You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Countless ancient runes were engraved on the high platform base and the five-colored rays of light flowing in the void, exuding a magnificent Daoist charm that was both awe-inspiring and alluring.

The air was filled with an ancient, solemn atmosphere, yet also carried a hint of cruel selection.

Li Rou's cool voice quietly rang out in Chen Yang's mind.

"The senses are accurate, Master. This place is not an ordinary ruin, but a true blessed land, once the core training ground."

This means... we're probably only one step away from the truly most precious core area of ​​the entire ruins.

Chen Yang's heart skipped a beat!
"Trial in a Blessed Land!"

He knew all too well the weight of those four words.

This means that the trial here may be related to the inheritance of the key authority to control this ruin!
A strong desire and a thirst for challenge ignited in my heart.

He looked intently at Liu Piaopiao beside him.

"We have to take on this trial!"

Liu Piaopiao sensed his will and nodded solemnly.

"it is good!"

The two arrived side by side at the foot of the mountain where the trial grounds were located. The place was already crowded with people. Cultivators and teams from all sides were either waiting alone or talking to each other in hushed tones. The air was filled with tension, anticipation, and a strong smell of blood and gunpowder. Those who had survived until now and still coveted this place were all powerful, experienced, and ruthless veterans.

A huge, wordless stele stands alone in the center, radiating light and color. As one approaches, a message containing divine intent is sent directly into the consciousness of each person.

—Only by passing the tests of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth in sequence can one access the mountaintop inheritance!
As more and more cultivators approached the stone tablet, a massive vortex suddenly appeared above the platform where five-colored light intertwined.

"here we go!"

Someone in the crowd growled.

Without any guidance, the eager cultivators leaped up, transforming into streaks of light, and rushed into the teleportation channels that emitted various colors of light, representing different five elements.

Chen Yang and Liu Piaopiao mingled in the crowd and stepped into the entrance that flashed with dazzling white-gold lightning—"Gold Element Trial—Thunder Pool!"

The scene before my eyes suddenly changed! The space seemed to be covered by endless silver snakes! Thick purple and silver lightning bolts struck wildly, and the deafening roar impacted my soul. The air was filled with a static ion storm that made my limbs stiff.

This is no ordinary thunderstorm; the lightning contains strands of destructive Gengjin Dao principles!

A burly man who had charged too fast had barely landed when he was struck on the head by a twisted bolt of purple lightning. Instantly, his body was charred and smoking, and he turned to ashes before he could even scream!
"careful!"

Liu Piaopiao exclaimed in surprise and summoned her protective magic weapon.

Chen Yang had already activated his cultivation technique, and the protective light of the Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Art surrounded his body. He withstood several small lightning snakes and moved rapidly, like a fish swimming through the cracks of a thunderstorm.

Even so, the terrifying pressure and paralysis continued to assault their internal organs, and the slightest carelessness would result in the annihilation of their soul and body! Screams and the sounds of magical artifacts exploding were incessant, and countless figures fell and evaporated in this raging sea of ​​lightning.

After overcoming numerous dangers, Chen Yang finally found a relatively weak gap and broke out of the Thunder Pool area. He then stepped into the second trial – "Wood Element Trial – Devouring God Forest".

Dead silence! Huge, ancient trees blocked out the sun, and vines lay like dying pythons on the thick layer of decaying leaves.

This silence was more terrifying than the roar of the Thunder Pool! A strange floral fragrance wafted into the nostrils, initially refreshing, but the next moment it sent a jolt through the soul, as if being gnawed by invisible sharp teeth! Countless dark green vines silently broke through the soil, entwining all living things that approached.

Even more terrifying are the "eyes" that slowly crack open on the tree trunks. Under the gaze of the dark green pupils, those with slightly weaker cultivation levels will have empty eyes and sluggish movements, like walking corpses, and will actively walk towards those man-eating giant flowers with their mouths wide open and flowing with viscous fluid!
Distracted by the fragrance of flowers, a female cultivator was suddenly dragged into the depths of a thicket of serrated thorns by a vine that had quietly wrapped around her ankle, leaving only a short, shrill scream.

Chen Yang was on high alert. The Xuan Yin Qi in his sea of ​​consciousness instinctively circulated to protect his primordial spirit. At the same time, his divine sense spread out like a net, narrowly avoiding the deadly traps that attracted his spirit and the entanglement and tearing of the vines.

Breaking through the mist at the edge of the jungle, they were greeted by an endless expanse of deep blue water—"Water Trial—Weak Water Abyss".

As soon as he stepped in, Chen Yang felt his true energy suddenly sink! A terrifying stickiness and a mountain-like pressure crushed him from all directions, as if billions of pounds of all-pervasive weak water were frantically squeezing and seeping in, making even breathing extremely difficult.

