The look of surprise was painted on everyone who was watching.
"Is this even allowed?" the Commentator asked looking around.
Eccentric Long couldn't help but laugh while Xiao Du simply shrugged, "It is technically his power and ability, so I don't see why it wouldn't be allowed."
"… As you all can see, it seems that Du Shen will be able to clear the maze in almost no time… let's keep watching, after all there isn't much to explain about this absurdity…"
***
A few moments earlier.
The wolf was guiding us and found a few more cultivators that he seemed rather aggressive toward, meaning that they were also just pathfinders.
"This is going to take a really long while, though the wolf is leading us to other cultivators… he isn't really doing much else to help," Law noted.
"Even the pieces of map we received from the other cultivators were pretty much useless," I replied.
"If only we could get everyone's map, we'd have the whole thing available for us," Law sighed.
"Hmm, you might be on to something," I replied.
"Is that so? But how are we going to do that, it's not like there is a dozen of us that can go around and find cultivators, also most of them will probably not give us their map piece…" Law said.
"Well, we don't really need theirs," I said as I opened my poison god's heritage storage space.
Hundreds upon hundreds of puppets began flooding out of the book, rushing forward as I had given them a command ahead of time.
They began moving in files, spreading every time they reach an intersection through the maze.
They kept on moving and splitting all over the maze as if they were a flood of water that made sure to fill every hole and cavity of the maze.
Cultivators were surprised to see the puppets, but since the puppets didn't attack anyone they didn't dare attack first, so they just watched as the puppets moved around them.
"What are you doing?" asked Law.
"I'm cheating a bit," I replied.
Law was confused, "How so? By splitting your forces?" He asked.
"Divide and conquer. Though I can't contact my puppets due to the divine sense blocking effect of the maze, they can still see and record what they see. And after a while," I said as several of the puppets began reaching dead ends and started withdrawing back.
Every puppet that returned to me began carving on the ground the path it took, and soon, more puppets came and added their own parts and more so on.
After a couple hours, all of my puppets had returned to me, some had sprays of blood on them, from either fighting beasts of the maze or some stupid cultivator that wanted to test their luck against one of my puppets.
Though my puppets aren't strong enough to take on the strongest of the maze, but since they're all linked together, once one of them is attacked, the rest will soon come to help. Spelling doom for any unfortunate soul that attacked first.
And now, that they all returned, the map was fully drawn by the puppets, and I only needed to match my piece of map with the maze that the puppets had drawn.
"Got it, I found the exit I need to take," I said as I showed Law how to do it.
Surprise on his face, he also matched his piece of the map and nodded to me, "Same here, it's actually pretty close too," he said.
"Then let's meet again in the next trial," I said.
"Of course, good luck brother Shen," he said as he rushed forward to his exit.
"Move forward," I said to the puppets carrying me. Our exit is a bit of a long way up ahead, but I doubt anyone would dare attack me with these many puppets around me. So, I simply relaxed as I was moving forward.
***
"As you all see, Du Shen, once again seemed to be bending the rules a bit to his favor! Not that there is anything wrong with it. He still achieved the final goal of clearing the maze with his own ability despite the restrains of Divine Sense and the illusions of the mirrors.
Although I doubt he even realized that the mirrors around them create illusions since he created those glasses that protected his sight and mind… as for the man who was next to him, I suppose he was just lucky enough to always end up avoiding the spot where the illusion will start," the commentator sighed.
"HOWEVER!" he said as he tried to hype up the crowd once again, "That is it for luck and random trinkets and tools! The next trial is a trial of power! A trial of the mind and the soul! Where no one can simply avoid doing their best!" the commentator said as he displayed the next trial.
A scene like nothing anyone had saw before, high in the skies lies a tapestry of ethereal beauty woven by the hand of nature itself. Here, amidst the boundless expanse of cerulean skies, float the enchanting wonders known as the Floating Islands.
Each island is a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship, suspended in the air like jewels adorning the crown of creation. Verdant forests blanket the undulating landscapes, their emerald canopies swaying gently in the whispering breeze. Cascading waterfalls cascade down sheer cliffsides, their crystalline waters shimmering in the golden light of the sun.
Vibrant blooms adorn every corner of the floating islands, their petals unfurling like delicate works of art in a botanical symphony of colors. Butterflies flit gracefully from flower to flower, their iridescent wings catching the sunlight in a dazzling display of natural splendor.
Crystal-clear streams meander through the verdant valleys, their babbling waters tracing intricate patterns across the landscape. Beneath the surface, schools of shimmering fish dart and weave through the azure depths, their graceful movements a testament to the harmony of this celestial realm.
However, all that shines is not gold.