"What is this??"
Shen Qing excitedly stood up and stared at the figure in the light screen so black that its facial features were invisible.
Ling Zhou's expression also turned solemn. Although he didn't know what this pitch - black figure was, through the light screen, Ling Zhou could still sense that familiar and loathsome aura.
The figure seemed to be composed of thick black mist.
It was exactly the same as the black mist that had coiled around Shen Chuyun.
Seeing the black figure slowly approaching her body, Shen Qing paced anxiously in place.
The shadow stretched out its hand and placed it on Shen Qing's body. It murmured in a low voice, "The spiritual bone... is mine..."
Hearing this, both Shen Qing and Ling Zhou felt a jolt in their hearts. They exclaimed in unison, "Lin Yibai!"
"It's Lin Yibai! She wants to seize the spiritual bone!"
Shen Qing gritted her teeth and subconsciously tried to summon Biyue, but then she remembered that she was in a soul state and couldn't summon Biyue at all.
Suddenly, Shen Qing felt a sharp pain in her chest.
Then, the familiar pain of having her spiritual bone extracted, which she had experienced before her death in her previous life, spread from all over her body, almost causing her soul to disperse.
"Little disciple!"
Ling Zhou reached out his hand, and a continuous stream of spiritual power was transmitted from his body to Shen Qing's, stabilizing her soul.
Shen Qing forced her eyes open and saw that half of the spiritual bone in her body had started to be extracted.
When the black figure saw the spiritual bone glowing with a purple - blue light, it let out a terrifying "hehehe" laugh.
"Master, it's almost too late. I have to return to my own body!"
Shen Qing turned her head and said to Ling Zhou in a very rapid voice.
Ling Zhou's voice was also filled with urgency. "No, even if you return to your body, you'll still be in a coma. You won't be able to stop Lin Yibai like this!"
Shen Qing gritted her teeth, and her eyes gradually turned fierce.
"Master, after I return to my body, use your spiritual power to attack my spiritual sea to stimulate me to wake up."
Ling Zhou felt a pang in his heart and quickly refused. "If it goes wrong, and your spiritual sea is severely damaged, you'll become a fool!"
Shen Qing was already speechless from the pain, but she still roared with all her might, "There's no other way. Let's take a gamble!!"
Ling Zhou could already sense that Shen Qing couldn't hold on much longer. So he steeled his heart and slapped Shen Qing's soul with one palm.
Shen Qing only felt a darkness before her eyes and then lost consciousness.
But as the intense pain in her spiritual sea came, Shen Qing, who had returned to her body, gradually regained consciousness.
Compared with the pain in the small space just now, the pain she could feel now was much more intense.
Shen Qing was already extremely familiar with the feeling of having her spiritual bone extracted.
But no matter how hard she tried, her eyes seemed to be glued shut and wouldn't open.
The gloomy and eerie laughter beside her ears rushed straight into her mind. In an instant, Shen Qing felt as if she had entered the boundless dark hell, surrounded by evil spirits.
Shen Qing suddenly bit her tongue hard to completely wake herself up from the chaos.
The moment she opened her eyes, Shen Qing could clearly feel that the laughter paused for a moment.
The pain in her body continued, but when Shen Qing looked around, she didn't see the black figure she had seen in the light screen.
Only then did Shen Qing understand that Ling Zhou had the ability to see through souls and spirits, and the light screen he created could also allow Shen Qing to see what was originally invisible.
So when Shen Qing woke up, she couldn't see the black figure.
The black figure transformed by Lin Yibai accelerated the speed of seizing the spiritual bone when she saw Shen Qing wake up. But gradually, she found that as Shen Qing woke up, the spiritual bone gradually stabilized.
"Host, Shen Qing has woken up. You've missed the best opportunity to seize the spiritual bone. Give up. If you continue like this, your soul will be affected!"
Suddenly, Shen Qing heard a mechanical voice in the air. The voice was flat, as if every word was spoken in the same tone.
So this was the voice of the system?
Shen Qing didn't hear Lin Yibai's response, but the pain in her body quickly subsided. Shen Qing knew that Lin Yibai had given up.
"Little disciple, the black figure has disappeared. You're safe for now."
Shen Qing let out a sigh of relief. The pain all over her body made her unable to move, and she was covered in sweat.
In her spiritual sea, the stabbing pain created by Ling Zhou spread to her temples, making her feel dizzy.
"Master, thank you. This time, don't wake me up..."
After saying this, Shen Qing fainted.
Ling Zhou knew that Shen Qing was hinting at him. He touched his nose guiltily, shrank back into the space, and didn't dare to do anything else.
When Hong Chaoyang came back with Qi Nian after signing up, they only saw Shen Qing with a flushed face and covered in sweat, as if she had engaged in some strenuous exercise.
"Hmm? Did Shen Qing run eight hundred miles after getting up? Why is she like this?"
If Shen Qing were still awake and heard this, she would definitely find it very speechless.
Shen Qing was in a coma for nearly half a month. The registration for the secret realm had ended, and in another half - month, the sect would organize the successfully registered disciples to go to the secret realm.
And for some unknown deal between Elder Hengling and Elder Honghua, Pei Xuanjing and the others, who were originally supposed to be punished on Siguoya Cliff, were specially allowed to participate in this secret - realm trial before going to Siguoya Cliff for punishment.
Shen Chuyun, who had become an outer - sect disciple, suddenly seemed like a different person. Originally seriously injured, she completely recovered the next day and even advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm.
During these half - month days, Qingyun Sword Sect held a promotion competition for outer - sect disciples. The top three in the competition could become inner - sect disciples of the sect.
Shen Chuyun, who had reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm, left the other outer - sect disciples far behind and became an inner - sect disciple, thus getting the opportunity to participate in the secret - realm trial.
Shen Qing was carefully taken care of by Hong Chaoyang for nearly half a month and finally woke up amidst Hong Chaoyang's scolding.
"What is the sect master thinking? The people from Nianbai Peak have done such excessive things. Why are they still allowed to participate in the trial!"
"And that Shen Chuyun. The sect master personally demoted him to an outer - sect disciple. It hasn't even been half a month, and he's already an inner - sect disciple again. Will he be able to return to Nianbai Peak in another half - month?"
"It's so disgusting. What about all the suffering Shen Qing has endured!!"
"It... It's my own fault..."
Shen Qing's weak and hoarse voice made Hong Chaoyang pause.
"Shen Qing, you're awake!"
Qi Nian reacted first. She pulled Hong Chaoyang, who was still stomping her feet, to sit down. Her eyes were full of joy.
"Shen Qing! That's great! Waaaaah! I almost thought you were going to die. You scared me to death!!"
Hong Chaoyang reacted and excitedly hugged Shen Qing.
Shen Qing's injuries had completely healed, but because she had been in a coma for a long time, her body was a bit weak, and her throat was so dry that it seemed to be on fire.
After drinking a few glasses of water, Shen Qing felt as if she had come back to life.
"What were you guys just talking about?"
Qi Nian and Hong Chaoyang glanced at each other, and both their faces showed anger and dissatisfaction.