Let alone flying, even taking a step in this pale blue, seemingly shallow water felt like weighing a thousand pounds! The icy chill penetrated to the very bone and soul, and the undercurrents transformed into invisible water ropes, trying to sweep away the sluggish body.

Several cultivators skilled in fire-based techniques suffered greatly here. Their true fire was completely suppressed, and like insects trapped in resin, they slowly and desperately slid towards the abyss of sinking.

Chen Yang immediately activated the "Severing Flow" technique, causing his body's energy to vibrate at a unique frequency, cleverly "carving" a tiny crack in the incredibly heavy weak water, allowing him to move forward with difficulty.

"Riding the Wind!"

At the same time, the faint light of the Radiant Light Technique illuminated the path ahead, resisting the biting cold that eroded the soul.

Having finally struggled out of the Weak Waters, the air suddenly became scorching hot. All that could be seen were crimson rocks and inextinguishable flames—"The Trial of Fire—Mountain of Inferno"! The terrifying heat distorted vision, and the air was filled with the smell of sulfur and destruction.

Beneath my feet flowed a river of lava, and what fell from above was not rain, but a shower of burning meteorites! My skin felt as if it were about to be scorched, and my spiritual energy was being rapidly depleted like a flood.

Every now and then, a cultivator's protective magic treasures or talismans would run out of spiritual light and be burned to ashes amidst shrill screams, with even their primordial spirits being scorched and dissipated.

Chen Yang dared not be negligent. He pushed his Wind Control Immortal Technique to its limit, transforming into a gentle breeze that weaved through the cracks in the flint and the gaps in the lava. He used the Radiant Light Immortal Technique to defend against the intense heat outside his body, while the power of the Purifying Subtle Essence Descent Technique tried to suppress the boiling blood and true essence within his body that seemed about to ignite.

After surviving countless near-death experiences, they finally stepped onto the last and most perilous checkpoint—the "Ultimate Trial—The Heavenly Ladder of Dao Patterns"!
A colossal stone staircase, seemingly connected to the shimmering light emanating from the mountain peak, rose abruptly from the ground, piercing the clouds. Ninety-nine steps, each appearing as an ordinary stone slab, yet upon a cultivator's ascent, terrifying pressure arose from nowhere! The first step felt like carrying a hundred-pound boulder.

Level 5 is like being crushed by a small mountain.

Level 10: The pressure has increased a hundredfold, and the bones are groaning in unbearable agony!
This is just the beginning! Even more terrifying is that, starting from level ten, an invisible mental shock strikes the mind like a tangible iron hammer; and from level thirty onwards, an indescribable agitation and suppression emanates from the depths of one's bloodline, as if an ancient behemoth is roaring and raging at one's bloodline! The dual suppression of the soul and bloodline completely cuts off the path of many powerful individuals to advancement!
"what!"

With a shrill scream, a powerful cultivator who had reached the mid-stage of the True Immortal Realm suddenly bled from all seven orifices as he stepped onto the forty-fifth step. His skin was torn and his flesh was ripped open, and he stiffly fell backward, crashing onto the stone steps below and rolling away. His fate was unknown.

Further ahead, an elderly man with white hair trembled violently, seemingly resisting a terrifying pressure from some source deep within his soul. Finally, he roared, spitting out blood, and unwillingly stopped at the eightieth step, slumping down to meditate.

Chen Yang was also struggling at every turn. His bones were groaning, his internal organs felt like they were about to burst, his sea of ​​consciousness was being repeatedly slashed by invisible spiritual blades, and the depths of his bloodline were churning as if invisible chains were binding and pulling at him, trying to crush his potential and pride!
He clenched his teeth so tightly that blood gushed from his mouth and nose with every step he took.

However, just when he was almost out of breath, he suddenly remembered the incomplete and profound Dao patterns he had comprehended on that strange Dao stele!

With his mind racing, driven by his survival instincts that were on the verge of exploding, he began to try to forcibly trace the incomplete Dao patterns he had comprehended within his body.

Buzz! A strange sight appeared!

A faint, almost imperceptible, yet profound trace containing supreme power was activated from the depths of his exhausted flesh and bone marrow, and began to gather and circulate with difficulty in his cracked sea of ​​consciousness!
Although these Dao patterns were incomplete and weak, they spontaneously generated a strange resonance the moment they came into contact with the omnipresent pressure of the Heavenly Ladder and the spiritual impact!

It's like a broken but exceptionally well-made key that just happened to jam the lock cylinder!
Despite still bearing immense pressure, the deadly mental attacks capable of annihilating the soul and the suppressive power that was frantically disturbing the source of the bloodline were strangely distorted, divided, and weakened by this faint trace of interference!

"it works!"

Chen Yang was overjoyed and his spirits lifted!
He abandoned his attempt to resist and instead focused all his energy on using the Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Technique to prevent his physical body from collapsing, immersing himself entirely in understanding and guiding the incomplete Dao patterns.

