Chapter 218 Book 5 Mind and Mettle
The underground temple buzzed with a low hum, the echo of footsteps fading as the first round came to a close. Torches burned steadily along the carved stone walls, their flickering light casting long, warping shadows across the mosaic floor, where the ancient symbols of war, wisdom, and balance converged at the center of the arena.
Li An stood quietly near the arched entryway, a dark figure half-shadowed by a stone pillar. Her arms were folded across her chest, her long sleeves hiding the impatience in her tapping fingers. She tried to mask expectation and the curiosity in her stomach.
She had failed the first trial. Deliberately, so she has expected that she would not be chosen. However, she thought that it was the end, so she felt a bit anxious. However, now that she heard that there is a second round, she could not help but feel a hint of hope and excitement.
