The Affinity Wheel began to spin.
Shang didn't say anything.
Earlier, he had looked forward to the trial. After all, the reward he would gain would make it easier for him to find a path toward the Seventh Realm.
Shang had waited for several decades for this trial, and now, it was finally here.
Yet, after everything that happened over the last hour, Shang couldn't be excited about the trial.
The God had just majorly changed the international landscape.
In fact, the things he had done could even be called unprecedented.
He had killed a Mage King!
This was probably the most significant event ever since Lucius had reached the Tenth Realm.
Lucin had also died, but his death wasn't as significant in the grand scheme of things.
Lucin had been quite helpful to Shang, but Shang didn't feel any sort of connection between them.
Shang was emotionally completely shut off from the outside, which was why he couldn't feel guilt, anger, or sadness for the deaths of others.
The same thing was true for Queen Primordium.
Shang had killed her, but he didn't think much of it.
The most terrible thing regarding this entire thing was that Shang was forced to do the God's bidding, even though he didn't want to.
Yet, one thing was indisputable.
Queen Primordium and Lucin had helped Shang a lot.
They had been his two biggest pillars of support.
Which was why the God had killed them.
It was too boring.
And now, after probably the most significant event of the last 400,000 years, the God was forcing Shang to go through the trial.
At this moment, the army of the Lightning Manor could roll out to investigate every single person.
It could be that the Lightning Manor would enter a state of war.
The Lightning Emperor might immediately contact the other Emperors and accuse a couple of them.
The other Emperors would probably be just as shocked.
International relations would drastically shift.
And all of this would happen in the following minutes.
What if things escalated and another Empire decided to strike at the Clouds, which could result in Shang's death?
But Shang was stuck in the trial.
Shang wanted to get out of the trial since he feared that something might happen to his real body during this tumultuous time.
But he could only leave by getting through the trial, and giving up on the trial wouldn't be worth it.
So, Shang could only go through the trial, even though he didn't want to.
The wheel stopped spinning, and a beast appeared.
Shang didn't even look at it before swinging his Subsis and releasing a Needle.
The spear made of pure darkness punched a hole into the beast's head, and the beast died immediately.
The applause came.
Shang didn't move. He just wanted to get through this trial as quickly as possible.
"Level two: Average Initial Ancestral Beast," the voice announced before the Affinity Wheel spun again.
Shang just waited.
Several seconds passed.
The beast appeared.
BANG!
The applause reappeared.
The wheel returned.
"Level three: Powerful Initial Ancestral Beast."
The wheel spun for several seconds.
Shang grew quite annoyed by the current trial.
Usually, Shang was a bit excited to see how strong he had become, and he also never really minded the easier levels of the trial.
But this time, things were different.
The entire world was changing, but Shang was stuck here.
And even worse, Shang actually had to wait several times longer than he was actually fighting, making everything seem meaningless and bothersome.
However, Shang also knew that he couldn't skip the easier trials.
Sure, the God theoretically could let Shang skip the levels, but he wouldn't do that.
After all, seeing Shang this frustrated was probably quite satisfying to the God.
Wasn't this exactly why he had forced Shang through this trial at this very moment?
The anxiety and insecurity of the current situation made for a lot of chaos, and the God loved chaos.
BANG!
Shang killed the next beast without even looking at it.
And he had to wait again.
It was agonizing how slow the wheel moved.
It took so long.
BANG!
The next beast died.
Shang had to wait again.
BANG!
The next beast died.
More waiting.
BANG!
The next beast died.
More waiting.
BANG!
The next beast died.
More waiting.
CRACK!
Several thick plates of armor exploded off a powerful bear's head, but it still survived.
BANG!
A second Needle killed it.
More applause and more waiting.
WHOOOOM! BANG!
Shang used Void Break and unleashed a Needle, killing the beast.
More applause and even more waiting.
Shang wasn't even thinking about anything anymore.
The angrier he became, the happier the God would become.
Sure, Shang might be helpless in front of the God, but he could still refuse to get angry or annoyed at him, which would slight him a little bit.
WHOOOOM! BANG!
Shang used another Needle with Void Break, killing the beast.
Even more applause and even more waiting.
This time, Shang shot a short glance at his new opponent.
WHOOOOM! BANG!
Another Needle with Void Break killed the cheetah.
Shang wanted to make sure that his opponent didn't have a powerful defense since they would most likely survive the attack.
The applause returned, and Shang had to wait more.
When his opponent appeared, Shang looked at it for a short moment.
Needle wouldn't be enough anymore since it didn't have a lot of destructive power.
Shang's next opponent was some sort of heavily armored porcupine walking on two legs.
Fast, powerful, strong defense.
WHOOOOOM!
Shang used Void Break, absorbing all the Mana in the surroundings.
For the first time in this trial, Shang was moving his Addum instead of his Subsis.
Shang lifted his Addum high as the porcupine began to charge at Shang.
Shang slashed downward.
BOOOOOOOOM!
From several kilometers away, the hedgehog exploded into several pieces as the surrounding five kilometers turned into a hellscape of fire and destruction.
It was like a nuke had hit the ground!
This was one of Shang's new attacks.
Meteor.
