“Gatekeeper?” Zu An was startled. Wasn’t Firework sealed here? How did she become the gatekeeper?
“She’s also a pitiful one,” the Deity of Death calmly said. “She pledged allegiance to a certain universal deity to exact vengeance, but that resulted in the demonification of her body. In the end, she could only stay here to keep watch over me. She’s a prisoner as much as a warden.”
Zu An was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Firework to have such a background. So, which universal deity did Firework pledge allegiance to?
“Pardon my candid question. I understand she is strong, but does she truly wield the strength to keep watch on a universal deity?”
“I’m dead,” the Deity of Death stated impassively as if he wasn’t talking about himself. “I’m merely a sliver of consciousness, and her job is to keep that sliver from leaving this land.”
Zu An looked at the eyes in the sky. He’s a universal deity indeed. Even a sliver of his consciousness commands such great power. Just approaching him strips me of my flesh and blood.
“May I ask which universal deity Firework pledged allegiance to that resulted in her demonification?” he asked.
“This information is too dangerous for you right now. The closer you approach, the easier it will be for you to land in her plight,” the Deity of Death warned.
Zu An’s heart quivered. The Deity of Death had divulged so much information to him that he'd nearly forgotten how dangerous secrets were.
“If it’s not too rude, may I ask why you have summoned me here?” Since he had no inclination to remain here as a skeleton for the rest of his life, he had to advance the conversation.
“We are fated. You’re the most likely candidate I have met in the past ten thousand years to inherit Death’s will. Are you willing to take on this legacy?” The pair of massive, elongated red eyes stared at him.
Zu An felt inexplicable pressure weighing on him. He meekly asked, “What will happen if I refuse?”
“You’ll become one of them.” The red eyes glanced at the stairs of skulls.
Zu An was dumbfounded. He immediately changed his tune and said, “It will be my utmost honor to receive the revered Deity of Death’s teaching.”
You must be kidding me!
The Deity of Death was lynched to death by other universal deities. If I inherit his will, I’d potentially draw the ire of other universal deities. But that will at least be a problem to deal with in the future.
Right now, if I don’t accept the Deity of Death’s offer, I’ll die on the spot. It’s obvious what I should choose!
“You’re indeed fated with the path of Death. I shall open a trial for you. Clear it, and you shall inherit my legacy and the Dao of Death,” the red eyes in the sky said.
Zu An was dumbstruck. “I have to do another trial? Can’t you just impart your legacy to me?”
“Of course not,” the red eyes sternly replied. “It’s the rule I set before my death. Not even I have the power to change it. What you’re inheriting is not just my legacy but the Dao of Death as well. You have to clear the trial to earn Death’s recognition.”
“What if I fail the trial?” Zu An frowned.
“You’ll become one of them.” The Deity of Death glanced at the stairs of skulls once more.
Zu An was stunned. You must be kidding me! Even if I accept the trial, there’s still a huge chance of me becoming a foothold for others?
“Almost all of the skulls you see were powerhouses in their respective worlds. They coveted my legacy, but they failed the trial. Tread carefully. I have expectations for you. Don’t let me down,” the Deity of Death spoke concernedly.
Zu An stared at the endless stairs of skulls with his mouth agape. “So many people have challenged your trial?” Isn’t he sealed here? How did so many people find their way here?
“I may be dead, but Death persists. Death senses those inclined to the Dao of Death, no matter where they are, and guides them here.” The Deity of Death harrumphed. “There has been no lack of attempts from ambitious fools and spies from other universal deities to usurp my authority over Death, but they all became a part of that staircase.
“Hm? You seem intent on keeping your mind empty. Are you withholding something from me?” The Deity of Death suddenly eyed Zu An warily.
“There’s no way I could hide anything from a revered universal deity like yourself,” Zu An hurriedly replied. “If you have expectations of me, why don’t you offer me some clues to help me out?”
“That’s out of the question.” The Deity of Death rejected the request.
Zu An gestured to the endless stairs of skulls. “You said these people were powerhouses from their respective worlds; their strength and wits are bound to surpass mine. If they all failed, no matter how arrogant I am, I can’t say that I have the confidence to clear the trial.”
The Deity of Death impatiently interjected, “What are you trying to say? This is Death’s trial. Obtaining the Deity of Death’s legacy means there’s a high chance you may grow to become a universal deity. Those who strive for such heights should be prepared to fall to their deaths.”
“Is there a chance this trial is impossible to clear? So many people have attempted it and failed. If there’s a way to clear the trial, someone should have found the method by now.”
“There is a way to clear this trial, but these people aren’t fated with Death, so they can only return to Death’s embrace.”
“When did you prepare this trial?”
“What do you mean?”
“Was it before or after you were ambushed by the other universal deities?”
The Deity of Death fell silent. Even though he was just a sliver of consciousness, it didn’t take him long to fathom a possibility.
Zu An took this chance to push his case. “They ganged up on you to be freed from Death’s restraints. Why would they allow someone else to inherit your legacy?”
“You’re suggesting that they might have tampered with the trial?”
“I don’t know the other universal deities. You should know their temperament far better than me.” Zu An didn’t dare to gossip about other universal deities behind their backs, so he could only subtly lead the Deity of Death toward his conclusion.
The two elongated red eyes in the sky trembled. “Those motherfuckers! That sounds like something they are capable of! ￥%#@*&...”
What followed was a long string of furious curses. Zu An, despite having inherited Fleeting Baldie’s knowledge of languages, struggled to understand many of the phrases used, but he didn’t need to understand the language to figure out that there was a high concentration of expletives in the words.
After cursing for a long time, the Deity of Death finally regained his composure and said, “There’s not much I can tell you due to the rules I set back then. You won’t be the only one entering the trial. Your three companions will be there as well...”
Zu An said, “...Firework is far stronger than me. How can I be a match for her if she enters too?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I have taken that into consideration. That world limits all supernatural abilities.”