"Hmm, that’s right, it’s exactly as I said... No, no, listen to me first, listen to me. It’s this way first, then this way, then this way, and finally this way. Got it? Ah, why don’t you understand, it’s really simple, isn’t it? Do you not understand? First this way, then this way, then this way, and finally this way. It’s really simple, got it? Yes, yes, you finally get it, that’s it."

"Oh, come on, can I really deceive you? We’re good friends, I wouldn’t deceive you if I deceive anyone else, right... Skydream that time was caused by many factors, some were historical issues, some were due to the objective environment, it wasn’t that our plan was problematic, just the style didn’t quite match, and the conversion efficiency was a bit low, leading to a less than ideal final effect... But this time I’m very confident! A once in a millennium opportunity! Miss it and you’ll regret it for thousands of years!"

"That’s right, you really have an eye for things, go back and wait for good news!"

The Drama Poet chatted away without concern over the walkie-talkie, while Ash and Vishi exerted all their effort to maintain their expressions—as Demigod Mages, they could hear every detail within fifty meters if they wanted to, so naturally, they could hear that there was no sound coming from the walkie-talkie, and that the Drama Poet was just gesturing wildly and talking to himself.

"Yeah, yeah, it’s settled like this, don’t worry, there won’t be any problems. Let’s get together sometime when you’re free!"

The Drama Poet put away the walkie-talkie and said to them, "It’s been settled, Final Observer, you can participate in their trial, and once they complete it, you can also complete your preparation before advancing to Divine Lord."

Vishi surmised that the Drama Poet was probably using some kind of authority to coax Void Realm, inducing it to spread the trial of the three of them onto Ash. The walkie-talkie conversation was just a joke of his at Ash and Vishi.

Yet Ash really asked, "How did you persuade Void Realm to allow me to participate in their trial?"

"It’s simple, I proposed a four-person joint trial plan. The overall difficulty is higher than their solo trials, although the difficulty is primarily focused on you." The Drama Poet explained, "If quantified into numerical values, solo trials can only cause them 10 points of damage separately, totaling 30 points. But according to my plan, Void Realm can cause you a total of 40 points of damage, with you needing to offset 25 points and each of them taking 5 points. Furthermore, once you’re defeated, they’ll naturally have a hard time surviving, and your survival rate is lower than in solo trials. Void Realm obviously accepted this plan, since its core desire is to crush you little thieves."

"Wait!" Vishi’s eyes sharpened: "That’s not what you said earlier. You said Ash could participate in our trial to lower its difficulty, not piling all the difficulty onto Ash, and certainly not leaving our trial’s success entirely in Ash’s hands... You deceived us!"

"Huh, didn’t I say that?" The Drama Poet tilted his head, but when he saw Ash and Vishi radiating hostility and activating Source Power, he quickly raised his hands and said, "Hold on, let me argue a bit—although most difficulty will be placed on the Final Observer, the premise is the Final Observer voluntarily partakes in your trial! That means if he does nothing, he won’t encounter any trial!"

"Only if he voluntarily helps you, does he need to offset 25 points of trial damage!"

"And furthermore, I didn’t say the Final Observer losing means you’ll all be wiped out; it’s just that if he, as the team core, falls during the trial, I think you losing your beloved might make finishing the trial alone difficult for you... Well, Ghost Prophet might be an exception."

Ash glanced at Vishi and asked, "If I do nothing, what happens to them?"

"If you don’t help them, naturally, it becomes them undertaking the trial on your behalf." The Drama Poet shrugged, "This trial has a time limit; they’ll initially suffer 5 points of damage, gradually increasing to 10 points over time, but if you take no action, your 10 points of damage will be spread onto them."

"So I didn’t screw you over; rather, I catered to all your demands, giving you ample choices."

"Anyone can protect their lover, anyone can rely on their lover."

The Drama Poet chuckled, "I bet, Final Observer, you’re quite satisfied with this plan, right?"

Ash was silent for a while, then stood slowly, looking up at the misty rain against the transparent canopy. Suddenly, he asked, "Then what do you want?"

"Uh?"

"You appear before every Mage who can advance to Divine Lord, helping them select suitable trial forms... Why do you do this?" Ash asked, "If you’re the middleman between us and Void Realm, then what exactly is your profit margin?"

