Zhan Tianxia didn't care about anyone's background. He merely glanced at her before withdrawing his gaze.
Instead, it was Dai Zichen who grew uneasy. Xia Qingxue's identity was anything but ordinary; if anything happened to her during the trial, his standing in the sect would be as good as ruined. He said in a low voice:
"Qingxue, stand down immediately."
But Xia Qingxue calmly shook her head, her tone cold and resolute:
"It's fine. I'll know my limits."
"Exactly. Young cultivators need more real experience, not to be sheltered like some precious treasure," Old Ghost Bai chimed in, more than happy to see her participate. He also sent the disciples from the Heavenly Vein Sect who had accompanied him to join the trial.
After all, their sect had very little intel on Xia Qingxue. This would be a perfect opportunity to probe her true abilities.
Dai Zichen snorted coldly and gave a subtle signal. Immediately, the disciples of the Golden Crow Sect surrounded Xia Qingxue, clearly planning to protect her during the trial, whatever its contents may be. Safety in numbers.
With both the Heavenly Vein and Golden Crow sect's core disciples joining, those who were previously hesitant could no longer justify holding back. One by one, they stepped forward, preparing to participate.
Soon after, all those willing to participate were standing in place three zhang (around 10 meters) from Zhan Tianxia awaiting his next command.
Zhan Tianxia looked down at those who remained unmoved and said coldly:
"Anyone not joining the trial, leave now. There will be no Dao discourse today."
The remaining few exchanged glances, not daring to object, and quietly exited the hall.
Although both Dai Zichen and Old Ghost Bai were unhappy with Zhan Tianxia's unilateral decision after all, they were the scheduled hosts of the discourse, and there was little they could do. Zhan Tianxia was notoriously unruly and immensely powerful.
They chose not to leave but simply sat in place. They were curious to see who would eventually win the precious Azure Sky White Jade Pill. Of course, they hoped it would be one of their own.
But given the lineup, it was anyone's game.
Zhan Tianxia didn't care what they thought. They could watch all they liked as long as they didn't interfere.
He took a step forward and declared in a thunderous voice:
"The trial begins now. If you're not up for it, bow out on your own."
With that, he waved his hand. The great doors of the hall slammed shut.
In the next moment, dozens of black triangular flags embroidered with arcane patterns shot from his sleeve, circling above the participants' heads.
"Is the trial related to formations?" Song Changsheng suddenly remembered that this Second City Lord wasn't just a battle maniac. He was also one of the few Tier-3 formation masters in the entire Great Qi cultivation realm!
The flags danced through the air, lightning serpents slithering around them, before swiftly diving into the floor under Zhan Tianxia's control. He barely moved, yet complex web-like formation patterns began glowing beneath everyone's feet, connecting all the formation flags into a unified array.
The more Song Changsheng observed, the more familiar the formation seemed. And then, as the array activated, a sudden realization struck him. He blurted out:
"Heart-Questioning Formation?"
His voice wasn't suppressed, and everyone nearby turned to him in surprise. After all, the Heart-Questioning Formation was far from ordinary.
To break through a cultivation realm, two key elements were essential: cultivation base, a broad concept that included spiritual power, divine sense, and more…
The other critical element is one's mental state, more specifically, their comprehension of their own "Dao."
If a cultivator is currently at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but their state of mind (or Dao comprehension) is still stuck at the early Foundation stage, it typically means they forcibly advanced their cultivation using shortcuts. This not only weakens their combat ability but also damages their foundational core.
If their cultivation and mental state are at the same level, it usually means they've reached a bottleneck to progress further; they must first elevate their state of mind.
However, if their state of mind is already at late Foundation Establishment while their cultivation is only at early or mid Foundation, then once their spiritual power catches up, they'll be able to break through smoothly, without facing any internal resistance.
That's why the level of one's heart and mind is so important. The saying "cultivating the heart comes before cultivating the Dao" exists for a reason. Unfortunately, disciples of smaller sects or lone cultivators often lack this understanding. They focus solely on raising their cultivation level while completely neglecting the tempering of their inner state.
Disciples of major sects at least have some awareness of this, but their efforts are often inefficient. So eventually, some mighty cultivators developed the "Heart-Questioning Formation," a method to help cultivators refine their inner state.
