That moment when you realize you wrote this in 2016 but its more than midway through 2017. Time flies when you're chasing the Dao.
Plink! Plink! Plink!
The sound of various pills, treasures, and other space rings quickly filled Lineir's space ring at a terrifying rate. He was literally sprinting deeper into the trials while grabbing treasures as if they were grapes on a vine. Mei's concealment techniques made him into something of a ghost to the weaklings fighting outside.
"These retainers are so weak. Any Chosen who hasn't gone deeper at this point is also weak! I may as well use this chance to upgrade my inventory." Lineir's thoughts ran along these lines. He had heard everything from that first youth. While there were only 1000 Chosen in the entire trial, each of them had been allowed to bring several retainers depending on their status. The retainers had to be within the same age bracket as the chosen however. Furthermore, it was unlikely for the retainers to be particularly powerful as anyone with near the same level of power as the Chosen would be a Chosen themselves and would not settle to serve another usually. Except for a few of the higher level planets and sects, the retainers were actually just here as helping hands for the Chosen. Additionally, they served another purpose! Pack mules! As long as a Chosen guarded a particular area, his retainers could search the entire area much more quickly than one person alone. In that way they could grab and carry more treasures. Indeed, several higher level Chosen had entered deeper into the forest and left their retainers to search the outer areas for any scant treasures. They were counting on the fact that their retainers were on the same level as lower level Chosen and all the higher level Chosen would not waste their time on the treasures outside. Unfortunately, they did not count on Lineir entering the arena late...
Plink! Plink! Plink!
"You bastard! What planet are you from! My Heaven's Fist Sect will not let you off---"
"Scum! How could a Chosen such as you dare to rob the retainers in the outer forest! Wait till I inform my master----"
"Return the treasures at once and I'll tell my Empire not to destroy yours----"
Each and every retainer which Lineir robbed spouted out incredible lines such as these. However, Lineir was already long gone by the time the last word had been uttered. He had to make up lost ground, and while he was interested in seeing if there happened to be any real treasure in these retainers and weak Chosen's hands, he was only stealing from those who happened to be in his path. A very wide path...
The Head Administrator usually watched over the 1000 Chosen Cups with an eye which was neither vigilant nor lazy. He had participated in this ceremony for uncountable thousands of years and had long since lost the desire to watch too closely. However.... this time, the reason he was not particularly vigilant in watching over the 1000 Chosen Cups was different. This time he was staring intently at one more cup off in the side. The first ever 1001st Chosen Cup. He stared at it with such intent that if there was anyone else around they would wonder if it was a precious treasure or gifted from the love of his life. His mouth uttered some pitiful words,
"I can only hope it does not break. For if the Chosen of that man is killed in a mere Trial then his rage will surmount the Heavens and raise the Hells. Even if he is dead, his Echo does not fear the wrath of the Heavens. That man...no amount of influence with the Heavens would stop him from taking this one's life!" He shuddered and resumed staring at the 1001st Cup, the other 1000 Chosen Cups long forgotten.
"Please don't break!"
In the clear water of the tea cup was a projection of Lineir, shuttling through the forest at great speed. As he picked up treasure after treasure and was cursed by retainer and Chosen alike, the Head Administrator watched with bated breath. If at any moment he looked to be in real danger, the Head Administrator's own personal tea cup swirled with a mystical whirlpool ready to teleport him to Lineir's side at any moment.
"I must not let him die!"
As he stared at the cup with all his might, suddenly the room darkened and the cheerful light passed away into a deathly stillness. To freeze time for a mortal was a simple matter for those blessed by the Heavens to live uncountable years. However...to freeze time for a Head Administrator who had existed for countless years? That was something which only the strongest of Heavenly powers would consider. In fact, unless one of those Heavenly powers was specialized in the Dao of Time and Space and personally came to do battle, the Head Administrator could probably still resist from a distance! However, in the face of this presence, a mere thought from who knows how far away, the Head Administrator, one who had existed for eons and had the authority to command an entire plane of existence...was locked away unable to move a finger. His terror right now exceeded the Heavens and his heart which had ordered the destruction of worlds both major and minor was pounding as if being tenderized under the pressure. He desperately projected mentally,
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"My Lordship! Your disciple is fine! This one apologizes from the bottom of his heart for a minor delay in his introduction to the Trials!" He wished he could move his mouth but could only pray for mercy in his mind. The same voice which had spoken to him prior shattered its way into the Head Administrator's mind.
"Do not intervene no matter the situation. This Trial...will be administered by ME!!" The voice vanished as soon as it came, and instantly the Head Administrator fell over into a sloppy kowtow covered in sweat. The portal which he had been holding ready in his personal teacup immediately dissipated and he continued to stare at Lineir's cup anxiously. A thought occurred to him, one which covered him in even more sweat!
"I didn't detect any usage of the Dao or anything just now. It's possible that that one has such mastery that he can simply hide the elements of the Dao from me...but why would he bother? My Timelock Cloak which can resist the attack of even a master of the Dao of Space and Time didn't even trigger, I doubt that he actually used the Dao just now. But if he didn't use the Dao to freeze time...then that means his mental presence alone was enough to...!"
He gasped and clutched Lineir's cup as if it was his own child. Then he immediately let it go as his shaking hands distorted the image. There he remained in a sort of strange kowtow his arms spread around this 1001st Cup but not daring to touch. His own personal cup and stave were left forgotten on the ground.
"Damn, I guess I've gone too deep now and it's time for the real Trial to begin."
Lineir had not encountered a retainer or Chosen for a good while now, and was meandering stealthily through the trees. As he got deeper however, the scenery had begun to change and the temperature had risen to more closely resemble a jungle and it had grown incredibly humid. After a time, it even began to rain. However, Lineir quickly realized that this was no ordinary rain. It was infused with Death Qi and was corrosive to cultivators. If a mortal without the protective Qi of a cultivator stepped in here their skin would slough off almost instantly and all that would be left would be a few bones sinking into the mud below. Clearly, this rain was some sort of demarcating line indicating that the next arena was not for weaklings. Now it was obvious why there were no longer any retainers or weaker Chosen. Anyone who entered here without the required strength would meet a horrifying end.
Lineir initially resisted it by revolving his Qi throughout his Second Heart. His Lightning element Qi could easily cleanse the impure Death Qi from the water, his Darkness Qi could create a barrier through which the Death Qi could not pass, and he could even use Fire Qi to burn away the rain itself, but soon Mei told him to stop.
"Kiddo, relax, this rain is meant to sort out the weaklings. While your caution is admirable, you should take this time to temper your body and mind. Allow the rain to hit your skin and let the Death Qi seep into you. But only the smallest amount is to pass through your skin! You must revolve your Lightning and Flame Qi constantly to eradicate any stronger tentacles of Death Qi and only allow the smallest of tendrils to follow your meridians. Enforce your meridians with your Darkness Qi and guide the Death Qi to your Second Heart. Ever since we were transported here, I have sensed a new presence growing in your Undead Heart. It is not the enemies which once hid in your Undead Heart, I have long since purged their presence from you, this is something else. As such, it would be wise of you to learn how to deal with the presence of Death Qi in your body and how to control it. Feeling the touch of Death and standing firm against it is something which all cultivators must learn sooner or later. Regardless, Death and Madness are closely related. Understanding more of Death will help you control your Madness I should think. Retract your defenses and let Death touch you!