Chapter 281: The Purple Sun Sect’s Decision
Although Jiang Chen’s name was quite famous within the
sixteen kingdoms, apart from within the Skylaurel Kingdom, anything that was
known about Jiang Chen had all been built on rumors.
Since it was just rumors and gossip, many were still refused
to accept Jiang Chen deep within their hearts. They didn’t believe the rumors,
feeling that they painted a picture of Jiang Chen larger than life.
However, at this moment, the vice heads and sect head of
three sects were setting aside their ident.i.ties and openly extending
invitations towards Jiang Chen in front of everyone!
The most crucial thing was, theoretically speaking, their
actions weren’t against the rules.
The rules said that no cheating was allowed after the first
selection had started.
They didn’t say that the sects couldn’t recruit before the
first selection started. It was right and proper if someone recognized value
where it lay right then and was willing to use rich rewards to recruit someone.
Although Xie Tianshu felt a bit awkward, he was the head of
a sect after all.
After being pressured by w.a.n.g Tuo and Jiang Ruo, he
smiled faintly, “A treasured blade’s edge is honed through repeated sharpening,
plum blossoms that make it through winter smell even more fragrant. Although
Jiang Chen has met some setbacks in the Skylaurel Kingdom, my sect was thinking
of the greater picture and wanted to go to greater depths to test him. Reality
has also proven that Jiang Chen is indeed suitable for the Precious Tree Sect,
and is worthy of the sect recruiting him at all costs.”
At all costs.
These were solemn words.
w.a.n.g Tuo and Jiang Ruo looked at each other, seeing worry
in each other’s eyes.
If the Precious Tree Sect was willing to do whatever
necessary to recruit Jiang Chen, then their offers wouldn’t be able to compete
with that.
After all, Jiang Chen’s foundations were in the Skylaurel
Kingdom, his connections lay there as well. If the Precious Tree Sect paid no
heed to the cost in recruiting him, then they would have a great advantage.
w.a.n.g Tuo grew worried, “Jiang Chen, you have such
extraordinary potential in raising spirit creatures, and can be described as a
rare genius that comes around once in a thousand years. The Myriad Spirit Sect
alone is the most suitable sect for you. The Precious Tree Sect allowed you to
languish in the shadows, not only not helping you, but suppressing you all
around as well. How is that the proper att.i.tude towards a genius?”
Jiang Ruo didn’t back down either, “Jiang Chen, perhaps your
potential isn’t limited to just raising spirit creatures. Our Flowing Wind Sect
is most adept at unearthing hidden talents. Perhaps there are other potentials
and great powers hidden within you. Only the Flowing Wind Sect within the
sixteen kingdoms can uncover the utmost limit of your potential.”
Everyone’s words made sense.
They each emphasized their advantages and were extravagantly
florid with their words, as if flowers were raining from the sky.
However, Jiang Chen’s prime target was the Precious Tree
Sect. He was partic.i.p.ating in the selection because of that sect’s spirit
medicine resources.
Although the Myriad Spirit Sect was quite strong in training
spirit creatures, he didn’t think that he’d be able to learn much from them.
It was true that the Flowing Wind Sect was skilled at
unearthing potential, but Jiang Chen was well aware where his potential lay and
was even more so aware of his advantages.
His worry wasn’t how to unearth his capabilities, but that
he had too many of them.
As for the Purple Sun Sect, it never entered Jiang Chen’s
consideration, no matter how he looked at things.
Although he’d long since decided on the Precious Tree Sect,
he didn’t intend to declare his tendencies at the moment.
To do so now would make the Precious Tree Sect think less of
him, and think that he was only worth this much. They had only asked
offhandedly, and he had come running as soon as they’d beckoned.
This didn’t fit Jiang Chen’s personality.
If he were to enter a sect, they would have to be fighting
each other for the honor.
The sect head putting in an appearance?
Jiang Chen didn’t give a rat’s a.s.s about that at all.
You’re the head of the sect alright, but isn’t it too late for you to express
your sincerity now?
Where were you when the Iron family was making trouble for
me again and again?
You want me to run to you with grat.i.tude now that you’ve
come and shown your old face?
Think again!
Since the master of the Precious Tree Sect was forefather
Thousandleaf, then he was the one who had to extend the invite!
Besides, Jiang Chen didn’t want to give rise to rumors that
he’d entered the sect using a backdoor.
I, Jiang Chen, can enter the sect on the basis of my own
strength. What need have I for you, Xie Tianshu, to play the good guy now?
…….
Over where the forefathers were, apart from Sunchaser, the
other three were in a stunning accord with what was transpiring over there. No
one stood out to object.
It would’ve been ludicrous had the three forefathers stepped
out to fight over a mundane disciple. Even though Jiang Chen had already left
an impression on them, things had yet to progress to the final stage of the
selection. With their positions as an origin realm forefathers, they wouldn’t
step out to fight over a disciple.
Even though Jiang Chen’s performance was quite stunning and
had made some eye-catching moves, showing off some extraordinary potential, but
at their current stage on the path of martial dao, they had seen too much
already.
They had seen too many geniuses with potential.
Yet how many of those had been able to make it to the origin
realm in the end?
Only the four of them had appeared in nearly a thousand
years.
Although they thirsted for talent, they still trusted only
their eyes as proof and wished to observe the true talents of the various
geniuses through the first selection.
Sunchaser from the Purple Sun Sect wrinkled his brow
slightly when he saw this scene.
The other three had sent their sect head or vice heads, and
only the senior executives of the Purple Sun Sect were notable in their
absence.
This made forefather Sunchaser feel a bit disgruntled.
Even if you don’t care about this young man, at least put on
an act? Four hundred thousand ordinary disciples represent four hundred
thousand pairs of eyes.
What will they think of our sect when they see how
enthusiastic the other three are towards this young man?
People could possibly think that the Purple Sun Sect was too
arrogant.
“Zixu, what’s going on over there?” Sunchaser couldn’t help
but send a mental message to Purple Sun Sect head Spiritual Master Zixu.
Spiritual Master Zixu also felt quite awkward when he
witnessed this scene.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to recruit Jiang Chen, but
once he heard of the feud between Jiang Chen and his sect’s Shuiyue faction, he
resigned himself to give up on that notion.
This Jiang Chen had come from the Eastern Kingdom and had a
death feud with the Long Juxue genius of the Shuiyue faction!
When he heard the name “Long Juxue”, Zixu knew that there
was no hope for Jiang Chen to enter the sect.
Although it’d been less than two years since Long Juxue entered
the sect, Master Shuiyue had used a monumental amount of effort to push Long
Juxue from the peak of true qi master to the earth spirit realm half a month
ago!
Long Juxue, a genius girl less than twenty years old, was
already in the earth spirit realm!
This wasn’t to say that the Purple Sun Sect lacked geniuses
with this level of training, but Long Juxue was different. She’d entered the
sect only less than two years ago. Her rate of improvement was truly the
definition of leaps and bounds.
The advantage of the azure phoenix const.i.tution beneath
the attentive care of the sect pushed Long Juxue forward at such a rate that
the other preeminent geniuses within the sect could only tsk in amazement.
Even though her level of training wasn’t in the lead of the
geniuses within the sect, her potential laid bare. Everyone was well aware that
the second selection was three years long.
In these three years, Long Juxue’s level of training was
certain to see a significant increase!
Master Shuiyue’s expectations for her were the peak of the
earth spirit realm at the lowest, meaning the sixth level spirit realm.
And that was only her lowest estimate.
With such incredible potential like the azure phoenix
const.i.tution, if she had enough resources and fortuitous encounters within
these three years, it was possible that she could break through to the sky
spirit realm.
She could even continue further into the sky spirit realm as
well.
The azure phoenix const.i.tution, a genius found once in
hundreds of years, was practically born for the martial dao. Her potential, her
powers of comprehension, her bloodline - they all enabled her to take to any
technique and method like a fish in water. Once she successfully practiced them
to perfection, her power would also far exceed that of her peers.
Although Long Juxue was now only at the fourth level spirit
realm, the executives of the Purple Sun Sect had long since listed her as one
of the six most likely to make it into the final sixteen.
Apart from Long Juxue, the other five were almost all at the
peak of the earth spirit realm, even with those incredible existences of the
sky spirit realm.
Long Juxue was only at the fourth level spirit realm and was
treated as on par with the premier geniuses within the sect. From this, it was
obvious how extraordinary her potential was.
It was because of this that when Spiritual Master Zixu heard
of the death feud between Jiang Chen and Long Juxue, he had given up the idea
of recruiting Jiang Chen without a further thought.
Although Jiang Chen had a great reputation lately, from
Zixu’s perspective a few talented tricks still paled far in comparison to Long
Juxue’s azure phoenix const.i.tution.
Zixu could only answer honestly when the forefather asked
him, “Forefather, Jiang Chen and Long Juxue of the azure phoenix const.i.tution
both hail from the Eastern Kingdom and a death feud exists between them. One
mountain cannot hold two tigers, so our sect can only give up on this Jiang
Chen.”
Sunchaser immediately understood once he heard this
explanation.
He mentally put Jiang Chen on his blacklist. If he had a
feud with Long Juxue, then he was the Purple Sun Sect’s enemy.
Even Sunchaser had to admit that Long Juxue’s potential made
him want to take her as a true disciple.
He was merely waiting for Long Juxue to emerge from the
ma.s.ses during this time’s great selection before taking her as a true
disciple.
In this regard, Sunchaser’s mentality grew detached, and he
settled on the att.i.tude of watching a good show as he watched the three sects
fight one another. He was quite disdainful of them. Is it worth fighting over
someone destined to die?
“I say, you three, to send out your sect head and vice heads
to recruit a mere mundane disciple, don’t you think you are raising a great
fuss over nothing and damaging the repute of your sects?” Sunchaser chuckled.
Ninelion from the Myriad Spirit Sect barked out a laugh.
“Old monster Sunchaser, don’t take such a high and mighty tone. Who doesn’t
know that Jiang Chen has a death feud with one of your geniuses and thus you
can’t take him. What are you acting so aloof for?”
Ninelion’s personality was a bit disagreeable as he
mercilessly exposed Sunchaser’s sham.
Chapter 282: Jiang Chen Refuses
Sunchaser laughed heartily, “Since all of you are aware of
the matters behind the scenes, why go to such lengths in recruiting him? This
Jiang Chen has offended the genius with most potential in my sect. What
greatness can he amount to if he is destined to die within this great selection?
Is he really that worthy of having all of you chasing after him?”
“Tsk tsk, I can’t listen to you talk.” Ninechaser rolled his
eyes. “I’ve rather heard that it was those so-called sect geniuses who were
almost destroyed by Jiang Chen in the mundane Eastern Kingdom. They had to rely
on some of their senior brothers bullying the weak to limp away from the
scene.”
“Humph. That was then and this is now. Long Juxue had just
washed away the evil humours that plagues the azure phoenix const.i.tution, and
had yet to deploy her full potential. Now that she’s entered my Purple Sun
Sect, it is as if the dragon is returning to the sea. She’s destined to
overturn rivers and oceans, and steal the very heavens and the moon. A mere
ordinary brat is destined to be her stepping stone, and an inconsequential one
at that.”
Sunchaser had the most domineering personality out of all
the forefathers.
It was forefather Thousandleaf who smiled faintly. “Why are
we old folks standing here discussing such a boring topic? How many
extraordinary geniuses have fallen to the hands of nameless n.o.bodies in the
end when pursuing the path of the martial dao? Although both you and I are of
the origin realm, we are not G.o.ds, so what matters can we set in stone?”
Although he spoke conservatively, it was obvious that he was
quite dismissive of Sunchaser’s att.i.tude - as if no one on earth could defeat
him.
The old folks were indeed a bit envious of an innate
const.i.tution, but a good potential didn’t represent everything.
At least, Long Juxue had been forced to almost the brink in
the mundane world by Jiang Chen and had almost lost her life. This was a stain
on her life and was destined to become one of Long Juxue’s internal demons.
If she didn’t eliminate it, she would have no hope of
setting foot into the origin realm in her life.
If she couldn’t enter the origin realm, then all was as
intangible as the wispy clouds in the eyes of these old folks.
In the eyes of the origin realm pract.i.tioners, only the
origin realm or those with the potential to enter the realm were worthy of
entering their eyes.
Icemist smiled demurely, “Daoist Sunchaser, an innate
const.i.tution is indeed rare, and difficult to find once in a hundred years.
The fact that the Purple Sun Sect was able to find it in a mundane kingdom was
indeed the Purple Sun Sect’s blessing. However, with my Flowing Wind Sect’s
abilities in uncovering potential, I can see that Jiang Chen embodies great
potential and power. And this power may not necessarily be inferior to an argus
phoenix const.i.tution.”
