Trials

Once, a peak Divine Venerable dared to snatch goods from Qianjin Pavilion.

Days later, he met a silent demise, his corpse displayed at the main entrance of Qianjin Pavilion’s headquarters on Tianchen Continent.

From then on, all forces on Tianchen Continent understood that Qianjin Pavilion was an entity they could not provoke, and that it hailed not from the lower realms, but from the Xuanyuan Realm above.

However, what the people of Qianjin Pavilion did not realize was that if they had allowed the Cui family’s Old Ancestor to enter first, they might have prevented Yan Yun from stirring up trouble and seizing opportunities.

By obstructing him, they risked losing access to the best treasures within.

Guided by Xiao Leng’s fragmented memories, Yan Yun swiftly located the spot where she had first awakened, which surprisingly lay right at the main entrance of the sect ruins.

A majestic gate stood there, its lintel adorned with a plaque bearing three large characters: “Tianwu Gate.”

This, then, was the name of the sect: Tianwu Gate.

“Eh? Big Sister, are you certain you emerged from here?”
“Isn’t this a sect?”
Yan Yun asked, a look of bewilderment on her face.

Xiao Leng, with a solemn expression, nodded.

“What I can confirm from those blurry memories is that I definitely came out from here, but as for how, don’t ask me; I don’t remember at all.”

Yan Yun found herself in a dilemma, so she promptly consulted Yan Lingyun.

“Old Ancestor, is there any danger within the light barrier on this gate?”

This question left Yan Lingyun at a loss for how to respond.

“Instinctively, there’s certainly danger, but I think you should just try it.”
“Perhaps it’s merely a scare tactic?”

Yan Lingyun’s words made Yan Yun want to curse, but remembering that the other party was her ancestor, she ultimately held her tongue.

“Heiyue, you and Big Sister, please step back a little.”
“I’ll test it to see if this gate has any defensive mechanisms,” Yan Yun instructed Xiao Leng and Heiyue.

The two immediately retreated a short distance, while Yan Yun raised her hand and released her poison, striking the light barrier.

However, the moment her power touched the barrier, it instantly dissipated into a wisp of smoke.

Evidently, the defensive strength of this barrier was beyond what Yan Yun could break with brute force.

This presented a difficult situation; although she had arrived first, she couldn’t get in.

“It’s over.”
“Getting in first won’t give me much of an advantage after all,” Yan Yun lamented, a hint of helplessness in her voice.

Even though she possessed a method to open the area, employing it here would be entirely impractical.

Yan Yun fell into contemplation, pacing back and forth before the gate, and just as she was pondering a solution, Xiao Leng’s voice rang out.

[Third Sister, this gate has no defense. Look, I’m already inside.]

Upon hearing this, Yan Yun immediately lifted her head to look at Xiao Leng.

She found Xiao Leng had, at some unknown point, appeared on the other side of the gate.

Yan Yun instantly felt her mind struggling to catch up.

‘This…?’

[See? Not a scratch.]

[Not a scratch at all.]

Heiyue also attempted to walk through, and indeed, she encountered no harm, nor was it due to Xiao Leng’s possible origin from these sect ruins.

[Master, it’s truly fine. Come in.]

Yan Yun suddenly felt like a clown.

‘What is the meaning of this restriction on the gate? Does it block spiritual power but not people?’

With a puzzled expression, Yan Yun also walked forward, easily crossing the light barrier.

‘Well, this time I’ve been thoroughly humiliated. I thought Yan Lingyun was joking, but it turns out I’m the joke.’

“Hahaha, see?”
“Your ancestor here wasn’t joking, was she?”
“This thing is just a bluff.”

Yan Yun still couldn’t comprehend it.

‘But if it’s a bluff, why could it block my power?’

“That can only mean this thing is specifically designed to guard against people with complicated minds like you.”
“When you test it with spiritual power, and that power is directly repelled, your first internal reaction is that it’s dangerous.”
“But in reality, if you just walk in without using spiritual power, there’s no danger at all.”
“I’ve encountered these annoying restrictions before.”

Yan Lingyun grumbled.

Yan Yun was left speechless.

‘With my evil intuition, just you wait. The people who come later will definitely be stopped by this gate. I’m certainly not the only one who thinks this gate is dangerous.’

After stepping inside, a long staircase stretched out before them.

After a moment of deliberation, the three began to ascend.

However, the instant Yan Yun set foot on the first step, a formidable power descended from the heavens, pressing down upon her, and a clear, cold female voice echoed in her ears.

“O fated one of later generations, I am Leng Xinshuang, the last Sect Master of Tianwu Gate.”
“The Tianwu Gate of today is in decline, with no successors.”
“I have decided to dismiss the remaining disciples and seal the mountain range.”
“Three thousand years hence, this place shall reappear, and within it lies the legacy and all that belongs to my Tianwu Gate.”
“Pass through the three trials set by Tianwu Gate, and you shall obtain everything.”

After the female voice finished speaking, it vanished, surely another form of restriction.

And the staircase before them was the first trial.

“Third Sister, what’s wrong?”
Xiao Leng and Heiyue immediately asked upon seeing Yan Yun suddenly halt.

Seeing their lack of reaction, Yan Yun realized that this trial was specifically aimed at human cultivators.

“From here on, there are trials.”
“To obtain the treasures of Tianwu Gate, one must pass through three trials.”
“Let’s go, this much pressure won’t stop me.”

Yan Yun’s body paused for only a brief moment before she continued forward.

The first trial tested one’s resistance to pressure.

