Lin Shuang bit open the healing pill under her tongue.
Instantly, this fifth-tier healing pill, distributed earlier by Huangpu Yuan before they entered the realm, exerted its swift effect.
The blood on her body visibly stopped flowing.
Lin Shuang smiled toward the black shadow in front of her.
It had just forcibly broken free from the sealing formation.
The massive amount of sinister black qi around its body was burned away.
Its cultivation level, momentarily rising dangerously close to Ru Xu, rapidly declined.
“Di Xiao AI detects ahead—possible Lian Shen sixth stage… correction, Lian Shen fifth stage, please be cautious.”
The black shadow flew into a rage. Breaking the formation forcibly prevented him from descending into this realm at Ru Xu strength.
Dragging the half-burned restriction chain piercing through his chest, he furiously lunged a palm strike at Lin Shuang!
“Die!”
[!]
[What did Lin Shuang just say? A real evil cultivator?!]
[An evil cultivator stumbled into the Six Thousand Trials!?]
[Lin Shuang’s blood loss restored to 20%, no emergency transport needed.]
[Countdown complete, disciples continue the trial!]
[Meng Zi’s blood loss restored to 30%, no transport needed…]
…
[Kong Miaoke’s blood loss restored to 20%…]
[!]
“So that’s it—you’ve discovered me all along!”
The black shadow actually spoke, “Pretending to be severely injured, then taking a pill, stopping here deliberately to capture me. Impressive.”
“Although I don’t know how you guessed it or communicated with each other!”
“But I have to say, you’re all very clever.”
Meng Zi wore a strange expression; Xiao Qi pressed his head.
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes lowered. Kong Miaoke and Bian Bochai both looked guilty.
They hadn’t communicated with each other.
Zhao Kranan blushed and coughed lightly—
She had merely seen the trial alert about Senior’s severe injury and felt something was wrong. Unable to leave her room, she could only wound herself severely to teleport out and check on her senior.
Then, she received another alert about her senior recovering, so she hurriedly followed her senior in taking pills!
And that’s how it went.
—What communication? What guessing?
Meng Zi guiltily averted his gaze—
He just blindly followed Lin Shuang (no, just followed Huangpu Yuan and Zhao Kranan, who both followed ‘Lin Shuang’s severe injury and recovery’! Of course, the twin eagles knew what she was thinking) and besides, Huangpu Fox gave the pills!
—Lin Shuang definitely wouldn’t get hurt; inside the bronze mirror, she understood the ghost situation better than anyone.
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes blinked slightly—
Wherever the intelligence is, I’ll be there (Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke simultaneously blushed and lowered their heads when the evil cultivator praised them).
Only Xiao Qi looked genuinely stunned, staring at the black shadow.
“What!? You’re not a puppet—you’re a real evil cultivator!? How did you get into the Nine Thousand Trials!?”
“Oh, so all this was to expose you.”
The evil cultivator, the black shadow: “…”
Damn it, how did he end up cornered by these idiots.
[…]
“Indeed, Lin Shuang, you’re the best sacrificial offering!”
The shadow immediately lost interest in Xiao Qi and others. Flames of dark red and black surrounded him, instantly swallowing Lin Shuang!
“But you’re still too weak! Thinking of counterattacking me?!”
“Don’t struggle, it won’t hurt. Once I kill these people, I’ll take you to let the Lord enjoy!”
[?]
[What the hell? The Tianji Sect’s evil cultivators?]
[It’s real! Where are the elders!?]
Lin Shuang, rushing toward the ghost shadow, was instantly swallowed by ghost flames and disappeared.
Meng Zi and the other five were immediately attacked by black mist.
They had taken pills after severe injuries, only managing emergency treatment.
Even if they recovered, they were all below the eighth level of Condensing Yuan, far inferior to the fifth stage of Lian Shen!
The black shadow cackled, “This is better, faster! I originally wanted to be cautious and wait a bit.”
Without reaching Ru Xu, they couldn’t survive in his hands!
“Oh, is that so.”
Within the black mist chains, Lin Shuang raised her brow, looking at Meng Zi and the others under attack.
One of them, already covered in black mist on his face, showing pain, was Zhao Kranan.
She noticed Lin Shuang’s gaze and immediately spoke.
“Enough, everyone stop pretending. Senior’s time is precious. It’s time for the evil cultivators of Tianji Sect to witness what true prodigies with study skills look like!”
The ghostly evil cultivator: ?
As Zhao Kranan finished speaking, the Nine Thousand Trials layer suddenly surged with spiritual energy!
[Zhou Kranan mastered the cultivation technique “Emerald Water Flows Back Here,” fastest in Qing Shui Sect in a hundred years, rewarded with spiritual energy!]
Celestial spiritual energy and Ferry Leaves descended, enveloping her instantly, repelling the black mist attacks.
The rules of the Nine Thousand Trials were created by the first generation of elders who ascended!
As long as the trial persists, neither the rewards for passing nor the protections against severe injuries can be breached by a demonic cultivator whose power is suppressed to the Lian Shen realm!
