Ascension Conference

Inside the quiet room of the inn in Gathering Immortal Town, Li Su set up layers of restrictions and sank his consciousness into two newly acquired items.

The Dao charm within the dark yellow stone originated from the same source as the "Bedrock Rune," and it was even more ancient and profound. As he slowly absorbed it, he could clearly feel the phantom image of the "Bedrock Rune" becoming more solid, his understanding of the Dao of Defense improving, and the strength of his Star Swirl Body Protection subtly increasing.

The tattered, milky white jade pendant, obtained from the golden skeleton, was even more miraculous.

The "Guardian" Dao charm it contained was not merely about hardness; it carried an aura of compassion, protection, and the purification of Malevolent Spirits.

Li Su attempted to merge a trace of his divine sense into it and felt his mind become tranquil, his distracting thoughts vanishing. His perception of the Cosmos even sharpened slightly.

The cracks on the jade pendant seemed to be absorbing the meager merit qi from his body (obtained from slaying fierce beasts and saving others) at an extremely slow pace, showing faint signs of healing.

[Comprehended the Innate Guardian Dao Charm, clarity of the spiritual platform increased, comprehension temporarily boosted.]

[Star Swirl Body Protection Spiritual Power fused with a faint Guardian Dao Charm, resistance to negative energy increased.]

[Understanding of "Bedrock Rune" deepened, proficiency increased.]

The system's notifications filled Li Su with joy.

Although these two treasures could not directly increase his cultivation, they greatly enhanced his foundation and potential for spiritual powers, especially the boost to his "comprehension," which might be crucial in the upcoming assessment.

The three-day deadline arrived in the blink of an eye.

On this day, the vast central plaza of Gathering Immortal Town was already packed with people. Tens of thousands of cultivators had traveled from all over the Primordial World to participate in the initial trial of the Jade Clarity Sect's (Yuanshi Tianzun's lineage) Ascension Conference.

They were of various races and emanated diverse energies, but without exception, their eyes shone with anticipation and nervousness.

Li Su and Zhiwei arrived at the plaza and found a relatively open spot to wait.

Zhiwei appeared somewhat nervous and whispered, "Fellow Daoist Mo Xing, there are so many people... and so many powerful auras..."

Li Su remained still, his divine sense sweeping across the entire area. He indeed detected many powerful presences; Earth Immortals at their peak were everywhere, and Celestial Immortals were not uncommon.

There were even a few with obscure auras, likely True Immortals, who probably wished to join a Sage's tutelage and seek a higher Dao.

"Calm your mind and focus, just perform to the best of your abilities," Li Su reassured her.

Just then, a voice, tinged with surprise and uncertainty, came from nearby: "...Fellow Daoist Mo Xing...?"

Li Su followed the sound and saw a young Daoist in a green robe with a honest and kind face looking at him in astonishment from not far away. It was Ming Chen, whom he had met once before at the Jade Clarity Retreat!

He was accompanied by Ming Qing and Ming Jing. The three of them had much more refined auras than before, clearly having made progress since their parting at the retreat.

"Fellow Daoist Ming Chen? You're here too?" Li Su transmitted his voice, a hint of a smile in it.

Meeting acquaintances here was an unexpected delight.

"It really is Senior Mo Xing!" Ming Chen and the other two were both surprised and delighted, quickly squeezing over to bow.

"Senior is also here to participate in the Ascension Conference? That's wonderful!" They automatically attributed Li Su's previous humility to the discretion of a high-level senior.

"Yes, I wish to join Kunlun and seek the Great Dao," Li Su replied.

Ming Chen excitedly said, "With Senior here, this initial trial will surely be without worry! We heard that the content of this initial trial is related to 'comprehension' and 'state of mind,' not just a simple contest of magical power."

Comprehension? State of mind? Li Su's heart stirred. It seemed the jade pendant's boost to his comprehension had come at just the right time.

As the group was conversing, the space above the high platform at the front of the plaza rippled slightly, and several figures quietly appeared.

The one in the lead was an old Daoist dressed in a moon-white robe, wearing a Jade Clarity lotus crown, with an ancient and profound appearance. His aura was as deep as the sea, clearly a Golden Immortal-level mighty being!

Behind him followed several Jade Clarity disciples at the True Immortal level, Yun Yao among them. She saw Li Su in the crowd below and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

The entire venue fell silent, all eyes focusing on the high platform.

