"I saw it too! Amazing!"

The disciples were even more surprised to see the Stern Elder that never smiled before, smile before them.

****

Long Chen left the room and stepped into a long hallway that was leading somewhere.

He kept walking through the hallway for over twenty minutes and ended up in an intersection that had three paths. One of the paths was going towards the left, another one was going right, and the last one was going straight.

All three paths seemed normal that didn't seem like they had anything wrong with them.

Long Chen chose the left one and entered that. He again continued going straight for another ten minutes and ended up in a big arena.

The whole arena was covered by a lake that was filled with water, which seemed to be very deep.

There was a small boat floating on the lake near Long Chen.

"This lake... I can cross it flying, but under so many eyes that are watching my actions, that seems to be difficult. I can also cross it by swimming, but there should be something dangerous in the lake; otherwise, there would be no need for that boat, but that boat doesn't seem like the better option either. This should be another trial, and this shouldn't be that simple. If I could cross using that boat without any problem, then that would be too simple," Long Chen wondered as he frowned.

He walked closer to the boat and observed it. 

The wooden boat seemed pretty normal. It was only big enough to carry one person. There was nothing in the boat except what seemed like a small bucket.

"Whatever. If it's a trial, then I can only finish this trial," Long Chen muttered as he stepped inside the boat.

****

The Elders outside were still watching the disciples that were inside the hall of death using the screen.

At the moment, the screen was showing the disciple that was in the lead.

"He is going so fast. I guess he can finish it before the others and win," One of the Elders said as they looked at the screen.

"No, he can't do it alone. Even if he reached the end of the last trial, he still wouldn't be able to finish them alone. He would have to compete with others when they get there. That's what this event was set up as from what I heard."

" Really? Who told you that?"

"I can't say that."

"Whatever man, it must be a temple priest if this information is real. I wouldn't ask you his name."

Two Elders conversed with each other when the screen changed and started showing Long Chen. 

Long Chen stepped in the boat in front of them.

"Oh, he's in the lake of pain. I guess we're about to hear his screams soon," An Elder said as he sighed.

"True. He can't pass this trial as easy as he passed the other trials," Another Elder said.

Elder Mu Yun and Ruan Yi were looking at the screen with deep frowns. 

Mu Yun was so concerned that it was clear on her face for everyone to see. She kept her fists closed as she looked at Long Chen on the screen.

"Don't worry. Real men don't worry about pain. Mu Lin can definitely do it. He can succeed, and even if he fails, you know that he will be safe," Ruan Yi comforted Mu Yun as she saw the worry on her face.

"I'm fine," Mu Yun nodded her head, but still, her expressions didn't ease up. 

****

The boat started moving towards the other side of the lake, but just then it got halfway, It stopped. No matter what Long Chen did, the boat didn't move.

He also heard the sound of the water.

He looked to his left and saw a black liquid appearing out of thin air, which was falling on the bucket that was placed on the boat.

After a few seconds, the bucket was filled completely, and the black liquid stopped falling in the bucket.

Long Chen sat there and wondered what he needed to do with the bucket and the black liquid that we filled in the bucket.

Just when he was wondering about it, he heard a voice in his head that seemed like the same voice that was asking him questions in the last room.

"There is something in the bucket near you. If a drop of that liquid falls in the lake, the Spirits will come out in anger and attack you. If a drop of that liquid falls on the boat, the boat will be destroyed, and you will be swallowed by the lake of Ghost Spirits. If the liquor isn't removed from the bucket, the boat will not move. If you don't leave this room in ten minutes, a spirit will possess you and kill you. Decide what you will do!" the voice said. 

"This sounds like another Puzzle. I guess the Elder was right. The hall of death is more about other abilities that it is about pure Cultivation. As for this puzzle, it is indeed complicated. I can't leave that liquid in the bucket, but I can't throw it out either. If it falls on the boat, the boat will be destroyed, and if it falls in the water, I'll be attacked. Without removing the liquid from the bucket, the boat won't move," Long Chen muttered. 

' You can transfer that liquid in another container? The bucket will be clear," Xun said to Long Chen as she appeared nearby.

"I was thinking the same thing, but I'm sure the designer of this puzzle should have thought of that too," Long Chen muttered.

****

"This kid talks to himself a lot," The Temple Master muttered as he saw Long Chen on the screen. "I guess he got his father's habit of talking to himself as well."

****

" I don't think so. If they had thought of this thing, then they would've mentioned it in the puzzle. Don't worry about a thing and just do it," Xun insisted.

"Fine," Long Chen let out as he nodded his head.

He brought another bucket out of his storage ring and placed them on the boat.

He picked up the bucket that had the black liquid and started pouring it on the second bucket.

****

"Not a bad idea, but not the right one either. He's definitely not going to finish it this way. The young ones sure do like to think that the Elders weren't and to think what they could," the Temple Master chuckled as he shook his head.

****

Long Chen poured all the black liquid and emptied it, not surprisingly, that didn't do what he intended.

His worries weren't unfounded as this plan failed instantly. The second bucket started melting immediately after the black liquid fell on it.

The entire liquid fell on the floor of the boat.

"I guess you were right. I made a mistake. It's fine, though. You don't need to worry. It's not like the spirits can harm you. Just get off the boat and get to the other side," Xun said as she smiled wryly.

"Do I have any other option now?" Long Chen inquired sarcastically as he saw the boat melting as well. The boat started drowning in the water of the lake.

Long Chen jumped off the lake and started swimming towards the other end of the lake. The spirits of the lake came out and started attacking him, but they couldn't enter his body no matter how much they tried.

Long Chen technically had double the protection now. For the High Ranking people, it was because of the Temple Master's necklace that had this ability, and for Long Chen, it was because of his bloodline and the Law of Darkness. This confusion worked out in Long Chen's favor as no one doubted him and just assumed that it was the necklace.

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