"The trials you are undergoing are actually a divine assessment!" Zhu Ziyang said with a solemn expression and a low voice.
"A divine assessment?!" Jiang Nannan and Zhang Lexuan exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and shock.
"Ziyang, is the 'divine' you're talking about the kind of divine being we understand?" Zhang Lexuan's voice trembled slightly as she asked.
"Yes, a divine being that exists just like the Sea God we know!" Zhu Ziyang nodded and said, "The divine being who gave you the trials should be called the goddess of taiyin!"
"goddess of taiyin?" Zhang Lexuan was puzzled but also enlightened, then she said, "A goddess related to the moon?"
"Naturally!" Zhu Ziyang nodded and said, "Although the goddess of taiyin is not the Goddess of the Moon, she can borrow the energy of the moon. The Silver Moon Goddess worshipped by the Sun Moon Empire is this goddess of taiyin."
"Oh, let's talk about this goddess of taiyin later," Jiang Nannan interrupted Zhu Ziyang, who was about to launch into a long explanation, and said, "Brother, why don't you tell us first what a divine assessment is for?"
"Alright!" Zhu Ziyang thought for a moment and said, "Divine assessments primarily have two purposes: first, to bestow blessings upon His followers, and second, to find successors.
Bestowing blessings is the most common, but finding successors is the main purpose of a divine assessment. As Elder Xu said before, divine assessments are divided into White-tier, Yellow-tier, Purple-tier, Black-tier, and Red-tier assessments. Among them, Sister Lexuan's Red-tier Eight Trials are the top-tier assessments of all levels, and generally, only the High Priest who worships that divine being can obtain them.
As for Nannan's Gold-tier assessment, it can be called the God-tier Nine Trials, or the Taiyin Nine Trials. As long as you, Nannan, can complete all the contents of the Taiyin Nine Trials as required, you can inherit the goddess of taiyin's God Position, transcend mortality, ascend to godhood, and become an immortal deity!
So, future goddess of taiyin Jiang Nannan and her High Priest Zhang Lexuan, are you ready?"
"This..." Jiang Nannan and Zhang Lexuan both gaped, their faces filled with disbelief and incredulity as they listened to Zhu Ziyang's explanation.
"Now, do you understand what a God Position assessment means?" Zhu Ziyang revealed a smile and said.
"Brother, do you mean that I have a chance to become a divine being, just like the Original Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago?" Jiang Nannan's face showed some confusion and helplessness, clearly, the young girl was unable to adapt to this sudden news for a while.
"That's right!" Zhu Ziyang nodded and said.
"But..." The young girl wasn't as happy as imagined, a hint of worry appeared on her pretty face, looking as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Ziyang, since you know about these things, have you also obtained a God Position inheritance similar to Nannan's?" Zhang Lexuan saw through Jiang Nannan's doubts. Being more mature, she only showed shock for a few seconds before accepting what Zhu Ziyang said. Apart from envy, her heart was filled with deep joy. So, to comfort Jiang Nannan and express her own confusion, she asked Zhu Ziyang.
"Sister Lexuan is indeed sharp!" Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile, "I have indeed also received the inheritance of a divine being, and I have already completed the first three trials and am currently undergoing the fourth!"
"So that's it!" Zhang Lexuan suddenly understood, then immediately thought of something, her face showing surprise, and she said, "So, Elder Mu's words back then were because of you!"
"Not entirely!" Zhu Ziyang smiled, not denying it.
"Brother, so, when you took Sister Xiaotao and me to the Soul Dueling Arena back then, it was also to complete your divine trial, right?" Jiang Nannan also thought of something, a look of realization appearing on her face as she spoke.
"Hehe, it was just something I did along the way!" Zhu Ziyang said with a chuckle, "Nannan, Sister Lexuan, in the coming time, you can spend more thought and time on your assessments. The rewards for God Position assessments are very rich. The spirit power reward, as Elder Xu mentioned, is the lowest level. Above that, there are spirit ring age, god-bestowed spirit ring, Spirit Bone, and even Spirit evolution rewards!"
"Understood!" Zhang Lexuan and Jiang Nannan immediately nodded in agreement upon hearing this, and replied.
