Su Cheng: "I make you feel at ease?"
She had heard sweet confessions before, but for some reason, this sentence, which seemed open to many interpretations, was actually more touching.
Kai nodded slowly. "Yes."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly turned his head to look.
Su Cheng was still eagerly waiting for what he would say next. Seeing this, she subconsciously curled her lips and followed his gaze to the side.
She didn't know what was happening. She stared blankly for five or six seconds before noticing a group of figures approaching from a distance.
They quickly streaked across the dark sky and then hovered in mid-air, seemingly examining the canyon covered in wreckage and ruins.
A moment later, those people finally noticed the two on the ground.
Su Cheng also clearly saw the face of one of them.
Su Cheng: "?"
The silver-haired boy looked at her in shock. "Su Cheng?!"
Su Cheng completely did not expect to see Xiao Lan here.
The rest of the people also looked very surprised.
They were obviously members of Silver Wing, all rare experts, brimming with battle aura or overflowing with magic power, looking very imposing even from afar.
Someone recognized her, and their expression instantly became very complex, with a look of apprehension appearing in their eyes.
Some didn't know who she was and just showed a bit of hostility on their faces. They were about to speak but were pulled back by their companions.
Xiao Lan jumped down from the air without hesitation, stopping just before landing, maintaining a distance of half a meter from the ground without touching those rocks covered with black moss.
Su Cheng immediately understood that this stuff was highly toxic.
Xiao Lan greeted her, then looked at Kai. "...We meet again."
Kai obviously had no interest in him, just nodding politely.
Xiao Lan completely did not question why they were still in an embracing posture. This place was not easy to cast magic in, and Su Cheng's battle aura strength was obviously not enough to maintain a long-term levitation.
Xiao Lan: "Where are you heading next? Do you want to come with us?"
The mercenaries of Silver Wing all had subtle expressions, seemingly wanting to refute him, but in the end, no one spoke, just looking somewhat helpless.
Su Cheng observed this scene. "May I ask what your plan is?"
"I came to find some things," Xiao Lan answered without hesitation. "Some bones. They are very special, and when I sense them, I can tell."
Su Cheng looked up. "...Captain, what are we here for?"
Kai hoisted her up a bit, changing her from a reclining posture to sitting on his arm, at least allowing her to face Xiao Lan.
Su Cheng sat on that sturdy and muscular forearm, feeling the hardness of the leather armor, the edges of the seams pressing against her tailbone.
That piece of leather had already been warmed by her body heat.
Kai: "We are just here to see the scenery. If you want to travel with Sir Xiao Lan, I don't mind."
The mercenaries in mid-air were whispering to each other, obviously guessing the situation and relationship below.
Su Cheng shook her head. "I don't want to."
Xiao Lan froze for a moment, a trace of disappointment emerging in those beautiful, cold blue eyes.
He didn't hide his emotions, and that feeling was vivid and pure, without accusation or complaint, just simple sadness and disappointment.
Su Cheng coughed lightly. "It's not that I don't want to be with you, I just don't like traveling with a bunch of strangers. After all, I have a sharp tongue, a bad temper, a narrow mind, and I kill people at the drop of a hat."
The mercenaries in the distance almost all heard it.
To their ears, this was a naked threat.
If anyone made her unhappy, they would definitely not have a good end.
Those few who didn't know her identity before had also briefly entertained the thought of killing her to prevent a leak.
At this moment, every one of them looked ashen.
They had all been informed by their companions about the identity of this God's Favored.
Even if her own strength might not be as good as theirs, just relying on the fact that she was the Favored of the Magic God, if they wanted to kill her, she could pound them all into meat paste.
"No!" Xiao Lan immediately said. "You are not like that! If anyone thinks so, that's their problem, and besides, I can make them all go back!"
He turned his head and raised his voice. "You guys can all go, just leave the way you came, the exit should still be there!"
Silver Wing's people: "......"
