freenovelworld Chapter 171 The Inescapable Test
Chapter 171 The Inescapable Test
"Senior, do you know my ancestors?" Nangong Jingming felt a strong sense of anticipation, his eyes filled with confusion and desire. This mysterious man seemed to have some understanding of their family, which made him eager to know more.
"Youngsters of the Nangong family, what was the name of your ancestor?" The man stared at Nangong Jingming, as if trying to find the answer from his face.
"My ancestor is Nangong Tianyi." Nangong Jingming said the ancestor's name without hesitation, his tone full of pride and respect. As soon as he mentioned the ancestor, a strong emotion surged in his heart, as if he was telling the family's glory and heritage.
"Tianyi, that little guy, is he still here?" The man's eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, as if recalling the good old days. Nangong Tianyi, whom he called "little guy", seemed to occupy an important place in his memory.
"The ancestor passed away a long time ago!" Nangong Jingming said calmly. His ancestor passed away a hundred years ago. Now, when he heard this mysterious man mention his ancestor, he felt very strange.
"He's passed away! Yes, over a hundred years have passed. He was just an ordinary person, so it's normal for him to be gone." The man's eyes were filled with emotion, and he sighed slightly, as if lamenting the ruthlessness of time. His words revealed a profound understanding of life, making people feel the vicissitudes and helplessness of time.
Nangong Jingming and the others looked at each other, not knowing whether they should interrupt this senior's contemplation.
"The fact that you can come in proves that you are destined to be together. Come with me!" The man looked at them and finally spoke.
After the man finished speaking, he walked forward with steady steps. Nangong Jingming and Su Siyi subconsciously glanced at the direction he left and were surprised to find that it was exactly the direction they were heading this time. The two looked at each other. Although they had doubts in their hearts, they also felt that there was no better choice at this time. Without hesitation, they followed closely.
Nangong Jingming led the way, while the Su brothers stood on either side, carefully protecting Su Siyi like loyal guards. They followed closely behind the mysterious man, the atmosphere tense. After walking for about ten minutes, the man suddenly stopped.
At this moment, what appeared before them was a small bamboo house, with various vegetables planted around it. Rice and wheat swayed gently in the breeze. It was like a peaceful retreat, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
Nangong Jingming stared at the place with wide eyes, somewhat surprised, and asked, "Senior, is this where you live?" The man nodded slightly and replied calmly, "Yes." Then, he turned his gaze to them and asked, "What are you doing here?" Nangong Jingming pondered for a moment and replied, "To complete a mission. As for what the mission is, it is inconvenient to tell you, senior."
The man narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at them thoughtfully for a while, and said, "Oh, what you are here for is not important to me now, but since you are here, you must go in and be tested." His tone was serious and left no room for doubt.
"What test?" Su Siyi frowned slightly and asked in confusion. The man slowly said, "Once you enter that cave, the test will be different for different people." Su Siyi's heart tightened. She had just completed the check-in and didn't want everyone to take any more risks.
So she asked, "Oh, can we choose not to go?" The man's face instantly became serious, his eyes fixed on Su Siyi, and he said, "No, you must go."
Seeing this, Nangong Jingming immediately stepped forward, stood in front of Su Siyi, and said to the man, "Senior, why do you have to let us take part in this test?" His eyes were full of vigilance and confusion.
"Your arrival here proves you're destined to be together." The man looked at them solemnly and said slowly, "Only by bravely entering and undergoing the test can you have a chance to escape this mysterious barrier and leave this island. If you choose to escape the test, you will probably be trapped here forever, with no possibility of leaving. Then you will be my companion."
After hearing this, Nangong Jingming's face was full of disbelief, and he asked hurriedly: "You mean, if we don't take the test, we really can't get out of this place?" His heart was full of worries. After all, they couldn't stay here forever. There were many things outside waiting for them to deal with.
"Yes, you are very powerful to be able to enter the barrier!" The man looked at them firmly and gave an affirmative answer.
Su Siyi, worried about her friends outside the barrier, asked, "Senior, are our friends outside the barrier in danger?" Her eyes were filled with concern, fearing their friends might be in danger. If they couldn't leave for a long time, their friends would surely be worried. Furthermore, she didn't know if the outside world was safe, and the various unknown dangers filled her with unease.
"The area around the barrier is still very safe. Don't worry. Not everyone is capable of approaching it." The man's tone was very confident, as if he knew everything about the island. His words were like a reassurance, making Su Siyi feel much more at ease.
"That's good. I hope they won't be in danger." Su Siyi breathed a sigh of relief, and the worries in her heart were slightly relieved.
"You should worry about yourselves. If you can't get out of the Trial Ground, you'll never be able to leave. You'll be stuck here with me!" The man's face showed a hint of gloating smile, but his words were tinged with seriousness. He was well aware of the difficulties of the Trial Ground and the challenges these young people would face.
"Senior, can't you go out?" Nangong Jingming looked at the man with doubts in his eyes. This island was full of mysteries, and the man in front of him seemed to know many secrets, but his movements were restricted, which made Nangong Jingming very curious.
"I'm the island keeper, I can never go out." The man's eyes revealed determination and persistence, "I will always be the one guarding this place, and this is what I asked for." He wants to leave the last flame for the world and guard this mysterious land.
"Senior, how many years have you been here?" Su Siyi was filled with curiosity about the man's experience. He didn't look very old now, looking about fifty years old, but the tone he used to talk to people from a hundred years ago was that of an elder, which made her even more curious. She stared at the man closely, waiting for his answer.