Seeing Mashaduo, everything started to look up.
This made Fang Yuan feel that he could meet Ho-Oh very soon.
At this moment, Mashaduo was also ready to faithfully fulfill its duty to guide the Brave of the Rainbow and began to lead the way ahead.
The so-called trials, naturally, cannot be conducted in human cities.
It planned to take Fang Yuan and the others to Azure Mountain, which was the closest place to Ho-Oh.
"Mashaa!! (Follow me.)"
As Mashaduo moved away, Master Fan patted Fang Yuan's shoulder and said, "Young man, what are you waiting for? Let's hurry and follow!"
The old man was even more excited than Fang Yuan, the one who was about to be tested.
"Okay."
Fang Yuan smiled, just now he had been pondering... what kind of trials Mashaduo would conduct.
It shouldn't be a battle, right?
It had better not be, otherwise, Mashaduo, who was only at the level of an Ordinary Guardian God, might cry.
.......
Azure Mountain.
Fang Yuan and the others had returned here once again.
After arriving at a desolate place, Mashaduo appeared from the shadows, looking thoughtfully at Fang Yuan.
"Mashaa... (Because you learned of my existence in advance, I will increase the difficulty of the trial I conduct on you.)"
"Ah... increase the difficulty?" Master Fan exclaimed in surprise.
"Master Fan, can you understand it??" Fang Yuan asked in confusion, looking at him. The old gentleman shouldn't have any special abilities.
Another with a full mastery of Spirit Speak?
"A bit, I've done some research," Master Fan laughed.
"Mashaa!! (I will conduct the first trial on you!!)"
Mashaduo continued to watch Fang Yuan. Although it also wanted to criticize this old man who had been investigating it and Ho-Oh for decades, right now, serious matters were pressing.
"Mashaa!! (In the past, the most basic requirement of the Brave of the Rainbow was to have a soul as pure as the sky!)"
Mashaduo said very seriously.
"Uh..." Hearing this, Fang Yuan was taken aback. To tell the truth, that seemed difficult...
"Bwoo..." Not just Fang Yuan, but Eevee on his shoulder, and spirits like Mewtwo hiding in the void, all shook their heads in regret.
What was this? Had he been disqualified before the trial even began?
A soul as pure as the sky?
How could Fang Yuan possibly have that.
He did possess a soul as dark as dark clouds.
However, Mashaduo and Pokemon like Eevee didn't know Fang Yuan's thoughts, nor did Master Fan. In their eyes, after all, Fang Yuan was a human chosen by Ho-Oh, so his foundation must be good.
What they didn't realize was not that Ho-Oh had chosen Fang Yuan, but Fang Yuan had chosen Ho-Oh...
"Mashaa!!" Mashaduo spoke again.
In past trials, it basically hid in the shadows of the candidates for the Brave of the Rainbow, looking for opportunities to expand the candidate's inner darkness. Then it would guide them into "Dreamland" to let them fall.
If, at this time, the Rainbow Feather held by the candidate turned completely dark, then it meant the candidate had failed its trial.
On the other hand, if the candidate, even with an expanded inner darkness, could quickly recognize themselves and restore the light of the Rainbow Feather, then they would have passed the trial.
"Mashaa!! (The content of the trial is the same as before, but this time, I will use all my strength to expand your inner darkness!)" Mashaduo stated seriously.
After all, Fang Yuan had learned of its existence in advance and was mentally prepared, so it was only right for it to give its all.
And besides, this was only the first barrier. Later on, the Three Sacred Beasts would each take turns to be the gatekeepers. Mashaduo would only tell Fang Yuan about them on the premise that he passed the first trial.
"It's still the same trial..." After Mashaduo finished speaking, Master Fan muttered to himself, then looked at Fang Yuan and said, "The Rainbow Feather loses its shine in the hands of one with an evil heart. After that, Mashaduo will close all, rectify everything. Young man, you must not lose yourself."
"This test, huh..." Isn't this the same test as Xiaozhi's? Fang Yuan looked at Mashaduo and said, "Alright, let's do this!"