The Flowing Wind Sect was adept at discovering geniuses and
excavating the potential of their disciples.
Although forefather Icemist’s words were spoken as gently as
the spring winds of March, they had an aura to them that made one have to
consider them gravely.
“Little sister Icemist, your old brother here normally
wouldn’t doubt your words. However, although Jiang Chen has a bit of potential,
all is still hot air in the face of the argus phoenix const.i.tution. Of this,
I firmly believe. I think all of you know better than me what an innate
const.i.tution means.”
Sunchaser’s tone was also firm.
Ninelion laughed heartily, “And what of an innate
const.i.tution? If she can’t get past Jiang Chen, he will forever be her
internal demon. If she doesn’t clear it away, do you think she will have any
hope of entering the origin realm”
The strength of a spirit king pract.i.tioner’s heart in
a.s.sailing the origin realm was of utmost importance.
Having internal demons meant harboring latent threats in
one’s consciousness. In the process of breaking through, the backlash formed by
the internal demons made it very likely that the pract.i.tioner would be
crippled at best, or dead at worst.
This was absolutely not alarmist talk.
Sunchaser chuckled, “It’s precisely because that Jiang Chen
is Long Juxue’s rival to the death that he is fated to die by Long Juxue’s
hand.”
Amongst the forefathers, none of them were willing to submit
to the others.
It wasn’t that they liked Jiang Chen or thought that much of
him, but that they didn’t want to see Sunchaser actually succeed in cultivating
Long Juxue’s const.i.tution.
It was true that the sixteen kingdoms needed geniuses.
However, humans were selfish by nature and all the elders
had hoped that geniuses would be in their sect, and not in their
compet.i.tor’s.
If all the geniuses had similar potential, then everyone
could split them equally.
However, the advantage an innate const.i.tution had was
simply too great. The other forefathers were more or less a bit jealous.
Once an innate const.i.tution broke through to the origin
realm, then the advantages of their potential would be even more fully
displayed. The rate in which she grew stronger would be limitless.
Once that kind of situation formed, the balance of the four
great sects equally dividing up the sixteen kingdoms would more than likely be
broken.
As the forefathers sparred verbally, Xie Tianshu, w.a.n.g
Tuo, and Jiang Ruo had all returned to their own camps.
Judging from their appearances, it seemed that no one had
gotten the upper hand and successfully recruited Jiang Chen.
When w.a.n.g Tuo came to Sunchaser, he said dejectedly,
“Forefather, your subordinate was incompetent and unable to recruit Jiang Chen.
Please pa.s.s down your judgement.”
“Haha, w.a.n.g Tuo, even sect head Xie of the Precious Tree
Sect made a personal appearance. This was not your fault.”
Xie Tianshu smiled wryly, “Forefather Ninelion, I was
incompetent and also didn’t recruit Jiang Chen.”
“Oh?” The forefathers turned their gazes towards Jiang Ruo,
thinking that Jiang Chen had been convinced by the Flowing Wind Sect.
Jiang Ruo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Please don’t
look at me this way, forefathers. Jiang Chen isn’t as simple as everyone
thinks.”
“Oh? What’s going on here? w.a.n.g Tuo, speak up.” Ninelion
was immensely intrigued. The three sects had set forth but hadn’t succeeded in
swaying a mundane disciple?
w.a.n.g Tuo spoke with depression, “Jiang Chen said that
since he’d come here, he didn’t want the four hundred thousand ordinary
pract.i.tioners to feel that the four sects were a place that one could
backdoor into. His reasons were quite n.o.ble and dignified. He said for the
face of the four sects and so that everyone would think it’s fair, he still
wanted to partic.i.p.ate in the great selection and use his own strength to
make it into the sects so that no one would have any reason to speak ill of
him.”
Jinag Chen had indeed said so.
He hadn’t been able to find a more n.o.ble and dignified
reason.
This reason had been respectable and irrefutable.
The forefathers looked at each other, at a loss of what to
do as they started laughing wryly.
Sunchaser also couldn’t help but laugh, “It looks like we’ve
underestimated Jiang Chen’s personality. This personality isn’t one of an elite
genius, but one of a narcissistic, self indulgent idiot. This is just as well.
Since none of you have decided on him, Long Juxue will be even more unperturbed
in killing this brat. I also don’t have to worry about the possibility of
erupting in open hostilities with one of you.”
Sunchaser laughed heartily as he felt that Jiang Chen was
arrogant in his youth. Even though he had potential, he lacked the mentality to
go with it.
He knew full well that he would possibly meet oppression
from Long Juxue in the great selection, but he didn’t understand how to grasp
the one thing that might save him.
What need was there to fear a young genius who knew only the
situation but didn’t know how to judge the hour and seize the opportunity.
Sunchaser looked only more favorably upon Long Juxue killing
Jiang Chen now.
The other forefathers also felt slight ripples of emotion in
their hearts upon hearing this. To be honest, they didn’t really know what to
make of Jiang Chen’s choice from their perspective.
As much potential a young genius had, he had no need to be
so arrogant as to put on airs in the face of sect recruitment.
Indeed, in the eyes of these senior executives, they felt
that Jiang Chen was putting on airs.
When a young man did so, that meant he wasn’t mature enough.
When one was like this, unless he was truly an unparalleled genius, his future
would otherwise be worrisome.
Those present had been antic.i.p.ating Jiang Chen becoming
Long Juxue’s internal demon.
They felt slightly disappointed now.
This Jiang Chen didn’t even have the most basic grasp of
what was an appropriate action to take in a situation like this. Could he
really withstand the threat of Long Juxue in the great selection?
Although the selection was anonymous, if Jiang Chen could
make it to the final stage, he was sure to be recognized.
At that time, once Jiang Chen and Long Juxue stood on the
dueling stage, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to kill a young man with no
protection from a sect then.
In the eyes of these senior executives, the smartest move
that Jiang Chen could take now was to join a sect, and then make use of the
first selection to take a teacher, receive some pointers, and gain some good
equipment, thereby adding to his resources to fight against Long Juxue.
In the eyes of the forefathers, this was merely a small
interlude in the end.
Their original intentions were to discover geniuses through
the selection. This was the true purpose!
The process of four hundred thousand partic.i.p.ants
receiving their partic.i.p.ant tokens, uniforms, and masks was also a
monumental undertaking.
It was a good thing that the four sects had dispatched
enough people this time, so that all partic.i.p.ants had received their tokens
after two hours.
Jiang Chen took his token, changed into his uniform, and put
on his mask.
He looked around and saw that it was a ma.s.s of
silver-white masks around him. It was indeed difficult to make anyone out.
The most marvelous thing was that this uniform could
actually mask a person’s aura. This negated the method of using a person’s aura
to determine one’s ident.i.ty.
“Remember, all of you must maintain anonymity before the
selection ends. If anyone lets their mask or uniform drop from you during the
selection, that will result in automatic disqualification. Don’t think you can
slip through the cracks as there is a miniscule spirit glyph embedded within
the uniform. We will know when it departs from your body.”
Jiang Chen made a small probe when he heard this and
discovered that this was true.
“It looks like that the four great sects are indeed valuing
this time’s great selection. The amounts spent on the uniforms and masks
already are likely great indeed, not to mention the monumental costs of opening
the legacy realm of the ancient times according to tutor Ye.” Jiang Chen sighed
in his heart.
His fighting spirits were naturally heightened when he saw
how much emphasis the four great sects were placing on this selection.
Forefather Sunchaser’s voice sounded again when everyone had
received their partic.i.p.ant tokens, “Alright, the legacy realm has already
been opened. All partic.i.p.ants, move out!”
The legacy realm was within the Redflame Kingdom.
The four hundred thousand strong army had arrived on a sea
of clouds after roughly one hour. This ocean of clouds billowed indistinctly,
giving one the impression that they were walking amongst the stars at a glance.
Many dots of light rippled through the ocean, as if untold
numbers of leaping carp atop a mighty river, full of life and movement.
Jiang Chen could sense the strong spirit power field around
him and knew that this was likely the entrance.
“Alright, you will be fully within the legacy realm less
than thirty li after entering this ocean of clouds.” Forefather Sunchaser and
the others transformed into four streaks of light and led the charge after he
finished speaking.
The other senior executives also followed closely behind and
set out.
Jiang Chen was in no hurry as he fell in step with the rest
of the army, making his way in.
Although Jiang Chen had lived two lives, his emotions were
thrumming a bit with excitement right now as well. This could be marked as the
first time he was truly greeting a challenge for the first time in his two
lives.
Chapter 283: The First Trial, Path of Rebirth
After threading through the ocean of clouds, everyone’s
vision gradually cleared up, and they discovered that they’d already entered a
world vastly different from the one they’d just been in.
Lofty and soaring peaks towered in the distance. As if
numerous circling ancient beasts, they were so tall that they could reach the
Big Dipper, and so mighty that they could dominate the nine heavens, giving one
an awe inspiring feeling of overwhelming strength.
The senior executives of the four great sects had been
waiting for quite a while within the legacy realm.
“Remember, you are now standing in the legacy territory of
ancient times. You must heed instructions with your every movement within the
territory. It is very likely that you will be buried here if you disregard
instructions and go off on your own. This is absolutely not an empty threat.”
The legacy territory of ancient times was widely acclaimed
as the most mysterious of all territories in the sixteen kingdom alliance.
“Alright, let’s not waste time in further talk. You will
face the first trial next, the trial of the heart. This trial is called the
path of rebirth. You will be divided into a hundred different areas and enter
the path. The path that you will embark upon is the same difficulty for
everyone, but different scenes will appear according to the composition of your
hearts. This trial will be testing the strength of your heart. The duration of
the trial is limited to ten days. If you cannot make it out within ten days,
then you will be deemed as having failed the first trial.”
“Those who fail will be sent out of the legacy territory.”
A cold voice sounded in everyone’s consciousness.
“This trial is also the one with the highest failure rate.
Two thirds, or even more, of those a.s.sembled here may be disqualified.”
On the path of martial dao, strength of the heart was of the
utmost importance.
If one could not make it past a trial of the heart, then any
potential one had was simply empty talk. If a pract.i.tioner couldn’t even
raise the strength of his heart, then he would never ascend to the peak no
matter what he did.
After all, if one had insufficient strength of the heart
when a.s.sailing the origin realm, one would never break through to it.
The ultimate goal of the four forefathers was to select
geniuses with the potential to make it to the origin realm.
The path of rebirth?
Jiang Chen turned these three words over in his heart. They
sounded quite mystical. This name would not have been arbitrarily bestowed.
Was this a road in which one had to experience the cycle of
life and death?
Jiang Chen readily accepted this. He’d lived two lives, what
aspect of reincarnation hadn’t he experienced? What joys and sorrows hadn’t he
tasted?
“I have an advantage in this trial as well. Setting aside
the fact that these pract.i.tioners can’t measure up to my experiences, my
practice of Boulder’s Heart is enough to give me an enormous advantage in a
compet.i.tion between mundane disciples.”
Jiang Chen was full of confidence.
“Remember, the time allotted for the first trial is ten
days. If you can complete a circuit of the path in ten days, that means you’ve
pa.s.sed. If you can complete it in eight days, that means your strength of the
heart is above average. If completed in five days, that means you are
absolutely a genius in the matters of the mind. If you can finish in three
days, then you are an unsurpa.s.sed genius in this regard.”
The voice continued on faintly.
“Incidentally, if you finish within three days, your scores
will be directly sent on towards the forefathers and you’ll receive special
attention. Although your ident.i.ties will be temporarily masked, your
partic.i.p.ation tokens will be highlighted in front of the forefathers and
receive their particular notice. I trust you don’t need me to explain the
meaning of this advantage?”
“What? Special attention from the forefathers?”
“My heart of martial dao has always been resolute. I’m
definitely going to strive to finish within three days!”
“I have a hope of ascending to the skies in a single leap if
I receive the forefathers’ notice. Wonderful! I’ve always emphasized training
the heart normally, this is surely my chance to s.h.i.+ne!”
All the pract.i.tioners kept speaking words of encouragement
to themselves to bolster themselves psychologically.
“Alright, we’ll now be divided into groups. There are a
hundred areas in total and each will absorb three to four thousand people.
However, the path of rebirth is a lonely one. You will not run into each other
on the path. Therefore, you won’t need to worry about conflict from each other
in this trial. You are always alone on the path of rebirth, remember this.”
Four hundred thousand people wouldn’t run into each other
when walking the same path?
