Chapter 13: The Essence's Trial (1)

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This should be right. Ziro ingrained her stand with this matter. Although this was kind of a one in a million opportunity and would definitely give her tantamount of help from the pearl, yet it didn't even lift her confidence.

She firmly tucked her hand on her waist waiting for Lady Ketu's reply.

However, mere seconds had already gone, but Lady Ketu seemed caught in a trance with her jade pupils dilated instantaneously.

"Lady Ketu?"

With a short worried call from Dmitri, the sacred beast was finally pulled out from her thoughts as she shook her head a few times.

Because of this, Ziro pondered. Was Lady Ketu really surprised at what she said? Well, what could she do? Lying was definitely out of her options.

And even so, Lady Ketu would eventually discover the truth from Dmitri. Not only she hid her real feebleness, but she also doomed the risky responsibility of accepting the pearl treasure.

Ziro reinforced her heart. She definitely made the best choice for the sake of both sides.

~I truly apologize for being an unmannered, young prince. I've never thought you were a cripple. Every single strand of your mana vessels was indeed latent.~

Warmth lingered in Ziro's chest when she felt how the sacred beast's head drooped apologetically. Lady Ketu's words were short and undefended yet her rueful emotions welled upon Ziro.

"That's okay. I understand. And I hope you too, Lady Ketu. This is the reason why I absolutely refuse to accept the pearl treasure in my hand."

~I would definitely agree with you if it's only the case…~

The Sacred Beast blew a short breath for a pause and glided her eyes towards Ziro then continued…

~…but it wasn't. You were chosen not merely on your current strength but in all aspect that resides within you… within your heart. And in any case that I can't pull you over, the pearl treasure is surely the one who can decide about your fate.~

Ziro took off her earnest expression and replaced it with creases.

"And can I ask what does it mean?"

~Dmitri.~

The sacred beast in front of her simply gawked towards the swordsman and the latter replied with a nod.

"Follow me."

The swordsman took no time to waste and immediately swept his feet about the side of Lady Ketu.

The unbreakable serious visage of Dmitri gave Ziro a bad feeling.

At first, she was hesitant to follow, and her feet were already throwing her body away from where Dmitri had gone to.

But as for now, she has no other choice, she needed to find a way to get out. If it was only cooperating with Dmitri and Lady Ketu, she would at least try.

She held her chest and swallowed a mouthful of courage and eventually, traipsed behind the swordsman.

Not later or two, Dmitri opened his mouth.

"As far as we know… if you are not that slow-witted…"

But he briefly paused and glanced back towards Ziro as though he wanted to emphasize the last phrase he gave.

Prick!

Ziro's eyebrows faintly twitched when a pinching sensation pierced her. Clearly, Dmitri was simply teasing her but she was really affected.

Caught with the swordsman's insulting words, she pulled the corners of her lips in a moment when it was really obvious that she forced herself to smile.

"…I hope not." She said.

Just as she expected, Dmitri's lips were hooked in a smirk, as though making her angry was Dmitri's pleasure.

"Actually…there were seven pearl treasures guarded by seven Sacred Beasts and one of which is the Essence Pearl, safely secured by Lady Ketu."

Keeping her ears on what Dmitri was saying, her eyes couldn't help but glance at where they going – behind Lady Ketu.

Pacing more steps, they both ended in a slate formation carved in the surface of the cavern wall stretched up to the ceiling. It looked like a Corinthian arch.

"The forest chose you, and that bond was indeed irreplaceable unless you reformed your key until the forests' gate wouldn't remember your shape."

Amazed by the rock formation, she blinked twice when she realized what the swordsman uttered.

'Then that means there's really a chance I could renounce the verdict of the forest upon me.'

At once, she pasted a serious expression from her male visage.

"Then how can I?"

As they were standing in front of a cavern wall beneath the arch formation, Dmitri gazed her in a swift turn of his head.

"The Essence's Trial."

Without hesitation, the swordsman replied. But before Ziro was able to ask another question, Dmitri raised his hand towards the cavern wall and touched it with his palm.

At an instant, the wall broke into ripples until it completely disappeared as though its opacity was completely dissolved out of thin air.

Ziro's mouth immediately made an 'o' shape as she saw how the wall turned into a wide cavern opening.

Jutting her eyes into the room, her face glistened when she caught a glimpse of a wide lake inside gleaming with a jade-colored vibrance.

As expected of Ziro's reaction, Dmitri's lips were stretched into a faint smile.

"Careful of your jaw." He said teasingly and slowly entered the cavern lake without waiting for Ziro's reply.

Ziro pursed her lips at an instant and shook her head. She almost forgot how to control her facial expression. This Dmitri-guy would definitely not spare any chance of teasing her.

