John's battle with the Devil creature lasted several days, as he fought a life and death battle with the horrifying creature, healed, rested, and then started all over again. The shocking sights of him fighting so far above his cultivation level, healing in the blink of an eye, and holding his own against a Devil without a weapon had become a normal thing for the guildmembers watching.
Despite the long duration of the trial, none of them felt bored or agitated. The older members of the guild watched with great interest, feeling excitement for the first time in a long time for many of them. A potentially heaven-defying recruit was emerging before their eyes, a recruit that could elevate the guild to an even higher level. Guildmembers like the Grandmaster watched with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, excited for what he was seeing, nervous for any mistakes to happen, and for such a talented youth to perish.
The younger members, in their early teens to early twenties, ranging from the Meridian Forging Realm to the Dao Transformation Realm, watched with eager attention, studying the battle unfolding before their eyes. Although they were not the ones fighting, they were able to learn a tremendous amount from just watching it.
These youths had been raised as assassins most of their lives, and had been trained in combat with an assassin mentality. It was kill swiftly, or flee. Prolonged battles had been discouraged, as the longer the battle, the more time there was for something to go wrong. While this was the correct approach for an assassin, it left their combat prowess and battle instincts lacking. They were the most lethal group on the continent when operating in the shadows, but once discovered, their advantages faded away, exposing them to danger.
No amount of simulated combat training could replace the real thing, real life and death battles, like the one they were seeing right now. Despite John's apparent control over the situation, it was a true life and death battle. A single mistake from him could result in his death, which shocked the youths to their cores. John was doing the exact opposite of their training, and was doing it in such a controlled and practiced manner, that they could only stare at the battle with eyes full of wondrous awe.
Many of the youths had doubted and even mocked him during the first trials, but none of them did so anymore. John's battle with the Devil opened their eyes to the world of life and death battle, and how to best go about it. Although John's combat style was only possible due to his heaven-defying body, the way he moved in battle, the way he reacted to certain attacks, the way he maintained his composure during potentially lethal exchanges, all these things and more filled the youths with insights and comprehensions, increasing their combat prowess without them having to lift a finger.
In fact, during the last three days, seven youths had gained insights from watching the battle, and had been able to use those insights to push their cultivation levels to the next realm. The theater-like room sprang to life occasionally, flooding with the Dao's of a breakthrough. Everyone else remained silent during these breakthroughs, making sure nothing disturbed them. Only the sounds of battle coming from the screen they were watching filled the room during these times.
With everything that was happening, in less than three days, John had been transformed in the minds of the youths, going from a new recruit some of them mocked, to a figure they could only look up to, a goal they could strive for, a god they could worship.
…
In a secretive room far beneath the Shadow of Death Guild Headquarters, two figures sat cross legged on simple floor mats, facing each other, a small table with a teapot and two cups between them.
The room was illuminated by simple formation lights, which flickered and glowed in the same manner as a fire would, bathing the room with a light, orange glow. Simple furnishings lined the exterior of the room, a painting here and there, a chair, a table to hold simple items. It had the same simple style as the rest of the guild above.
In the air above the small table hovered a glowing three-dimensional formation, one that depicted the entire battlefield, as well as John and the Devil fighting within. The detail of the formation was incredibly lifelike, as if miniature versions of John and the Devil were battling for them personally. The two figures occasionally picked up their cups of tea and took a sip, all while watching the battle unfold through the formation in the air between them.
One of the figures nodded his head approvingly as John performed an impressive combat maneuver, and set his cup down on the table. The man appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties, and had long black hair that fell to his shoulders, and a clean shaven face. His features were handsome and sharp, giving him a slightly heroic aura.
The man wore a simple black robe like the rest of the guild, although its quality was without compare. It was made of the finest material the world could offer, and would be able to withstand attacks from Late World Expansion cultivators without being damaged. The only difference in style of this robe compared to the others in the guild was the crest on the right chest of the robe, the Mark of Shadows, the insignia of the guild.
Lastly, the man's aura was withdrawn, making it hard to tell his cultivation level, but the natural feeling he gave off was an ancient and dangerous one, even above someone like the Grandmaster or Thunderzen.
As he placed down his teacup, he laughed lightly as he watched John start swapping his weapon rapidly, causing the Devil to stop and do the same. He had done so many times already, allowing him to stall this battle out for days.
"I've held my tongue as long as I can, but I have to ask," the man said to the person seated opposite him. "Why does the Devil stop and mimic his actions whenever he changes his weapon? Was it merely an oversight when you created this trial, Prime Shadow?"
