Double Trial

Chapter 9: The Double Ordeal

The plan the Lion King had spoken of, to preserve humans with holy souls as specimens and bring them to the future.

He could not accept such a way of life.

"It seems you know quite a lot, but it's not enough!"

Hearing this, Li Ye was startled. "Is there something I'm still missing?"

"Death is destiny. Though you have lived through death, your understanding of it is insufficient;

If you wish to save the future of humanity, you must first understand the death and causality represented by the Incineration of Humanity!"

'Incineration of Humanity, I know about it—' Li Ye wanted to say, but seeing King Hassan's solemn, skull-like mask, he abandoned the thought and followed King Hassan's words: "Lord King Hassan, how can I truly understand death?"

Compared to the Incineration of Humanity, Li Ye was a bit lost regarding the abstract concept of death.

Even though his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception allowed him to see the death of all things, he only knew the 'how' and not the 'why'.

"In the desert lies a temple, the king of the realm of the dead, and an otherworldly realm at the heart of the desert. These are domains the Sun King's brat can never reach. A treasure trove of knowledge buried in the sand, its name is—the Atlas Institute!"

"When you have undergone the two ordeals and gained some understanding of death, come back here."

As soon as the words fell, King Hassan's imposing figure quietly vanished, leaving Li Ye alone in front of the temple.

A wyvern soared through the sky. On its back, Li Ye, with his arms crossed, repeatedly recalled King Hassan's words.

'Two ordeals? Are they like an introductory test for me?'

Li Ye knew the current situation of the desert all too well. With the Sun King occupying it, and Nitocris present, it would be difficult for him, the Lion King's knight, to fare well if he entered.

Unlike the Hassans, the Sun King and his allies couldn't use refugees as hostages for negotiations. Their factions were opposed from the start.

"This is troublesome—" Li Ye gnawed at his fingernails, his expression grave.

If he could only receive King Hassan's teachings after undergoing the two ordeals and deepening his understanding of death, the difficulty was immense.

And where was the Atlas Institute located?

Just saying "the heart of the desert" – Li Ye had no idea where that was.

With such worries, Li Ye's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a village hidden among the mountains below. His mind stirred.

"Let's go down and take a look."

The wyvern beneath him immediately changed course and plunged downwards!

As the wyvern approached, the village below erupted into chaos.

A tall, dark silhouette appeared high above, preparing to attack the wyvern.

"Lord Cursed Arm, it's me." Li Ye's voice carried from afar, causing Cursed Arm Hassan's expression to stiffen.

The wyvern landed steadily not far away, and Li Ye appeared before him, standing on the dragon's head.

"So it's Lord Li Ye. You've actually tamed a wyvern as a mount, truly remarkable." Cursed Arm Hassan's tone was slightly heavy upon seeing Li Ye had followed him to the village.

After only a few hours apart, Li Ye's pressure on him had increased even further!

Seeing Cursed Arm Hassan's displeased tone, Li Ye smiled faintly.

Looking at Cursed Arm Hassan's expression, Li Ye felt a sense of accomplishment, as if he were returning home victorious.

"I met the First Ancestor."

Li Ye's nonchalant remark instantly changed Cursed Arm Hassan's expression, and he exclaimed, "Did you really meet that esteemed individual?"

"I am very grateful for your help, Lord Cursed Arm. I met the First Ancestor smoothly. Of course, I cannot reveal the details to you."

Li Ye leaped down from the wyvern's head, a move that put Cursed Arm Hassan on high alert.

"So this is your village—" Li Ye surveyed his surroundings. Stone huts were built along the mountainside, and he could see many people looking at him and the wyvern with fear.

'Around a few dozen people, and their food supply seems sufficient?'

Seeing that the people were energetic, with even a few young children, Li Ye inferred the village's living conditions.

"What do you mean by that, Lord Li Ye?"

Cursed Arm Hassan, regaining his senses, followed beside Li Ye. His tall figure made Li Ye appear somewhat slender.

"You can rest assured, Lord Cursed Arm. I won't do anything to your village. After all, we have a transaction, don't we?"

Li Ye glanced at Cursed Arm Hassan. Having experienced the Temple of Azrael, Li Ye had gained more mastery over his own power. Coupled with the successful use of Mana Discharge, it had boosted his confidence.

Moreover, with only Cursed Arm Hassan present now, Li Ye felt even more confident in a one-on-one confrontation.

Receiving Li Ye's promise, Cursed Arm Hassan finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Then, what brings you to the village, my lord?"

"I was just passing by and thought I might run into you, so I came to see."

Li Ye had fully assessed the village's situation. There were no magical fluctuations around, and the village was hidden among the mountains, relying solely on its terrain advantage.

There was no threat.

Among the mountain people, the only threat to Li Ye were a few Hassans. Once he successfully passed the double ordeal, this threat would also disappear.

After a brief chat, Li Ye, who was just passing by, left. However, his visit prompted Cursed Arm Hassan to consider relocating the village.

Unlike the troubled Cursed Arm Hassan, Li Ye, continuing on his way home, reveled in the high-speed flight provided by the green dragon!

Riding the dragon was different from riding a horse on his way here. Li Ye ignored the treacherous mountains and, in no time, left the mountain range behind, with the wilderness now close at hand.

Li Ye couldn't help but lament the desolation of the wilderness.

From his vantage point in the sky, he could see more clearly the devastation this land had suffered.

The fundamental conditions for life had been extinguished; only embers remained.

"!"

A violent surge of magic erupted from below, accompanied by a skyward pillar of red light, heading straight for Li Ye and the dragon beneath him!

Gazing at the surging torrent of light, Li Ye's expression changed. "Noble Phantasm?!"

With no time to think, Li Ye grabbed the dragon's wing with one hand and leaped off!

He charged directly into the torrent!

His gem-like magic eyes took in the death of the torrent!

I see the death line!

Li Ye's expression tensed. The attack came too suddenly; he had no time to dodge and could only forcibly destroy this torrent!

Before Li Ye could reach the death line, an unbearable heat arrived first!

The air warped, and everything in his sight was consumed by crimson, with only a single death line deep within the torrent!

Li Ye gritted his teeth, his magic pouring out continuously, attempting to block the terrifying heat from his body.

A large amount of magic was consumed in an instant!

Zing—

With a clear chime, the death line was severed, and the torrent dissipated inch by inch, as if it had never existed!

"Here!"

Li Ye, his entire body flushed red, forcibly twisted his body and grabbed the green dragon's claws, hanging in mid-air.

Li Ye then lowered his head and quickly scanned the wilderness below.

He instantly locked onto a figure in red and white, looking up at him!

Meeting the gaze of the figure, Li Ye let go, allowing his body to fall freely.

Thump!

With a heavy thud, Li Ye landed steadily on the ground. With his current physical condition, the height was still within his tolerance.

"I wondered who it was, but it's Lord Mordred—your greeting is quite unique!"

Li Ye, his upper body still red, panted. His emotionless gaze fell upon the culprit in the distance—the Knight of the Round Table, Mordred. It was clear that the magic release that had nearly killed him was Mordred's doing.

"You're not dead? If you died from an attack like that, what kind of knight would you be to your Father King?" The knight with red and white horns strode confidently in front of Li Ye.