After the short interlude, the three then resumed their walk deeper unto this preternatural garden.
And soon enough, after no more than 10 minutes of easy stroll, the party has finally arrived at their destination.
What greeted everyone's eyes at the center of this formation was an Ancient Tree that probably stood 50 foot tall. Towering over their heads and pretty intimidating at first glance.
It did not take for one to be a cultivator to feel the gushing life energies that surrounded the archaic tree in a grand display of magic and might.
'This is the linchpin of the magical array.' Clark assumed and this time, he had not wasted his words to ascertain the veracity of his conjectures. Not that it mattered right now.
"We are here, Lu Chen." Lu Fang sighed and took a moment to admire this impressive testament for the mystical side of the world. One that was not granted unto this sighing old man.
"So how do we do this, Lu Fang?" Clark was supposed to be here to test if he really arrived at the Mortal Shedding Realm already.
Although he looked younger, faster and stronger but it would never be official if he hasn't passed the trial that every would be cultivator must undergo in the clan.
"You only need to punch that giant tree with all your might. After that, do nothing else."
"A punch, eh? Hmmm... Simple enough." Clark said and did just as he was asked. He walked towards tree and if he was to be critical, it kinda looked like a Ginkgo biloba tree in autumn.
Clark was humbled under its yellowish brilliance. Before long, he appeared to be standing on lemon colored still seas.
Burning a fresh experience in his mind that was uniquely unmistakable against any memory he ever had in the past.
'Here comes nothing.'
"BANG!" a sharp sound broke the otherwise quiet scenery. A few breaths passed and a golden colored leaf glided easily on the oceans of leaves beneath the shades of this olden nameless tree.
A wind blew and another leaf fell off.
Then a third.
And the next.
Within the span of 20 breaths, eight leaves has fallen already. A full minute has gone by until Lu Fang finally gave his verdict.
"AGAIN!" the old man shouted in dismissal of the recent results. Although he may have been guilty in the past but that same guilt has drove him to change his ways for the better.
And ever since that fateful day, Lu Fang has labored blood, sweat, and tears to reach the current status he had within the Lu Family.
At this point in his life, he was most of all, a cruel arbiter if not the worst stickler for truth and justice. This was the spirit of one who had pride in what he did.
"BANG!" Clark complied with the summons and throw another one of his merciless punches.
What was curious about cultivators in Mortal Shedding Realm was that they neither showed no aura of dominance nor did they shine like blinding testaments to the power that was currently within their grasps.
Clark believed that as he rose in the cultivation ranks, the usual cliches of powerups aforementioned above would show themselves in time but for now, he looked as normal as any human can be.
Aside of course, from his strength and speed that has now evolved beyond what he had imagined possible. Another 60 breaths passed and the same result happened again.
"AGAIN!" Lu Fang ordered in a harsher voice as it showed his dissatisfaction once more.
"BANG!" and same as the last two, 8 golden leaves fell before the 3 pairs of eyes under the hulking ancient tree. This time though, Lu Fang lapsed in a curious silence.
Never had he seen a situation like this before.
'Is there something wrong with the Tree of Trials?' the old Hall Master's troubled thoughts rang audibly in his mind.
"What's wrong, Lu Fang? Did i pass the test already?" Clark inquired. Of course he realized what the eight fallen leaves indicated. It marked exactly his cultivation stage in the Mortal Shedding Realm.
He just did not expect that his old acquaintance would rather remain stubborn than accept the facts for what it was.
"I don't know, Lu Chen. Perhaps we should retry this trial tomorrow."
'I think the Tree of Trials is sick or something.' Even as Lu Fang conjured this conclusion up, the healthy lush yellowish tinge of the tree directly rejected such a determination.
In the end, he could only stand there. Puzzled and unsettled in what could have caused such a dilemma.
"SIGH!"
'What a pigheaded old fool!' Clark gave up eventually. It seemed like lying was considerably simpler than telling the truth in front of this old man.
"Let me try one last time, Lu Fang! If it still doesn't work then we'll come again tomorrow." Clark suggested.
"Okay." Lu Fang replied and if truth be told, he did not have high hopes for this fourth try.
'Maybe i need to contact Master Wu Chang to check the tree on the morrow.' Wu Chang was the famed Formation Master that maintained the set of complex arrays within the Lu Family.
"BANG!" a final punch was given and immediately after, one lonely blond leaf slowly drifted unto the immovable arms of the earth.
'Or perhaps not.' Lu Fang smiled after he got the outcome that he wanted.
"Congratulations, Lu Chen! You are now officially a cultivator of the Lu Family. Please train well and make our Ancestors proud!"
* * *
The trek back was filled with celebration and laughter.
Lu Fang introduced some guidelines on what was expected out of Lu Chen but the old man did not delve further because a booklet would be given later to list a more comprehensive precept on cultivators.
20 minutes later, the trio found themselves standing before a classy courtyard still within the borders of the mystical formation.
"You can stay here from now on, Lu Chen."
"I will also send five maidservants later." Lu Fang bade with this words but at half turn, he was stopped by Clark's sudden question.
"Do you know what happened to Xinyue, Lu Fang?" Clark uttered in a barely audible voice but it sounded like a thunderous blast on Lu Fang's ears.
The old man faced Lu Chen again and recalled the origin of his sins. Three breaths passed and Lu Fang has yet to say a word of reply.
There was nothing good to say and so he chose to remain mute because it was useless to do otherwise.
"Did you see her again after that time? Did she ever return?" Clark threw a series of questions, insisting to know something even if it hurt him to dig these rotten skeletons up once more.
"No. That was the last time i saw her also. I'm sorry, Lu Chen." Lu Fang released the deepest breath he ever had in his life before leaving in heavy steps.
"I see." Clark smiled sadly while looking at a desolate man's back.
