845 Sky [5]
The Ancient God Clan.
Their numbers weren’t very large at all, but in terms of strength, they were at the peak of the universe, using a small group of elites to rival the largest Holy Land influences.
Besides their innate talent and the strange power they inherited through their bloodline, the trait that propelled the Ancient God Clan to their current position was one.
All-Seeing Eyes.
They were eyes that could pierce the veil of reality and reveal all things to the user. As long as it was within one’s eyesight, its identity and information would immediately be sent to the user’s brain.
Using this inherent power, the Ancient God Clan members were able to comprehend laws countless times faster than others, and when it came to connection with the universe, they were also one of the greatest.
Essentially, as long as they could gain enough battle experience and levels, their path forward was guaranteed. The usual comprehension gateways that people got stuck at were negligible to them.
However, the All-Seeing Eyes were the Ancient God Clan’s greatest secret. While the strangeness of their eyes made it evident that they had some sort of ability, the outside world merely knew it as a slight increase in perception and mental ability.
The fact that the All-Seeing Eyes were the greatest truth pupils in existence was a fact that would bring the downfall of their clan if it was known to the outside world.
For this reason, the Ancient God Clan never allowed those outside their boundaries to marry into the clan. Even if they needed to resort to inbreeding, they wouldn’t hesitate for the sake of protecting their clan.
Xinyue was a rarity amongst Ancient God Clan members due to the fact that her bloodline was pure, untainted by the twisted practices that the clan was forced to adopt.
At the same time, she was born with All-Seeing Eyes that were infinitely close to their final evolution.
The potential she had was mind-boggling.
It was for this reason why, despite her being born to a branch family, she was taken as the Ancient God Clan’s Young Master and trained since young to inherit the clan in the future.
As long as she’d lived, she’d only heard praise from others. Her pupils were a matter of pride for her, a symbol of the status she was born with and the potential she represented.
She was the spirit of the Ancient God Clan.
Yet, today, her entire worldview was crushed.
A man she’d never seen before had the same All-Seeing Eyes that she did, and on top of that, his pupils weren’t much weaker than hers at all!
Just how was this possible?
Did someone from the Ancient God Clan break the ancient rules and give birth to a child outside of the clan?
Naturally, this was impossible. The Ancient God Clan kept a strict eye on their members’ activities, and after eons of effort, they were able to create a treasure that could detect the Ancient God Clan bloodline anywhere in the universe.
If the man was truly a member of their clan, he would’ve already been killed.
‘Then how…?’
Xinyue couldn’t wrap her head around it.
“Old ghost, your pupil is a bit strange. Did she lose her mind or something?”
The man’s voice suddenly rang out, breaking her chain of thought.
Haa…
An audible sigh reverberated through the air.
“Since when were you not the problem? It is obvious that your previous trick confused her.” The Sky Emperor replied with such a deadpan voice that his eye roll was practically tangible.
“Hah?! What’d I do this time?” The man exclaimed.
“Why don’t you ask her?” The Sky Emperor rebutted.
The man looked over at Xinyue without speaking, but everything about his expression asked, “So?”
Xinyue sighed and hardened her heart. The identity of this mysterious man was too strange. He claimed to be weaker than her, yet he could block her perception. On top of that, he was on such friendly terms with a character at the level of the Sky Emperor.
Evidently, he wasn’t some small personage.
‘I cannot ask him directly…not yet, at least.’
“Haa…” Xinyue sighed. “I have nothing to say, senior, I was merely thinking about some things. This junior’s mind is now at ease, and I am ready to take your trial.”
The man raised his brow, but shrugged it off as if he didn’t care.
As for the Sky Emperor…
ƥαṇdα-ηθνε|·ƈθm
His bellow shook space.
“Since you have steeled yourself to accept my legacy, then I shall transport you into the final trial grounds! Remember, never lose your wariness, and never lose your root!”
After his words ended, the Sky Emperor’s aura swirled through the air and enveloped Xinyue. In the next instant, her body turned light and shot into the air like a beam of light, disappearing soon after.
Left in the palace were only the man and the Sky Emperor’s soul wisp.
“Old fart, do you think she’ll be able to complete it?” He asked casually, sinking his teeth into another spiritual fruit.
“…”
The Sky Emperor was silent for a moment. After some thought, he finally spoke.
“…she will, but not nearly as fast as you did.”
The man smirked slightly and stood up.
“Haa, well, it can’t be helped. She just got here, after all. Me, on the other hand…”
He swept his hand through the air, creating a holographic screen on which Xinyue’s form appeared. Currently, she’d just landed in the trial location.
Looking at her observe the surroundings warily, he smiled.
“…I had almost two years to acclimate before I came here.”
***
The Sky Emperor’s final trial was both simple and extremely difficult at the same time.
On paper, there was nothing to it. It was merely a survival challenge where one was dropped into a hellish environment and forced to survive for a set period of time.
However, this type of trial had a benefit that not many others had.
It was comprehensive.
Endless battle would both test one’s strength and refine it.
Endless battle would wear down one’s mentality and force them to fortify themselves.
Endless battle would allow one to deepen their law comprehension and grow accustomed to manipulating natural forces, progressing them through the 4th class.
All in all, this format was both simple and efficient. For the Sky Emperor, who tested his inheritor’s every facet separately in 40 trials before the final trial, this type of test gave a final assurance to his inheritor’s character and power level.
The time Xinyue needed to survive in this trial was a month.
Her next 30 days would be filled with pain and torture both mental and physical, to the point where she’d likely prefer death over continuing.
But if she could make it past those 30 days, the benefits she gained would be immeasurable.
Regardless of the trial’s difficulty, Xinyue had no thoughts of backing out. After all, she had a new reason to get stronger and survive through this trial.
There was a suspicious existence who somehow obtained the legacy of the Ancient God Clan.
Until she could verify his identity and invite him back to her clan, she couldn’t die.
And past that short-term goal…
‘I will survive.’
Xinyue’s thoughts caused the air to stir.
The blood-red air around her reeked, but the scent only inspired her determination further.
RUMBLE!
The earth shook.
A beast tide was coming.
Xinyue clenched her fists and walked forward.
This time, she would meet the threat head-on.