"I'm fine, keep going."
Chen Feng woke up after being treated by Zhao Xue, but he was pale and his soul was obviously damaged.
“He needs to rest,” Zhao Xue said worriedly. “If this continues, it will leave lasting effects.”
Lin Wei looked at the injured team members, then at the unknown dangers ahead, and gritted her teeth.
"Leave Chen Feng here and we'll set up a protective barrier. We'll bring him back when we return. Wang Lei, you stay and take care of him."
"Captain, I can still walk." Chen Feng struggled to stand up, but he was too weak to move.
"This is an order," Lin Wei said sternly. "Wang Lei, protect him. We will be back as soon as possible."
Wang Lei nodded, "Don't worry, Captain."
After setting up the defensive formation, the remaining five people continued forward.
After the fog completely dissipated, the road ahead became much clearer.
After walking for about an hour, we finally passed through the labyrinthine forest.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
A vast valley appeared before them, shrouded in mist, with the outlines of pavilions and towers faintly visible.
At the entrance to the valley stands a stone tablet with three ancient characters engraved on it: Hidden Dragon Valley.
"We've finally arrived." Huo Yusen breathed a sigh of relief.
But Ling Xuzi frowned deeply. "Something's not right. It's too quiet. How could Xuanjizi Celestial Master's cave dwelling be unprotected?"
As soon as he finished speaking, an old voice suddenly rang out in the valley.
"Who goes there? Disturbing my peaceful cultivation, do you know you deserve to die?"
The sound was like thunder, echoing through the valley.
As the clouds churned, a gigantic figure slowly emerged.
The figure slowly emerged from the clouds and mist; it was a stone statue ten feet tall.
The stone statue depicts an elderly Taoist priest with a long beard reaching his chest, holding a whisk in his hand. Although his eyes are carved from stone, they seem to radiate a spiritual light.
The stone statue's voice was like a resounding bell, echoing through the valley.
Yun Songzi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to the stone statue.
"I am Ling Xuzi, a junior disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion, and I have come with a friend to request an audience with Celestial Master Xuanjizi. We have come here in order to save lives, and we beg your forgiveness, senior."
The stone statue remained silent for a moment, its stone eyes sweeping over the crowd, its gaze lingering on Huo Yuwei for a second longer.
"The Celestial Master's Mansion does have some connection. But Master Xuanji has long since passed away; what use is your request to see him?"
"I understand," Yun Song said respectfully. "But before the Celestial Master passed away, he left the 'Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique' in his cave. Now, a person with a pure Yin body is trapped in the Yin-Yang Jade Pendant to seal away evil spirits. His soul is gradually merging with the seal, and he is in imminent danger. Only the Celestial Master's secret technique can save his life."
The stone statue remained silent for a while. "A pure Yin body is indeed rare. But the legacy left by Xuanjizi cannot be obtained by anyone but those with the right destiny. Are you prepared to accept the test?"
Huo Yusen stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "As long as it can save Qiqi, I am willing to endure any test."
The stone statue looked at him, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in its stone eyes.
"You're quite sincere, since that's the case..."
The stone statue suddenly raised its hand and waved its whisk.
The clouds and mist in the valley churned violently, transforming into three portals that floated in the air.
"Three gates, three trials." The stone statue's voice was majestic. "The first is 'Asking the Heart,' testing whether one's Dao heart is firm. The second is 'Asking Wisdom,' testing whether one's intelligence is extraordinary. The third is 'Asking Strength,' testing whether one's strength is sufficient."
"The five of you must each choose a gate to enter. Those who pass the test will receive a corresponding token. Only by collecting three tokens can you open the Mysterious Cave. If even one person fails, the entire team must leave the valley and never be allowed to enter again."
Lin Wei frowned, "Do all five of them have to pass?"
The stone statue said, “That’s right. If there is anyone in the team who lacks willpower, wisdom, or strength, then they are not worthy of receiving Xuanjizi’s inheritance.”
Huo Yusen quickly analyzed, "This tests not only individual ability, but also teamwork. We need to allocate personnel reasonably to ensure that someone can pass through all three doors."
“I’ll 'ask for strength',” Huo Yusen said without hesitation. Although he was injured, in terms of actual combat ability, he was indeed the strongest in the team.
Ling Xuzi said, "I have chosen 'Asking the Heart'. I have cultivated the Tao for many years, and I should be able to pass the test of my will."
Huo Yusen adjusted his glasses. "I choose 'Asking Wisdom'."
Lin Wei and Zhao Xue were left.
Lin Wei looked at Zhao Xue, "You're the team doctor, and your combat ability is a bit weak. How about you choose 'Asking the Heart'? I'll go for 'Asking the Strength' to help Young Master Huo share the burden."
Zhao Xue nodded, "Okay."
After the assignments were completed, the five people each headed towards their respective doors.
Huo Yuwei took a deep breath and stepped into the "Asking Power" gate.
Suddenly, he found himself on a huge arena. Opposite him stood three blurry figures.
"Defeat us and pass the test." The three figures spoke simultaneously, their voices overlapping.
Without further ado, the battle began.
Three figures attacked simultaneously, moving with incredible speed.
Huo Yuwei dodged the first attack by sidestepping, and then threw a punch at the second figure with his backhand.
But the fist passed through the figure, only to be a phantom!
The third figure had already attacked him, striking him in the chest with a palm.
Huo Yuwei barely managed to block the attack, but was forced back three steps, his chest heaving with blood and qi.
“The illusion is shifting between reality and illusion…” He squinted, carefully observing the three figures.
He quickly discovered the pattern.
Only one figure is a real entity at any given time, while the other two are phantoms.
But the entity will constantly shift between the three without warning.
Huo Yusen calmed down and stopped taking the initiative to attack, instead adopting a defensive strategy.
He silently mobilized the power of the demon chief within his body.
The three figures attacked faster and faster, but each physical attack caused changes in the airflow.
Huo Yusen noticed this subtle difference and suddenly unleashed his power the moment a figure attacked.
"Got you!"
A punch was thrown, hitting the target squarely.
The figure flew backward and landed, transforming into a bronze token.
"First round passed." The remaining two figures spoke up. "Next, it's two against one."
Two figures rushed at the same time, and this time they were both real!
Huo Yusen's pressure increased sharply.
The wound on his palm reopened during the fierce battle, and blood stained the bandage.
But he seemed oblivious to the pain, his eyes fixed only on his opponent.
Ten moves, twenty moves, thirty moves...
Finally, he found an opportunity to trade blows, hitting both figures at the same time.
The arena disappeared, and Huo Yuwei returned to the gate, now holding two bronze tokens.
He was covered in wounds, but his eyes remained resolute.
The "Asking Power" gate has been passed.
Meanwhile, inside the "Questioning the Heart" gate.
Yun Songzi sat cross-legged in a void, surrounded by countless illusions.
His fellow disciples from the Celestial Master's Mansion were calling him back. The person they couldn't save back then was smiling at him, and there was even a figure of Qi Qi crying out, "Grandpa Yun Songzi, save me!"
"It's all an illusion." Ling Xuzi closed his eyes, focused his mind, and silently recited the Heart-Cleansing Mantra, "A mind as clear as a mirror, untouched by dust..."
The illusions kept changing, trying to shake his resolve to follow the Dao.
But after more than twenty years of cultivating Taoism, his will had become as firm as a rock.
Despite countless illusions, I remain unmoved.
After an unknown amount of time, the illusion dissipated.
A white jade token fell into his hand.
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