Instantly, Zhao Kranan absorbed the spiritual energy reward, meditating amidst the covetous black mist.
Ghost Cultivator: ?
So he was being ignored!
[Xiao Qi mastered the cultivation technique “Washing Crown,” second fastest in Shan Hai Sect in a hundred years, specially rewarded with spiritual energy!]
Celestial spiritual energy and Ferry Leaves instantly repelled his black mist attacks.
Ghost Cultivator: !
[Shan Hai Sect’s genius disciple, Xiao Qi, stands up!]
[Second only to Zhao Kranan, not bad!]
[Damn, I called the elders! But they seem okay?]
[Kong Miaoke… fastest in Bai Hua Sect.]
[Bian Bochai… second fastest in Bai Hua Sect.]
Bian Bochai, amidst the descending floral spiritual energy, still managed to wave his fan, showing off.
“Lin junior, what do you think? Our Bai Hua Sect isn’t bad, right?”
“Didn’t disappoint you, right?”
Kong Miaoke’s embroidery frame flew out, touching the floral reward from the Nine Thousand Trials, closing her eyes to break through urgently.
“Not bad, not bad. Senior, you’re not as good as me.”
“Tch, Elder Yu isn’t here, I’m breaking through now.”
Bian Bochai said.
They were originally the pride and talents of Bai Hua Sect!
If not for being overshadowed by Lin Shuang in mid-to-low level competitions, they should have been the most outstanding disciples below the Ningyuan high level.
Lin Shuang was excellent, but they weren’t inferior!
[Roar, our Bai Hua Sect won’t fall behind!]
[Go, Bian junior, Xiao Ke!]
[When it comes to studying, who can rival Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke, who wrote the books! They learn techniques no slower than Lin Shuang!]
[We won! Bai Hua Sect faster than Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan.]
As these words floated past.
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan simultaneously received evaluations as second and third fastest in Qing Shui Sect in a hundred years.
Similarly rewarded with celestial spiritual energy and Ferry Leaves!
Though slightly less than Zhao Kranan.
Meng Zi wiped the sweat from his forehead and glared at the evil cultivator, “Who the hell said you could slowly recover to Ru Xu? Keep dreaming!”
Huangpu Yuan’s face also showed a hint of strict approval.
Ghost Cultivator: ???
Lin Shuang watched, eyes full of relief.
Thankfully, she had taught the learning pyramid and memory curve method to these two in the Ten Thousand Scrolls Hut.
Otherwise, they might not have made it today.
One was truly a demon, whose demonic cultivation methods differed from human techniques, rendering them incompatible for learning.
The other was of average talent, but now with direct guidance, his performance significantly improved!
“Phew.”
Lin Shuang exhaled in relief.
Watching the six of them under black mist attacks frowning, yet all receiving spiritual energy rewards, breaking through.
She nodded, “My turn now.”
The black mist enveloped her without causing harm, yet it suppressed both her dantian and divine consciousness.
But it was useless.
With Seal 100 locked, she still had Seals 1–99.
[Lin Shuang self-realized the solution to ‘The Sea is All Water,’ creating the Earth-tier cultivation technique ‘I Think, Therefore I Am!’]
[?]
[Lin Shuang passed this layer’s trial! Fastest in a hundred years, first to create a technique independently!]
[Evaluation A+, becoming the master of layer 5848!]
[What techniques we study, were they not created by predecessors?]
[If predecessors could create, why not us!?]
[Lin Shuang, Outer Sect Disciple, Ningyuan Cultivation, self-created technique. Such talent, character, and insight are truly once in a millennium!]
[You’ve realized the truth of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Sea in layer 8000—ice formed from water, colder than water.]
[You weren’t satisfied with the techniques seen in this layer, creating a technique fitting yourself.]
[Lin Shuang, passed layers 1888, 5848, 8008, all layers of Ten Thousand Scrolls Realization!]
[Update, Lin Shuang becomes the master of Ten Thousand Scrolls Realization layers.]
[?]
[??]
[Layer 8000…]
Three masses of different sizes—vermilion gold, white silk, and eastern purple spiritual energy—descended upon her.
Layer 1888, the Ten Thousand Scrolls Hut, she hadn’t received innate spiritual energy rewards then.
At that time, she pierced through the hut’s illusion, only receiving three Ferry Leaves.
Because then, she still followed the book, practicing accordingly.
The Return Sword remained the Return Sword.
In her hands, not the slightest change.
However, after centuries of change, good versus evil struggles, the Return Sword gradually dimmed.
Earth-tier technique became useless.
No one exchanged, practiced, or used it.
The technique gradually died.
But one day, it would revive, when a disciple enhanced and integrated it into new techniques!
Lin Shuang combined moves, giving the Return Sword and the River-Forming Drop Sword new meanings.
Lin Shuang self-created and perfected the Heaven-tier technique “The Sea is All Water.”
The three descending spiritual energy masses were rewards for enhancing and creating sect techniques, plus the evaluation for layer 1888!
[Lin Shuang’s “I Think, Therefore I Am” will be added as a supplementary technique to “The Sea is All Water,” evaluated as Earth-tier.]
