45 Jing Yimu finishes the trial. (2/2)
Hearing Li Yang praise the meadow, Zizai's entire face lit up with a bright smile, his body turning into wind. The wind danced around the meadow, rustling the grass and the leaves, Zizai's joyful voice sounding out.
”Yup yup, this is where Big Brother Ning said that I should live after he left. He said that he hoped I would be nice and big when he came back to pick me up. It has been a while, but I am sure he will come and pick me up soon. After all, even you have already come.”
Li Yang could tell that Zizai was truly happy, seeing the arrival of Li Yang as a sign that Ye Ning would soon come to pick him up. Seeing him happy like this, how could Li Yang have the heart to tell him that whether or not Ye Ning was alive was unknown?
”Yup, I am sure that Ning will soon come to pick you up. If he doesn't, I will make sure that Yawen gives his rear a kick and forces him to move.”
Li Yang decided to toss out a few words here, walking forwards and sitting down beneath the lone tree. The speed at which the wind danced increased after Li Yang spoke, so it was clear that Zizai became even happier.
”You'll do that?! Thank you, Thunder Monarch! I will let you know when Bastard Yimu is about to finish the trial!”
After Zizai's words sounded out, the wind that danced around the meadow died down, bringing a tranquil silence to the meadow. With Zizai keeping an eye on Jing Yimu, Li Yang felt confident that he could cultivate in peace. He took a few deep breaths, crossed his legs, and then closed his eyes. When he finished Dai Shu's trial, he had already been very close to carving his fourth rune, so he was confident that he could at least carve his fourth rune while waiting for Jing Yimu if he was lucky, he might even be able to carve the fifth.
Jinwu seemed to understand what Li Yang was thinking, so it did not disturb him while he was cultivating. What he chose to do instead was to start eating the fruits that were growing on the tree, slowly but steadily devouring more and more fruits. With Li Yang fully immersed in his cultivation and Jinwu fully focused on eating fruits and resting, time passed by unnoticed, two months passing in silence.
As a cultivator, the amount of food Li Yang needed and the amount of waste he produced was far lower than that of a normal person. Once a cultivator reached a high enough level, they even stopped needing to eat all-together, surviving on Qi alone. After two months of cultivating, Li Yang had easily managed to carve the fourth rune for all his elements and was almost finished carving the fifth one. But his cultivation was cut short by the voice of Zizai, which resounded over the meadow after two months of absence.
”Thunder Monarch, Bastard Yimu is about to leave the trial! Let me bring you to the place where he will appear!”
Li Yang opened his eyes and stood up, stretching his body and enjoying the popping sound of his joints. He did not even need to say anything, wind automatically gathering around him and Jinwu, dragging them away. Li Yang sent one last look at the meadow, a slight smile on his face.
”Shame to lose such a great place, but I have already gotten quite a bit of worth out of it.”
The wind brought Li Yang and Jinwu back to the place where they had first appeared after they cleared the trial. The area was currently calm, but Li Yang did not doubt Zizai's words that Jing Yimu was about to finish the trial. He took a deep breath to correct his mindset, and then sat down on the ground with his legs crossed, calmly cultivating.
After a few minutes of cultivating, the air not far from Li Yang started to shimmer and distort, Jing Yimu stepping out of the shimmering air. Once Jing Yimu stepped out of the shimmering air, Li Yang sprang up and put on an excited expression.
”Master Yimu, you have finally finished the trial!”
Upon spotting Li Yang, a wide grin spread on Jing Yimu's face. His body blurred as he dashed forward, picking up Li Yang and spinning him around in a tight hug, utterly shocking Li Yang.
”HAHA, Little Yang! You truly are my lucky charm!”
He continued to spin around a few more times, his loud laughter resounding within the valley and echoing into the distance. Had he not paid attention to his strength, Li Yang would have already been squeezed into a fine paste. It was only after a few more seconds of spinning and laughing that he put down Li Yang, taking out a sky blue token and showing it to him.
”371 times! 371 times I have attempted this damned trial, and every single one of them has failed! That is, until now! Look at this, Little Yang! This was earned thanks to you!”
Li Yang's pupils shrank slightly when he saw the token in Jing Yimu's hands. Jing Yimu had also completed the trial? Despite already failing so many attempts? But how could Li Yang know that the reason Jing Yimu often failed this particular trial was because of his regret that he had never had a child he could pass his own legacy onto? With Li Yang acting the part of a perfect disciple and lovable child, that regret had completely vanished. Li Yang quickly regained his calm state of mind, giving Jing Yimu an apologetic bow.
”Is that the token that one gains when completing the trial? That is amazing, Master Yimu. I was forced to escape the trial not long after I started it, please forgive me.”
Li Yang's words sounded like they were filled with heartfelt joy, something that caused the grin on Jing Yimu's face to grow even brighter. He gave Li Yang a few heavy pats on the shoulder, letting out another loud laugh.
”Don't think about it, even I have failed the trials so many times after all. As long as you persevere and never give up, you will eventually succeed. I can also see that you have managed to raise your cultivation while I was inside the trial, so you have clearly not been idle while waiting for me. That is good, managing to cultivate even in a place like this.”
Li Yang had almost engraved his fifth rune, so he had loosened up the technique he used to hide his cultivation, making it look like it had risen slightly since the time Jing Yimu entered the trial grounds. Jing Yimu wanted to say more, but the wind in the valley started growing ferocious and sharp as if it wanted to slice them both in half. Zizai had to act his part, after all, looking like he wanted to tear Jing Yimu apart on the spot.
”Shit, I completely forgot about him! Little Yang, we are leaving!”
Jing Yimu's expression rapidly distorted as he grabbed onto Li Yang's wrist and kicked off the ground, soaring away at a speed faster than the eye could see. The two quickly left the valley, the howling wind stopping at the edge of the valley. It was only after reaching a distance that was far from the valley, that Jing Yimu's lips curled into a grin again. Now he had completed one of the trials, the next stop was Zhao Feng's trial in Soul's Rest.