Chapter 1217: 18.55 First Grey Star - Trial of Sin II
In the Death Forest’s Middle Region…
Li Shang and Leica were watching the trial scene when all of a sudden they turned around and looked in a certain direction. They sensed that someone was approaching from behind and had put up their guards in case this person was an intruder. Ji Yoonjun even thought the newcomer was too strong for him to defeat.
Ye Jingxia had been dozing with his sister under a canopy Leica had set up for them when he grew bored of playing; he rubbed his eyes a little and saw someone approaching, but his response was different from everyone else’s.
Even before Lu Shang and Leica stopped, Ye Jingxia leaped out of the canopy and ran off in the direction of the unknown aura. They were all about to attack the newcomer, but they froze when they saw Ye Jingxia jump on that person. They will not realize who the man is until the sunlight hits that direction.
Ye Jingxia hugged the man’s neck and rubbed his face with that person’s cheeks. “Daddy! Did you come with Father?”
The one who arrived was none other than Mo Xuejing. He happily carried his son with a gentle smile.
“Yes, but your father had a business with something. He will come to us after he finishes it. For now, let’s go somewhere else first,” Mo Xuejing said.
Ye Jingxia grinned and said, “Okay, Daddy. Xiaxia is there. Let’s go take her too. Daddy, Xiaxia and I ate honey. It’s so delicious. I will give you some later too~”
“Okay, sweetie~” Mo Xuejing said.
After talking to his son, Mo Xuejing looked at the rest of the group and said, “Come and follow me. A’Ye said it would be a bit dangerous to stay in this region. Let’s head to the core region.”
Leading the way, Mo Xuejing went toward the core region. Once they cross the boundary between the two regions, an invisible barrier obstructs everyone’s path, and an illusion appears before them, giving the impression that there is a sheer cliff with infinite depths; not even the god Ji Yoonjun can see past the illusion formation in front of his eyes.
This is the path Ye Jieye had told him, which leads to the core region of the Death Forest.
Ji Yoonjun mumbles in the unexpected. “A cliff? In this place?”
“I can’t see through it, but… beyond doesn’t seem to be a cliff at all. Is this a… formation? Both defensive and illusions are implemented. One that locks one person that forcefully entered this place,” Leica said.
Ye Jingxia extended his fat hands toward the barrier, appearing intrigued by the barrier in front of him. As was to be expected, he was able to touch and sense the formation’s existence, but beyond this point, the other people would be blinded by an illusion that could end their lives.
“Daddy, I can touch something soft. Squishy?” Ye Jingxia said.
Ye Jingxia enjoyed laughing with her siblings as well; Mo Xuejing quietly watches his children with loving eyes; after letting the children play for a while, he took out a black snowflake earring from his space ring and wore it in his ear; this earring is similar to the one on Hei Anjing’s ear; it is filled with his and the God of Void’s aura.
Anxia looked at her elder brother and also reached out her hands; she felt the squishy barrier in her hands and began to giggle.
With this earring, the formation recognized his authority and allowed people whom he brought with him to enter the core region of the Death Forest.
Mo Xuejing said, “Follow closely. Ignore what your eyes can see, and just watch the path I walked through.”
Ji Yoonjun felt a little uneasy as he strode fearlessly toward the top of the bottomless cliff, disappearing before anyone could see him. Leica and Lu Shang trailed behind him right away, and they vanished as soon as they reached the formation. Ji Yoonjun closed his eyes and trailed behind the others, grateful that the fall he had anticipated had not occurred.
Upon opening his eyes, however, Ji Yoonjun felt as though he had entered a different world altogether; he found himself in a flower-filled land with an enormous pond at its heart. The land is vast, particularly in the center, and the water is transparent, with colorful lotuses floating on it. It is akin to a flower garden.
In addition, the air quality in this area is impeccable; even the world qi is a hundred times stronger than it is outside. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the hidden realms possessed by immortals in the Upper Realm.
The core region was not always like this. However, Ye Jieye made the decision to entirely alter the land when he made the decision to bring his children with him on his most recent visit, which resulted in the current scene that both his beloved and children adore.
This is also the first time that Mo Xuejing has ever been in this area. The center of every danger zone is only accessible to the Heavenly Guardian, who guards the area and only seldom permits entry because the area can be used as their domain.
Mo Xuejing said, “This place is more beautiful than I expected it to be.”
The large canopy, which can accommodate a group to ride together, was placed between two towering plum blossom trees; a small warehouse that stores picnic mats, wooden tables, and chairs, as well as cooking utensils; and even a children’s toy store—all of which Leica recognized as evidence that this place must have been transformed into a paradise by the Lord God for his family.
Lu Shang went to the warehouse and brought Mo Xuejing a picnic mat; Leica also set up a tea set and some snacks for everyone; the screen displaying the three young men’s perspectives was back on display for everyone to see, along with an additional screen that displayed nothing but darkness; the final screen was created by System Yue to depict Ye Jieye’s current circumstances, but all he can see is this darkness.
