The two sudden divine voices left Zhu Ziyang somewhat at a loss, cowering by the steps, trembling.
Fortunately, apart from the two divine voices, nothing else unexpected happened. Zhu Ziyang hesitated for three or two minutes, and only after confirming that there would be no further changes did he slowly stand up, looking up at the unrevealed Death God Temple with a surprised and questioning gaze.
The mysterious divine voice seemed unconcerned by the previous interruption and continued the words it had been speaking, allowing Zhu Ziyang to understand the identity of the God who had chosen him.
"Welcome to the Death God Temple, favored one. You are about to begin the God Position inheritance assessment for the God of Death. Upon passing the God Position assessment, you will be qualified to inherit the God Position of the God of Death. Before the assessment begins, you may ask three questions."
God of Death!
Zhu Ziyang's heart trembled. He had not expected the God who chose him to be the God of Death. He had always thought he would receive the favor of the God of Light or the God of Ice, but he truly hadn't anticipated that the divine being who chose him would be the God of Death. Could it be that He really was the Evil God mentioned by that first unfamiliar divine voice?
As soon as this thought surfaced, he chuckled. If being called the God of Death made one an Evil God, then wouldn't he, with his Death attribute, be an Evil Soul Master? Heh heh, an Evil Soul Master inheriting an Evil God Position, that sounded quite reasonable.
"You mean, I can ask three questions? Can you guarantee to answer all of them?" Zhu Ziyang shook his head, shedding those inexplicable thoughts, and looked up at the Death God Temple, speaking earnestly.
"I can only answer you about things I know, or things I am able to answer!" the mysterious voice replied.
"I see!" Zhu Ziyang mused, then said, "Alright, my first question is, are you the God of Death?"
"No!" the mysterious voice answered decisively, "I am merely a divine consciousness responsible for the God Position assessment. You can call me the Assessor, or you can call me Xiao Bai!"
"Xiao Bai?" Zhu Ziyang was very surprised by the mysterious voice's answer, feeling that the name was full of inexplicable humor. He then said, "You're not the God of Death? Then where is the God of Death? Shouldn't the God Position assessment be presided over by the God of Death?"
"Is that your second question?" Xiao Bai asked.
"Uh~" Zhu Ziyang was startled, not expecting Xiao Bai to be so particular. He could only say helplessly, "If you say it counts, then it counts!"
"The God of Death has already fallen. I am a divine consciousness he left within the Death God Position," Xiao Bai continued. "Perhaps, when you enter the Death God Temple, you might even see his lingering remnant soul that has not yet dissipated!"
"I see!" Zhu Ziyang understood, then said, "Alright, my third question, is the God of Death truly an Evil God?"
"Heh heh, Gods have no distinction of good or evil!" Xiao Bai said, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "The origin of a God Position might have distinctions of justice and evil, but Gods themselves have no good or evil. Gods only have a distinction of purity and corruption! Corrupted Gods will not appear in the starry sky, at least, not during the confrontation period."
"Corrupted Gods?" Another new term, which puzzled Zhu Ziyang. He asked, "What kind of beings are those? Are they different from Evil Gods?"
"That, I am not clear about, after all, I am just a divine consciousness!" Xiao Bai said. "Alright, the questions are done, we can begin the God Position assessment now!"
"Wait, I still have one more question, a very important one!" Zhu Zi Yang heard this and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "What kind of being exactly is the God of Death?"
"You..." Xiao Bai felt speechless and could only suppress the helplessness in her heart, saying, "I can only tell you that the God of Death is a primordial God born at the beginning of the World, a God who controls the rules of Death, and one of the rulers of this starry sky! As for other matters, only by truly becoming the God of Death will you be qualified to know!"
"I see!" Upon hearing Xiao Bai's answer, Zhu Ziyang already had a general understanding of the God of Death. Although he didn't know the specific meanings of terms like primordial God and starry sky, someone else did—he could go back and ask Electrolux! He believed Electrolux should have some knowledge about these things.
"Can we start the God Position assessment now?" Xiao Bai asked.
"Yes!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, his body involuntarily straightened, his expression became serious, and his eyes were filled with anticipation.