"Sir," one of them said, "this is the captain's order, we cannot disobey."
Xiao Lan puffed his cheeks slightly, showing a bit of annoyance.
"Don't make it difficult for them," Su Cheng hurriedly said. "Since you are a member of Silver Wing, you should prioritize the captain's orders. As mercenaries."
She heard a muffled laugh by her ear.
Su Cheng turned her head.
The black-haired man was failing to hold back a smile, casting a teasing glance. Those two sharp vertical pupils had also slightly expanded into arcs, making him look to be in a very good mood.
Su Cheng: "..."
She suddenly remembered that their relationship was also that of a captain and a member.
Su Cheng kept a straight face. "Is it funny? Don't I always listen to you? When have I ever refused when you asked me to do something?"
Kai immediately nodded. "Uh-huh, that's right, you listen to me every time."
Su Cheng: "......"
His answer was both crisp and obedient, and combined with what he said, it was even more bizarre.
Xiao Lan's gaze darted between the two of them, looking a bit curious and a bit confused.
The silver-haired boy seemed to want to say something, but finally just pursed his lips. "The captain, um, is my father, so it should be a bit different."
Su Cheng: "???"
She had long heard of the captain of the Silver Wing Mercenary Group. It was said that this person was also a tenth-tier warrior, whose whereabouts were secretive, rarely appearing in front of people.
It was said that he had a good relationship with the imperial family, or rather, a very close relationship with the emperor himself.
Therefore, he could also receive many private commissions.
Because of Leo III's trust, the Silver Wing Mercenary Group's status in the empire was also very high. Not only did the Mercenary Guild give them face, but they were well-connected in all circles.
There wasn't much description of Xiao Lan in the original novel, at least the parts she read weren't many, so she didn't remember any mention of his parents.
Perhaps it was written in the skipped chapters?
Su Cheng: "...That is indeed different, but if you are on a mission, you should still treat him as a captain rather than a father, right?"
Xiao Lan sighed helplessly, seemingly not knowing how to explain. "I understand what you mean, you are right, but things are not entirely like that."
The boy looked a bit frustrated and a bit embarrassed.
He seemed very awkward mentioning his father in front of his sweetheart, as if he were still a child who couldn't grow up.
Su Cheng didn't know if she should interpret it this way. "It's okay, aren't we still in the same school? Although I haven't seen you much before..."
She paused. "Shall we chat again when we get back? Maybe we can spar together?"
"I haven't been going to classes much," Xiao Lan nodded, a hint of reluctance still in his eyes. "Alright, then we'll get going first."
The members of Silver Wing all breathed a massive sigh of relief.
They were obviously afraid that Xiao Lan wouldn't cooperate, and also very afraid of being held accountable by the captain.
Su Cheng watched as the visible tension and fear on their faces rapidly faded at this moment.
The group quickly went far away.
Su Cheng: "Hmm, they came from a different direction than us. They probably didn't enter through the same rift, right?"
"Right."
"So where are we going next?" Su Cheng turned slightly, reaching out to press her hand against the man's shoulder armor. "You definitely didn't bring me here just for the scenery."
Kai smiled slightly. "And you didn't reject him just because you're averse to spending time with strangers."
"Well," Su Cheng tilted her head, "I figured you still had things to do, so it's better if it's just the two of us."
Kai turned his head to look at her. "...Indeed. I want to take you somewhere."
Before he even finished speaking, the sound of rushing wind rose past her ears.
In the blink of an eye, they passed through the ruins of multiple halls, swiftly entering the depths of the wasteland. The surroundings grew increasingly dim, and a thick, dark gray fog began to permeate the area.
"Do you feel anything unusual?"
"No." Su Cheng immediately shook her head. "In fact..."
She actually felt rather comfortable, or rather, the battle aura within her body was circulating more smoothly.
They continued deeper. The dense, dark fog surged like ocean waves, covering the vast ruins in overlapping layers.
