Chapter 44: THE EXAMINATION(18)

Li Yan wondered if the figure was another illusion created by the mountain. Yet, the more he looked at it, the more lifelike it became.

He had never seen this person before, but judging by their stance alone. They must be incredibly strong.

"What do you want from me? Is there a priceless treasure on my face? Why do you keep staring at me?"

The figure’s lips curled up, a soft laugh escaping him.

"I do not have much time, my friend. It took me many years to locate you; now that I finally have, I must tell you the important things. Five hundred years ago I made a promise that on this very day I would come to this place and tell you these words, words you carefully jot down yourself."

-_-

"Xiaoxiao, am I having a premonition? I do not think the mountain is capable of this.."

Xiaoxiao hummed; the only plausible explanation was that Li Yan was having a vision.

"Let us hear what he has to say. Though he is a powerful being, it must not have been easy for him to locate you."

Li Yan nodded; he was curious to hear what he supposedly told this man five hundred years ago.

"If you are listening to this message, it means I, Li Yan, have died and five hundred years have passed. Time is short, so listen carefully. Our bloodline, Devouring Phoenix, is one that many cultivators secretly pray for but cannot get. To others without it, it is a blessing, but to others who own it, it is a curse. The more you take, the more it takes; at one point, your body begins to fight itself. This is what I suffered in my past life; it only took my deathbed to understand the cure. Once you turn 20, future Li Yan, you must embark on a journey to Kunlong; there you will find the defying Phoenix bloodline. If you wish to live healthy and enjoy your youth, this is what you must do. I know you are my reincarnation; otherwise, my friend would not have found you. Go forth and prosper, Li Yan. I know you will achieve more than I ever could..."

The silence was eerie; Li Yan felt as though someone had dunked a cold bucket of water on him.

Could he really believe this? He knew he had a Phoenix bloodline, but was it really the Devouring bloodline this man spoke about?

"Mhm, we have no words but to trust this man..." Xiaoxiao sighed. Towards the third line of the speech, she found the man’s voice to be alarmingly familiar.

There was only one man who spoke like this, after another minute of careful deliberation.

She finally recognised who was speaking and who owned the voice.

They were powerful cultivators in their time, unparalleled heavenly geniuses whom the heavens themselves prepared seats in their courts.

They were no other than Li Yan and Bao Lin.

Bao Lin was an unparalleled cultivator and several centuries old; he did not need to lie to a youngster like Li Yan.

"How sure are you? What if he is just a figment of my imagination?"

"That man is Bao Lin, a bona fide citizen of the heavenly realm. Do you think he would leave the immortal realm just to deceive a small fry like you?"

-_-

Did she just call him insignificant?

"My dear friend, you have to cultivate diligently; your memories are locked in a certain cultivation stage. Unlock it and retrieve your memories. That is all I have to say. Until we meet again, my dear Li Yan."

The figure disappeared before Li Yan could say another word; the illusion cracked as well, and he found himself back on the path.

"There’s a lot to unpack. Are there books on Bao Lin?"

"Yes, he is the one who created the famous "Snake in the tunnel" sword dance and many other fighting techniques. An intelligent practitioner whose name is revered wherever he goes. I am sure you will find books about him in the sect library."

-_-

Li Yan’s lips twitched, then he shook his head. He guessed that if one was as famous as Bao Lin, then they had earned bragging rights.

"Gu Jun and the others are still facing their trial. Is it unwise to wait for them? From my calculations, there are still about forty thousand steps from the summit, and the pressure will get heavy as we go; those last forty steps might be impossible to climb."

Xiaoxiao hummed; his quick thinking had gotten him this far. Perhaps it was time for a little cheat code.

"In your hands, you will find a tiny green pill called the Baidui lightness pill. It should quicken your steps and lighten your body, and also help suppress the pressure. If you take this, you should get to the summit within the next few hours."

Li Yan nodded; now that he had solved his personal problems, it was time to address those following him.

"Xiaoxiao, what are the chances of complete privacy in this array? Are we being watched from the outside?"

"What do you think?" She returned the question.

Li Yan glanced around; there was a 90% probability that they were being watched. It was an examination, so it made sense for them to be watched so they could be judged based on their actions.

That also made it harder to help anyone. If he showed himself handing out pills like there was no tomorrow, he would have to explain when he came out.

He decided to wait for a little while to see if Gu Jun would overcome his trial.

During that time, several others completed their mental trial and rushed towards the top; among the several people who had completed their trial were Mo Lang and his clique.

Li Yan watched them climb the path until they had stopped right in front of him.

This wasn’t the first time he had noticed their contemptuous sneers; now that they had come to him, it was time they addressed it.

"What do you want?" Li Yan took a step back. He made an estimate of how long it would take to end this conversation or if it would escalate into a fight. And turned it into a deadline for Gu Jun; if he did not complete his trial during this timeline, he would leave him behind.

"A lowly street rat should bow to show his respect when he meets a young Lord; did your mother not teach you manners?"

Li Yan’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t let it get to him; he could barely remember his mother, and the man was not wrong. His mother truly had not taught him his manners.

"Unless the heavens fall and the earth splits apart, I will never bow to the likes of you..."

Mo Lang’s face darkened; how dare a good-for-nothing like Li Yan, whose only ability was to cheat, dare disobey him?

"Courting death! Since you dare provoke me, don’t blame me for sending you to the Yellow Springs!"