Chapter 49 Passing the Test
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"Extremely cold and yin, pure in spirit and soul, filled with obsession!"
Ancient characters emerged and vanished, like three invisible shackles, instantly shattering the hopes of the vast majority within the cave. The air was filled with disappointment, anxiety, and... targeted scrutiny and hostility.
Gao Sheng, Shi Feng, and the others who practiced fire-attributed, masculine techniques had sullen expressions on their faces, their eyes gloomy and almost dripping with tears. They had labored so hard to reach this point, yet they weren't even qualified to participate in the test! This sense of failure and jealousy led them to turn their wrath against those disciples who might have qualified.
Disciples who practiced cold-attributed techniques like those related to water and ice became the focus of attention. Naturally, the disciples of the Bishui Pavilion bore the brunt of the attention, with Qin Yixuan, with her exceptional strength and aura, drawing the most attention. Within the Xuanyun Sect, Su Wanyun's techniques leaned towards the gentler elements of water and wood, meeting some of the criteria. Han Li's techniques were complex, while Chen Mo's focus on talismans lacked significant attributes. And Ye Li, with her icy aura and rumored ice-based finger techniques, also made her a suspect.
Ye Li's heart was in turmoil, but her expression remained frozen. The conditions of this inheritance so perfectly matched hers; it couldn't be a coincidence. The vibrations of the Samsara Mirror pointed clearly to this place. She had to go in!
But how to get in was a problem. If I rushed forward now, I would definitely become the target of public criticism.
Just as the atmosphere became increasingly tense and some people became malicious and considered whether to "eliminate" potential competitors, the word "inheritance" on the gate of the stone hall lit up again!
This time, the light was softer, yet carried an undeniable majesty. An old, peaceful voice, as if traversing eons of time and space, resounded directly into everyone's consciousness:
"Opportunities are determined by fate; forcing them is useless. Those who meet the requirements may step forward and place their hands on the light shield, and the outcome will be revealed. Anyone who forcibly interferes with the test will be expelled from the cave and will never be allowed to enter again."
The voice was calm, yet it contained the supreme power of rules. Those who were ready to act rashly, harboring ill intentions, were instantly extinguished as if a basin of ice water had been poured over their heads. Their meager strength was no match for the rules left behind by such an ancient power.
The rules are clear, and although everyone is unwilling, they dare not disobey.
Over at the Bishui Pavilion, the leading female cultivator looked at Qin Yixuan and nodded slightly. Qin Yixuan took a deep breath, stepped out from the crowd, and under countless complex gazes, she slowly walked to the transparent light shield. She stretched out her delicate hand and gently pressed it on the light shield.
Buzz!
The light shield trembled slightly, and a soft white light enveloped Qin Yixuan. A moment later, the white light dissipated. Qin Yixuan's figure remained standing, but a thoughtful expression crossed her face, as if she had received some kind of information. Then, she took a step forward, and the light shield that had blocked everyone suddenly rippled out like water, allowing her to pass through unhindered, disappearing in front of the stone hall's gates!
"She's in!"
“It’s her indeed!”
An uproar erupted in the cave, filled with envy, jealousy, and exclamations.
With Qin Yixuan's example, other disciples who thought they met the requirements also stepped forward to try.
Su Wanyun stepped forward and touched the light shield with her jade hand. After being enveloped by white light, a hint of joy appeared on her face, and she successfully entered.
Another female disciple from the Bishui Pavilion who practiced ice-based martial arts came forward, but after being enveloped by white light, her face showed struggle and pain. Finally, the white light dissipated, and she staggered back, shaking her head palely, obviously failing to pass the judgment of "pure soul" or "obsession".
Then, several more disciples who practiced the Yin-Han technique came forward to try, but only a few succeeded, and only two of them barely passed and entered the light shield.
It's Ye Li's turn.
Almost everyone's eyes were focused on her. Gao Sheng and others even had sinister looks in their eyes, as if they wanted to tear her apart with their gazes.
Ye Li walked towards the light shield with an expressionless face. She could feel the burning, malicious gazes behind her, but her heart was as calm as an ancient well.
She slowly raised her hand and pressed it on the cold light shield.
At the moment of contact——
boom!
A white light far stronger and purer than any before it suddenly burst out from the light shield, completely engulfing Ye Li! The light was so bright that it even illuminated the entire cave, eclipsing the night pearl on the top!
"What's going on?"
"Why is her light so strong?!"
Everyone exclaimed, even Qin Yixuan, who had already entered, seemed to sense something through the door and looked back.
At this moment, Ye Li was in a strange situation.
Her consciousness seemed to be pulled out of her body, entering a white, boundless space. The old voice sounded again, but it was no longer announcing rules, but directly questioning her soul!
The first question is, ask your heart!
"Why do you practice cultivation?"
The scene before her eyes shifted, and she seemed to have returned to the moment of her death in her previous life. The betrayal faces of Ling Hao, Mo Shang, and Xuan Cong were crystal clear, and endless resentment and unwillingness surged in her heart. Then, the humiliation she had suffered in the Ye family in this life and the mystery of her parents' disappearance emerged...
Revenge! Powerful power is for revenge against betrayers, for uncovering the truth, and for controlling one's own destiny!
This thought was unwavering, but at that moment, the fragments of the Samsara Mirror shifted slightly, a cool breeze flowing through them, calming her seething murderous intent. Is cultivation solely for revenge? Besides power, what did one gain from reaching the pinnacle in a previous life? Is this rebirth simply to repeat the same path?
A deeper thought emerges: to pursue the true meaning of the Great Dao, to explore the secrets of reincarnation, and to transcend the constraints of life and death! Revenge is the driving force, but not the end!