All the pract.i.tioners were quite astonished.
Jiang Chen was rather noncommittal. Since the path of
rebirth was a legacy territory, then everything was possible.
An art that merely folded s.p.a.ce was just a parlor trick
in the hands of the ancient heavyweights. Jiang Chen would be able to
experience things for himself once he entered this path of rebirth that was
shrouded in mystery.
Since everyone was wearing a mask, there was no fear of
revealing their ident.i.ties. Jiang Chen naturally had no need to conceal his
strength.
“Let’s display my talents to the utmost!” Jiang Chen decided
in his heart.
The groups were quickly divided, and Jiang Chen was sent to
the second area.
Each area had their own organizer, and the one in charge of
the three, four thousand in the second area led them to an enormous, empty
field.
“Do you see this? This empty field is a formation. You will
enter the path of rebirth when the formation activates. Remember, where you
start is also where you finish. This is to say that when the formation
activates, where you appear is your starting and finish line. What you need to
do is to set off from the starting line and walk forward until you end up at
the finish line. You must do a complete circuit of the path.”
“The starting line is the finish line?”
“Remember, don’t think of getting up to any tricks. If you
stay where you are without moving, and don’t walk down the path of rebirth,
that is equivalent to forfeiting. You’ll be sent out after ten days. Another
important thing to remember is that once you set out on your path, you can only
move forward, not backward. Once you go backwards, the path of rebirth will be
thrown into chaos and you’ll be disqualified immediately.”
Since the starting line was the finish line, some who had
jumped to a different conclusion immediately began to think that if they stayed
where they are, would that count as having walked the path?
When they heard this warning, those who were harboring these
kinds of thoughts received a great shock and immediately gave up on this cheat.
A breeze suddenly grew in the air around the empty field.
The dust in this surroundings began to follow the gust as a large, circular air
current started to churn the ground beneath it.
Bam!
As the dirt and dust flew, the pract.i.tioners within the
second area began to disappear where they stood as the formation activated.
“Path of rebirth, here I come!”
Jiang Chen was full of expectations at this moment as he set
off on the path of rebirth with a strong desire to conquer it.
His body suddenly wavered as his feet seemed to set foot on
something. Jiang Chen then opened his eyes and saw that his surroundings had
changed to lush greenery.
Large trees gave shade to the gra.s.s beneath them as the
fragrance of flowers and birdsong permeated the surroundings. This scene almost
made Jiang Chen doubt, was this truly the path of rebirth?
In Jiang Chen’s eyes, the path of rebirth should be as dank
and frightening as the path to the underworld, full of nefarious and evil
things.
Why was the path of rebirth so peaceful, as calm as a
paradise separated from the world? Relaxation grew in people’s hearts as they
greatly enjoyed the surroundings.
“This kind of scenery is as though it’s an immortal realm.
Just what kind of path of rebirth is this? It’s basically a magical road to the
immortal world.” Jiang Chen tsk’d with amazement in his heart.
He spun a few times where he stood and discovered that the
trees and gra.s.ses here were actually all spirit plants! The fruit on the tree
branches were all spirit fruits that would’ve been impossible to run into in
the mundane world.
The least of all the exotic flowers and gra.s.ses would be
hailed as an utmost treasure within the four sects.
“Mm? There are so many spirit items on the path of rebirth?
If this is so, why are the four sects still so poor and weak?” Jiang Chen was
astonished as he looked around. His heart suddenly trembled as Boulder’s Heart
suddenly wavered. “Ah, no! This is the path of the rebirth, all I see may be an
illusion.”
Jiang Chen’s reaction was quite fast as he immediately woke
up from this illusion. He shook his head and cast aside these extraneous
thoughts. He carefully deployed G.o.d’s Eye to observe these plants, but still
found it difficult to discern whether they were real or fake.
“Amazing, whether it is real or fake, the fact that the path
of rebirth can set up such a strong illusion and give rise to such strong
temptation is incredible. Ah, forget it, I’m here to walk the path and cannot
linger here in nostalgia.”
Jiang Chen shouldered the sights of temptation around him
and moved his feet, walking towards the front.
He kept practicing his Boulder’s Heart, warning himself not
to look backwards, not to look backwards. If he did and witnessed such
temptation again, he may very well start walking backwards.
According to the rules, once you selected your direction on
the path of rebirth, you had to keep following it without turning back. Once
you turned back, the path of rebirth would be engulfed in chaos and you’d be
directly disqualified.
Under the steadying influence of the Boulder’s Heart, no
more ripples arose in Jiang Chen’s heart. That little bit of mental wavering
he’d experienced when he’d just entered also vanished without a trace.
Jiang Chen’s heart still palpitated with fright even after
walking for a while.
“I’ve experienced two cycles of life and practice Boulder’s
Heart, but still almost lost myself in that scene just now. Can it be that the
stronger one’s strength of the heart is, the greater the temptation of the path
of rebirth? I was almost mesmerized by the sights just now, if I’d moved to
pick any of them, would I have lost myself forever?”
Jiang Chen felt that he’d been lucky when he thought about
it.
He’d been quite confident towards this path of rebirth, but
it was because he'd been too confident and too relaxed that had nearly led him
to failure.
“It looks like I cannot relax my guard in any aspect of the
great selection. Once my mind relaxes, the various tests of the trial of the
heart will take advantage and slip in.”
Jiang Chen slowly came to a few conclusions as a thought
flashed through his mind, “Can it be that the path of rebirth reflects out the
partic.i.p.ant’s mindset? What I currently need the most are spirit medicines,
and the first scene I was greeted with was countless numbers of spirit
ingredients. Perhaps the others would’ve seen something else entirely?”
Jiang Chen was even less likely to relax after thinking
these thoughts.
If the path of rebirth could reflect the partic.i.p.ants’
mindset, then the path of rebirth would become stronger the greater the
partic.i.p.ant was. The stronger the determination within your heart, the
greater the tests the path of rebirth would give to you.
Indeed, one had to use that bit of truest intention in their
consciousness to overcome the stubborness of the heart.
The trial of the heart and the path of rebirth wouldn’t be
that easy to pa.s.s.
He’d been shown up as soon as it’d started, but Jiang Chen
didn’t become nervous. Rather, he privately rejoiced. To be treated thus as
soon as it started meant that the situation could serve as a warning that he
could not afford to continue insuch a lackadaisical manner. He must treat this
trial seriously.
As he walked, the scenes in front of his eyes continued to
change.
He seemed to have gone through many days in an instant,
weathering the four seasons and going through a cycle of life and death.
A thundering, cras.h.i.+ng mighty river suddenly appeared in
front of him.
The swift waters roared fiercely with a large racket. They
churned and roiled in their motion, vibrating the heavens as if the skies were
collapsing and the earth was cracking.
There were three bridges across the river in front of Jiang
Chen.
“The first test of rebirth, Bridge of Helplessness” was
written on a stone marker on the sh.o.r.e.
Chapter 284: Trial After Trial
The three bridges were obviously there for Jiang Chen to
choose from.
Although there were no clear indications on the path, Jiang
Chen was well aware of the fact that there was only one bridge that was the
right path.
Choosing the wrong bridge meant that he was out, because
there was no way to backtrack on the path of rebirth. One could only keep
moving forward.
Jiang Chen looked out on the bridges and he saw that there
were shadows moving on the bridges in the mist. Although his line of sight
wasn’t the best, he could still see figures moving about on all three bridges.
This meant that there was someone on each of the bridges.
“A moment, didn’t they say that one is always alone on the
path of rebirth? Why is it that there are figures on all three bridges?”
Jiang Chen felt that it was a bit odd and utilized the
G.o.d’s Eye to peer upon the bridges.
Indeed, there were people walking on all the bridges towards
the sh.o.r.e on the other side. Each bridge was filled with many people.
It looked like the bridge was quite slippery, as people
continuously fell off the bridge and landed in the frothing river waters below.
The even more frightening thing was that when they fell into
the waters, it was like falling into a pot of boiling oil as their bodies
melted, leaving behind only a pile of white bones in the blink of an eye.
“How can this be?” Jiang Chen was startled. White bones
could float on top of the water? Judging from the water's momentum, it could
basically churn everything away, so how could it possibly leave the bones
behind?
If one of the three bridges was the right one, why would the
people on them fall down instead?
“This is a trial of the heart and not of the others.
Everything on these bridges must be fake.” Jiang Chen made his judgement.
He stood there for a moment and he went over all the clues
in his mind again, suddenly feeling a flash of inspiration.
“Yes yes, they said that one is always alone on the path of
rebirth. How is it possible that other people would appear? Since this is a
solitary path, then everything I see must be illusionary. Everything, including
even these three bridges, must be an illusion. These figures are just a
reminder for me.”
Those stark white bones were an illusion.
Even that roaring river was most likely fake as well!
Having practiced the Boulder’s Heart, Jiang Chen’s instinct
would continuously give himself hints as soon as these kinds of thoughts
appeared, seeking to make the thoughts more resolute.
He gave a long whistle and ignored the three bridges,
leaping directly into the frothing waters.
When he stepped on the water, Jiang Chen discovered that it
felt like he’d stepped on something hard. He took a close look and realized
that he was still on the flat plains.
What great river in front of him? What bridges? Where had
all the figures and white bones gone?
“Indeed, fabrications. It was all just a fabrication.” Jiang
Chen sighed softly, even more impressed by the person who had brought the path
of rebirth into existence.
If one didn’t have strong power of the heart on this path of
reincarnation, and lacked sufficient powers of deduction and logic, or
overlooked the organizer’s words, then he would’ve surely embarked on the wrong
path as soon as he’d set foot on any of the three bridges and he might’ve been
disqualified immediately.
It was precisely because Jiang Chen had remembered that
sentence — you are forever alone on the path of rebirth and you won’t b.u.mp
into anyone.
Since this was a trial of the heart, it wouldn’t be so silly
as to make people choose a meaningless decision and rely on luck to make it
across the swift river.
Since it wasn’t a game of chance, this meant that it was
most likely that the three bridges were fake.
The river then was fake as well.
Jiang Chen’s deductions were reasonable.
“Perhaps the words on the stone marker were a hint. What is
the Bridge of Helplessness? It’s a bridge on the path to the underworld.
Perhaps the three bridges were called thus to hint that if you took these
bridges, you wouldn’t be able to make it past the path of rebirth at all.”
These were Jiang Chen’s thoughts.
“If anyone else meets the bridges, I believe that many of
them will be disqualified. The word of at least two thirds of partic.i.p.ants
being disqualified in the first trial were most likely not an over
exaggeration. It’s very possible that many would’ve fallen in the first test.”
After all, the three bridges were right there, and according
to customary logic, many would choose to pa.s.s through one of them.
If one’s heart was resolute and their powers of deduction
strong, then one might consider the fact that without any clear hints, it was a
game of chance if one would select the right bridge when it came down to
choosing one amongst the three.
But it was a bit nonsensical to have a game of chance here.
The path of rebirth was one of the trials, why would a game of chance be used
to determine a pract.i.tioner’s future?
“I wonder if my three followers can make it past this
trial?” Jiang Chen suddenly thought of his three followers who were also
partic.i.p.ating in the selection.
However, he didn’t have time to consider.
The path of rebirth’s continual tests had made it so that
Jiang Chen didn’t dare think lightly of it anymore. Its first test had been
enough to shock him slightly.
The test of the Bridge of Helplessness made Jiang Chen treat
the trial with even more gravity.
Even though he had his advantages, it would be difficult to
ensure that he’d have full confidence in pa.s.sing if he relaxed his guard.
Jiang Chen suddenly felt a wall of heat hit his body, as if
a strong current of hot air was rus.h.i.+ng towards him from the front.
A stone marker suddenly appeared in front of him.
The second test of rebirth — Ocean of Divine Ashes.
Wham, wham, wham
Fire columns that shot into the sky were hovering on the
path ahead, like ancient fire dragons spitting out gouts of flame.
Jiang Chen looked out and he saw that it was a vast expanse
of fiery ocean wherever he looked, with no end in sight. The fiery ocean filled
the heavens, and the tongues of flames gave rise to a ma.s.s of burning flames,
giving one the feeling that they were in a fiery purgatory.
The strong scene of fire continued to rampage wildly,
projecting the feeling that it would break through the boundary and rush to
Jiang Chen’s feet.
“Ocean of Divine Ashes?” Jiang Chen halted and frowned as he
looked at the fiery ocean.
His first thought was that this fiery ocean was an illusion.
However, that feeling that everything would go up in flames,
and the fiery ocean that felt like it would burn everything in sight made his
entire body burn hotly as well. This kind of suffocating feeling felt quite
very real indeed.
