Chapter 531: Unexpected Trial Begins

As the two sat meditating to recover, Pei Mianman sent a telepathic message with her ki: "Ah Zu, be careful later. We shouldn't trust this Yachang too much."

"Indeed," Zu An nodded, "we need to be wary later, in case there are any traps or mechanisms near that Owl Zun. But let's discuss everything once we've recovered."

"Alright!" Pei Mianman had no objections and began to focus intently on recovering the ki she had previously expended.

While recuperating, Zu An asked Mi Li, "Empress Sister, do you think there's anything wrong with that Owl Zun over there?"

Mi Li materialized, though of course, only Zu An, who was soul-bound to her, could see her current form: "I just checked; there are no mechanisms. If what Yachang said is true and no one has ever passed this trial, then there's no need for elaborate traps or mechanisms, as you would die upon entering the trial anyway."

"Since it's so dangerous, why didn't you stop me from participating in the trial?" Zu An asked, observing her expression with some curiosity.

"Why would I stop you?" Mi Li gave him a strange look. "The greater the danger, the greater the reward. It's clear that passing this trial will bring immense fortune; I'd be insane to stop you."

Zu An fell silent, and after a long moment, he said, "But Yachang mentioned that several pairs of men and women, whose cultivation far surpassed ours, still failed to pass the trial."

Cultivation is only one aspect; often, it also reflects a person's ability, aptitude, and luck. Those individuals had higher cultivation, and putting aside factors like age and opportunity, it proved their intelligence and talent were at least on par with theirs. If so many geniuses couldn't succeed, why should they be so confident they could?

Hearing his words, Mi Li frowned: "Nonsense! Though one's life may be as humble as an ant, one should still aspire to the ambition of a swan. Though one's fate may be as fragile as paper, one should possess an unyielding spirit. We cultivators must have unwavering resolve; what's the point of cultivation if we're constantly looking over our shoulders, fearing every little thing!"

Zu An said in a deep voice, "I'm not afraid of death for myself, but I fear implicating you. You are soul-bound to me now; if I die, you die too. Fifth-grade cultivators like me are a dime a dozen in this world; it wouldn't matter much if I died. But you are a supreme master, and it would truly be a pity if you perished because of me."

Hearing him say that, Mi Li was momentarily startled, and then her expression softened considerably: "So you were worried about me. Don't worry, I trust you. Only when you become stronger will my hope of reforming my physical body in the future grow greater."

Zu An gave a bitter smile. Such a simple statement of trust couldn't truly comfort him, knowing he lacked confidence even in himself.

As if sensing his unease, Mi Li continued, "Do you think I'm merely speaking empty words of comfort? I truly believe in you, because I've personally witnessed your resourcefulness, the endless array of miraculous skills you possess, and you yourself are quite cunning. No matter how formidable this trial of the Shang King is, I refuse to believe it can be more powerful than the Heaven, Earth, and Human formations established by Ying Zheng. Since you managed to clear even that, why worry about this trial?"

Zu An was startled. Indeed. Who was Ying Zheng? He was a monarch in Chinese history, often ranked among the top three, vying for the first spot. He unified China for the first time, laying the foundation for thousands of years of tradition that followed. In a sense, he was an entirely transcendent figure among all emperors.

Although the Shang Dynasty was powerful, it was still inferior to Qin. The grand strategies and immense talents of those Shang emperors simply couldn't compare to the First Emperor. If he had even faced Qin Shi Huang, what was there left to fear?

At this point, Mi Li's voice softened a bit more: "Even if, hypothetically, you truly don't pass the trial, at worst, I'll die with you. I wouldn't mind it, so why are you worrying?"

Zu An finally reverted to his usual playful demeanor: "The way you're talking, it sounds like you're ready to die for me. I didn't realize Empress Sister cared about me so much."

Mi Li rolled her eyes: "Save your glib tongue for deceiving your big-chested girl; it won't work on me."

Zu An looked annoyed: "Manman has a name. Why do you call her that?"

