I am cautiously cultivating immortals in a strange world

A century has passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Lin spent hundreds of Seven-Colored Nightmare Coins and used some treasures to enhance his comprehension, finally managing to thoroughly understand all the books.

Time passed much faster than expected.

Because the later books are mostly reference materials, with little content on spiritual practice and research, and they are not as profound as those on the soul.

Of all cultivation systems, the soul is the most mysterious, and knowledge about it is rarely seen in the outside world. Although he is a soul cultivator, he does not have a deep understanding of it. If he had not received the inheritance of the Soul Master, the time spent on soul books would have been even longer.

even so.

All in all, they have stayed here for more than two hundred years.

Chen Lin was very anxious.

I wonder what has become of the outside world. Perhaps the grand pilgrimage to the strange kingdom has already passed, and the trial to ascend to heaven is imminent.

What about Xiaocao and Sun Caiyi? Will something unexpected happen to them?

and so.

After finishing studying the last book.

Chen Lin immediately stood up.

He quickly looked around the room, then went to the door, grabbed the doorknob, and pushed it hard.

"Ok?"

The door remained firmly shut.

This made Chen Lin frown.

He has already digested all the books, so he should have completed the scenario mission. If he still can't get out, then things will get a bit complicated.

"What's your name?"

suddenly.

A deep voice rang out.

Chen Lin's pupils contracted.

The Xuanjin Spear immediately appeared in his hand, and the Ninefold Armor was activated to its strongest state. He vigilantly scanned every corner of the room.

But they found nothing.

The room wasn't very big, and it was completely open; if someone was there, they would definitely see it.

There was a pause.

Chen Lin forced himself to calm down.

He bowed to the void.

"I came here unintentionally. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

"Don't be nervous, sit down and let's talk."

The deep voice sounded again.

Then Chen Lin noticed that a blurry figure had appeared on the previously empty chair.

"The Shadow Scholar?"

He asked in a low voice.

"hehe."

The blurry figure smiled.

Pick up the teapot and fill both teacups.

He gestured for Chen Lin to enter, then picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Chen Lin's expression kept changing.

After a while.

He walked to the chair, pulled it out, sat down, straightened his posture, and took a sip of tea.

Then his eyes flashed.

The tea that the other person poured was completely different from the tea he poured. It no longer enhanced his comprehension, but rather caused a peculiar change in his own state.

It seems... to be clearer.

"Your soul is good, but your body is still impure. I'll cleanse you as one of the rewards for passing this test."

The hazy figure spoke softly.

Thank you.

Chen Lin immediately thanked him.

Meanwhile, he secretly checked his physical condition and, finding nothing unusual, stopped paying attention to it and turned his attention back to the other person.

He asked again, "Are you Senior Shadow Scholar?"

"That's it."

The figure was indistinct, and the tone was somewhat elusive.

Then he looked at Chen Lin.

"I am merely a projection of the Shadow Scholar's will, waiting here for someone destined to find me, but you..."

He shook his head slightly.

"Your aptitude is average. Even with the effects of the Seeking Truth Tea, it will take you more than two hundred years to fully comprehend all the books. The worst challenger before you only took one hundred and eighty years."

"And the fastest."

"Even without using Qiuzhen Tea, it only took seven days."

Chen Lin's eyes showed suspicion.

Seven days.

He still wouldn't drink the tea; he didn't believe anyone could do that.

"Oh, right."

The blurry figure sized up Chen Lin.

The fastest person seems to have some connection with you; the lines of your rules clearly intersect, suggesting a relationship that's not ordinary.

"What's his name?"

Chen Lin hurriedly inquired.

His mind raced, trying to think of who among those connected to him might be here.

Could it be the old fisherman of Tianhu Lake?

and also.

Judging from what the other party said, there were quite a few people participating in the challenge, so it wasn't specifically left for him to inherit. He had been a bit too arrogant before.

"Tell me your name first."

The indistinct figure did not give a direct answer.

Upon hearing this...

Chen Lin immediately cupped his hands in greeting.

He said respectfully, "This junior is named Chen Lin. I am a rogue cultivator from the Seven Star Realm, and also a Executioner."

He did not use a pseudonym.

He even took the initiative to reveal his identity as the Punisher.

Given the other party's methods, they must already know all his information. The reason they asked was simply to see his reaction.

Lying makes no sense.

If being a "punisher" could increase one's "weight," it might be helpful in gaining benefits and surviving.

