Chарtеr 8 (10/18)
Sооn, thе frаgrancе оf tеа fillеd the air, cаrrуing the sweеtness of mеltеd snоw аnd thе subtlе glow of thе precious Snow Lotus stееpеd within.
Thе brеwеd tеa wаs рlасеd on thе stone tablе. Yоung Mаster Xue рicked uр the teароt, роurеd а cup, аnd hаnded it first tо Хuе Zhongzi.
Yоung Mаstеr Xue: "Whо knоws when this miаsma will weakеn... If the new Blаdе Мastеr can asсеnd tо his pоsitiоn sооn, I hорe hе сan аcсomplish sоmething..."
Хuе Zhоngzi, who nеvеr sроke, suddenly оpened his mouth. His vоice was unеxpеctеdlу hoаrse and deep, distinct from his appearance, as if an aged soul resided within a youthful body: "You have expectations of him?"
Young Master Xue asked: "You don't think highly of him?"
Taking a sip of tea, Xue Zhongzi replied with a mature tone: "Back then, Gong Shangjue was trapped for twelve days. When he emerged, his breath was faint as a thread, his vitality severely depleted. Even Gong Er was in such a state—what do you think will happen to Gong Ziyu?"
Young Master Xue didn't understand: "Let him try."
"Hmm, it's time to wake him."
With that, Xue Zhongzi took out a round jade pendant from his person and handed it to Young Master Xue.
In the room, Gong Ziyu got up, dressed, and fastened the sachet given by Yun Weishan onto the belt of his new outer robe. The sachet's subtle fragrance refreshed his spirits.
Young Master Xue and Xue Zhongzi pushed the door open and entered.
"I'm ready, let's go." Gong Ziyu patted his sleeves.
"No need to go. The trial is right here."
Young Master Xue produced the round jade pendant and placed it into the circular hollow in the stone door.
It was a key. The heavy stone door slowly opened, and a surge of white, chilling air instantly flooded into the room from within.
The interior structure and terrain were extremely peculiar and rare. Gong Ziyu followed Young Master Xue and Xue Zhongzi inside, and his eyes suddenly widened at the sight before him. It was a massive, sealed stone cavern, simply furnished with some everyday items for living. Beyond that, it was primitive, rugged, and utterly natural.
At the far end of the cavern was a mist-shrouded pool of unknown depth. Lotus flowers bloomed in the pool, appearing even more crystalline and fragile than those in the lake outside the courtyard, as if they would shatter at a touch.
Young Master Xue turned and introduced: "Young Master Yu, this is the location of the first stage of the Three Realms Trial—the 'Frost Lotus Pond.'"
As the name suggested, the place exuded a biting cold. The white, chilling air surged so intensely it seemed to blanket the sky and earth.
Gong Ziyu couldn't help but hug his clothes tighter, shivering slightly: "A freezing pond..."
As luck would have it, he feared the cold most of all.
"I heard from people on the Front Mountain that Young Master Yu has suffered from cold constitution since childhood and is naturally afraid of the cold." Young Master Xue looked at his already reddening cheeks.
Gong Ziyu smiled self-deprecatingly: "That's right, everyone knows I dread the cold. Is this stage deliberately targeting me?"
Young Master Xue chuckled: "The Blade Master thinks quite highly of himself..."
Gong Ziyu's face grew even redder.
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