"But it's true that he's quite handsome. Not as handsome as me though!"
The feminine man waved his fan as his eyes roamed about. Not to mention the scholar Zou Da, even the Holy Maiden almost snorted. You looked like you've changed sides, yet you think you still think of yourself as someone handsome?
"Fellow daoist, may I ask for your name?"
The Holy Maiden nodded appreciatively, looking at Fang Zhaoge up and down. But unlike the intrigued Mei, she actually felt threatened! She has a certain feeling when she realizes the man can remain undetected in her presence.
However, she remained unconcerned. She has countless treasures granted by the force behind her. Not even a Celestial realm expert could threaten her!
"Greetings, Holy Maiden, the Defier, and other fellow daoists. My name is Fang Zhaoge. I wonder what this place is? I spent a lot of time on the first test and was shocked when the scenery suddenly changed as I finished the test."
Fang Zhaoge put up a look of puzzlement. Truthfully, he's indeed puzzled. Just who was insane enough to set up such an inhumane test?
Before any of them could respond, the blue-skinned demon stepped forward and looked at him disdainfully.
"Tsk, I thought the last person would be the strongest. Turns out, it was just a mere mortal. You must spend millions of years on the first test, right? That's why you appeared last. Tell me, how old are you? Thousand years old? Tens of thousands of years old? You think you're worthy of having the same standing as me just because you received the chance to inherit the inheritance?"
Fang Zhaoge was inwardly speechless. This guy talks a lot. He just glanced at the Demon and looked at him up and down doubtedly.
"I'm sorry, but what are you? If someone dressed up like this, back in my world, we'd call them weirdos. So are you a weirdo? How are you so big? Did you eat someone? Why the f*ck did you only wear a pair of shorts?"
The more Fang Zhaoge talked, the more vicious he became. In the end, he even cursed him openly. However, for the humans present, he does not seem vulgar at all. With his majestic aura from the Immortal Slayer quality and his mysterious, handsome face, who dares to call him vulgar?
Even Little Mei was amazed and tried to copy his way of talking. Thankfully, the Holy Maiden immediately pinched her face and reprimanded her not to copy how an adult talks. Yes, even the Holy Maiden did not badmouth him!
It's also been an extremely long time since he talked to someone. It has to be known that he'd been living for only 17 years and was used to freedom before the test, and he was forced to undergo more than a thousand years of form of torture. It was already a miracle he didn't go insane.
So in a sense, he indeed poured out his frustration and his desire to socialize with this Demon. Anyway, it's his fault that he talked a lot. And when it comes to talking a lot, who could beat someone who came from the 21st century?
"You–!"
"The test begins!"
The puppet in a white robe interrupted them. The Demon merely snorted before he and his companion disappeared, being sent out to partake in the test.
As for Fang Zhaoge, he looked at others in regret as they disappeared one after another. They also looked at him regretfully. He asked a question he was so curious about, yet he couldn't receive it because of some stupid blabbermouth.
However, he's not furious at all. He merely felt like it was a pity. It was too hard to make him furious now. His composure and his temperament were too stable because of his torturous experience whether it was in the colosseum or the simulations.
His willpower especially played a big part in it. After the torturous fights, his willpower has increased drastically! And with the amplification, he truly has the will of steel.
[Current Willpower Amplification: 146,4%]
"It increased by 10% every time I went into seclusion. Indeed, although it may seem odd, it was quite fair. If it was increased every month into seclusion, won't I be peerless if I cultivate for a thousand years?"
He shook his head. The number will be humongous. He will be thoroughly peerless!
Soon, he was also teleported out. When he opened his eyes, he was floating in a glittering space with its countless celestial bodies. The nebulas are majestic, and the stars are stunning!
He gaped in amazement. Before him, a simple old man sipped on his bowl of tea as he sighed in contentment. When Fang Zhaoge looked at him, he simply waved his hand and an old, worn-out scripture materialized from the stars.
"Little guy, the test is simple. Comprehend it and you pass. There's no limit in time! Just read and understand it as long as you like– Hey, what's with that expression?"
