Alm and Bruno huffed, trying to ignore Ruri’s question, but quickly her penetrating and serious gaze hit them head-on; in the face of that look, they wouldn’t dare to stay silent.
’Her name was Rehvka. Meeting Corin was unexpected, but it’s unlikely to happen again. Just forget about it,’ they spoke mentally, turning to the whole group nearby.
After observing the eyes of the group patiently waiting, the whale sighed and spoke, "Things have gotten dangerous now, and I have no guarantee to protect you..."
"Lord, don’t worry about us. I never dreamed of making it out of this place alive... just the fact that I got this far was a gift. Even if I die, I won’t regret it. I just hope to die being useful," Sayqi said with resolute eyes, while everyone around nodded, sharing the same thoughts.
Internally, Bruno’s eyes gleamed, and then the whale spoke. "I’ve caused too many people to die for my purposes; I don’t wish for that anymore. So, if you truly want to be useful to me, live. And in the future, spread my seeds."
Everyone heard those words in shock... seeds? Soon, they silently began to think about many things. And Bruno, oblivious to the ambiguous and strange words, seemed to misunderstand their expressions.
The whale then waved, and five celestial blue runes appeared in the air. "Do you wish to follow this purpose?"
Everyone’s heart pounded frantically at those runes, and soon they all bowed at the same moment, clenching their fists. The whale nodded, and the runes of the ’Rurian Faithlink’ technique were granted to all of them.
"Now, you are part of my followers; this will give you some benefits, connecting you directly to each other and, obviously, to me. Gather quickly and study this. I’ll give you one hour, and then we’ll move forward," the whale spoke gently, and everyone looked in its direction, feeling that new strong connection, which added to the hero’s rune.
Ruri and Corin took their time discussing tactics they could use together as disciples. However, Ruri used this as an excuse to learn more about how her master and Corin had met.
The whale pondered on the tactics they could use against themselves in this test, feeling a slightly deadly pressure coming from the mountain. If they took this lightly, they would regret it.
’The power of faith... I believe that cannot be copied. After all, this power is not directly ours but something that came from other cultivators to us,’ Bruno said thoughtfully, and they had to verify that.
They then devised a strategy with Ruri after hearing the details from Corin about the early levels. Then, Bruno handed Ruri a spatial ring containing a gigantic body; it was the Drake with all its bloodline.
’Master, that Dragon brat of mine doesn’t deserve this,’ Ruri spoke seriously through the array.
’He’s just too proud and, at the same time, cowardly,’ Bruno replied lightly. ’He doesn’t want to try something for fear of losing face, but you’re his owner. If you’re in real danger and he doesn’t come out... then you’ll have to rethink the education you’re giving him.’
Ruri nodded, even she was unsure if her pet would risk for her. However, she handed everything to Deryu, who quickly devoured the bloodline. Time passed, and with 14 hours left until the end of their time, the group of seven cultivators and a ’hero’ entered the mountain, causing spatial laws and the entire formation to react.
Everything seemed normal, and they followed the only spiral route up the mountain. After ten silent minutes, spatial laws distorted around them, and the world turned white. In the same second, the robotic voice sounded.
"First challenge of ’Mount Tai’ initiated."
"Hero, touch the sacred totem, and you will receive images of a transcendental technique. You will only see it once, then fight against a reflection using the same."
Everyone heard the robotic words, and a golden glow appeared just ahead. It was a two-meter totem. The whale took calm steps and touched it; quickly, images appeared in its mind, but its fists glowed at the same moment.
CRACK!
The totem cracked completely, and the golden color vanished entirely. ’Since you gave me this gift, don’t think about leaving,’ Alm said mentally.
There wasn’t much golden power in the totem, but they absorbed the entire technique engraved in that divine Qi. What was supposed to be a demonstration, where rarely anyone learned it completely, now belonged to them forever.
’Hmm... Splitting Saber Technique; and an incomplete Dao,’ Bruno said satisfied.
While millions and millions of cultivators were born and died, obviously, there were countless who tried throughout their lives to become a god unsuccessfully. Their created Daos were not sufficient for such, being called an incomplete Dao. And that was exactly what the queen delivered to the heroes in the test.
’Her intention in showing this must be to encourage the hero to create a new Dao, paving the opportunity for him to complete it and awaken their ’divinity.’ Her didactics are interesting,’ analyzed Alm emotionlessly.
The formation seemed not to interpret well what happened to the totem, and it just disappeared completely, as if the hero had already seen the image as it should be. Then, in a few seconds, a shadow formed just ahead. It began to condense slowly, and its volume increased to the sides. It was definitely a reflection of the whale.
At that moment, Ruri took a deep breath, her eyes focused on the figure. Alm and Bruno had already planned this encounter in advance. By meditating on what their weaknesses were, creating a method with Ruri.
The moment the reflection became completely physical, a golden rune like a sun shone on Ruri’s forehead. After receiving a massive amount of heroic power in this place, she could now use a bit of the golden power without the whale needing to hand it over entirely to her. Her mastery and power now multiplied, and quickly, the round reflection turned to the girl with cold eyes.
The reflection tried to activate its Qi and physical cultivation, but everything was locked in its body, refusing to circulate. This was a flaw that Alm and Bruno noticed in themselves; currently, physical cultivation passively only increased their regeneration, having a minimal effect when turned off. Of course, ’just that’ was already terrifying when compared to ordinary cultivators. But to use it fully, they had to activate it directly, and for that, Qi had to circulate.
