Early the next morning, Elders Jin Yue and Shi, along with the two Holy Sons, Bai Bi and Lei Lan, were gathered on the first floor of the pavilion, standing quietly as if waiting for something.
Elder Shi and the other elder wore faint expressions of anticipation, while the two Holy Sons looked utterly bewildered, their gazes flickering with uncertainty as they stared toward the staircase.
After the time it took to finish a meal, footsteps echoed from above. A figure flashed into view, and Han Li appeared at the top of the stairs, a faint smile on his face.
“So, you succeeded?” Elder Shi’s eyes brightened as he asked.
“Thanks to your guidance, Senior. I’ve grasped most of it and should be able to use it in battle,” Han Li replied with a smile.
“Excellent. This trial may be far more dangerous than previous ones. Although Fellow Daoist Han is a high-tier Spirit General, you might still encounter enemies beyond your capabilities. So last night, Elder Shi and I discussed it and decided to lend you one of our clan’s most treasured artifacts. This way, if you face any unexpected dangers, you’ll have a means to protect yourself,” the young woman said after carefully observing Han Li’s condition.
“A clan treasure?” Han Li was stunned.
“Indeed. Take this Thunder Flood Dragon Shears with you,” Jin Yue said, flicking her sleeve. A ball of blue light shot out, transforming into a pair of cyan scissors.
Han Li instinctively raised a hand and caught the artifact, examining it closely.
The scissors were about half a foot long, with an ancient design. Their surface was deep blue, adorned with intricate silver patterns, clearly indicating their extraordinary nature.
“Seniors, you’re truly lending this to me?” Han Li ran his fingers over the scissors, feeling a chilling aura, and couldn’t help but ask with delight.
“Actually, our clan has other artifacts more suited for the Abyss, but they require extensive refinement. There simply isn’t enough time. These Thunder Flood Dragon Shears, however, don’t require such effort. Just channel a bit of your spiritual power into them, and they can be used to attack enemies with tremendous force. But be warned—they can also be easily seized by powerful foes, so you must use them with caution,” Jin Yue cautioned solemnly.
“Thank you for this gift, Seniors. I’ll be careful,” Han Li replied, knowing full well that they were only entrusting him with such a treasure for the sake of their Holy Sons. He accepted it without hesitation.
Jin Yue nodded and then turned to Bai Bi and Lei Lan, offering them no additional artifacts.
Han Li wasn’t surprised. Likely, any treasures meant for them had already been given before leaving the Holy City. The golden gourd Lei Lan had used against the Red Flame Clan in the arena was probably one such item.
Soon after, the five of them left the pavilion and took to the skies.
Above, many members of other branches had already gathered, waiting.
None of them rode giant birds or insects now—all hovered in the air with their wings spread.
The Holy Sons of the Flying Spirit Tribes had gathered separately from their elders, their expressions far graver than the day before. No one whispered; the atmosphere was tense.
Han Li’s gaze flickered, but he showed no intention of speaking to anyone. He led Bai Bi and Lei Lan to a corner of the crowd and stood silently.
Before long, however, he sensed someone watching him. Turning his head slightly, he spotted a thin, childlike woman about a hundred feet away, scrutinizing him.
Her skin was dark, with eerie black tattoos on her neck. When she noticed Han Li looking back, she grinned, revealing unnaturally white teeth.
Han Li’s heart chilled.
His spiritual sense swept over her, revealing her as a high-tier Spirit General with an unsettling aura—one that made him feel threatened, as if she cultivated some extraordinary technique.
His expression remained neutral, but his lips moved slightly.
Beside him, Bai Bi, who had been standing with his eyes closed, suddenly heard Han Li’s voice in his ear. Startled, he opened his eyes and followed Han Li’s gaze to the girl. His face paled instantly, and he quickly lowered his head.
“Brother Han, that’s Ao Qing of the Seven Extremes Clan. Her reputation surpasses even Zhu Yinzi’s—she’s considered the strongest among us in terms of divine abilities. But she’s ruthless and unpredictable, prone to killing on a whim. It’s best not to provoke her,” Bai Bi whispered with a hint of fear.
Han Li frowned, wondering why she had been examining him so intently, when he felt another pair of eyes—this one filled with malice—land on him.
His expression darkened as he traced the gaze.
