Liam ended up leading the way through the maze, his superhuman sense of smell and the unique environment perfectly matching each other.

As the team delved deeper into the labyrinth, Julian’s findings were proven right. The pressure on Liam and the others’ Qi intensified, dispersing the energy they attempted to release in no time.

Yet, that had no effect on Liam’s nose and mouth.

The maze probably wanted the challengers to find their way through increasingly unreliable magical methods. Still, the team ignored the arranged difficulty entirely since it relied on a strategy that had nothing to do with Qi.

The team was also benefiting from the Church’s accumulated knowledge, something it shouldn’t have access to, which eventually raised some concerns.

"For something so big," Robert commented, inspecting another crossroads identical to the hundreds the team had seen in the hour since the beginning of their advance, "It’s safe to assume that there are multiple exits leading to different trials."

"It’s dangerous to assume anything still so distant," Julian promptly argued, "But I do see your point."

"You could have just said that," Robert snorted.

"Our assumptions must be founded on clues or not voiced at all," Julian commented. "Nothing can be left to chance in an inheritance that has remained unclaimed for centuries."

Robert wanted to bark something back, but Julian had a point. Besides, Lancelot had appointed him as shot-caller despite Liam having seized the spotlight in that trial.

"Lancelot," Robert called, involving the only person who could make that decision. "What do we do if we encounter the Church’s teams?"

Liam had started to ignore Robert and Julian’s bickering, but the question claimed his attention as he kept chasing the specific scent. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Robert was probably right to be worried. Since Liam was following the Church’s path, his team might encounter its assets.

"What’s there to think about?" Lancelot wondered, not even diverting his gaze from Liam’s broad back. "If they help us, let them. If they oppose us, burn them."

"Don’t corpses teleport outside?" Robert questioned. "I heard the inheritance expels them after taking their belongings, and we are the only outsiders here."

"We can’t loot corpses?" Liam asked, the topic prompting him to speak.

"No one knows if we can steal stuff before the inheritance does," Robert revealed before recalling the main issue. "That wasn’t what I was talking about! It was to say that the Church would know we killed them!"

"For someone who claims not to be scared of anything ...," Julian commented.

"Don’t even dare," Robert cursed. "This is different. It would be a direct attack on the Church!"

"Master William doesn’t mind," Lancelot teased, "Does he?"

"Senior, I’ve already-," Liam began to say, but Lancelot interrupted him with something he found far more important.

"Master William, don’t Senior me," Lancelot scolded. "We fought, drank, and lay in a pleasure house together. We are beyond ceremonies."

"Master William remained faithful to his lover," Isabel pointed out. "Young Master, if you controlled yourself, you might find a true partner, too."

"How can a man only have one woman?" Lancelot responded. "Preposterous! Master William, an expert of your standing should have at least two, even three."

’Is anyone taking this seriously?’ Liam pondered, not forgetting to reply to the previous question. "I agree with Lancelot. I don’t mind if it turns into a fight against the Church."

"How is everyone this crazy?" Robert sighed. "I understand Lancelot and Isabel, but the rest of us are lone cultivators. We should know better!"

"Great dangers always accompany great rewards," Julian stated.

"What rewards can we enjoy if the Church brands us as criminals?" Robert asked. "What can we do once our wanted posters hang from every Church in the Kingdom?"

"We can destroy the Church," Liam casually replied, leading to some silence and drawing four gazes to his back.

"I think I’m falling for him," Lancelot exclaimed. "Sister, do you think I could love a man like a woman?"

"The trail ends here," Liam announced, and everything abruptly became tense. Lancelot and the others immediately went on battle mode as they turned what they hoped to be the last corner.

There was no majestic exit around the corner. The path didn’t even lead to a dead end. The corridor simply continued onward, leading to another identical crossroads.

However, something grew from the corridor’s floor. Multicolored flowers stood without needing soil where to spread their roots, seemingly just attached to the white fabric.

Moreover, there were exactly five flowers, which sounded too perfect to be a random occurrence.

"Fellow Daoist Robert’s assumption might have been correct," Julian admitted. "This maze probably has several similar spots scattered throughout it."

Before Robert could say anything or even laugh, Lancelot lunged forward, reaching for a flower and picking it up, his figure disappearing on the spot.

Isabel was already following Lancelot, crossing Liam to keep up with his shenanigans. This time, Liam didn’t wait to be the last and picked a flower right after Isabel disappeared.

The world changed again, but Liam’s mind seemed to have gotten better at enduring the experience. Moreover, the new area wasn’t as extensive as the maze.

Lancelot, Isabel, Liam, and soon Robert and Julian were on an elevated area of dark grey ground. A vast hall expanded a few meters below, featuring smooth pale-grey surfaces, with five tall black doors at its end.

The arrangement in which the five had teleported to the elevated area wasn’t random. They were encircling a wooden stand that reeked of the same fakeness as the rest of the place, except for the items on its basin-like top.

Five spirit stones rested on the basin, again matching the number of team members.

"Is this the reward for clearing the maze?" Robert wondered. "Five measly spirit stones?"

"Master William should have them," Lancelot declared.

"Let’s split them equally," Liam said, seizing a single spirit stone, hiding it under his long black sleeve before activating his ring.

The others just imitated Liam, but something changed once the basin was empty. Its surface caved in in specific spots, giving birth to words.

’Trial of Greed,’ Liam read. ’Each door has enemies. Choose the number of doors to open. More doors, more rewards.’

There was much to explore in those rules. The specific number of doors could be tailored to the team, meaning Liam and the others could choose the difficulty level.

Sure, a lower difficulty implied worse rewards, but also facilitated access to the other trials, where better prizes might be obtained. The inheritance had merely given five spirit stones for the first, so it could be wise not to risk too much on the second.

Yet, Isabel had already lowered her head, not even attempting to stop what she knew would happen.

Lancelot jumped down the hall as soon as he finished reading, a shout escaping his lips. "We choose to open five doors!"

And, as soon as the shout echoed, the five doors slammed open, overwhelming Liam’s perception with the presences they had kept hidden.