[Lin Shuang, would you like to place this technique in the Nine Thousand Trials for disciples to exchange?]
[!]
[…First time witnessing a Ningyuan disciple’s technique being included in the Nine Thousand.]
[Salvation—can I see Lin junior’s Earth-tier technique in the Ten Thousand Scrolls Hut now?]
[Earth-tier, Heaven, Earth, Man, her self-created technique ranked second.]
[She completed this Earth-tier technique in half a night in the mirror? She not only figured out the structure of this layer’s disjointed question, how to counter ‘Ru Xu’ recovery, but also created an Earth-tier technique?]
The black shadow, the evil cultivator, suddenly realized.
Furiously attacking Lin Shuang.
Simultaneously sending black mist to attack Zhao Kranan and the other six!
If not attacked now, it would be too late!
But Lin Shuang triggered the most important, yet rarely touched rule in the Nine Thousand Trials!
—Whether to place the self-created technique in the sect, the inquiry.
Even if the Heaven King came, the residual spiritual energy of the first-generation elders in the sect couldn’t, wouldn’t, and mustn’t allow anyone to interrupt this crucial inquiry moment!
Because, the inheritance of techniques is the cornerstone for a sect to remain undefeated for centuries or millennia!
The evil cultivator’s black shadow was instantly repelled by the three surges of innate spiritual energy entwining Lin Shuang!
He couldn’t believe it, spitting black blood, falling to the ground.
With just that blow, he dropped to Lian Shen third stage!
“First generation…”
He staggered, clutching his chest, disbelieving.
Looking up at the three vermilion-gold rewards around Lin Shuang.
Even if Yue Zhi were present, he couldn’t resist.
Because in the Nine Thousand Trials, the rules of the first generation (Heaven-ascending elders) surpassed those set by ordinary Heaven-crossing elders, and even more so than the Ru Xu rules set by the supervising elders.
Undoubtedly, no matter who came now, no one could harm Lin Shuang under this innate spiritual energy and the inquiry of the first ancestor!
Because this first generation didn’t refer to the currently secluded, living Qing Shui Sect elder.
But most likely, the first-generation Heaven-ascending sect leader, before achieving immortality, left behind in the Nine Thousand Trials something akin to a celestial being’s final testament—the first rule!
[Rumored that the Nine Thousand Trials always hid the celestial spiritual energy gift of the first Heaven-ascending ancestor, so Lin Shuang triggered it now?]
[She passed three layers consecutively… nothing now surprises me.]
[A disciple of Ning Yuan received the gift from the first sect leader?]
[Just talking about insight, she outshines all disciples who passed layer 8000!]
[Did you see the water screen just now? Elder Shui Qiantan, during Ru Xu, still studied sect techniques, needing help from Shan Hai Sect’s Yue Zhi to fix the problem of turning into water and losing humanity. And what position is Elder Shui now? I bet, in the future, Lin junior will surpass Elder Shui!]
“Oh, I just realized she improved a technique left by the first Heaven-ascending ancestor… so she’s even better than the first generation.”
[…]
What does it mean to be better than the first generation?
All watching disciples fell silent.
They couldn’t help trembling inwardly.
[That said, even if the first generation suddenly rose from the coffin now, transforming into a golden guardian to shield her from this evil cultivator on the 6000th layer, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.]
[…]
Lin Shuang also looked up at the inquiry text in the trial layer.
“Place in Nine Thousand, for disciples to exchange?”
She wore a strange expression.
She glanced once more at the evil cultivator repelled by the probing spiritual energy.
The ruthless, disjointed questions usually meant splitting them into upper and lower sentences for analysis.
So her initial plan was to first clear the 5800th layer, claim the reward, then proceed to the 6000th layer, shatter the illusion, and with the seven of them, eliminate this Lian Shen, the evil cultivator.
But she didn’t expect the Nine Thousand Trials to rate her so highly.
She nodded, looking at the six others breaking through.
“Junior, Meng Zi… seize this opportunity while our ancestor is investigating; the evil cultivator cannot harm us.”
“Shall I answer the ancestor’s question while practicing combined moves with you?”
[?]
Evil cultivator: ?
Zhao Kranan’s eyes lit up, “Then I’ll go first, Senior, I learned first!”
“Emerald Water Flows Back Here.”
Instantly, while breaking through, she managed to focus, forming the technique’s text in the air for Lin Shuang to see.
The second fastest to break through was Xiao Qi.
But Lin Shuang glanced briefly and hummed.
“Got it. Put them away now.”
“Don’t need to look.”
Before Bian Bo could react: “??”
Kong Miaoke was surprised: “You’ve already read all of it? Wait, you know how to combine our techniques with yours?”
[Lin Shuang agreed to include “I Think, Therefore I Am” within the exchange range of Zhenchuan’s 8,000 layers.]
[Each exchange is worth two hundred thousand spirit stones.]
[Lin Shuang will receive fifty percent of the revenue.]
[Lin Shuang can terminate the exchange at any time.]
