The ways of the world are ever unpredictable, just like that seemingly all-controlling figure in a black robe, who could never have foreseen such a quick turn of events.
"He..."
Li Jinyao sighed after looking around.
"In this moment of uncertainty, I met a man who seemed quite fitting for my criteria. I thought I might encounter a suitable partner, so I decided to test him to see if he was stronger than me and whether he could protect me... Unfortunately, it seems I was too strong, and thus the man ended up like this on the ground."
She smiled apologetically, "I’m sorry for poking at your sore spot, but this is the only method I could think of to validate his identity... On my way here, I had run into fellow disciples attempting to ambush me. It appears there are also the souls of Earth Immortals lurking in this cave, waiting to seize our bodies.
I wonder how many other disciples have fallen victim to this."
While she expressed these thoughts in a composed yet cold manner, even the heavens seemed displeased with his actions, leading Bai Qiuran to slap him across the face.
Tang Ruowei stowed away her Kun Ling sword, suppressing the turbulent True Qi within her, and took a slight breath. After Bai Qiuran entered the Underworld, he was in another realm, and the figure in black could not see the particulars of what he experienced. When he emerged, he seemed as if he had merely visited a friend’s house for tea and some casual chatter.
"Alright, I understand. You are indeed Sister Li Jinyao," Tang Ruowei said.
"If that's the case, then it would help in establishing mutual trust," Li Jinyao replied without fear.
Of course, entering without proper protocols was illegal. Those cultivators who had been sent to the Underworld would definitely be captured by the Yin Officials if discovered, destined to remain in hell and suffer eternally. Even without encountering the Yin Officials, the Underworld was rife with deadly poisonous mists and strange creatures, making it a perilous place.
Just moments ago, he watched as Bai Qiuran casually strolled through the trials of the Third and Fourth Sufferings, known as the "Suffering of Disease" and the "Suffering of Death." This fellow even held a souvenir made from the horn of some unique creature native to the Underworld. When the figure in black saw him return to the cave, he was busy shoving this souvenir into his storage bag.
"Now, what’s this thing lying on the ground?"
The Suffering of Disease was originally meant to force individuals to walk through a mist that could weaken even a cultivator’s physical resistance, making them susceptible to various ailments and painful experiences. If Bai Qiuran had been present, he might have experienced an unstable mindset without needing to encounter anything related to love or hate. Unfortunately, the cave's structure separated master from disciple, preventing Bai Qiuran from witnessing this precious moment—what a pity it was.
In the distance, there was a girl who once looked just like her but boasted an ample bosom and a curvaceous figure, the very image she had longed to become. Many a night had she dreamt of transforming into such a figure, but now that girl had been turned into a mass that needed to be censored.
Fortunately, just then, the formation within the cave began to activate, breaking down this created being into its most basic energy, reintroducing it into the cave's energy cycle, halting the girl’s endless stream of chaotic thoughts.
She didn’t climb up onto the platform; instead, she walked along the corridor beneath it, heading towards another bridge. However, as Bai Qiuran walked through the poisonous mist, he seemed to have stepped into a refreshing forest, inhaling deeply, his complexion visibly brightening.
"That is how it is... Sister Li, you tried to test me, but I haven't had the chance to test you," Tang Ruowei hesitated.
After Bai Qiuran’s experiences were complete, the figure in black began to show an expression of disbelief as he turned to regard her.
"Indeed, it is Sister Ruowei," Li Jinyao remarked.
Hearing her name, Li Jinyao turned, smiled, and then looked at Tang Ruowei closely.
"We should walk together from now on to keep an eye on each other," she suggested.
"Alright, I’ll join you," Tang Ruowei said with little hesitation.
The two then stepped onto the bridge, continuing onward.
Contrarily, just moments earlier, the figure in black was glaring with a mixture of irritation and realization. He scoffed at his own fate, “[I told you so!]”
No matter the twists of fate, the unexpected presence of the resilient Sister Li Jinyao caused a sensation in the black-robed figure, as he never anticipated getting slapped in the face so readily.
“Speaking of which... Sister Li, what’s going on with your cushion? It's about to fall out,” Li Jinyao interjected, though her demeanor maintained an air of cheerfulness amidst the bloody scene around her.
As she stood there dressed in red, holding her twin blades, blood dripped from the tips, pooling at her feet, a sight that most would find downright horrid.
"Ah, it seems I have miscalculated. But now that you've tested me too, wouldn't you say we ought to trust each other?"
Li Jinyao nodded earnestly.
The tension in the air dissipated for a moment as they stood amidst the aftermath, contemplating the intricacies of their surroundings, trapped in a game far beyond their understanding.