“There is no way backwards on the path of rebirth!” Jiang
Chen had once again reached an obstacle and he was faced with a difficult
decision.
Roar, roar.
Several red twisters rose in the fiery abyss, roiling with
immense fire spirit power like crazed fire dragons and they hurtled towards
Jiang Chen.
That momentum that they had was as if they were hated rivals
with Jiang Chen and they wanted to swallow him where he stood.
Jiang Chen was shocked, and his first thought was to back
up.
But a thought continuously appeared in his heart, and that
was that he couldn’t retreat.
There was no retreat on the path of rebirth!
The path would be thrown into chaos as soon as he took a
step backwards and he’d be disqualified.
“Fake, fake, it’s all fake. As real as it feels, it’s still
fake.” Jiang Chen repeated to himself.
When this thought grew in his mind, he grit his teeth and
charged forward, rus.h.i.+ng headlong into the fire dragons.
He actually really wanted to activate the Lotus of Fire and
Ice and see how it’d do, but reason told him that it wasn’t time yet. If anyone
was surveilling this trial, his trump card would be revealed there and then.
The ravaging fire dragons crashed into Jiang Chen,
dispersing into nothingness like a soft breeze.
Jiang Chen rushed into the fiery ocean like an arrow loosed
from the bow.
As he neared the unbridled heat waves, they continued to
weaken and waver until they slowly disappeared.
“Fake again!” Jiang Chen wiped off some sweat. “It was a
frightening thing to be caught between life and death. Even though I knew it
was fake, it was still tough to charge into an ocean of fire. Since there is no
way to turn back on the path of rebirth, I can only move forward. But to be
honest, how many pract.i.tioners would dare make such a decision in the heat of
the moment?”
Jiang Chen’s performance at the Ocean of Divine Ashes was
much more resolute than before.
His Boulder’s Heart had also thoroughly been deployed to
full effectiveness as he’d triumphed over that feeling of fear.
They said that one felt great horror when caught between
life and death, but if they could triumph over this life and death, they would
discover that this trial of life and death was still just an illusion.
After the Ocean of Divine Ashes, Jiang Chen’s mentality was
even more bolstered.
The two trials had enabled him to slowly become used to the
tests on the path of rebirth.
“No more hesitation, I need to keep moving. There will
surely be more tests on the path of rebirth.” Jiang Chen made his way hurriedly
and he didn’t hesitate any longer.
After the two tests, Jiang Chen didn’t run into anything
else for a full half day.
The day pa.s.sed, and night descended upon the path of
rebirth.
As night fell, the inky black sky seemed to be an enormous
monster filling the skies, making one’s emotions become heavy involuntarily.
Jiang Chen continued to walk as he discovered that he’d
arrived on a path of flowers and shrubbery.
It was a sea of flowers that greeted his eyes.
The faint fragrance from the flowers seemed to follow him
wherever he went, suffusing the air with fragrance.
“Jiang Chen you brat, I’ve waited for you for so long. You
took your time getting here!”
Jiang Chen suddenly heard a sound as he looked around and
discovered that he’d made it to the tutor manor beneath the cover of the night.
Those quiet surroundings, the familiar doorway, and the
familiar figure. It was Dan Fei!
“Come on, I’ve waited for you for a long time.” Dan Fei
smiled sweetly and walked forwards with the flowers’ fragrance, grasping Jiang
Chen’s arm.
“Sister Dan Fei?” Jiang Chen started slightly.
“Still calling me sister at a time like this? Are you really
a dunderhead?” Dan Fei’s jade finger poked at Jiang Chen’s forehead softly.
Her lithe figure softened as she collapsed into Jiang Chen’s
embrace. Jiang Chen’s body grew hot as he held a soft, sweet smelling body in
his arms.
Her skin was as flawless as jade, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s firm and
perky, and that kiss that imprinted itself on Jiang Chen’s lips was oh too
real.
In the next moment, Dan Fei’s slender hands had actually
reached down and grabbed Jiang Chen’s private parts.
Suddenly, the light clothes on her body began falling to the
ground like a peeled egg, glistening and unblemished, full of a fatal
temptation.
Chapter 285: A Myriad of Illusions, Heart as a Boulder
Dan Fei?
Jiang Chen shook his head slightly, his heart was as calm as
still water.
Although he’d been slightly taken aback when Dan Fei had
appeared, it wasn’t enough to stir any bit of desire of him.
It wasn’t that he didn’t find women pleasurable, but that
the ambiguous feelings between a man and a woman didn’t exist between him and
Dan Fei at all.
As real as this illusion was, it was still fake.
If the illusion had been Gouyu, that might’ve been enough to
mesmerize Jiang Chen for a second, because Gouyu’s style was indeed that bold
and straightforward in her loves and hates.
However, there was none of that kind of draw between Dan Fei
and Jiang Chen, and even if there was, this wasn’t something that Dan Fei
would’ve done.
Hoo!
Jiang Chen exhaled a long breath as his eyes shot towards
the front like lightning. His footsteps moved forward resolutely.
The illusions around him vanished like the mist.
He appeared in the ocean of flowers once again as fragrance
wreathed itself around him.
“There seems to be something in the fragrance of these
flowers. They seem to be producing a type of stimulant that gives rise to
illusion, controlling one’s body and consciousness.”
Jiang Chen didn’t linger as he quickly strode forward.
Since he could only move forward on the path of rebirth
without turning back, he continued to walk forward without hesitation!
He walked roughly four to six hours like so as the night
deepened.
A soft call suddenly sounded by Jiang Chen’s ears.
“Chen’er.”
What was that? Jiang Chen’s ears twitched. He’d heard a
voice! The voice was low, but he could hear it very clearly.
“Chen’er.”
He heard it even more clearly this time.
“Father’s voice?” Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced as he
immediately told himself, this is an illusion, it must be an illusion!
Illusions would continuously pop up on the path of rebirth,
and phantom sounds as well. Everything was fake!
Jiang Chen kept repeating that to himself.
However, the more he stressed this to himself, the more real
the voice beside his ear became.
“Chen’er, save me, save me!” Jiang Feng’s voice was in
obvious pain, as if he was suffering through the agonies of the eighteen
h.e.l.ls.
“Chen’er, I found intelligence of your mother in the Upper
Eighth Region, but was captured by them. They tortured me with countless
methods and they wanted me to reveal where you were… Chen’er, you’re my child.
I wouldn’t betray my son even if I died! Never! … ah!!”
This voice kept surging into Jiang Chen’s ears like a magic
spell.
Although Jiang Chen kept reminding himself that all of this
was illusion, the voice kept weaving itself around him and it wouldn’t be
dismissed.
A towering tree suddenly appeared in front of Jiang Chen.
Someone was hanging on the tree. He was covered with wounds
as his hands and feet were nailed to the tree with long nails.
“Chen’er, don’t come close! Go! Leave! They’re using me as
bait to lure you in! You have yet to grow in your strength and you can’t fight
them, go!”
The person hanging on the tree suddenly lifted his head,
yelling wildly at Jiang Chen with a head full of wildly bedraggled hair.
It was Jiang Feng!
Three scabs criss crossed Jiang Feng’s face at the moment,
splitting his entire face open and appearing quite frightening.
There wasn’t a single bit of unmarked skin on his body as it
was dotted with wounds.
The most horrifying thing was that there were black beetles
crawling all over the tree, and long, pliable creatures waving enormous
tentacles around, continuously feeding off of Jiang Feng’s blood and nibbling
away at his wounds.
Only stark white bones were left of Jiang Feng’s calves
after a short while.
Suddenly, a group of black clothed pract.i.tioners poured
out from the two sides of the great tree, each of them holding the leash of a
ferocious beast in their hands.
All of these beasts were in the origin realm!
Roar!
When the beasts roared, their presence reverberated up to
the heavens, as if the entire sky and earth would be shattered by their roars.
Roar!
The fierce beasts howled and started running towards Jiang
Chen.
Jiang Feng used all of his strength to scream hoa.r.s.ely,
“Chen’er, run for your life! Flee!!”
Flee?
One had to say, this illusion was quite realistic. Even
though Jiang Chen kept repeating to himself that this was all fake, his heart
still wavered in the moment that he saw his father’s state.
It wasn’t that his heart was weak, but the blood ties between
father and son made his heart tremble almost uncontrollably in that moment.
It was innate, a resonance between bloodlines that could not
be done away with.
However —
Jiang Chen had trained the Boulder’s Heart after all. If
it’d been anyone else in this illusion, they might have been gradually consumed
by the illusion.
But Jiang Chen hadn’t believed what was in front of his eyes
from beginning to end.
His father had indeed gone to the Upper Eighth Region, that
was correct.
But a test of this level wasn’t enough to defeat Jiang Chen.
As he looked at the beasts pouncing towards him, Jiang Chen
didn’t back up, but he pushed off his feet savagely and charged at the tree.
“All you illusions, break!”
Jiang Chen’s Divine Aeons Fist smashed heavily into the
great tree, sparkling with the light of the mysteries of the ages.
Wham!
The mysteries of one cycle of blooming and wilting were
contained within that punch, and it too counted as a cycle of rebirth.
When he flung that punch out, all of the illusions vanished
cleanly like clear gla.s.s being shattered.
“The path of rebirth can grasp everyone’s points of weakness
alright. The Bridge of Helplessness was testing judgement, the Ocean of Divine
Ashes was testing courage, Dan Fei’s appearance tested my resolution, and this
was a test of rationality in the face of family.”
Every test was able to grasp the weakest part of everyone’s
hearts.
This trial was something else, alright.
However, Jiang Chen’s Boulder’s Heart was even stronger and
it wasn’t defeated by this level of illusion.
Although he didn’t know how many more tests lay in front of
him, he still charged forward without hesitation.
Night pa.s.sed as the daybreak of the second day arrived.
With the advent of dawn, the psychological pressures of
night also began to slowly decrease.
However, this trial was also an enormous drain on one’s
mental resources.
Jiang Chen’s Boulder’s Heart hadn’t been depleted much, but
if the other pract.i.tioners hadn’t had special methods to train their mental
strength, they would be weaker and weaker in the face of the tests to come if
they didn’t sit down and meditate.
The more their mental strength was drained, the more
pressure they would feel from future tests.
Once they’d exhausted themselves and lacked sufficient
mental strength, they might very well be swallowed by the illusions and become
one of the failed statistics.
Although Jiang Chen had met many tests along the way, this
level of testing was not enough to truly impact his mentality.
The Boulder’s Heart was now at the seventh level, and his
heart was as strong as a boulder. Even a little bit of impact wasn’t enough to
affect him.
Keep moving forward!
Jiang Chen had no stray thoughts in his mind as he moved
forward without any interference.
He saw an awe inspiring palace in the distance after roughly
an hour.
The words “Myriad Treasures Pavilion” were written on it.
He looked around and saw no other path. He would have to
enter the Myriad Treasures Pavilion to continue forward.
Jiang Chen warned himself that this place was another
illusion again.
With that firmly in mind, he walked into the pavilion. A
voice traveled to his ears as soon as he set foot inside.
“Welcome to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. The pavilion is a
wondrous place on the path of rebirth. You can select any method or martial art
technique you want here, or any divine weapon, miraculous pill, or rare and
exotic creature… remember, you can only choose one out of all the treasures
here.”
…...
The four forefathers were gathered in a place outside of the
path of rebirth.
Icemist sighed lightly, “One third of the mundane
pract.i.tioners have been disqualified up until now. This is indeed a stunning
number. It looks like even ten thousand would be hard pressed to remain out of
the four hundred thousand to walk the path.”
They’d estimated the two thirds would be eliminated on the
path as it had layers upon layers of trials. To pract.i.tioners with weak
strength of the heart, this would be a very, very difficult trial for them.
But a third of the group had been disqualified after less
than a day. At this rate, the amount of people disqualified may far exceed
their original expectations.
“Although the path of rebirth is not easy, it just so
happens to test the strength of the heart. If they cannot even pa.s.s the trial
of the heart, then the ones disqualified are just mediocre talents and they
have no future ahead of them whatsoever. Since they are trash, what point is
there to sigh with regret over them once they are out?” Sunchaser snorted.
He had no particular feeling towards the numbers of people
disqualified.
What he cared more about was how many could remain, and if
there were any dark horses that could enter their line of sight.
He felt that with the resources in the mundane world, there
was no way that any geniuses that could fight for a spot in the final sixteen
could exist amongst them.
Thousandleaf sighed, “They have yet to reach the hardest.