While browsing, Lin Shuang shook her head toward Kong Miaoke and then nodded.
“I temporarily don’t have time to learn your techniques.”
“Just now, I thought of a universal combination method using the bronze mirror.”
[??]
Saying so, she finished reviewing all the shared technique entries and confirmed her ‘copyright’ was protected.
Then she immediately formed a seal.
“You all perform your techniques!”
In an instant, water wildly seeped from her body.
Mist formed a spherical shield like a waterfall—defense!
At the same time, outside the spherical shield, one hundred and eight water chains lashed in different directions—attack!
Also, continuously, water mist sprayed onto her body and face from the spherical shield—moisturizing, no, self-recovery!
Moreover, at the bottom of the spherical shield, there was a river-like conveyor—speed!
A combination of attack, defense, speed, and recovery!
Even Zhao Keren was stunned.
But she instantly became delighted, “My ‘Blue Water Flows East’ is a high-grade cultivation technique for restoring spiritual energy!”
She quickly performed it, and indeed, the water-based spiritual energy from this layer continuously flowed into her body.
She directly stepped into the four-in-one technique range formed by Lin Shuang’s lashing chains, rolling sphere, and spraying water.
Instantly, the water mist within the water sphere spraying onto Lin Shuang and Zhao Keren became denser and stronger!
—Spiritual energy recovery increased up!
Kong Miaoke was shocked, exclaiming, “My ‘Bodhi Sitting’ is a divine consciousness technique for restoring clarity of mind!”
She also tried entering Lin Shuang’s water sphere and chain range.
The water chains didn’t attack her. Once Kong Miaoke entered, she automatically sat cross-legged, like a Bodhi in meditation, unmoving.
The density of the water mist spraying onto the three of them from the water sphere instantly increased.
—Spiritual consciousness recovery increased up!
[!]
Xiao Qi, at some point, also entered, “Zhuoying, an auxiliary heart method that enhances sword techniques!”
The sword he swung seemed like flowing water.
Doubling the sword qi!
Upon entering, instantly, the one hundred and eight water chains surrounding Lin Shuang’s spherical shield thickened and solidified, each emitting a terrifying whistling sound as their numbers doubled!
——Attack power increased! Up!
Meng Zi entered with the “Forty-Two Water Sutra,” his face showing excitement, “Make way, mine is a defensive technique.”
At its deepest level, it could form forty-two water walls.
He rushed into the water sphere, and in an instant, the massive water sphere surrounding them thickened its walls threefold!
He had reached the third stage of cultivation!
——Defense increased up!
[…]
Finally, the last remaining, Huangpu Yuan, oddly put down his “White Hair Floating on Green Water.”
[Speed?]
In an instant, Huangpu Yuan stepped into the water curtain.
In his spiritual sense, the nine-tailed scorpion whip’s tail continuously thickened and fluffed, transforming into invisible swift currents beneath the water sphere, splashing silver light, as if his hair were lightly floating in the water’s reflection, or merely water illusions!
——Speed UP!
[Meng Zi, Huangpu Yuan… Kong Miaoke, all successfully combined techniques with Lin Shuang.]
[Floor 5,800 successfully cleared!]
[They became the disciple who mastered combined techniques the fastest in a hundred years and became the floor’s master.]
Again, seven heavenly drops of spiritual energy were about to fall!
Zhao Keren cried out, “Too much! I’m almost reaching the fourth stage of Condensing Essence, which was originally my plan for next year. Help—”
[!]
Kong Miaoke and Bian Bo both had pained expressions.
“I don’t want to participate in high-stage Yuan Condensation battles.”
(Note: “凝元” is translated as “Yuan Condensation” based on common cultivation term conventions. If this is part of a specific cultivation system with an established English term, please provide context for adjustment.)
“I still need to update my old writings…”
“But… I’m about to breakthrough… there’s too much spiritual energy!”
[???]
[You really are responsible book editors…]
[All disciples have successfully cleared floor 5,800!]
[Due to being bound to the 6,000-layer trial, disciples, please note that the 6,000-layer trial will begin immediately!]
[Task requirement: Eliminate the evil cultivator hidden behind you!]
Finally, a shrouded mist dissipated, revealing the true task of floor 6,000!
Indeed, it was a two-layer nesting!
After completing the first layer, they fell into the second.
Lin Shuang’s face showed a knowing expression. She turned to the six people surrounding her, who were all experiencing a significant breakthrough, and said, “Let’s go, the boss is here.”
The evil cultivator, who had fallen to the third stage of the Spirit Refining realm, exclaimed: “??”
Seven people combining techniques!
Seven Core Formation-level strengths, due to Lin Shuang’s universal three-in-one combination method, were now strangely united!
Two eighth-stage Ning Yuan cultivators working together could kill a ninth-stage Ning Yuan cultivator.
How about six eighth-stage Ning Yuan cultivators and one fourth-stage Ning Yuan?
Six geniuses at the eighth stage of Ningyuan and one genius at the fourth stage of Ningyuan?
Seven genius Condensation-level disciples mastering combined techniques, merging seven into one?