"To control my destiny, to pursue transcendence!" Ye Li's soul responded silently but firmly. The desire for revenge remained, but it had already merged into a broader path.
The white light rippled slightly, as if accepting this answer. His heart was firm, his determination deep, yet his mind had not been completely blinded by hatred.
The second question is soul refining!
The scene changed again! Countless ferocious demonic figures pounced on them, roaring with temptation and intimidation!
"Waste! You will always be waste!"
"Hand over the Samsara Mirror! You don't deserve it!"
"Join us and we will give you supreme power!"
"Just give up. Being reborn once is already a blessing. Why bother struggling anymore?"
All kinds of heart-wrenching words, accompanied by terrifying illusions, madly attacked her soul and sea of consciousness!
If it were an ordinary cultivator, no matter how strong his mind was, he would inevitably be shaken or even collapse under such torture of the soul.
But who is Ye Li? She is the Li Zun, who has experienced reincarnation and once stood at the pinnacle of the universe! Her soul and spirit are so powerful and resilient! Furthermore, the fragment of the Samsara Mirror sits in her sea of consciousness, radiating a clear light and stabilizing her spiritual altar, making her immune to all evil!
Facing the surging inner demons, her spirit remained as unshaken as a rock! Her eyes were cold and clear, as if she were watching a crude farce!
"A mere inner demon dares to shake my heart of Taoism? Disperse!" A powerful divine thought swept out like a sharp sword, and those inner demon phantoms melted and dissipated like ice and snow under the sun!
The pure tenacity of the spirit far exceeded the expectations of the test!
The third question is the verification method!
In the vast white space, three energy shadows condensed, representing three different attack modes: one powerful and heavy, one swift and strange, and one long-range magic. The energy fluctuations emitted by each shadow were comparable to those of a mid-stage Condensation Vein cultivator!
"Defeat them and show your way."
This is the ultimate test of combat power, understanding and combat wisdom!
Ye Li's eyes focused and she went forward without fear!
Facing the powerful phantom, she did not fight hard. Instead, she used the Phantom Step, like a ghost, to look for flaws, break through the surface with a point, and penetrate the energy core with a cold finger!
Facing the agile phantom, she fought back quickly, with perfect timing, even predicting its movements, striking first and drawing a deadly arc with her dagger!
Facing the magical phantom, she directly activated a black ice explosion talisman, using a range attack to offset the long-range bombardment, while at the same time rushing forward and fighting in close combat!
Her fighting style is ruthless, precise, and efficient, bringing her strengths to full play! No flashy moves, only the most practical killing techniques! This is not just a competition of skills, but also a display of honed fighting instincts and a battle consciousness that transcends realms!
The three energy phantoms did not last long under her hands and collapsed one after another!
However, the test is not over yet!
After the three phantoms collapsed, the energy did not disappear. Instead, it condensed into an extremely complex and constantly changing rune trajectory in the air!
"Understand the changes in this trajectory and deduce three or more possible changes within a stick of incense!"
This was the ultimate test of comprehension! The rune trajectory was profound and abstruse, involving the essence of energy and the embryonic form of laws. Even an ordinary cultivator would feel dizzy at the mere sight of it!
Ye Li peered intently. At first glance, it was indeed obscure and difficult to understand. But as she focused her mind, the fragments of the Samsara Mirror shifted again, and the coolness that heightened her perception and understanding flowed through her!
Instantly, the previously chaotic trajectory seemed to slow down and disassemble before her eyes, and the many subtle energy flows and structural changes became clear! The fragmented knowledge of many high-level skills and formation principles that she had encountered in her previous life lit up like stars, corroborating the trajectory before her!
Her brain was working at an unprecedented speed!
One change...two changes...three changes!
In less than half an incense stick of time, she had deduced five completely different possible changes that were in line with the laws of energy!
When she transmitted the results of her deduction with her divine consciousness, the entire white space fell silent for a moment.
The old voice sounded again, this time with a hint of hard-to-conceal admiration and... relief?
"Your will is as strong as iron, your spirit is clear, your combat methods are divine, and your comprehension is extraordinary... Good! Greatly good! You are worthy of inheriting my lineage!"
As soon as the words fell, the white light receded like the tide.
Ye Li's consciousness returned to her body, and she found herself still standing in front of the light shield, her palm still pressed on it. The test just now seemed long, but in reality, only a few breaths had passed in the outside world.
Under the shocked, confused, and incredulous gazes of the crowd, the solid light shield was like nothing to her. She could even sense the subtle warmth it conveyed.
She withdrew her hand, took a step forward without any hesitation, and passed through the light shield naturally and easily as if she was returning home, heading towards the ancient stone hall door.
Behind her was deathly silence, and the faces of Goldman Sachs and others were distorted by extreme jealousy and anger.
They didn't understand why this female disciple, who seemed to be only at the Spiritual Awakening Realm, emitted the brightest light and seemed to pass through most easily?
Only Qin Yixuan, who had already entered the hall, watched Ye Li calmly enter. A complex emotion flashed across her cold eyes. Passing the test was no easy task for her, and she knew the difficulty. Ye Li's performance far exceeded her expectations.
"Ye Li..." She silently repeated the name in her heart. For the first time, she truly regarded him as an opponent who needed to be taken seriously with all her strength.
Ye Li ignored the gaze behind her and gently pressed her hand on the door of the stone hall.
Squeak——
The heavy stone door made a long sound and slowly opened inward.
Behind the door is an unknown inheritance, and also a new starting point for her to reach higher heights.
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