Even though Jacdo and his people had acted quite normally during this period, looking quite harmless, their massive amounts of negative faith energy told Ali and James that they were not good people.
If they were allowed to stay here in this town, their true natures would be exposed sooner or later, causing harm to this town.
This was exactly what Ali and James did not want.
If it was under normal circumstances, they would keep an eye on Jacdo and the others and keep them in check.
However, they had no choice but to leave under these circumstances.
The hero's trial was something that the hero could not do without.
The hero was the key figure to defeating the demon king and ending this demon disaster.
If the demon king was not defeated, the demon disaster would not end, and the world would remain in danger.
Whether they became the hero or watched someone else become the hero, they still had to go and participate.
Chen Heng knew exactly what they were thinking.
"If you need to go, then go," Chen Heng said as he smiled, "I will support you no matter what."
"Thank you," Ali felt somewhat touched and hesitated before telling Chen Heng to be wary of Jacdo and his people.
Only after Chen Heng nodded did they leave.
Watching the two of them depart, Chen Heng thought to himself.
"Looks like they're very concerned about you," Chen Heng said as if he was talking to himself as he sat on the wooden chair, "Even right before they leave, they're reminding me to be careful of you."
It was as if Chen Heng was really speaking to himself, but soon, a hazy figure appeared next to Chen Heng.
"How did you discover that I was beside you?"
After appearing, Jacdo continued to stand next to Chen Heng.
He looked at Chen Heng, a look of surprise on his face.
"Just a guess." Chen Heng smiled and said, "After all, this is quite a rare scene; wouldn't it be a pity to miss it?"
"That is true." The demon king nodded.
The hero candidate and outsider saying goodbye was indeed a rare scene.
At the same time, he had some things that he wanted to ask Chen Heng.
That was why he had come.
"How are your preparations going?"
The demon king smiled as he looked at Chen Heng, "The hero's trial has already appeared, and you don't have much time left. If you miss this opportunity, the hero's trial won't appear again during your lifetime."
"I understand," Chen Heng nodded. He knew this clearly.
The demon king and hero would only be reawakened or chosen when an outsider came in.
This meant that if Chen Heng missed this opportunity, unless the next outsider came while he was still alive, he would not live to see another hero's trial.
"So what is your decision?" Jacdo asked as he grinned.
"What do you think?" Chen Heng asked calmly, "Based on what you said, I don't even have a choice."
"Indeed, you don't have a choice," Jacdo nodded, before asking in curiosity, "So you've decided to participate in this hero's trial and compete with that boy?"
"It looks like you're looking forward to this," Chen Heng said as he looked at him.
"Of course," Jacdo laughed, "it's the first time I've seen an outsider participate in the hero's trial. Putting aside the significance of it, just this alone makes me feel great anticipation."
Looking at Jacdo's smile, Chen Heng remained calm, "After Ali leaves, I will also depart from a different route. During that time…"
He looked at Jacdo and asked, "Is the esteemed demon king willing to be hired by me to be my bodyguard?"
Hearing this, Jacdo paused for a moment before laughing.
"Oh, you," he laughed, as if it was very amusing, "you know who I am?"
"Yes—the representative of negative faith energy and the origin of demon beasts: This world's eternal demon king," Chen Heng said unhurriedly.
"Since you know, you still dare to hire me to protect you?" Jacdo grinned as he looked at Chen Heng, "You're asking the demon king to personally escort a hero candidate to the hero's trial? However, I am quite interested in this offer of yours, so I'll accept it."
"Very good," Chen Heng nodded, "since that's the case, you should prepare too. When the time comes, I'll send an attendant to let you know."
Jacdo did not say anything in response; instead, his body seemed to gradually vanish until he disappeared.
Chen Heng continued to sit there and thought to himself.
Time gradually passed.
The next day, Ali and James began to pack their things.
Before Ali left, a big group of mercenaries surrounded him and expressed their reluctance to part with him.
In fact, many people wanted to follow Ali and leave this place.
It had to be said that the hero's charisma was quite shocking.
Even though they had not known each other for very long, Ali's actions and personality had gained him many supporters.
Some people were willing to give up their good lives and treatment to follow him.
This kind of charisma made Chen Heng feel quite surprised and shocked.
Ali had wanted to refuse these people and tell them to stay.
After all, he was leaving because he was going to the hero's trial, and even if these people followed him, they would not be able to provide him with much help.
However, in the end, he was convinced by Chen Heng.
"Having people who want to follow you is a good thing," Chen Heng said to Ali, "Moreover, the journey you're setting out on might not go as smoothly as you might expect; it's better for you to bring some people with you."
Ali did not quite understand.
"Only you can take the hero's trial, but there might be obstacles on the way," Chen Heng patiently explained, "During this time, the other hero candidates might use some tricks to try to get rid of their competitors."
"What?" Hearing this, Ali felt quiet shocked.
He was shocked because Chen Heng knew about the hero's trial, as well as what Chen Heng had said.
After a while, he calmed down and looked at Chen Heng.
By now, Chen Heng no longer had any need to hide anything and revealed his faith energy.
The pure faith energy continuously wrapped around his body, looking like a holy light.