Fusion!
Fusing, then fusing again!
The water sphere defense formed by Lin Shuang and the six others instantly expanded, restoring themselves while rolling toward the evil cultivator, who was backing away in shock!
Papapapapap—The one hundred and eight sword qi water chains outside the defensive water sphere instantly sliced through the dark mist around the evil cultivator!
He cried out in pain instantly.
The dark mist climbed along the water chains onto the water sphere!
Attempting to corrode Lin Shuang and the six others.
But within the water sphere, Lin Shuang and the six received mist spraying onto their faces.
Recovery!
Lin Shuang and the six’s health—1000+1000…
Evil cultivator’s health—1000—1000…
The evil cultivator’s face showed panic as he fled backward instantly, “Help me—”
Calling for help?
There was still another helper.
Lin Shuang raised her eyebrows and perked up her ears.
But the white-haired floating water—offensive and defensive water sphere—suddenly accelerated, smacking into the evil cultivator, sending him flying and crushing him to the ground!
“Help… help… help…”
The evil cultivator’s cries for help were continuously interrupted by the one hundred and eight water chains whipping him.
“While defending, attacking, recovering, and moving swiftly, you have nowhere to escape.”
Zhao Keren summarized justly.
“What’s the name of this combined technique, Senior?”
Lin Shuang: “…You name it?”
“Then let’s call it ‘Seven Up, Eight Down’!” Zhao Keren was excited.
The evil cultivator: “…”
Damn it, he closed his eyes instantly.
With seven people on him, he dropped dead—’Seven Up, Eight Down’?!
“Not good, how about ‘Seven Scattered, Eight Disordered’?” Kong Miaoke pondered cross-legged.
Bian Bo also had a flood of inspiration, “Seven Orifices Smoking.”
The evil cultivator spat out a large mouthful of black blood!
[The evil immortal has lost over eighty percent of his blood, considered severely injured, however, the nine thousand trials have no healing or teleportation for him.]
“You…”
The evil cultivator opened his eyes. At this moment, the mist around him finally dissipated.
Revealing an ugly face.
Because the evil spirit had dispersed, his skin rapidly withered.
Only the nose remained unchanged, as if someone had once completely sliced it off.
[Number 9 on the Void Entry Most Wanted List!]
Meng Zi was shocked.
He loved spirit stones and memorized every spirit stone mountain’s face, immediately recognizing him.
“The old man in black robes, a peak Void Entry cultivator?”
[!]
Lin Shuang narrowed her eyes, looking at this person’s terrible face through the water curtain.
Even with cultivation, there was no way to repair his completely removed nasal bone.
Yi Penalty, in ancient times, was a punishment for criminals who violated prohibitions and were unkind and unjust, cutting off their noses with a knife.
This evil cultivator couldn’t hide his facial disguise anymore; the abrupt absence of facial features made him appear even more cruel and gloomy.
“You… you won’t escape…”
“You will eventually become… offerings to Tianji…”
At this point, a bolt of thunder exploded, striking down from the sky.
Reducing him to ashes.
[Tianji, indeed it’s Tianji?!]
Meng Zi was overjoyed. Stepping out of the combined water sphere, he went to pick up the evil cultivator’s dropped storage bag, “This person’s bounty is two hundred and twenty thousand!”
The storage bag was theirs!
But the moment he touched the evil cultivator’s filthy storage bag, Meng Zi’s figure stiffened.
A chilling coldness, like a venomous snake, surged into his arm along the storage bag.
—The Forty-Two Water Sutra doesn’t suit you. You’re a blade cultivator; why do you need defense.
—Foolish.
An aged, elderly voice, like a ghost, echoed in his consciousness.
—You’ve already been left behind by Lin Shuang. Now, with mixed techniques, you’re even less able to close the gap with her.
—In this seven-person combined technique, you’re the most useless…
Meng Zi’s pupils reflected the ink-black storage bag, instantly constricting!
His hand reaching for the bag paused.
—Although you were the first to come out and choose techniques, your talent is mediocre. Even with Lin Shuang’s guidance, you can only rank last among the seven.
—Meng Zi, old man, I give you one last chance.
—Inside the storage bag is my evil essence. Collect it and nourish it for thirty days, and I can revive. Once I awaken, I will give you all the precious techniques and treasures I have gathered in my life. If I break my oath, may I be struck by lightning!
—When I was young, I was wrongfully accused and punished with the Yi Penalty, since then suffering endless scorn from my clan, no different from a dead dog on the roadside. It was the Tianji Elder who gave me a chance at survival, teaching me another path to godhood.
—In this world, there is no good or evil, only strength and weakness.
—Strength allows one to break the 9,000 rules, break the sect’s rules! Meng Zi… if you help me, I will recommend you to the Tianji Elder, making him take you as a disciple. In a hundred years, you will surely reach the Ascension stage, rivaling Lin Shuang!
In an instant, Meng Zi’s forehead broke out into large beads of cold sweat.
Dripping down, his hand holding the storage bag trembled slightly.
—If you refuse, my remaining spiritual consciousness will drag you down with me!
