Chapter 0: Trial Judgment
Two Fate-Seizing Dice landed lightly on the ground, a three and a four combining to make seven.
Ye Qishuang’s aura turned sharp as she advanced on Liu Mianzhen step by step. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she could shatter him with a single palm strike.
“Wait a moment.”
Zhao Xinting raised a hand, spiritual energy like a gale sweeping out to block Ye Qishuang. Her eyes were ice-cold.
Seeing this, a smug look flashed in Liu Mianzhen’s eyes, and the smile on his lips deepened.
However, Ye Qishuang understood clearly that the person about to be consumed by her Eldest Senior Brother’s fury was definitely not herself.
“Liu Mianzhen, did you just say she is utterly wicked and deserves death?” Zhao Xinting asked sternly.
“Fellow Daoist Zhen, have you not heard of the name Ye Qishuang of the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace?” Liu Mianzhen asked, surprised.
“I have heard of her, but I don’t know what heinous deeds she has committed. I’d like you to enlighten me.” As he spoke, Zhao Xinting walked closer to Liu Mianzhen, as if deep in thought, seemingly having decided to ‘protect him completely.’
Liu Mianzhen immediately sneered and said, “This woman is on the Heavenly Devil Ranking. Founding the eccentric and heretical Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace is already a great offense against the heavens. She is also a ruthless killer and a scourge to the world. Many heroes from reputable sects like Linjiang Immortal Nunnery have met their end at her hands. She has even colluded with the monstrous Purple Extreme Demon to establish the infamous and corrupt Purple Xuan Alliance. Her crimes are truly countless and cannot be fully recorded!”
“You even know about the Purple Extreme Demon?” Zhao Xinting couldn’t help but chuckle.
Liu Mianzhen keenly noticed that Ye Qishuang’s expression shifted slightly when he mentioned the ‘Purple Extreme Demon.’ He mistook this for her being provoked into a furious rage by his harsh words, and his excitement grew even more. He declared with powerful momentum, “Who doesn’t know this number one fake woman and sissy in the world? She only lives now by relying on her profound cultivation. Otherwise, at best, she’d be a rabbit kept by a man who loves other men!”
“Few who have seen her true appearance have survived. It’s unclear if she truly possesses such formidable cultivation, or if they were all scared to death. And yet, she dares to claim the title of the number one beauty in the Cultivation World? This wretch probably doesn’t know that this title has been a blatant mockery from the very beginning. Of course! She is in cahoots with the depraved and evil Demoness, the Mystic Maiden Palace Lord, a match made in heaven!”
As soon as he finished speaking.
Zhao Xinting moved like lightning, her fair hand directly seizing Liu Mianzhen’s neck and lifting him high.
For a moment, Ye Qishuang subconsciously turned her head away, unable to bear watching.
Qin Gou also blurted out, “Cough, Little Chair, come help block the view. You know, I’m naturally a kind-hearted person, always showing compassion! I can’t stand to see scenes of life and death, especially those that are too cruel!”
Liu Mianzhen struggled with disbelief, “Fellow Daoist Zhen, what are you doing? Everything I said is true. Both the Purple Extreme Demon and Ye Qishuang come from that Demonic Seed Pavilion and are under the command of the Demon Master Qin Gou… No, to be precise, this scoundrel is now our Human Race’s Demon Saint. Who in the world doesn’t know his beastly heart?!”
“I’ll curse your ancestors!” Qin Gou, enraged, immediately pulled away the Little Chair who was helping to block the view. The Myriad Derivations Sword at his waist was unsheathed, and he was about to fly into the air.
…
A moment later, Liu Mianzhen was beaten until he foamed at the mouth, lying on his back, completely unconscious.
While cheering for his Master’s heroic display, Zhao Xinting did not forget to remind her, “Master, such a divinely gifted prodigy, wouldn’t it be a shame not to kill him?”
“This brat repaid kindness with enmity. He must not be let off lightly for harming Qishuang. However, since he was able to reach a deal with Shen Hao’s Remnant Soul, I still have some questions to ask him. After that, you can deal with him as you please.”
As Qin Gou finished speaking and was about to use his spiritual power to awaken Liu Mianzhen, suddenly, a faint golden radiance emerged from everyone present, except for Liu Mianzhen, who had completely lost his combat power.
“What is this?”
“A trial!”
Ye Qishuang looked down at the specks of spiritual light on her hands, thought for a moment, and said, “Although I haven’t experienced it personally, according to Chan Master Ming Lian, this Little Profound Realm is, after all, a Legacy Secret Realm. Every so often, it will formally open a trial. At such times, everyone within the secret realm, regardless of their location, will be teleported by this golden light to undergo the trial.”
“He was just fleeing from me, and now a trial has suddenly begun. What is Shen Hao’s Remnant Soul up to?” Zhao Xinting muttered, confused.
“We’ll be teleported?” Upon hearing this, Qin Gou decisively instructed, “Xinting, do you have any magic treasures that can contain living beings on you? Immediately imprison this Liu Mianzhen for now. We can’t let him escape because of this darn trial.”
“Yes.” Zhao Xinting immediately activated the beautiful jade at her waist, which flashed with spiritual light, instantly absorbing the unconscious Liu Mianzhen into it.
Ten breaths later, Qin Gou asked with a suspicious look, “What’s going on? Qishuang, didn’t you say this golden light would teleport us to another place? Why is there still no reaction?”
“This is exactly the same as what Chan Master Ming Lian described to me. This golden light should be assessing the level of compatibility and tacit understanding between us… This is because the trial has always been in pairs. As for the judgment criteria, predecessors have summarized that it usually involves proximity, commonality in cultivation techniques, and mutual affection and compatibility of temperaments!”
As she spoke, Ye Qishuang blinked her bright and beautiful eyes. The gentle corners of her mouth could no longer hide her joy and pride, as if she could already foresee her wonderful two-person world.
“This method of trial is indeed unusual,” Qin Gou nodded, very cautiously, “But one doesn’t need to think hard to know that Shen Hao’s Remnant Soul’s actions are bound to be a trick.”
Ye Qishuang immediately looked at Zhao Xinting, a slight smile on her lips, her voice gentle, “Therefore, Eldest Senior Brother, you must take good care of this Palace Lord’s Little Chair later! Don’t just focus on pursuing Shen Hao’s Remnant Soul, but also pay attention to protecting those around you!”
Upon hearing this, Qin Gou looked quite surprised, “Qishuang, do you mean that you are already fully confident in determining that Xinting will be paired with Little Chair next, and that I will participate in the trial with you?”
“Isn’t this result obvious?” Ye Qishuang immediately crossed her arms and smiled confidently.
In her opinion, Zhao Xinting would naturally be assigned to cooperate with her ‘Lone Shadow Saint Lord,’ Little Chair.
Moreover, there was no opponent to be found here at all. From all aspects, besides herself, who else present was more qualified, more advantageous to be deemed a pair with Old Qin, hand in hand to overcome difficulties?
The laws of this secret realm simply did not allow for any other choice!
The next second, the golden light on the bodies of Qin Gou and Zhao Xinting suddenly spread outwards, forming a single line between them.
