Mister Da smiled and said mildly:
"Because this Buddha-Slaying Formation is merely the prologue to the eight acts of this Scroll of Time."
As he spoke, he lowered his head, extended a finger, and lightly touched the stick of incense standing in the middle of the table.
Only when the incense lit and began giving off a faint, delicate fragrance did he raise his head again and say to Xu Taiping:
"I secured one stick of incense's worth of time for you from Brother Ni Zhao, Taiping, to help you understand this Scroll of Time."
Hearing this, Xu Taiping immediately thanked Mister Da with delight, then asked:
"Mister Da, please explain the rules of this trial."
Mister Da nodded, then explained to Xu Taiping:
"This Scroll of Time has seven acts in all."
"The settings of these eight acts depict the final day in the lives of seven martial artists, including Ni Zhao of the Thirteen Seats of the Abyss."
"For instance, Buddha-Slaying Town, where we are now, is where the first martial artist on this journey lost his life."
"And what you must do..."
At this point, Mister Da looked at Xu Taiping with a serious expression and said solemnly:
"Is make exactly the same choices within this stretch of time as that martial artist made before his death."
"Once you choose incorrectly, this Scroll of Time will begin devouring your lifespan until you grow old and die within this act."
Xu Taiping's heart tightened at these words, and he immediately asked:
"Then what if I choose correctly?"
Mister Da answered:
"If you make every choice correctly, not only can you enter the next act of the Scroll of Time, but you can also obtain all the martial fortune of that deceased martial artist."
Xu Taiping nodded and thought: