Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

Witnessing all the participants rushing towards the stage, Li Wang turned towards his son, Li Xueli, and found him glaring at someone among the crowd with disdain in his eyes. Looking over to the source of his ire, Li Wang's eyes landed on a young man with jet-black hair and blue eyes. "What are you thinking, son?" Li Wang questioned him, curious.

"Father, you saw how that bastard dared to disrespect you, right? How can I allow such an insult to go unpunished? He deserves punishment for his arrogance. I will make sure he pays the price for it in the trials. No matter what." Li Xueli answered in a cold voice, his eyes brimming with bloodlust as he spoke.

Li Wang raised an eyebrow at this before glancing over at Li Xueli, noting that his eyes were blazing red with killing intent. Seeing this, Li Wang couldn't help but chuckle in amusement before responding, "Hahaha... I'm proud to have raised such a dutiful and filial son. Very well, go and do what you want, but do not kill that man. Remember that, my son.

We still don't know who he is or what kind of background he has. Therefore, refrain from taking his life. He is not worth it. Otherwise, there might be repercussions for us, and I don't want to deal with the troubles that may arise from it."

"Understood, Father." Li Xueli nodded, complying with Li Wang's orders before adding, "Still, he'll suffer enough under my hands before the end of this trial that he'd wish he was dead by the time I'm done with him. You'll see, father."

With those last words spoken, Li Xueli gave his father one last glance before walking away towards the stage to join the other competitors.

Li Wang watched as his son disappeared into the crowd of youngsters who were headed to participate in the first trial and smiled at himself, thinking, 'This is good.

Even if I couldn't take revenge due to that brat's unknown background, as long as he is participating in the trial, he would get a taste of my son's spear arts and know first-hand why we, the Li clan, hold the title of the Blood Spear Masters.'

Li Wang then turned his attention towards the stage and saw Asher standing there with a confident smile on his face. With a smirk, he muttered to himself, "You think you are so strong just because you managed to humiliate me? Hah, don't make me laugh, boy. You aren't even qualified to fight against my son.

We'll see if you can maintain your confidence and arrogance after facing my son's wrath on the battlefield. You should pray to the heavens that you will not have to face him. Because if you did, then you are going to wish you had never been born."

---

"Mom." Cai Yan looked towards Cai Xinyi, calling her mom with affection.

Cai Xinyi replied with an indulgent smile, "Yan'er, do your best on the trials. I know you will do great. Just follow your heart."

"Don't worry, Mom. I won't let you down." Cai Yan replied, nodding her head with conviction.

Turning her attention toward Asher, Cai Xinyi commented with a thoughtful expression, "I must admit that he looks quite charming. I guess we can't blame the girls for swooning over him. You should be careful when dealing with him, though, Yan'er. I don't want you to get hurt by falling for an unworthy man. And it's obvious from his actions that he is a womanizer who loves to play around with ladies.

So, you should avoid getting involved with someone like him if you can help it. He might end up breaking your heart one day."

Cai Yan giggled after hearing her mother's words and thought, 'Hehe, what if I tell you that I've already kissed Asher? What will your reaction be like, Mom?' But she kept these thoughts hidden as she replied with a soft voice, "Okay, Mom."

Afterward, Cai Xinyi looked around her surroundings and realized that almost all the candidates had arrived at the stage. With a smile, she beckoned her daughter towards herself in a hug and whispered in a low tone, "Yan'er, follow your heart. Listen to what your instincts tell you, and fight with all your strength. I know that you can succeed in trials no matter what obstacles stand in your way."

Cai Xinyi finished her words as she pressed her lips on her daughter's forehead. She then released her hold over her and gestured for Cai Yan to join the other youths gathering on the platform. With one final nod of acknowledgment, she watched as her daughter walked off the platform before disappearing into the sea of people.

With light footsteps like a fairy floating across the skies, Cai Yan walked towards the platform while a mysterious light shone in her eyes as she thought about her mother and Asher. 'Hehe...'

A mischievous grin crept across her lips before she suppressed it a moment later, turning her expression into a more serene one.

---

Standing amidst the crowd of participants, Yuan Long looked at his beloved fiancé, Long Lingyu, with a smile as he spoke in a calm voice, "Lingyu, good luck on the trials. I am sure you will pass without much trouble."

"Heh. I don't need any luck to win this trial. Just take care of yourself. If you fail in this trial, then I'll break off our engagement without hesitation. After all, I can't marry a loser who cannot even manage to defeat such pathetic weaklings," Long Lingyu replied in a cold and emotionless voice, staring at Yuan Long with an impassive expression on her beautiful face.

Hearing her words, Yuan Long frowned and said, "Come on now; don't be like this. Why do you have to talk like that to me? There is no need to be so harsh. I was just wishing you good fortune. What harm does that do?"

"Who needs luck to triumph over a bunch of ignorant fools? It just shows how incompetent you are if you think you need luck to win this trial. So, you should give up and stop wasting my time with pointless chatter. Instead, use your energy to focus on winning the trial rather than trying to butter me up. Otherwise, you will regret it later.

I guarantee it." Long Lingyu said before turning around and leaving Yuan Long behind.

Yuan Long stared at her retreating figure for a couple of seconds while feeling helpless, unable to utter a single word in response to her attitude towards him. "Why do you always have to act this way? Can't you at least be kind to me once in a while?

Even though I know you agreed to our engagement because of our parents, I still believe we can get along and form a loving relationship between us one day, as we have been childhood friends," he sighed in resignation before following Long Lingyu towards the stage without further delay since they had to start the first round of trials soon.

---

After a while, seeing that no more participants were coming out of the crowd and joining them on the stage, Katrina Everhart clapped her hands twice to gain their attention before saying, "Okay, everyone! Since everyone is present here, then let us commence with the first trial, shall we?

I hope you guys have been paying attention to the explanation of this trial earlier because we're starting in the very next instant! Remember that once the trial starts, none of you will be able to leave until it ends unless you get disqualified beforehand.

Therefore, if you have any last-minute regrets regarding the challenge, then you should voice them now and get out of this place while you still can. Because once you step inside, it will be impossible for you to turn back ever again. Is that understood?"

Everyone remained silent and continued staring at Katrina Everhart without uttering a word despite her warnings, which made her smile grow even wider as she remarked, "Such fierce determination! Haha! That is what I love about youth like you guys! Full of energy and vitality! I look forward to seeing what kind of feats you will achieve on this trial! Well, then, let's get started.

On my mark!"

With those words spoken, Katrina Everhart snapped her fingers, causing multiple rays of light to burst forth from beneath the stage as if it were an erupting volcano, engulfing the entire area around them.

An instant later, each and every single participant found an octagonal star-shaped formation circle etched on the floor beneath their feet that began to glow with dazzling splendor as soon as it appeared. It was a strange sensation akin to having an invisible force tugging at your soul, urging you to move forward towards its destination without waiting for consent.

Once every participant was in place, Katrina Everhart snapped her finger again, activating the formation beneath their feet and causing a bright flash of light to engulf the space around them.

Following the activation of the formation, a loud humming noise resounded throughout the air as countless runes danced around the stage before a massive dome-like structure emerged around the entire arena with a boom.

And the very moment it did so, it separated the arena from the outside world, trapping all the participants within its confines. It also blocked the spectators' view of what was transpiring within the domain of the formation. All they could see was a dome-shaped barrier separating the stage from the rest of the world. It was as if it were isolating them from everything else in existence.