Of course, this too is a kind of shortcut. If used carelessly, it could damage the cultivator's Dao heart. While it doesn't directly endanger life, it often leaves one bedridden for days or even months, and in severe cases, recovery can take years.
Still, high risk comes with high reward. The Heart-Questioning Formation is divided into multiple levels. As long as you endure one level, your mental state improves by one tier accordingly.
This formation, though famous, is rarely seen. That's because it requires incredibly high mental strength and spiritual depth from the one setting it up; otherwise, it's useless.
That's why, when Song Changsheng correctly identified the formation out loud, many were skeptical.
But he had no obligation to explain. Once he confirmed it was the Heart-Questioning Formation, he began preparing himself.
This formation is essentially a kind of illusion array; it creates countless lifelike illusions that challenge your inner self. If you can pierce through the illusions, your Dao heart becomes stronger. If not, you become lost within, and your spiritual core suffers damage.
Song Changsheng didn't have any prophetic foresight; he couldn't predict how long he'd last. So, he had to prepare a small "cheat."
He slipped a pitch-black pill under his tongue. The pill was coated in thick beeswax, which would slowly melt and release its contents over time.
The inner liquid was the juice of the Bitterheart Vine, which had no medicinal value except that it was excruciatingly bitter. The idea was that its sharp, unbearable bitterness would jolt his spiritual consciousness and pull him out of the illusion, helping him break the formation by sheer discomfort.
A clever trick, but it could only be used once. After that, he'd be on his own.
When he finished prepping, he noticed that he wasn't the only one doing something similar. A few others had also put something in their mouths, including the icy girl from the Golden Crow Sect, Qingxue.
"So I'm not the only one who came prepared," Song Changsheng mused with a nod. Disciples of major sects truly live up to their name both in foresight and in resources.
He was able to recognize this formation because he was a formation master himself; he had read countless books and scrolls on the subject since childhood.
There's a saying in the cultivation world:
"What a common disciple from a Foundation-level clan learns before starting cultivation, some rogue cultivators may never learn their whole lives."
Take that further:
"What a direct disciple from a Golden Core sect learns from childhood would make even a Purple Mansion cultivator envious."
Zhan Tianxia rapidly formed a few hand seals, completing the array. The whole setup took less than 15 minutes, a speed Song Changsheng knew he could never match, even if he worked night and day.
Zhan Tianxia's voice echoed across the hall:
"This trial will take place within the Heart-Questioning Formation. How much you gain depends on yourself.
If you can't endure, you may withdraw at any time.
But if you want the Azure Sky White Jade Pill, you must be the last one standing.
I won't tell you how many people are still left. You'll have to rely on your judgment."
As he said this, a faint smirk curled at his lips, and he cast a pointed glance at Song Changsheng. Its meaning couldn't have been clearer.
Song Changsheng cursed silently. By not telling them how many people remain, it meant that he'd have to go all-out from the very beginning. He couldn't afford to hold back because he'd never know how close he was to victory.
This significantly increased the risk of damaging one's Dao heart. It was an obvious and deliberate scheme that Zhan Tianxia hadn't even bothered to hide. He had practically pointed out the trap to Song Changsheng, inviting him to jump in willingly.
This series of calculated moves gave Song Changsheng a new impression of the supposedly reckless Second City Lord. This man was no brute. Only a fool would believe that.
"Let the trial begin!"
Zhan Tianxia's booming voice echoed through the hall, and in an instant, all the array patterns lit up.
Everyone inside the formation was immediately engulfed by the illusion.
...
Meanwhile, Zhuang Yuechan had arrived at the highest peak of Tianyin Mountain.
Here, peach trees grew in abundance. The blossoms were in full bloom, the fragrance intoxicating.
But Zhuang Yuechan had no interest in the view. She went straight to the heart of the peach grove, where a modest thatched cottage stood.
Beneath a massive peach tree sat a man dressed in white, his robes purer than snow.
He was seated cross-legged before a guzheng, plucking its strings silently.
Blossoms swirled around him like dancing butterflies.
Zhuang Yuechan slowed her pace, careful not to disturb the serenity.
Only after a long while did the melody end.
The middle-aged man gently brushed the fallen petals from the zither, then looked calmly at the respectfully waiting Zhuang Yuechan and asked warmly:
"Weren't you supposed to be listening to Daoist friends Dai and Bai today?
