CHAPTER 2030: CHAPTER 2029: CHOICE

"In this Age of Dharma End, to become a Heavenly Realm person, besides needing unwavering perseverance, one also needs an indomitable soul against the heavens and earth!"

"Your indomitable soul is incredibly strong. Even now, it far surpasses some Heavenly Realm martial artists!"

The soul remnant of Hidden Dragon Superior looked at Lin Dong, eyes showing approval.

If they were born in the same era, even he wouldn’t dare claim to suppress Lin Dong.

However, as the two are not of the same era, they are destined never to face off; instead, Hidden Dragon Superior grew fond of him and even hoped Lin Dong could receive his lifelong inheritance.

"Whether it’s the Martial Way, the national art, the Dragon Country’s spirit, or its culture, they all need an inheritance."

"I hope you can break through this final stage and pass this formation smoothly," Hidden Dragon Superior’s soul remnant continued.

Lin Dong nodded his head, noticing that his wounds rapidly healed.

His both legs, broken by him earlier, reattached themselves instantly.

In a brief moment, Lin Dong restored to his peak state.

"Senior, did I pass that second stage just now?" Lin Dong asked.

According to Hidden Dragon Superior’s prior rules, Lin Dong must endure under the joint attack of four Heavenly Realm martial artists’ hypothetical enemies for one hour without dying.

But evidently, he didn’t manage it; under their combined assault, he couldn’t survive.

Hidden Dragon Superior laughably said, "In fact, the test was of your indomitable soul."

"As for whether you can survive an hour under the attack of four Heavenly Realm hypothetical enemies, it’s not important."

"I see," Lin Dong understood.

"Alright, next, I’ll conduct the third stage test on you,"

"If you can pass this final test, it means you can walk out from this Nether Array Palace."

"Beyond that, you will have the opportunity to encounter my Golden Body."

"If you have the fate to meet, perform three bows before my Golden Body to receive my lifelong inheritance."

After saying these words, Hidden Dragon Superior’s soul remnant again flicked his sleeve.

Then, the world of formations underwent a dramatic change again.

The whole formation world transformed into another two appearances.

"The third test is simple; for you, just make a choice!"

"If you choose correctly, it indicates you passed the test. If you choose wrongly, it signifies your test failed."

"Correctly, you can pass the Nether Array Palace and receive my lifelong inheritance."

"Wrongly, all of you, including yourself, may retreat. The path ahead is no longer accessible."

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong curiously asked, "Senior, what choice do you want me to make?"

Hidden Dragon Superior’s soul remnant didn’t answer Lin Dong immediately but pointed to the left in the void.

Next, he pointed to the direction where a scene of human hell appeared. It was a tragic scene, as if demons were destroying the world.

A monster was committing carnage among the crowd, with countless people plunged into crisis.

Then, Hidden Dragon Superior pointed to the right, and Lin Dong saw a woman he cared about over there.

Sister Bai Jue was tied by a rope, below was a cauldron. At the rope, a candle was burning the string.

Once the candle’s flame burns through the rope, Sister Bai Jue would fall into the cauldron.

When these two scenes appeared, Hidden Dragon Superior spoke:

"The choice is simple: my left side is a scene of human hell. There are ten thousand beings suffering from the carnage of a demon. If you kill that demon, you can save these hundreds of thousands."

"My right side is your beloved. If you save her, you can also rescue her."

"But you can’t have both. If you choose to go left to save those ten thousand beings, then your beloved will fall into the cauldron and suffer death by burning."

"And if you save your beloved, you won’t have time to rescue those thousands on the right; they will be ruthlessly killed by the demon."

"Now, you have only one minute to consider which side to save."

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong didn’t hesitate and promptly rushed toward Sister Bai Jue.

At that moment, he didn’t consider inheritance.

Faced with such a situation, the first thing he thought of was saving his beloved.

Of course, he wanted to save those hundreds of thousands and kill that demon. But if he had to choose only one, he would still save his beloved.

Seeing Lin Dong rushing towards his beloved, Hidden Dragon Superior’s soul remnant showed a complex expression.

"He actually went over there..." Hidden Dragon Superior murmured, eyes flickering with memories of the past, as if the sight before him triggered his recollections.

"Back then, though, I chose to betray my heart and be the savior,"

"I saved millions upon millions, yet alone, I failed her."

A bitter smile appeared on his face, and looking at Lin Dong again, he said:

"A reminder, are you sure you want to save her?"

"This isn’t real, but if you choose to save those hundreds of thousands, you might pass this formation’s test and have the chance to receive my lifelong inheritance."

Lin Dong had already reached Sister Bai Jue, extinguished the candle, and freed "her" from the rope.

Then he looked at Hidden Dragon Superior and said, "Senior, I’ve made my choice."

"I know, you are probably testing my character, whether I’m selfless. Testing whether I can become a savior of the world."

Speaking of this, Lin Dong showed a bitter smile, paused, and then continued:

"If my beloved wasn’t in danger, I would naturally want to save them. But if I must sacrifice my beloved to save them, then I’m sorry, I cannot!"

"Between all beings and her, I choose her!"

Although regrettable, Lin Dong doesn’t regret it.

Even without Hidden Dragon Superior’s inheritance, it’s simply lack of fate.

Besides, he’s already received many inheritances.

Including the Wordless Sword Art, Change the Aspect of Heaven Technique, and Demon Shadow, all are exceptionally powerful cultivation methods, with which he’s already very content.

After speaking these words, Lin Dong knew he had failed the test, thus he spoke again:

"Senior, I’ve failed the test, could you please send me out of the formation?"

"I shall stop here and leave."

Upon hearing this, Hidden Dragon Superior’s soul remnant suddenly shook his head and, smilingly said:

"Who says you have failed the test?"

Whoa!!!

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong, who had given up hope, suddenly brightened his eyes.

Subsequently, he asked involuntarily:

"Senior, what do you mean?"

"It means, you’ve passed the test!"

"This test, it wasn’t about testing your selflessness or the virtue of your heart for all beings. Instead, it tested your true heart!"

"Above the Heavenly Realm, the true heart cannot be missing!"

"I lacked a heart like yours back then, that’s why I stopped short of the Heavenly Realm, never ascending..."

"Of course, my life’s biggest regret isn’t failing to break through the realm above the Heavenly Realm, but watching her fall before me..."

Speaking of this, Hidden Dragon Superior seemed to recall something, eyes filled with reminiscence.

But realizing he had digressed, he quickly shook his head.

Then said: "Lin Dong, follow your true heart."

"I hope you, if you receive my inheritance, will carry my will to reach the realm above the Heavenly Realm."

"Surpass those Nine Heavens, truly ascend!"

After these words, his soul remnant slowly disappeared.

Marking Lin Dong’s smooth passage through the Nether Array Palace test...