Ashes Of Heaven Book 1 : Solar Calamity

"Yo Zhanxian, I got a job for you."

"As long as it doesn't require me to take any risks, I'm listening."

"Ahahaa, about that...ahem, there is a teensy weensy bit of risk, like, just a pinch of danger. But if you can follow my instructions, it won't do you any harm...probably."

"...No. I don't think I'm going to be participating in your next prank, master."

"Aw come on, man! If you manage to do the task, it'll guarantee our safety! I'll be able to create a new project once we return to the sect. If you want, I can compromise a bit and let you customize your new neighbor!

Do you want it to be a pretty lass with shiny, healthy bones? I have the perfect bone measurements! Do you want a younger sibling to play with? Daddy will make one for you!"

"I am beginning to question your sanity, master."

"....Sure, I am a kind master; I allow questions! The answer is NOPE! Your master is as sane as ever!"

"Okay, that just confirms my suspicion."

This was the approximate content of the conversation that took place once Yuen Zhou had disappeared inside the third stage.

It ended with Han Xuhan being rendered speechless.

Aye...why is it so difficult to coax an undead to take risks?

"Little Zhanxian, look at martial sister Yuen Zhou's undeads. See how obedient and likable they are? Can't you be more like them?"

It was a scene that resembled a worried parent scolding his son for not being as good as the neighbor's kids.

How did things come to this? Han Xuhan couldn't help but wonder silently.

If Zhanxian had eyeballs, they'd be rolling in annoyance right now. But he didn't have them, so Han Xuhan was spared further mental conditioning on how to discipline a rebellious son who doesn't understand what's good for him.

After another round of coaxing and promises of rewards, Zhanxian reluctantly agreed. Han Xuhan finally handed him a pouch he had been carrying around since the second stage of the inheritance test. Then he used his empty waterskin as a sheet to write a letter.

"What's written in this letter, boss?" Zhanxian asked curiously.

"My proclamation of eternal, undying love. Before I die, I want it to reach the hands of the ones destined with me."

"Destined with you? No, wait...the ONES?"

"As they say, enemies and lovers are destined to meet. Here you go," he muttered after giving Zhanxian the letter and whispered the plan to his ear holes.

The more Zhanxian listened, the more puzzled he became. He had already understood that his master was bonkers, but this plan made zero sense to him.

Has my summoner finally lost it? How will this affect me? He wondered.

After the explanation was over, Han Xuhan patted him on his bony back in the same way his bodyguards had and walked over toward the platforms, his hands clasped behind his back and his head held high. He felt very cool in that pose.

Honestly speaking, Han Xuhan really didn't have to risk his safety and enter the third stage to receive an inheritance technique. But he was starting to find the language of laws pretty useful...not to mention, incredibly interesting.

His character and natural disposition seemed to be quite compatible with this type of techniques that relied more on creativity.

But what he was more concerned about was the issue that had been bugging him for a while now.

Both Mu Ran and Yuen Zhou were oddities, abnormal to the point where Han Xuhan considered them to be major characters of a typical cultivation saga.

Yet both of them had cautioned him in an uncannily similar way against the Holy Land of Laws...

It raised some suspicions in his heart. He understood that the third stage would probably be the place where all hell would break loose once Mu Ran did what protagonists do.

Nevertheless, Han Xuhan still wanted to see if he could actually manage to get something useful from this place in the meantime. He just had to be more cautious than usual. He had learned a hard lesson back inside the circle of laws.

There is a fine line between taking risks for benefit and courting death from greed...Han Xuhan felt like he was toeing that line, but his fortune was so miserable that ANY small boon would perhaps be his lifesaver. Even a small treasure, or a decently potent inheritance would boost his chances of survival in the future. The risk had to be taken for his own good, for his long-term safety.

Standing in front of the platforms, Han Xuhan considered his options.

"Which one should I choose?"

Due to his indecisive, paranoid nature that had been cultivated through his experiences in the sect, Han Xuhan kept changing his mind halfway through every time he tried to choose a type of technique.

The Elemental, the force, the natural laws, the sentient contracts, the cause and effect...

All of them seemed to have their own merits.

In the end, Han Xuhan chose the sentient contract first, mostly because both Yuen Zhou and Qian Yun had done the same. Maybe they could meet again during the test?

He had managed to recover some of his qi on his way here. So once he gave the mental command, a small stream of qi poured out from his meridians and came into contact with the laws on the platform.

Compared to his predecessors, Han Xuhan's qi was negligible due to his low cultivation base and poorly structured meridians. His control was shaky as well. After a few seconds, he felt a warmth in his body and soon the familiar violet glow appeared, wrapping around him like a blanket.

For a second, he felt the disorientation that came with teleportation. Shaking it off, he looked around and observed where he had materialized in. Unfortunately, it seemed that he was alone in there and wouldn't be able to meet the rest of the team anytime soon.

He was inside a spherical hall, a smaller version of the stadium in the first stage.

There was a large throne in front of him at one end of the hall. A giant figurine made of unknown substances sat on it in a grandiose fashion. Silvery metallic armor, spiked shoulders-guards, fists like warhammers, with a featureless smooth helmet fully covering its head. It was an awe-inspiring statue.

"Hello!" Han Xuhan waved his hand cheerfully at the humanoid figurine.

Unsurprisingly, the figurine spoke.

"...It seems the element of surprise is lost, but anyway, I'm the representative of one of five factions of the Holy Land of laws, the Sentient Contracts. Welcome to your final test. It is a very simple one."

The figurine's gigantic fists opened up and two small spheres flew down from its palm toward Han Xuhan.

"You should have expended all of your qi during your entrance. One of these spheres carries qi for you to absorb and return to your peak state while the other carries a few alphabets belonging to the language of laws.

Replenish yourself and try to create a law fragment that you think bears the closest resemblance to contract style laws."

Han Xuhan caught the two orbs flying toward him and observed them closely for a second.

"But I have no idea about the principles behind sentient contract type law techniques," he said in a puzzled tone.

"That's fine. You just have to think up something to the best of your abilities. It doesn't have to necessarily be accurate. This platform only judges your compatibility with various types of laws, not your knowledge."

The silver giant replied speedily.

Nodding to express that he had understood, Han Xuhan concentrated on the orb containing the alphabets. It was better to check what he was working with before starting.

Surprisingly, all the alphabets looked familiar. Han Xuhan had seen them all in the circle of laws back at the first stage. The alphabets of the language of laws had very narrow usability. A certain alphabet could only be used for a select few types of words. The majority of the alphabets he had learned from the circle of laws were related to entrapment, punishment, restrictions and similar actions.

"Whoa! It looks like I know all of the letters in here!"

Han Xuhan exclaimed in surprise.

"Wait, seriously ?" The metal giant sounded as surprised as Xuhan.

"How can that be?"

For a moment, it looked like it was about to move. But suddenly it stopped halfway and leaned back on its seat.

"What a happy coincidence! It looks like you're fated with the Sentient Contract Faction, little cultivator," it spoke again, this time in a mellow tone.