36 A familiar face. (1/2)

The first thing that greeted Li Yang after he left the array was a happy screeching sound. A black blur flew through the air for a short second before landing on his shoulder. Jinwu perched on his shoulder, happily rubbing his face against Li Yang's neck, letting out a few happy caws as it did so, prompting Li Yang to pat it on the head.

”You've grown a bit bigger haven't you, did you get to bathe in some good fire?”

Li Yang looked Jinwu up and down. He had grown to the size of a normal crow, his eyes turning a deep blue in color. Thanks to his connection with him, Li Yang could tell that Jinwu's strength had grown to a point where he would be considered to have two runes. After Li Yang pat Jinwu on the head, the voice of Chen Huo rang out.

”Congratulations on completing the first trial and reaching the peak of the early Mortal Rune realm, I am certain that it is only a matter of time until you complete the last three trials.”

Chen Huo walked over to Li Yang, giving him a short bow in greeting. Li Yang turned his head away from Jinwu and faced Chen Huo, nodding his head and pointing at the array behind him as he started talking.

”Thanks, how long was I in there?”

Li Yang had been unable to keep track of time while he was undergoing the trial, so he had no idea how much time had actually passed. Chen Huo straightened his back and then gave a short nod as he responded.

”As this was only the first trial, it has only been a little over a month.”

Li Yang slightly tilted his head after hearing Chen Huo's words. Since it was only the first trial? Were the other trials longer, or did each trial grow longer after completing the other ones?

”What do you mean? Do the trials get longer the more of them I complete?”

Chen Huo realized that he had said it a bit strange, so he slightly shook his head and started to explain how it worked. To make sure that only someone truly worthy acquired Li Yang's legacy, Zhao Feng and the others had made several preparations.

”They do not get longer, they get harder. The more emblems you acquire, the harder the trials will become.”

After hearing the explanation of Chen Huo, Li Yang slightly fondled his chin as he responded. He had felt that this trial was a bit easy, but if they grew more difficult the more trials he completed, he could understand it. Of course, what he forgot to factor in was the fact of his identity and current cultivation. Of course, a trial aimed at someone who was only at the early stage of the Mortal Rune realm would be easy for him.

”I see, that is good to know.”

While Li Yang was fondling his chin, Chen Huo looked like he was slightly hesitant about something. After hesitating for a short moment, he gave a slight nod of his head as he pointed towards the distance and opened his mouth, informing Li Yang about something he had learned not long ago.

”Thunder Monarch, there is something I must inform you about. Jing Yimu noticed the commotion taking place here when I shattered the volcano and is hurrying over. He should reach this place in a few days.”

Chen Huo was already connected to this hidden realm, so the range of his sense was far larger than normal Demonic beasts or cultivators, noticing someone approaching the area was easy for him. After his words rang out, Li Yang's expression froze and he stopped fondling his chin, a low voice leaking out from his voice.

”...Jing Yimu? Are you able to kill him?”

Jing Yimu was one of the names Li Yang would never forget, one of the prime instigators behind his and Fang Ying's death. When Li Yang talked about Jing Yimu, the temperature in the area dropped slightly from the sheer killing intent that he was releasing. Chen Huo shook his head slightly as he responded, an unwilling expression on his face.

”He is currently at the late stage of the Celestial Immortal realm so if he were to face me in a proper battle, I would indeed be able to kill him. But he knows how much we wish to kill him, so he rarely enters any place where I or the other three guardians live. He usually only enters for a few short seconds, to enter the trial locations. Once he enters those, we cannot touch him.”

Having regained his memories and knowing that this world was the same world he had lived in earlier, Li Yang obviously knew the different cultivation realms. The first realm was the one he was in now and was known as the Human Rune realm, but more commonly referred to by the three parts it was divided into, the Mortal Rune, the Houtian Rune, and the Xiantian Rune realm.

After that came the Ascending Heaven realm, then the Immortal Rebirth realm, then the Primordial Rune realm, then the Celestial Immortal realm, then the True Deity realm, and finally the Empyrean realm. These were the realms that Li Yang had known about in his past life. When he and Fang Ying were killed, they were both at the late stage of the Celestial Immortal realm, while Jing Yimu had just reached the early stage of the Celestial Immortal Realm.

”I see...”

Li Yang's face was frightfully calm as he responded and started moving towards the direction that Chen Huo had pointed at. Looking at him walking towards Jing Yimu like that, Chen Huo could not help but ask curiously.

”Where are you going?”

Chen Huo was not too worried about Li Yang. Even if his cultivation was currently far lower than Jing Yimu's, he had the advantage of knowing who Jing Yimu was, while Jing Yimu had no idea that Li Yang was even alive. Li Yang gave Chen Huo a slight wave as he continued walking and spoke up.

”To greet him. Since I am currently unable to kill him, I will milk him for every last ounce of worth. See you some other time, Chen Huo.”

While walking towards the edge of the area that was the emerald volcanoes, Li Yang was going over the details of the plan he had come up with, perfecting it before Jing Yimu arrived. While walking, Jinwu rubbed his head against Li Yang's neck, cawing happily as he bragged.