At another corner of the crowd, Zhu Yinzi stood with the other Holy Sons of the Red Flame Clan, glaring at him.
Han Li met his gaze coldly before turning away, his face impassive.
The Red Flame Clan was determined to suppress the Skywing Clan, and Han Li had no doubt they would cause trouble during the trial. But he felt no unease—he had already steeled himself for it.
Since Han Li’s group had arrived late, they didn’t have to wait long in the air.
Half an hour later, the three chief elders of the Joint Council and the armored figure appeared before the crowd. The entire procession then set off toward the massive wall in the distance.
Strangely, despite the wall appearing empty, the group didn’t fly over it. Instead, they halted before a section of the wall.
The armored figure stepped forward, chanting under his breath before pointing at the wall.
A thunderous rumble shook the ground as the wall’s surface rippled. A five-colored glow shimmered, revealing a faint silver formation.
The armored figure opened his mouth and spat out a pale purple wooden plaque.
The plaque shone brilliantly, and a violet beam shot out, vanishing into the center of the formation.
The silver formation hummed, its patterns swirling before vanishing entirely. In its place, a massive silver door appeared at the base of the wall.
The door was dozens of feet tall, radiating a cold light as if forged from pure silver.
Without hesitation, the armored figure retrieved the plaque and flicked his sleeve toward the door.
A wave of purple light surged forth, striking the door.
With a deafening boom, the silver door slowly creaked open.
A gust of gray, sinister wind rushed in, sending an inexplicable shiver down the spines of the Holy Sons. Their skin prickled as if blades were pressed against them.
Utterly bizarre.
Han Li, too, sensed the wind’s strangeness, his eyes flashing blue.
With the door open, the procession wasted no time stepping through, revealing the world beyond the wall.
Han Li couldn’t help but inhale sharply.
Not far beyond the door stretched a vast expanse of black earth—barren, lifeless, with soil and rocks all pitch-black as far as the eye could see.
Above, a dense sea of gray-white mist hung oppressively, its thickness making it impossible to discern its upper limits.
The gap between the mist and the ground was only thirty to forty feet high, narrow and filled with eerie, howling winds that seemed capable of devouring everything.
The sight filled everyone with unease.
“So this is the Abyss Gate. It truly looks perilous,” Han Li mused silently.
“From here, only the Holy Sons may proceed. The Abyss Gate lies ten thousand miles ahead, within the mist,” the elderly woman with the cane suddenly announced.
Her voice, though not loud, carried clearly to everyone’s ears, instantly silencing the murmurs among the crowd.
“Now that we’re here, let’s announce the trial’s objective. I’m sure you’ve all been waiting impatiently,” the white-haired man chuckled.
The elderly woman glanced at him before continuing calmly, “After deliberation, the Joint Council has decided that this trial will differ from previous ones, where you were tasked with slaying specific dark creatures. This time, your mission is to retrieve a spiritual object called the Netherflame Fruit from the Abyss. Only by bringing back a mature fruit will you succeed. Unlike other spiritual items, this fruit only grows in places where darkness and miasma are most concentrated. Each tree bears only one fruit, which ripens every five hundred years. The first layer of the Abyss lacks sufficient dark energy, so you won’t find it there. Of course, if anyone wishes to waste time searching there, they’re free to do so. The second layer may have a few, but we can’t guarantee it. The third layer, however, will definitely have them—and in abundance. How you proceed is up to you. The trial lasts three months. After that, regardless of how many succeed, we’ll reopen this gate to welcome you back. Listen carefully.”
Her tone carried natural authority, and since her words determined the trial’s outcome, Han Li and the other participants listened intently, not daring to miss a single word.
“Now that you’ve been informed, you may depart. In three months, I hope to see most of you again. The rest of you, return now. The Sealed Demon Gate will soon close,” the tattooed elder commanded sternly.
With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and strode back toward the city gate without a backward glance.
The white-haired man and the elderly woman exchanged a glance before following without hesitation. The other elders of the Joint Council trailed behind silently.
Most of the branch elders took one last look at their Holy Sons before leaving with faint worry. A few took the opportunity to whisper final instructions before turning away.
In the blink of an eye, the vast space outside the gate was left with only the hundreds of Flying Spirit Tribe Holy Sons, standing in uneasy silence.
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