With each step ascended, the pressure intensified, and if one failed to withstand it and fell, they would be sent rolling all the way back to the starting point.

Looking outside, Jin Mei of Qianjin Pavilion, along with the managers of its various branch offices, had all arrived.

Numerous Divine Venerables had also gathered, including individuals from the local four major powers, and some Divine Venerables were already engaged in battle.

The Cui family’s Old Ancestor and Xuanhui Holy Mother were seen attacking a black-robed Divine Venerable.

Upon closer inspection, wasn’t this the same black-robed figure who had recently attacked a Xuanhui Divine Soul Realm cultivator?

“You killed my disciple, didn’t you?”
“Since you’ve come today, don’t even think about leaving!”
Xuanhui Holy Mother roared in fury.

“Oh dear, Xuanhui old woman, are you angry now?”
“Didn’t this old ancestor merely kill one disciple?”
“What a trivial matter.”
“Didn’t your Xuanhui Sect also kill many of my disciples back then?”
Ghost Soul Old Ancestor chuckled sinisterly.

Fighting two Divine Venerables alone, he moved with effortless grace, clearly demonstrating that his strength far surpassed that of Xuanhui Holy Mother and the Cui family’s Old Ancestor.

“You two! Why aren’t you helping?”
Xuanhui Holy Mother suddenly shouted at the Old Ancestor of True Dragon Gate and the Old Ancestor of Black Wind Mountain.

However, these two had no immediate desire to entangle themselves with Ghost Soul Old Ancestor.

“Holy Mother, Old Freak Cui, we are here for the opportunities this place offers.”
“As for our feud with the Ghost Soul Old Ancestor, let’s settle it another day,” the Old Ancestor of Black Wind Mountain calmly stated.

Not only were there Divine Venerables from their four families, but also some unfamiliar faces, likely Divine Venerables from other regions, and even some from Jiang Country.

Near this location in Jiang Country was a medium-sized sect called Yuhua Gate, and two of its Divine Venerable experts had arrived.

“Are you fellow Daoists from the neighboring Yuhua Gate?”
“This place falls within the territory of our Dao Alliance.”
“As forces of the Righteous Dao Alliance, isn’t it rather inappropriate for you to be here?” the Old Ancestor of True Dragon Gate questioned the two.

However, the two from Yuhua Gate certainly wouldn’t retreat simply because of his challenge.

“Though the Wuyin Mountain Range lies within the Dao Alliance’s territory, our Yuhua Mountain is connected to it.”
“How can you say it has nothing to do with us?”
“In fact, our Yuhua Mountain is the closest cultivation sect to the Wuyin Mountain Range, isn’t it?” the Old Ancestor of Yuhua Gate said calmly.

This remark, however, provoked a cold snort from the Old Ancestor of True Dragon Gate, for it was nothing short of bandit logic.

The two great alliances were delineated by the border between Xiang Country and Jiang Country.

Regardless of whether a cultivation sect was stationed here, this was still Dao Alliance territory.

Yet, their opponents were stronger, so even if they had objections, they could only voice them.

Meanwhile, Jin Mei was conversing with several branch managers, surrounded by a number of powerful Divine Venerables.

‘In the lower realms, without becoming a Divine Venerable, one is ultimately an ant.’

“Sister Jin Mei, I believe the time is ripe.”
“We can enter now.”

One of the branch managers remarked, observing the gradually thinning energy.

They had been waiting for the erupting energy to weaken.

Once the energy completely vanished, it would signify that the protective formation array had also entirely dissipated, and entering then would significantly reduce the danger.

As for Xuanhui Holy Mother and the Cui family’s Old Ancestor, seeing that they could not subdue Ghost Soul Old Ancestor, they had no choice but to temporarily cease their attacks.

“Ghost Soul Old Ancestor, we’ll see about this!” Xuanhui Holy Mother coldly snorted.

“Hehehehe… Today is truly an opportunity!”
“In a while, I’ll break through to the Great Divine Venerable Realm.”
“By then, the four of you won’t even be worth my time!”
Ghost Soul Old Ancestor cackled sinisterly.

Indeed, once Ghost Soul Old Ancestor broke through, it was doubtful whether the four of them combined could defeat him.

“What is wrong with you two?”
“Is this opportunity more important, or killing this old ghost?”
“If you let him break through, our four families will be doomed!”
Xuanhui Holy Mother demanded of the two Old Ancestors from True Dragon Gate.

The two men displayed varied expressions, especially the Old Ancestor of Black Wind Mountain, whose demeanor was peculiar, as if burdened by some secret concern.

“There’s no conflict.”
“This old ghost will certainly enter the ruins later anyway, so it’s not too late to act then.”
“Look, even people from the neighboring Yuhua Gate have arrived.”
“It’s better if we don’t fight amongst ourselves for now,” the Old Ancestor of True Dragon Gate advised.

Having no other recourse, the two could only temporarily set aside Ghost Soul Old Ancestor.

As the golden light gradually dimmed, and just as it was on the verge of disappearing, Jin Mei immediately declared, “It’s almost time.”
“Let’s go down.”

With that, she led her people directly downwards.

The cultivators from the other factions, seeing Jin Mei and her group descend, also immediately converged on the entrance.

“Wait, please allow everyone five more minutes before entering.”

The person responsible for setting up Qianjin Pavilion’s formation once again blocked their path.

Five minutes.

For them, these five minutes felt like an eternity.

‘Five minutes would be enough to take most of the treasures inside. How much could possibly be left? Not to mention, with more and more powerful cultivators arriving, the number of people to share the treasures with would only increase.’