Ji Yuan and his party had immediately followed Gong Xiaotian lead into the portal.
Much to Ji Yuan amusement, Yun Chi had followed side by side with him as well.
The reason why he was amused was that Yun Chi was surrounded by the animosities of the six maidens in his party as well but she seemed unbothered by it.
He was actually frowning; how did she manage to put on her pleasant smiles even under this situation?
But he had no time to think over it; he had already entered into the portal which showed an image of an island within it.
As soon as he had stepped into the shimmering red portal, a beam of light was guiding him to the island and he found himself flying toward it.
He was praying; this light has better not break halfway. I don't want to drop into the waters below because I can't swim at all…
At the same time he was astonished by the endless body of water below; this is an ocean?
He had never seen an ocean before in his life.
He was not the only light that was flying toward the island. There were hundreds of lights flying at the same time.
Within the light that were flashing all around him, he could see Ling Feiyue, Little Princess, Shui Xisi, Bai Qianfeng, Feng Minyue, Yu Jingjing, Yun Chi, Gong Xiaotian as well as all the other cultivators that had gathered in the hallway.
Suddenly a voice echoed in the spatial space around them;
"This is the Greed Island, your next trial location…"
"There will be five factions this time; Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and White…"
"You will be assigned to the Green Faction this time…"
Ji Yuan suddenly saw that a green armlet had appeared around his wrist and there was a number on it.
404.
He was frowning all of a sudden; Die and die?
"Your objective is to obtain a piece of the Fallen God Relic from the Greed Island. In the Red Mansion, you've to complete the trials three times in order to complete the Fallen God Relic. Once you've completely collected the Fallen God Relic, you will be able to leave the Red Mansion…"
"You are allowed to use the Escape Talisman to exit the Greed Island but you will not be allowed to re-enter the trial here…"
"The portal here will be closing soon…"
"The Fallen God Relic is located in the middle of the Island…"
"The faction that can obtain it first will be the victor of this trial…"
"Good luck to your trial…"
Ji Yuan looked a little startled when he had heard the trial spirit announcement.
So the Fallen God Relic here is actually a fragment and we have to collect it three times in order to complete the full Fallen God Relic?
And we have five factions here?
That means that we have four other competing factions?
All of a sudden he had realized why when the trial portal had first opened, the cultivators were informing all the others; it was because they needed all the extra manpower in their faction.
He quickly analyzed that the factions are imbalance in the first place and the faction with the most number of strong cultivators would likely to emerge as the ultimate victor.
He was suddenly frowning when he had realized another thing; the factions' colors are not permanent. In the Red Mansion, depending on where the cultivators are at the point of the trial opening, they will then be assigned a random faction color.
That means that today friends will be tomorrow's enemies.
Hundreds of light landed on the shores of the Greed Island at the same time and Ji Yuan landed softly on the sandy beach.
Ling Feiyue, Little Princess, Bai Qianfeng, Shui Xisi, Feng Minyue and Yu Jingjing had all landed at the same time as well.
And Yun Chi as well.
There was another maiden that had landed next to Ji Yuan and she was so startled when she saw Ji Yuan that she returned a soft gasp before fleeing away quickly.
She is the Silver Holy Maiden Qin Shuang.
Ji Yuan smiled weakly; I can't eat you up. Why are you so scare of me…
All the maidens saw what had happened and Ling Feiyue was the first to ask, "Do you know her? Who is she? You seem to have many friends everywhere you go."
Ji Yuan replied weakly, "I am well-traveled."
Ling Feiyue: …
"Haha…"
The rest of the maidens in his party who had overheard him: …
Ji Yuan quickly regrouped with the maidens in his party but he was soon frowning when Yun Chi had also approached him.
"Why? You do not seem to welcome me?" Yun Chi smiled.
Ling Feiyue giggled softly, "Actually all of us do not welcome you."
Yun Chi chuckled softly, "I do not mind at all."
Ji Yuan frowned, "Actually, I do not welcome you as well."
Yun Chi displayed more chuckles, "I do not mind either."
Ji Yuan: …
All the maidens: …
Gong Xiaotian raised his internal profound strength to echo vibrantly to everyone, "Listen up, everyone! Some of you may be taking part in this trial for the very first time and there are some hidden rules about the trial that you ought to know first."
Everyone: ???
Gong Xiaotian explained, "All of you may have already noticed that we have an armlet on us as well as a number, am I right?"
Many of the cultivators begin to nod lightly.
Gong Xiaotian continued, "Now our numbers are very important. My number here is 101."
Some of the cultivators that had not been checking their numbers were now looking at the number on their armlet now;
Ling Feiyue: 77
Little Princess: 3
Bai Qianfeng: 200
Shui Xisi: 106
Feng Minyue: 12
Yu Jingjing: 5
Yun Chi: 1
Many of the cultivators were now muttering among themselves or checking the numbers on one another.
Gong Xiaotian echoed again. "The number 404 is the most important number. Only the number 404 can retrieve the Fallen God Relic from the stone page. It is because it symbolizes the great spiritual journey which will end in spiritual enlightenment for the cultivator."
Ji Yuan rolled his eyes and saw that the maidens were all staring at the number on his armlet which had the number 404 on it.
He was very sure that 404 means 'die and die.'
Gong Xiaotian turned extremely solemn, "If our number 404 cultivator dies, we still have a chance to obtain the Fallen God Relic by adding our numbers to 404. However that will be our last resort."
"Now may I know who has the number 404 here?" Gong Xiaotian turned to the three hundred cultivators that were presented.
Ji Yuan replied weakly, "I've the number 404 here."
Gong Xiaotian turned to look solemnly at Ji Yuan, "Then we have to protect you all the way until we are able to reach the stone page that is in the middle of the Greed Island."
Ji Yuan muttered weakly, "I'm not a maiden. Do I need any protection?"
Yun Chi turned in his direction to smile pleasantly, "I'll try my very best to protect you."
Ji Yuan: …
He muttered back almost incoherently, "I may be jinxed by the fourth wall so be careful that the page cannot be found…"