—Before death, drag you down to the Yellow Springs together!
In an instant, Meng Zi’s spiritual sea felt like being pierced by needles, as if insects were gnawing at it, causing unbearable pain.
The evil spirit invading his spiritual sense was extremely strong!
In an instant, his eyes were covered with gray mist, gritting his teeth.
With extreme difficulty, almost pleadingly, he turned his head to look behind at Lin Shuang.
However, he despairingly found that the extremely intelligent Lin Shuang seemed not to notice his anomaly at all.
She was chatting and laughing with Zhao Keren.
Everyone else was adjusting their cultivation.
Meng Zi’s sweat dropped, hitting the ground.
But he horrifyingly discovered that the sweat he shed instantly turned into black mist, evaporating and disappearing on the ground.
He wanted to open his mouth but couldn’t make any sound.
His spiritual sea was oppressed by a high-level cultivator; he couldn’t even move a bit of spiritual sense.
Unable to call for help from Lin Shuang.
Even turning his head to look at her took all his strength.
And the old man’s voice in his spiritual sea, as if knowing what he was thinking, mercilessly cut off his last hope.
—See, she doesn’t even have you in her eyes.
—None of them have you in their eyes; none noticed you’re facing a life-or-death crisis.
Meng Zi pressed his exploding head, instantly kneeling on one knee in pain.
—Meng Zi, dare you say you’ve never been jealous or resentful of Lin Shuang?
—Your Dao heart isn’t as pure as hers, like moist soil, already sown with these dirty seeds of jealousy and discontent…
—Inside my storage bag, not only is there the highest secret technique of the Clear Water Sect, but also the heavenly-tier techniques of the Mountain and Sea Sect, all will be given to you…
—Surpass Lin Shuang, replace Lin Shuang, make Lin Shuang submit to you!
—I heard this desire in your spiritual sea…
In his mind, there was such a desire—to surpass Lin Shuang?
Meng Zi’s expression instantly changed from pain and self-blame to something strange.
Yes, he had been jealous.
He had thought himself stupid.
He had felt inferior to Lin Shuang and Huangpu Fox, thinking he might not be able to walk with them to the end.
No, not even the Void Entry level, perhaps he couldn’t walk with them that far.
He had indeed been troubled by this issue, thinking about it made him feel miserable!
But surpassing Lin Shuang?
—Listen to me, and you won’t feel miserable anymore.
—You will achieve your wishes, and there will be an endless supply of spirit stones…
Meng Zi gritted his teeth, looking at the storage bag on the ground like it was a madman.
“You saw my spiritual sea? Saw my true thoughts?”
His head ached unbearably, unable to shake off the evil voice in his mind.
But he gritted his teeth and spat on the ground.
“I… spit.”
“I don’t like spirit stones… old fool.”
Meng Zi rudely spat at the storage bag on the ground with trembling lips.
He had no spiritual energy at all, couldn’t move his spiritual sense.
He could only do as Xiao Ai did, spit, spit, spit.
“Your wish is to obtain spirit stones.”
“Your whole family’s wish is to obtain spirit stones…”
[…]
[???]
“My wish has never been to obtain spirit stones… because, spirit stones have always belonged to me…”
The storage bag: “…”
[Poof!]
[What’s going on, it’s clearly tense, but I really admire Brother Meng!]
[Where is Lin Shuang! Hurry up!]
Meng Zi’s body swayed, his face pale, struggling to use his blade to cut open the storage bag.
—Then… you don’t want to surpass Lin Shuang?
—Don’t want to become… the number one under heaven?
—Even if you’re always behind, becoming someone else’s burden?
—Don’t deny it, I heard your suppressed desire!
Meng Zi’s eyes flickered with hesitation.
But it only lasted briefly.
“To surpass Lin Shuang, surpass Huangpu… I once…”
To say he didn’t want to was a lie.
During the challenge match with Chen Xingchuan and the others, he had felt inferior because he didn’t break through in a crisis like Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan did, discovering his lack of potential.
He realized they were hiding their cultivation and talents, while he was an ordinary mid-level cultivator.
At that time, he felt disappointed, even desperate.
At that time, he also wanted to be like Lin Shuang, even wanting to surpass her.
Wasn’t that natural?
She had always been the lazy junior sister he thought of as an outer sect member, naturally weaker than him, the hardworking inner sect senior brother who even worked outside the sect at the Nihility Pavilion, right?
Of course, he wanted to surpass her.
But… later, slowly, he stopped thinking that way.
“Huangpu Senior, are you still not going to tell us…”
“About who harmed your mother, you still refuse to speak…”
“A part of me might also be within the Nine Thousand Trials…”
Wrongfully harmed, the nine-tailed fox perished, Huangpu Yuan became a wanderer, bearing all hatred since childhood.
He hid and concealed his identity, enduring the pain of losing his tail, constantly injuring himself and coughing blood, waiting for revenge.
Not a single day of peace.
And Lin Shuang…
Meng Zi’s expression turned odd as he recalled the scars covering her entire left arm revealed when she rolled up her sleeve.
