Ming Zhi Tian didn't know what time it was, nor did he bother to calculate. He just firmly believed that by giving his all, things would naturally fall into place.
Indeed, one or two people asked passersby for the time. Ming Zhi Tian paid them no mind, arriving at his destination third.
Lin'an Town. He had expected a bustling metropolis, but it turned out to be a desolate backwater.
Upon reaching the designated spot, Ming Zhi Tian stood with several others on the town wall. Below, a crowd of townsfolk knelt, their tattered clothes and dusty faces a clear sign of a diet consisting of steamed buns and little meat.
This region suffered from a severe drought, with no rain for years. This was precisely why Ming Zhi Tian and the others were here.
Seeing that the others had already begun to summon wind and rain, Ming Zhi Tian was not to be outdone. He unleashed the power of the Primordial Valley. Under the blazing sun, dark clouds instantly gathered, obscuring the light and bringing forth a torrential downpour.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The rain poured down, and the people rejoiced, cheering with delight. Instead of seeking shelter, they brought out jars, buckets, and basins to collect the rainwater.
Some even stripped off their clothes to bathe, and washed away years of accumulated grime from their garments.
The rain continued to fall, but the atmosphere was not entirely harmonious. Ming Zhi Tian and his companions had completed their mission and now needed to return at full speed.
They bolted. Before the townsfolk could express their gratitude, they had vanished.
All they could do was kneel together and offer their thanks: "We thank the immortals for their blessings upon Lin'an City." Little did they know that it was the city lord who had found the means, paid the silver, and orchestrated this spectacle of cloud and rain.
Two and a half hours later, Ming Zhi Tian, who had conserved his strength, moved from third place to first. He arrived back at the slave market in Huayang City precisely on time.
Ming Zhi Tian took the black antidote from the slave master and swallowed it, feeling refreshed and greatly relieved.
A few more people returned afterwards. After taking the antidote, they eyed Ming Zhi Tian with strange looks, muttering, "An insignificant nobody managed to beat us."
Time was up. Soon, a few more arrived who were over the minute late. However, they did not receive any antidote. The slave master sat leisurely on a wooden chair and said indifferently,
"Time's up. You can all leave."
They were unresigned. "Can't you be a little flexible?"
The slave master sneered, "Your lives are worthless. I don't keep rubbish here."
"Damn it! Let's go! Give us our lives!"
Enraged, several of them attacked bare-handed. Clearly, the slave master's guards were not to be trifled with. A single guard was enough to subdue them.
Several cold beams shot out! The guard merely unleashed one green cold beam!
Clashing with the multiple beams, the attackers were pierced through their bodies by the green cold beam and died instantly.
"So... strong!" The others' hearts sank.
The slave master took a sip of his hot tea. "The medicine lasts for five hours. You didn't cherish your remaining time, yet you were so eager to die. So be it."
"Gulp..." Ming Zhi Tian and the others certainly didn't want to die.
Those who completed their tasks then dutifully returned to their cages. They would all receive a hearty dinner: rice and a turkey leg!
Ming Zhi Tian hadn't eaten all day. In fact, he hadn't eaten anything since arriving in this world. Hunger made him devour his food ravenously.
The others were no better, wishing they could eat their ceramic bowls as well.
Full and satisfied, Ming Zhi Tian thought, "I wonder how Buck is doing?"
Deep into the night, moonlight illuminated several cages, with a few empty ones remaining, clearly belonging to those who had failed to complete their tasks at noon.
Suddenly, someone asked, "Hiss... Hiss! Hey, kid, where are you from?"
Ming Zhi Tian looked up at the person and pointed at himself, "Are you asking me?"
The person said, "Stop pointing, I am. It's you."
Ming Zhi Tian replied, "I'm not from this world."
The person scoffed, "Tch, if you don't want to say, fine. So you were the first to return, what's the big deal? Just an insignificant nobody, why act so proud?"