The Myriad Treasures Pavilion is the biggest test of all. The last test after
the pavilion is even greater. The rate of failure will be highest in the last
two tests. I wonder if anyone’s made it to the pavilion yet?”
The forefather’s couldn’t see what was happening in the path
of rebirth.
All was revealed only when the pract.i.tioner left the path
of rebirth.
Ninelion laughed. “It’s only been less than a day. If
someone’s already made it to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, then their pace is
simply too fast. I surmise that many are still dithering in front of the Ocean
of Divine Ashes and some are even stuck in front of the Bridge of
Helplessness?”
Icemist also nodded. “Indeed, if anyone’s made it to the
Myriad Treasures Pavilion, then they would be an unparalleled genius. The
strength of their heart of dao would be such that we would be hard pressed to
find such a genius even in the four great sects?”
“What are you lot worried about? We’ll receive a
notification as soon as someone pa.s.ses through the pavilion.”
They couldn’t see what was happening on the path of rebirth
from the outside world, but the pavilion was the only part of the path of
rebirth that had a connection with the outside world.
The ancient venerated expert who had created the path of
rebirth must have had his reasons for placing the Myriad Treasures Palace here.
The outside world would receive notifications as soon as someone pa.s.sed
through the pavilion.
Chapter 286: One with Genius Strength of Heart Has Appeared!
However, just like they’d said, one had to indeed possess an
incredible amount of strength of heart to make it to the Myriad Treasure
Pavilion in half a day’s time.
Even if they were the four forefathers, the strength of
their heart when they were young wasn’t up to the level where they could make
it to the pavilion in half a day on the path of rebirth.
Setting foot into the pavilion was when the real tests
began.
The level of illusion within the pavilion was higher than
all those that had come before it.
If all the temptations, horror, and illusions of life and
death were unable to defeat one with a strong strength of heart, then they
would then face boundless temptation within the pavilion.
Those who could resist the temptations of methods and divine
weapons were few and far in between.
After all, in the world of martial dao, particularly mundane
pract.i.tioners, almost everyone lacked martial arts techniques and methods.
It was precisely this deprivation they had that made them
hunger for these items. Since they hungered for them, how many could remain as
unmoving as a mountain and refrain from browsing through them or not touch any
of them at all?
“Even those with a strong strength of heart will most likely
pa.s.s the Myriad Treasures Pavilion on the third day?”
“The third day?” Sunchaser smiled faintly. “Younger sister
Icewind, you’re always so optimistic. A mere mundane pract.i.tioner pa.s.sing
through the pavilion on the third day? In my eyes, that’s completely
impossible. Only the premier disciples of a sect can pa.s.s through the
pavilion on the third day. I’d estimate that less than five of those exist in
each sect, and these are the ones who have specifically trained in methods to
strengthen one’s dao heart. If it’s those who have never focused on the mental
arts, then I would estimate that they wouldn’t be able to pa.s.s through the
pavilion in less than five days.”
The organizer in charge of the first trial had once said
that one would pa.s.s if they completed the path in ten days. Completing it in
eight days was above average, while five days meant that one was a genius in
the matters of the mind, and making it out of the path of rebirth in three days
was an unparalleled genius difficult to find in even a hundred years, and sure
to gain the attention of the forefathers.
After all, not even many of the premier geniuses of the four
great sects could make it through the path in three days.
“Old monster Sunchaser, you seem to be quite dismissive of
the mundane pract.i.tioners, even though you were the one who discovered a
genius with the azure phoenix const.i.tution in the ordinary world.” Ninelion
laughed sarcastically. “Can it be that you don’t wish for another genius to
appear in the mundane world?”
Sunchaser smiled faintly, “It’s not that I don’t want to,
but just that I’m objectively a.n.a.lyzing the situation. The ordinary world is
still the ordinary world in the end. The resources out there are less than one
percent of what the sects have. The rate in which geniuses will appear there
are naturally less than one percent of the sects. How many geniuses do our four
great sects boast of? In this regard, you will also know that finding a genius
in the mundane world is akin to looking for a needle in the haystack.”
Thousandleaf smiled faintly and shook his head, not saying a
word.
A cry of shock suddenly came from the control center. “How
can this be?”
“This… this can’t be right?”
“No way? Someone made it through the Myriad Treasures
Pavilion already? Hasn’t… hasn’t it only been half a day? It’s not even been a
full day!”
“What a… a perverse genius! Is the mundane world is truly
giving birth to such a perverse existence as this?!”
“Something must be wrong with the hints or with the path of
rebirth itself. There’s no way that anyone could’ve made it to the Myriad
Treasures Pavilion in just half a day, much less than pa.s.s through it.”
“Indeed! How many can withstand the enormous temptation of
so many treasures within the pavilion? How can ordinary pract.i.tioners pay no
heed to them? Impossible!”
The forefathers wouldn’t personally oversee the first
selection.
Those who were crying out with shock were the senior
executives that had been selected from the four sects and put in charge of
overseeing the first trial.
The forefathers were all flabbergasted to hear waves of
these undignified exclamations. Their gazes all drifted to the control center.
The control center would receive a notification whenever
someone cleared the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. A green figure would appear for
each person who had pa.s.sed through.
“Ridiculous! The path of rebirth is a legacy territory of
the ancient times, how could there be a mistake?” Thousandleaf hectored and was
the first to rush over.
Icemist also hurried over as well.
Ninelion looked at Sunchaser with a supercilious smile. “Old
monster Sunchaser, since you were so certain that no one would pa.s.s through
the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in three days, then I trust this must be an error
with the path of rebirth, hmm? Haha!”
Ninelion seemed to have middling relations with Sunchaser,
and naturally wouldn’t give up this opportunity to crack a sarcastic quip with
the latter.
Sunchaser also felt extremely put out at this time.
Someone had pa.s.sed through the pavilion in only half a
day? This sounded like bulls.h.i.+t no matter how he thought about it.
However, he was an old monster of the origin realm and
naturally knew that the path of rebirth was a legacy from an ancient expert. It
was impossible for anything to go wrong with it!
This meant that someone among the mundane pract.i.tioners
really had pa.s.sed through the pavilion. With their speed in clearing the
trial in less than a day, it meant that this person has well beyond surpa.s.sed
many of the ultimate geniuses within the sects!
The strength of this person’s heart was at a frightening
level!
Although Sunchaser felt his face burn thanks to Ninelion’s
mockery, he didn’t have the time to to be bothered by this right now. He set
aside his reservations as well and made for the control center.
A green figure had appeared on a smooth, rock mirror in the
control center.
“Incredible, incredible!” Ninelion murmured to himself.
“Many good talents are indeed concealed amongst the mundane pract.i.tioners. It
appears that there have been flaws with the method our four sects have used in
selecting disciples in the past. We were too heavily biased against mundane
pract.i.tioners in the past.”
The four sects had always selected disciples from within the
sect previously, pa.s.sing the tradition down through the generations. Although
they had set up sites in the mundane world, thereby making them the so-called
outer sites of the sects, none of the four sects particularly valued the
outside sites. Those who were sent to these sites were either marginalized
characters within the sects, or those who had no future within the sects and
would rather go enjoy fame and fortune in the ordinary world.
Because the sects didn’t value the outside sites, that made
the channels in which ordinary pract.i.tioners could enter the sects quite
narrow.
After all, the outside sites held few selections in the
mundane world.
And the sites held an equally few amount of selections for
the outside sites.
One might come around every five or ten years, and they were
held infrequently at that.
To the young pract.i.tioners, ten years would make them miss
out on too much of the prime years of training and the best period of training
in their lives.
Therefore, the fates of the majority of mundane
pract.i.tioners were decided at the moment of their birth.
This wasn’t to say that there were none who could change
their destinies and make a turnaround to enter the sects, but those were few
and far in between.
“Daoist Icewind, with your vision, did you see that such a
genius existed amongst the mundane pract.i.tioners?” Thousandleaf’s face was
also filled with incredulity.
A wry smile stole across Icewind’s beautiful face. “Daoist
Thousandleaf, although my Flowing Wind Sect is adept at uncovering genius, a
process is still needed to do so. Would you believe me if I said I could
discern someone’s potential with a first or second impression?”
Thousandleaf chuckled, “That’s true, it’s just that this kind
of genius is simply too rare. There may be premier geniuses or those with
extraordinary potential in our four sects, but ones with such strong strength
of heart are as rare as dragon’s scales and phoenix feathers.”
A light shone out of Ninelion’s eyes, “Can it be one of
those geniuses with an innate strength of heart? I remember something called
the Heart of a Ruler that only geniuses with an innate strength of heart
possess. They possess immense strength of heart and are not disturbed by
outside interference, as unmoving as a ruler…”
“Don’t delude yourself.” Sunchaser laughed coldly. “Our
sixteen kingdom alliance is a territory with the most diminished existence
amongst the Myriad Domain. I’ve never heard of a genius with the Heart of a
Ruler in the history of the Myriad Domain, why would we have the luck to run
into one?”
Ninelion also chuckled, “Well, I don’t know who was the one
who said just now that it was impossible for one of the mundane pract.i.tioners
to walk out of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion within three days.”
Sunchaser spoke faintly, “There is always an exception
within this world. Not to mention that although it’s impressive they made it
out of the pavilion, they may not necessarily pa.s.s through the final test.”
“Do you think the last test would stump someone who could
easily walk out of the pavilion?”
“You never know.” Sunchaser chuckled.
“Sunchaser, I feel that you’re arguing for the sake of
arguing. How about this, if this person can make it through the path of
rebirth, then your Purple Sun Sect will not set your sights on this genius and
allow us three sects to fight over him, how about that?” Ninelion tried to
provoke the other.
“Old monster Ninelion, why do you always voice these naive
words at your age? I may have some personal opinions, but a selection is a
great event for the sect. There is no relations.h.i.+p between the two. Back
out of the compet.i.tion? Why should we back out when we have a genius on our
hands?”
“You admit now that we’ve met a genius?”
“It’s a rare thing to have strength of the heart. Their
future performance remains to be seen. If their potential is mediocre and
talents in other areas are nothing, then they are still useless trash in the
end.”
Sunchaser’s words still made some sense.
Strength of heart was merely one guarantee when a.s.sailing
the origin realm. However, it would be useless if a pract.i.tioner lacked both
the sufficient martial dao potential and the ability to train to the origin
realm.
Potential was equally important on the path of martial dao
training.
But if one lacked strong strength of heart and having only
potential, one wouldn’t be able to go far on the path of martial dao.
It would just be a waste of this strong dao heart.
However, even though Sunchaser’s words made sense, the other
forefathers obviously weren’t paying him much heed.
What they were paying more attention to was keeping an eye
on this mentally invincible genius and seeing how he would do in the next
trial.
If this one’s potential and other areas were all not bad,
then he would absolutely be a talent ripe for shaping. Even if his strength was
insufficient to make it into the final sixteen, he would still be worth
cultivating in the long run.
“Just who is this genius?” The figure of Jiang Chen suddenly
appeared in Thousandleaf’s mind. He himself didn’t even know why he’d suddenly
had this thought.
Perhaps the only one who’d left an impression on him from
the four hundred thousand was Jiang Chen.
Except, forefather Thousandleaf hadn’t himself discovered
anything special from Jiang Chen.
Of course, Jiang Chen also floated across the minds of the
other forefathers as well. After all, he was the only one who’d left an
impression on them before the trial.
However, when it came down to a genius of the heart, no one
was certain who this person might be since he was merely one person out of the
four hundred thousand partic.i.p.ants.
It was impossible for them to ascertain the person’s
ident.i.ty after he put on both the mask and the uniform. They could only use
the partic.i.p.ant token to remember this partic.i.p.ant’s number, and keep an
eye on this number in the future.
As for who was behind this token, that would have to wait
until the final reveal.
Chapter 287: A Thousand Attentions Concentrated on One
Jiang Chen breathed out lightly as he spoke ruefully, “The
Myriad Treasures Pavilion? If I hadn’t seen countless numbers of treasures in
my past life, I might have actually stopped to take a look. The level of the
illusions in the Myriad Treasures Pavilion is much more advanced than those
before. If any ordinary pract.i.tioner actually makes it to the pavilion, I’m
afraid many will stop there.”
Jiang Chen had seen everything beneath the heavens, so he
had a certain degree of immunity towards the temptations of the Myriad
Treasures Pavilion.
Not to mention that his powerful mental strength kept
reminding him that this pavilion was illusory. It was fake, and not real.
In the end, the most realistic illusion would still remain a
mere mirage.
Items such as methods and martial arts techniques provided
the least temptation for Jiang Chen. He doubted that even those from stronger
factions within the Myriad Domain would attract his attentions, much less the
ones in the possession of the sixteen kingdoms.