The simple old man was leisurely explaining when he paused and raised an eyebrow. He looked at Fang Zhaoge's strange expression and was baffled. As for Fang Zhaoge…
"No, not again. I've kept meeting this kind of bullsh*t continuously and I've long become tired of it. Let me do something else. Can I show off a little bit? How about we spar and I'll show you my awesomeness?"
The old man, despite the innumerable years of experience that he had, couldn't help but be speechless. He's been here for so long, meeting outstanding geniuses throughout history, yet this is the first time he met someone who refused to do what he told and instead asked for a spar.
This kid is quite arrogant…
A spar, huh… Although it sounds disrespectful, would he, an old man with limitless boredomness, refuse such an offer?
Of course not!
It sounds way too interesting to pass it. He smirked as he looked at Fang Zhaoge who looked like he was about to explode.
"Brat, you know how ancient this place is? I'm afraid even the galaxy you came from couldn't compare in terms of age. But fine, if you want to do it that way. I'll remind you though, it's been a very long time since I moved my old bones, so don't be destroyed if I pull my punch a little bit too hard."
Fang Zhaoge's mouth twitched. Don't be destroyed? People would say don't cry, but you say don't be destroyed?
However, instead of being concerned, he smiled and said, "I'm sure this place is magical enough to save me from anything."
"Oh? And why would I do so even if that was true? What if it's not?"
"Senior will naturally find out. And Senior will definitely try your best to save me if there's no such thing."
The old man was confused, but he merely brushed it off. Youths these days like to think of themselves as the center of the universe. Let them be. He dealt with a blue-skinned blabbermouth just now. He was so f*cking arrogant, yet the kid came out begging with just a snort from him.
Soon, the old man flicked his fingers, and a simple platform the size of a star's surface was formed. Not surprised, Fang Zhaoge quickly landed on the platform and waited for the old man to come up.
Wordlessly, the old man created a wave by flicking his fingers. However, such a simple gesture contained countless wonders and concepts under its simplified exterior. Fang Zhaoge was amazed as he used Chaos and Order Convergence to dodge it.
On the other hand, the old man was surprised. But not even after a billionth of a second, his aged face distorted as he looked at Fang Zhaoge in utter shock.
For experts, even a second worth days and days of fighting, so for the old man to stay in place for a second, Fang Zhaoge was confused and was about to approach him when the old man made a sound that shook the whole place.
"You're a Qi Refinement practitioner?!!!!"
"I thought you already knew?" Fang Zhaoge blocked off his ears painfully as he asked quizzically. But he only received another scream. Damn old man, you're already old, so how could you scream so loud the universe shook?
"I did! But your cultivation did not even fluctuate even for a little bit when you dodged. That means you're truly a Qi Refinement practitioner! Just how long have you stayed in your mother's womb? Did you submerge yourself in a Condensed Molten Star for millions of eons or something?!"
Hearing this, Fang Zhaoge felt pitiful. This old man spouts out yet another foreign term. He was already battered up by so many terms from the white-haired man in the Dark Forest and from the simulations. But instead of answers, he only got more questions…
"And what's that technique? You could dodge my Absolute Authority with it as a mere Qi Refinement junior?"
"Senior, why are there so many questions? Not to mention the fact that I have no idea what are the things you said, isn't it unethical for cultivators to ask for other's secrets?"
The old man gradually came out of his shock and coughed out in embarrassment. He's already so old, yet he still reacts like an emotional youth. Indeed, it was quite…
But if someone else discovered this nonsensical kid, he's confident they would react way worse than him. Regaining his confidence, the old man brushed it off by stroking his beard and his face turned apathetic.
"Continue!"
Fang Zhaoge smiled widely. Finally, after so long, he could fight with all he had without that stupid formation's suppression. As the old man was waiting, he simply let his abilities flow and his aura burst out!
Trillions of suns worth of strength along with the Fury of the Demon God!
I'll comprehend the advanced version of it, he thought inwardly as his eyes sharpened. The eyes that mirrored nothing but the determination to fight and the will to not bend!
