Pay-to-Win Cultivation: I Get 10,000x Returns

Chapter 238: The Half-Demon King’s Legacy, Second Trial

As the Half-Demon King spoke, her gaze drifted past the arena, landing on the spectators.

“Hmm? A little tiger cub,” she mused. “Is he also a disciple of your [Animal Crossing Association]? Oh? And a human cultivator as well.”

Wang Meng bowed deeply, his face etched with genuine grief. “That is not the case, esteemed Half-Demon King. The [Animal Crossing Association] today exists in name only. This junior is the last remaining member. The Western Region has been overrun by demons, the people are plunged into misery, and our civilization has been all but wiped from the map.”

The Half-Demon King’s phantom remained unmoved. Her expression was placid, almost mechanical.

“Is that so? What a pity,” she said indifferently. ” However, the tragedies of the living have nothing to do with this humble one. I am merely a wisp of divine sense, programmed to follow my original self’s final will. My sole duty is to guard this place and maintain the trials.”

Listening to their exchange, Zhang Xian raised an eyebrow.

Interesting.

The intelligence and conversational fluidity of this phantom far exceeded that of a standard residual spirit. It implied that the Half-Demon King’s cultivation during her lifetime had been terrifyingly high.

“Enough chatter. Let the trial begin, little girl.”

The phantom waved her hand. Spiritual Qi gathered behind her, weaving into a magnificent throne of light. She reclined onto it with lazy elegance. “Good luck.”

On the vast Go board, the air shimmered in front of Lin Liuli.

Spiritual Qi coalesced rapidly, knitting together bone, flesh, and fabric until a figure stood opposite her. It was a perfect mirror image—same face, same clothes, same stance.

But the pressure radiating from this doppelgänger was heavy. It wasn’t at the Foundation Establishment stage; it was a bona fide Level 3 Golden Core cultivator.

Lin Liuli’s pupils constricted. She noticed something terrifying on the illusion’s wrists: a pair of amethyst-gold bracelets.

They were the defensive Spirit Treasures her Benefactor had given her. She hadn’t even fully refined them yet, but the formation had already analyzed and replicated them perfectly.

The phantom opened its eyes. Without a word, it blurred into motion, launching a high-speed assault directly at Liuli.

Bang!

The initial clash was brutal. The phantom used Liuli’s own fighting style, but with superior speed, strength, and Qi density. Liuli was instantly put on the back foot, forced to parry and dodge clumsily as the mirror image rained blows upon her.

However, under the crushing pressure, the wolf girl didn’t break. She calmed her mind.

She began to observe. Every punch, every kick, every flow of Qi—she dissected the phantom’s movements to find the flaws in her own style.

Her defense shifted from panicked flailing to precise, rhythmic blocking. Her counterattacks became sharper. And then, a dark, scorching energy ignited around her fists.

[Shadow Flame].

On the throne, the Half-Demon King’s eyes lit up. Her fox tail swished with interest.

“Oh? The Chan Sect’s body refinement technique? And paired with such a domineering fire-element art…” She glanced at Zhang Xian outside the barrier. “Human, does this little girl’s cultivation method have anything to do with you?”

Zhang Xian nodded calmly. “You could say I’m her half-master.”

His eyes remained locked on the fight. Although the phantom had the raw stat advantage and copied gear, it lacked the soul of innovation. It was a static copy.

Lin Liuli, on the other hand, was a [Daughter of Destiny]. Her talent was monstrous. In the crucible of combat, she was evolving in real-time. Her control over the [Shadow Flame] grew more proficient with every exchange.

The turning point came moments later.

The phantom overextended on a heavy strike. Liuli saw the opening. She didn’t dodge; she stepped into the guard.

Her fist, wreathed in roaring black fire, hammered directly into the phantom’s chest.

BOOM!

The illusion detonated, shattering into motes of spiritual light that faded into the ether.

“Huff… huff…”

Lin Liuli dropped to one knee, gasping for air. Sweat soaked her back. She had won, but the [Shadow Flame] combined with the intensity of the fight had drained her dry. She was running on fumes.

Zhang Xian spoke up immediately. “Senior, surely there’s a break? You aren’t going to start the second trial while she’s half-dead, are you?”

The Half-Demon King yawned. “Naturally not. She has a time limit—half an hour maximum. She cannot leave the chessboard, and you cannot enter.”

“Understood. Thank you, Senior.”

Zhang Xian flicked his finger. A streak of emerald-green life energy shot through the barrier, sinking into Liuli’s body. At the same time, he tossed a small jade vial through the air.

“Catch. Eat one.”

Liuli snatched the vial and swallowed a pill without hesitation. Between the emerald light and the high-grade medicinal energy, her withered dantian began to refill at a terrifying speed.

Zhang Xian smiled at the phantom. “Feeding her a pill during the break doesn’t count as cheating, right?”

The Half-Demon King shrugged. “Go ahead. To be honest, this humble one hopes she succeeds. Watching over an empty tomb for eternity is dreadfully boring.”

Zhang Xian seized the opening. “Since you’re bored, Senior, perhaps you could reveal the final reward? It would satisfy our curiosity and give the kid some motivation.”

The Half-Demon King’s fox ears twitched. She shook her head. “Nice try, human junior. I am bound by strict rules. Even if I wanted to tell you, I physically cannot.”

“Then let’s talk about something you can say,” Zhang Xian pressed. “I’m fascinated by history. Perhaps you could share some stories about your legendary life? Or maybe… some anecdotes about Senior ‘Drifting King’?”

The phantom paused. For a split second, a complex emotion flickered in her eyes. But she shook her head again.

“If the little girl passes the second trial, perhaps I will chat with you.”

Zhang Xian knew when to stop. He didn’t push further.

Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace slowly around the perimeter of the barrier, analyzing the formation.

Since advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, his perception of the world had fundamentally shifted. He could now see the underlying “code” of reality—the flow of Qi, the laws of space, the structure of arrays.

This chessboard was a masterpiece.

It was a self-contained spatial Spirit Treasure of the highest order. Beneath the stone surface lay a vast, complex energy matrix drawing power from the ley lines of the volcano. Zhang Xian couldn’t tell if this was the Drifting King’s handiwork or the Half-Demon King’s, but it was brilliant.

Half an hour passed.

Lin Liuli stood up. Her breathing was steady, her Qi refilled to the brim. Her eyes burned with renewed determination.

The Half-Demon King sat up straighter on her throne, a playful smile gracing her lips.

“Very well. The intermission is over. Let the Second Trial begin.”

Her expression turned serious. “Be careful, little girl. This one won’t be as gentle as a mirror image.”

She pointed a slender finger at the center of the arena.

Rumble…

The stone tiles slid open, revealing a dark, square shaft. Slowly, inevitably, a figure rose from the depths.

It was a puppet.

Standing two meters tall, it was forged from a dull, dark gold metal that seemed to absorb the light. It stood motionless, emitting a cold, lifeless aura that made the air feel heavy.

The moment the construct appeared, Zhang Xian frowned.

His puppetry skills were grandmaster-level. He could deconstruct most mechanisms with a glance. But this… this dark gold alloy baffled him. His spiritual sense couldn’t penetrate the shell.

More importantly, looking at the silent machine triggered a visceral reaction in his gut.

A deep, creeping sense of ominous foreboding coiled around his heart.