Chapter 379: The Sudden Appearance of the Choices
When Shi Xiaobai made the remark, Pulp Farmer and company were dumbfounded and found it incomprehensible. One of them asked, “You have been targeted by the assessment program? What does that mean?”
Shi Xiaobai gave a nod in silence.
The condition to clearing the seventh level was supposedly to gain the approval of the assessment program. Logically speaking, defeating the enhanced Leonis and becoming the champion of the Braveheart Martial Arts Tournament was more impressive than the accomplishment Xu Taibai did back in the day. He should have gained the approval of the assessment program.
But after succeeding, Shi Xiaobai did not clear the level. The root cause being that he did not gain the approval of the assessment program!
Although Shi Xiaobai had defeated Leonis using the Pig Slaughtering Knife that was extremely effective against beings of darkness, it was still a part of his strength. Shi Xiaobai had used his strength to win the final battle after all, so there was no reason for the assessment program to not give its approval.
Continuing on along this line of thought, there was only one explanation. The assessment program had deliberately not given him its approval!
This hypothesis sounded ridiculous, but there were early signs.
This was because Shi Xiaobai did not know how he arrived in the seventh level. He was also not informed of the rules of the seventh level by the assessment program. He had met Speechless, and with him filling in the details for him, he got to learn the rules of the seventh level.
Back then, Shi Xiaobai had joked saying that he had been targeted by the assessment program.
But from the looks of it, it was very likely the truth!
The assessment program did not inform him of the rules and did not give him its approval after he defeated Leonis. This was clearly specialized treatment, of him…being targeted!
Shi Xiaobai explained what was on his mind to Pulp Farmer and company.
Finally, he sighed and said helplessly, “Let it be. This King is already used to being targeted!”
Pulp Farmer and company were left dumbfounded, feeling that the matter did not make sense.
At that moment, Liu Yu said, “Actually, This Penniless Priest has always been wondering how Benefactor Shi Xiaobai managed to appear in the seventh level. Who knew that you didn’t even know as well… Benefactor Shi Xiaobai, there has been a matter that the three of us haven’t brought up all this while, but it seems there’s no need to conceal it… In fact, This Penniless Priest was the seventh Braveheart who slew the dragon. Feng Yuanlin is the sixth…and from what we learned, the fifth Braveheart to slay the dragon on the sixth level has the name…Mu Yuesheng.”
When Shi Xiaobai heard this, he was slightly surprised. He never expected Mu Yuesheng to be able to take the fifth dragon for her own despite there being so many excellent rookies. It was apparent that Mu Yuesheng had greatly improved in strength by rising to the tenth level of the Psionic Mortal Realm.
Following that, he understood the meaning behind Liu Yu’s words. Shi Xiaobai said in surprise, “Then wouldn’t This King be the eighth Braveheart?”
The first four Bravehearts were determined by the time Shi Xiaobai arrived in the sixth level. They were Speechless, Mu Lengxi, Sunless and Pulp Farmer. Then, according to Liu Yu’s depiction of the events, the fifth Braveheart was Mu Yuesheng, followed by Feng Yuanlin and Liu Yu. Wouldn’t that make him the eighth?
At that moment, Pulp Farmer spoke up as well, “Actually I have always had a presumptuous question that I wanted to ask you. Shi Xiaobai, why did you kill the first, second, fifth and sixth Level Lords, and how did you do so?”
“Ah?”
Shi Xiaobai was shocked when he heard this and asked in surprise, “When did This King kill the four Level Lords?”
Shi Xiaobai had a deep understanding of the Level Lords’ power. Back in the third level, he had faced the Thousand Eye Demon Sovereign, and back then, he was powerless against it. He could only rely on Mu Yuesheng’s superpower to flee. If not for the Absolute Choice’s prize, the Master Conquest Ball, he might have been eliminated at the third level.
Killed four Level Lords? Shi Xiaobai had no impression of that. Furthermore, he did not seem to have a reason for doing so!
After reveling in a moment of shock, Shi Xiaobai quickly figured it out.
All the mysteries could only be a result after he lost his consciousness when he siphoned Kali of her power of corruption.
And the matter clearly had to do with Kali.
Shi Xiaobai thought for a moment before he stopped delving too much on it.
Since it had something to do with Kali, there was nothing much to think about because Kali would never harm him.
Seeing Pulp Farmer and company giving him questioning looks, Shi Xiaobai said with a laugh, “All of you might have heard of a fake Shi Xiaobai. Anyway, This King has no impression of that matter, nor does he know how he arrived in the seventh level. It probably is related to why the assessment program is targeting This King. But it’s fine. It suits This King’s wishes. It would be too meaningless to clear the seventh level so simply!”
Shi Xiaobai’s eyes shimmered with a light of joy and excitement.
If it were any ordinary person who faced such a situation, they would definitely feel extremely suspicious, eager to understand the truth of the situation. They would also feel annoyed that they did not clear the level despite defeating Leonis, silently cursing the assessment program for being so shameless in its targeting.
But Shi Xiaobai would not do so, and in fact, he was even more excited. Fighting spirit burned more intensely in him!
This was the main reason why Shi Xiaobai was different from others.
At that moment, Shi Xiaobai’s body seemed to exude a halo in Pulp Farmer and company’s eyes. The three looked each other in the eyes and only shook their heads and gave a deprecating smile. They found Shi Xiaobai even more impressing.
Feng Yuanlin asked, “Boss Shi Xiaobai, where do you plan on going next?”
If he was truly targeted by the assessment program, where else could Shi Xiaobai go now? What could he do?
In fact, Shi Xiaobai was unsure himself.
Shi Xiaobai could only ask them, “What about all of you?”
Feng Yuanlin answered, “According to what most trial-takers previously did, if they failed at challenging the tournament, those in good condition would head to the Infernal domain to challenge the Infernal King. After all, surviving a hundred days and what the Hero King accomplished are just too difficult, so we might as well challenge the Infernal King. Therefore, the three of us will likely head to the Infernal domain to challenge the Infernal King. Boss Shi Xiaobai, do you want to join us?”
When Shi Xiaobai heard this, his eyes lit up slightly. Challenging the Infernal King was something that interested him greatly. In fact, if he did not believe that Sunless was in Transcendence, he would have headed to the Infernal realm to kill the Infernal King immediately.
However, Shi Xiaobai hesitated and finally shook his head. He said, “I think it’s best I don’t. If This King is really targeted by the assessment program, killing the Infernal King would be of no use. Furthermore, This King wants to carve his own path and make his own journey. Therefore, This King will not be heading to the Infernal domain.”
Since defeating Leonis was useless against clearing the level, it was unlikely there would be any changes even if he killed the Infernal King.
Although Shi Xiaobai did not know what he should embark on next, he believed that matters would straighten themselves out with time. The seventh level was supposedly created from a real plane of existence, so there was definitely no lack of interesting matters in this world.
So why shouldn’t he take advantage of this rare opportunity to take a look around.
However, he was still curious as to what the so-called Hero King had managed and the reason why his deeds were considered the most legendary.
Just as Shi Xiaobai was about to inquire, the world suddenly fell silent. Time came to a standstill at that moment.
A fiery voice resounded in his mind.
“Make your choice, youth!”
Several lines of black text appeared in that fixed frame.
[ Choice 1: Complete the King’s Mandate (B-level reward) ]
[ Choice 2: End the Age of Bravehearts (B-level reward) ]
[ Choice 3: Leave the Nine Revolutions Transcendental Tower (No reward) ]
“Make your choice, youth!”
…