-Let me congratulate you all upon accomplishing the final trial.
The ghost-like man said before anyone could even utter a word.
-What do you mean?
Ling Li asked once she got over the surprise.
-I doubt you'll get an answer; this thing is most likely a recording of some kind.
Paul stated.
-On the contrary, young man.
This is not a recording but a communication crystal.
The avatar chuckled at Paul's surprised expression.
Then the man's expression turned serious.
-My name is Nie Hai, and I hold the position of Great Elder of the Profound Scroll Sect.
My sect is located in the god realm, and I was the one who was tasked with creating the challenges that you faced.
As for the princess's question, the answer is simple.
The last challenge was devised to test whether the participants would chase after the treasures at all costs or if they would give up to prioritize the survival of themselves and their teammates.
-So it truly was a greed trap.
Paul commented.
-Yes, it was, and the wrong choice would have ended with all of you dead.
The elder nodded.
- However, since you stopped, you have succeeded in this test, and the true reward is yours to claim.
The avatar said and snapped its fingers.
At that moment, a hidden compartment in the blue crystals opened, revealing a blue jade slip in each one of them.
-This is your reward.
These slips are invitations to join the Profound Scroll Sect as its disciples.
Whether you choose to do so or not is entirely up to you.
However, if you choose to join, then there is a trial awaiting you, and this trial is reaching the sect through your own efforts.
There is no time limit, and these slips will be valid as long as they are in one piece.
But let me warn you that they can also bring you a lot of trouble, since these are not named slips, and anyone who comes to the sect carrying one of them will be able to join the sect.
I don't need to explain how tempting such an opportunity is, do I?
-Then, what should I do with it if I don't wish to join the sect?
Paul asked, surprising the elder and the ladies.
-Keep it.
Nie Hai answered after a moment of silence.
-You might change your mind in the future, or you might find someone you deem worthy of taking your place.
Lastly, you can also sell it for an enormous profit.
In the end, it won't hurt the sect in the slightest, since becoming a disciple doesn't mean you will remain one.
Our disciples need to constantly prove that they are worthy of keeping their position, so if someone unworthy arrives with the slip, they will be kicked out within half a year.
The elder explained.
-In that case, I will hold on to it.
Paul said, storing the slip into his spatial ring.
Even though he himself had no desire to join this sect, one of his ladies might like to do so in the future.
-Elder, could you explain to us why the trial clues are written in Polish?
He asked.
-Naturally.
The clues were written by a man who was summoned from your world.
I don't know why exactly the sect master summoned this individual, since many in the sect could easily design this trial as well.
However, the heavens might have something to do with it, as our sect master can communicate with them and often receives various tasks from them.
-Then can you explain to us how all the people in the first trial room died?
Cai Xuan asked.
-The time flows much differently in the trial space than in the rest of the ruins.
One day outside is equivalent to a hundred thousand years inside.
Nie Hai explained.
-You want to tell us that after all the time we spent in here, not even a second has passed outside?
Yan asked, in disbelief.
-This is indeed the case, young lady.
The elder confirmed.
-It looks like my time is up, and since you have received your rewards and I answered most of your questions, it is time for me to bid you farewell.
Step on the Blue crystals, and you will be transported back to the Misty ruins.
I'm looking forward to seeing you all in God's realm, preferably as the disciples of my sect.
The elder smiled, and his avatar disappeared.
-That was surprising.
Cai Mei stated a moment later.
-It truly was, and the elder was right; these slips are extremely precious, so it'll be better for us to refrain from revealing their existence to anyone else.
Paul stated the obvious.
It was no secret that most cultivators would kill for a chance to be accepted by a sect in the higher realm, much less the highest realm.
The ladies all nodded in agreement.
-Now, since we are done here, let's get out of here.
Ling Li said, storing her slip away and getting onto a blue crystal.
The moment she did so, she vanished, and the crystal dimmed, like it lost all its power.
The rest of the group quickly followed her, each choosing a crystal for themselves and vanishing one by one.
When they all arrived, they were surprised to discover that they were exactly in the place they had fallen into the trial space from.
The only difference was that there was a gigantic stone slab placed over the fall pit they had fallen into previously.
-Let's get some distance from this place and pitch camp.
Paul suggested, and the ladies immediately agreed, since they were all tired, and considering how much he had to heal all of them during the trials, they all suspected that he was running low on mana and was even more exhausted than all of them combined.
Luckily, they didn't encounter any beasts, traps, or other surprises, as they distanced themselves from the pitfall.
Their group pitched camp only two kilometers further, and the moment they did, Paul went straight to sleep, while the ladies discussed everything they experienced in the trial space, and the princess wrote a report about the whole thing, while it was all freshly in her memories.