—— The space inside the Zhuque Hall is really too big!
Though the palaces exterior appeared modest, Ah Jun found himself marveling upon entering its interior. Contrary to his expectations—— The structure lacked conventional pillars or staircases, with no central vault. Instead, it featured mirrored floors and an expansive vista of azure skies dotted with birds frolicking in flight. Gazing into the distance, the horizon stretched to the horizon, while the mirrored surface reflected the heavens. Visually, it felt like stepping into a dreamlike realm!
"Ajun!"
"Xiao Xi, Ning Er! Why are you here?"
" we ..."
"—— I dont trust you!"
"Indeed, there is something to worry about... hum, I think that boy will never pass!"
" you ..."
Just as Ah Jun followed the Holy Queens footsteps, strolling through this breathtaking place, feeling both anxious and amazed... Suddenly, he sensed someone following him from behind—— Oh! It turned out that Xiao Xi and Ning er had also arrived.
Although I dont know why, Ah Jun is really happy at this time. After all, the child is already nervous following the auntie for a walk, not to mention preparing for the most important experience.
But as another familiar voice rang out, the recently paused commotion began to surface again—— with the little princess. There she stood, closely following Yuwen Lu, her eager expression as if afraid of missing anything. In the distance, the strolling Emperor and Uncle Li were walking leisurely.
"Cough! Since youre here, keep quiet!"
"Oh, no, no... Dont scare the child, lets go!"
Fortunately, the Holy Queens shout immediately interrupted the quarrel, and the children fell silent, afraid to fight again. Of course, where there is a tiger mother, there will naturally be a cat father. With the Holy Emperors mediation, the atmosphere began to ease again.
After walking for a while, Ah Jun began to wonder—— it looked endless, where was it all the same, when would this be?
"You... go now!"
"O!"
The moment the child began to murmur, the Holy Queen suddenly issued a command that left him momentarily stunned. As the scene shifted dramatically, until the colors of sunset emerged in the interplay of light and shadow, Ah Jun suddenly realized that before his eyes, the distant ground was rapidly subsiding. Then, a lake with a luster like molten lava gradually formed. At the center of this churning lake lay a stage connected by an extremely narrow log bridge linking both banks.
"I... to that?"
"Not so!"
As for Ah Jun, who had always been cautious, he must have felt a twinge of worry at the sight of such danger. Naturally, he asked... but his question was in vain. All he received was the Empress Dowagers stern gaze and a curt reply.
——The Holy Queen looked at me with such a terrifying gaze. Was it because I was late? Or... was it because the princesss complaints about me that made her resentful? No, she seemed to treat her own daughter the same way. Sigh, Xiao Xis words arent false. She really is hard to get along with.
At this time, the confused Ah Jun had no choice but to say hello to his companions, and then, with courage, began the last experience.
He muttered to himself as he carefully crossed the log bridge—— This was no simple lake, but a flowing, surging magma. No wonder it was so hot. The warmth outside the palace must have been because of this place.
However, the lack of guardrail on the bridge made Ah Juns heart continue to panic, and the drop between the bridge and the lake and the boiling magma brought great psychological pressure to the child.
But at this critical moment, he had to keep moving forward and couldnt afford to retreat. The child could only shuffle along step by step—— Yet from an outsiders perspective, his behavior was utterly bizarre—— How timid of a person... Sigh, how could someone like him have taken the top spot? Even crossing a bridge with such trepidation, I actually took him seriously!
"Hmph, I said, hes like that, maybe hell run back in a minute!"
"Hey, dont look down on Ah Jun. Hes braver than you think. Its not..."
" sh!"
Xiao Xi was right. After all, he knew Ah Jun best here—— Of course, the boys subsequent performance left the little princesss mockery completely ineffective. It was clear that Ah Jun was gradually becoming familiar with the environment, his pace quickening as he did so, and his inner calm steadily growing.
—— Hold on, I can do it!
"Hmph! Its just a bridge, so whats there to brag about—— You see, next thing you know, hes gonna slip away!"
Finally, after passing the narrow bridge, Ah Juns heart gradually relaxed. Although he did not know what the next challenge would be, he also gave himself a little energy.
However, at this moment, Xiao Xi was already cheering excitedly, and even Ninger was smiling to give A Jun moral support... But then, their efforts were once again diss by the little princess who clenched her fists.
The girl was right, of course. Zhuque Countys rigorous trials were indeed the most grueling, especially since they had only just begun. Then came the Holy Queens serene gaze fixed on the lakes center. The phoenix seal on her forehead began to shimmer with molten lava-like colors, dazzling in its brilliance.
Soon, the rock column in the middle of the lake where Ah Jun was began to sink—— So, the poor child, in the sight of everyone, gradually sank to the bottom of the lake full of magma.