"Thump thump!" As Zhu Ziyang's affirmative voice rang out, the Death God Temple above emitted several loud thuds. Then, brilliant divine light bloomed, and a gray light shot out from the Death God Temple, landing on Zhu Ziyang. Zhu Ziyang immediately felt warm and very comfortable all over.
"God of Death assessment activated, Assessee: Zhu Ziyang." Xiao Bai's voice came, and this time, her voice was filled with majesty and solemnity.
Zhu Ziyang felt his soul tremble, and then a obscure and hard-to-understand memory flooded into his mind. He was forced to close his eyes, accepting the rush of this memory. On his forehead, a gray-white other shore flower mark appeared; that was the mark of a favored one.
After a long while, Zhu Ziyang opened his eyes, and the God Position inheritance ground in his vision had changed again. First, the steps before him now revealed ten visible steps. The unobservable mist on the stone pillars at both ends of the tenth step had dispersed, revealing the textures on the pillars and a line of text.
Zhu Ziyang did not immediately look at the content on the stone pillars, because Xiao Bai's voice came again.
"The God of Death assessment has nine layers. Completing each layer of assessment will increase God Position affinity and simultaneously unlock the content of the next layer of assessment, until all nine layers are completed and God Position affinity reaches one hundred percent, at which point you can inherit the God Position." Xiao Bai said, "Zhu Ziyang, the content of the God of Death's First Trial has been unlocked. Before completing the content of the God of Death's First Trial, you will not be able to re-enter the God of Death inheritance ground. When you complete the God of Death's First Trial, you can enter the inheritance ground through the other shore flower mark on your glabella! You now have half an hour to view the content of the God of Death's First Trial!"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ziyang calmed his mind, then looked at the steps in front of him and the stone pillars on both sides. He instinctively took the first step, ascending to the first layer of steps.
When his feet landed on the first step, the other shore flower mark on his glabella lit up, and Xiao Bai's voice came at the opportune moment, "This staircase is called the Path to Godhood. The Path to Godhood has one hundred steps in total. For every one percent increase in your God Position affinity, one step will be illuminated, until all steps are illuminated, only then can you enter the Death God Temple and inherit the God Position!"
Zhu Ziyang understood, and ascended the steps, arriving at the tenth step. Upon reaching the tenth step, his feet could no longer move. The eleventh step was still a hazy gray. On the stone pillars at both ends of the tenth step, a line of text was inscribed:
"God Position Affinity: Ten Percent.
God of Death's First Trial: The God of Death has fallen for eons, and the World knows no reverence. As the inheritor of the God of Death, you should shoulder the responsibility of restoring the God of Death's divine might.
Assessment Content: Slay a being who has usurped the name of the God of Death.
Assessment Requirements: The strength of said being must not be lower than six rings; the assessment duration must not exceed five years!
Assessment Reward: Unknown!"
Zhu Ziyang looked at the text on the stone pillars, only then understanding the content of the God Position assessment, and pondering its difficulty. Xiao Bai's voice then sounded in his ear: "These are the Yellow Springs God Pillars, also known as god-locking pillars. Only by completing the corresponding God Position assessment can the chains of the god-locking pillars be released, and the shackles of the God of Death's God Position be opened."
"I understand!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, a look of comprehension on his face, and said.
"Good, since you have understood the content of the God of Death's First Trial, then leave!" Xiao Bai said. "A reminder to you, try your best to protect your life. I finally found such a highly compatible God Position inheritor, and I don't want him to die just like that."
"Heh heh, don't worry, even without your reminder, I will protect my life!" Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, "After all, I cherish my life very much!"
After Zhu Ziyang finished speaking, he was kicked out of the God Position inheritance ground. Passing through layers of imperceptible and undetectable mist, his soul returned to his body.
After his soul returned to his body, Zhu Ziyang immediately opened his eyes, savoring the memory of this almost fantastical journey. However, Electrolux's voice came to his ear: "Ziyang, what happened to you just now? Why did your soul suddenly disappear, leaving only an empty shell?"
Zhu Ziyang saw Electrolux's anxious and puzzled face, and a warm smile appeared on his own, as he said, "Teacher, you don't need to worry, it's a good thing!"