——(POV Li Huang)——
My back hit the wall of the room and I slumped to the floor.
I could have died with this much impact but my defensive gear absorbed most of the damage. I was lucky that my defensive gear was able to withstand this attack, or else I could have faced severe consequences.
'Using a defensive gear to save my life is worth it, I have a couple of spares ready so there is no problem there.' I thought while grunting as I tried to move myself.
The moment that I used the [Mirror of Reckoning] as a defensive measure, I didn't think about the backlashes that reflecting this much power could have on my own body and well, I paid the price for my recklessness.
Popping a pill, my body started healing fast and while my body healed, I looked for the remains of the golem.
The golem was embedded into the same wall that he was thrown at. To make sure, I quickly checked it with my Qi sense and to my shock, this golem was slowly getting filled with Qi and soon would be able to fight me again.
This golem might be able to fight soon, but I can't say the same for myself. I need at least an hour until I can say with certainty that I am in optimal conditions for a fight of this level. the fact that i can't use Qi on it, is a big hurdle that is not easy to pass.
I was lucky that two of its five cores had cracks on them so for now it was losing more power than what it was gaining.
I didn't think about anything else and walked toward the golem as fast as I could. Before I reach it, I contemplated every possible scenario that could happen and result in me destroying this golem. From destroying its core to detaching its limbs so that it won't be able to attack again, each of them had a flag that could create some problems for me so I went with the safest and most attractive option.
Now that the golem is powerless, I can simply store it in a storage ring. If it had enough Qi, I couldn't just store him because the golem could resist the space transportation, but now, nothing is stopping me to do just that.
Before the golem could start moving again, I had already stored it in one of my storage rings. After making sure that everything is safe now, I released the breath that I was holding in.
Sitting in a corner, I tried to collect myself.
This was the closest that I have come to death in this life and now I can see why there is a power-based mentality in this world, because it is the natural order of things.
Moments ago, a 'thing' almost got me killed.
I let my thoughts sync in with my plans and rested there for a while.
…
After half an hour I got back on my feet and started looking at the room. There wasn't much in the room except for some maps that were probably for golem creation.
The maps about the golems could be a great help for me and maybe I can even repair this golem somehow.
There were also some bones and armor to one side. I guess that these are the remains of the previous challengers of this test that were unlucky enough to meet this golem.
After sorting the items and remains, I decided to take them with me, maybe someone outside would be happier if they can bury their loved ones in a grave.
Soon, I was done with this test and went toward the exit of this room.
'It was dangerous but now I know that fighting a golem is a no-no, at least on my level.' I dusted off my robes while thinking.
Running in the sands I tried to find more formations, but this time I wouldn't only go for the best ones and also check some of the others so that I can balance the risk and gains.
…
——(POV third person)——
Two weeks passed for the disciples who are in the [Eternal wail trial] and the trial continued. The formation that control's the [Eternal wail trial] would usually continue working for a month so you can say that half of the trial is now passed...
Most of the participants started working in groups but some like Li Huang and Hu Anjing either didn't work with a group or were the leader and gave advice but would act solo.
In these two weeks, many disciples have gained many treasures and had their fortuitous encounter in the trial.
Among the 100 disciples, 4 of them perished in these two past weeks. For a trial at this level, this number is small and anything less than 10 is acceptable to the holy lands and sects. Of course, each sect has some disciples who are called the future of the sect but the chance of something happening to them is minuscule.
Now that two weeks have passed, many places were mapped by each sect's disciples and much information was shared. In the beginning, you could enter many formations without any need to gather points for it, but now you have to eliminate beasts in order to get the points necessary to enter one.
For this reason, the disciples gathered in teams and were working that way. This way, they can gain more points faster and in the end, each of them would be able to enter a formation.
There is one more benefit. The formations that don't need points to enter are mostly trapped or were in places that were never explored but the formations that need points to enter are almost all tests that would reward you if you are able to finish them. so like this, they would minimize the chance of getting into a trap while gaining some rewards.
Li Huang 'looted' the first kind of formations in two days and after that, he started looking for beasts to gain points as much as he can so that he can use them in the 'pay to enter' formations.
At first, he was hunting but didn't know about these beasts lifestyle and habits so it took him more than it should have.
In this desert area that Li Huang was in, the main beast was some sort of large gray worm that was mostly living underground. Its attack pattern consisted of going in and out of the ground and trying to swallow you whole, from any angle possible.
Li Huang analyzed their life and found out their habits in a day and after that, he started skirmishing against small groups of these giant worms to minimize the chance of injury.
After doing this for 5 days, Li Huang was confident in his knowledge and skill to start the grand pest extermination.
Locating their underground base, Li Huang lay in ambush and waited for the day, as they were less active in daytime.
What followed was a long battle for two days that marked the end of Li Huang's first two weeks in the trial.
During these two days, Li Huang 'killed' more than 10,000 giant worms until the horde of worms stopped coming to devour him.
"I hope I never have to do this again…" Li Huang said with a disgusted look on his face.