What brings you here, my disciple?"
Zhuang Yuechan immediately knelt before him and explained the entire situation.
"It was my oversight, Master. Please, I beg you, intervene and stop Second Martial Uncle."
Hearing this, Mu Guibai frowned slightly.
"You're saying Tianxia is offering the Azure Sky White Jade Pill as a reward... and holding a trial?"
"Exactly," Zhuang Yuechan replied.
"So he still hasn't let go of the past..."
Mu Guibai sighed, a tinge of regret in his voice.
"I gave him that pill, hoping he would pass it on to the boy to right an old wrong.
I never expected he'd use it as a bargaining chip."
No one understood Zhan Tianxia better than Mu Guibai.
His younger martial brother had always been unyieldingly stubborn, clinging to grudges no matter how many years had passed.
"But that child is innocent," Mu Guibai murmured.
His mind drifted back to that stormy night when Zhan Tianxia knelt before him, soaked to the bone, a memory he could never forget.
That night, Mu Guibai made the most regretful decision of his life, one he had tried to make up for ever since.
But in trying to fix it, he had unwittingly made things worse.
"Master, only you can stop this now," Zhuang Yuechan pleaded.
Mu Guibai quickly formed a few hand seals in his sleeve, then slowly shook his head.
"It's too late."
"Why?!" Zhuang Yuechan's face went pale. She feared Song Changsheng had already suffered a loss.
Mu Guibai folded his hands behind his back and said solemnly:
"Your Second Martial Uncle thought this through far too thoroughly.
He's hosting this trial as the City Lord of Luoxia City.
It concerns the city's reputation.
Even I can't interfere now."
"And besides… do you know what kind of trial he's using?"
Zhuang Yuechan shook her head. She had left before the trial had started.
"The Heart-Questioning Formation," Mu Guibai said grimly.
"The Heart-Questioning Formation?"
Zhuang Yuechan gasped, her jaw dropping behind her veil.
"That's right. The formation has already been activated.
If we try to shut it down now, everyone trapped inside would be lost in the illusion forever.
Neither of the two great sects can afford that kind of risk, and neither can Luoxia City."
"Then what can we do?"
Zhuang Yuechan felt utterly helpless.
Mu Guibai looked toward the Dao Lecture Hall and said in a deep voice:
"For now, all we can do is rely on him.
If he can endure this trial, he'll emerge far stronger.
But if not
Even if it bankrupts me, I, Mu Guibai, will heal whatever hidden wounds remain."
At this point, Zhuang Yuechan understood.
No one could stop what was already in motion.
All she could do now…
was worry.
Inside the Dao Lecture Hall, Song Changsheng sat cross-legged, his expression shifting constantly, at times joyful, at times agonized, at times furious. The aura around him flickered, as if on the verge of collapse. Yet, every time it seemed he would lose control, he managed to pull himself back from the brink.
If he looked this battered, the others fared even worse. Several weaker-willed cultivators had already succumbed to the illusions, completely entranced by the illusory realm. Zhan Tianxia had to forcibly drag them out, and they'd need at least ten days to half a month to recover.
Most participants, however, were still holding on. Among them, Xia Qingxue stood out as the most composed; her aura remained as calm and steady as it had been at the start. Even Zhan Tianxia couldn't help but cast her a surprised glance.
Just then, Song Changsheng's expression suddenly contorted in pain.
"No!"
He roared, his eyes bloodshot and his voice filled with anguish.
Before him, within the illusion, a sinister old man with a wicked glint in his eye stood atop a mountain peak.
The old man's withered hands pierced into the chest of Song Luyan, and with a gruesome motion, pulled out a still-beating heart.
Blood dripped from it in steaming rivulets onto the ground… and into Song Changsheng's soul.
Tears rolled uncontrollably down his cheeks. But there was nothing he could do
because in this illusion, he was merely a six-year-old child.
"You're his son, aren't you?
Why didn't you save him?"
The sinister elder suddenly appeared in front of him, heart still dripping blood in his hand, his expression full of cruel amusement.
"You… deserve to die!"
Song Changsheng screamed, his tiny fists shaking with fury.
Outside the illusion, the energy around him surged violently, pulsing like a storm about to erupt…
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