Aster and Iris stood by Lao Jianghu's side. They did not look worried in the least. Instead, they looked calmer than ever, as if they knew that everything would turn out alright.

"Brother... When is he coming back?" The girl asked as she looked over her shoulder at the spot where Xiao Wu was wailing and crying in pain "A child's wails... Children with such pristine voices should laugh, not cry..."

Aster shook his head and looked up, his red eyes glinting "That guy above seemed to be quite sure about the boy being still alive. That is both what I know and all I know. Unfortunately, that means I have no idea when he will be back..."

Lao Jianghu looked at the two and sighed "I still can't believe it... Two children such as you were able to witness this event that I, a beast with thousands of years of experience, couldn't..."

Aster turned and shook his head disrespectfully "Elder, the bodies of the Ancients have pretty special capabilities. One is an increased cultivation speed, another one is what I like to refer to as 'Farsight'" He smiled bashfully and then looked up, his expression growing serious.

"Fortunately, the two speakers did not seem too incline on hiding their actions. Because of that, I was barely able to detect the vibrations in the air and, although unable to completely make out what the two beings were talking about, I could catch up to something: they seemed to be discussing something about Cheng Hao and not referring to him as dead. I believe... They somehow know he is still alive"

"Although I call it Farsight, it is actually the ability to reorganize the information given from our five senses into a complete picture of our surroundings... This has saved me quite a few times, especially in that last battle against Brother Cheng..." he sighed and caressed the greatsword hanging from his back.

The old man smiled "That sword slew countless people, it is impregnated with the blood of thousands. However, your soul is not, it is still is pure, much purer than most veteran warriors"

"You killed because you had to, not because you found pleasure in it. As long as you take your time, you will be able to repay the dead with your actions!"

Aster looked on wide-eyed, stunned by Lao Jianghu's words. He chuckled "You guys, aren't you a bit too forgiving? After all, I did slay many of your friends..."

Lao Jianghu smiled kindly "Oh, but I do hate you to the bone! However, Cheng Hao considers you as Brothers, that means you are also Martial Siblings of mine! He trusts you and I shall follow his wishes and respect his decisions!" The old man's golden eyes glinted with murderous intent as his smile turned into a dark grin "Believe me if I say, though, that if it had not been for that... You would be dead where you stand!"

Aster shivered as he stared deep into the man's eyes: there, he could see boundless killing intent as well as confidence! Aster believed in everything the old man had said and looked down, afraid to meet Lao Jianghu's gaze head on.

As the trio spoke, a certain figure sat up a few hundred meters away. The man looked down at his hands in disbelief: felt that the seal imposed on his cultivation had somehow been lifted!

He looked up and saw the cultivator that had been guarding him wasn't paying attention to his condition. The figure didn't ask any questions, smiled fiercely, and thrust his hand right into the man's chest, crushing his heart!

The man didn't even have time to scream before falling headfirst into a pool of his own blood!

Even more blood splurged out from the wound and the figure licked his lips "You dare bind me, seal my cultivation? Very well then... Now that I am free I should get my revenge, shouldn't I? After all, that is what all imprisoned bad guys say once they are released..."

The figure knelt beside the cultivator's corpse and tapped the man's forehead "This won't have as much of an effect on a dead cultivator than on a living one... Cheng Hao, you bastard! Had it not been for you, Te Rin's Soul Crystal would be completed already and I would have broken through to the mid level Reverend stage!"

The man gritted his teeth and his body began emitting powerful killing intent.

"Only a handful people are able to create Soul Crystal from a person's dead body... It is just your bad luck that I am one of those few people! The aftermaths of this battle is a heaven sent gift for me!" The man laughed madly.

His eyes flashed and the fingers on top of the corpse's forehead suddenly sank into the skull! No blood came out, however the man's already dead body trembled.

The figure seemed to be searching for something and, finally, his hand caught onto it! He grabbed the small object in his hand and then removed his fingers from the corpse's forehead.

He excitedly grasped the Soul Crystal in his hand: it was round, the size of a small bead and its surface had a bluish coloration.

"Not bad... this guy actually cultivated a simple water-related scripture... It shouldn't be too contrasting with my own Qi, I can begin absorbing!" The man sat down and entered a meditative stance.

He brought the Soul Crystal to his mouth and bit down. He didn't swallow though. Instead, he let it evaporate and then opened his mouth: a thin mist came out and began to swirl around him. He closed his eyes and began to absorb it through a breathing technique!

