Adam’s brow twitched as he stepped into the palace’s next section. "Why are you following me again?"
"Why not? Aren’t we from the same sect?" Xie Lian chuckled. "You can’t let those wolves surround your senior sister." She gripped his arm, her voice growing solemn. "I’ve seen your secret, but I value our one-year relationship over mere suspicion, so listen. An eight-year-old kid has nothing to do in this place alone."
Adam frowned and tried to remove her hand. However, she jerked his sleeve, her violet eyes narrowing.
"You’re suspicious even if you do nothing. But if I’m with you? We can say I protected you along the way."
"It doesn’t matter anymore, Xie Lian." He slapped her hand away, his icy voice leaving no place for discussion. "I could debunk your argument, but I won’t bother. Follow me in silence. But if you try to disturb me..."
He let a brief silence linger before he sighed when he saw her bite her lips.
"I’m just making things clear. Too much is at play, and I’m not missing on any crumbs from this blessed land."
She shook her head, then nodded, a flash of understanding passing through her eyes. "You’re right. I’ve been waiting to group with the others, but we can’t waste too much time, or the rival sects will inherit the blessed land."
"Hmph," he snorted, waving the two parchments he had obtained. "I didn’t wait for anyone. But I don’t want to enter rooms randomly."
He recounted the two trials and the golems overlooking them as they walked.
Once she understood everything, she opened and closed her mouth a few times before a heavy sigh escaped her lips.
"I don’t know if I can help with the next ones, but most will be the same. Only the leader’s direct disciples or a group of core disciples can hope to complete them."
Adam shrugged. "Just watch by the doorway." He pointed to an open door, a grin blossoming on his face. "I alone am enough."
Without wasting a second, they rushed to it and peeked inside.
A projection sat in the middle, her dark hair tied in a bun pierced by two intricate hairpins adorned with phoenix feathers. Metallic sticks and materials glinted on the table facing her, making Adam wonder what this trial tested.
He exchanged a glance with Xie Lian, who nodded. "It’s an easy one."
Reassured, he raised his foot to step inside before her next words made him pale. "It’s related to formations."
With a heavy stomp back, he glared at her. "Why don’t you take it if it’s easy?"
She frowned. Why would she take it when she was an alchemist? "I don’t know about them."
"Exactly! We’re both alchemists, so why would I know when you don’t?"
He clicked his tongue, suppressing his anger. Her false assessment could have led to his death, and he’d never trust her again.
"I thought Shen Wu had taught you since he’s a decent formation master... S-Stop with this deadly glare, please..." She lowered her face and covered her mouth, understanding the weight of the mistake. "Sorry."
"Humph." He turned and resumed his search down the corridor as she followed behind.
The stench of blood struck his nostrils a moment later as he found another open room.
Four corpses, their limbs torn and their faces contorted in a mask of horror, lay at the guardian’s feet.
Xie Lian gulped, her usual playfulness replaced with a sentiment of dread as his gaze settled on the youthful man yawning in the center.
"Only two this time?" His golden robes fluttered as he waved a dismissive hand. "Don’t waste my time and just leave the palace, will you?"
Adam’s eyes narrowed into slits as he scrutinised the crystal crown sparkling above the three purple dots tattooed on the projection’s forehead.
’Arrogant, aren’t we?’ He cracked his fingers, a smirk splitting his face. "What’s your trial?"
"Mhh? I’m not supposed to tell you in advance, but if it helps make you leave." He shrugged. "I want to see a strike that would impress me as much as my father’s void collapse technique." He pointed at the guardian. "It’ll kill you since it’s impossible, so take my explanation as a freebie and leave."
"..." Xiel Lian’s mouth dropped, the ridiculousness of the trial stunning her.
Meanwhile, Adam clenched his jaw, his fists trembling. ’Shit. There is no way I can match a Dao Integration Realm cultivator’s strike. But his smugness, his dismissive attitude.’
His teeth cracked, an inferno of defiance igniting in his eyes. ’I want to shatter his arrogance!’ A fleeting idea flashed in his mind.
With the demonic cleaver, he could replicate a tier nine strike. No, he remembered the description. It dealt double damage to barriers and protections—enough to sunder a world.
’But this bastard cleaver is even more arrogant than him...’ He shook his head and took a reluctant step away. ’I must rid myself of it instead of having those weird ideas.’
As they resumed their search, Xie Lian sighed in relief.
"You really scared me with your determined face back there. You know it was impossible, right?"
He rolled his eyes, almost pointing at his forehead to ask if it was written fool in bold letters on it.
Annoyed, he hastened his pace, left this palace section, and entered a new one.
’What’s wrong with this place? There are hundreds of closed rooms. Let me find a decent trial or Misha this time!’
Five minutes later, he stopped before another open room. However, three identical projections stood inside, mischievous lights sparkling in their red eyes.
Unlike the last two, one dashed to meet them in a multicolored spectacle of fluttering silk.
"Come play with us, little brother. I promise our trial is easy!"
"Sure. Tell me the rules before, though." He observed their ruby crowns and the flames tattooed on their foreheads as the projection answered.
"It’s just a game we loved to play with our father. You’ll have to find the real us among a few copies." The second projection winked.
As he stepped in, Xie Lian gripped his shoulder from behind.
"They’re most likely illusion experts. We should play on our strengths and search for trials related to alchemy."
He slapped her hand away and stepped in without looking back. "I told you not to interfere."