With each step, the Dao patterns resonate, negating most of the "abnormal" damage.

His speed on the stone steps began to steadily increase!
One floor... three floors... five floors... Amidst the shocked, bewildered, and even envious gazes of everyone, this seemingly unremarkable young man, whose cultivation was not top-notch and who was even somewhat inconspicuous, climbed step by step up the stone steps filled with mental storms and crushing bloodlines. Although his steps were heavy as if weighed down by ten thousand pounds, he surpassed many stagnant trial participants with extraordinary determination!
Finally, when Chen Yang's feet almost gave way and he stepped onto the ninety-ninth stone step, the desperate screams, cries of alarm, and even faint curses behind him were left behind in the abyss beneath his feet.

Suddenly, the view opened up before them! The platform at the summit was only about ten feet in circumference, with nothing else but an ancient stone tablet standing quietly and a ball of light floating in mid-air, emitting a warm white glow.

Chen Yang reached out and laboriously touched the ball of light. In an instant, the light shimmered!
First, a set of inner armor as thin as a cicada's wing and flowing with a mercury-like halo and an outer robe that was simple yet exuded a sense of vastness fell into his arms—the "Heavenly Silkworm Robe," and information from his sea of ​​consciousness instantly flooded in.

Protecting the soul and warding off inner demons; the outer robe is impervious to water and fire, repelling all evil, and is difficult to shake even slightly by ordinary magical attacks! Then came a massive influx of information into the mind—a vast, intense, and powerful inheritance of will containing the power to scorch rivers and boil seas!
"Blazing Fire Immortal Technique"—the supreme inheritance that allows one to control the blazing flames of heaven and earth!
The overwhelming flow of information and the brilliance of the treasures above stirred up a phenomenon that seemed to resonate with the heavens and earth, with swirling, auspicious clouds of five colors surging, as if the guiding light of heaven or the avatar of an immortal would descend at any moment.

Just then, an excited yet weak voice rang out not far behind Chen Yang, trembling with disbelief.

"It's...it's a legacy! A blessed land...the legacy summons of the realm lord!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his heart!

Li Rou's urgent admonition echoed deep within his heart.

"Master! The inheritance of the Realm Lord is no small matter!"

Once you receive its spiritual blessing, your identity is highly likely to be exposed to the cave's surveillance! If any residual intent or control remains within this space, the risk is extremely high!

In a flash, Chen Yang made a decision! Just as the outline of the guiding pillar of immortal light was about to solidify completely, he suddenly dodged to the side, abruptly clearing the core position that was being focused by the auspicious cloud immortal light.

His gesture wasn't a retreat, but rather a deliberate act of yielding his position to a stranger—a cultivator who had just desperately climbed the ninety-ninth step of the platform and was now lying on the ground, panting heavily, his face filled with bewilderment and despair. This person's cultivation was merely on the verge of the early True Immortal Realm.

He was able to climb up purely out of extreme willpower and a bit of luck. He was already exhausted and never thought he could inherit the legacy. At this moment, he looked up in astonishment, his mouth slightly open.

That gentle beam of light, seemingly imbued with some kind of authorization, directly enveloped the unfamiliar cultivator! The immense flow of information and inherited spiritual energy surged forth like a flood, instantly engulfing the cultivator!
He was stunned at first, then his face broke into a look of wild joy that bordered on madness!
"Thank you... thank you so much, senior! I will never forget your kindness in saving me!!!"

Feeling the precious inheritance surging in his mind and the vast information granted by the spatial authority, the cultivator was so excited that he became incoherent. He struggled to stand up and pay his respects, but was frozen in place by the powerful spiritual energy in the pillar of light.

"Shut up!"

Chen Yang's voice was cold and abrupt, like the clang of metal on metal.

"The opportunity is yours now, so stay put! Don't mention me, or you'll utter a single word of it..." His eyes suddenly turned incredibly cold.

"I will annihilate your soul and spirit!"

An invisible aura of malevolence instantly enveloped the ecstatic cultivator, like a blast of winter cold, freezing the excitement on his face. Overwhelming fear replaced his elation, and he nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at rice.

"Yes...yes! This junior would never dare to address you as such! I wouldn't! I wouldn't!"

He didn't even dare to ask about the mysterious senior's name and origin, only knowing that if he disobeyed, the other party truly had the power to annihilate him at any time.

Chen Yang stopped looking at him. As the auspicious clouds and immortal light began to slowly recede due to the inheritance and before they had completely dissipated, his body quietly retreated from the mountaintop platform like a gentle breeze.

The whole process was extremely fast; many people trapped below by the ladder didn't even see what happened at the summit.

Liu Piaopiao waited on the mountain steps and witnessed the entire process of Chen Yang giving up his seat. When she saw him come down, she immediately went to greet him, her beautiful face full of shock, urgency and a hint of undisguised resentment.

"Brother Yang! You...you're confused!" (End of Chapter)