"That's right."

The hazy shadow nodded.

"That person also came from the Seven Star Realm. She was a girl named Li Fuyao. She was the most talented person I had ever met, but unfortunately, she still did not meet the requirements."

Chen Lin's lips twitched.

The other person was actually referring to Li Fuyao.

at this time.

He finally understood what Li Fuyao meant when she said she was going to explore another Nightmare Realm scene; this must be the place.

The fact that the opponent later became much stronger and even became a general under the Shadow King is most likely due to the inheritance of this place.

"Who else is there? Can I know?"

Chen Lin continued to probe.

Those who can come here are all trainees cultivated by the other party, and there is likely to be competition between them.

Even if I told you, you wouldn't know him.

The indistinct figure offered no concrete answer.

Chen Lin didn't press the matter further.

Changing the subject, he asked, "Senior, what are the standards for passing this level?"

"Three days."

The hazy shadow extended three fingers.

"As long as you can comprehend all the books within three days, you will be considered qualified and will be directly selected without having to pass any other levels."

Chen Lin was secretly surprised.

This selection method is too abnormal.

Three days.

Even a ruler couldn't do that, because books are divided into several categories, and some of the content is very obscure. It's impossible for a cultivator to have such comprehensive knowledge.

"How many levels are there in total, and what do the chosen ones have to do?"

Chen Lin asked quickly.

However, the blurry figure did not answer.

He took out a small black bottle, only the size of a thumb, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Chen Lin.

He said calmly, "Your evaluation is poor, extremely poor. However, since you have completed this stage within three hundred years, you have barely met the standard. This bottle of 'True Essence Ink' is your reward."

"I hope you can pass the second hurdle."

"Now."

The hazy figure spoke in a solemn tone.

"You can ask three questions. After you've asked them, you'll need to enter the next space. Think it through before you ask any more questions."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lin immediately put aside his distracting thoughts. Although he still had countless questions in his mind, he could only ask questions related to this place for now.

What is the purpose of "True Ink"?

This is a question that must be asked.

"Using this ink to write and draw on the blank book of heaven can turn the unknowable into reality. This is very important in the next level. The more you obtain, the greater your chances of passing the level."

He paused for a moment.

He sighed softly.

"You only got this small bottle, it's basically wasted."

Chen Lin's face darkened.

It turned out to be a prop for the next level, which was really disadvantageous for him.

But there's nothing we can do about it.

His aptitude is such that learning is not his forte, and he has also drunk tea to the extreme; he is probably the one who has drunk the most tea among all the challengers.

However, this way...

The possibility that he is the vessel for the other party's reincarnation is not high.

This action by the other party doesn't seem like choosing a vehicle; it's more like selecting talent and then deciding what to do.

"Any tips for passing the next level?"

Chen Lin's eyes flashed as he asked.

"hehe."

The hazy figure chuckled softly.

But I still gave an answer.

"If you are strong enough, forcing your way in is the best way, but I don't recommend you do that."

Chen Lin's eyes flickered slightly.

The other person might be joking, wasting his opportunity to ask a question, but it was actually useful to him.

Although he possessed the wordless heavenly book, he only received a small bottle of True Ink, so there was little hope of passing the test through normal means.

The other party made this clear, so forcing his way in was his only option.

And that's what he's worried about.

Forcing your way through is a violation of the rules, and even if you pass, you won't get any further rewards.

Now that the other party has said this, it means it's permissible. Moreover, the next level will definitely be a level that can be overcome, which is also advantageous to him. Using that characteristic to enhance the Xuanjin Spear, there is still a possibility of suppressing the rules.

"Is it possible to obtain forbidden power here?"

Chen Lin did not ask any more questions about the challenge.

Since we're already prepared to force our way in, asking more detailed questions won't help. I might as well ask him something he cares about more.

"can."

The blurry figure replied with a single word.

Then it gradually fades and disappears quickly.

Chen Lin sat there in a daze for a while, then opened the bottle of Cunzhen ink and looked at it, before standing up and walking towards the door.

I pushed the door open again.

crunch.

The door was finally pushed open.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Lin, holding the Xuanjin Spear, stepped out.

The scene changes.

Instead of a classically styled study, they arrived at a martial arts training ground. In the middle was an open space, and in front of it was a long stone table with a row of token-like objects on it.

There is nothing else besides that.

Chen Lin frowned.

