Against The Heavens 38 Entering The Second Trial.

After spending a bit more time traveling, increasing their pace slightly, Jing Yimu and Li Yang reached Time's March. Time's March was slightly different from Soul's Rest, in that the buildings in Time's March were made out of a strange type of stone that was a murky gray in color. The craftsmans.h.i.+p on the houses was rather crude, with each building being carved into a rough square shape. While walking through Time's March, Jing Yimu was chatting with Li Yang.

"That building over there is the library, each of the four towns in this Cursed Realm has one. Not only does it contain a lot of information that is hard to find for normal people, but there is also a golem, a type of puppet, that knows almost everything about this Cursed Realm."

The library Jing Yimu was pointing at was the only building not made in the same way as the rest of the buildings in the town. It was made out of a type of silver wood that s.h.i.+mmered under the sun, it was round in shape, resembling a cylinder with a square roof decorated with blue lanterns. The outside of the library was carved with a crane flying towards a bright moon.

Jing Yimu did not bring Li Yang to the library, instead bringing him around as he bought food, checking with Li Yang what he liked better. They had traveled together for over a month, and Jing Yimu found himself getting fonder and fonder of the child he had picked up. Looking away from his poor affinity, his determination and talent for combat made him a perfect disciple.

Jing Yimu finished buying a large amount of food, storing it in a new interspatial ring, a ring that contained a separate s.p.a.ce that only the owner could access. He himself barely needed to eat, he could even go years without eating if he so chose to. But Li Yang was different, as his cultivation was too low to manage such a feat, forcing Jing Yimu to stock up on food for Li Yang. After stocking up on food, he gave the interspatial ring to Li Yang and helped him set up a mental imprint on the ring, making him the owner.

"You simply need to put in a strand of your consciousness into the ring, and then you will be able to take out what you have put inside. Time inside it moves slower, but it still moves, so make sure you check the contents from time to time."

Jing Yimu slid the copper ring onto Li Yang's right middle finger and explained how it worked and how to use it. He made Li Yang test out the ring a few times, secretly enjoying the excited expression Li Yang wore as he tested out the ring, taking the food in and out.

"Thank you, Master Yimu!"

Li Yang stopped playing with the ring and gave Jing Yimu a deep bow, speaking with a voice that was trembling with excitement. On the inside, he found it rather convenient, as he had been lacking an interspatial ring ever since he had been reborn. Now he did not need to worry about being unable to carry things around. Jinwu was also very interested in the ring, copying Li Yang when he bowed to Jing Yimu.

Jing Yimu had already asked about Jinwu, but Li Yang gave a simple excuse, saying that it was a weak Demonic beast that his father had captured for him. When Li Yang bowed, Jing Yimu let out a slight chuckle and pat Li Yang on the head a few times, speaking in a cheerful voice.

"No need to thank me, it is my duty as the master after all. I will head to the site of the trial, I don't know how long I will be gone, so wait patiently."

After he finished his words, Jing Yimu pointed at the library one last time, before turning around and heading towards the exit of the town. But before he could make it very far, Li Yang dashed forward and grabbed onto the sleeves of Jing Yimu's robe, speaking in an almost pleading voice.

"Wait, Master Yimu! I wish to go with you, I want to at least try to help you gain the emblem!"

There was no way Li Yang would let Jing Yimu go and take the trials without him. If he did that, it would look very suspicious if Jing Yimu came out and Li Yang had snuck away to take the trial while he was gone. Because of that, Li Yang had already prepared his words ahead of time. Jing Yimu furrowed his brows slightly after hearing Li Yang's words, reprimanding him slightly.

"These trials are not playgrounds, they can easily become dangerous."

Li Yang had already expected words like that, so he stood his ground and looked at Jing Yimu with a determined expression, acting as if Jing Yimu was his future goal. The eyes he used to look at Jing Yimu contained a subtle mixture of pleading, loneliness, and determination, digging straight into Jing Yimu's heart.

"If I shy away from a bit of danger here, I will never manage to become like you."

Jing Yimu continued to furrow his brows for a short moment, but he eventually let out a sigh and shook his head. When he saw the eyes that Li Yang used to look at him, he realized that he was unable to reject him. He swiped his own interspatial ring and took out a few white jade wings that were the size of a child's pinky finger.

"...Hah... Fine, consider it you getting some good experience. Take these, once you find yourself in danger, crush one and it will transport you a few hundred kilometers in the direction of your choice. They should be able to bring you from the trial grounds to this town. This trial might not carry too much risk of dying, but the other three are all very dangerous, especially the trial in Spear's Advance. Never underestimate the trials! If you sense even the slightest danger, crush one of these talismans! Understood!?"

Jing Yimu had a serious expression on his face as he handed the jade wings to Li Yang. The jade wings were made out of a special type of jade and then infused with the Qi of someone who was good at controlling the laws of s.p.a.ce. But since they could only move a person a few hundred kilometers, they were not worth much to Jing Yimu. Li Yang grabbed the jade wings with a happy and excited expression, repeatedly bowing to Jing Yimu as he spoke.

"Yes, Master Yimu! I will make sure to make you proud!"

Jing Yimu let out a slight chuckle and then proceeded to continue heading towards the exit of the town, Li Yang following right next to him. After they left the town, they turned towards the direction of the trial, towards a vast plain that seemed to go on for as far as the eye could see, with only a few spa.r.s.e tufts of gra.s.s. While looking at the plain, Li Yang asked a question he had genuinely been wondering about for a while.

"Master Yimu, what exactly are the contents of the trials?"

Li Yang had gotten information about where the trials were from the golem inside Soul's Rest, but he did not know what the actual contents of the trials were. If he knew what the contents of the trials were, it would be easier for him to prepare for them ahead of time. Jing Yimu also realized this, so he started explaining what he had learned about the trials over his numerous attempts.

"There are four trials, one for each town. One is located inside the emerald volcanoes where I found you, the trial is to endure your body being destroyed and reborn countless times over, even your soul will get tortured. The trial here is that you must not only break out of an illusion, you must not break because of the endless march of time. Another trial is located not far from Soaring Sword, the contents of the trial are that you must break free of your own demons, allowing your heart to become truly free and unshackled. The last and most difficult one is the trial in Spear's Advance. It is a brutal battleground where your cultivation will be sealed and you are forced to endure continuous battle. Only after killing a certain amount of enemies will you have completed the trial."

After hearing Jing Yimu explain the contents of the four trials, Li Yang's mind rapidly started moving. But on the outside, he only showed complete bewilderment as he looked at Jing Yimu, speaking with an utterly shocked and wors.h.i.+ping voice.

"And you have attempted all these trials several times already?!"

Jing Yimu let out another slight chuckle, patting Li Yang on the head and telling him to work hard. At his level of cultivation, there would be countless people willing to line up and praise him, but he found that it was extremely pleasant when it was Li Yang who praised him.

"Heh, one day I am certain that you will manage to do the same with ease, as long as you stay persistent and survive. Now then, Little Yang, let us commence the trial."

Jing Yimu grasped Li Yang's wrist and started moving towards the vast plain at high speed. The guardian of the trial would try to murder him, and he guessed that the guardian would also try to murder Li Yang, as he was following Jing Yimu into the trial. Because of that, he had to enter the trial with Li Yang as fast as possible.

"Yes!"

Li Yang gave a strong nod to the words of Jing Yimu as if he was incomparably excited at becoming like Jing Yimu. But on the inside, he had already come to a decision. The trial in Spear's Advance was where he would take the chance and kill Jing Yimu.