Chapter 85: The Prerequisite for the Nine Trials of the Death God: Refinement

"Who did you think of harassing just now?"

In the suffocating darkness, a chilling voice slowly spread.

Ye Hao and the Death Spider Emperor involuntarily shuddered under the oppressive force that seemed to crush their entire beings.

The voice was unmistakable—it was the same one that had summoned Ye Hao here earlier.

Out of the darkness, a figure began to emerge…

Ye Hao's heart tightened as the silhouette became clearer. But as the figure finally stepped into view, his expression turned peculiar, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Before him stood… a small dog.

Its fiery-red fur covered its tiny body, which was barely the size of a newborn puppy. It could easily fit in his arms, making it look more like a playful pet than an intimidating presence.

Ye Hao: Okay… I'll admit, I was totally intimidated by this little guy's aura earlier.

"Ha!" Ye Hao couldn't suppress a chuckle, his amusement slipping out uncontrollably.

The small dog's eyes burned with rage, and its voice boomed with indignant authority:

"No laughing!"

Despite its size, its tone carried immense pressure—far surpassing even the intimidation of the Death Spider Emperor, who was still trembling within the Death God's Heart.

Realizing he may have overstepped, Ye Hao quickly swallowed his laughter, crouching down to meet the creature at eye level.

"My apologies," he said, forcing a serious expression. "Are you the one who summoned me here?"

"Indeed," the dog replied, lifting its head with a dignified air.

What is this little mutt acting so smug about?

Ye Hao blinked in disbelief. "Okay, then… why? What do you want from me?"

The tiny dog puffed out its chest, scanning Ye Hao with a scrutinizing gaze before giving a small nod.

"Not bad," it said. "You've done well, utilizing the Death God's Heart to subdue a 100,000-year-old Death Spider Emperor. I suppose you plan to make this creature one of your soul rings in the future?"

Death Spider Emperor: "!!!"

Ye Hao raised his hands with a nervous laugh. "No, no, of course not. You misunderstand! That's absolutely not the case."

"It's just that I've made quite a few enemies lately. Having this spider around as a bodyguard is... well, let's say it's for safety reasons. Now, back to you—who are you? And what's the purpose of this meeting?"

The dog smirked and proudly introduced itself:

"I am the Infernal Cerberus, guardian of the Death God. Upon your awakening of the Death God's Heart, I too was roused from slumber. You should consider yourself fortunate—you now stand at the threshold of divinity."

Ye Hao froze. His eyes widened. "Infernal… Cerberus? And you're saying this Death God's Heart gives me the potential to…?"

"Precisely," the Cerberus said, nodding. "It signifies that you have been chosen. If you succeed, you'll ascend beyond the limits of mortal soul masters and become a God."

Realization dawned on Ye Hao, and his lips curled into a faint smile. "So it's just like the Sea God's Heart in Heaven Dou Palace—a divine relic left behind to test candidates for godhood. Interesting."

"Now, is that all? Can I leave now?" Ye Hao asked impatiently, glancing at the darkening sky. He was already worried about missing curfew at the academy.

"Leave?" The Cerberus chuckled darkly. "You're not going anywhere just yet."

Ye Hao narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

"Because I'm here to assign you a task," the Cerberus replied. "A trial, to be precise. The Nine Trials of the Death God."

"Nine trials, huh?" Ye Hao muttered. He had read enough legends to know what this entailed. Each trial would bring him closer to divinity, but it would also come with unimaginable challenges.

"Alright," Ye Hao said quickly. "Just hand me the trial and let's get started. I don't have all day."

The Cerberus raised a paw. "Not so fast. There's a prerequisite."

"What kind of prerequisite?"

The Cerberus gestured behind itself at the crumbling structure looming in the distance. "Before you can begin, you must first refine this Death God Temple. Only then will the trials be accessible to you."

Ye Hao took a few steps back, his gaze sweeping over the ancient, dilapidated building. Time had ravaged the once-magnificent temple, reducing it to ruins. Its sheer size alone made the thought of "refining" it daunting.

"Refine the whole thing?!" Ye Hao exclaimed. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"Simple," the Cerberus explained. "You'll use the Death God's Heart to merge with the temple. Once they're unified, the temple will be restored to its original grandeur, and the trials will commence."

The dog paused, then added ominously, "But there's one more thing…"

"And what's that?" Ye Hao asked warily.

"You're too weak," the Cerberus said bluntly. "At your current Lv 38—you don't stand a chance of completing the trials. You'll need to reach at least Lv 60rank before they can officially begin. Until then, refining the temple will suffice as preparation."

With that, the Cerberus yawned, stretched, and sprawled lazily on the ground. "Now, get to work."

Ye Hao sighed and sat cross-legged on the ground, clutching the Death God's Heart in his hand.

The small purple cube shimmered faintly, as if responding to some invisible call. It floated upward, settling above the temple, where it began to emit a radiant glow.

As Ye Hao activated it, six translucent panels emerged, surrounding the temple entirely. A powerful resonance filled the air, signaling the start of the refinement process.

"How long is this going to take?" Ye Hao asked, suddenly concerned.

The Cerberus cracked one eye open and said nonchalantly, "Oh, anywhere from three months to a year."

Ye Hao froze, his expression twisting into one of utter disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?!"