Chapter 28
Materializing out of thin air, Ji Wuye's eyelids fluttered open, revealing his piercing crimson irises against the backdrop of a starless, inky black sky.
He found himself transported to the third-floor trial, surveying an unfamiliar ramshackle village that lay before him.
Unlike typical rural settlements he had encountered, this village appeared utterly foreign and out of place. This clearly not in Jianghu…
The structures were haphazardly arranged without any discernible order, makeshift houses crudely constructed from packed mud rather than bamboo or concrete.
The roads, if one could call them that, were uneven dirt paths riddled with deep potholes and stagnant puddles, as if the dwellings had been erected without a shred of planning.
Adding to his discomfort, an acrid, unpleasant odor assaulted his nostrils, causing his nose to wrinkle involuntarily.
"Reeks of filth," he muttered under his breath, realizing with disdain that he was standing directly atop a small mound of feces.
Wrinkling his nose, Ji Wuye shook off the offending matter clinging to the soles of his white shoes and began to stroll cautiously through the squalid village.
With a jian, a traditional straight double-edged sword, strapped across his back, Ji Wuye navigated the poorly constructed roads, his movements exuding a composed and calm demeanor despite the unfamiliar surroundings.
Flickering torches hung from each ramshackle dwelling, casting an eerie, dancing glow across the night sky. Despite the meager illumination, he advanced with unwavering steps, his mind involuntarily recalling memories from the previous timeline.
"It should be nearby," he thought inwardly, eyes scanning his surroundings.
Finally reaching the village square, Ji Wuye noticed a sizable crowd had gathered in the center. The villagers' faces were etched with evident fear and anxiety, women clutching their children close while men engaged in heated, frantic arguments.
As he approached, their voices rose in a cacophonous swell before an uneasy hush blanketed the throng.
"Ah, here he is, the last person," one of the villagers spoke, their voice tinged with a mixture of relief and trepidation. In that instant, a transparent screen materialized and flashed before Ji Wuye's eyes.
[>>[QUEST]<<]
You have reached the 3rd floor of the Tower of the God!
[>] Objective: Defend the village for 10 minutes!
[!] Consequence: DEATH!
[!] You have 10 minutes to adjust your strategy. The countdown will begin once the time is up. Good luck, climber!
...
The Wanderers—a term used by the people of Jianghu in his previous timeline—referred to individuals from other worlds they encountered during the trials.
Before reaching the 50th floor in that previous timeline, Wanderers from alternate realms were often summoned to complete the trials together, similar to the current scenario unfolding before him.
And now, Ji Wuye found himself inexplicably summoned to another strange world. However, unlike others who may have been bewildered by such an experience, a faint smile played across his lips as the realization dawned.
Ji Wuye's gaze flickered contemplatively as he observed the gathering of people engaged in hushed, urgent conversations with the villagers. "I just hope all of this aligns with the previous timeline," he thought inwardly, a slight crease furrowing his brow.
His sharp eyes swept across the surrounding villagers, most of whom possessed fair features—blonde or light brown tresses and piercing blue eyes that starkly contrasted with the people from Jianghu, who predominantly had brown eyes and black hair.
Despite the unfamiliar, guttural dialect he heard them speaking, his ears somehow inherently understood the words being uttered as if by some inexplicable magic.
However, his attention soon became transfixed on a particular woman standing apart from the throng. "Long ears..." Ji Wuye murmured under his breath, so faintly that only he could hear.
She stood tall, well over six chi in height, with a lithe, graceful form akin to a crane in flight. Her fair skin was utterly unblemished, glowing like polished white jade.
Another striking beauty, he noted, with piercing emerald eyes and long blonde tresses that seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding scenery.
As he allowed his gaze to linger appraisingly over her willowy figure, reminiscing about fragments of information from his previous timeline, the panicked murmurs of the villagers were abruptly interrupted by the clamorous sound of heavy chain mail clanking amid heavy footsteps.
The commotion immediately captured everyone's rapt attention.
"Greetings," a resonant voice announced firmly. "I am Belev Averial from the Averial family house."
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