Looking at the massive amounts of faith energy on Chen Heng's body, Ali was dumbfounded before looking delighted.
"So Mr. Ed also…"
He immediately understood how Chen Heng knew.
Only hero candidates knew about the hero's trial.
It seemed that Chen Heng was also someone with the qualifications to participate.
However, Ali was still somewhat confused about what Chen Heng had said, "Hero candidates are all righteous people; why would they want to obstruct other hero candidates?"
He asked with a confused look.
"Perhaps they themselves might not, but the factions behind them might," Chen Heng calmly responded, "Moreover, the things that supposedly good people do are not necessarily all good things."
Perhaps those hero candidates might be good people, but they might be used by others to do bad things.
In order to preserve their own interests, those factions that stood behind hero candidates might try to find ways to get rid of competitors.
If they could get rid of competitors, then their hero candidate would be able to become this age's hero.
"Moreover…" Chen Heng looked at Ali, "Those with the qualifications to join the hero's trial are not necessarily all good people."
Hearing this, Ali instinctively wanted to refute that, but he sank into his thoughts.
Those who were candidates were not necessarily righteous people.
The best example was Chen Heng.
He had much positive faith energy, but was he a righteous person?
No, he was not.
Although he could not be counted to be evil, he was not righteous either.
In order to achieve some of his goals, he would use shameless and underhanded tactics.
Since Chen Heng could do such a thing, why couldn't others?
In actuality, if it wasn't for Ali's Fortune, Chen Heng really might have tried to stop Ali from being able to go to the hero's trial.
"Since it's like that…" Ali thought for a while before looking resolute, "Then I have even less reason to accept these people to follow me.
"Participating in the hero's trial is my own matter, and if I bring other innocent people into conflict, I will be unable to forgive myself."
Hearing Ali's decision, Chen Heng felt somewhat surprised, but he was not shocked.
By now, he had a good understanding of Ali's personality.
He was righteous, friendly, sincere, and did not like to bring trouble or hassle to others.
He was indeed worthy of his position as a hero candidate, and he was a truly righteous person.
"Since you've made your decision, then you'd best set out," Chen Heng said as he smiled, "Let me know if you need anything before you go.
"There's no need to be courteous with me," Chen Heng softly said, "After all, you've helped me for so long. These things are what you deserve."
As he spoke, someone came up and handed some things over.
The first thing was a light leather armor, and the second was an exquisite longsword.
An attendant then brought over two horses.
Chen Heng had personally crafted the leather armor and sword, and he had used many unique materials and runes.
As for the horses, he had especially purchased them, and they were very good breeds.
To people of this world, these things were of incomparable value, and even some nobles would not be able to afford them.
"Mister Ed…" Looking at these things, Ali felt quite touched and deeply nodded, not knowing what to say.
"Go," Chen Heng did not say anything else and lightly nodded.
Ali did not say anything either and silently put on the leather armor and took the sword before bowing towards Chen Heng.
Following this, he turned and left with James.
After Ali left, the attendants left, leaving behind only Chen Heng.
Looking at Ali's disappearing figure, Chen Heng lightly sighed, feeling quite complicated.
"You seem to like that boy very much," a curious voice sounded out.
"You sound quite surprised," hearing that voice, Chen Heng was not taken aback and calmly responded.
The only person who could suddenly appear by his side was naturally only the demon king Jacdo.
Standing by Chen Heng's side, he looked quite curious.
"Indeed," he did not hide his thoughts and nodded, "in my observations, you seem to be a very cold person and always act rationally."
"Even so, I'm a normal person," Chen Heng rubbed his forehead and said, "Even for me, seeing how sincere and friendly Ali is, it's only natural for me to like him. That shouldn't be surprising."
Chen Heng did not hide his goodwill towards Ali.
This was not surprising.
Even though Chen Heng often used others, he did not lack emotions.
Having goodwill towards someone and using them were not mutually exclusive.
"So it's like that."
Hearing Chen Heng's words, Jacdo thought to himself and nodded, "As expected, the reason you are able to gather positive faith energy is not for no reason.
"Even though many of your methods are quite direct, making you look very rational, in actuality, you have many beautiful emotions. That is why you are able to gather positive faith energy."
"Beautiful emotions," Chen Heng frowned and looked at Jacdo, "are prerequisites for gathering faith energy?"
"Of course," looking at Chen Heng, Jacdo laughed, "in actuality, having enough potential and talent is just the basic requirement for gathering faith energy.
"Apart from this, whether you gather positive faith energy or negative faith energy depends on you.
"If your soul is positive, then you will gather positive faith energy; if your soul is negative, then you will gather negative faith energy."
Speaking to there, he paused and looked at the dense light of faith energy above his head, "Evidently, what you have gathered is positive faith energy; this explains everything."
"Interesting," Chen Heng laughed, "I don't think of myself as a righteous person."
"Righteousness is not a prerequisite to becoming a hero," Jacdo said as he shook his head, "Heroes represent positive faith energy, not just mere righteousness. Conversely, those who are purely righteous will not necessarily be able to become the hero. Even though they often overlap, this is not always the case."