Let alone the sky, they could barely see anything even three meters away.
The surrounding air also became heavy. A certain scorching scent spread through the fog, pressing heavily against one's chest and burning in the nasal passages and lungs.
This sensation should have been incredibly uncomfortable, yet the battle aura within her surged powerfully, flowing seamlessly through her meridians.
Not only did she not experience any difficulty breathing, but she also felt her body become light and full of energy, as if she could punch a hole through the world with a single strike.
"...Where is this place?"
"This is the Lightless Ruin."
"Huh?"
Isn't that a bit too literal?
Su Cheng thought with exasperation, "So, are we still here to find dragon bones...?"
"No."
They traveled a bit further, and the surrounding fog gradually thinned, allowing her to see their environment clearly.
The two of them were on a downward spiral staircase paved with black jade. As they descended, the nearby air became increasingly freezing and piercing.
However, that scorching scent still lingered, now mixed with the smell of ores and decay.
This underground passage was quite wide, capable of accommodating over a dozen people walking side by side, and its vaulted ceiling was as high as a four or five-story building.
Su Cheng looked up for a moment, then looked down. The stone bricks were still covered in black moss, with slime oozing from the crevices and spreading outward.
They continued their descent and soon stepped into the pitch-black, thick fog once more. The dense mist surged heavily, swallowing all light.
Su Cheng: "Can you use a spark spell?"
Kai: "Can you sense any fire elements?"
Su Cheng: "...No. That's why I'm asking you."
He sighed. "You can't sense them because there are none. If you were to draw out the fire elemental spirits from within your body, they would quickly be torn apart by the power here, so try another method."
The fog was cold and viscous, carrying an ash-like grainy texture that clung to their skin and clothes.
The same sensation appeared once again.
Su Cheng felt that exhilarating sense of her battle aura being strengthened, and a certain voice seemed to echo from the bottom of her heart—
Dying roars, devout prayers, terrified screams, as well as some indistinct whispers and laughter filled with malice and temptation.
These fragmented sounds echoed and intertwined, transforming into the lingering echoes of countless wills, pouring into her mind.
She controlled the surging battle aura within her body, trying to enhance her vision, and slowly made out a blurry silhouette.
At the end of the path stood a massive arch-like structure.
It was about forty or fifty meters high, carved from a single piece of obsidian without the slightest seam to be found.
Its base was a circular platform a hundred meters in diameter, smooth as a mirror, engraved with densely packed runes. These characters interconnected, spiraling outward from the center in a radial pattern.
And within the archway above, there was a swirling mass of grayish-black fog.
That thick fog contracted and expanded like a living creature breathing, as if an invisible force was pulling at it from within.
Several runes were also carved onto the archway, but they were independent of each other and spaced some distance apart.
"This is the Trial Gate."
Kai looked up at the gate. "It connects to a special echo plane created by the ancient dragons. The ancient dragons poured their power into the Trial Gate, and many young dragons obtained this gift by passing the trials."
"What is an echo plane?"
"...When you enter it, your experiences will be generated based on someone's memories and cognition. This 'someone' could be the user, or it could be the creator of the plane."
"So which one is this?"
"The user. It will sense everything about you, drawing upon your memories and emotions. Your fears, your dreams, your regrets—they will all be deconstructed, then recombined and extended to create things that never happened in your memories. But these possibilities all stem from your deepest worries or longings—"
Kai paused for a moment. "Everyone's situation is different."
Su Cheng nodded slowly. "You said dragons take the trial to gain power. I'm not a dragon, can I do it too?"
"You have my battle aura, and it has already merged with you, so this gate shouldn't reject you. Of course, I'm not entirely sure if it still works..."
As Kai spoke, he stepped forward, stood in front of the gate, and set the young woman in his arms down.
This platform had not been tainted.
When Su Cheng's feet touched the ground, she could still feel the chill seeping through the soles of her shoes into her feet, and she couldn't help but stand slightly on her tiptoes.