As for divine weapons and those rare and exotic spirit
creatures, since he knew it was all fake, he had a natural immunity to them and
didn’t even pay them a glance.
He saw and thought no evil, so he didn’t take the bait no
matter how tempting it was.
Therefore, Jiang Chen had spent almost no effort in
pa.s.sing through the pavilion.
He also gave no thought the possible reactions in the
outside world at the moment, and never would’ve guessed that his strong
momentum in pa.s.sing through the pavilion had given rise to spirited
discussions regarding this genius. An uproar and fervent atmosphere had been
incited.
When he left the pavilion, Jiang Chen rubbed his eyes after
taking a few steps, he seemed to think that his eyes were playing tricks on
him.
The person in front of him was the organizer for the trial
of heart, and the man was equally nonplussed to see Jiang Chen.
“Why are you already here? Give me whatever you selected
from Myriad Treasures Pavilion.”
“What I selected?” Jiang Chen started. “That pavilion is
merely an illusion, what could I have picked?”
The organizer arched his brow, “Things are both real and
illusory on the path of rebirth, who told you the pavilion was fake? How will
you pa.s.s the test when you didn’t select an item?”
“Real and illusory?”
“Cut the blather. Either you select a treasure and hand it
over to me so you can pa.s.s, or I’ll disqualify you right now.” The
organizer’s tone was remote.
Jiang Chen was thrown into a bit of disarray, but he
organized his thoughts and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips.
He suddenly stepped forward and sent a punch cras.h.i.+ng
down, “Fakery and tricks, all are illusory. Begone!”
The organizer was pulverized into a cloud of mist with that
punch and dissipated where he stood.
In the next moment, the scene s.h.i.+fted to one of lush
trees providing shade. Jiang Chen had returned to where he’d started out from.
A voice sounded at this moment, “Congratulations for
pa.s.sing the path of rebirth!”
Jiang Chen was given no time to resist before a surge of
strength took him out of the path.
His figure appeared at the testing center for the trial of
the heart in the next moment.
When he appeared, pairs of eyes that numbered in the
hundreds all shot straight at him. Their gazes seemed to bear the intent of
burning through the mask and uniform to see who Jiang Chen really was.
“Partic.i.p.ant, congratulations, you’re the first to
pa.s.s! You need not speak, just hand over your partic.i.p.ant token and we
will record your results so as to form your final grade.”
Not speaking was obviously to avoid someone recognizing him
based on his voice.
After all, everyone present was an expert, particularly the
four forefathers. They might be able to discern the person behind the voice if
he spoke up.
Jiang Chen gained his bearings before confirming that he had
indeed made it out of the path of rebirth and returned to the outside world.
The four forefathers had long since agreed that they should
not personally appear after the testing results were out. It would be
considered intervention if they did.
However, all of the forefathers were itching to break their
own rules at the moment, wis.h.i.+ng to speak a few words with this heaven
defying genius.
He’d spent less than a day to walk the path of rebirth. This
performance was truly the epitome of heaven defying.
The forefathers had no doubts whatsoever that even amongst
their premier geniuses, there would likely be less than three who could make it
through the path of rebirth within three days.
Maybe not even a single one of them would be able to!
According to the rules, those to complete the first trial
could enter the designated rest area and wait for the end of the ten days. He
would then be led to the next trial with the other partic.i.p.ants.
Jiang Chen was led to the rest area and sat down cross
legged, he then started to meditate.
After this mental trial on the path of rebirth, Jiang Chen’s
mental strength seemed to have risen, while Boulder’s Heart seemed to be
showing subtle signs of a breakthrough.
Naturally, Jiang Chen hoped to make use of this opportunity
to once again raise the level of his Boulder’s Heart.
It was an art that bore greater difficulty in training than
the G.o.d’s Eye or Ear of the Zephyr.
It was rare that there was a chance to train the strength of
one’s heart. Jiang Chen had truly gained a lot this time.
To pa.s.s through the path of rebirth in one day, this was
truly an astonis.h.i.+ng performance.
When he walked into the rest area, many senior executives of
the sects all stretched their heads in his direction and peered at him, casting
looks of surprise and shock at him with blatant curiosity.
If it hadn’t been for the strict rules, they definitely
would’ve run up to Jiang Chen and torn off his mask, so as to see just who this
person was.
The forefathers were also feeling a great agitation of
emotions right now. They really, really wanted the ten days to hurry up and
pa.s.s by so that the next trial could begin.
The next trial tested talent.
If this person continued his heaven defying performance in
the next trial, then it would prove that this person was an unparalleled genius
of an age, and someone worth recruiting and training at any cost.
The path of rebirth was difficult alright.
Although there was one perverse genius, no one else emerged
from the path of rebirth in the next three days.
There were a few that had higher strength of heart who
walked out on the fifth day.
The numbers grew noticeably higher on the seventh and eighth
day, increasing to a deluge on the ninth and tenth days.
The ten days pa.s.sed by quickly.
There were only seventy thousand left of those who had truly
pa.s.sed through the path of rebirth.
Those who hadn’t made it out or were disqualified halfway were
directly kicked out of the legacy realm. They didn’t even have the right to
linger around.
After all, a shocking amount of spirit power was necessary
to maintain the legacy realm.
The fewer the number of people, the lesser the drain on
resources.
Those who had been disqualified all naturally became trash
in the eyes of the sects. They wouldn’t continue to waste resources on trash.
These were the rules of martial dao survival -- immediate
discardment of those of no value.
Apart from Jiang Chen, the group of partic.i.p.ants who had
made it out within five days also received additional attention, naturally.
Because of the appearance of Jiang Chen, all the organizers
in charge of the trials were incredibly enthused.
They patently wanted to see just how this genius of the
heart would perform in the future trials.
Would he continue his heaven defying performance?
Or would he sink down to the ma.s.ses and reveal mediocre
potential?
All of the organizers were expectant in that second, full of
antic.i.p.ation towards this divine level dark horse that had emerged from the
mundane pract.i.tioners.
Jiang Chen stood amongst the seventy thousand, listening
carefully to the rules of the second trial.
“The second trial isn’t to test how high your level of
training is, but how great your talents can be. Of course, we are also testing
other talents apart from martial dao. We greatly welcome you to test all your
talents. After all, we are looking for talents in all areas in this selection,
and not just limiting ourselves to martial dao.”
“Alright, I now announce that the second trial has begun.”
The trial had officially begun with this announcement.
The tests of the second trial weren’t actually that
complicated.
To put it plainly, it was a test of spirit roots.
What was a spirit root? Long Juxue’s innate azure phoenix
const.i.tution was an example of one.
The spirit root is a measure of how much potential there is
in your body, what level, and approximately how far you could walk along this
path.
Potential was equally vital on the path of martial dao.
If it’d been the former Jiang Chen attending this trial, he
would be kicked out immediately.
However, after two years of reforging and a slew of
corrections, and add on to that the absorption of the Flaming Heart of Ice,
Jiang Chen’s potential had been thoroughly transformed through this series of
heaven defying changes.
His potential and spirit ocean were both superb and
extraordinary now.
The most important thing was that he had absorbed the
Flaming Heart of Ice, which was the essence of the Lotus of Fire and Ice.
One had to keep in mind that the Lotus was a plant spirit
that ranked in the top ten beneath the heavens. Thus, its immense potential was
plain to see.
The second trial was once again divided into a hundred
testing sites. Jiang Chen was again placed in the second area. There were only
a few hundred partic.i.p.ants left in each area now.
What he didn’t know, however, was that his partic.i.p.ant
token was now the subject of much scrutiny after the first trial.
Although he could occasionally feel all sorts of strange,
covert looks at him, but with his personality, he wouldn’t become timid or shy
because of surrept.i.tious attention from the outside world.
Inversely, it actually make him more forthright.
Since he was partic.i.p.ating in the selection, then he
would stun all those present with one amazing feat!
Since he didn’t feel any malice from those subtle glances,
he paid them no heed.
“Tsk tsk, did you see that? That perverse genius is in our
area. It’s going to be his turn soon.”
“Sigh, I’m sure that the forefathers already have their
sights set on him. If he’s extraordinary in the trial of potential as well,
then this kid will have vaulted to new heights and soared to the skies in one
leap!”
“What need is there to be extraordinary? His future would be
limitless as long as his potential is not bad. If his potential is
extraordinary, then he’ll be number one of the first selection without a doubt,
and an unprecedented genius who absolutely has the right to vie for one of the
final sixteen slots!”
“The final sixteen? That won’t be easy. Countless numbers of
sect geniuses will be competing for a place on that list. As an ordinary
pract.i.tioner, even if he possesses astounding potential, his foundations are
shallow and he hasn’t had enough time to build them up. It will still be
difficult for him to surpa.s.s the sects’ geniuses.”
These comments were all captured by Jiang Chen’s Ear of the
Zephyr.
He reacted rather nonchalantly at this time as it just so
happened to be his turn.
Chapter 288: The Trial of Talent, Jiang Chen’s Choice
The trial of talent was much more simple and straightforward.
Jiang Chen had undergone something similar in the Eastern
Kingdom.
Although there were slight differences in testing potential
and testing level of training, it was more or less the same.
“May I inquire which tests you would like to undertake?”
When the organizer of this trial saw Jiang Chen’s partic.i.p.ant token, he
recognized the genius from the first trial and so his tone and gestures all
became uncommonly polite.
He was deathly afraid that he might give offense to this
genius with the slightest bit of inappropriateness in his tone, and that the
other would remember him because of that and implicate his sect for it. If this
genius rejected his sect because of him, then the forefather of his sect would
certainly scalp him and pull out his tendons for it.
There were tests of martial dao, pills, glyphs, formations,
and taming spirit creatures in the trial of talents.
According to the rules, the second trial would also run for
ten days.
However, if one were to partic.i.p.ate in every test, that
still wouldn’t be enough time.
Therefore, all partic.i.p.ants had to make a decision.
They should make the best use of these ten days to choose
the tests that they had the most confidence in. Otherwise, if they wanted to
partic.i.p.ate in all of them and attend to one thing whilst losing sight of
another, they would end up with nothing in the end and fail to display their
best talents in the trial.
“I will only partic.i.p.ate in the test of martial dao.”
Jiang Chen’s goal was very clear, his ultimate goal was
martial dao.
As for the other talents, he felt no need to test them at
all. Within the range of the sixteen kingdoms, he didn’t feel that anyone
existed who would be able to measure up to him with the other talents.
There was no need to test them.
The organizer started and immediately smiled, “Good, you’re
the genius of the trial of heart alright. Your dao heart is as resolute as a
boulder and different from others!”
He was indeed different from others, most other
partic.i.p.ants would choose at least two or three tests.
Jiang Chen was the first to choose only one test.
One had to know that those partic.i.p.ants who dared choose
only one meant that he had the utmost daring and vigor.
After all, choosing only one test meant forcing one down a
desperate path.
If his results were subpar, then he wouldn’t have the chance
to continue partic.i.p.ating in the selection and would be disqualified
immediately.
But if he’d chosen two or three, he’d still be able to look
forward to the other tests even if he failed in this one.
Partic.i.p.ants would be able to continue as long as one of
their tests met the standard.
“Just one?”
“This genius of the heart is indeed invincibly confident.”
“Tsk tsk, a genius indeed. Geniuses always do things
differently from others.”
“If this genius has uncommon talents, then a miracle will
have been born in our sixteen kingdoms, one that has arisen from the mundane
pract.i.tioners!”
“Indeed! For a mundane pract.i.tioner to have this level of
talent, he is on par with the premier geniuses of the sects! For a genius such
as this, if given enough time, he will walk a further path than the sect
geniuses and create even more miracles!”
“Precisely, a mundane pract.i.tioner makes progress through
grueling and arduous conditions. The difficulty inherent in this is not
something that a privileged sect disciple can measure up to.”
As the voices conversed, Jiang Chen had arrived in front of
a cave with the organizer.
“The test of martial talent is one that tests your control,
affinity, and mastery over the powers of nature. The powers of the five
elements are present in nature, and that is exactly what this test is focusing
on.”
“There are countless caverns here, and each one embodies the
power of one of the elements. These caverns are divided into three difficulty
levels, easy, intermediate, and difficult. Partic.i.p.ants are to decide upon a
level of difficulty and remain within it to perceive the power of nature. The
greater the difficulty and the longer you remain within the cavern means the
greater your potential in this area.”
“For instance, if you select a metal attribute cavern, then
you will receive boundless testing from the element of metal within.”
“Is all clear?”
Jiang Chen nodded; the rules weren’t hard to understand.
