A Card In Hand

Chapter 90: Death Challenge!

Fuxi listened intently.

To his surprise, what Tie Zheng, the formidable boss, was murmuring turned out to be the wildly impassioned declaration of youth previously made by Li Ao.

“The pain of training, we can grit our teeth and endure… To break into the Celestial Realm in the future, to achieve the extraordinary, we can sweat profusely… But if this persistence deflates, what kind of people will we become… Can cowards achieve the extraordinary… Impossible!”

“No!”

Fuxi hurriedly shook Tie Zheng’s arm forcefully.

“Boss, Li Ao said that just to provoke you all to fight on the platform, don’t fall for his trick!”

“Fuxi, I have thought it through.” Tie Zheng’s eyes regained their clarity. “I want to challenge!”

“Think it over again, boss.”

Fuxi pleaded.

“Like Li Ao said, life is full of challenges, always so difficult, enemies will never be merciful because of our compromise and retreat. Whether we are flamboyant or low-key, we cannot escape their hunt. Think about it, Fuxi, if you back down today, not taking the challenge, waiting until you’re fully ready. When that day comes, you’ll feel your combat power is still too low, needing to increase it further. This endless postponement, life will pass quickly, by the time we’re in our forties or fifties, already with a family, with our own wives and children, and potential all spent, how can we continue to challenge?”

Tie Zheng patted Fuxi’s shoulder. “Come with us! You have the potential, otherwise, the patriarch wouldn’t have invited you. There are many in the clan with higher combat power than us, but only we have this qualification!”

“But my combat power is only 404.”

Fuxi was nearly crying.

Was a combat power of four hundred enough even to fill the gaps between a monster’s teeth?

“Even if your combat power broke a thousand, how much more would it increase?”

Tie Zheng shook his head.

“Boss, this is a trial of bloodline, not necessarily about combat beasts or related to combat power. If you feel you can’t handle it, you can quit.”

Li Ao felt that if Clan Leader Long Tai could invite Fuxi, then the trial was not about combat power, but about the potential of bloodline power or the endurance during the awakening of bloodline power.

“Even if it’s about bloodline power…”

Fuxi was despairing. “I know nothing about the family’s bloodline power, how can I undergo the trial?”

“I am just as ignorant as you, but I have decided to take the trial.”

Tie Zheng still wanted to persuade.

Li Ao stopped him with a hand gesture. “Let him stay here for a while!”

Tie Zheng knew Fuxi needed time to think.

He nodded.

And walked outside with Li Ao.

As the two left his line of sight, Fuxi collapsed to the ground like a soulless body.

His mind was fiercely battling with itself. On one hand, he did not want to be left behind by Li Ao and Tie Zheng.

He knew that if he didn’t go this time, Clan Leader Long Tai would definitely give up on him.

He might be given a better combat beast, but he would never have another chance.

Then, if Li Ao and Tie Zheng survived the trial…

They would surely soar to great heights.

By then…

It would be impossible for him to catch up.

But if he went to participate in the bloodline trial this time, there was a 99% chance he would lose his life… With low combat power, no knowledge of bloodline power, knowing nothing, and just foolishly running into it.

In the end, he feared he wouldn’t even know how he died.

He was so young, and he hadn’t even played a certain very joyful game with a pretty girl yet.

Fuxi had never put the 108 secret combat techniques into practice.

And just like that, he died.

Wouldn’t that be too much of a waste?

It wouldn’t matter if he became useless, he was still alive!

Take Yuan Chi and Huo Mei, for example. They couldn’t compare to Tie Zheng and Li Ao, but they lived very comfortably, enjoying their playful fights.

Was he really willing to die without having tried anything? What a wonderful world it was!

There were so many beautiful girls, so many delicious foods, so many fun things to do, and he hadn’t even had the chance to wear the newcomer outfit designed by Li Ao… If he died today, wouldn’t his life be a complete waste?

The more Fuxi thought about it, the more fear crept into his heart.

Go.

Afraid of death.

But he was reluctant not to go.

If Li Ao and Tie Zheng soared to heights and he spent his life being worthless, it wouldn’t be any different from being despised like Yuan Chi and Huo Mei.

What should I do? Oh heavens, can’t you tell me? Can’t you show me the right path?

I’m not that monstrous devil, Li Ao!

Why must you force me like this?

Why can’t you let me have a peaceful and happy life?

Like at the Sunlight Villa?

The more Fuxi thought, the more desperate he became, his mind tortured by two completely contradictory thoughts, neither of which suited his desires.

Worse yet were the emotions of fear and unwillingness, which entangled him like ropes, nearly suffocating him.

Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably…

Oh, fate!

Why must you force me to make a choice?

Even if you demand that I choose, at least tell me what I should do!

Tears streaming, Fuxi pounded his fists onto the hard floor, oblivious to the blood flowing from his hands.

Li Ao and Tie Zheng walked out of the hall.

“Tie Zheng, please send someone to inform Ling Long and her female classmates that the meeting scheduled for nine o’clock tomorrow at War God Square is canceled,” Li Ao estimated that the bloodline trial wouldn’t end so soon.

He thought again.

Feeling that the message might not be conveyed accurately.

What if the messenger distorted the message?

Li Ao asked Tie Zheng for paper and pen, wrote a note, and signed his name on it.

Finally, he entrusted Tie Zheng to find someone to deliver it to Ling Long.

Tie Zheng nodded.

He carefully sealed Li Ao’s note in an envelope.

Then, he found a particularly clever house guard and instructed him to immediately head to the East Sea Family to deliver the letter from Li Ao, cancelling the previous arrangement.

The two sat on the steps outside the hall waiting for Fuxi to come out.

Unexpectedly.

They waited until dinner time.

And there was still no sign of movement from Fuxi in the hall.

