Cage of the Netherworld Phantom

The time within the Hourglass of Time dreamscape lasted only ten minutes.

After ten minutes, the world reset.

That was the real reason Gu Shen always returned to the same spot no matter which direction he set out from... Even if he was swallowed by quicksand, as long as the time reset was triggered, he would return to the same spot.

If someone entered this dreamscape alone, they would most likely mistakenly believe they had arrived in a desert with no end.

In truth, no matter how far they traveled, the "time reset" would pull them back to the starting point.

"The Hourglass of Time resets every ten minutes... Is that because the hourglass in reality was made to measure ten minutes?" Gu Shen recalled Chu Ling's very first words.

If he went all out, he could complete the Dream Interpretation of the Hourglass of Time in ten minutes.

"So that's how it is... The key to cracking the Hourglass of Time isn't space... but time."

"Then where is the exit of the Hourglass of Time?"

Gu Shen crouched down again.

He pinched a little sand between his fingers and stared deeply at the pit beneath his feet.

"600... 599..."

Gu Shen began silently counting down once more.

"The Hourglass of Time and the Azure Dice are completely different types of Sealed Items."

Wu Mengbai, the Red Cedar District Tribunal Head, asked worriedly, "If one fails to find the 'pattern,' they could wander through the Hourglass of Time for ten thousand years and still not get out. It's almost been an hour now... Lin Beizhu, how many times has the Hourglass of Time dreamscape inverted?"

Lin Beizhu, the Assessment Team member in charge of the Hourglass of Time Sealed Item, was an old man with snow-white hair and a youthful complexion, looking exceptionally vigorous.

He stared at the hourglass in Gu Shen's hand, his Eyes gleaming as though they could pierce through the Sealed Item and gaze directly into the dreamscape.

"Old Wu, ever since Gu Shen solved the 'Azure Dice,' you seem to have been very concerned about him." Lin Beizhu smiled. "The flow of time in the Hourglass of Time is one-to-one with reality. This little fellow is indeed extraordinarily gifted. He discovered the 'reset' characteristic very quickly and is now attempting Dream Interpretation... He should finish soon. At this pace, he'll beat the fastest record by about an hour."

Hearing this answer, Wu Mengbai let out a sigh of relief.

He truly was paying close attention to Gu Shen.

The fastest record for the Azure Dice was three hours and one minute.

The record for the Hourglass of Time was two hours and eighteen minutes.

It was not that the two Sealed Items differed greatly in difficulty... The Hourglass of Time's nature was gentler than the Azure Dice's. It was more like a slow form of "torment"; the sooner one saw through its pattern, the easier it was to solve the Hourglass of Time.

The Azure Dice, on the other hand, was different. Even if one knew the twisting trajectory, they still had to steel themselves mentally to complete every necessary turn!

"This result is already very good... Another new record..."

Wu Mengbai looked toward the Grand Arbiter and said seriously, "I believe Dream Interpretation of the Azure Dice consumed a great deal of Gu Shen's Mental Power. Otherwise, this record could have been even faster. Given his outstanding performance, I believe the assessment can be ended once he solves the 'Hourglass of Time.' If you are worried about the negative impact of that Report of Accusation, we can wait for Han Dang's investigation results before issuing the assessment evaluation."

"..."

Tang Qingquan showed no intention of yielding before the Red Cedar Tribunal Head's proposal. "I understand your suggestion, but... I do not agree. I stand by my original view: Gu Shen should complete the Dream Interpretation of three Sealed Items. If he cannot pass the test of the 'Cage of the Netherworld Phantom,' I will not give him an 'S-rank' rating."

Wu Mengbai's expression turned quite ugly.

"The Cage of the Netherworld Phantom's nature is too intense..."

Lin Beizhu, the owner of the Hourglass of Time, tried to mediate. He said earnestly, "Gu Shen has solved two nightmare Sealed Items in succession. His mind should be very exhausted. If he touches the Cage of the Netherworld Phantom again, it may greatly agitate him. He might even be injured."