Her little movement wasn't obvious, but the person beside her still noticed.
He silently leaned down and picked her up again. "...Sorry."
Su Cheng was just about to say it was fine when she caught a glimpse of golden light from the corner of her eye.
A certain rune on the archway suddenly began to flash.
Kai raised an eyebrow slightly. "Trial of Courage. Hmm, this one is a bit troublesome. It will inevitably put you in a predicament."
"...Are there trials that aren't predicaments?"
"Of course, the Trial of Will isn't. You might experience many wonderful pleasures, and most people fail to pass it, coming out empty-handed."
He explained in a low voice, "This is not one of those human games that flaunt cruel rules and trade lives for power. Tens of thousands of dragons have participated, and no one has ever died from it."
"So I can only choose the Trial of Courage right now? By the way, what kind of predicament is it?"
"Yes, it seems the other types can no longer operate." He thought for a moment. "The Trial Gate has its own will. It might simulate an environment or event that scares you. More accurately, it will be something that, in its understanding, you would fear. So, if it guesses wrong, it will be much easier for you."
"...I get it. It can read parts of my memory, but it can't completely analyze my thoughts?"
Su Cheng pondered as she spoke. "Otherwise, there shouldn't be any deviation, and it would know exactly what I'm afraid of, right?"
She wasn't too afraid of having her memories read right now.
Having come into contact with deities many times—those guys could read people's memories as easily as flipping through a book, but it seemed none of them had obtained any information about the "original plot" from her.
So this part of her mind was perhaps unreadable.
Kai gave a slight nod. "Furthermore, once the trial begins, you will believe that everything happening is real."
"Are you saying I'll forget this conversation we're having now, that I'll lose a part of my memory? Or will it seamlessly transition from our current scenario?"
"Both are possible. In short, it will make it impossible for you to realize that it's an illusion."
"I understand." Su Cheng took a deep breath. "Have you also been through this kind of test?"
Kai seemed to chuckle. "No, I... don't need this."
"Alright, let's begin then."
"Mhm."
He stood in the center of the platform, muttered a low incantation, and let the blood from his fingertips drip onto the platform.
As the drops of blood continued to fall, the mysterious runes lit up one after another, spreading outward from the center in concentric circles, the golden light like rippling waves.
The runes on the archway also grew brighter and brighter.
Then, a blinding, all-consuming light suddenly erupted!
The glare was so piercing that Su Cheng could barely keep her eyes open.
"..."
He watched the girl's slender figure sway, then slowly slump to the ground, her head bowed as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.
The trial had begun.
Kai sat down beside her, quietly waiting for her to wake up.
A moment later, nearly imperceptible footsteps sounded from behind.
The figure of a silver-haired youth emerged from the black mist, astonishment flickering in his pale blue eyes.
He looked at them in surprise, then looked at the door. "You're letting her participate in the trial?"
Kai ignored him.
"Apologies," Xiao Lan lowered his head slightly. "I am here to pass on my father's greetings to you."
The black-haired, golden-eyed man remained seated where he was, not even bothering to look up.
"His exact words were, 'Go see how that damn thing is doing now. I pay my respects to Him, and I hope He gets sealed away again soon'—"
Xiao Lan recounted the message with a calm expression, though his eyes betrayed an inevitable hint of awkwardness. "Also, he wants to know who did it."
Kai finally glanced at him. "What does it matter? Trash like your father couldn't even handle one of them. Apologies, just telling the truth."
There was no anger on Xiao Lan's face. "Since it is your assessment, I believe it. But I still request that you give me an answer, even though we already have some guesses."
Kai fell silent for a moment. "The two who defeated me reported their names back then: Ian Gromel and Ailin Hammerfield."
Xiao Lan nodded slowly. "They have more names now, but people are more accustomed to calling them the God of Light and the God of Darkness, aren't they?"
