Chapter 147: The Contemplation Picture
“The temporary owner?” Zen was curious about this title.
Saul laughed, “Yes, this is the rule made by the third host of the fairy palace!”
“Then what can I do as a temporary host? Can I use anything?” Zen asked.
Saul shook his head, “No. You can only take the last test and get a Contemplation Picture.”
“What is a Contemplation Picture?” Zen asked. He was thoroughly confused by now.
Saul was curious. “I don't know what world you live in! As a warrior, you don't know what a Contemplation Picture is?”
Zen had read many books, but he had never heard of the Contemplation Picture. So he shook his head and replied, “I really don't know.”
“Although you are only at a half-step into the nature level, don't the warriors in your world have life vitality? Nobody can have life vitality avatar? I saw that many people fighting in the pavilion had life vitality avatars. A person needs a Contemplation Picture to have a life vitality avatar.” Saul explained to Zen.
This explanation only confused Zen more. “The warriors in the Eastern Region cultivate life vitality avatar based on their cultivation method to meditate. Nobody needs a Contemplation Picture...” Zen responded.
“I see,” Saul nodded. “In my opinion, the strength of the people at the Illuminating Soul Realm is low, but the powerful men at the Illuminating Soul Realm in the Eastern Region are much weaker than those at the same level I have seen. As they don't have a Contemplation Picture, their life vitality avatar is not powerful.”
“Explain to me more clearly. If I want to have a life vitality avatar, I must have that picture, right?” Zen heard Saul repeatedly emphasizing on the significance of the Contemplation Picture. Although he didn't quite understand it yet, in his heart, Zen felt it must be important.
Saul smiled, “The powerful men in the Eastern Region can cultivate life vitality avatar without the Contemplation Picture. The life vitality avatar made from their meditation can't be passed down with a foundation. So their power will be much weaker. If you can turn life energy into life vitality and gain life vitality avatar through the Contemplation Picture, its power will be ten if not a hundred times stronger!”
Zen understood what Saul said.
It appeared that Saul and the host of the fairy palace did not live in this world. There was another way to cultivate in their world, and it was different from that in the Eastern Region. Something called the Contemplation Picture was needed to have life vitality avatar.
“In this case, how do I get... the Contemplation Picture?” Saul's explanation tempted Zen.
Saul laughed, “Didn't I tell you a few minutes ago? After you pass the first and second tests, you will take the third one. Your performance in the last test will decide your reward.”
After saying that, Saul pointed with his hand. Several lights flashed on the wall not far away, and five pictures appeared from nothing.
Zen stared at the five pictures. They were blurry, and he couldn't see them clearly.
“These are your rewards. Each of the five Contemplation Pictures has a different power. The first one, the Heavenly Sword Picture is the worst, and the last one, the Sun Moon Stars Picture is the best. Which one of these you will get depends on how many tasks you complete in the third test. If you can finish the first task, you will get the first Contemplation Picture. If you can complete all tasks, you will get the most powerful Contemplation Picture.” Saul stated.
Zen looked at the five pictures and became a little excited, “I am sure to get the Sun Moon Stars Picture!”
But Saul shook his head, “That is very difficult. I think, with your strength, you can get the second one, the Nine-day Cycle Picture or at best, the third one, Cloud and Flying Birds Picture.”
“I must try.”
After speaking, Zen strode forward and stepped on the third rune.
Although he had passed the first and second tests, the third test was also important.
Anyway, he was determined to get the best Contemplation Picture!
When Zen started to enter the third rune, he saw bubbles appearing from a marsh in front. In the next instant, murlocs, half-human, half-fish creatures, climbed out one after another.
“There are five tasks in the third test. The first one is to challenge elite murlocs. With your strength, this should not be a difficult task for you!” Saul's voice appeared beside Zen's ear.
Zen waited till the ugly murlocs had stepped forward before summoning his broken flying knife. Then, without hesitation, he rushed toward them.
“Kill!”
As Saul had said, these murlocs weren't very powerful. Each of the murlocs was probably a little more powerful than a blade locust officer.
But now, Zen's power had increased several times since his last visit to the south.
The broken flying knife was like a shuttle running back and forth, drawing a thin silver line.
“Poof...”
Every time one tiny line passed over, the broken flying knife would cut a dozen of murlocs.
Although the number of murlocs was overwhelming, the speed with which Zen sliced through them allowed him to kill about three or four thousand murlocs in half an hour.
At last, there were no more bubbles in the marsh. He had killed the first group of elite murlocs.
