What a coincidence?
Ling Er asked curiously, "Has anyone started walking it yet? Is it because those with too much blood on their hands can't pass?"
"It seems it hasn't started yet. It was only just announced.
Why can't those with too much blood on their hands pass?" Sect Master Tongtian deliberately put on a worried expression, just right for the occasion.
He did not know the standards of the Trial of Heart either. He had merely released it without opening it for anyone to attempt, hoping to hear what Ling Er thought.
He had indeed come to the right place.
"If one's murderous intent is too heavy, the karmic fire on them will be greater. That would affect the Interception Sect's fortune. Sage Tongtian definitely wouldn't want disciples like that," Ling Er reassured him.
"But Third Brother Pan, you don't need to worry. As long as your conscience is clear, killing is just killing. It won't matter." A glint flashed through his eyes as he began muttering inwardly.
Novels were novels, and reality was reality.
Now that he had come to the real Primordial World, he could not judge the things in this world according to novel settings.
After all, the Saints possessed profound wisdom. How could they make such elementary mistakes? They could not possibly accept disciples burdened by heavy karma while failing to realize it would affect their sect's fortune.
Still, some parts of the novels were fairly true to reality, such as testing one's character as the first hurdle for joining a sect.
Yet he was still extremely nervous about stepping onto the Trial of Heart himself.
He had never killed anyone, but who knew whether there would be illusions or something similar inside?
If an illusion conjured dozens of beautiful women for him, the uncensored kind, he truly could not guarantee that he would hold out.
Still, why did this Primordial World feel different from the ones he had read about? It had more of a fantasy flavor, rather than the usual Eastern mythology.
That made his understanding of this world much clearer. Otherwise, one careless mistake could get him killed.
"Ling Er, don't keep anything from me. Tell me everything you know about what might happen on the Trial of Heart.
That way, I can prepare myself." Sect Master Tongtian spoke seriously, his eyes full of worry, as though he feared he would fail the test.
Ling Er thought for a moment, then described all the Trial of Heart scenarios depicted in the novels. He told him everything he had read about.
Not to mention, after cultivating a Golden Core and forming a primordial spirit, his memory had become extraordinarily good.
Things he had only glanced at once in the past could now be restored clearly in his mind.
Sect Master Tongtian was secretly overjoyed.
He knew he had come to the right place. Hearing Ling Er's various descriptions, he felt that disciples selected this way would certainly be excellent.
Very soon, Sect Master Tongtian realized that, based on this description, his understanding of formations did not seem sufficient to accomplish it.
If he could not do it himself, he would find a professional.
His second brother, Yuanshi Tianzun, was a genius in this area.
"Ling Er, study these jade slips first and try cultivating.
I'll go inquire about other matters concerning the Interception Sect." Sect Master Tongtian looked impatient, as though he wanted to run off and try it immediately.
"Then be careful."
"Got it!"
Sect Master Tongtian answered, summoned a crooked cloud, leaped onto it, and flew away.
His speed was clearly much faster this time. He was utterly impatient.
Kunlun Mountain, Yuxu Palace.
Yuanshi Tianzun had only just sat down after returning to Yuxu Palace, and his mood was somewhat heavy.
After all, there had been a variable on his third brother's side. He feared that his lively, restless temperament would bring trouble upon himself.
He could not even manage himself properly, yet he was taking in so many disciples. He would definitely stir up disaster.
"Second Brother!! Emergency!! You have to help me this time!!"
Sect Master Tongtian's urgent voice reached the main hall from outside. Hearing it was like hearing the sky collapse.
Yuanshi Tianzun sprang to his feet and crossed the hall in two or three strides, nearly colliding with Sect Master Tongtian as he rushed inside.
"Second Brother, hurry and come with me. There's no time to explain."
Sect Master Tongtian grabbed Yuanshi Tianzun by the arm and dragged him outside.
If not for the formations laid around Yuxu Palace, he would have already torn through space and left.
"Wait. What happened?" Yuanshi Tianzun asked calmly, confusion flashing through his eyes.
He hurriedly held down his impatient younger brother.
This expression did not look like someone who had caused trouble.
Whenever he caused trouble in the past, he would always be furious, gritting his teeth as he dragged him off to take revenge.
Now his third brother was already a Saint, one of the supreme existences in the Primordial World. Aside from their teacher in Zixiao Palace taking action, no one could truly bully his third brother Tongtian.
Unless the Twelve Ancestral Witches summoned Pangu's true form, or the two demon emperors of the Demon Race assembled the Zhou Tian Star Array, or he had gone to the Innate Sacred Forbidden Zone.
But if any of those three forces had acted, he would have sensed it long ago.
There was only one truth: his third brother was preparing to fleece him.
"Second Brother, are you helping or not? If not, I'll go find Eldest Brother." Sect Master Tongtian deliberately flung away Yuanshi Tianzun's hand in anger and turned to leave.
Yuanshi Tianzun did not know whether to laugh or cry. He grabbed Sect Master Tongtian and said helplessly, "I never said I wouldn't help. You need to tell me what you need help with."
"Didn't I say?"
"Did you?"
"Come on, we'll talk as we walk."
Yuanshi Tianzun shook his head helplessly.
Golden Ao Island.
Yuanshi Tianzun stared at the Trial of Heart and the Heaven's Pride Ranking in disbelief.
His third brother had made these things? What a spendthrift! So much merit, just to make these two things?
"Come on, Second Brother, help me set up the formation.
I already explained it on the way—the illusion realm and the space for testing one's Dao heart.
Anyway, you're an elder of my Interception Sect." Sect Master Tongtian spoke earnestly, his eyes full of hope.
"Explain to me where this merit came from," Yuanshi Tianzun asked in a low voice, anger flashing through his eyes—he had not beaten anyone in a long time.
Also, since when had he become an elder of the Interception Sect?
"This merit was rewarded for creating the Trial of Heart and the Heaven's Pride Ranking. I simply used it on these two things to forge merit treasures to suppress our fortune.
Second Brother, are you helping or not? If not, I'll go find Eldest Brother.
I still need this to recruit disciples." Sect Master Tongtian said unhappily, the disdain in his eyes undisguised.
His second brother really was something else. If he had been skilled with illusion-type formations, he would have done it himself long ago. If it had been a sword formation, he certainly would not have needed help.
"Where are the materials?"
"Seriously, Second Brother? You have the nerve to ask me for something this minor?"
Yuanshi Tianzun: ...
Biyou Palace plaza.
Hundreds of thousands of demons watched the Trial of Heart. Suddenly, it erupted with every kind of radiance, filling them with longing, as though countless Great Daos flowed within it.
Unfortunately, it was still unopened. Otherwise, those demons would have charged inside long ago.
Sect Master Tongtian looked at the Trial of Heart with great satisfaction. This merit treasure could already be considered a true treasure, and after his second brother Yuanshi Tianzun refined it, its power had become immense.
It could draw people into illusions.
However, this supreme treasure still carried on his second brother's artifact-refining style: it was all about being hard. Its usage was simple and brutal—just smash it at someone.
It suited Yuanshi Tianzun's way of dealing with people perfectly.
Yuanshi Tianzun snorted coldly and turned to leave.
He had not only lost so many materials on this trip, but had also been mocked for being stingy by that hateful third brother.
He would never help him again next time—unless, unless he called him Second Brother a few more times. Otherwise, he would ignore him forever.
Sect Master Tongtian watched his second brother leave and curled his lips. He had wanted him to handle the Heaven's Pride Ranking and the arena as well, yet he had slipped away just like that.
"Almost done, but I still need to find Li Er and get some information out of him. Maybe he has an even better method."
Before you continue