After speaking, Fang Yuan walked over to a big tree, leaned on it, and sat down, waiting for Mashaduo to expand the dark side of his heart and guide him into "Dreamland".
Fang Yuan firmly believed that although he was "unscrupulous" in his actions, his nature was not bad. A test like this was not something he feared.
Moreover, he had even withstood Darkrai's "Nightmare"; after Mashaduo brought him into "Dreamland", he might not lose his autonomy. It might even turn into a lucid dream, right?
While Fang Yuan was imagining things, Mashaduo had become serious, staring into Fang Yuan's eyes... as if it was about to hypnotize him.
Beside him, Master Fan swallowed nervously, worrying that the Rainbow Feather in Fang Yuan's arms might turn dark because of this. Eevee, who had already jumped down, yawned at the side, watching the excitement.
Ten seconds passed...
A minute passed... Mashaduo and Fang Yuan were still staring into each other's eyes.
Fang Yuan said, "Hasn't it started yet?"
As soon as Fang Yuan asked, Mashaduo was taken aback; its body trembled slightly, it put all its effort into it, but it seemed unable to disturb Fang Yuan's "Soul"?
"Mashado!!" Mashaduo, not believing in evil, glared with wider eyes.
However, Fang Yuan still looked at it with a puzzled face.
What are you doing...
"Give up. You are the Guardian of the World Tree. The embodiment of your 'Soul' power, 'Wave-Guiding Power', is one of the most special even among all beings that can use 'Wave-Guiding Power'. Its current power can't expand the dark side of your heart, not even a hint of negative emotion," Mewtwo's reminder came into Fang Yuan's ears.
This Mashaduo, trying to turn the World Tree Guardian to the dark side, was daydreaming.
Today's Fang Yuan, almost as if blessed by Dream, was immune to such mental illusions; they would have no effect.
"Is that so?" Hearing Mewtwo's reminder, Fang Yuan was startled, then he looked at Mashaduo holding its breath and said, "Little bro, can you do it or not..."
"Mashado...!" Mashaduo broke down, blinking and then starting to pant heavily, sweating profusely.
Master Fan beside him was utterly bewildered.
What's going on?
At that moment, Fang Yuan explained, "Ahem... It seems that you've realized, Mashaduo, my heart is not only as pure as the sky but has also reached a state of flawless purity, 'Emerging from the mud unsoiled, and washing away the sludge without staining'—that's me. This test, I should have passed it, right?"
"Mashado..." Mashaduo stood there stunned.
So that's why it was always unsuccessful.
Is there really such a person?
Mashaduo was shocked beyond belief, not realizing that it was simply its own insignificance that made it unable to disturb Fang Yuan's heart.
At this time, hearing Fang Yuan's words, Master Fan was shocked, and Eevee was too.
Is that considered passing?
"Mashado... (No way!)"
After pondering, Mashaduo shook its head vigorously, no, although Fang Yuan's heart was indeed pure without a hint of negativity to amplify, it would seem useless if it did nothing.
Now, Mashaduo was entirely convinced that this was also a test from Ho-Oh.
Ho-Oh must have already known about Fang Yuan's pure heart and that its mind manipulation would fail, and that's why it hadn't warned Mashaduo beforehand...
It still had to do something; maybe Ho-Oh was watching right now.
"Mashado...! (There's a second test... You, you have to defeat me!)" Mashaduo looked at Fang Yuan very seriously. The Three Sacred Beasts were still on their way, so the testing had to continue through it.
The Brave of the Rainbow must also meet the requirements of combat strength!
While its strength wasn't as good as the Three Sacred Beasts', it wasn't bad either; most Trainers couldn't beat it.
This was the most basic test, and for the time being, Mashaduo could only think of this. As for the test methods of the Three Sacred Beasts, that would be for later.
"Fight?!" Master Fan was dumbfounded. As a guide designated by Ho-Oh, Mashaduo's strength couldn't be weak... but surely, neither was Fang Yuan's.
He looked at Fang Yuan, who at the moment, wore a look of surprise at Mashaduo's proposition.
"Hmm? Fight? Are you sure?"
Mashaduo: Ծ‸Ծ What?
What... what's wrong?