“Indeed, the bones of your upper body can emerge from this wound.”
“I don’t remember my past. Perhaps a part of my consciousness and bones were also sealed within the Nine Thousand. When I died, there might have been heavenly treasures nearby, which brought me back to life.”
Such fatal wounds would have killed anyone instantly.
Behind these peerless geniuses lurked malicious gazes from those at the Daojie level.
It was the fear and tension of surviving countless near-death experiences, never daring to relax even for a moment.
The daily ‘twin carving’ routine originated from past weakness, loss, and death.
It wasn’t something gained effortlessly.
He had once disliked her, because he thought she was lazy.
He had once envied her, also because he thought she was lazy.
But no, after the Wang Jian level, he realized the novels she often held were merely one among thousands of her true selves.
Even that was a disguise after hard work.
A lie that even she had convinced herself of.
“She never slacked off!”
“She was always more diligent than anyone else!”
Meng Zi closed his eyes.
Evil, seductive black mist had already infiltrated his eyes, climbing onto his forehead, dark like ink that couldn’t be diluted.
Yet when he opened his eyes again, they were clear and bright.
Meng Zi’s voice sounded like it rolled out from gravel, rough and powerful for the first time.
“…Right now, I don’t want to surpass her.”
“Huangpu Senior, Lin Shuang, I don’t want to surpass either of them, nor have I ever thought of reaching their level.”
Because behind their transcendence lay unimaginable suffering he couldn’t fathom!
He just wanted to go further with them, to earn spirit stones.
He wasn’t here to suffer!
As for Bian Bo Cai, Kong Miaoke, Xiao Qi… Meng Zi’s expression turned complicated and doubtful.
Who knew what bitterness lay behind these so-called geniuses?
Certainly, there might indeed be people born with true talent.
But so what?
Wouldn’t they all eventually be beaten by Lin Shuang!
They were all her defeated opponents; what was the point of comparing among themselves?
Lin Shuang herself didn’t care at all; in her eyes, there were no defeated foes, only her own schedule!
“I give up… Standing here chatting with you so much…”
If Lin Shuang knew, she would definitely laugh to death.
What was he doing here?
Had he earned even a few spirit stones?
Meng Zi looked at the Qianzi bag, the black mist in his eyes momentarily dissipating.
An unprecedented sense of regret, determination, and realization surged within him.
“Old man, before you died you kept holding me back chatting, so charging you a hundred spirit stones for the conversation isn’t too much, right?”
[…]
As soon as Meng Zi said this, he immediately felt his dantian lighten.
He seized the opportunity, swung his blade powerfully to slash open the Qianzi bag, cutting the Heaven’s Will Token inside into halves!
“I just want to walk my own path.”
“Don’t try to fool me!”
“Being an evil cultivator, am I going to kill myself later to collect the bounty? How stupid would that be!”
He stood up easily.
Picking up the hundred spirit stones on the ground.
“Yeah, you really are stupid.”
A towering shadow fell upon Meng Zi.
Just as he was about to happily turn around and retort, his body froze.
The shadow on the ground didn’t resemble any of Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan, or the other five.
Nor was it the giant water ball formed by their combined techniques earlier.
It was a broad back as imposing as a mountain.
“Yue… Yue…”
Elder Yue Chi, the towering peak!
Sweat poured from Meng Zi’s forehead.
Behind him, Lin Shuang and the other five stood with bitter smiles.
[Meng Zi picks up the abandoned Qianzi bag left by the Evil Immortal, enduring the heart interrogation from the Evil Immortal.]
[Meng Zi’s mind weakens, allowing the evil immortal to possess him.]
[If he cannot resist within three breaths, he will be consumed by the Evil Immortal, becoming the new ‘Evil Immortal’ of this level.]
[Examining Elder: Yue Chi.]
Just now, such trial prompts had appeared before Lin Shuang’s eyes.
But Meng Zi had already run beyond their protective range.
Since the appearance of this trial text, she had been unable to move, as were Zhao Keran and the others beside her.
Unable to take a single step forward, unable to awaken Meng Zi.
They could only watch as he underwent this additional assessment by the evil immortal.
(Note: “邪仙” is translated as “evil immortal” based on context, assuming it refers to a malevolent celestial being or cultivator in a fantasy/xianxia setting. If a different interpretation is intended, the translation can be adjusted accordingly.)
Serves him right for being too nosy!
Lin Shuang twitched her temple, thinking that when the evil cultivator cried “help me” earlier, Meng Zi should have sensed something was wrong.
It wasn’t difficult to deduce. Apart from the Daojie elders who created the Nine Thousand Trials, it was likely that no one else could forcibly merge two trial layers on the spot and insert an actual Heaven’s Will邪修 as an NPC in this role-playing scenario.
Since the evil cultivator’s actual cultivation was at the Ru Xu stage, the person he called for help must be at the Daojie level!
Combined with previous information, it was most likely Yue Chi.
Although she didn’t know how he managed to enter under the watch of so many elders.
“Yue… Elder!”
Meng Zi was still reckless, instantly dashing forward to escape.
