Few hundred kilometres above the ground.
There were seven figures, five men and two women stood in air. All of them had terrifying aura. Just a snort from them could kill a true god.
They stood high, looking down on everything from above. No one could sense a trace of them.
Their gazes were sharp and penetrating as they observed everything
"Our calculations went wrong…" one of them spoke. It was a man with white beard. His gaze was unfathomable and voice indifferent.
"Mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind," murmured a middle aged man with sharp brows. "Yet who is mantis, who is cicada, and who is oriole… that remains uncertain."
Among them stood a youthful man clad in imperial robes. His face was clear as jade, eyes deep and had a stalwart body. The man glanced above, his eyes trying to pierce through the dome of darkness. After a moment he withdrew his gaze.
"The old prophecy has come true. The unknowns hidden behind the veil is showing its face. Heroes and villains emerging and the world shall usher a new era.
For change to take root, destruction and rebirth must first come.
With our status, we cannot intervene lightly. Wait. When the moment ripens, all shall reveal itself." He said.
Then he glanced toward one of them, "Fairy Red Dust… it seems your descendant carries an unusual temperament."
Fairy red dust's figure was ethereal and misty, shrouded with a brilliant light. "Since childhood, he has loved freedom and walked his own path," she replied, her voice wasn't soft nor cold.
The young man's lips curved into a laugh. "Unknowingly, he has made a great contribution this time. When all is over, we must grant him his due reward."
One by one, the others nodded in agreement.
…
Li Shenrong stood before an ocean of molten lava. Waves of fire surged skyward, crashing against the blackened shore. Each spray of magma scattered embers that could vaporize body and soul in an instant.
When he and the others entered the gate, everyone was separated and teleported to different places.
His eyes fell onto a broken wooden board. It had some writings, which says, "This is the first stage of the trial of your heart and mind, with nine stages in total. Passing each stage you will receive a corresponding reward." In the end it said, "the heavens may favour you."
Li Shenrong brushed his palm on the board as the dusts fell off. Then he strode toward the ocean of lava nonchalantly. As he stepped closed, the waves rose higher and higher as if to intimidate him. The heat increased by hundredfolds. Li Shenrong was calm and unhurried as his body disappeared within them. Not a single place in his body was hurt, his clothes were fine as well.
This was a test of one's mind and heart. A very difficult trial for any cultivator, once must overcome the fear in their heart to move forward. Many failed at the first stage. For Li Shenrong, this kind of trial was as easy as eating pie.
Fear? What was that? His heart was as immovable as a divine mountain. Obstacles were meant to be crushed beneath his stride.
He easily passed the first stage. A plop sound echoed, then a treasure box the size of his palm floated before him. Opening it, he found a saint grade medicinal herb.
"Mn, useful. I can use this to treat her Dao injury," he muttered, storing it away.
Second stage. It was a horrendous landscape of endless carnage. Corpses piled up high, almost touching the vault of heaven, it was as if an entire era was slaughtered, blood pooling into a vast, pitch black sea. The corpses were dismembered, broken, torn apart. Not a single corpse was intact. Even a strong willed person would've been shaken to the core.
Li Shenrong calmly passed through the Hell made of dead bodies and blood sea as he observed everything with an indifferent face.
The second trial was finished in no time. Another treasure box fell on his palm. He caught it and saw, there was a dao sovereign level defensive treasure. Keeping the treasure inside his storage ring, Li Shenrong moved ahead.
He passed the third stage in the blink of an eye. Then fourth, fifth, sixth and all the way toward the final stage. He passed the final stage as easy as flipping one's palm.
The reward for the final stage was something anyone would crave for. An Emperor law and an Emperor edict. Just with these two treasure, a persons fate would change. They'd soar into sky with just one leap, become a dazzling and peerless powerhouse.
There was a secret paper note along with the two treasure. Li shenrong stood on a stone platform as he opened it. After a few breaths, his eyes narrowed. A trace of murderous intent flickered within his gaze.
A wisp of fire ignited at his fingertip, burning the note into ash.
Sitting cross-legged on top of the stone platform, he examined the glowing treasures. The Emperor Law and Edict radiated imperial might, but with a flick of his sleeve, he stored them away. He intended to bestow them to someone worthy. Although it was very useful and valuable but to him it wasn't much. He didn't lack any emperor law. He could randomly search his memory and find the best emperor law in history.
Five days passed. One by one Luo Shenghua, Zhang Lifen and Bao Zhentian came out. Luo Shenghua was eliminated after the first trial. Zhang Lifen was able to passed the third trial but failed in the fourth. Bao Zhentian climbed the highest, he passed the sixth trial then failed the seventh. He was satisfied.
There was also a glowing stone monument listed the names of all challengers.
The trio searched eagerly, only to discover their names weren't even within the top five hundred which depressed them. When they saw the name at the top, they were astounded. The top name "Li Shenrong" written with bold letters, glowing in golden colour.
"Brother Li! You passed all the nine trials?" Bao Zhentian asked, his breathing ragged.
Li Shenrong nodded as if no big deal.
The trio smiled wryly and could only sigh. This man… was truly abnormal. His cultivation realm could never measure the depths of his deeds.