Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Woosh!
Their surroundings changed instantly; the walls of the cave shifted rapidly, twisting and turning in the sky as though they were alive. And, then, in a blink of an eye, it dissipated into thin air!
What replaced it was a broad plain with a thick forest on the horizon and clear skies above. Azure skies and green pastures; such a scenic view, but Xu Qu’s team could hardly stay calm. They appeared shell-shocked and looked on with disbelief.
“So…the whole cave was a spell!”
“Oh my god, to think that such a ginormous spell exists in this realm!”
“No wonder something felt off the moment we stepped into that cave!”
“Wait, if that’s the case, are we already involved in the Heavenly Human Trial from the moment we stepped into the cave?”
“Without a doubt, that seems to be the case!”
The powerhouses from the Imperial Palace and the disciples of the Exquisite Beauty Pavilion quickly became solemn.
Xu Que was also surprised as he had felt that something was amiss ever since he first set foot into the cave. However, he had only guessed that the cold wind was suspicious. Never did he expect that the entire cave was fake, and the spell cast would be this unimaginably vast.
From this, they could deduce that the Heavenly Human Tribe’s prowess, accumulated over millions of years, was something nobody should underestimate.
“The Heavenly Human Trial has already begun! From this moment on, this place will be locked down for a month, and the doors will automatically open once the time is up. Now, you have one day to run. At the same time tomorrow, everyone present today from my tribe shall begin the hunt!” A powerhouse at Level 3 of the Great Vehicle Stage announced. His voice was as cold as ice as he stared at Xue Que and his gang.
One of the strongmen from the Imperial Palace spoke out as his face grew dark “This is unfair. Not only does your tribe outnumber us, but you also have two Great Vehicle Stage cultivators on your side. This is not a trial but a massacre!”
More snickering and jeering came from the Heavenly Human Tribe.
Only the two Heavenly Human powerhouses at Level 3 of the Great Vehicle Stage remained expressionless. They replied icily, “We are the law enforcers. We enforce law and order; therefore we are not participating in this hunt!”
“Enforcing law and order? Look at the mess we are in right now; is there still any need to?” Xu Que asked, smiling.
The Heavenly Human Trial – for those uninformed, it may seem like a trial for outsiders. However, the truth was that it was a trial for the Heavenly Humans themselves, where they would be the predators, while the outsiders would become the prey.
“There are two catches to the Heavenly Human Trial. First, the one who finds the Heavenly Human Plate wins a chance to be sent away to safety and become our honored guest. Second, we would like to preserve the survivability of our prey. All of you, therefore, must ensure that there are at least three survivors by the end of the trial. They shall become slaves to the Heavenly Human Tribe!” The two Heavenly Humans at Level 3 of the Great Vehicle announced.
Those around Xu Que could not hide their shock upon hearing this news. It was especially so for the powerhouses from the Imperial Palace. They trembled in anger. Not only did the Heavenly People Tribe treat them as prey, they demanded that they guarantee three survivors to be taken as slaves! That was completely out of the question.
“The Heavenly Human Plate….” Xu Que was intrigued with the idea as he mumbled to himself.
That’s an odd rule that did not tally with the character of the Heavenly Human Tribe. Since one can become a VIP once they find the Heavenly Human Plate, is it a test of luck? Or does the Heavenly Human Plate hold a deeper meaning for them?
As he thought it over, Xu Que became less anxious to kill the people of the Heavenly Human Tribe.
On the one hand, he did not want to startle them unnecessarily. After all, he had seen how strong and humongous their illusory spells could be. If he showed them his real prowess and frightened them, it might scare them into casting more illusory spells in defense. That would be detrimental to his search for the Space-Breaking Spell’s activation location.
On the other hand, he was curious about the reason that the Heavenly Human Tribe organized the Heavenly Human Trial, and if it was connected to how he could use the Space-Breaking Spell. Now that he had acquired the Space-Breaking Spell, he was only one step away from returning to Earth.
So, for this step, he had to proceed with caution, with no tolerance for any mistakes.
“Holy Senior, what should we do now? Why don’t we take a chance? We, the Imperial Palace, are the royals of the Tong Tian Nation. We must not be humiliated by the Heavenly Human Tribe!” An Imperial Palace powerhouse looked at Jiang Hongyan and asked in a low voice.
The rest of the gang also looked dark and furious. However, Xu Que stood out from the group and smiled. “Everyone, since the Heavenly Human Tribe is this friendly and even prepared this Heavenly Human Trial, we have no reasons to reject them! Let’s go. The battle will only start tomorrow, so we should find a place to eat. Now that I think about it, it has been a long time since I cooked in the wild!
Once he finished speaking, he called Jiang Hongyan and Buttface over. The trio strode toward the forest in the distance. The crowd could not help but be speechless.
Are you cooking in the wild?
Things have come to this, and you are still in the mood to cook?
Dude, wake up! We are not here for an outing!
“Holy Senior, why are you going with him? Are we succumbing to become their prey?”
“Holy Senior, Holy Senior, please stay and say something!”
“Sigh, forget it. Let’s follow them!”
“Let’s go!”
In the end, out of their wits, the powerhouses from the Imperial Palace and the disciples of the Exquisite Beauty Pavilion soon followed.
Hundreds of strongmen from the Heavenly Human Tribe looked on coldly. Sneering smiles never left their faces as they watched them leave, as though admiring their prey.
It was not until Xu Que and his people vanished into the dark of the forest that the Heavenly Human Tribe finally spoke.
“This batch of humans looks weak!”
“Ha, ha, the weaker they are, the better! This rare opportunity of the Heavenly Human Trial is one in a million!”
“For this trial, the first ten places shall be granted a Heavenly Human Plate and enter that place. In the future, they can leave with their ancestors to build a new world!”
“It is such a pity that the Heavenly Human Plate’s availability is so limited. If we could find one here, it would be worth a great fortune!”
“Well, although the Heavenly Human Trial has been deactivated for years, the Heavenly Human Plate is not something you can find easily!”
“That’s right. It is more pragmatic to think about how we can kill more people to secure a place in the top ten!”
After some discussion, everyone seemed more eager and determined to kill!
Tian Zhan stood alone at the side, his gaze locked onto Jian Hongyan.
He watched until she walked farther and farther away and finally vanished with Xu Que. He stared at where she once had been, the smirk on his face deepening by the minute. He licked his lips and said, “Heh! Tomorrow, at this hour, you shall be mine!”
…
At the same time, Xu Que and his people had entered the forest. Many ancient trees shrouded this place, denying sunlight a means to pass through. Every ancient tree was so enormous it would need at least ten people to embrace it. The many holes on the tree trunks seemed to be connected.
Xu Que went into one of the holes and found it to be like a cave. When he exited from the other end of the cave, he found himself hundreds of miles away from where he had been.
“Hmm? This is interesting?” Xu Que’s interest was instantly piqued.
He was confident that this forest was unique and that it was a natural landform, not something that had been made by humans.
“Oi, young chap, what about the picnic you just mentioned? Hurry! My huge tongue is suffering from thirst and hunger!” A salivating Buttface urged.
Xu Que smirked and burst into a large grin. “There’s no problem with cooking in the wild, but I’m not sure what you would like to eat?”
“What to eat? I am never picky with food, and I’ll eat anything you prepare!” Buttface smiled agreeably and blinked his eyes.
Xu Que was amused. He smiled slyly. “Well, that’s all I need. The two of you, come here! Buttface, lead these people from the Imperial Palace to gather some firewood. A magnificent feast awaits you!”
