Benevolent Master

...

Wu Zhengyi, who had been calm the entire way, couldn't help but start pacing about muttering something. The group was now completely in shambles. Zou Qiang lied flat on the other side. It was unknown when he would wake up again, but Chi Huo had reassured them that he would alright after receiving treatment.

In this silent space where ghosts seemed to reign supreme, none of them could truly claim they could survive a day in here. Zi Yan leaned against the wall up ahead as if he was ready to continue exploring any time.

Li Tian seemed to be explaining something to Bai Ming, but unfortunately, Bai Ming's attention was fully focused inside his mind. On the outside, it appeared as if he was listening attentively. Many thoughts flit in his mind.

Everything that had happened had now proved to him that this place extremely dangers. There was no way he could save his own life.

The trial was pointless! Going back home was impossible! The only thing he could do was hug this thick thigh his master had so graciously given to him. Even though he didn't quite like the master, there was no other choice. It was either that or death. 

After having already sorted his thoughts, he turned his attention back to Li Tian, who had finished explaining. Bai Ming simply nodded and looked over to Cui Rong.

Cui Rong sat on the side with her arms hugging her knees. At this very moment everyone's clothes had been ripped apart, and there seemed to be no spares, but Cui Rong was very resourceful. Her clothes still had some parts that were not riddled with holes. She skilfully assembled the parts and used them to cover her chest, the area under her waist, and her rear end.

Even after doing this, her figure could still be clearly seen.

She stood up and moved to the opposite wall in front of Zi Yan. The others just looked at this and did not say a word. Zi Yan looked at her for a moment and the same cold exterior that could freeze one's bones. His gaze lingered for a short moment, and then he looked into the hallway, which seemed to lead to an even greater danger.

At this moment, Zou Qiang, who had lost consciousness, woke up. Li Tian and the others immediately turned their attention to him, afraid he would still try to go back into the courtyard, but surprisingly, Zou Qiang remained still with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling like a doll. Li Tian looked at Bai Ming for a moment and relaxed.

Still lying down, he turned his head to the side and looked back to the courtyard. He saw what looked like a deep patch of red blood still imprinted on the pavement. Time passed, from seconds to minutes. Some time later, Zou Qiang rose up and picked up what looked like his belongings. At least what was left of it after passing the courtyard.

He started moving towards Zi Yan and Cui Rong and passed right in between them. Cui Rong and Zi Yan looked at the passing of Zou Qiang, who seemed to be a different person. He who had been with him for the longest knew him well. It had been a very long time since he saw him like this. The corners of his lips slightly curled up. Cui Rong looked at all this with an unmoved gaze.

Zi Yan pushed his body from the wall and followed after Zou Qiang. Cui Rong did not speak and also followed. Bai Ming, who had been thinking of trying to convince the group to not venture further into this place whose depths were still a mystery sighed.

Chi Huo, Bai Ming, and the rest did not need anyone to tell them anything. They simply followed. It was quite evident that they lacked time and did not have any choice but to continue further. As for what may come later, that was not their priority.

Wu Zhengyi, who had been pacing about, stopped and looked at everyone just going into the depths of this death trap. His mind was abuzz with numerous thoughts. He had thought it best to remain here, but now that everyone had just started moving without a word, he had none to say. Staying here alone would not truly be a good idea. Who knows what ghost things lie in this place? Left with no other choice, he could only follow along with hurried footsteps.

Bai Ming's eyes kept darting about asking himself what was going to come next. Even though he no longer regarded Dao Gu with the same impression he had before, he had not forgotten what he had been told.

This was a trial!

How can a trial be without challenges and dangers?

The veins on the hand that held his weapon seemed like they would pop soon. Even though he was well aware that the dangers he was going to face would be something that even this axe would not be able to handle but he still kept a tight grip on it, ready to swing at any moment.

...

Bai Ming still had the same cautious expression on his face. At this moment, they had passed several rooms which were clearly laid with unspeakable traps, but the degrees of injuries they had sustained was surprisingly not as serious as the ones they had sustained in the courtyard.

This was very strange given the warning he had received from Dao Gu.

No matter what room they entered, they could feel their spines tingling with an intense sensation, but they had somehow made it out alive. In one of the rooms which seemed to be feminine quarter, they had nearly been minced into tiny pieces. In another room, which seemed to be an armoury, they had nearly been burned into crisps, but luckily enough, for them, the fire had not been ignited. What they were feeling was as Cui Rong had hypothesized as a suggestion, but this suggestion seemed illogical.

As he now recalled, she had not explained further about this but had only called it a lingering heat, which seemed quite absurd. As far as they knew, the heat would disappear the moment the flame stopped burning, but after what he had seen so far, he did not doubt any of this. In fact, it seemed to make some sense, or so he convinced himself.

If someone were to take a look at his thoughts, they would surely think he had truly gone mad. It appeared he had grasped at a new sense of logic and illogical. To a normal person, they would clearly see that the barrier between logic and illogical had been breached, but this could not be blamed onto anyone. After having seen indoor winds that did not die out, liquids that could melt one's very bones, ghosts that could speak through one's mind, he had become open to any humanly inconceivable notion

However, none of these were even remotely as dangerous as one of the rooms that looked like a training ground. However, there were no weapons or anything of the sort. Instead, the room was full of broken pieces of dolls lying about everywhere. One wouldn't normally think this room was anything special at all, but their instincts told them something else. Every living creature had a hidden sense, which they rarely used. It was mostly seen evident in times peril. A powerful instinct that told them there was great danger lying in this room.

Passing through it, none had the silly thought of touching anything, or rather such a desire had been extinguished the moment they passed the courtyard. Even if the things in this residence were to be considered as treasures by other people, it would never be their turn to grab at the goods.

Bai Ming had come to a conclusion the moment all these anomalies appeared. These were clearly explosives ready to go off at any moment. Although they managed to pass through, it wasn't as if they had the best stealth approach, but only minor injuries were sustained. The others had not been able to notice an unexplainable sense of intimidation. He had felt something similar from his master and Dao Gu. It was now apparent to him what was happening all this while. For some unknown reason, his master had taken action.

This made him even more confused. He wondered if perhaps he had misunderstood this master's temperament. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Once could be ignored, but now it was more than once. Bai Ming had now come to learn that there was a price for everything.

So, how could this master just offer free protection for no reason?

A strange thought crossed his mind.

Could it have been that the master wanted to protect me. This mysterious person had claimed to take him as a disciple, so it did not seem quite illogical. Even though he could not truly be certain so he could only stop at this thought.

Meanwhile right behind the group the figure who had been following closely behind this group snorted coldly and spoke softly, "You overestimate yourself" but the figure couldn't be bothered by just one character and turned its attention to the front.

Bai Ming heard these words, which seemed to shoot down his little thoughts.

The figure then thought to itself for a moment, "Its finally time, everything had been for this very moment..."

The figure then turned its attention back to Bai Ming.

"Disciple, whether you can live or die is entirely up to you, but given the huddles you have endured, I will reward you with a gift"