The Heavenly General Appears

The Golden Armored Heavenly General sat on the throne in the Golden Hall, looking much as he always had, his figure utterly still. The Golden Pagoda in his hand flashed, but no door opened, and no pill flew out.

"Seriously? I beat the last heavenly soldier, and there's no reward?" Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, feeling rather put out.

Before he finished speaking, dazzling golden light began to shine from the Golden Armored Heavenly General seated ahead. Rings of light swept outward like a peacock spreading its tail, leaving Shen Luo dizzy and entranced.

In that moment, somewhere between reality and illusion, the Golden Armored Heavenly General seemed to come back to life. He looked at Shen Luo with a solemn expression and slowly said:

"So you have inherited Fangcun Mountain's legacy. Good, good. But the burden you will carry is far too heavy. What you can do now is nowhere near enough. Let us see whether you can pass the Thunder Department Heavenly General's trial."

"Another trial?" Shen Luo raised an eyebrow in surprise.

He had thought passing the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Soldiers' trial would let him return to reality. From the Golden Armored Heavenly General's words, that clearly was not the case.

Shen Luo sighed inwardly. He did not even have the heart to argue, so he waved a hand and started toward the hall's exit.

He had barely turned around when a surge of magic power came from behind him.

Shen Luo spun back at once. A beam of golden light poured from the Golden Armored Heavenly General's eyes and engulfed him. In the next instant, he was back in the Battle Space.

"What's going on?" Shen Luo frowned. Things did not seem so simple.

Just then, a silver flash appeared opposite him and condensed into a