Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

Elder Harrius froze for a split second, feeling caught off guard by Asher's sudden comment.

After a couple of seconds, he managed to compose himself and replied, "Err... Well, that was in the past. I was young and foolish back then, and she played with me, toying with my emotions like a child who picks a flower and tosses it aside once they grow bored of playing with it. Now I'm older and wiser, and I know better than to let myself fall victim to her whims again."

Asher snickered and shook his head, saying, "I see. Anyway, thanks for the heads-up. I will be careful not to get caught in her net."

After that, Asher turned his attention towards the center stage once more, where he admired the beauty of the woman named Katrina Everhart. She possessed a mature yet youthful appearance that drew people's attention to her. With her voluptuous figure clad in a tight-fitting green cheongsam that emphasized her curves and cleavage.

At the top part of the cheongsam was a large V-shaped opening that exposed her snow-white skin beneath. This resulted in many male gazes drifting towards the valley between her breasts, unable to resist staring at the enticing sight before them.

While on both sides of her outfit were slits running along its length, revealing the long, slender legs with thick thighs hidden beneath the silky fabric of her clothes.

Her appearance evoked the image of a wild vixen who had lived her whole life free from society's constraints, roaming wherever she wanted and doing whatever she pleased.

The longer one looked at her, the more enraptured they became. It was almost impossible not to be drawn towards her, regardless of whether one was a man or woman.

This made Asher realize why Elder Harrius had warned him earlier. She was indeed a dangerous woman, capable of charming anyone she desired with ease.

However, Asher wasn't worried about falling for her charm. After all, he had been exposed to a beauty far greater than her and experienced even more wondrous pleasures in bed with said beauty, so there was no way this woman could compete against her.

As a result, he didn't feel any infatuation towards her whatsoever, even though he could tell she possessed incredible charm and beauty.

Instead, he was impressed by how many young men had already fallen under her spell and were gazing at her with longing expressions etched on their faces. It seemed like a lot of men had already given their hearts to this woman and were hoping to gain her favor, perhaps even her love, someday.

As if noticing all the stares directed at her, Katrina Everhart turned around and began scanning the crowd with a mischievous glint in her eyes, taking note of each and every person present within the vicinity.

After scanning the entire field filled with candidates, Katrina spoke in an enchanting voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Today, we have many talented youths from different backgrounds gathering here to prove themselves worthy of joining our ranks.

I hope that those of you who are ambitious enough will show us what you are capable of and earn the chance to become a true disciple of the sect through these trials." She then paused for effect and then continued, "As you all know, the Twilight Mist Sect prides itself on its motto of nurturing the potential of cultivators regardless of their status, background, or heritage.

Anyone can achieve greatness as long as they dedicate themselves to pursuing their goals and ambitions. Therefore, I expect to witness many amazing displays of talent from you. Who knows? One of you may even manage to surpass all expectations and earn the privilege to become a direct disciple of one of the Core Elders of the sect."

The moment she stopped, cheers erupted all around, filling the atmosphere with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming events.

As the crowds quieted, Katrina flashed a dazzling smile towards them before saying, "Before we begin, let me explain what each of the tests will consist of. First is the combat test, where you will be hunting star beasts within a special zone that has been set up for this purpose.

The objective is simple - hunt down five rank 2 star beasts, and you will get the minimum qualification to become an outer disciple. You will all receive a participant token that will keep track of your progress. But remember, there will be more powerful star beasts as you advance deeper into the hunting grounds, so you must be prepared to deal with stronger opponents.

However, this is not as easy as it sounds because during this challenge, everyone can steal each other's tokens, and your killing count would be transferred to the other person's token."

At that moment, one of the participants raised his hand and asked, "Elder Everhart, what happens after someone loses their token to someone else? Do they also lose their chance at becoming disciples of the sect?"

Katrina nodded her head and answered, "Yes. If you lose your token, you cannot participate in the trials anymore. So if you get robbed of your token by someone, then you are eliminated from the trials. Furthermore, once you enter the hunting grounds, you are allowed to kill the fellow participants as well, so beware of treachery.

It is a test to measure your resourcefulness and adaptability as well as your skills in combat and strategy."

As soon as Katrina finished speaking, murmurs began spreading among the crowd as they exchanged looks with one another. Some started whispering to each other, while others had frowns on their faces after hearing about the possibility of getting attacked by their fellow candidates during the challenge.

It seemed that many had underestimated how vicious these trials would be since no one expected there would be a battle royale mixed in with the challenge to hunt down five rank-two star beasts.

A few moments later, Katrina cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention back to her as she resumed explaining the details of the next event, "Once you have slain your targets, you will then be transported to another area where you will have to cross a misty bridge, which will lead you straight to the third event.

But let me warn you now: this will not be easy because there will be illusion formations covering the entirety of the bridge, which will force you into hallucinations that make you relive your worst memories over and over again until you manage to snap yourself out of them. So, you must try your best to endure whatever horrors await you, or you might end up falling off the bridge.

Cultivation is a path without regrets, but even so, everyone has a past full of demons waiting to torment them. This test is meant to expose those traumas and help you overcome them as you move forward in the trials."

Katrina paused for a moment to take a breather before continuing, "As long as you pass these two challenges, you will become an official disciple of the Twilight Mist Sect. However, there will still be a final round of assessment for you where we will measure the rank of your spirit.

The ranking of your spirit will play a huge role in determining your position within the sect, which in turn determines how many resources you'll receive from the sect. In short, the higher the rank of your spirit, the higher your position within the sect, meaning more privileges and benefits for you."

"Wait, I have a question." Someone interrupted, raising his hand.

"What is it?" Katrina asked with an arched eyebrow as she waited for him to speak up.

"Are we allowed to cooperate during the first test?" He asked.

Katrina smiled and said, "No. You will not be permitted to collaborate with others during this challenge. If you do, then the offender will be disqualified from the trial and will have to return home disappointed. Your tokens will also monitor your every action, and we will know if you are breaking the rules."

"So, in short, it's every man for himself?" Someone else muttered with a frown on his face.

"Indeed. The competition is fierce, and you must fight to earn your place. Those who pass will have earned the right to call themselves true disciples of the Twilight Mist Sect."

The next instant, she flashed a dazzling smile towards the group of young men closest to her and called out to them. "How are you doing, boys? Ready for some action today?" Katrina Everhart inquired with a sultry tone as she ran her fingers through her hair, looking at the young men while licking her lips in a seductive manner.

All the young men froze upon hearing Katrina Everhart's words before their heads began nodding in unison and replying, "Yes!"

Then Katrina winked at them and said, "I knew you would say so. Because there are no limits to what a man can accomplish if he sets his mind to it. And I love seeing strong, brave, and ambitious young men such as yourselves working hard to achieve your dreams. So, show me your best performances and prove your worth to become part of this sect.

And maybe, just maybe, you might impress me enough for me to reward you with special guidance in the future. So, give it your all and go beyond what you think is possible! I wish all of you good luck."

The young men roared with excitement upon hearing Katrina's encouragement, their spirits burning hotter than ever.