The Drama Poet smiled slightly, stood up, spread his arms like a large fluttering bird, then took off his tall round hat and bowed ceremoniously before them, "Helping you Mages is the profit I’m earning."

"I’m the director of the drama, the lyricist of poetry, the recorder of Legendary epic, and nothing makes my heart surge more than the song of courage. And you, Mages eligible to advance to Divine Lord, are undoubtedly the trendsetters of this era, ambition, frenzy, tenacity, bloodlust, perseverance... You’ve gathered the most dazzling and splendid qualities of humanity, regardless of good or evil, hero or villain. Your decisions will change the Flowing Gold River’s course, making the era more brilliant because of you!"

"But unfortunately, once you’ve advanced to Divine Lord, you’ll often restrain your radiance, and behind the thrilling story follows the endless mundane ’many years later’."

The Drama Poet shrugged, "Like Dazzling Star, Blood Moon, Wujian, Senluo, All-Knowing, Skydream, they were my best sources of inspiration before they entered Heaven. Dazzling Star stole Hell’s Heavenly Curtain, Blood Moon slaughtered through Hell, Wujian built a spirit army to conquer Hell, Senluo and All-Knowing played Hell’s deities to ruins, Skydream punched open the Road of Life and Death, stepping through the Door of Rights and Wrongs..."

"Just a little recollection and countless splendid images flood my mind," he said with admiration, "You may believe you’ve become quite Legendary, but those Divine Lords’ most dazzling years are absolutely not inferior to yours."

"In the past, Divine Lord was both the ultimate destination and the conclusion of their stories. But now with seven layers appearing in Void Realm, perhaps Blood Moon, All-Knowing, Wujian, Skydream will continue to write their epics."

"Before advancing to Divine Lord, Void Realm trials are pretty much the last adventure Mages experience. Leaving this opportunity to Void Realm to mess with is a huge waste, which is why I willingly take on the role of facilitator between you and Void Realm, ensuring you get the most fitting story Chapter."

"When you’re on stage, my payment’s already been received." The Drama Poet smiled, "Next, I’ll sit in the audience, quietly enjoying the story you present."

"The trial has begun, and I should be leaving." He slightly nodded, waved goodbye, "Final Observer, Ghost Prophet, we’re destined to meet—"

"Wait."

Ash grabbed his wrist and earnestly said, "You deceived us."

The Drama Poet’s expression remained unchanged, "How did I deceive you?"

"You just said you helped us lower the difficulty, but now it seems you just adjusted the form of our trial, we didn’t get any advantage at all!" Ash slapped the hand Vishi was tugging on his clothes with, argued, "You should at least slightly lower our overall difficulty!"

"Ah, brother, just try to understand me; if I told Void Realm I was helping you lower the difficulty, Void Realm would have to be completely clueless to pay me any mind. Especially with the extra seven layers, Void Realm seems to have gotten a lot smarter, even learned to hold grudges, and still remembers when I helped Skydream, how could I help you lower the difficulty?" The Drama Poet explained earnestly.

"So you’re screwing over us novices who just entered Void Realm?" Ash stated seriously, "I’m going to record your malicious behavior in my diary, expose the ugly truth about the Drama Poet!"

"You don’t even keep a diary!"

"I’ll start today!"

"But are you really some novice Mage!" The Drama Poet couldn’t keep it in anymore: "You guys recently defeated Six-winged Angel and are about to step into Heaven as Quasi-Gods, and you still have the nerve to play dumb?"

"Just admit that Sword Maiden and I have been in Void Realm for only a year!" Ash argued defiantly, "Yet morally and emotionally, aren’t you supposed to do your best to assist us?"

"What about her!" The Drama Poet pointed at Vishi, "Ghost Prophet isn’t some novice!"

"What Ghost Prophet? I don’t know her; she’s my maid." Ash took Vishi’s hand, "She was just born last year in Distant Realm, still not a year old now. She’s the most naive in our squad; you should give us minor’s elf humanitarian aid!"

The Drama Poet laughed, "I swear I’d dig up the people Ghost Prophet slaughtered in Hell and let them hear your nonsense, it’d surely revive them!"

"Nevertheless, you ought to offer us some help," Ash looked at him, sincerely imploring, "If you still care about Source Angel, if you still care about this world she loves... then please assist us."