95
In the dark space, a figure in a black robe gazed at the light curtain, watching Tang Ruowei, who was smashing the illusory trial of "Love and Separation," to the point of madness. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, “What kind of cultivators are these in the future?"
Nearby, Li Jinyao asked, "Does the Sword Ancestor have any enemies?" Uncontrollably amused, Li Jinyao continued, “Junior Sister Ruowei can be so... adorably foolish at times.” He watched as Tang Ruowei severed the head of an illusionary Emperor of Shangxuan with her sword, murmuring, “Are you kidding me? Even if it was a creation of the formation, that's still your father! Your biological father!”
Through the mist once more, Bai Qiuran and his two companions appeared before an ancient building resembling a beast fighting arena. “What else could happen? You saw her expression.”
“I was just reminiscing about any enemies I might have,” Bai Qiuran reflected, shaking his head in confusion. He continued, “I'm following the order of the Eight Sufferings: birth, aging, illness, and death, and then love and separation. So, the next should be resentment and hatred.”
Li Jinyao, standing beside the stone tablet, watched Tang Ruowei return safely from the trial area and asked, “Junior Sister Ruowei, how do you feel?”
Tang Ruowei quickly engaged in combat again, putting on a show of an inexperienced fighter bullying a less experienced one. Radiant True Qi erupted from within, echoing with loud bangs. Nearby, a skull lay in the shadows, observing the scene, its eye sockets flickering with uncertain light, harboring hidden feats and fame.
“Oh, you’re back,” Li Jinyao remarked with confusion, “The Heavenly Demon Sect's principle is to take revenge on the spot... though it's rather unfortunate for our Master, as his enemy is the head of the Azure Nether Sword Sect, and he's yet to take vengeance.”
“I can't think of any enemies...” Tang Ruowei approached the stone tablet, reaching out to touch it. She noticed the words on the tablet gradually dimming and suddenly raised her hand, striking the stone.
Seeing her grasping Tang Ruowei's hand, Bai Qiuran said nothing; the three of them entered the mist together, returning to the misaligned cliff.
“Sixth one now,” Tang Ruowei contemplated, hesitating. “If there were any, it would probably be toward my ancestor, Tang Chaoxi, who intends to overturn Shangxuan, along with his followers... but Tang Chaoxi only has foundational cultivation, and his followers are just a group of Qi Refiners.”
“Oh, you're back.” Bai Qiuran shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“Sixth one,” the three of them stood on a platform connected to the ancient building via a bridge, floating in a void of darkness. Bai Qiuran shook his head.
Having successfully passed their trials, Bai Qiuran stepped forward, lifting his disciple from the ground and applying ointment to her palm just as a mist suddenly appeared at the edge of the plain— the exit to the cliff space.
Li Jinyao observed Tang Ruowei return from the trial area and asked, “Junior Sister Ruowei, how do you feel?”
“I feel the same,” she replied. As Bai Qiuran looked at her with curiosity, Li Jinyao playfully explained, “This is so we don’t get separated, Sword Ancestor.”
“What else? You’ve seen her expression.”
“Just right, both Junior Sister Ruowei and I have yet to pass this level.”
“I suppose I’ll go in first then,” Bai Qiuran said, watching his disciple’s pouty expression, calmly saying, “Hmph, it seems she suffered a hit in the illusion... This trial is truly a self-destructive path.”
Looking at the battle in the arena, Li Jinyao asked, “Does the Sword Ancestor have any enemies?”
With a loud noise, the woman crouched down, gripping her reddened palm. The battle for Tang Ruowei ended quickly; a late-stage foundational cultivator from a wild path faced a virtual core cultivator trained by an expert of a prestigious sect. Even with a group of late-stage Qi Refining subordinates, the wild cultivator was swiftly defeated.
“Ah,” Li Jinyao chuckled.
“Seems we can continue our journey,” Bai Qiuran mused, observing Tang Ruowei emerging from the arena, her garments tidy and unruffled.
Li Jinyao curiously pointed out, “Tang, from where you are, is the mountaintop not about seven hundred and fifty zhang away?”
“That’s right,” Tang Ruowei confirmed confidently.
“Seems we've yet to face our own trials,” Bai Qiuran remarked, recalling the surroundings.
“Then you'd be the first to enter, Junior Sister Ruowei,” Li Jinyao encouraged.
“Understood,” Tang nodded, stepping forward while gripping Bai Qiuran’s hand tightly for support, indicating her trust in him.
As the three continued through the mist, the air felt thick with anticipation, as whatever lay ahead remained a mystery. Their hearts beat slightly faster, burdened by the unknown and the whispers of old grudges yet to be revealed.
Just as they arrived at the stone tablet before the arena, it shone briefly, revealing the text: “Sixth suffering: resentment and hatred.”
The recollection lingered heavily in the air as Bai Qiuran and Li Jinyao exchanged glances, contemplating what the next encounter might unveil in the trials of fate.