Simultaneously as Shelly took the time to meditate and recover, Rin was transported to a room made of nothing but the color white.
"Where exactly are we?" asked Rin curiously as this was the first time, he ever realized how creepy white could be.
"A pocket world that has been molded into a multifunctional inheritance ground, through the use of some minor and major laws."
"Damn... okay, now that's a bit extravagant."
"Extravagant? Tsk, surely you must be kidding," Alister commented as he glanced at Rin and saw how awestruck he was, "Hmm, well sorry to burst your bubble but this is but a basic Tier 3 trial ground."
"..." Rin, 'Um I think, I now understand why most folks say, 'be slow to speak and quick to listen,' because now I just look like a country bumpkin.'
"But any who let's begin," Alister said enthusiastically as he clapped his hands twice, resulting in the once twelve by twelve room expanding as their surroundings beagn to change.
Causing the once plain white room to transform into a battlefield as a dilapidated temple could be seen in the distance standing tall on top of a mountain. Just as an eerie red moon silently appeared in the night sky, shedding light upon the situation at hand as fire and carnage roamed freely upon this bloody canvas.
Clang! Puchi! Clash! Puchi! Clang!
That was taking place as Rin and Alister stood in the sky and watched everything play out as the sounds of swords colliding and arrows piercing enemy troops.
Echoed throughout their surroundings as warriors fell like files and were trampled beneath the soles of their brethren and foes. Until they were beyond recognition and salvation as their bodies were used as stepping stones to gain the upper hand and quicken the defeat of their adversaries.
"Just what is this?" asked Rin as this was the first time, he had ever seen a war, or at least a simulation of one that is.
"Relax, kid you'll see plenty of these in no time, the farther you go in cultivation the more frequent these occurrences will become. Oh, how the times have changed," Alister chuckled with nostalgia and a hint of sadness in his tone, "But that's the past… so come on, as it seems there's been a change in the sequence of your trials, kid."
He said as jumped down from the sky and began to dash toward the temple at the top of the mountain. Disregarding the troops beneath them since they were just illusions constructed to assess the participant's mental fortitude.
"Huh? What do you mean a change in sequence, Alister?" Rin asked as he followed after Alister.
"Well, considering this isn't against the rules before you were supposed to start this trial you needed to undergo a comprehension evaluation and a talent appraisal. But considering how you have now begun trial three known as Blood Descent and White Heart, we must reach the core area quickly and pass the mini quiz."
"Hmm… okay, and what happens if we don't?"
"Well, the most likely case scenario would be the release of my Master's pet Cerberus, Osiris, and our inevitable deaths."
"So, to make sure that doesn't happen just follow my lead and stay quiet," Alister uttered as they began to approach the summit of the mountain, 'Just what is going on? Hopefully, those two knuckleheads might know something as this is the first time something like this had occurred.'
"Okay," Rin replied as they walked toward the temple causing its once-sealed blackened doors to open with a boom as if a grenade had gone off.
Coincidentally just as that occurred, the two statues stationed near its door a dragon and a tiger shifted their position and glanced at them.
"What are you doing here, Alister? As that participant has not yet undergone White Heart nor has, he earned the approval of Blue and Red?" The two statues said in union with confusion and curiosity.
"I'm aware of that Chi and Tachi, however, something went wrong during the shift so, on account of our friendship. Could you two please just this once allow a participant to skip stage one of trial three and go directly to stage two?" Alister said he could not afford to anger these two brothers, especially when they had more pressing matters to address.
'Should we grant him his wish, Chi?'
'Hmm, Master never said he could not… but first, let us see what benefits he could give us, brother, Tachi.'
'Aww, why didn't I think of that!'
'Because you only think with your stomach not your mind, you big fool.'
'No, I don't, Tachi!'
"Hmph, I won't argue with you Chi; so why should we help you, Alister as you know this is against the rules?" Tachi asked as he stroked his imaginary beard and stared at Alister with interest.
"Sigh, I know it's against the rules but if you allow me passage, I promise I will give you all 10,000 grams of Northern Origin Dragon Deer Blood Essence and 500 years of freedom, the moment I return."
"Deal!" Chi shouted immediately upon hearing Alister's offer.
"Tsk, we'll accept the deal, however, we're going to need 20,000 grams of blood essence not 10,000, Alister."
"Fine by me just allow me, two months to collect the necessary material, Tachi."
"I'll keep you to that, Alister, now hurry up, or else this will be all for naught," The dragon statue said as it swiped its claw allowing them to enter into the temple.
"Thank you, Tachi and Chi," Alister said as he bowed slightly before grabbing Rin's hand and rushing into the temple before they could go back on their end of the deal.
Thud!
"Brother Tachi, do you think Osiris will be mad at us? When he finds out we allowed a participant entry into his territory?" Chi asked just as the temple doors closed.
"Whatever happens and happens, I just hope he won't be too mad this time around."
"Brother you don't think..."
"Shush, enough with these pointless assumptions let us just act like we did not see anything and go about our days like usual, Chi," Tachi replied as he went back to sleep becoming dormant once again.
"Sigh, maybe you're right," muttered Chi as he looked at the artificial Moon hanging in the sky and returned to his slumber as well.
***
Meanwhile following Rin and Alister's entry into the temple…
The torches plastered on the walls of the temple caught on fire one after the other like dominos, brightening up the mood. Creating a trail of greenish flames that led them deeper into the temple, until they reached its center hall.
Which was shaped like a dome with an open ceiling and led to three different three hallways, that each corresponded to a miniature trial and led to a different ending. But with a twist since each trial was based on the tale of either an ancient artifact, beast, or deity.
"Hmm, so have we finally reached our destination?" muttered Rin with a slight yawn as he stopped and stretched after noticing Alister had stopped running and began to examine their surroundings frantically.
"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck…" Alister muttered as he realized the paintings on the walls were starting to tremble as a dim light occasionally flashed across their surface.
Yet, while this might seem normal for others, it meant something completely different to Alister as this was only supposed to happen after someone failed to clear White Heart.
And considering this only began to happen after they reached the midway point of trial two, it meant that Osiris awoke sooner than expected.
"Hey, Alister is everything alright?" Rin asked with worry as Alister was starting to scare him.
"Shush! What don't you understand in being quiet and shutting up?!" Alister shouted telepathically as he swiftly silenced Rin before he placed them in a more precarious situation.
Swoosh. Tick, Tick, Tick.
"Fuck! Who would have thought that lazy mongrel would wake up now of all times!" Alister said as he summoned his cane and swung it downward creating an earthen barrier.
That will be able to hold off, Osiris momentarily giving Rin time to complete the mini-trial and reach the core area of the temple. Just as a gigantic three-headed hound appeared from the passage they entered from.
"Wait, wait just what's going on Alister!?" Rin shouted as he was suddenly thrown into one of the three passages and handed something.
"No time to explain, kid just take this, and I wish you the best of luck," Alister replied as he clenched his fist and slammed it against the passage Rin entered, which caused the other two passages to disappear.