"Whether it is the Azure Dice or the Hourglass of Time, both are dream-type Sealed Items inclined toward 'perceiving patterns.'" The Grand Arbiter said seriously, "Since Gu Shen has already displayed unparalleled mental potential, our assessment should be more comprehensive..."

The Red Cedar Tribunal Head still wanted to say something.

At that moment, Gu Shen woke from the Hourglass of Time dreamscape.

All the arguments from the Assessment Team fell silent at that instant...

"One hour and three minutes."

Lin Beizhu smiled. "Congratulations. Your Dream Interpretation result is excellent. How did you discover the final 'exit'?"

The young man returned the hourglass to the old man with Both Hands. He politely Nodded and smiled, though the color had visibly drained somewhat from his face... Even with Chu Ling's assistance, the Dream Interpretation process for the Hourglass of Time had consumed quite a bit of Mental Power.

"I was rather lucky."

Gu Shen smiled modestly. "I accidentally fell into quicksand... I thought I was done for, but it triggered the 'time reset.' Otherwise, it would have taken longer. As for the final 'exit'... I figured that since this world was not as vast as it appeared, direction did not matter. So I began searching the Sealed Item itself for clues. I guessed that the time reset characteristic corresponded to the narrow opening where the hourglass reset its sand. So, during the final second before the time reset, I dived into the deepest part of the sand. Sure enough, that was the final exit for Dream Interpretation."

"Your luck was indeed good. You actually found the pattern by 'drowning in sand.'" The old man Nodded approvingly. "If your luck had been a little better, it would not have been impossible for you to complete the Dream Interpretation on your first 'death by drowning.'"

The key to completing this Sealed Item was to reach the deepest part of the Hourglass of Time at the moment of the time reset.

The hourglass inverted.

The deepest endpoint became the original exit.

Gu Shen scratched his head. "Lucky, lucky. Just a fluke."

Compared to the Azure Dice, Dream Interpretation of the Hourglass of Time did indeed involve an element of luck. And without Chu Ling helping him relieve the pressure of drowning in sand, he would not have dared to casually attempt such a suicidal stunt.

Under normal circumstances, Dream Interpretation would have taken longer than it had this time.

Still, it should have been faster than the previous record.

After completing two Dream Interpretations in a row, Gu Shen felt a sense of "palpitations" rising in his chest. It was an emotion beyond his control, and also his body's warning: it was time to rest. He should not continue.

His Mental Power was still too weak.

Touching too many Nightmare-level Sealed Items in one go was not a good thing.

As for the third Sealed Item... the one that looked the most dangerous, Gu Shen knew that with his strength alone, it would likely be difficult to complete its Dream Interpretation as he had before.

"Gu Shen."

The Red Cedar Tribunal Head spoke. When Gu Shen had chosen to touch the Hourglass of Time, he had already faced the condemnation of his conscience.

Now, he chose to step forward.

Wu Mengbai said gravely, "Listen to me. The assessment ends here. You don't need to continue. I'll fight to secure an 'S-rank' rating for you."

Gu Shen was somewhat surprised. He saw the looks in the eyes of the other important figures on the Assessment Team; most of them held encouragement and appreciation.

Only one person's gaze was an exception.

"No... the assessment is not over yet."

Grand Arbiter Tang Qingquan stared at the youth and said calmly, "Gu Shen, I am the chief examiner for this assessment. The final grade will be determined primarily by my opinion."

"You have only two choices now—"

"First, touch the third Sealed Item, complete the Dream Interpretation, and end the assessment!"

"Second, give up. The assessment ends, and you will not pass!"

There was neither joy nor sorrow on Tang Qingquan's face. It was as if he were discussing something entirely unrelated to himself. "You have one minute to rest and think it over."

"There's no need to think."

Gu Shen answered quickly, without even a second of hesitation.

He gave a deep bow to the assessment examiners who had shown him goodwill. Then he straightened his back and met the Grand Arbiter's gaze expressionlessly. "I choose to continue."