——? What can I do... Its so hot, its getting hotter and hotter. It feels like a sauna. Will I be cooked?
"Ah Jun!!!"
"Hmph, good show..."
To better observe the training process, the group quickly gathered by the lakeshore, their heads bowed over the valley floor, each lost in their own thoughts—— Xiao Xi and Ning er were primarily concerned about Ah Juns safety, while the little princess wore an expectant look of pure curiosity. As for the Empress Dowager, she maintained her stern expression even after activating the training program, her crimson eyes still fixed intently on Ah Jun as her clenched fists remained tightly pressed against her chest.
—— Is this hostility, concern, or anxiety... Hmm! It must be worry. As a stranger, if Ah Jun passes the Changsun clans assessment, where should she put face on her own daughter, who is also the next candidate for clan leader?
Perhaps they were concerned this youth might sustain injuries during the trials? After all, the terrifying lava was neither molten metal nor cool lake water. Whats more, the training was specially overseen by the White Tiger Clans chieftain. Any mishap could only deepen the rift between the allied factions.
—— Of course, there is one more important factor. After all, this child is the son of fate, and its importance needs no further explanation. So it is possible to care. But in this group of people, few know about it.
Suddenly, as Xiaoxi and the princess were exchanging words, they saw magma surging upward from the lakes bottom, gradually flowing around Ah Jun, splashing back and forth—it was quite terrifying—— As a trainee, Ah Jun now had nowhere to hide. He could only stand there with his eyes closed, motionless, clinging to a glimmer of hope in his heart.
—— Whats the name of this behavior? It can only be called stealing a bell with ones ears covered or covering ones eyes with a leaf. There is nothing to look forward to after all, because the child does not have the ability to deal with it now.
Fortunately, though these waves of magma looked terrifying, they were actually just a playful trick to scare the boy. After a while, Ah Jun, unharmed and feeling safe, opened one eye and looked around.
He noticed the magma waves, which, though circling around him, showed no signs of aggression. At this moment, Ah Jun finally realized that this dangerous illusion...
So, after the child had completely calmed down, the waves began to circle around him at an increasing density, gradually surrounding him and blocking everyones view.
And Ah Jun, who was in the midst of it, now felt confusion and fear once again. He had lost all his mental support and the company of friends. Even as the hostility——warmth of the little princess continued to grow, Ah Jun found himself trapped in a cocoon formed by molten rock, unable and afraid to break free. The scorching isolation environment began to make his heart restless and anxious.
"Peace of mind is cool!"
Suddenly, a message came from afar, giving the poor child a new direction. In the eyes of the Holy Queen——, this aunt was still caring for her.
Thus, following the steps of martial arts theory, Ah Jun began preparing to meditate and enter a state of deep concentration. In this harsh environment, he started cultivating his mind. However, what he didnt know was that this was merely a trial process. The kind-hearted Holy Empress had only done her duty without any hidden benevolence—— Meanwhile, the princesss sword had already come into her hands, still gleaming with golden radiance.
—— Yes, the imperial sword Xuan Yuan!
Well... This is the Xuanyuan Sword, the divine artifact of the Changsun clan, an advanced form of the legendary Yitian Sword. Legend has it that those who receive the Emperors swords recognition become the next clan leader.
And this is the goal that the little princess has been striving for since childhood. Although it is still too early to say, as the eldest legitimate daughter of the Changsun family, she is undoubtedly the first choice for the next patriarch according to tradition—— However, due to the fact that this little princess has not yet passed all the trials, her destiny is still pending.
Therefore, her mother, the Holy Queen, probably also estimated that this is why she was extremely strict with her, even a little feeling of frustration——It may also be because of this reason that the girl had a lot of opinions about Ah Jun who wanted to go through the experience.
The Holy Queens hand tightened around the Xuanyuan Sword as her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. Golden sword qi undulated around them, its radiant glow growing more intense. The sight made one feel like they were about to engage in battle. What was this old lady trying to do?
A-jun, on the other hand, peered through the cracks of the lava——he began to wonder, so he simply stopped thinking. Then he began to close his eyes and rest.
As the lava continued to spread, it eventually surrounded Ah Jun in a flawless encirclement under everyones watchful eyes. This left Xiao Xi wide-eyed with alarm, his mothers warnings still echoing in his young mind. He suddenly glanced at the Holy Queen, gestured toward his uncle, then locked eyes with Ninger.
Although Ninger was as worried as Xiao Xi, she was more rational and mature—— The girl signaled with her eyes that she should not worry, trust Ah Jun, and that we should calm down, which would be the best support for him.
—— Hmm, yes!