Villain: I transmigrated with Mind Control Powers
Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Test of the Mind

Without wasting any more time, the three of them moved into position. Jiro charged forward, his sword slashing at the griffin's legs, drawing its attention away from the wounded cultivators. The griffin let out a furious screech, swinging its massive talons at him, but Jiro was quick, dodging the blow and landing another strike on its flank.

Sera, from a distance, fired a volley of Spirit Arrows, each one hitting the griffin with precision. The arrows embedded themselves in its wings, hindering its ability to take flight. The beast flapped its wings furiously, trying to take off, but the injuries it had sustained were starting to take their toll.

Aric watched the fight unfold, his mind focused and calculating. Let them wear it down a little more, he thought. Once the timing is right, I'll step in and finish it.

After several minutes of intense fighting, it was clear that Jiro and Sera were holding their own against the injured griffin, but they were struggling to land a decisive blow.

The griffin's strength, even in its weakened state, was still overwhelming. Its talons swiped through the air, narrowly missing Jiro as he dodged to the side. Sera's arrows were keeping it at bay, but the creature was relentless.

Aric decided it was time to make his move.

With a smirk on his face, he activated his Nine Tails Illusion Art. Shadows swirled around him as he created a powerful illusion, clouding the griffin's mind.

The beast faltered for a moment, its movements growing sluggish as it tried to comprehend the phantoms that now surrounded it. Its eyes darted around wildly, unable to distinguish reality from illusion.

"This is it," Aric muttered under his breath.

He leaped into the fray, his Eclipsing Shadow Blade appearing in his hand, its dark energy humming with lethal intent. In one swift motion, he dashed toward the griffin, his body a blur as he slashed through the air. The blade cut deep into the beast's neck, and with a final, furious screech, the Wildhorn Griffin collapsed to the ground, its massive body going limp.

Aric landed gracefully beside the fallen creature, a smirk on his face as he looked down at the decapitated griffin. Its head rolled across the forest floor, the life in its eyes quickly fading.

Jiro and Sera stood nearby, panting heavily from the battle. They exchanged surprised glances before turning to Aric.

"That was... incredible," Jiro said, clearly impressed. "You saved us."

Aric gave a small, humble smile, though inside, he was anything but humble. This was just the beginning of his scheme. As they stood over the Wildhorn Griffin's massive body, Jiro began to carve out the core of the beast. When the golden core was finally revealed, it was pulsating with the energy of the slain beast.

The core was a rare treasure, filled with immense energy, and since Aric had delivered the finishing blow, Jiro and Sera respectfully handed it to him.

"You deserve this," Jiro said, admiration evident in his voice. "Without you, we would've been done for."

Aric accepted the core with a gracious nod. "Thank you," he said. "But we all worked hard for this. Here, take these healing pills to recover your strength." He pulled out two red pills from his pouch, seemingly innocuous, and handed them to Jiro and Sera. They took them without hesitation, grateful for the healing effects after the battle.

Unbeknownst to them, the pills were infused with Aric's blood.

Soon, Aric started altering their memories, allowing him to gain control over their minds. It was subtle, nearly undetectable, but within moments, they were under his influence, their loyalty shifting toward him without realizing it.

Aric wasn't done there. He approached the group that had been battling the griffin earlier. Many of them were still nursing their wounds, looking defeated but relieved the beast had finally fallen. Aric, ever the opportunist, extended his hand to them as well. "Here, take these healing pills. I have no need for them, and you all fought bravely."

The injured group accepted the pills gratefully, swallowing them down. Like Jiro and Sera, they too unknowingly became Aric's pawns. Their loyalty now belonged to him.

As their wounds healed, Aric quickly assessed the situation. With these people now under his control, he realized he had a unique opportunity. "If I control more people, I'll overwhelm the sect with my results," he thought. His lips curled into a sinister smile.

Over the next two hours, Aric's plan unfolded perfectly. His group, initially just himself, Jiro, and Sera, began to swell in numbers as more cultivators unknowingly fell under his mind control. Every person he saved or helped became his loyal pawn, and the group expanded rapidly.

The hunting party grew from 3 to 40 in no time, each person under Aric's influence, working tirelessly to gather more cores. ƜѴᒪ*Ξ*М%ⱣΥЯ+

Aric, of course, took the lion's share of the spoils. His strategy of letting others do the hard work while he controlled the situation proved highly efficient.

By the end of the trial, Aric's group had accumulated a staggering 52 Wildhorn Griffin cores, far more than any individual or team in the competition's history.

With a smirk of satisfaction, he distributed seven of those cores to the most outstanding members of his group, ensuring they would pass the trial as well. He knew that having loyal followers within the sect would benefit him in the long run.

When the exit portal opened, and the participants were transported back to the sect grounds, Aric stepped through confidently. His group of 40 followed close behind, every one of them loyal to him without even realizing it.

As they returned to the sect grounds, the scene was vastly different from before. Of the several hundred participants who had entered the trial, only 55 were left. The test had been brutal, and the survivors were weary but determined.

The elders, who were overseeing the trials, raised their eyebrows in surprise as they counted the remaining participants. "This is… far fewer than we expected," one elder murmured to another. "This trial was harsh indeed."

As the survivors lined up to submit their cores, the elders watched intently. The first few cultivators handed in their cores, and the numbers were low—one, two, maybe three cores at most.

Jiro stepped forward first. He bowed respectfully to the elder in charge and placed a single golden core on the table.

"One core," the elder acknowledged, marking it down on his scroll. "You pass."

Sera followed, also presenting her core. "One core," she said softly.

"You pass," the elder repeated.

Then it was Aric's turn.

He stepped forward, his posture relaxed but confident. The elders barely glanced at him at first, but when he placed his collection of cores on the table—45 in total—their eyes widened in shock.

"Forty-five… cores?" one of the elders stammered, hardly believing what he was seeing. The other elder leaned forward, his gaze sharp with disbelief. "That's impossible! No one in the history of these trials has ever brought in more than 20 cores!"

The group of elders exchanged stunned looks, whispers circulating among them. They had overseen these trials for decades, and the most outstanding participant in their records had only collected 20 cores. Aric's result was unheard of, and it left them momentarily speechless.

"This... this is extraordinary," the elder finally said, his voice laced with awe and confusion. "How did you manage this?"

Aric, ever the smooth talker, simply shrugged. "I just killed them," he said humbly, though he knew full well that he had orchestrated every move.

The elders nodded, still astounded by the sheer number of cores in front of them. "This performance is beyond exceptional," one elder said, clearly impressed. "You've not only passed this round, but you've set a new record. This will be talked about for years to come."

he elders, still visibly impressed by his performance in the previous rounds, gathered at the front of the sect grounds. One elder, dressed in deep purple robes, stepped forward and raised his hand to silence the murmuring crowd.

"The second round has tested your strength and survival capabilities," the elder began, his voice echoing through the grounds. "But a true cultivator's strength does not come from power alone. The mind, heart, and intent must be pure and unwavering if one wishes to ascend to the heights of cultivation."

The crowd remained silent, hanging on the elder's every word. Aric listened with mild interest.

The elder continued, "The third and final round will test the deepest corners of your heart and mind. It will reveal your true self. Only those who can confront their inner demons and emerge victorious will succeed. This test is known as the 'Test of the Mind'."

He gestured behind him, and from within the sect grounds, several guards appeared, dragging along a massive object covered by a thick cloth. They set it down in the center of the arena, and with a dramatic flourish, they pulled back the covering to reveal an enormous mirror.