''Interesting.''
Cui Guoliang's voice sounded as he slowly walked back to his throne.
With his back still turned at Shun Long he said
''Among the 6 of you that are participating in the third trial, you are probably the weakest.
The strongest is that brat with the red armor, along with the little bald monk. The little poison brat as well the beggar kid are next, followed by the monkey man and then you.
Nevertheless, I have to admit that you are only weak because you haven't entered the third stage in body refinement yet. Otherwise, you would probably be as strong as that poison brat.
You can go back and rest. Remember, you are only allowed to come here once per day.''
As he finished speaking, Cui Guoliang waved his sleeve, before he sat back on his throne.
Shun Long then cupped his hands, before he entered inside the golden door, and returned to the jade-white room.
After returning back to the room, Shun Long sat on the red cushion, and took out a few 'Profound earth fruits' from the 'Stone of Time' to replenish the energy of his 'Monarch's Eternal body'.
The wounds that he had suffered weren't just deep, but they were also too many to count. After all, the power of Cui Guoliang's water pythons, was far above that of average early rank 3 magic beasts.
After eating the 'Profound earth fruits', Shun Long noticed that the wounds on his body had started to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye, and half an hour later, there were only a few scars left.
An hour after that, even the scars were completely gone, as Shun Long finally opened his eyes.
After taking a look at the now 'sealed' golden door in front of him, he mumbled to himself
''What does it mean to comprehend a Dao? Cui Guoliang has comprehended the Dao of Water and can summon powerful water pythons, while Fu Peizhi seemed to have comprehended the Dao of Wind and could amplify his daggers flying speed, or even manipulate in the air. Then, what about the Dao of Time and the Dao of Space? Is the Dao of Time just used to freeze my enemies like the 'Monarch's Domain'?''
Just as Shun Long was pondering over the meaning of the Dao of Time, inside the final trial, in front of the throne, Cui Guoliang was leisurely watching a young man in blue robes fighting against his water pythons.
If Shun Long was here, he would probably recognize this man as the arrogant sixth prince of the Snowcloud country.
A crimson battle armor was protecting Yang Gongsun's upper body, as he was fighting against more than 50 water pythons.
The pythons constantly attacked Yang Gongsun, but his red armor seemed to be sturdy enough to receive their attacks without fail.
It seemed that the entrapment of the 50 pythons however, was impossible to escaper. as Yang Gongsun was slowly pushed towards the end of the hall.
The moment that his back touched the wall, an endless barrage of attacks followed from the water pythons, as his crimson battle armor started to dim.
An incense stick of time later, his red armor had completely disappeared, as the blue-robed prince's body was filled with numerous wounds.
The moment that the water pythons disappeared, Yang Gongsun's condition wasn't any better than Shun Long's when he had left the hall.
The blue-robed prince stared at Cui Guoliang with eyes filled with determination, before he finally lost consciousness.
Cui Guoliang laughed after seeing Yang Gongsun falling unconscious, as he then grabbed his body and unceremoniously threw it inside the golden door.
Half an hour passed by, when a golden-robed, bald young man entered inside the throne room.
Anyone in the Desolate east could guess from his sect robes and his shaved head, that this young man was a member of the 'Golden Buddha temple'.
The moment that he saw Cui Guoliang, the young monk bowed his head, as he clasped his hands and said
''Greetings benefactor Cui.
I hope that you can teach this young monk once again today.''
Cui Guoliang laughed as he heard this and said
''Little bald monk, not bad, not bad.
Out of everyone else participating in this trial, you are the only one who pays his respects every time you see me.''
The young monk bowed his head once again, before he took a defensive stance, as he then stared at Cui Guoliang expectantly.
Cui Guoliang smiled lightly, as he raised his left hand and once again created a water python.
The moment that the python appeared, he rushed at the young monk at lightning speed.
The monk's hands however, shone with a golden light, as he sent a palm strike at the python.
The palm strike instantly connected with the python's head, as it tore it in half.
After getting hit by this golden palm, the python immediately collapsed, as it turned into a ball of water that crashed on the floor.
Cui Guoliang was stunned when he saw this, when a big smile covered his face as he said
''Little bald monk, well done. It seems, that your Dao of the Buddha has advanced another step forward.
However... it's far too early for you to celebrate.''
Waving his hand, Cui Guoliang created more than 100 water pythons, who immediately drowned the young monk in their attacks.
This time, the monk had turned on the defensive as he endured the pythons' violent assault, but he barely managed to last for a few minutes, before he was sent flying on the wall of the hall.
Looking at the still smiling Cui Guoliang, the young monk stood up from the ground, and cupping his hands, he said
''Thank you, benefactor Cui. This monk hopes to learn from you again tomorrow.''
After giving another bow, the golden-robed young monk then entered the door and disappeared from the hall.
As the rest of the contestants were fighting in the final trial one after the other, Shun Long had spent the next few days meditating in his room.
Finally 7 days later, he opened his eyes, and looking at his right hand that was glowing with a faint blue light, he couldn't help but mumble to himself
''Is this the Dao of Time?''