Though irritation quickly flooded her, she casually buried it. This might not be the best time to argue with this person. Instead, she followed the swordsman and remembered what he just said – the Essence's trial.

Of course, she didn't know it. More of a case, the former Ziro didn't even know a single word about it.

"What kind of trial is that?" Without hesitation, she threw a question.

Dmitri, hearing it, slowly stopped his tracks in front of the lakeshore while his eyes bore into a stone table rooted in the middle of the lake.

Before voicing out, Dmitri made a silent sigh and pointed his gaze towards Ziro behind him.

"As for its system, I don't really know. But the Essence Pearl has the power of diving into the very depths of your soul and materialized inside. Meaning to say, it can see what kind of person and how powerful you are. If you truly believe you are unfit to be its beholder then this pearl will immediately know your essence is worthless to be its next master."

"…"

Ziro was lost in words as she realized Dmitri was just trying to say she just needed to do this trial without even knowing what will happen to her.

Hearing no replies from Ziro, Dmitri slowly turned his back from the young 'prince'.

"We're here."

Ziro halted when she realized the swordsman had already stopped his tracks for a while.

They were actually standing at a lakeshore. She quickly swept her gaze in front only to see a pristine lake with a peculiar stone table on the middlemost. But as peculiar as it is, Ziro was in awe, as she noticed a reef of spirit stones blossomed on top of it comparably similar to a piece of a green lotus flower.

However…

"Is that…"

Ziro gasped when she caught a glimpse of a medium-sized jade pearl floating above the lotus reef of spirit stones. Judging from its look, it was packed with condensed mana as verdant lights were pulsating out of it.

Far from Ziro's awareness, Dmitri had actually been staring at her just as she rolled her eyes on the lake, waiting for her 'Woah-ing' reaction.

As expected, the moment Ziro gasped, the swordsman's lips were tugged into a smile. He rubbed his nose and chuckled silently.

Fully satisfied with the young 'prince's reaction, Dmitri slowly broke his stare from Ziro and rolled it on the pearl.

"Yes. That is indeed the Essence Pearl. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ziro lost her words. She stared at the pearl and its graceful flight above the spirit stones. Although she was really annoyed by Dmitri, she couldn't agree more with what he just said. The sight was truly magnificent.

This was her first time seeing this kind of powerful item. The more she looked at it, her heart beats faster, a strange heat gradually welling inside her chest.

Her eyes fluttered and cupped her chest. This feeling was the same as what she felt before – auras! However, this time it was incomparably calm and serene. It felt like she was being pulled and drowned into the sea of tranquility.

But, she didn't know that her face was already frowning.

"You okay? You really looked surprised."

Dmitri chuckled. But even though he made a snicker, his glabella knitted slightly as he scanned the complicated expression of the young 'prince'.

He was in deep thought for a moment.

******

Ziro continued a watchful gaze on the pearl as she slowly parted her lips.

"Hey, Dmitri."

She paused for a bit as she contemplated how to ask the swordsman about the strange sensation brewing inside her chest. Dmitri might be able to answer it.

Apart from her curiosity was a sliver hope of her being able to discern auras. If this was the case, she might be able to cultivate!

"Mmh? What?"

Dmitri shortly asked.

Ziro: "…"

But she went silent for a couple of seconds unable to utter any question as fear immediately overthrow her morning hope. What if she was mistaken? This would only worsen her already worse confidence about her cultivation matter.

At this moment, she could only let out a sigh and pinch her glabella.

"I'm sorry. Nevermind."

And immediately dropped the idea, and instead…

"So… what do I need to do? Ah, for this trial, I mean?" She just jumped into the main point.

Dmitri somewhat perturbed by Ziro's abrupt cut-off, creases surfaced on his forehead. Only a question remained inside his head, what did Ziro was about to ask him.

However, this wasn't the time to be too nosy. Dmitri carefully laid all the necessary instructions for the Essence's Trial. It turns out, Ziro just needed to walk up to the stone table and rest her palm on the pearl. That simple.

But because it was as simple, Ziro became even more conflicted. She didn't know what'll happen to her after that.

"Are you really sure this is safe?"

Just as her words were saying, her face painted the most worried look she had ever made in front of Dmitri.

"Like hell I know. You're the first one to touch that." And it was quickly brushed off by Dmitri.

Ziro: "…"

Her temples immediately throbbed as she was reminded of how Dmitri really burst her patience.

'Damn it. Can you be a little more helpful?'

But thinking about it again, this was the only solution for her to get out of this cave. And she was a hundred percent sure, her father and the rest were already trying to search her.

Reinforcing her heart to scrape a bit of courage, she clenched her fists.

"Fine. Here comes never."