As the light faded at the end of the passage, a bright and open space appeared before us.
This was a spacious stone chamber, its floor paved with dark blue-green rocks, faintly etched with spear patterns. The air was thick with a sharper, more intense aura than outside. As soon as Xiao Chen stepped into the chamber, he saw a golden figure strolling leisurely inside, hands behind his back—it was Qian Duoduo.
Hearing footsteps, Qian Duoduo turned around and saw Xiao Chen. A smile immediately spread across her face as she quickly greeted him: "Brother Xiao, we've been waiting for you!"
His ten fingers, adorned with diamond rings, gleamed under the light. His brocade robe remained impeccably tailored, though the edges of several neatly folded talismans were faintly visible at the cuffs.
Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow: "Brother Qian, were you waiting for me?"
"Of course." Qian Duoduo patted Xiao Chen's shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy, revealing a sense of familiarity. "I felt that you were extraordinary outside, Brother Xiao. There aren't many people who can catch my eye with these spear-path ruins."
He smiled like a shrewd fox, "Having more friends means having more options. I might need Brother Xiao's help in the future."
Xiao Chen nodded slightly: "You're too kind." He didn't mind making friends with honest people. Although Qian Duoduo was flamboyant, he had no ill intentions. Compared to those cultivators who were scheming and calculating, he was more comfortable to be around.
As the two spoke, their gazes turned to the front of the stone chamber—where five paths suddenly appeared, each entrance to which was shrouded in a different gun intent.
The first path on the left is imbued with a spear intent as fierce as a raging fire, carrying an overbearing power that can burn everything in its path; the second path is imbued with a spear intent as icy as ice, exuding a chilling power that can freeze the soul; the middle path is imbued with a spear intent as heavy as a mountain, so steady that it makes one breathless; the two paths on the right are one as swift as lightning and the other as elusive as a snake's shadow, each with its own sharp edge.
Many cultivators have already chosen the side paths that suit them and are carefully stepping into them.
"hiss--"
The cultivator who had just stepped onto the first path was struck by the fiery spear intent, his robes instantly ignited with spiritual flames. He hurriedly circulated his spiritual energy to defend himself, but he was still burned and his teeth were grimacing. Another female cultivator who chose the icy path had white frost instantly condense on her hair and her face turned pale, clearly enduring the pain.
Those cultivators with solid foundations and deep understanding of the spear technique walked relatively calmly, the spear intent flowing around them as if being absorbed and refined; while those cultivators who had just managed to get through the puppet trial by taking advantage of the chaos were blasted away by the spear intent as soon as they stepped into the side path, some even spitting out blood and collapsing to the ground, clearly unable to pass.
“This is the real test.” Qian Duoduo clicked his tongue, his eyes sweeping over the five paths before finally landing on himself—he was covered in layers of various defensive talismans, including “Vajra Talisman,” “Spirit Control Talisman,” and “Evil-Dispelling Talisman.” He also wore three bronze wristbands and had seven or eight defensive magical artifacts, such as jade pendants and bells, hanging from his waist, making him a veritable mobile defensive fortress.
"Brother Xiao, I'll go first, we'll meet up ahead!" Qian Duoduo waved to Xiao Chen, chose the seemingly "gentle" path of mountain spear intent, took a step forward, and the talismans and magical artifacts on his body instantly lit up, blocking the heavy spear intent outside, like a turtle wrapped in its shell, slowly moving in.
Xiao Chen watched his retreating figure, chuckled, and shook his head. Then, his gaze fell on the five roads, and without hesitation, he followed.
The moment he stepped inside, a spear intent as heavy as a mountain crashing down upon him swept over him, carrying a profound sense of "steadfast as a rock, unparalleled in defense." An ordinary cultivator would probably immediately circulate their spiritual energy to resist, but Xiao Chen simply straightened his back, allowing the spear intent to surge into his body.
"Buzz—"
The spear intent surged through his meridians, striking his dantian with a tearing pain. The muffled groans of other cultivators nearby could be faintly heard; they were clearly resisting with all their might, fearing their foundations would be shattered by the spear intent.
But Xiao Chen closed his eyes, not only not resisting, but also relaxing his mind and carefully comprehending.
He recalled how he had once been a cripple unable to gather spiritual energy, spending his days wielding a spear in the back mountains of the Qingyun Sect, using his physical body to feel the weight and trajectory of the spear even when his spiritual energy was depleted. The pain he felt then was far greater than the impact of this spear intent.
"The essence of the spear is to protect the path, not to harm oneself..."
Xiao Chen understood immediately, allowing the Mountain Spear Intent to cleanse his meridians. The subtle blockages left by his past as a cripple gradually cleared under the polishing of the spear intent. The spiritual energy within his dantian surged, flowing along the trajectory of the spear intent, and his cultivation level showed faint signs of breaking through.
"Late stage of the Integration Realm..." Xiao Chen's heart tightened slightly, and he quickly restrained his spiritual power, forcibly suppressing the urge to break through. He knew that his foundation needed to be solid, and he could not rashly advance just because of the help of the spear intent.
The intent of the spear still raged within him, but like a tamed beast, it gradually merged with his spiritual power and his understanding of the spear's way. Xiao Chen could feel that his understanding of the "guarding" technique was becoming increasingly profound.
If other cultivators saw this scene, they would be utterly astonished—who would dare to let the spear intent run rampant within their body? A slight misstep could result in a shattered dantian and a destroyed foundation! Yet Xiao Chen did just that, and even gleaned insights from it. Such courage and comprehension far surpassed his peers.
Along the way, Xiao Chen walked slowly but with exceptional composure. The spear intent that troubled other cultivators seemed to have become the best "sharpening stone" for him, polishing his spear foundation to become increasingly pure.
After an unknown amount of time, the gun-like aura before him dissipated, and he walked out of the fork in the road and came to a spacious cave.
Inside the cave dwelling were dozens of stone chambers, each with its door open, filled with various treasures—some chambers contained bottles and jars of elixirs, shimmering with spiritual light; others contained spear-shaped magical weapons exuding a sharp aura; and still others contained talismans painted with spear patterns, clearly indicating their extraordinary power.
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