Here is the final proofed version of Chapter 7, with all grammar, punctuation, and phrasing polished. There were only a few very small tweaks made for clarity and flow—your draft was already excellent.
Chapter 7: Into the Secret Realm
A ripple of cold air greeted them as the light of the portal faded.
Su Xue Qing opened her eyes to a new world.
The Secret Realm sprawled before them like an untouched wilderness—vast, raw, and primal. Towering pine trees lined the nearby forest edge, their dark green needles rustling faintly in the wind. Jagged rock formations jutted out of the ground in the distance, partially wrapped in climbing vines. A slow-moving river cut across a wide stretch of plains just beyond the treeline, its waters gleaming under the pale morning sun.
Birds called faintly from above, but otherwise, the land was silent.
No other students were in sight.
Just the three of them—Su Xue Qing, Chen Shuyun, and Huo Lian—standing in the grass.
"So big…" Huo Lian murmured, her eyes scanning the terrain. "Are we really all in here together?"
Su Xue Qing nodded once.
"They drop each group at random points. It keeps things fair—no one can chase or target others."
Chen Shuyun exhaled and looked toward the treeline. "This doesn't feel like a test. It feels like we stepped into the wild."
"It is wild," Su Xue Qing said softly. "That's the point."
The Secret Realm was a controlled space built from stabilized wildlands—its monsters restricted by the Bureau, but its terrain still untamed. It stretched across dozens of kilometers, accommodating hundreds of examinees simultaneously. More importantly, it was carefully designed to be neutral ground—no terrain or monster type favored any particular profession. Whether combat or auxiliary-type, all had equal opportunity to prove themselves here.
A rustle in the brush.
The three immediately dropped into a combat stance.
From the undergrowth, a cluster of goblins burst out—small, hunched creatures with pale-green skin, jagged teeth, and crude weapons. Their eyes gleamed with hunger.
There were six of them.
Each one—Level 1.
One shrieked and charged.
Su Xue Qing stepped forward.
Her jet-black hair shimmered under a layer of light, turning into gleaming silver strands. A cold aura expanded around her.
Above her head, the Ice Crown emerged—floating like a frozen halo of sovereignty.
Her teammates didn't speak.
They had seen this once before.
"Formation," Su Xue Qing said. "Cover my flanks."
"Agility Enchant!" Shuyun called, her staff flashing once.
A quick aura pulsed over Su Xue Qing, sharpening her steps.
"Defense Enchant!" she followed, a shimmering barrier forming around Huo Lian's shoulders.
Su Xue Qing stepped forward, sword gleaming.
The first goblin swung downward. She sidestepped and stabbed clean through its gut.
Another came from the left—she turned, deflected with the sword's flat, then swept her leg out, knocking it backward. A clean strike followed through the neck.
A third moved for a flank.
She raised her left hand.
An ice spike erupted from the ground—sharp, flawless—skewering it mid-leap.
Huo Lian intercepted another goblin, shield braced. She blocked the incoming strike, then countered with a bash that sent her opponent tumbling.
Chen Shuyun stayed back, layering support auras for both of them.
Three more ice spears materialized around Su Xue Qing, rotating in a slow spiral.
She flicked her wrist—one spear struck a goblin's chest and sent it flying backward. The other two hit non-fatal spots—one in the shoulder, the other piercing the thigh.
Before the injured goblins could recover, Huo Lian rushed forward and cleanly finished the one with the wounded shoulder. Su Xue Qing moved like wind, her sword cutting through the thigh-struck goblin before it could rise.
The final goblin collapsed.
Their bodies dissolved into white mist.
Six tiny objects dropped into the grass—nail-sized magic stones, one from each goblin.
"Magic stones…" Shuyun whispered, kneeling to pick one up. "Even from Level 1 monsters."
"They'll be recorded as kill credit," Su Xue Qing said calmly. "Take them. We move."
They continued through the thinning brush, approaching the forest's edge. The trees gave way to open grassland, scattered with shrubs and low ridges. The sunlight was stronger here, casting longer shadows across the uneven ground.
A gentle wind rustled the tall grass as the trio moved cautiously.
Shuyun adjusted the strap of her bag. "This place feels too quiet between fights."
"Stay alert," Su Xue Qing replied softly. "Quiet doesn't mean safe."
"Still," Huo Lian added with a half-smile, "it's kind of refreshing. Like camping. With murder."
Su Xue Qing's lips twitched—almost a smile.
The path ahead curved gently along a shallow ridge, the grass swaying like waves under the breeze. Insects buzzed faintly, and the distant sound of running water hinted at a river not far ahead.
"There," Huo Lian pointed. "Movement up ahead."
Su Xue Qing's gaze narrowed.
Three goblins—Level 2, slightly taller, leaner, and more coordinated—patrolled the edge of a rock outcrop ahead, their jagged blades gripped tightly.
"They haven't seen us yet," Shuyun whispered.
"Positions," Su Xue Qing ordered quietly.
"Magic Boost!" Shuyun murmured. A ripple of energy surged across Su Xue Qing's hand, strengthening her magical output.
"Defense Enchant!"
A transparent shimmer settled over Huo Lian's plated armor.
The goblins noticed them then—raising snarls and rushing forward in disorganized aggression.
Huo Lian met the first goblin with a hard block, shield raised. Their weapons clashed with a loud ring. With a firm forward push, she knocked it back, dazing it briefly.
Without pause, she pivoted to intercept the second goblin, keeping it engaged.
Su Xue Qing, calm and composed, slowly raised her hand.
A thin wave of ice curved outward from her palm, locking the leg of the third goblin just before it lunged.
Su Xue Qing's left hand shimmered.
An ice spear formed in a swift, controlled spin—then launched cleanly.
It struck the chest of the goblin dueling with Huo Lian, ending its life in a burst of white mist.
Huo Lian adjusted immediately, moving to the frozen goblin and driving her blade into its torso with practiced precision.
Su Xue Qing turned slightly, gaze falling on the first goblin that had been knocked back.
It had begun to rise, groggy but alive.
She flicked her wrist—another ice spear shot forward, piercing its chest in a cold, perfect strike.
The final body dissolved.
Three more magic stones dropped into the dirt, glittering under the sunlight.
"These ones were tougher," Huo Lian muttered, wiping her blade clean. "Level 2... we'll probably see worse."
"That's why we pace ourselves," Su Xue Qing replied.
She looked ahead again, calm as ever.
"Let's keep moving."
[End of Chapter 7]