Chapter 68: Chen Xuan’s "Reverence"! Guardian’s Panic! Sudden Change!

It was a humanoid statue.

Its form was distinct yet impossible to fully grasp, making it difficult to distinguish whether it was a man or a woman.

Not only was its gender unclear, but every single feature of the statue remained a mystery, including its age, height, and overall appearance. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Looking at the statue, the solemn expression on the little girl’s face deepened. She cupped her hands and bowed her head respectfully, paying homage to it.

Then, she turned to look at Chen Xuan.

"This is my Master, the creator of this Secret Realm. You should have already guessed that my Master was a true supreme powerhouse!"

Saying this, a trace of nostalgia mixed with pride crossed her face.

"Although I haven’t left the Secret Realm in quite some time, several people have stumbled upon this place in the past, so I’ve heard about the situation outside. I’m not entirely sure of my Master’s true strength. However, I am certain that they far, far surpass the Soul Transformation realm!"

The girl’s voice was solemn, and the gentle glow radiating from the statue brushed against her face, giving her an almost sacred aura.

Even Chen Xuan was slightly struck by this change. But in the next moment, that sacred mask was completely shattered.

The girl stuck out her tongue at him.

"I don’t even know why I’m telling you all this. There’s no way that a puny cultivator like you could ever obtain Master’s inheritance. Sigh," she muttered heavily.

"Could it be that I’ve gone insane from being trapped in here for so long? I’ve actually started striking up conversations with a pervert like you," she muttered, taking a few steps back as if terrified that Chen Xuan might suddenly take advantage of her.

Her exaggerated movements and piercing, suspicious gaze made Chen Xuan almost cough up blood.

’Damn it! Take a look at yourself first! I’m not interested in little girls!’

He really wished to slap her to death, but considering the gravity of the occasion, he forced himself to calm down.

Turning back toward the statue, his eyes flickered as he asked:

"What is the content of this trial? Do I need to comprehend something from the statue like the tablet before?"

"No," the girl immediately shook her head.

"This trial does not test your comprehension. Instead, it assesses something deeper—a part of your essence, if you will."

"There’s nothing you can actively do to complete it. It merely tests whether you possess a certain quality. If you don’t, you fail. If you do, you pass."

Saying this, the girl sighed.

This was the exact trial that had stumped everyone for thousands of years.

It wasn’t that no one had ever passed it, but rather that passing didn’t necessarily mean meeting the true requirements.

’If one possesses enough luck, they can pass the trial and receive a portion of the Master’s inheritance. However, to truly inherit the complete legacy, one must meet the ultimate condition,’ the girl recalled her Master’s words, though she didn’t bother explaining them to Chen Xuan.

Instead, she motioned for him to step forward.

"All you have to do is bow."

"Don’t think that my Master is taking advantage of you. Cultivators should respect those stronger than them. Even your so-called ancestors are mere juniors before my Master.

"What’s wrong with showing a little respect?" the girl added, well aware that some proud cultivators would oppose bowing to a mere statue.

Of course, her explanation was unnecessary. Chen Xuan was not a proud, arrogant man.

Or rather, he had never been. In his youth, he had been even more shameless than now!

As long as the benefits were great enough, let alone bowing, he would happily call the statue Teacher and Master! Words didn’t cost a thing, after all.

With that thought, Chen Xuan clasped his hands and bowed toward the statue, wearing a deeply respectful expression that mirrored the little girl’s.

No, it was actually far more reverent than hers.

For a moment, the little girl rubbed her eyes.

She began to wonder if the man before her was actually her Master’s long-lost disciple.

She could feel a strangely sincere reverence and adoration emanating from Chen Xuan as he gazed at the statue, as if he had finally reunited with his teacher.

But the moment that thought crossed her mind, the pious atmosphere vanished.

Chen Xuan straightened up, dropped his hands, and immediately regained his casual, nonchalant demeanor.

"What are we waiting for? Didn’t you say the statue would activate?" he turned to the little girl, his question snapping her out of her daze.

Only then did the girl return to reality and realize something was terribly wrong.

’No! According to the trial’s design, the statue should have lit up according to the person’s luck. Could it have malfunctioned?’ she thought, a surge of panic washing over her.

This statue was the only keepsake her Master had left behind.

With the endless passage of time, her memories of her Master’s face had long grown blurred. It was only this statue that provided her with an idea about her Master’s appearance.

She had been staring at it for thousands of years, wishing to engrave every detail of it into her soul.

"Try it again!" the little girl urged Chen Xuan.

Noticing her sudden worry, Chen Xuan didn’t argue and did as he was told.

He clasped his hands and bowed respectfully once more.

Unfortunately, the result was exactly the same. The statue remained utterly motionless.

The only change was that its radiant glow seemed to grow a fraction dimmer.

The slight change made the little girl completely lose her composure.

"Try it again!"

"Again!"

"One more time!"

Chen Xuan bowed so many times he was practically out of breath.

Just as he received yet another "order" and was about to snap and curse at the little brat, a familiar cracking sound echoed through the void.

The next instant, the light enveloping the statue went out.

And then... the entire statue exploded!