He also brought out the Immortal-grade sword he'd been longing to hold. He shifted the sword slowly, immersing himself in the way of the sword.
"It's truly been so long…"
Then, he jumped and let the flow of his sword rage unrestrainedly! Different from before, any of the forms of his abilities could be utilized so freely! The blade of the sword was about to reach the old man when the old man leisurely lifted his palm.
Fang Zhaoge remained indifferent. He bent his own slash, and let it flow as it liked. The sword turned slightly, hitting the forearm of the old man. However, he did not react, because the old man blocked it with his other hand.
To escape from the old man's grasp, Fang Zhaoge used the Chaos and Order Convergence and chaotically yet orderly moved around the old man, successfully creating a gap he could take advantage of.
But he stopped himself. He simply looked at the old man and brought down his sword.
"Senior, you seem to be distracted."
"Continue, continue. I'm just admiring the way you fight so unrestrainedly, bold yet so precisely."
The old man smiled. He was indeed amazed. There are no flashy attacks nor wasted movement despite the intention to show off from the kid. It was as if he only had the intention to win when he fought.
It was indeed quite a show-off, in the eyes of an expert like him. If only every youth could show off this way… And not by talking arrogant.
He remembered those kids who acted so cold, as if everything was beneath them. But in the face of death, they turned into little boys and girls begging to be saved. It was very disheartening and disgusting…
"If Senior says so. Then, pardon my impudence!"
Thus, Fang Zhaoge continued his relentless exchange with the old man. It went on for a long time.
Occasionally, the old man would burst out with enough power to kill him, yet he merely makes the best decision to either repel or take on the attack while minimizing the damage, and after making sure nothing is serious, he'll continue as if nothing happened.
Death is scary, but that nothingness he was stuck in… That is true despair.
After a certain period, a battered yet energized and cold Fang Zhaoge stood before the old man with his sword in hand. He looked at the old man, searching for an opening to be used.
But when he wanted to burst out, the old man looked out and sighed before he flicked his finger, restraining and healing Fang Zhaoge while turning the platform into dust.
"It was a good spar, Kid. Unfortunately, the other participants have already finished. So we couldn't continue. If we do, wouldn't you lose out in the race?"
As he said so, he turned to the abandoned old, worn-out scripture and simply gave it to the kid. Fang Zhaoge looked puzzled, but the old man just smirked.
"Take it. With your talent, I have no doubt you could create a simplified version of it and spread the technique. However, make sure you give it to the person with an extremely tough Dao Heart and a righteous mind!"
"Why would I even simplify it?"
"You wouldn't?"
The old man simply shrugged his shoulders, "Well, whatever. You could do whatever you want with it. Just make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong person. It's only a Celestial Emperor grade anyway."
Fang Zhaoge twitched. Only? That's the highest cultivation level he knew.
"Alright, that's it Kid. You can go now. Comprehend the lessons you learned from this spar."
The old man recites an unrecognizable chant, and a crack beside him emerges from the void. Before entering, Fang Zhaoge turned to the old man and asked.
"Senior, what's your name? Who knows, I may track your record and find you again."
The old man chuckled, "I have no doubt you'll be able to do it. But don't be too arrogant. As for my name, just call me Old Jing."
He simply watched as Fang Zhaoge disappeared within the crack. He looked up with a relieved look, "An unprecedented monster has appeared. Just how did you expect all of this?"
After a moment of awe, the old man flicked his fingers, and the whole glittering space was bent, slowly turning into a simple land with a mystical, glistening lake and a peak that pierced through the heavens, with endless, otherworldly forest covering the surrounding.
He flew to the top of the peak and fetched himself a bowl of tea. Thus, he sat on a mat and waited, enjoying the scenery of the distant past…
In another place, Fang Zhaoge appeared in an enormous hall. This time, it was even more exaggerated. Hundreds of cultivators with various forms and races are bustling about, conversing about countless things. Soon, he gradually came to his senses as he slapped his forehead.
"I forgot to ask about what the tests are all about to that Senior!"