Mi Li shot a sidelong glance at Pei Mianman, her gaze lingering on her chest for a moment before she muttered, "Who told her to have breasts like a cow?"

Zu An: "..."

By this time, the two had almost finished their recuperation. Although not fully recovered, they had regained ninety percent of their strength. There was no point in continuing further, as they could subtly feel their ki dissipating at a slightly faster rate. Any more delay, and they might be consumed by the surrounding environment before even starting the trial.

Zu An asked Yachang, "Does this trial involve spiritual or physical entry?"

"Originally, I didn't know much about the specific details of this trial," Yachang replied gruffly, "but I can answer that: it's spiritual entry, because the bodies of the previous pairs of men and women remained by the Owl Zun after they began the trial."

Zu An's expression changed: "Doesn't that mean we'll be at your mercy once we start the trial?"

At this point, Yachang's friendly attitude towards the two was based on the premise that Zu An's Primordial Qi could purify him. Zu An remembered clearly that Yachang had initially intended to attack and kill them.

Yachang replied, "You needn't worry about that. Once the trial begins, a magical array will activate to protect your physical bodies. The Owl Zun left by the Queen will also guard you. External forces will be utterly incapable of harming you until the trial ends, at which point the surrounding protective array will disappear."

"Furthermore, once you begin the trial, I will have completed my task and will return to my coffin to sleep. After all, these trials often take a very long time, and I'm too lazy to wait."

Zu An considered this and realized it made sense. The Shang King wouldn't have established this trial solely for the purpose of killing people; he must have taken such issues into account.

However, he still couldn't fully trust Yachang. Just as he was in a dilemma, Mi Li's voice sounded in his ear: "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things here for you. Even if that protective array didn't exist, this mummified general couldn't harm you."

Zu An was overjoyed. If Mi Li said so, it proved she indeed had that ability: "That sets my mind at ease. Oh, and please help protect Manman too."

Thinking of Mi Li's consistently unfriendly tone towards Pei Mianman throughout their journey, he worried that she might stand by and do nothing when the time came, which would leave him utterly helpless.

Mi Li: "..."

Fury value from Mi Li: 222,222...

"Is that truly how you see me? As such a malicious woman?" Mi Li looked at him coldly.

Zu An said, "That's not malice; that's decisive ruthlessness. High-ranking individuals like you might indeed act that way."

Mi Li snorted: "Decisive ruthlessness doesn't mean stupidity. This trial clearly requires both of you to work together to pass. If I were to stand by and let the big-chested girl be killed, wouldn't that harm you, and by extension, harm myself?"

Zu An realized she had a point and completely relaxed: "Empress Sister, please forgive me; I judged a noble person with the heart of a small-minded one."

Mi Li turned her face away, not bothering to pay attention to him.

"Then I'll leave everything to you, Empress Sister." Zu An chuckled awkwardly, then went with Pei Mianman to stand on either side of the Owl Zun.

Pei Mianman was not foolish either; she used ki transmission to voice similar concerns, clearly also worried that something might go wrong with Yachang.

Zu An comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, I've arranged everything."

Pei Mianman was initially a bit skeptical, but then she remembered that ever since she had met him, he had been quite reliable in important matters. Since he said so, there must be no problem.

She also didn't understand why she trusted a man like this. If it were her old self, she would surely have found all of this insane.

Zu An and she held hands to prevent any accidents, then, following Yachang's instructions, they placed their palms on the feathers on either side of the Owl Zun, extending their ki and spiritual energy into it.

Suddenly, a golden light emanated from the Owl Zun. All the patterns on it lit up, becoming incredibly dazzling in that instant.

Before the two could get a closer look, they felt as if they were being pulled into a large vortex and then lost consciousness.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but Zu An slowly woke up. He found himself lying on a magnificent ivory bed, enveloped by a veil of light, misty gauze.

He instinctively sat up. The blanket slid off, and he was astonished to find himself naked.

His mind hadn't fully processed the situation when, next to him, he suddenly heard a soft moan, followed by a woman's seductive, bone-melting purr.