"So what are we going to do now?" Iris asked as the group stepped onto the main road and ventured deeper into the ancient city.
"I'm not sure yet," John replied, processing the information that had been given to him by Ainsel. The information contained many useful things, like what trials existed where, and what was required to pass it. While it did not include everything one would encounter in the realm, it was very useful information to confidently navigate one's way forward.
However, the information provided also had one thing that was slightly troublesome.
"According to the information we received, the only way forward past the cliffs behind this city are the tunnels," Iris said to the group, "tunnels which are separated by the four Jade Mark types."
"Let's go in here," John said to the group as he spotted a tavern on the side of the road that was currently occupied by some sect serving others meals and drinks. The group entered and ordered some food and drinks, before they started to discuss the next steps in their journey.
"You know, I found it quite odd that some of the other sects established taverns, the trade halls, pill halls and other places like this, but now it makes sense," Adam said before taking a bite of his food.
"Based on the information we received, the only way through this city to the other side of the cliffs are through tunnels, which have certain Jade Mark score requirements to enter," Chase chimed up. "This city has many trials for one to receive Jade Marks, but the trials are time locked, with one only being able to take the trial once a day. It's natural that the weaker disciples who could not amass the required points right away would take shelter in this city while they slowly work their way to the required points."
"True, or in the case of the Heaven Scrying Sect, set up a base to sell their maps and list and make a lot of money," Iris chimed up, her voice tinged with slight displeasure as she thought abc to Ainsel's actions.
"Regardless of the reasons, this city has become the main hub of the Jade Dragon Empire trial lands right now, but that does not really concern us in the end," John spoke up after downing a piece of meat from his dish.
"True," Iris replied, "the score requirement to pass through the tunnels is fifty points, which all four of us have. We don't need to concern ourselves with staying in this city for long."
Thanks to his feats in the martial arena as well as his score when walking through the arch, John had one hundred and forty two points. Iris also had over a hundred points thanks to John, while both Adam and Chase just barely managed to scrape by with fifty points and fifty two points respectively. Both were absolute masters of their crafts, and had received perfect points in the trials they had taken.
The city was meant to be a checkpoint for filtering the worthy from the weak, which none of the four were when it came to their main professions.
John fell silent as he thought over the matter, while the other three noticed his silence, as well as his expression of concentration. Clearly he was thinking for a solution to the main issue regarding the next steps.
"John, you don't have to worry about us," Adam said, his voice stirring John from his thoughts.
"That's right," Iris replied. "You've already done more than enough for us. You can't hinder your own progress just to ensure our safety."
John's gaze shifted from Adam to Iris, and then eventually to Chase, who nodded his head in agreement with the others' words. A deep sigh escaped his mouth, as he could tell his friends had already seen through his thoughts.
"That's easy to say, but it's not that simple," John replied, not fully convinced. "The tunnels leading to the other side of this cliff are separated by the four Jade Mark types, meaning that we'll have to split up. You and Chase might be fine, but…"
"You're worried about me?" Adam said.
After a moment of silence, John nodded his head. Normally he would just let his friends roam about and fend for themselves in lands like these, but this time it was different for one of them. Adam had the Starforge Clan targeting him, and he was weaker than all of them.
"The Starforge Clan is still targeting you, and they'll no doubt go through the Formations Expert tunnel. You'll be as good as dead if even one of them finds you," John replied.
He wanted to have Kirii guard Adam, but knew that wouldn't work. The tunnel's supposedly had a formation that one could only pass through if they had the appropriate Jade Mark scores. Kirii could only enter this realm thanks to being in John's soul space when he entered, and would only be able to proceed through further checkpoints like this in the same manner.
'If only I had the mask from back in the Bloodfiend Sect. Too bad that bastard Allfiend ripped it off my face and destroyed it,' John cursed internally.
"It's fine," Adam said, his face full of confidence. John raised an eyebrow in confusion at Adam's words, as he knew Adam was a cowardly man who avoided fights he could not win.
"How is it fine?" John asked curiously, as he also knew Adam was not stupid, and would not throw his life away.
"You don't think a genius such as myself would just sit about this entire time and not work on a solution to the Starforge problem?" Adam asked, his normal prideful mannerisms showing.
John's questioning gaze continued to linger on Adam, who answered his gaze with an action. Three small and very thin formation disks suddenly appeared in his hands, each carved with hundreds of intricate formation runes.
The group watched in stunned horror as Adam cut open two incisions, one on each cheek, and then one incision on his forehead. To their further horror, he inserted the small formation disks into those incisions, firming them in place. Afterwards, he consumed a healing pill to heal the open wounds, which covered over the formation disks, making them disappear from sight.
Adam's proud gaze stared back triumphantly at his stunned friends as he activated the disks. John, Iris, and Chase couldn't help but be both equally disgusted and impressed as Adam's face slowly began to shift, and before long, he appeared like a completely different person.