“Mm, since you understand, then begin selecting the
difficulty of your test. If you choose the easy level and remain within for
three days, that will be considered a pa.s.s and you will be noted as one with
lesser spirit potential.”
“If you pa.s.s the intermediate difficulty level, you will
be noted as one with intermediate spirit potential.”
“If you choose the difficult level and remain within for
three days, then you will possess superior spirit potential.”
“This should be relatively clear as well?”
Jiang Chen chuckled, “Difficult is the highest level? How is
one tested if born with an innate const.i.tution?”
Although Jiang Chen didn’t possess an innate const.i.tution,
he was still rather curious.
“Haha, if it’s an innate const.i.tution, then one would
definitely have superior spirit potential. With the foundation of superior
spirit potential, an innate const.i.tution would absolutely give rise to
unusual phenomena in the earth and sky, so it’s not difficult to discern.
Besides, the senior executives of the sects naturally have their ways of
testing innate const.i.tutions. However, innate const.i.tutions are a once in a
hundred years occurrence. In all these years, I’ve only heard of the Purple Sun
Sect happened to pick up a treasure.”
Picked up a treasure? Jiang Chen smiled. He knew of course
that the organizer was speaking of Long Juxue with the azure phoenix
const.i.tution.
He also knew that having an innate const.i.tution in a small
place like the sixteen kingdom alliance was indeed a rare thing.
But one had to say that with Jiang Chen’s breadth of vision,
a mere innate const.i.tution wasn’t much of a big deal.
In his past life, which of his disciples hadn’t possessed an
innate const.i.tution?
To those who were at the level of the heavens, an innate
const.i.tution was just a basic requirement. One wouldn’t even have the face to
show themselves in front of everyone else in the heavens without possessing
even an innate const.i.tution.
“Alright, please make your selection now.”
“The difficult level and the fire and ice attributes.” Jiang
Chen had long since made his decision.
“What?” The organizer was startled.
Since the genius in front of him had quite a bit of pride,
the organizer didn’t think much of him selecting the difficult level.
The rare thing was that he had selected the two attributes
of fire and ice.
Everyone knew that fire and ice didn’t mix, just like oil
and water didn’t play nicely with each other!
There was limited martial dao knowledge within the sixteen
kingdoms. Most martial dao pract.i.tioners could only develop potential in one
attribute.
Only particularly special geniuses could develop two
attributes.
The advantage of an innate const.i.tution was that they were
born with perfect affinities for all five elements, and possessed complete
potential with all five from birth.
“Is there a problem?” Jiang Chen thought he’d made a mistake
when he saw the organizer express his shock.
The organizer hastily waved his hands, “No, no problem at
all.”
However, the organizer privately cursed, this genius was
simply too perverse. The difficult level was his first reaction, and he’d
chosen two attributes that were the ant.i.thesis of each other.
Setting aside the results of this test, this heaven defying
method of testing was already enough to cause jaws drop in shock.
“Can it be that all geniuses are freaks?” The organizer
smiled wryly in his heart.
Indeed, in the organizer’s eyes, Jiang Chen’s decision was
simply too odd.
“Alright, can we begin now?” Jiang Chen wasn’t much
interested in the organizer’s emotional changes and just wanted to get through
the testing.
“Of course you can, right away.” The organizer laughed
ruefully. “Look over there, those two caverns are the difficult level testing
sites. One of them holds the spirit vein of heavenly fire, another the spirit
vein of heavenly ice. Remember, the difficulty level of this test is
exceedingly high and the environment will be quite abominable. Hurry and leave
if you cannot withstand it, don’t lose your life in there.”
The organizer spoke a reminder out of good intentions.
Jiang Chen’s gaze swept in a meaningful way around the
caves.
He lifted his foot and stepped into the cavern with the
spirit vein of heavenly fire. He decided to start with the attribute of fire!
Once he set foot inside, Jiang Chen suddenly felt that he’d
gone from spring to summer. A fiery feeling immediately spread throughout his
entire body.
There was another world within the cavern. It was a sea of
colorful and radiant rosy clouds wherever he cast his gaze. It was if the very
air was a fiery red.
This feeling was like he’d suddenly gone from an icy cavern
to the mouth of a volcano.
Jiang Chen could feel his very pores shriveling with the
heat. Waves of heat beat down on him as the flaming clouds around him continued
to gather, forming a fiery tornado of cloud that roiled towards Jiang Chen.
This feeling was as if the great waves were las.h.i.+ng the
beaches, making Jiang Chen’s breathing speed up slightly as well.
Although this level of heat wave wasn’t fatal, the
continuous burning, continuous increase in temperature, and continuous feeling
of being baked alive was enough to slightly discomfort Jiang Chen.
He’d have to stay within this environment for a full three
days before he could be considered as having pa.s.sed.
Jiang Chen circulated the qi within his body to refine the
heat wave that was continuously beating down on him. The currents of fire
attribute essence continuously injected themselves into Jiang Chen’s spirit
ocean beneath his guidance.
“Mm? The essence of this fire attribute is this pure?” Jiang
Chen also felt slightly surprised when he started absorbing it.
The purity of the fire attribute power within this cavern
wasn’t the least bit inferior to spirit rank fire attribute medicines, and it
was approaching the purity level of saint rank medicines.
“The organizer said that the testing site of the difficult level
embodied a spirit vein of heavenly fire. Can it be that the heavenly fire is
concealed within the depths of this cavern?”
As these thoughts went through Jiang Chen’s mind, he
activated the Lotus of Ice and Fire in his body and six red vines grew out
around him after a short while.
Each of the vines grew swiftly and each of the lotus petals
were enough for three to four fully grown men to lie on them.
There were twenty to thirty petals on each of the lotuses.
Sensing the sustenance within the fire spirit power, the six
lotuses immediately displayed great vitality like they were foodies having
starved for millions of years. They began to furiously soak in the great feast
in front of them and absorb the fire spirit power within the cave.
Chapter 289: A Freak with the Boulder’s Heart
With the aid of the six fire vines, it became much easier
for Jiang Chen to absorb the fire attribute spirit power.
The six fire vines coiled around Jiang Chen, greatly
decreasing the stress on him, as well as doubling his effectiveness in
absorbing the spirit power and halving the effort to do so.
“The Lotus of Ice and Fire has been fretting about lack of
nourishment for a while, and here comes this perfectly made cave. Tsk tsk, I’ve
worn out iron shoes in my search, but have found what I needed right here. It’s
a pity that I can only manipulate six vines at a time, or the rate of this
absorption would be even faster. In the end, I’m still too weak.”
Jiang Chen felt a bit regretful. If he could release more
vines, then the rate of his absorption would be even faster.
The faster they took in nourishment, the faster the Lotus
would grow.
The faster the Lotus improved, the more it would raise Jiang
Chen’s level of training. It would naturally be of great aid to Jiang Chen.
The six fire vines greedily took in the endless fire
attribute essence in the cavern, continuously filling his spirit ocean after
Jiang Chen’s refinement.
Jiang Chen’s spirit ocean had been forged by the Five
Dragons Opening Heavens Pill. Although he didn’t possess an innate
const.i.tution, thanks to the pill, his spirit ocean also possessed the basic
foundations of the five elements.
It was just the the two attributes of fire and ice that had
been developed first, thanks to his encounter with the Lotus of Fire and Ice.
They were temporarily the major direction that Jiang Chen was training in.
Although he wanted to train the other three attributes, he
hadn’t had the same kind of heaven defying opportunities that he’d had with the
Lotus. The speed in which he trained the other three was naturally far below
the fire and ice attributes.
There was an abundance of fire spirit energy within the
cavern, so Jiang Chen’s Lotus was as if a fish in water.
To other secular pract.i.tioners, this was a test.
But to Jiang Chen, this was a vacation, and something even
more leisurely than a vacation.
…...
“Tsk tsk, a full day has pa.s.sed. This freak of a boulder’s
heart is indeed strong. He’s the first amongst the ordinary disciples to take
on the difficult level.”
The outside world had already given Jiang Chen the nickname
“freak with a boulder’s heart” because his performance in the first trial had
been too perverse. How would he have made it through the path of rebirth in a
day if he didn’t have a boulder’s heart?
Therefore, everyone could only use this nickname to refer to
him before his true ident.i.ty was revealed.
“Heh heh, geniuses are all lone wolves. This freak of a
boulder’s heart has such a resolute dao heart that he must have his own
opinions. He never would’ve trained such a resolute dao heart if he was just a
mediocre talent. In my opinion, this person is completely confident of his
success.”
“Indeed, a true genius must have this kind of charisma.”
Jiang Chen had no idea that outside gossip about him had
already reached a feverish pitch.
What he could feel was that since the second day of his
arrival, the fire spirit power in the cavern had grown noticeably wilder.
The tornado of flame kept churning around everything as if
countless ancient beasts were cras.h.i.+ng about the cavern and seeking to tear
all life within it to pieces.
As for the Lotus, it had noticeably grown stronger after a
full day of absorbing the fire spirit power. The enormous fire lotus petals
seemed to have no limit as they devoured the fire that crashed around them.
“This fire is so strong and the fire spirit power is
noticeably more lively. It looks like the level of difficulty of the test is
increasing day by day.”
Jiang Chen had also discovered this. However, since he had
the protection of the continuously strengthening Lotus, Jiang Chen’s body
wasn’t injured at all. He was held safely within, completely without pressure
and as noncommittal as the clouds and wind.
The second day pa.s.sed by silently as well.
On the third day, Jiang Chen once again discovered that the
fires within the cavern had the intensity of an erupting volcano, fiercely and
unceasingly spewing forth.
Tongues of flame licked up all over the walls of the stone
cavern, like a flock of countless fiery birds rising to the roof.
Judging from the looks of things, it looked like the strength
of the fires had more than doubled since the second day.
However, the Lotus had fed richly for two days straight, and
naturally didn’t feel the slightest pressure when faced with a situation like
this.
If this had happened on the first day, the six fire vines
may have been slightly pressured in the face of these rampaging flames.
But after two days of conditioning, the six fire vines could
handle this situation with aplomb.
In the outside world, the third day brought an odd
atmosphere amongst the organizers.
“The third day is going to be over soon, which means this
freak with the boulder’s heart should have no problem whatsoever in pa.s.sing
through the test!”
“Doesn’t this mean that this candidate has superior spirit
potential?”
“Superior spirit potential and a heaven defying dao heart…
what an absolutely perverse being. Can it be that the heavens has bestowed
great fortune upon our sixteen kingdom alliance?”
“Haha, those sect disciples will finally not be lonely
anymore. How much pressure and challenge will they face now with such a secular
genius?”
“Challenge, pressure?” Some refused to play along with this.
“Don’t speak too early. The foundations of a sect genius aren’t something that
a secular genius can measure up to. Even if the freak with a boulder’s heart
wants to challenge the sect disciples, his starting line is far behind them. If
his age is above thirty, he will have missed the prime period for training, no
matter how good his potential and dao heart are.”
The best ideal time for training on the path of martial dao
was before the age of thirty.
If one didn’t fully uncover their potential before the age
of thirty and didn’t lay their foundations, then one’s potential would be
limited no matter how gifted they were.
Even though this person’s words weren’t pleasant to hear, it
was still the truth.
However, someone immediately leapt out to object.
“Above thirty years old? How is that possible? How could
such a genius be hidden for 30 years?”
“Yes, it’s best that he’s a teenager or twenty something. If
this is the case, he absolutely has the right to challenge those sect geniuses,
and even put them beneath his feet.”
The organizers conversed animatedly. Most of them still
desired to see a genius rise up from the secular world.
Although they were of the sects, they would still be happy
to see such a heaven defying miracle.
The third day finally pa.s.sed beneath the attention of all
those a.s.sembled.
However, the freak of the boulder’s heart still hadn’t
emerged from the cavern.
“Hasn’t three days gone past already? Why… why hasn’t the
freak emerged yet?”
“Can he have lost track of time because he was too
engrossed?”
“Indeed, perhaps he really has lost track of time.”
“Humph, you lot are optimistic. Why don’t you say that he
couldn’t withstand the trial of heavenly fire and was burnt to a crisp?”
“Impossible!”
“What’s impossible? Does one’s potential have to be strong
just because they have a strong heart of dao? Who set down those rules? Not to
mention that mundane disciples have no foundations whatsoever and don’t know
the might of the elements of nature. It’s said that newborn calves are not
afraid of tigers. It’s not impossible that he could’ve been swallowed by the
heavenly fire!”
The person speaking had been someone who had been jealous
and unaccepting towards the so-called genius with a strong dao heart. He was
one of those stubborn folk who didn’t want to see the rise of a mundane
disciple.