Well, as for the two children, they had longed to start playing with flowers with Oreo and Roi, who watched over them. The adults continue to watch how the trial unfolds.
Mo Xuejing said, “This is the content of the trial. How can you see such a thing? Is this a space ability? Yueyue, it’s what you’re doing?”
He already knew that Zhi Yue and Zhi Yang existed. Even though he still does not fully understand some things, he thinks that these two would protect their kids when they are not around. For this reason, he felt free to let Xiao Jing and Xiaxia play independently because he knew that Zhi Yue and Zhi Yang, along with Roi and Oreo, would watch over them.
[Master, I’m amazing, right? I’m amazing, right?]
System Yue floats over Mo Xuejing. With the small moon hovering around him, Mo Xuejing felt a strong want to pick up the ball and toss it elsewhere, but he did not know why, so he controlled his hands and simply stared at the small moon.
Mo Xuejing said, “Yes. Yes. Stop flying around me. It makes me want to smack you.”
[So cruel~ Master doesn’t love me at all!] System Yue said.
Mo Xuejing heartlessly nodded his head and retorted. “I never said I loved you at all.”
As the others laughed at their banter, System Yue appeared fakely melancholic. While the other three are enjoying the tranquility, the three young men are going through the Trial of Sins.
—
When he returned to the white space and heard the announcement of his passing, Mo Yuhan felt calmer than he had ever felt in his life. Mo Yuhan was the first to complete the third trial, which involves wrath. Had he followed his heart and killed someone when everything was under the control of his rage, he would have definitely failed this trial, and his ending would have been unknown.
What he had experienced just now felt too real; it was as if he had truly returned to the past and experienced that nightmare all over again.
Mo Yuhan mumbles, “This trial is the devil’s work.”
Finally, Lu Ming’s third trial of wrath began. Similar to his experience, Lu Ming relived the life where his anger was at its height. He had to wait for the other two to complete their third trial before he could watch the holographic screen of a live stream featuring Su Jin and Lu Ming as the perspectives.
Lu Ming was just a boy in this scene, holding his hand is Lu Shang in his teens. They were following a middle-aged man who seemed to be their father.
Their father crouched in front of them and said, “We are now going to meet one of the heirs of the Lu Clan. He is the young lord; your father chooses to support him, and you two will serve him as your master. Do you understand?”
The branch family was tasked to serve the main family in order for them to stay in the clan; however, their family is more main line; sadly, their mother had little background, and their father was demoted to being of the main line to the branch. At the time, Lu Ming did not know much about this situation, but Lu Shang already knew the majority of it. Lu Shang did not seem to care all that much.
Lu Ming asked, “Father, why do we need to serve a big brother? Aren’t we family?”
“Xiao Ming, father had no choice. To keep you both safe, this is the only way. We can leave the clan if you want to, but your mother is sick and only the clan can help us now. Just listen to your big brother, okay?” His father answered.
Lu Shang suggested. “I think it’s better if I only go there. Ming is still too young, and like a mother, his body is a bit weak. Just let me go meet the young lord on my own.”
After much consideration, their father concluded that his eldest son was right when he said that they should not take the still-small Lu Ming to meet that young lord. After all, what if the young lord, who had lost his family, began to act out once more? His sons would be in danger. At least Lu Shang could defend himself, but Lu Ming couldn’t.
Sigh!
“Okay, leave Xiao Ming here with me!” Father Lu said as he took his youngest with him.
Lu Ming had always hated Ye Jieye in his heart, but now he was more fearful and grateful for him, so this trial of wrath had no effect on Lu Ming’s heart. He took control of his small body and forced his father to put him down. He ran back to his brother and hugged his leg. Lu Ming did not want to let go of his elder brother’s hand and cried out all of his heart.
In the mind of his child’s version, his elder brother abandoned him for that young Lord’s sake.
Lu Shang, who was expressionless, stared down at him with dull eyes, making him afraid, but he did dare to let his leg go.
Lu Ming said, “I know my brother is going to leave for a bit to serve the young lord. But can you at least send me a letter? A single call or a message is also enough. As long as big brother remembers Xiao Ming, that is enough for me.”
The teenage Lu Shang pushed his younger brother off his leg and kneeled on one knee. He hugged him as a way of comforting him.
“Be good. Brother, you will be home soon. Wait for me to come back,” Lu Shang said, as these were the words Lu Ming never heard in reality.
After becoming an adult, he realized that his elder brother had to give up his freedom to protect their family, and Ye Jieye was the one who made it possible for him to also enjoy the resources of those in the main bloodline. All of these things are due to his big brother’s hard work and Ye Jieye’s kindness. In the past, he hated both his big brother and his cousin.
He did not get his relationship with his big brother repaired until he came to Somatic Town under Ye Jieye’s orders.
The picture shifted once more, and just as it had when Mo Yuhan finished his trial, Lu Ming was similarly propelled back to that area of whiteness and informed that he had passed the trial.
{Lu Ming passed the Trial of Wrath. Congratulations! Please wait in the white room for the next trial.}