"Just you wait... A few more of these and I will step into the mid level Reverend stage! After that, it will be time for the high level and, who knows, I might even get to the peak level!" He chuckled "Lao Jianghu... I am definitely going to kill you with my own hands! After that... It is going to be the turn of the whole Sect!"

...

Hearing the blurry man's deafening laughter, the spectral giants that had been approaching at astonishing speeds felt their blood turn cold. With terrified howls, they immediately turned around and ran away as fast as they could.

All other beings also felt great terror from this mysterious being and hurried away, quickly disappearing from view. Soon, not a single being was left behind in a radius of hundreds of thousands of miles!

"You just won't stop entertaining me! This is amazing!" The figure of the man became slightly clearer as a pair of deep, blue eyes stared down on Cheng Hao.

Eyes so blue the ocean would pale in comparison.

Previously, Xu Ling's eyes had been referred to as that, but now... These eyes were just as deep, mesmerizing and beautiful as Xu Ling's own pair!

"How about... We play a little game?" The pair of blue eyes turned incredibly cold and Cheng Hao felt a chill go down his spine.

Reluctantly, he nodded, feeling that if he did not, he would end up like that cow-lion, swallowed by a much bigger power without a chance to resist.

"I shall put at stake your life as the bet!" The figure revealed a fiendish grin "Prove to me... That your words aren't as empty as your name would hint, boy named Xu! Win and I shall give you whatever you desire. Lose, and I shall dissipate your soul and throw you into oblivion myself!"

He waved his hand and a bright door appeared: slightly taller than a human adult's frame, it was kept simple to the most. What was astonishing though, was that beyond the metallic frame was a world of light!

"Step in. Your friends are waiting for you, you wouldn't want to make them wait, would you?" The man's grin became even wider "Getting through my Trial as soon as possible would be for the best..."

Cheng Hao frowned: as fast as possible?

Why?

Confused, he inquired "Why should I?"

Worker grinned fiercely as he licked his lips excitedly "While you might have time, they don't! Karma that isn't sown will keep on existing and so will enmities... How was that boy called? Zhao Bu? Wasn't he from some Zhao clan that you kind of angered before?"

Cheng Hao's eyes widened as great rage welled up within "You didn't..."

The man nodded bashfully "Yyyyeah... I might have just saved him and sent him back to inform his clan, who knows? They might just want to seek revenge, is your Mysterious Light-Shadow Sect powerful enough to resist the Zhao clan on their own?"

"Also, I might just have A-C-C-I-D-E-N-T-A-L-L-Y freed that Shui Jing [Note: Fifth Protector, the one who attempted to refine a Soul Crystal out of The Rin] guy. As all Protectors with a cultivation of the Reverend stage are pretty much exhausted after that battle, he might be wrecking chaos in the Sect right now..."

Noticing Cheng Hao's enraged expression, the man simply shook his head innocently "Hey, I DID tell you it wasn't on purpose, didn't I?"

Cheng Hao's expression grew uglier with each word the man spoke. Soon, his eyes flashed with murderous intent and he clenched his fist "You... What are you after!"

The man shrugged his shoulders and shook his head "Not a clue myself! By the way, as you probably realize, you don't have much time, do you? Oh? Did I forget to say that time in this place flows half as fast as it does outside?"

Worker grinned fiercely "One minute you waste over here, two minutes have passed over there... Which means that an hour here... Means two hours for that Shui Jing to slaughter his way in the Sect!"

Cheng Hao's eyes widened "Shit!"

"However..." the man interrupted and pointed at the door of light grinning "If you go in, it will extend to a thousand times as fast as the outside world! Play my game, and maybe you will come out just in time to save your... Friends."

Cheng Hao's eyes lit up and he felt as if a glimmer of hope was there, after all that harsh treatment. He turned to look at the blurry figure and asked "Will you really... Grant me a wish? Any wish?"

"I swear it on my nickname as the 'Worker'" Worker nodded seriously and he smiled knowingly, his blue eyes glinting "Who knows... I might even bring a certain... Bird back from the dead... But don't think of pulling a fast one though, kid. One wish means one wish, I won't allow you to wish for any more, nor will I allow any kind of power that would allow you to do so in any way! Meaning, I won't give you a power that surpasses mine, nor will I harm others directly because of it!"

Cheng Hao bit his lips and then nodded. He turned and walked up to the door of light. He only stopped a single step away from the frame and turned his head one last time.

At some point, his previously enraged and anxious expression had disappeared, replaced by a knowing smirk...