Chapter 54 - Entering the Pagoda (1/2)
Under the astonished expressions of the present people, Heu brought Lian to sit away from the crowd that had surrounded them. They needed some time to prepare themselves for the start of the second trial as they had to adjust their spirit and their mind.
Although the dream trial was only an illusion, it was very exhausting for the mind, especially when one had no experience in being subjected to illusions. Furthermore, the illusion generated in the dream trial would shake the person's inner demons, eventually leaving them in a very agitated emotional state. That was why some time was given between one trial and another.
In contrast, the combat trial, although it was also an illusion, simply went to recreate some imaginary opponents. So the participants ended up running out of strength but without the collateral emotional effects that the first trial had.
The younger generation inner members of the first group who first started the dream trial, had already begun to undertake the combat trial. At the same time, the others of the next groups were sitting waiting for their turn.
They, although they were focused on getting ready for their turn, couldn't help but take a look at Hei and Lian, who had caused such a stir on the other side.
In a particular point in the training ground, among those waiting for their turn, there were five youths, three boys and two women, who sat apart from all the others. From the fearful expression with which the younger generation inner members were looking at those five, it seemed they even feared to disturb them if they got too close to them.
These five youths were none other than the elders' personal disciples and the favorites to occupy the top 5 seats in the ranking and win the most coveted prizes. All of their scores in the dream trial had been unbelievable. Each of them used a time very close to the maximum recorded record. However, that was before Hei and Lian managed to break that record.
The five personal disciples were looking with curiosity at the strange couple who had succeeded in such an unbelievable feat - breaking down the record that had existed for who knows how long. But unlike the others, they knew Hei's origins well, or at least they thought they did because their information was none other than that provided by their respective elders.
”Sister Mei, did you see that performance? Isn't it incredible?” Exclaimed a black haired girl with an excited voice.
She was Ying Yue, the personal disciple of the seventh elder who had met Hei some time ago at the point of exchange.
”Yes, I have seen.” Replied calmly, the girl called Mei, that was none other than the sect leader's personal disciple. Although she didn't show it as her tone appeared uninterested, her eyes were focusing at Hei and Lian, especially the latter.
”And, so what? He has broken the dream trial record, but in the end, it is his fighting ability that counts as well as his cultivation speed. Besides, the dream trial is random. He may simply have been lucky that an illusion of little importance has happened to him.” A tall boy with dark hair and a lean build had arrogantly said.
Although he was skinny and didn't give the impression of being a formidable opponent, his strength wasn't to be underestimated. He was, in fact, the son of the sixth elder, as well as the probable future successor of the regulation division.
Within the sect, he was feared due to his connections with the regulation division. The younger generation's inner members were always careful about how to behave in front of him as to avoid being penalized.
”Cao Su, you know what you said is nonsense, right? There is no easy or difficult in the dream trial. Everyone would face their weaknesses according to their inner demons. The only reason they took so little time is that unlike us and everyone else, they didn't directly fight the illusion, but they accepted it within themselves. I guess you don't need me to explain to you what that means, do you, Cao Su? ” said Li, the personal disciple of the second elder and his younger brother.
”What?! What are insinuating, Li? Do you want to fight? Do you think I'm not smart enough not to understand your sarcastic comments?”
”Enough.” Instead, an authoritative and decisive voice replied. The owner of this voice was none other than Mei, who, being the personal sect of the sect leader, also had the authority to impose orders on other personal disciples in situations like these.
At her command, a red-haired boy answered with a laugh.
”Do you find this funny, Zan?” Mei asked in a serious tone.
Zan, the son of the first elder and his personal disciple, answered.
”Who cares about the method or whether it was easy or not. As Su said, all that matters is your fighting skills. Even though he put on a good show during the promotion trials for the outer members, his opponents were just trash in the end. So, for me, he is still just trash at the moment. If he shows some skills in the combat trial, then it will mean he isn't that bad and that he is worth being crushed by me.”
His words revealed absolute confidence in his abilities. It just didn't consider Hei as his opponent only because he managed to break the dream trial record. But even if Hei proved to be strong, Zan was sure that in the end, he would be the winner against all other inner members of his generation.
”Uhmm, big sister Mei. It is our turn. They say that we have to enter the five of us together.”
Thus the lively discussion between the five personal disciples ended, and they got up in unison to head towards the building prepared for the combat trial.
As they stood up, everyone's eyes focused on them, quickly forgetting Hei and Lian's feats.
It was right. The dream trial was worth less than the combat trial, and Hei's opponents during his previous fights had been nothing but mere outer members that certainly couldn't be called powerful. So, as much as they did well in both trials, especially the combat one, others also could grab the sixth and seventh seats.
But it wasn't the time to make calculations about their chances of winning. In the heart of every younger generation inner member, there was only one question at the time - who was the strongest personal disciple of the sect? Who would lead the younger generation for the year to come?
Although the most favored were the personal disciples of the first and second elders, none of them knew precisely the power of the sect leader's personal disciple as she was a very reserved person. The regulation division elder's son, despite his arrogant and touchy manner, was very gifted. It was also known that his father tended to favor him more than what he should, following him more assiduously than what the other elders did with their personal disciples. The granddaughter of the seventh elder, on the other hand, despite her cordial manner, was certainly not to be underestimated, considering she was the personal disciple of the strongest elder of the sect.
With all these unknowns variables about their actual strength, it was difficult to predict the outcome.
The five entered under everyone's eyes and were swallowed up by the darkness that reigned inside.
Meanwhile, Hei and Lian had been meditating all this time, ignoring the conversation between the elders' personal disciples. It didn't matter how those five thought about their performance, Hei and Lian weren't there to get their approval or recognition.