But in a flash, he was crushed under a mountain formed by a single finger.
He was grabbed before Yue Chi.
“Meng Zi, you really are stupid.”
Yue Chi’s expressionless, carved-like aged face now looked decades older than during the previous lower-level battles.
“Even when surpassed by others, you still lack ambition.”
Meng Zi opened his mouth, “F***, let me go!”
“Go f*** yourself! Go discipline your Shanhai Sect disciples!”
He turned to look for Lin Shuang, only to find she wasn’t in the relaxed chatting state he had just seen, but still locked in the combined technique formation.
It seemed they were all under Yue Chi’s control.
It’s over.
They were all doomed.
“Wait, don’t kill me yet! I still have one last word!”
Meng Zi couldn’t help trembling.
Not knowing which direction to look.
“Hey, is anyone watching the projection! I, Meng Zi, obtained the layer lord here; remember to collect my reward and projection achievements for me!”
His money.
He must get it back even in death!
Lin Shuang twitched her temple.
Yue Chi, holding Meng Zi, also had his white eyebrows twitching.
“I Yue Chi have always been hailed as a cultivation genius. I never expected that in my final moments, I would take such a fool as my disciple.”
Meng Zi: “?!”
Lin Shuang sighed, looking at the now aged Yue Chi with white hair.
His skin was already dry and cracked, devoid of moisture.
“Elder Yue, you can rest assured; I understand what you’re trying to express.”
Meng Zi: “??”
Yue Chi chuckled slightly, “Oh? When did you figure it was me?”
Lin Shuang considered, “Probably when I saw the content of the first water screen channel?”
Applying the ‘achievement title’ given by Xiao Ai to Bian Bo Cai into the trial text of this level…
This person wasn’t Shui Qiantan, since he was handling affairs at Shanhai Sect.
Nor was it Elder Chen Wu Shui.
Because Elder Chen didn’t know the details of Yue Chi’s past interactions with Shui Qiantan.
Lin Shuang looked at the now weakened Yue Chi.
Who else could completely recreate the details of Yue Chi and Shui Qiantan’s relationship from strangers, their first meeting, their friendship, and fighting side by side?
So detailed that it captured the flavor of spring.
So precise that it included different degrees of Shui Qiantan’s water transformation.
Yet, he didn’t know the full name of the ‘the sea is all water’ technique… He must have forgotten, Elder Yue Chi.
If it were an elder from Qingshui Sect setting the question, they would know the true name of this technique is ‘All Things Return to Water’.
Another transmission array.
Heaven’s Will.
Lin Shuang gazed at Yue Chi, silently sighing.
But Yue Chi smiled.
Then, a blood line appeared on his forehead.
From top to bottom, splitting open entirely.
No blood spurted out, as if he had already solidified it himself.
With a thunderous crash, he collapsed like a mountain.
An extremely terrifying yet abundant pure mountain soul energy flew out from his body.
Falling toward Meng Zi.
“Little fool… you’ll carry old man with you… and continue forward.”
“I’ll always be watching you… to see if you can truly walk your own path, as you claimed today…”
“Just be yourself.”
Meng Zi’s eyes widened in shock.
Clearly, he couldn’t bear such a massive bestowal of energy.
Instantly, he was drenched in sweat, his cheeks flushed red, rolled his eyes, and fell backward!
[Meng Zi passes Yue Chi’s final trial (the interrogation of the evil immortal’s heart)]
[Meng Zi receives Yue Chi’s ultimate reward.]
[Meng Zi attains the position of the 6000th layer lord of Yuanhe.]
Lin Shuang watched Xiao Qi rush over, clumsily trying to lift Elder Yue Chi, only to panic and support Meng Zi after finding no breath from Yue Chi.
She looked at Yue Chi’s split body on the ground.
A faint, barely audible call once again echoed in her mind.
Just like the old voice that had called her right after leaving the team battle layer, ‘enter… the Nine Thousand…’
It had always been Elder Yue Chi calling her.
But now, his divine consciousness had perished, leaving only the final lingering message, like falling leaves drifting by her ear.
“Lin Shuang, beware of the one beside you…”
Before finishing, this aged, weary voice had already sunk and dispersed into the air.
Elder Yue Chi’s divine consciousness had completely vanished.
Between his two halves lay a pitch-black token—engraved with the characters ‘Heaven’s Will,’ instantly turning to ash within the Nine Thousand Trials.
Lin Shuang lowered her head.
Unable to bear the brilliance of the dazzling spirit energy and sunlight in the 6000th layer, she tightly shut her eyes.
Beware of the one beside her…
Who?
The person no interrogation from the twelve sect elders could uncover.
Yet before death, he came to warn her.
Why.
Wouldn’t it have been better if she had just regarded you as a villain?
Why do this.
Lin Shuang tightly closed her eyelashes, squeezing them shut, as if this would ease the pain.
Her left hand condensed water, washing away the black ashes left by the Heaven’s Will token from Elder Yue Chi’s body.
“Elder Yue.”
“Alright.”
“I… will find that person.”
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