The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

From his past self, Fruity knew that awakening his bloodline—something Yuying said was necessary before becoming a Great Sage—was crucial. This, of course, meant walking the path set by his maniacal past self, which involved taking a mysterious trial. He only knew its name and the direction to find it.

However, after the incident with the mysterious map in his mind, which led him to the domain of the Hellhounds, he knew better than to trust it. Even if the map had been accurate, he would still have asked Yuying, who seemed to know everything about the Tormented World.

"Master, are you planning to enter the Tormented Trial? There are many—so which one do you want to enter?" Yuying asked instead of answering directly.

"I'm not really sure," Fruity replied. "But from what little I remember from my past self, I need to enter the Tormented Trial to awaken my bloodline. So, what can you tell me about it?"

"Oh, so it's the Tormented Bloodline Awakening Trial? That makes sense," Yuying said with a puzzled expression.

"You don't seem too pleased. Aren't you the one who was always pushing for me to awaken my bloodline before reaching the Great Sage level?" Fruity asked, sensing her hesitation.

"I know, Master, but of all the Tormented Trials in this world, the Bloodline Awakening Trial is the hardest to enter. You can easily access the others, but that one... it's just too difficult to get into."

"But don't worry Master, we can use other methods to help you awaken your bloodline," Yuying answered, though the look on her face made Fruity suspect she was hiding some worse details.

"Yuying, why don't you tell me what I need to know, and then I'll decide whether I want to follow through or explore the other alternatives that I know you'll be eager to explore with me," Fruity said with a reassuring smile.

It seemed to have worked, as Yuying sighed and decided to let the information flow.

"To be able to enter a Tormented Trial, you must first join a Witch Temple. But it's easier said than done. To join a Witch Temple, you must complete three impossible tasks, and even then, there's no guarantee they will select you.

Yes, after completing the three impossible tasks, there's still no guarantee you'll be selected. But if you're lucky enough to be chosen, then you'll have to work your way up from Witch Soldier to Witch General."

"Wait a minute—start by telling me what a Witch Temple is first," Fruity interrupted, starting to understand why Yuying said the trial was hard to enter. However, he wasn't dismissing the idea. So far, things had been relatively easy for him thanks to Yuying, so he felt like he needed a challenge.

"In this world, a Witch Temple is like an organization that oversees various regions and powers. They function like kingdoms. There are five Witch Temples in this world, and they're all located in the central region, which is the main continent of this world.

They're very powerful, and from what I know, they have ranks. For newly joined members, they start as Witch Soldiers.

Then, there are ranks like Witch Masters, Witch Captains, Witch Generals, Witch Saints, and finally, Witch Sage—the highest authority, at least among the ranks I'm aware of," Yuying explained, making Fruity nod in acceptance.

"Continue," he said.

"So, as I was saying, to join or be recognized by a Witch Temple, you must complete three impossible tasks. Well, at least one can be achieved relatively easily," Yuying said, making Fruity raise an eyebrow.

"Let me hear it," he said.

"First task: You must eradicate an entire race of demons from their domain and obtain the Witch Hunter mark. This is earned after killing the leader and every last one of its subordinates. This can be achieved since it doesn't specify the strength level of the monsters you have to face.

Second task: You must go to the northern part of this world and retrieve a treasure that can only be found in a region ruled by dragons known as the Dark Flame Chaos Dragons. This, of course, isn't easy, but if you're lucky, you won't get roasted before you even step into their territory.

For the last trial, you must seek out the Hunting Harrow, said to be from the darkest and hottest depths of the abyss. Your task is to pluck a single feather from its wings and present it at the Witch Temple.

Thousands, if not millions, have died at this stage. So, Master, do you think you can handle it? I won't be able to help you this time since it's forbidden."

"Sounds like fun," Fruity said, feeling excited for some unknown reason. Yuying looked at him and then decided to continue.

"So, if you manage to complete these tasks and join a Witch Temple, you'll have to complete more tasks to earn enough points to rank up. Once you become a Great Sage, you'll be eligible to enter the trial. However, this will require you to hold your cultivation base at the Sage Stage.

Seriously, Master, you can forget about this trial. Let's hunt some stronger monsters and take their blood essence instead. We could even hunt down a few Angel Demons who are Said to possess some of the strongest bloodlines," Yuying suggested.

Fruity smiled upon hearing her suggestions. He was curious to know more about the Angels, but he figured that could wait. For now, he wanted to understand why his past self had been so determined to join something that seemed nearly impossible.

"Another question: how long would it take me to travel from my current location to the Northern Region?" Fruity asked, needing to know before making any further plans.

"With your current speed, it would take you about 12 years. But if I were to take you, it would take a little over 2 years," Yuying answered, making Fruity smile.

"And I suppose the last task is in the Central Region?" he asked.

"Yes, it will take us another couple of months to get from the Northern Region to the Central Region. So, if you want to continue, you'll have to keep your cultivation base at the Sage Stage for the next 10 years," Yuying explained.

"But I suppose there's a reason behind this heavy task. This trial wouldn't just be some scam, right?" Fruity asked.

"Of course not," Yuying replied. "Bloodlines are unique to everyone. Even two people with the same bloodline won't necessarily have the same bloodline talents. So, people are particular about how they awaken their bloodlines.

While some people naturally awaken their bloodlines, especially female cultivators when they awaken their constitutions, this trial is designed to awaken the latent bloodlines of a person or beast and elevate it to the highest grade."

"What are these grades, and why are they important?" Fruity inquired.

"In the bloodline system, there are different grades, starting from Common, Noble, Royal, King, Ancient, Divine, Immortal, and God. It's similar to how there are different grades for weapons and techniques—the higher the grade, the more powerful it becomes.

For example, someone with a Noble-grade bloodline, even if they're a realm lower than someone with a Common-grade bloodline, will be able to suppress them easily just with their bloodline pressure. But that's not all. Bloodlines bestow many abilities to a wielder, so awakening a higher-grade bloodline means gaining more and stronger abilities," Yuying explained.

"So, this trial ensures you awaken your dormant bloodline and upgrade it, correct?" Fruity asked, and Yuying nodded.

"But there are other ways to awaken your dormant bloodline and even strengthen it using other bloodlines. You don't really have to go through all the trouble of joining this trial," Yuying said, not wanting Fruity to waste his time. But the violet-haired monk had other plans.

"I'll use the trial to awaken my bloodline, and then we'll use your method to make it even stronger. After all, my past self wanted this for me, so who am I to question myself... ha!" Fruity said, making Yuying smile slightly. Whether she liked it or not, her master had made up his mind, and she could only guide him through every step of the way.

"Let me train for a few months, and then we can head to Illusion Mountain for the items I need there. But while we're at it, what can you tell me about the Hellhounds?" Fruity asked with an evil smile.

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