"Oh, right, Nannan, try not to tell anyone else about the Taiyin Nine Trials," Zhu Ziyang reminded, "After all, one must be wary of others. Before we have the strength to protect ourselves, we need to hide our identities as God Position inheritors as much as possible."
"Mhm, mhm! I understand!" Jiang Nannan immediately nodded, making up her mind not to tell anyone about the God Position assessment.
"Ziyang, Nannan, I will keep your secret!" Zhang Lexuan also said very seriously, "If I leak your affairs, I'd rather be struck by five bolts of lightning..."
"Sister Lexuan, we believe you!" Zhu Ziyang stopped Zhang Lexuan from swearing and said, "Both your and Nannan's God Position assessments come from the goddess of taiyin, so the assessment contents will inevitably have many similarities. Moreover, for the next few years, both of you will stay together, so if possible, it's best for you to undergo the assessment contents together. This will be beneficial for both of you!"
"Brother, even if you didn't say anything, we were already planning to do that!" Jiang Nannan said with a smile.
"Ziyang, when do you plan to return to the academy?" Zhang Lexuan, however, heard the unspoken meaning in Zhu Ziyang's words and asked.
"I originally planned to return to the academy within the next few days, but now it seems I might have to stay a few more days, at least to see your first assessment content," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
"Ah, so soon?" Jiang Nannan, hearing this, showed a reluctant expression, turned and hugged Zhu Ziyang, and said.
"I also have to complete my God Position assessment!" Zhu Ziyang helplessly rubbed her head and said, "For the next few years, I might be adventuring on the continent, so I will definitely come to see you when I have time, don't worry."
As the three spoke, Xu Jianwei, who had gone to look up information, returned. From the expression on her face, it was clear that her search was fruitless; there was no content related to the golden trial in the Yin Clan's ancient texts.
This was actually within Zhu Ziyang's expectations. After all, the Yin Clan was just a half-baked divine sacrifice. Their ancestors had inadvertently activated the goddess of taiyin's trial assessment, but all the information about the goddess of taiyin was either imagined or explored by themselves. How much of that information could truly be accurate?
"Alas! It's regrettable, there's no record of the golden trial in the Yin Clan's ancient texts. The situation Miss Nannan encountered is undoubtedly a first," Xu Jianwei said with considerable helplessness.
"Great-grand-aunt, you don't need to worry," Zhang Lexuan, who already knew the full story, spoke up to comfort her, "It's just adding a golden trial on top of the red-tier trial, there's no need to trouble yourself so much."
"Alas! That's all I can do," What could Xu Jianwei say? She could only reluctantly agree and said, "Miss Nannan, may this old woman request that you inform me of the contents of the golden trial later? This old woman needs to record them for future generations to look up and retrieve."
"No problem!" Jiang Nannan agreed without hesitation.
With matters concluded, the four left the Moon Offering Land.
"Elder Xu, does the Sun Lineage or the Yang Clan have anything similar to the Moon Trials?" Zhu Ziyang's face showed contemplation as he thought of the Yang Clan, renowned alongside the Yin Clan and known as the Golden Sun Sacrificers. If they could contend with the Yin Clan and were the sacrificers of the Sun faith on the Sun Moon Continent, did they also possess God Position assessments?
"I can confirm that the Sun Lineage does not have trials similar to the Moon Trials, but as for the Yang Clan, I'm not sure," Xu Jianwei thought for a moment and said, "After all, unlike the Yin Clan, which integrated entirely into the imperial Moon Lineage, only the branch of the Yang Clan belonging to the Golden Sun Empress integrated into the imperial Sun Lineage. The main branch of the Yang Clan disappeared entirely not long after the Empire was unified.
The Sun sacrifices mastered by the Yang Clan, only the sacrificial rights were transferred to the Sun Lineage; everything else remained in the hands of the Yang Clan."
"Is that so?" Zhu Zi Yang nodded upon hearing this, then continued to ask, "Then do you know the specific details of the Yang Clan's disappearance? Did they leave the Sun Moon Empire? Or did they choose to live in seclusion?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know," Xu Jianwei shook her head and said, "The Yang Clan didn't have much of a relationship with our Moon Lineage, so no one cared about their whereabouts. However, the Sun Lineage has been searching for them for thousands of years but still hasn't found them. I guess they might have left the Sun Moon Continent!"
"I understand!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, feeling a bit regretful.