Meng Xuan was released from his predicament. As expected, when the guests had dispersed, a loyal friend still waited for him.
"Meng Xuan!" She rushed forward and hugged him.
"Did they hurt you?"
Meng Xuan smiled faintly. "If I was hurt, I wouldn't be here to see your beautiful face."
She blushed slightly, her eyes drifting to the cut on his shoulder, already beginning to heal.
"Let's leave this place," Meng Xuan said.
What can I say? A lovely girl, loyal to you. Master, when should I expect your wedding? Fiend Monk teased.
Meng Xuan only muttered two words in his mind: Fuck you.
The two of them avoided the topic of Feng Roulan and spoke of other matters. At a junction, they separated and returned to their respective residences.
.....
Entering his quarters at the academy, Meng Xuan was greeted with warm air.
"I thought master was the interesting one, but it seems the Meng Clan is a little more special than I imagined," Fiend Monk mused.
Meng Xuan's brow furrowed. "You mean I was released only because I'm from the Meng Clan?"
"I think so."
"Maybe I should find out more about them…"
Before he could finish, a knock echoed at the door.
"Who is it?" he asked sharply. The figure of the assassin flashed in his mind.
"It's me."
Hearing the voice, his brow furrowed even deeper. What's father doing here?
After a pause, Meng Han walked in slowly.
"It seems I worried for nothing. You're perfectly fine," his father said calmly.
"This isn't like you, father," Meng Xuan admitted, slightly surprised.
"I heard you were mixed up with an assassin case at Feng Manor. I came to check on you."
Meng Xuan was stunned at how quickly news had spread. It was as if his father had been at his side all along. He kept silent about the incident.
"Thanks for the money," he said tersely.
"Don't mention it. Since you're fine, let's move on to the second matter I came for."
"Heaven's Trial," Meng Xuan finished coldly.
"Correct." Meng Han sat on a chair.
"Father, you know that me attempting the Heaven Trial is the same as throwing my life away. Are you simply pushing me toward death?"
"I know many wished they were dead instead of attempting it," Meng Han said solemnly. "I am a living survivor. But you are different. You are special."
"My mother spoiled me. You can't measure me by her words."
Meng Han chuckled softly. "I have proof."
Their relationship had never been close, not like most fathers and sons. Only after his wife passed did Meng Han start acting like a true father.
"You survived the Goblin Demonic Zone without holy force," he said.
"That was luck," Meng Xuan cut in tersely.
"You also survived the Abyssal Demonic Zone, on the brink of evolving… still without holy force. And now, you've survived an assassin's attack."
Seems master has a stalker for a father, Fiend Monk laughed.
Meng Xuan said nothing. The words rang oddly true, even though he had only started cultivating recently.
"There's a saying," Meng Han continued. "If coincidence happens twice, it's no longer coincidence but a clue. I've always trusted your mother's words."
"Father, what do you want exactly?"
"Pass the Heaven Trial. Wield the weapon your mother left you. Become the savior of the Meng Clan."
Your father doesn't even know you've taken the demonic path, Fiend Monk chuckled.
Meng Xuan's ears twitched at the mention of his mother's weapon. A treasure left by a figure as powerful as her would never be ordinary.
"I'll think about it carefully."
Meng Han didn't press further. Instead, he explained, voice grave.
"The altar lies in the deepest part of the manor. Three stages await.
The first is the Trial of the Heart, also called the Inner Demon. Fear, regret, and desire will strike at your soul. Only unwavering will can pass.
The second is the Trial of the Soul. Your very essence is stripped bare. Pain, whispers of doubt, and even fragments of past lives will claw at you. Most fail here, becoming nourishment for heaven."
Meng Xuan's soul quivered at his father's vivid words.
"The last is the Trial of Fate," Meng Han said with a sigh. "Heaven's lightning descends to erase your soul. If you endure, you will be reborn.
Some even claim that those who survive no longer carry the blood of the Meng Clan, but walk with a new soul."
Meng Xuan stayed silent.
Seeing his look, Meng Han gave a strained chuckle. "Don't mind the exaggeration. Even I survived, though I used many formations to block damage. It can be done."
Meng Xuan gave no answer. "I'll write to you soon," was all he said.
"Good. Then I'll see you next time," Meng Han replied, rising to leave.
"Father," Meng Xuan called. "Is there anything truly special about the Meng Clan?"
Meng Han turned back, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"We are nothing more than unlucky people cursed by the heavens."
...
Since Fiend Monk had warned him that using pure demonic cores too often wasn't suitable for his human body, Meng Xuan decided to rest for the week before attempting another hunt.
The very next day, he dueled with Di Tang, earning another two soul coins. At the same time, he accepted Di Tang's invitation to join his so-called mysterious group. Their meetings, he learned, were held every Wednesday and Friday—and today just happened to be Wednesday.
He hadn't wanted to join at first. But when Di Tang mentioned the benefits he could gain as a member, and since he swore they were nothing more than a family-like circle with no blood oaths or dark sacrifices, Meng Xuan chose to believe him. His flaw hadn't reacted either, which gave him more reason to trust. Even so, Di Tang kept the group's true purpose hidden, claiming Meng Xuan would have to be accepted by the others before learning more.
.....
That same night, following the location he was given, Meng Xuan met Di Tang and together they walked toward a different path.
After a while, they came to the front of an empty classroom. Di Tang spoke some words softly. The language sounded familiar, yet Meng Xuan could make no meaning of it.
The door creaked open. A blue-haired student peeked out, his eyes sharp behind elliptical glasses. Recognizing Di Tang, he nodded knowingly and pulled the door wider, allowing them inside.
The student was handsome in a quiet way, with short hair and a pair of curved eyes that tilted slightly upward, giving him an air of innocence. Meng Xuan thought that without his glasses, he might have looked even more striking.
"Cold Giant, all of us are present. Only you remained," the blue-haired student said.
"Let's proceed" Di Tang said.
Cold Giant? Meng Xuan was a little surprised. The name sounded rough, but fitting for someone like Di Tang.
The blue-haired senior, a two-star cultivator Meng Xuan vaguely recognized, turned his gaze on him and smiled lightly.
"I don't know why Di Tang would vote you to replace Silent Wright," he said, "but your recent matters left me impressed."
Silent Wright? Is that the name of a member? And I'm replacing him? Meng Xuan thought, frowning. He asked aloud, "What happened to the former Silent Wright?"
The student didn't hide anything, nodding as if it were no big secret. "He died… in an upper-tier cultivator zone."
Meng Xuan fell silent. Death inside demonic zones was common. Often no bodies were ever found. He himself had only been rescued once because the Hunter Bureau sensed eminent danger and intervened. Luck had favored him then and he was found safe with no beast around.
They moved deeper inside.
The main classroom was dim. Shadows cloaked the walls, and the only light came from a single candle flickering on the central table. By that faint glow, Meng Xuan finally glimpsed the figures seated around it—silent, waiting, watching.