The old Daoist's gaze swept across the crowd peacefully, and he slowly spoke. His voice was not loud but clearly reached everyone's ears: "This humble one, Yuqing, acting under the sect leader's decree, will preside over the initial trial of this Ascension Conference. Those who wish to enter the gates of our Kunlun Jade Clarity Sect must pass three trials. Today marks the first trial, 'Questioning the Dao Heart'."

He flicked his sleeve, and countless points of spiritual light scattered out, landing precisely in the hands of each participant present, transforming into an ancient bronze mirror.

"This is a 'Heart Mirror,' which can reflect your Dao Heart's distractions and manifest inner and outer demonic obstacles. Within the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, those who can maintain clarity of their spiritual platform in the mirror, unmoved by illusions, and whose mirror surface does not crack, will pass. Conversely, if the mirror cracks and the person is injured, their mind and spirit damaged, they will be immediately expelled from Kunlun."

The rules were simple, yet many people's expressions changed. Testing one's state of mind and confronting inner demons was far more perilous than a simple battle of spells; a single misstep could damage one's Dao Heart.

"The initial trial begins!"

As Yuqing Zhenren's voice fell, a stick of incense was lit nearby. Simultaneously, the bronze Heart Mirrors in everyone's hands began to emit a soft glow!

Li Su felt a strange pulling force from the Heart Mirror in his hand, as if his divine sense was being dragged into the mirror world!

The surrounding scenery instantly transformed! He found himself back at the beginning of his transmigration, still that fragile green bamboo, growing beside a mountain of corpses and sea of bones, with surging malevolent qi and rampaging giant beasts. That sense of helplessness, fear, and despair surged back into his heart!

"Ant... destruction..." A cold will impacted his spiritual consciousness.

But the Li Su of today was no longer the same. His bamboo body (consciousness) swayed slightly, and he watched it all with cold eyes, his spiritual platform utterly clear: "Illusion, disperse!"

The illusory scene in the mirror flickered but did not immediately dissipate. Instead, it became even more real, even showing the awakening of the system, the arduous journey of evolution and advancement, and the temptations along the way.

Then came the terrifying eye-shadow in the underground cave, the warning from the old witch of the Witch Clan, the spatial rifts in Riftwind Canyon... the most dangerous and mind-shattering scenes from his experiences were recreated and distorted, amplified, attempting to provoke his inner fears, greed, and hesitation.

However, Li Su's Dao Heart was firm. Having endured countless hardships, his will had long been tempered into something as unyielding as diamond and bedrock.

In addition, the protective Dao rhythm emanating from the broken jade pendant shielded his spiritual platform, allowing him to maintain a sliver of clarity, calmly observing the rise and fall of illusions in the Heart Mirror as if he were an onlooker.

He could even spare a trace of his consciousness to observe the subtle reactions of the "Bedrock Rune" under the illumination of the Heart Mirror, comprehending the true meaning of a "steadfast and unyielding" Dao heart.

Time ticked by second by second.

On the plaza, the sounds of cracking and muffled groans and screams occasionally rang out.

The Heart Mirrors in the hands of cultivators shattered one by one, their owners' faces turning pale, some even spitting blood, before being quickly led away from the area by Jade Clarity disciples.

Clearly, they had failed the test of will.

Zhiwei gripped her Heart Mirror tightly, her small face pale and her body trembling slightly, evidently undergoing the trial herself. But amidst her struggle, a hint of stubbornness flickered in her eyes, as if she were still persevering.

Ming Chen and the other two were also sweating on their brows, but the Jade Clarity Celestial Light flowing around them faintly protected their minds, putting them in a slightly better condition.

Li Su, however, remained composed throughout, the Heart Mirror in his hand glowing steadily, its surface as smooth as ever.

An incense stick quickly burned out.

"Time's up!" Yuqing Zhenren's voice echoed.

All the Heart Mirrors dimmed, and the illusions vanished. Everyone returned to reality.

The number of people on the plaza had decreased by nearly a third! The elimination rate was astonishing!

Li Su looked beside him. Although Zhiwei's face was pale and her breath weak, the Heart Mirror in her hand was completely intact. She had passed! A look of relieved joy appeared on the little rabbit's face.

Ming Chen and the other two also passed smoothly, casting looks of admiration at Li Su—they had seen how utterly calm he had been from beginning to end.

Yuqing Zhenren's gaze swept over the successful participants, pausing briefly on Li Su, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes. He then announced, "Those who passed, rest for one hour before proceeding to the second trial, 'Testing Root Bone and Destiny'."

The real test had only just begun.