Tie Zheng looked towards Li Ao, who was very calm: “Let’s eat first.”

After dinner.

The two sat on the steps for a long time, with the clock pointing to 8:50 PM. There was still no response from Fuxi in the hall.

Tie Zheng looked towards Li Ao, unsure of how to proceed. Li Ao stood up, clapping his hands: “Let’s go!”

Not waiting any longer?

Just as Tie Zheng was about to persuade Li Ao to wait a bit more, a ghost-like shadow slowly moved out from the hall, speaking feebly: “Is there any dinner left? I’m so hungry!”

Tie Zheng really didn’t know what to say.

Hungry?

What were you doing earlier?

It’s almost time, and you’re only coming out now.

If you had come out ten minutes earlier, would you be this passive?

Tie Zheng asked the family guard to quickly prepare some pastries for Fuxi, while wondering why Fuxi had suddenly come to his senses.

“Have you really decided?”

Tie Zheng asked.

“No,” Fuxi shook his head.

“You still haven’t figured out how to come out?”

Tie Zheng almost fainted upon hearing this.

“I’m hungry!” Fuxi said, adding: “I think since I don’t have much else to do, I might as well join you guys.”

“You need to think this through, this is no joke, it could be life-threatening!”

Tie Zheng couldn’t help but remind Fuxi not to take it lightly, as failing to successfully make it out could lead to death.

“Anyway, I don’t know what to do, I just thought I’d do whatever you do! As for the rest, big brother Tie Zheng, don’t scare me anymore, I’m already scared enough, you don’t want to see me wet my pants, right!”

Fuxi said with a mournful face, having never been this scared in his life, because this trial was truly deadly, nothing like the graduation trials.

But what could he do?

Fuxi couldn’t decide whether to go or not.

Finally, with no other option, he made a decision to just follow whatever little Li Ao did, surely Li Ao had to be right!

Li Ao had long known what kind of person Fuxi was.

A bigshot who was timid and afraid.

Even more afraid of death.

But at the final moment, when there was no other way, he could muster the courage.

For Li Ao, the process didn’t matter.

Fuxi’s hesitations, fears, and conflicts were irrelevant, as long as he could keep up in the end…

Li Ao waved his hand: “Let’s set off!”

Fuxi, with a large plate of pastries in his arms, frantically stuffed them into his mouth while hurrying after Li Ao: “Wait for me!”

Long Tai from the Ironclad Family was already waiting in the courtyard for the three.

His expression was one of satisfaction.

Understanding life and death was the key to awakening bloodline powers.

If a person couldn’t face life and death, then no matter how talented, they couldn’t possibly survive the family bloodline trial and return.

Long Tai led the three from the sky island to the main peak of the family’s territory.

They entered an ancient castle’s underground passage.

After traveling several kilometers through the underground passage.

Deep beneath the ground.

Finally, at an inconspicuous turn in the winding underground passage, they stopped.

Long Tai handed each of the three a white card depicting a special array: “You can think about it for one more minute. If you don’t want to go, it’s still not too late to turn back!”

Fu Xi quickly waved his hand: “No need to think anymore, if I keep thinking, I might hesitate!”

“Just use your thoughts to connect with the array!”

Long Tai personally demonstrated.

He connected his thoughts to the white card.

The card immediately levitated a mysterious and intricate array, enveloping his tall and sturdy body.

In the center, a funnel-shaped spatial cavity appeared, sucking him in with a whoosh.

Li Ao, Fu Xi, and Tie Zheng followed suit, entering the family bloodline trial ground through the funnel-shaped spatial cavity.

Upon entering the bloodline trial ground, Li Ao realized it was a fragmented dimension.

The space was only about ten square kilometers.

Not very large.

“Welcome to the bloodline trial ground, this is its periphery,” Long Tai, the head of the Ironclad Family, said, standing with his hands behind his back waiting for the three: “At the end of the periphery, there is a shattered passage. Go down about five kilometers, and there are two space-time whirlpools. One leads to the inner space of the bloodline trial ground. I do not recommend you challenge it before awakening the third tier of our Ironclad Family bloodline… The other space-time whirlpool is for returning. I will wait for you in front of that whirlpool. I must clarify again, whether your death challenge is successful or not, I will not intervene to help you even slightly. If you see me coming over and doing something to help you, if that’s not your hallucination, it’s an enemy!”

After briefly explaining the situation, Long Tai strode forward, leaving step by step.

Fu Xi nearly fainted.

What about imparting us personal insights into bloodline power as promised?

You didn’t say a single word about how to awaken bloodline power, and we are completely blank in this area!

“I’ll accompany you here for three hours and then go challenge the inner space,” Li Ao could have shared some secrets of the bloodline power, but he thought that if Long Tai didn’t say anything, there must be a reason, so he also omitted this process.

“Just go!”

Tie Zheng waved his hand: “With you here, we won’t be able to truly awaken!”

“Then I’m off.”

Li Ao nodded and, just like Long Tai, walked away with large strides.

Fu Xi almost cried out.

You could at least help us test the combat power of the monsters here!

Tie Zheng suddenly took a step forward, discovering nothing unusual, then steadily took another step forward.

Seeing Tie Zheng, the big boss, take four or five steps, Fu Xi felt a bit scared, as Li Ao had already gone far, “You can’t leave me behind too!”

He hurriedly stepped forward, trying to catch up with Tie Zheng.

But as he moved his front foot.

His back leg was already grabbed by some force.

Looking down, Fu Xi panic-strickenly found a black monstrous hand emerging from the ground, tightly gripping his ankle.

He hurriedly looked up, wanting to call Tie Zheng and Li Ao back for help, but to his surprise, when he looked up, a several meters tall black giant had appeared out of nowhere, swinging its massive fist viciously at the advancing Li Ao…