This was an immensely broad great hall, a cold and solemn air pressing in on all sides — and coupled with that heart-quickening silence, it was like setting foot in a realm of ghosts.
The hall was very tall, a full dozen-odd meters high, and its scale was excessive to the point of absurdity. The floor was laid with a carpet of intricate patterns, and dozens of thick pillars, each a different color, stood in irregular arrangement supporting the hall from every quarter. At a glance, the place was empty and desolate — and in this vast hall, only a single person existed: an old man with white hair and a white beard.
The old man sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes lightly closed, his long beard reaching the floor, his face like an ancient well. It was the very picture of an enlightened master, and the air of immortal grace that came off him seemed to confirm that he truly was one. Ye Tianxie’s gaze swept the old man from head to toe, at last settling on his beard, as he pondered just how many years it must have taken to grow one that long.
And upon entering this hall, the seven class-advancement mentors — who along the way had been full of swagger, either pestering Ye Tianxie with questions or boasting about how powerful their own class was — all went utterly quiet, their expressions turning grave and gingerly careful, like obedient students catching sight of a stern teacher.
“Teacher, your disciple has come on a matter.” The Mage mentor spoke respectfully, facing the old man, who gave not the slightest reaction to their entrance.
“What is it.” The old man’s lips didn’t move, yet a weighty voice drifted slowly out from him, carrying a hazy, ethereal quality that made it seem to come from the edge of the sky. With one’s eyes closed, it would be impossible to determine which direction the voice came from at all.
“Teacher, after Wuming all those years ago, another person bearing a Hero’s Badge has appeared… And what’s more, this person repels all seven of our class conferrals. I thought you would surely be interested in him.”
A brief silence — then the quiet old man’s eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto Ye Tianxie at once. From the gaze that shot toward him, Ye Tianxie felt none of the strangeness he’d anticipated. Meeting the old man’s eyes was like looking into the eyes of the most ordinary of old men — there was none of that aura a legendary supreme expert was supposed to project through his stare.
Yet the instant he opened his eyes, the already bitterly cold air here seemed to congeal all at once, and every sound and movement ceased. The seven mentors beside Ye Tianxie were likewise all frozen as though by an immobilization spell, not one of them moving, none daring even to draw a full breath.
Judging by these seven men’s behavior alone, Ye Tianxie could tentatively conclude that this old man was definitely not the mild-tempered sort.
But that thought had scarcely surfaced for a second before it was shattered outright.
“Heh heh heh heh. Young man, you must be the one they spoke of. Your Hero’s Badge doesn’t lie to me. And from you, I do indeed sense an air unlike that of ordinary men. You — come here.” The old man’s voice was soft and gentle. He rose slowly, his face wearing a mild, faint smile like a light breeze.
Ye Tianxie’s gaze flickered as he glanced over the seven mentors’ expressions, then walked forward until he stood beside the old man. The seven mentors exchanged looks for a moment, then softened their footsteps and followed behind him.
The old man looked Ye Tianxie over from head to toe, his smile growing gentler still. “This truly is a Hero’s Badge. I never imagined that in my lifetime I’d see another who could obtain one, as Wuming did back then. And you… only Level 11, with ordinary attributes. To obtain a Hero’s Badge should have been a task utterly impossible to complete. Yet you succeeded. Were you not standing before me, I’d be entirely unable to believe it… You are the first person in all these many years to make me somewhat doubt my own eyes and judgment.”
Ye Tianxie smiled faintly and said nothing. Only Level 11, with ordinary attributes… That was true enough. What he’d relied on to pass the Abyss trial were his talent attributes, several times an ordinary person’s, along with the attack items bought from Yuan Que at the novice village pharmacy — items that could be called heaven-defying at the novice stage.
It could only be said that his passing of the Abyss trial rested not on strength alone, but on luck and opportunity as well. Without the aid of that little heap of attack items, he’d have had no possibility whatsoever of defeating the Amethyst War Tiger at the Abyss trial’s final gate.
The Hero’s Badge could only be obtained through the novice village’s trial… So what had Wuming — likewise only Level 10 back then — relied on to pass a trial of such terrible difficulty? If it was pure strength… then he truly was worthy of the title of the Lost Continent’s foremost expert.
“Come with me.” The old man clapped Ye Tianxie on the shoulder and led him toward a half-open stone door on the right. He’d taken only a few steps when he suddenly turned around and let out a roar that sent a jolt through Ye Tianxie: “What are you seven bastards following along for?!”
The seven mentors all halted mid-step, struck as silent as cicadas in winter under that thunderous bellow. The Mage mentor swallowed carefully and said meekly, “We’d also like to see just what this young man called Xietian actually—”
“See your sister! You seven bastards left your posts without my permission — this is outrageous! What have I always taught you? Before I’ve decided how to punish you, you’d best get lost this instant!!” The old man’s eyes bulged, his beard bristled, and every muscle in his face crumpled together like old tree bark.
“Ah… yes, yes, yes, yes.” All seven mentors went pale at the roar, their hearts racing, and they backed hurriedly away in retreat; the moment they crossed the hall’s threshold they spun around and fled like the wind, vanishing without a trace.
Ye Tianxie’s expression stayed frozen for a full five seconds before quietly returning to normal. This old man, who looked as kindly and benevolent as an old goat, really wasn’t… the good-tempered sort after all.
When the old man turned to face him, in the space of an instant, the old goat was back to perfection. He said with a chuckle, “Come, follow me in.”
Ye Tianxie inwardly bared his teeth in a grimace, but showed nothing on his face as he followed behind him.
The heavy marble door was opened, and a great expanse of soft light washed over him. Then, with a rumbling boom, the old man closed the stone door behind them. This old man was the one the Mage mentor had called the strongest Magus of the City of Heaven’s Stars — Kong Xiu.
This was a completely sealed chamber, with not a single ray of light entering from outside. Yet it was a lustrous white here, not hindering one’s sight in the slightest. The source of the light wasn’t any flame or lamp, but rather an enormous piece of jade before him.
This was a piece of jade radiating a soft white glow from its entire body, fully more than a man’s height. On closer inspection, this jade proved to be a perfect regular octahedron, suspended in the very center of the chamber as if held aloft by some invisible force. Every ray of light in this place came from it.
(End of Chapter 59)