Seeing Angel’s "feigned confusion," The Sage Sovereign couldn’t be bothered to say anything more and simply waved his hand: "Forget it, forget it. Whatever secrets you want to hide, I won’t meddle. Anyway, the contract was successfully signed. As long as you adhere to it, nothing else matters."
The Sage Sovereign’s "generous" stance only made Angel more puzzled.
Not just Angel, the others also didn’t understand what The Sage Sovereign meant.
--- Could it be that Angel’s true form is unpresentable? Covered up completely?
What The Sage Sovereign referred to could either be the literal true form or a metaphor for the true nature of one’s personality. The latter they might understand, but the former would indeed be a perplexing statement.
Everyone had seen Angel’s true form. To say it’s unpresentable would be incorrect. As for whether Angel was hiding his true form, they’re not blind. An apprentice might not see through a Shapeshifting Technique, but an Official Wizard could, especially with the Black Earl present, as he could easily identify whether Angel’s appearance was real or fake.
Everyone harbored doubts but couldn’t speak on Angel’s behalf, so they remained silent.
Angel, on the other hand, had countless little bubbles of doubt rising in his mind. He really wanted to ask for clarification, but he worried if The Sage Sovereign’s vision might have something to do with a certain someone.
While Angel was struggling with whether to ask, The Sage Sovereign moved on to the next topic: "The contract is sealed. You can choose to have me fulfill it now, or at any other time."
The part of the contract related to The Sage Sovereign naturally pertained to the rewards and feedback after its formation. By "fulfilling it," The Sage Sovereign meant revealing some matters about past experiments and the truth about the snake-wrapped cone.
Angel thought for a moment and said, "Let’s wait till we’re at The Sage Sovereign’s abode to discuss further."
The Sage Sovereign was just about to respond when he paused for a couple of seconds, then smiled slightly: "Even if you asked me to speak now, it might be too late."
Angel: "Huh?"
The Sage Sovereign turned his head, his gaze precisely piercing through the Luxury Nightmare Realm, toward the direction of the Hanging Jail Stairway.
"Because your first trial has arrived."
The first trial? Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions immediately became serious. This trial was entirely different from the bonus test previously given by The Sage Sovereign.
The earlier test from The Sage Sovereign, though mandatory, did not intend for them to risk their lives.
It was merely an excuse to probe their information under the guise of a test.
But this time, The Sage Sovereign’s mention of a trial undoubtedly represented an interception initiated by "her." If unsuccessful, it would lead to annihilation.
Therefore, they had to treat it seriously.
"I wonder what this so-called trial entails?" the Black Earl inquired.
They had previously deduced that You Nu’s trial was certainly not here but at the crossroads before reaching the Hall of Wisdom. Therefore, this trial must be unrelated to You Nu.
Their hope was for You Nu’s three children to deliver the trial because The Sage Sovereign could control their actions and even make them assist Angel in discerning You Nu’s constraints within the Magical Energy Array.
But if it wasn’t those three, extra caution was necessary for this trial.
The Sage Sovereign didn’t immediately reply but instead closed his eyes as if sensing something.
After about a minute, he opened his eyes and returned to reality. But before The Sage Sovereign could speak, they heard a voice in their ears.
"Noah’s descendants, leave now, and you may be intact. But if you insist on pressing forward, you will understand the meaning of... despair."
The voice was female, delivering a threat with an indifferent tone.
Everyone exchanged glances, finally turning to look at Angel. Since they were in Angel’s Luxury Nightmare Realm, it was challenging to discern the voice’s origin, so they could only rely on Angel.
However, Angel put his right index finger to his lips in a "hush" gesture.
Soon, the female voice resonated again, this time not directed at the "outsider."
"Sage Sovereign, you should know that arrogance is the original sin."
The Sage Sovereign responded with a light smile: "I am neither arrogant nor treacherous. You should see more clearly than I."
"Hmph, abandon your unfounded desire to pry; the Qingkong Poetry Room has nothing you seek."
This time, the Sage Sovereign remained silent.
As the female voice ceased, it gradually faded into... ripples.
Literal ripples.
"Her voice came from the surface of the fountain outside," Angel paused: "Now that the ripples on the water have vanished, she must have left."
"The water surface?" Dox recalled the pitch-black, foul-smelling water in the fountain outside, furrowing his brows: "She doesn’t seem to mind her location in the slightest."
"Even if it’s sewage, the surface can still be called a mirror... Was it her?" the Black Earl said, turning to The Sage Sovereign.
The Sage Sovereign squinted with a smile: "Congratulations, you guessed right. But, no rewards."
"Did she suddenly appear to declare war this time?" Dox asked.
The Sage Sovereign: "You can take it as a declaration of war, or perhaps the prelude to the trial about to commence. However, her appearance this time was more about issuing a warning to me."
"As you heard earlier, she has discovered my connection with you. Fortunately, she hasn’t realized how far our collaboration has progressed."
After saying this, The Sage Sovereign shifted his gaze from Angel, who was directly opposite, to the Black Earl and others.
"Speaking of collaboration, I have now signed a contract with the elusive Angel, tentatively placing us on the same side," The Sage Sovereign continued: "What about you? Shouldn’t you also make an agreement with me under the witness of the True Words Tome?"
Ordinary agreements rely on the honor between gentlemen, with adherence based on conscience. But since The Sage Sovereign mentioned the True Words Tome, the agreement was akin to a contract.
"We can discuss agreements later. Shouldn’t we first talk about the trial?" Dox inquired.
The Sage Sovereign gently wagged his index finger: "Your trial won’t start immediately, even if the first trial is before you. Therefore, there is time. We can talk about the agreement first, then the trial."
The Sage Sovereign was evidently unwilling to discuss anything else without establishing an agreement.