Ashes Of Heaven Book 1 : Solar Calamity

The eruption of violet light on the metal platform was blinding, and the only reason Han Xuhan didn't momentarily lose his vision was due to the fact that he had been squatting on the ground with his back facing the source of the light, observing the undead squirrel that now belonged to Yuen Zhou's army,

Sensing the change behind him, he immediately jumped up and turned to look at the platform.

The lone figure of Qian Yun stood in front of the platform of Sentient Contracts. Han Xuhan breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't any of the 'allies' they had made on their way here.

"Brother Yun, how did it go?" He asked with a smile.

Qian Yun stared at him silently for a few seconds before nodding slowly.

"It went well. I got the cultivation manual for the Sentient Contract type laws."

Han Xuhan narrowed his eyes behind his mask, but didn't ask further questions. If things were that simple, he had no reason to worry.

But his experience inside the platforms was not exactly pointing to a conclusion so straightforward...

"Why are you standing out there, brother Xuhan? Did you not enter the third stage?" Qian Yun asked in a confused, somewhat accusatory tone.

Han Xuhan laughed nervously.

"Brother Yun, I'm not particularly interested in these law techniques. Don't you remember that our dao foundation was infiltrated using some of those esoteric laws back in the first stage?

I have lost all of my goodwill and interest toward this land of laws since then. I don't want to be a part of such a vicious organization."

"Brother Xuhan, you're not thinking things through clearly. You're already a part of our holy land. There is no risk in attending the tests, that I can guarantee. Just go in and choose whichever technique you want."

Trying his best to persuade Han Xuhan to take part in the test, Qian Yun turned to look at the leaderboard in the air above him.

Han Xuhan's name was very eye-catching among the ranks, written in flashing red letters on the last position.

Han Xuhan winced. He hadn't thought about that one issue in the heat of the moment.

"...Brother Xuhan, it says here that you have already participated in TWO tests and failed in both! Why did you lie just now?"

Han Xuhan sighed and shrugged his shoulders in an unhappy manner.

"Brother Yun, do you have to go that far to pour salt over my wounded heart? How can you not understand something so simple? Stop embarrassing me!"

Han Xuhan reverted back to the whiny persona he had painstakingly cultivated throughout the inheritance test. What he wanted to express indirectly was very simple-

I feel too embarrassed to admit that I have failed twice when my all of peers passed. Please don't bully me uwu...

Qian Yun suspiciously observed him.

Well, there was one way he could be sure of whether Han Xuhan was a threat or not to his plans.

Closing his eyes, Qian Yun focused on the voice in his heart that had guided him through the chaotic state of his mind during the third test.

If everything was going according to his plan, a mental connection should be present among all those who have absorbed the special parts of his soul shards stored inside the automatons that they had faced.

But try as he might, Qian Yun failed to perceive the existence of any connection between him and Xuhan.

This revelation gave Qian Yun all the information he needed. Something was wrong with this weirdo. He might know something!

Qian Yun immediately focused all of his attention on Xuhan, who looked completely oblivious to the fact that he had just been marked as an enemy.

Deciding to get closer to the target before attacking, Qian Yun took a step ahead toward Han Xuhan...

Only to see that Han Xuhan stepped back as well, his gaze still on the leaderboard as if he was just stepping back subconsciously.

Qian Yun took another step forward, and Han Xuhan took another step backward.

A grim look appeared on Qian Yun's face. Immediately he rushed toward Han Xuhan with the explosive speed that came with his cultivation level.

Han Xuhan, who was pretending to observe the leaderboard till now instantly turned around and sprinted as fast as he could.

"Brother Han Xuhan, why are you running from me?" Qian Yun asked playfully. With his speed, he would catch up with Han Xuhan within twenty seconds, at worst. So he wasn't worried about Han Xuhan escaping his clutch.

"I really, really need to pee," Han Xuhan shouted back.

By this time, Qian Yun had already halved the distance between the two of them. He could easily attack without worries. So he took out a stack of papers from his robe and clutched one in his hand, aiming it at Xuhan's back.

There was a distance of about twenty meters between them and he had no reason to miss. But right at this time, Han Xuhan slowed down and came to an abrupt halt.

Qian Yun's pupils shrank for a second before he realized what his target was up to.

In the fog, it was hard to keep track of their surroundings. Han Xuhan had used this to his advantage and led him to a trap.

Just a few feet away from Qian Yun, there was a bunch of shallow scribblings on the soil that would escape the attention of most people. But Qian Yun's current state was rather special. He was instantly able to tell that the random strokes hid a few law fragments.