The freak with the boulder’s heart, the alleged genius still
hadn’t walked out from the cavern after three days.
Therefore, his first thought was that the so-called genius
had been swallowed by the flames.
Otherwise, what reason did he have to stay within the cavern
after the three days were up?
However, according to the rules, the duration of the trial
was ten days. Even the organizers couldn’t venture into the cavern to
investigate within the ten days.
“Ai, the mundane world still lacks experience in the end. A country
b.u.mpkin didn’t know the complexity of things when he took the challenge and
ended up paying the price with his life. What a pity, what a shame for that
strength of heart and talent.” The person tsk’ed and his tone held a few traces
of taking pleasure in another’s misfortune.
“Tsk tsk, do you Purple Sun Sect people always derive
pleasure from others’ misery? Or is it that you’re afraid the rise of a mundane
genius will threaten the so-called innate const.i.tution that also hails from
the secular world in your Purple Sun Sect?” Someone couldn’t help but retort
when he heard this fellow kick a person when he was down.
The Purple Sun Sect executive smiled, “Deriving pleasure
from other’s misfortune? Is there a need for that? Not to mention, even if a
genius of the heart has ordinary talents, what right does he have to be
mentioned in the same breath as Long Juxue with the innate const.i.tution? An
innate const.i.tution to be threatened? You must be joking. Is an innate
const.i.tution something that any random cat or dog off the streets can
threaten?”
“Stop arguing, both of you. The limit of ten days has yet to
arrive and no one knows what happened in the cave. What evidence do you have
that he’s been swallowed by the heavenly fire?"
"Is there any evidence needed? He pa.s.ses the test
after three days. He still hasn’t emerged after the deadline, isn't this
obvious enough already? Or is it that it’s an enjoyment to remain in a cavern
with a spirit vein of heavenly fire?”
“Humph, the style of a genius is never something that a frog
at the bottom of a well can discern. We should wait and see and see what
happens!”
No one could convince anyone else, but no one was truly
willing to accept the reality that a genius even the forefathers were watching
had fallen, just like that.
Four days had pa.s.sed, and he still hadn’t emerged from the
cavern.
In this regard, the ones that'd always thought the genius
had perished became even more proud.
“He would’ve emerged a long time ago if he could after four,
five days. It looked like this so-called genius still couldn’t hold up beneath
the trial of fire. I think it’s time everyone set aside their expectations and
accepted reality.”
“Mm, even the fifth day is almost over. He would’ve come out
a long time ago if he could’ve. It looks like it’s not a wise thing to have too
much expectations towards a mundane disciple. Ai!”
Most of the organizers who’d supported the freak with the
boulder’s heart all had dim and dejected expressions.
Although they still didn’t wish to accept reality, the more
time that elapsed, the dimmer hope became.
At this moment —
Bang!
An enormous bang came from the cave and rumbling noises
traveled out from it. It seemed as if the skies were falling in, the earth was
cracking, and a great earthquake had struck the cavern.
Chapter 290: The Endless Mountain
The feeling of the land ripping asunder continued for a full
hour before it slowly weakened.
Thick smoke that accompanied a volcano eruption billowed out
of the cavern continuously.
The air was filled with hazy ash and it obscured everyone’s
vision for a while.
When all of the smoke had cleared, all the organizers looked
at each other, their faces full of surprise.
It was obvious that some violent change had happened in that
cavern. In this regard, it looked like the freak with the boulder’s heart was
most likely dead.
At this moment, an organizer rubbed his eyes as his pupils
suddenly shrank swiftly, peering into the cavern entrance with a look of
incredulity.
A figure imprinted itself into the eyeb.a.l.l.s of all those
a.s.sembled.
This figure was the freak genius that they had been
discussing about endlessly just now.
“How… how is this possible?!” The Purple Sun Sect executive,
who had been talking negatively the most just now, was utterly flabbergasted.
He’d been the one mouthing off the most, certain beyond a
doubt that this so-called genius had long since been devoured by the heavenly
fires.
Jiang Chen’s appearance at the entrance to the cavern at
this moment was a undisputed slap to his face.
“The fire attribute test is over, can I enter the cavern of
ice now?”
Jiang Chen walked up to the organizer and handed his
partic.i.p.ant token over, asking faintly.
All of the organizers had exceedingly rich expressions on
their faces. It was the head organizer who reacted first and chuckled, “Of
course, of course.”
Even though they didn’t know what had happened in the
cavern, but was that important now? The partic.i.p.ant had made it through the
trial and he had emerged safely, what had happened in the cavern no longer
mattered.
The most important thing was, a true genius had appeared!
The four forefathers also learned of what had happened here
in the first moment. Thanks to the rules, they couldn’t fight over recruiting
this person right now.
But the four forefathers were all ablaze with pa.s.sion in
their hearts in this instant, all of them were plotting on how they’d run their
recruiting plan.
To finish the path of rebirth in one day, this genius of the
heart was enough to make all the premier geniuses of the four sects lose face
completely.
He then finished as superior spirit potential in the trial
of talent.
His performance in the two most important trials could only
be described as ‘perverse’. It wasn’t the type of performance that an ordinary
disciple should have at all.
Even if the preeminent geniuses of the sects partic.i.p.ated
in these trials, their grades wouldn’t be as thus either.
“When did such a genius appear in the mundane world? No
matter what, I must have this pract.i.tioner.” Even Sunchaser had changed the
att.i.tude he’d held before the path of rebirth.
He had indeed been prejudiced against the mundane disciples.
But at this moment, those prejudices had completely vanished
without a trace. Jiang Chen had used the truth to prove that geniuses still
existed in the ordinary world.
However, if Sunchaser knew that the genius beneath the mask
was the Jiang Chen that he’d previous said would be destined to die, his
expression would’ve been a sight to watch.
“This one has set his sights on martial dao and he ignored
all other tests of talent. With such a strong heart of dao, my Purple Sun Sect
has the strongest heritage of martial dao of all the sects. Apart from my sect,
what right do the others have to recruit this genius?”
Sunchaser had always had a supreme feeling of superiority on
the path of martial dao.
The other three forefathers were also continuously making
and revising their plans at the moment.
Thousandleaf of the Precious Tree Sect also mentally listed
the Purple Sun Sect as his strongest compet.i.tor.
“The Purple Sun Sect already has a genius with an innate
const.i.tution. If this genius is also taken by them, then the situation of the
four sects being on equal footing will likely be thoroughly broken in a few
decades. No matter what, I must recruit this genius to the Precious Tree sect.
We must have him at all costs! Although my sect has a bit of a gap with the
Purple Sun Sect in terms of martial dao heritage, we rank an undisputed first
amongst the sects with our resources. As long as we employ the temptation of
superior resources, this genius may not choose the Purple Sun Sect. After all,
the Purple Sun Sect already has Long Juxue. Even if this genius goes to them,
he will always be regarded as just the one with the second greatest potential.”
Thousandleaf had quickly grasped the pros and cons of the
Purple Sun Sect.
The Flowing Wind Sect and Myriad Spirit Sect were in a
comparatively weaker position when it came to recruiting martial dao geniuses.
“My Flowing Wind Sect sect is less than the Purple Sun Sect
when it comes to martial dao heritage, and less than the Precious Tree Sect
when it comes to resources. However, the strength of my sect in uncovering
potential is unparalleled amongst the four sects. Add to that my sect’s
tradition of dual cultivation, if I can hit this point home, this martial dao
genius may come to my sect after all!”
These were the thoughts of Flowing Wind’s Icemist. The
flowing Wind Sect had many female pract.i.tioners and all sorts of beauties in
the sect.
This was most likely their best point to make if they wished
to recruit martial dao geniuses.
As for the Myriad Spirit Sect, although they ardently
desired to recruit this martial dao genius, they also knew that they had the
least advantage out of all the sects.
However, the Myriad Spirit Sect always had their particular
focus in recruitment.
“Although this genius of the heart is a rare find in a
hundred years, if this old man were to choose, I would still rather go with
Jiang Chen. He can tame large numbers of spirit creatures and setup formations.
My sect has never seen this level of spirit creature genius in all our history.
I can give up competing for this genius at hand, and I can also use this
opportunity to make the other three sects give up competing for Jiang Chen.”
Ninelion was more interested in Jiang Chen, but he never
would’ve thought that the genius that everyone was so enthusiastically
discussing at the moment was Jiang Chen.
Another five days silently pa.s.sed by.
When Jiang Chen once again walked out of the cavern of ice,
the organizers were looking at him with gazes of practically gazing at an
immortal.
Alright, so he was a genius of the dao heart.
So he was of superior spirit potential, fine. However, his
two attributes were both of superior potential, and ones that were ant.i.thesis
to each other at that.
This was unheard of!
“What an insane genius! To have dual attributes means that
he will have more choices regarding which martial arts techniques he wants to
learn from, and his path of martial dao will naturally be broader. He will have
more of an advantage in practical battle. This genius was practically born for
martial dao!”
The organizers all had to raise their thumb in approval in
their hearts. Even if one was jealous and envious beyond belief of this genius,
you still had to admit that he was a defining genius of the ages.
This genius was sure to become a thorn in the side of the
sect disciples in the final selection.
They could almost see how many sect disciples would be
trampled beneath his feet in the final selection!
The organizer held Jiang Chen’s token and looked at it again
and again before recording Jiang Chen’s results in it.
“Congratulations, young man. Your fire and ice potential are
all of superior potential. I must say, some of your caliber has a fighting
chance with the sect disciples. Good luck!”
This organizer had quite an open demeanor. Jiang Chen smiled
when he heard these words, “Thank you for your encouragement.”
Another round of people had been cruelly disqualified after
the end of the second trial.
Nearly half of the seventy thousand was gone.
Less than forty thousand made it to the third trial.
An enormous mountain was in front of them in the distance.
It looked like it towered into the heavens as it shot straight into the clouds,
as if it was on the same level as the clouds. Countless numbers of clouds
surrounded the peak, making it look like a mountain of immortals and giving
rise to endless imagination.
“This mountain is also known as the Endless Mountain. There
are a hundred thousand stairs, and each ten thousand steps is one floor. You will
have qualified if you make it to the fifth floor. The sixth floor marks you as
above average and the seventh floor marks you with excellent potential. The
eighth floor indicates that you are worthy of the t.i.tle of genius, and the
ninth floor means that you are on par with the geniuses of the four sects. If
anyone can make it to the tenth floor, then you have reason to be proud of
yourself. Even the premier geniuses of the sects cannot make it to that floor.”
Although the Endless Mountain was towering, it wasn’t as
simple as just increasing numbers of stairs.
“This is a magnetic Endless Mountain. The magnetism of each
floor and the difficulty of each floor will double as you pa.s.s them.
Therefore, you’ll find it easy at the beginning, but you’ll find each
successive step more difficult as you go up. So if you use too much strength at
the beginning, you may exhaust yourself before you reach the fifth floor and
you will be unable to proceed. Remember, the magnetism of the Endless Mountain
will make your body feel heavier as you climb. You will feel your steps become
more leaden with each stair you climb.”
The organizer explained the rules in detail.
“Of course, in order to stimulate your potential and reward
your advancement, some unique opportunities will await you starting on each
floor after the fifth. If you’re lucky, you’ll receive some unexpected gains
from there. Of course, you can only linger for two hours before you attempt the
next floor, so you only have two hours in which to try your luck. Otherwise, if
you tarry for longer than two hours, that means you’ve given up on climbing and
the mountain will bounce you out, thus concluding your trial.”
“Alright, these are the rules, begin!”
Jiang Chen looked at the stone steps with golden sparkles at
the bottom of the towering mountain, sighing with emotion in his heart.
“A magnetic Endless Mountain! To think that such a mountain
exists in the mundane world.” Jiang Chen couldn’t help but sigh.
Perhaps these organizers, including the forefathers, all
knew that this mountain had incredible magnetism and it could attract all
matter, creating an immense magnetic force field that would dictate its
operations.
However, this was only one of its ordinary functions.
The true experts of ancient times would refine the mountain
into a treasure, it could be stored and summoned, and they could manipulate it
with their hearts.
Jiang Chen was also rather curious as he looked at this
enormous mountain. Could it be that this mountain was one of the treasures of
those ancient experts?
Figures continued to shoot past Jiang Chen like flying
birds. When they landed on the stone steps, they climbed up using hands and
feet like monkeys, deathly afraid of falling behind.
Jiang Chen cleared his mind of all thoughts and he took a
deep breath in, and he bounded for the stone steps of the magnetic, golden
colored mountain.
