The pale hand in the crack had barely brushed the tip of his shoe when Chen Wuya jerked his foot back and retreated. His fingertips went numb, as if they had been soaked in ice water, and the chill crawled up from his calf. Before he could steady himself, the system's voice sounded in his ear.
[False trial detected. Initiating reverse analysis.]
His heart jolted. This was neither an illusion nor a heart demon. It was a trap.
The guardian stood five paces away and raised a hand. A dragon-shaped rune flew from his palm, hovering in midair and radiating blue-gold light. He spoke in a low voice, each word like a stone crashing into water. Chen Wuya could not make out the precise pronunciation, but every syllable carried crushing pressure.
"First trial: decipher the 'Dragon Language Nine Curses.'"
Chen Wuya tried to circulate the Canglang Art. The instant his true qi entered his meridians, it began to flow backward. His chest tightened, and sweetness rose in his throat. He did not force it, stopping at once.
Mo Feng wanted to step forward, but the Dragon Maiden stopped him. She stared at the rune with tightly furrowed brows, yet said nothing.
Chen Wuya lowered his head and looked at his hand. The star map in his palm was still there, and the upside-down sword was faintly warm. He knew he could not tackle this trial by conventional means. A normal interpretation would surely fail. In that case—
He raised his head, pointed at the rune, and shouted, "This curse... means 'eat well, drink well,' right?"
The moment the words fell, the air froze for an instant.
The rune shook violently. Its light twisted and warped, its color shifting from blue-gold to warm yellow. Then, the aroma of food drifted out.