Following the Great Priest into the Divine Halls, Hua Yunfei quietly looked around. Ji Tao, walking beside him, was just as curious, her big eyes darting about as she scanned their surroundings.
"You two are both quite impressive," the Great Priest said. The authority in his voice faded, replaced by warmth.
Away from the others, the Great Priest didn't seem frightening at all. To Hua Yunfei and Ji Tao, he felt like a kind and loving elder.
Still, neither of them dared show any disrespect. "Thank you for your praise, Great Priest."
"It's not praise, just the truth." The Great Priest chuckled. "There's no one else here, so you don't have to be so tense. I'm just the Great Priest, not some man-eating monster. Relax."
Hua Yunfei and Ji Tao nodded gently.
Ji Tao seemed to have truly grown less afraid. She asked tentatively, "Great Priest, where are we going now?"
The Great Priest's voice was warm. "Every champion of the rankings receives unimaginable benefits. You've only heard about meeting the 'Sacred Item,' but there are other important stages as well."
Ji Tao blinked, the cool reserve about her gradually giving way to playfulness. "What are they? Great Priest, could you tell us?"
The Great Priest nodded. "Of course. Before meeting the 'Sacred Item,' the champions will undergo a transformation."
"I'll send you into the Undying Blood Pool. The blood there comes from the Undying River. You'll receive unimaginable benefits once you enter, though how much you gain will depend entirely on yourselves."
Ji Tao's voice rose into a startled cry. "It comes from the Undying River? The legendary Undying River?"
Hua Yunfei was equally startled. He, too, had heard how terrifying the Undying River was.
The Great Priest wasn't surprised by Ji Tao's reaction. Every champion had made the