. It was quiet and silent, and she was the only one standing there.

"How could this be..." Bai Xue's heart sank. She looked at everything in front of her and had a bad feeling in her heart. "This is my childhood home..."

"Bai Xue?" A familiar voice came from behind, with a slight tremor.

Bai Xue turned her head suddenly and saw a familiar figure standing in front of her. It was her mother, with a gentle face but anxious eyes.

"Mom?" Bai Xue looked at her blankly, completely unable to understand what was happening in front of her.

"Why...why did you come back?" The mother's voice was filled with pain. "How could you do this? Why do you always make me worry?"

Bai Xue's heart sank suddenly, and she suddenly understood something: "No, this is not true! You are not my mother!"

However, her mother's figure slowly approached her, and her voice gradually became sharper: "Why do you always leave me aside? I've always been here, why don't you come back to see me?!"

Bai Xue stepped back hastily, covering her ears with her hands: "No! This is not what I want!"

However, her mother's figure was getting closer and closer, and her voice was getting harsher and harsher. Bai Xue felt a sense of oppression in her chest, as if she was firmly bound by an invisible force.

"Bai Xue!" Zhang Meng's voice suddenly came, breaking the endless sense of oppression, "You can't be trapped by it!"

Bai Xue suddenly opened her eyes and returned to reality. The rune formations around her had returned to their original state, the light gradually faded, and the oppressive feeling in the air disappeared without a trace.

She gasped for breath, cold sweat on her forehead: "This... this... how could I..."

Zhang Meng looked at her with a complicated expression: "You have passed this step, Bai Xue. Next, we will truly begin."

Bai Xue covered her chest, feeling the violent fluctuations of her heartbeat, and tried hard to hold back the tears in her eyes: "What exactly is this 'inner demon' you are talking about?"

Zhang Meng sighed, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes: "This is not the test I want to face, but I know that we all have to face it. Everyone's inner demons are the most difficult hurdle to overcome."

"But just now... weren't you afraid?" Bai Xue suddenly asked.

Zhang Meng smiled bitterly: "I'm never afraid of anything, Bai Xue. What I'm afraid of is that I don't even have the courage to stand here."