"It's fine. We'll talk once we're outside."
Chen Qiu calmly shifted his gaze away from Fat Dragon, then turned to look at several lines carved into the pillar beside the entrance to the Alchemy Hall.
"Second Trial: Slay Cowardice."
"Pass this trial, and you may become an Outer Disciple of the Mocking Heaven Sect."
The interior of the Alchemy Hall likewise seemed to be shrouded by a barrier. The floor was spotless, and the moment one stepped through its doors, the second trial officially began.
Quite a few people had already entered, but many of them had ended in failure.
It seemed the difficulty had risen somewhat starting from the second trial. Unlike the first trial, with its crude illusion, where practically anyone could pass without trouble. After all, the illusion had not obscured their memories; everyone knew it was an illusion, so naturally, they did not hold back.
If it had been the kind of illusion that obscured one's memories, leaving one unaware of why one had appeared there, far fewer people would have passed.
"Let's go."
Chen Qiu looked at the people inside the Alchemy Hall, their bodies twisted every which way and their faces contorted as they trudged forward with difficulty, and spoke softly. The hall was a special place where gravity had been multiplied severalfold. The farther inward one went, the stronger the gravity became, and the harder it was to walk.
Reaching the pill furnace at the center of the Alchemy Hall meant passing the trial. But taking even one step back meant failure. At the same time, the gravity weighing on one's body would swiftly vanish, and one would be forcibly ejected from the Alchemy Hall.
"Mm-hm."
Fat Dragon nodded and hurried after him, though unease stirred faintly in his heart. Although what happened