[ Any organism within the influence of this law fragment shall be struck with a mental demon inducing tribulation ]

[ Any organism within the influence of this law fragment shall lose all immunity to poisons ]

[ All moving qi within the influence of this law fragment shall be rendered immobile ]

He recognized both of these law fragments. They resembled the style and structure of the law fragments they had deciphered in the first stage. Han Xuhan had practically copied some of them and modified a couple of words to fit the circumstances.

How was Qian Yun able to detect them with such proficiency?

Qian Yun couldn't answer that, but for some reason, he felt that it should be a natural part of his ability.

Meanwhile, Han Xuhan had turned around and noticed Qian Yun looking at the scribblings on the ground.

"Brother Qian Yun, please close your eyes, because I'm about to pee." Saying so, he really started tugging off his trousers.

In front of Qian Yun's wide eyes, Han Xuhan turned his back on him and started peeing calmly while standing just a few meters away, on the other side of the law fragments.

"Let it go, let it go

I'll pee like a waterfaaaalll

Let it go, let it go

My filled-up bladder is gone~

Here I stand, in the land of laws

Let me pee oooonnnn ~"

The sound of a stream of water hitting the loose soil reverberated in Qian Yun's ears. Accompanying that sound was the nasal voice of Han Xuhan singing a questionable song.

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

He has really started peeing!

Qian Yun was still clutching the paper in his hand, his gaze on Xuhan's defenseless back that seemed to be tempting him to attack. But he no longer had the guts to turn his intentions into reality.

It would be a useless endeavor to attack Han Xuhan while he was surrounded by these law fragments. His attacks would never reach the target.

While Han Xuhan naturally was nowhere near skilled enough in the language of laws to randomly write such complicated law fragments with powerful effects, the situation right now was quite complicated. Han Xuhan had power sources with him, collected from the second stage. No matter how trashy his comprehension of laws was, he would only need to stimulate the law fragments with the help of the power sources to battle Qian Yun.

It was no different from dumping an entire pond's water to put out a candle. It would work regardless of how tenacious the fire of the candle was. And it didn't require the other party to be skilled in anything. He just needed to throw the water in the direction of the candle.

While Qian Yun was busy trying to look for a way to turn the situation around, Han Xuhan finished peeing and pulled his trousers back up. He had been trying to rile Qian Yun up to attack his defenseless back. Unfortunately, he wasn't successful. But on the bright side, he really had managed to answer nature's call. It was a win-win situation anyway.

"Thanks for waiting, brother Yun. Do you want to pee as well? Why don't you come over? I'll wait for you so that you don't feel lonely."

Qian Yun gritted his teeth, not daring to move an inch. It was rather unfortunate that the law technique he practiced had a low advantage in combat. He did know several other techniques that made up for the disadvantage brought by his main cultivation technique, but he couldn't execute them here, not now...

"Do you think I cannot read the law fragments you prepared on the ground?" Qian Yun growled, hoping to buy some time by prolonging their conversation.

"Oh! There are law fragments on the ground?" Han Xuhan looked down, wide-eyed.

"Goodness! I didn't know that, brother Yun. I could've died if these things were active!"

"Stop with the act. Listen to me. Come out from there and surrender before you force me to adopt severe measures. So long as you haven't caused any trouble inside the platforms, you will not be harmed."

Han Xuhan put his hands up in the air immediately.

"That assures me, really! I was afraid I'd get killed for failing those tests or something worse...Come and arrest me, please! I surrender!"

"...." Qian Yun's frustration was almost about to explode in the form of an all-out attack.

"Then drop the power sources you've been carrying. I'll come over if you deactivate the law fragments."

Han Xuhan gasped. "Do you think I'm going to try to harm you, brother Yun? How did your impression of my character get so low?! You've changed since you entered the third stage of the test. You're not the trustworthy, honest brother Yun I know."

"My impression of your character is what makes me sure of it. You're definitely going to try to harm me."

"No, I won't." Han Xuhan sounded genuinely hurt.

"Yeah, you will."

"No, I won't. " Han Xuhan sat down on the ground, arms crossed.

"...Are you planning to buy time this way? It's of no use." Qian Yun threatened.

"Aren't you doing the same thing? It's of no use either."

Qian Yun felt his heart shudder at being seen through so easily.

Both of them were locked in a hopeless cycle where neither was really willing to communicate with the other. However, a change took place behind them on the distant platform, now vaguely hidden in the fog due to their little chasing game earlier.

A violet light had appeared again!

Qian Yun couldn't help but be delighted. It looked like his reinforcements had arrived. Who was the other person that had completed the exchange with the soul shards?