Chapter 77: Old Zi's Test

"How can you prove your worth if you just proclaimed yourself as an unworthy one?" Arion scoffed.

"Precisely because I want to make myself worthy of being his disciple through his test," Shun smirked.

Arion shook his head and hoped that Old Zi gave him something hard.

"Okay. But you have the choice whether to take this test or not since it is quite a dangerous one," Old Zi said in a serious tone. 

Shun said in an earnest tone, "Of course. I am ready to face anything as long as I can be your disciple."

Old Zi nodded with an appreciative smile, "Good." He then asked, "What is your Defity?"

"Prana Binding Stage, 10th Cycle."

Old Zi's expression became thoughtful as he said, "Alright, as you already saw, these hills are occasionally frequented by Baneteeths. So I want you to kill only one by night and bring its corpse to me. And you would have to do this alone without anyone's help. Now, are you sure you want to take this test? Killing a lone Baneteeth wouldn't be impossible with your Defity. But they always stay together in packs. And seeking them out is usually a death sentence for someone who doesn't know what they are doing."

Arion took in a deep breath, not expecting Old Zi to give Shun quite a difficult test after all. He thought that Old Zi might go easy on Shun since he seems like a newbie.

But now, he felt that Old Zi's standards for a disciple were indeed quite high, and he considered himself lucky that he got in without any extra efforts, although he did get to become his disciple because of his noble deed.

If he was asked to kill a Baneteeth all alone, he had no idea how he would be able to accomplish it.

He himself knew that he was able to kill a Baneteeth only because of the perfect conditions and protection he had.

But if he was to face a pack of them all alone, he would run since even if he killed one of them, he would have already died by that time.

So he couldn't help but smile inwardly, seeing how Shun got himself into a suicidal test.

Shun's expression tightened as flickers of hesitation flashed in his eyes. But he then took in a deep breath and said with resolute eyes, "Okay. I will accomplish it somehow."

'Whoa. He accepted it for real. How the heck does he plan to kill one?' Arion thought that Shun might come up with some excuses to wiggle out of the test. But it seemed like he was serious about becoming Old Zi's disciple.

"Shun, are you sure you want to do it? Baneteeth's move in packs, and without the necessary skills or powers, it is hard to take them all on at once," Mei said in a cautionary tone.

She didn't know if Shun knew how to fight Dreadlings. But even if he did, going against a horde was another thing unless one had superior Defity to effortlessly kill them all.

She felt that Shun and Arion might become friends later on and maybe even support each other in the fight against the Dreadlings. She knew how important it is to have someone who could have one's back in the field.

So she warned Shun so that he would think this through since there was a good chance he could lose his life in vain.

She knew that the reason Old Zi kept such a difficult test was that passing this test would mean that Shun had enough potential to survive longer in the fight against Dreadlings. And if he failed, it would mean that he was not cut out to fight against them and might even die in the Ironheart test.

This was how stringent the standards and requirements were for experts to pick out their disciples since they wouldn't want to waste their resources and time on someone who will die too easily.

But at the same time, once they pick their disciples, they would give it their all to train them and make sure they even outshine their masters.

"Of course. If I fail this test, then it means I would probably fail the Ironheart test too. So I want to find out if I am cut out for this," Shun replied while Arion knitted his brows, wondering why he seems so confident.

"Hmm. Then your test starts now. It's noon now, and you have time till dusk. Well, since it is your first time doing such a test, you can also return by night. But let me tell you, it would be better if you reach the top of the hills before the skies get too dark since Dreadlings know that people are more vulnerable during the night, and they love to come out at that time," Old Zi warned.

"No problemo. I will definitely come back with a Baneteeth's corpse before today ends," Shun said as he patted his chest.

"There is no hurry. You can even come tomorrow, or it is better you don't come at all. I am sure you can enjoy some company with a horde of Baneteeths," Arion said with a smirk.

"But remember...in case you find it impossible or too dangerous, you always have the choice to return back. This is not the Ironheart test where it's either pass or fail. Here you have the option to drop it in the middle of it. I won't think much of it, and it only means that you aren't ready yet. That's all."

Shun nodded with a serious expression.

"Well, then we four will go ahead, and you can go do whatever you want to pass the test. I wish you all the best and hope you succeed," Old Zi said as he gestured to the others to follow him.

Arion smiled and came forward to Shun, "Just saying in advance. No one's gonna miss you."

"We will see about that," Shun smirked.

Arion squinted his eyes, feeling that this guy was surely up to something.

After an hour, the four finally reached the peak of the hills, and Arion saw two small settlements in the place and a small fence around it though he didn't feel like the fence would be much useful to defend against the Dreadlings.

But then again, he was curious about the pranic item Old Zi uses to ward off Dreadlings.

"I hope the humble accommodation I have prepared for you all isn't a disappointment," Old Zi said as he pointed to the second cottage just a few meters away from his house.

"Oh, not at all. We don't have such high expectations, haha," Yaro said with a laugh.

"Yes. Thank you, Old Zi, for arranging everything. We couldn't ask for more," Mei happily said, seeing that the cottage looked quite nice, and even if it was small, she felt that they could adjust.

Old Zi slightly smiled as he said, "Actually, I prepared everything thinking that only you and Arion would be coming here. I never expected two more friends to join."

Yaro awkwardly smiled as she said, "Well, I thought I would miss these two very much, and they would also miss my food, right, you two?"

Mei and Arion nodded with smiles while Old Zi slightly smiled and said, "Right. I guess we are all lucky to have you here, Yaro. Well then, you should all make yourselves comfortable, and we will start training by tomorrow. As for Shun, we will find out by tonight."

Old Zi sighed as he looked at the skies wondering whether Shun was going to turn up alive or dead.

Arion, Mei, and Yaro went inside their temporary house, and just as he expected, the whole house was a bit smaller than even his and Mei's house.

But there were two rooms and one smaller room which seemed like a spare room for keeping some stuff.

'I guess Shun has his own room to sleep...if he returns…' Arion inwardly smiled, seeing the small room.

"So I guess you two will be taking a room together, right? Or Arion, do you want to stay with me in my room and give Mei her own room?" Yaro asked with a playful smile.

"Oh, there's no need for that. I am comfortable with him in my room. We don't want to trouble you," Mei said with a smile.

"Of course, of course. I am really jealous of how close your brother and sister pair are. Haa...blood is indeed the thickest," Yaro said with an exaggerated sigh as she sauntered into her room.

Mei and Arion wryly smiled as they exchanged glances before going into their room.

The skies became dark soon, and Shun still hadn't returned yet. Arion was still up and was quite curious if Shun was dead or alive and if he was still alive, what was he still up to.

Even though he felt that someone with Shun's Defity would certainly fail Old Zi's test, he had a feeling that Shun was too sly to fail and might have some tricks up his sleeves.

He went outside his house to enjoy the night sky. But right as he came out, his brows raised as he saw a surprising sight.