One lives, one dies.

Six Shadows squinted at this scene, her crimson eyeshadow making her appear unexpectedly alluring. Kaka was distracted by his partner to the point of not hearing her question:

"What emblem is that on the stone tablet?"

"Hey, answer me! Freak, don't stare at me like that!"

Kaka finally snapped out of it.

He looked at the stone tablet with a hint of lethargy and casually replied, "Asuka, Descendants of Dragon Blood, they are ancient wizards of the Empire, guarding dark secrets alone."

"Dark secrets?"

"They come from the power in the Giant Serpent Tail, within the black comet," Kaka answered. "Legend has it that the Xinsas Serpentfolk have been using this power, which is why they revere the matters between life and death. And the wizards of Asuka are guarding such secrets for them."

"They are people from another side of ancient times, half-dead, some say they don't really live in this world. Half of Saint Hugon's Forest is the Spirit Realm, a place that connects life and death, the gateway to the Country of the Dead."

"Wait, but why do you know so much?"

Six Shadows turned around curiously and looked at him, "I've also studied the relevant history of Eteliria, but why don't I understand any of this, it's not written in the textbooks at all?"

Thinking for a moment, Kaka answered, "I've read some ancient document."

"Wait, why does that excuse sound so familiar to me," Six Shadows watched him skeptically, "It sounds like something from illogical third-rate novels where the protagonists seem like prophets, knowing a thousand years ahead and five hundred years behind—didn't your brain get messed up from reading these things, so you're using that as an excuse to fob me off?"

"Of course not, ha," Kaka chuckled and changed the subject, "But this is my personal secret, do you really want to know?"

"Cut the crap."

"Date me and I'll tell you."

"Get lost!"

Six Shadows punched him in the stomach, bending him over like a shrimp. She looked up, somewhat confused, at the valley where the once calm valley was now suddenly glowing.

Or was it that every year when the trial began, they would glow like this?

But judging by the reactions of the others in the valley, that didn't seem to be the case.

The third stone tablet lit up.

It was as if a stone had been thrown into the crowd, disturbances rippling outward in circles, the commotion coming from the other end of the valley caught Six Shadows off guard. After a while, she finally made out what the people below were shouting:

"The gateway's open!"

"Look, the relic's gateway has opened!"

She was stunned for a moment before realizing, pulling out her pocket watch, her eyebrows knitted in frustration.

"It started ahead of time—," Kaka was punched to the ground. And he simply decided not to bother getting up, rubbing his stomach before rolling over and using his hand as a pillow, lying flat in the bushes, as if he were gazing at the valley's sky.

Azure, profound, like sunlight fluttering behind the clouds.

"It's not even noon yet," he muttered to himself, "and the trial has already started ahead of schedule."

Six Shadows couldn't help but ask, "Has this happened before?"

Kaka looked at her unblinkingly and answered, "I'm not an encyclopedia, why ask me everything—hmm, blue sky, white clouds."

"What blue sky, white clouds?" Six Shadows was taken aback.

"Stripes, teddy bear."

The Elf Girl was startled for a moment, and then her eyes widened as an uncontrollable flush of crimson crept up her cheeks. Gritting her teeth, she held down her skirt and kicked out, screaming, "Ah! I'm going to fight you, you pervert!"

...

Fang Hong gasped in pain.

He saw the aged Blood Lizardman approach him like a shadow, unclear on what was wrong with these lizardmen as one of them suddenly grabbed another of his arms.

Their strength was immense, belying their frail appearance, and the claws gripping his arm were far more powerful than those of the Tada Lizardman, almost like an iron hoop.

Further, it extended its long nails, scratching a bloody mark on his arm.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Xiangzi was startled, immediately drawing the sword in his hand towards it. Although the young man had only recently joined the team, he instinctively sided with Fang Hong against these ferocious-looking lizardmen.

But Atira was the one holding his hand.

The Elf Girl, on the other hand, seemed rather calm, pressing down on Xiangzi, signaling him to be patient. Reed put down his pipe, folded his arms, and squinted at the scene, looking at Fang Hong with a bit of curiosity.

"Big Cat People?" Tianlan asked quietly, "Aren't we going to help Brother Ade?"

In her mind, she was indeed thinking along those lines, but seeing the fearsome, fanged lizard creatures, she figured her little arms and legs wouldn't be enough for a single bite. After some thought, she decided to ask Big Cat People's opinion first.

If Fang Hong knew the little girl's thoughts, he'd probably roll his eyes in frustration, but he was too preoccupied to care right now, because the elderly Blood Lizardman had finished drawing a pattern on his arm with its claw.

The black comet's tail.

The symbol of the celestial Giant Serpent.

Then the creature stepped back.

But Fang Hong only felt the mark burning hot, as if branded onto his hand, and nearby, the tall grey-white Lizardman looked on strangely at the scene. Seeming uneasy, anxious, yet very hesitant, it wanted to step forward several times but was cautiously stopped by Tainaric.

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