The reflection was surprised for a second, but soon, two tattoos began to light up on its fists. At the same instant, the air became sharp.
Slash!
The whale-shaped reflection was easily cut from shoulder to the other end by a black saber. It was the Eternal Bond, and of course, Alm and Bruno could use it the same way Ruri did, with no restrictions.
The whale looked at the nearly halved reflection in front of it, and even as a reflection, it was shocked to see a rain of blood happening. Soon, a sense of instinctive danger attacked them, but it was too late. All the blood covered and penetrated their body like a venomous curse.
’Fuck!’ Bruno exclaimed, and they jumped several meters away with the whale.
Soon, the whale’s skin and eyes turned green; then, they watched attentively as the reflection fell to the ground, making a strange sound as if it were really a dead body. However, it began to disappear, and they sighed in relief.
’Really, it can’t use the power of faith. Great,’ Alm said, while Bruno activated the faith rune, purifying all the poison in his body.
After a few seconds, Bruno spoke. ’And not only that, this poison is not from the Behemoth’s bloodline. The reflection can’t clone our bloodline, so it replaced the poison with a different one. After all, if ours penetrated the enemies’ skin like this, our lives would be much easier.’
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Shortly after the white world disappeared, everyone found themselves back on the mountain. A relief washed over them, and in Corin’s eyes, there was only admiration. He had spent years on this first test and had given up several times. Simply running away made everything disappear, and they could try again. This test wasn’t as deadly as the others; after all, anyone who had reached that point was already considered a genius hero, and the queen wanted to keep them.
Thus, the group advanced again, and after thirty minutes, the second level began, and everything repeated. When the robotic voice sounded, Alm and Bruno smiled excitedly at the gift.
’Suppressor Axe Technique, it seems like the techniques were chosen with us in mind. After all, saber and axe were what we used the most recently; maybe the next one will be something related to clubs?’ Bruno commented after destroying another totem.
Another round reflection slowly emerged, and the whale was grateful that the test level didn’t multiply so quickly now; they could test other things.
As the reflection took its complete form, Ruri controlled the Qi in her meridians again. But Alm and Bruno decided not to cut it directly. They were by Ruri’s side, holding her hand, so their tattoos lit up, and with a snort, Yin and Yang merged.
They quickly attacked with abnormal power that should be impossible. The reflection’s tattoos lit up as that power approached. However, it hit him, and a hole was easily opened in him.
’The perfect union of Yin and Yang is something that doesn’t exist in the celestial laws. So, he really can’t copy that either,’ Alm said satisfied. ’Thus, following this logic, he won’t be able to use our self-created law.’
Bruno nodded. ’We’ve become stronger and developed many things impossible to replicate. Now we know our weapons.’
The first two challenges ended in seconds before everyone’s eyes, who now just nodded, expecting it. Corin looked at Ruri and the whale tense; they were an invincible duo, and he now realized the distance between him and Ruri.
Without delay, they moved forward again, and in twenty minutes, the world didn’t change, but the robotic voice sounded with the same message. After approaching the totem and destroying it, the whale’s eyes narrowed with a premonition.
’Supreme Earth Fusion... something that allows you to completely hide your physical presence and Qi. But the cost of earth runes is so high that it becomes unfeasible normally,’ Bruno commented, and then the space changed completely.
In an instant, they found themselves in a sun-drenched world to the point where their eyes narrowed with so much light. Suffocating heat hit them, and when they looked around, they found themselves in a world covered by sands and gigantic dunes stretching to the horizon. It was a colossal desert.
Just ahead, everyone saw the round reflection take shape, and Ruri clenched her fists in total focus again, but Alm and Bruno already felt a concerning suspicion.
When the reflection became completely physical, once again, its Qi and physical cultivation were suppressed. However, the reflection just smiled sinisterly and, with a gesture, the entire desert echoed in response.
’He can’t use his Qi and internal earth laws. But the whole desert is under his control for him to use,’ Alm said dryly.
Then, earth runes covered the round reflection, and he disappeared completely... his Qi couldn’t be felt, his presence, or obviously, seen.
"It’s useless, you can stop," the whale said to Ruri gently. "His technique in this place almost has no cost. But he won’t be able to attack, or we’ll know where he is. So, he’ll stay hidden until his powers run out. We don’t have time to waste; we can only fight head-on."
The whale spoke, and everyone trembled, gripping their weapons. He then turned, saying, "Don’t get close to him, or you’ll die immediately. Just stay away until my second order." The whale took steps forward, and his eyes gleamed as he advanced quickly.
Alm and Bruno didn’t need to worry about them now. From the sinister smile of the reflection, it was clear that even a bit of their personality was reflected. So, as they distanced themselves, quickly, the whale saw the round reflection emerge, and an evil laugh echoed from his mouth.
Soon, two Qi explosions reverberated, causing all the desert sands to fly, and the space to tremble. Their physical cultivation was activated to the limit; both had the same cultivation and most techniques and abilities.
BOOM!
The world seemed to collapse as the two whales met their fists violently. Neither of them retreated, or apparently came out worse. But Alm and Bruno were shocked. They had things that the reflection couldn’t replicate... but in front of the completely violet eyes of the reflection, they saw that they were in trouble.
’We only read the entire mental cultivation before and didn’t really cultivate it. But the reflection... he can use that perfectly,’ Bruno said emotionlessly.