This level is too simple to set up. There is no exit in sight, and the rules for passing the level are impossible to determine.

If only I had known this would happen.

The final question should be about the situation at this stage.

But he immediately stopped thinking about it.

Regret is useless.

Since we've decided to force our way in, let's just cause as much destruction as we can and not worry about the rule changes.

I glanced around.

Chen Lin walked to the stone table and looked at the things on it.

It does look like a token.

Its shape, pattern, and size are similar to regular tokens, except that it is placed upside down so you can't see what's written on it.

I counted them.

There are nine pieces in total.

After a moment's thought, Chen Lin tried to activate his innate ability to see if it would work.

His expression immediately changed.

The talent domain has actually been successfully activated!
Without hesitation, he immediately performed divination to determine which token would be most advantageous to him.

However, the lines in the talent field did not change.

Chen Lin was somewhat disappointed.

But that's normal.

This is the testing ground left behind by the Shadow Scholar, and the level of rules must be extremely high. His talent and ability are so great that he can't even predict the Dominator, let alone this place.

Think no more.

After glancing at it, he picked up the first token.

It was not randomly selected.

The details of the mission must be on these tokens, and Chen Lin deduced that this level should be related to combat and have certain restrictions.

Based on the book order of the previous level, this first token likely represents the soul aspect, which is his forte.

The token had just left the desktop.

It immediately burst into light, and two large, golden characters appeared on it.

King Kong!

Followed by.

The shadow scholar's deep voice echoed in his mind.

"You have chosen the Vajra Puppet as your opponent, a martial arts expert. Based on your cultivation level, the puppet is set to the third-tier Dominator Realm. No matter what method you use, you will pass the test if you can get it out of the training ground."

"But apart from the rewards from the previous level and your natal magic weapon, you must not use any external objects directly on the Vajra Puppet."

"The time limit shall not exceed three days. The shorter the time, the higher the evaluation. Exceeding the time limit shall be regarded as failure."

Without further explanation, the sound abruptly stopped.

Followed by.

A loud bang.

A golden giant, over three zhang tall, descended from the sky and crashed onto the training ground. Its two giant golden eyes swept over Chen Lin, who immediately felt as if he were facing the might of heaven and could not muster the slightest thought of resistance.

His face turned very pale.

It's actually a third-tier overlord!
He had absolutely no chance of defeating such an existence, especially since it was a martial arts puppet. His soul suppression was useless, and his identity as Xing Jun had no effect whatsoever.

It was almost certainly a dead end.

"wrong."

Chen Lin suddenly remembered a sentence from the notification sound.

No matter what method is used.

In other words, it's not necessary to defeat the giant; other methods can be used as long as you can get the opponent out of the training ground, and that counts as successfully passing the challenge.

As long as he doesn't enter the training ground or take the initiative to attack, the other party won't attack him, giving him time to figure out a solution.

Thinking about this...

Chen Lin understood the purpose of the Cunzhen ink.

Using this ink to depict objects on the blank book of heaven can transform the unreal into the real; at least here, it can be indistinguishable from the real thing.

Then.

You can then draw some props to deal with the Vajra puppet. So the more ink you have, the more props you can draw, and the greater the chance of success.

Chen Lin took out the wordless heavenly book, the True Essence Ink, and the silver brush he obtained in the Linglong Sect's secret realm.

They were lined up in a row on the stone table.

But I was stumped about what to draw.

He only had a small bottle of ink, so the amount he could draw was limited, and he basically only had one chance.

Once it's used up, you'll have to do it yourself.

Do you paint divine weapons, beautiful women, powerful figures, or mythical beasts?

Chen Lin pondered intently.

Then I realized that drawing powerful figures wasn't feasible.

He had seen many powerful figures, and if he could draw Bai Yujing, he could turn this puppet into dust in one move, but there was no way there could be such a loophole.

There is definitely an upper limit to drawing figures, or some kind of limitation.

He could only draw once; there was no chance to make mistakes, and he couldn't act rashly.

Even a beautiful woman probably wouldn't work.

This thing is a puppet; it has no human emotions, so a beautiful woman couldn't possibly be attractive to it.

Fine food and drinks are even less of an option.

Chen Lin racked his brains, and one idea after another popped up, only to be rejected one by one.

Time passed slowly.

Before I knew it, a day had passed.

After countless deliberations, Chen Lin finally settled on three options.

But I'm still undecided about which one to choose. (End of Chapter)