Zen stood on the bodies of the murlocs with narrowed eyes, waiting for more opponents. When none came, he sat down to rest. In no time, more bubbles appeared in the marsh.
“The second group comprises ferocious beasts that live in the marsh. Their number is smaller than that of the murlocs, but they are more powerful,” Saul explained.
The ferocious beasts had huge bodies, like giant gorillas. With black faces and sharp teeth, their appearance was terrifying!
Zen lifted the broken flying knife and readied himself.
These ferocious beasts had astonishing strength, but they were not as flexible as the murlocs. What was more, Zen had the Phoenix Crystal on his right arm, because of which his speed was significantly increased.
When facing these tall, big ferocious beasts, Zen was like a butterfly. He flew back and forth among them without stopping.
However, as Zen soon found out, compared to the elite murlocs, these ferocious beasts had tenacious vitality. Even though Zen used the broken flying knife to injure them or cut open their bellies, the other parts of these beasts could still move freely. The only way to kill them was to cut off their heads.
It was difficult for others to penetrate the thick fur and skull of the ferocious beast with their weapon, but it was easy for Zen.
Till now, nothing except Yolande's enchantment could stop Zen's broken flying knife.
After an hour, Zen killed the last remaining ferocious beast from the marsh. He sat on a rock and tried to settle his chaotic breathing. Zen had been counting the number of beasts he had killed. There had been 466 beasts in total.
“The broken flying knife in your hand is nice... The second task was also easy, but you have to be careful during the third task. If you can't make it, you can choose to quit. The second Contemplation Picture, the Nine-day Cycle Picture is very good. The second host of the fairy palace mainly cultivated this picture,” Saul reminded Zen.
The second host?
Zen was sure that Saul had not mentioned that the fairy palace had more than one host till now.
If Zen was aiming for a reward, he was surely going to get the best one. In his life, Zen had never thought of the two words, give up.
After a short break, Zen felt the ground tremble. He knew that the third task was about to begin.
“Crack!”
As the ground trembled violently, a ferocious breath came from the marsh. Having never heard such a sound before, Zen presumed it was from some nameless ancient monster.
In no time, a snake rose from the marsh.
“Snakes?”
Zen saw dozens of snakeheads emerge from the marsh. The heads looked up and swirled around the swamp. Only after the snakes had left the marsh, Zen found that the snakeheads were the heads of dire beasts. Under the snakehead, was a huge body.
“This is a kind of ancient beast - the nine-headed snake. The adult snake is powerful and strong, and you can never be its opponent. These are just infant nine-headed snakes. It should be noted that they have rank poison, and each head has a different poison. If you can't defeat them, I will let you leave the phantom!” Saul said worriedly. The environment set by the celestial being was dangerous. If Zen died in the phantom, his soul would be destroyed, which was something that Saul was unwilling to see.
Hearing the words rank poison, Zen showed a faint smile.
If another way of attacking was used, Zen would probably be frightened. But Zen had the body of a spiritual weapon, and he was not afraid of any poison.
“Can the snake poison harm me?”
There were a dozen of infant nine-headed snakes, and each of them was 100 feet tall. The snakeheads were strange with different colors, such as yellow, brown, and red. Some snakeheads were colorful and bright.
The snake with the brighter color had a stronger poison.
“Crack!”
The nine-headed snake in the front attacked Zen first.
Its nine heads sprayed saliva at Zen at the same time. He avoided the saliva. When the saliva touched the flowers and grass on the ground, a squeaking sound reverberated through the phantom. All the plants died, and even the ground turned black.
Zen was surprised by the potency of the poison of the nine-headed snakes. If an ordinary person touched a little, they would probably die immediately. Even nature creatures would avoid it when battling a nine-headed snake. They would lose their life if they were not careful.
But Zen was reckless. After he skirted around the poisonous saliva, he hovered on the ground before heading behind the nine-headed snake. He released the broken flying knife in his hand. It shot toward the body of the snake, like lightning.
“Whoosh...”
The nine heads of the snake were flexible. As soon as Zen positioned himself behind the creature, the snakeheads turned and sprayed poisonous saliva at Zen.
Zen couldn't avoid the poisonous saliva despite changing direction several times around the nine-headed snake. He summoned all his strength under his feet and bent his body in an arc. He didn't dodge the poisonous saliva. Instead, he rushed up under it.
“You... want to die?” Saul asked in surprise. He apparently didn't understand why Zen acted in this way.
“Buzz...”
The poisonous saliva was sprayed on Zen's body and corroded his skin. However, Zen stayed calm and rushed to the snakeheads in one breath.