"Eh?" Lionel was dumbfounded by the old man's words, staring at him with a confused expression, his eyebrows knitted together in disbelief.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Just as I said earlier, passing through the portal is hard and dangerous. There are various trials you'll face that could lead to your death. All that talk about not needing cultivation or strength, and only willpower being required, were just lies. I wanted to see how you would react to the dangers I described," the man explained.
He paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "There are five stages to pass. You've already completed the first one easily, but the others will not be so simple—unless you're immortal, perhaps. You'll face four more tests before you can leave the portal alive."
"Wow…" Lionel muttered, digesting the man's words.
