Not Even Pretending Anymore
In the Night Mist Sea, a small boat docked, and a young man in fine clothes calmly disembarked and came to the dilapidated villa. He had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, his black hair was blowing in the night wind, his eyes were clear, and he had an outstanding appearance.
The Gray-Clad Elder, carrying a broom and with a head of dry, yellow hair, had been waiting there for a while. He said, "Go in. Don't rush. That person is taking the most difficult path. He will encounter all sorts of extreme trials. You can easily catch up with his speed."
The young man, Li Heng, stepped forward, greeted the Gray-Clad Elder, and then smiled. His bright, almond-shaped eyes added a touch of approachability to his already handsome appearance.
The gray-robed old man's expression darkened slightly. He said, "If you really stand before His Your Highness, don't be so clever. Even if you cultivate a ' Divine Embryo,' your so-called strongest spiritual allure is nothing compared to Your Highness Highness's. Don't dream of becoming his dao companion overnight. Just be dutiful and obey Your Highness Highness's orders and arrangements. What's meant to be yours will come to you; what's not, no amount of scheming will earn you favor. Sincerity, humility, and dedication are far more useful than the special aura emanating from your Divine Embryo."
"I understand!" Li Heng nodded.
"Take this road!" The gray-clad old man Li Cang, pointed to a road marked by a pitch-black sign.
Li Heng's body stiffened slightly. Although he was ambitious and confident in navigating a more difficult path, it didn't mean he wanted to attempt a Hell trial.
In the past, some Saint Disciple retraced these paths, and were lost and helpless on the Hell roads, having to call for help halfway and eventually being carried out.
"So... the road signs are all messed up? Oh, I see. I'll get going then." Li Heng set off immediately, without wasting any time.
He walked through the dilapidated courtyard, past the silvery bamboo forest, and entered through the moon gate that exuded Nine Heavens Clear Spirit Qi, his steps steady and deliberate.
He was calm and confident, saying, "A true hero cannot be subservient to others. My Spirit Domain is a world unto itself, and my Divine Embryo has been formed. In this special era, becoming Saint Disciple may allow me to climb to the highest peak."
Soon, his face showed surprise. The road in the distance was churning violently, with bursts of red light appearing, then distorting and blurring, accompanied by a sound of collapse.
"What's going on over there?" Li Heng asked gravely. Had someone already passed the most terrifying test on that road? It was too fast.
Qin Ming's eyes were clear, and a hazy light flowed around him as he said, "This is only the first section of the road, and it's already this difficult. The standards for selecting disciples in Jade Capital are far too high."
This is a journey that requires bearing heavy burdens, with Daoist auras corresponding to its level descending, exploring the upper limit of what it can withstand, just like the legendary Ascension Mountain pressing down on you.
Qin Ming held on and made it all the way to the end. However, just after he succeeded, the red clouds surged between heaven and earth, and a tangible domain descended, suppressing him once again.
Although the initial test has been passed, the Jade Capital, in selecting its Saint Disciple, aims to leave each person with an unforgettable experience. It will apply extra pressure, not only to test their limits but also to give the future Saint Disciple a taste of their own medicine.
The rich red glow surged, and the Daoist energy along the road was like boiling water, finally exploding with a bang and flying in all directions.
Qin Ming exhaled, the cobblestone path beneath his feet was faintly glowing, the nearby bamboo forest rustled, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
At this moment, more Purple Mist descended from the sky, exuding nobility, but also becoming more dangerous. The dense Daoist aura transformed into tangible pressure, squeezing towards the path.
"It's not over yet, there are many twists and turns, and the pressure is increasing!" Qin Ming was covered by that purple qi.
Moreover, the path beneath his feet was expanding, extending automatically, and disappearing into the special area of the villa. For a moment, accompanied by celestial music, it foreshadowed the power and extraordinary nature of this auspicious cloud.
Qin Ming's bones were creaking and his body was swaying precariously, but he still managed to stagger across the path.
With a bang, the purple qi exploded, and the Daoist energy dissipated.
Li Heng stared at the road in the distance, his face filled with astonishment. He already knew what had happened. The other party had actually passed the test, but the Jade Capital's trials were meant to intimidate new disciples. Ultimately, the challenger had to be overwhelmed. Was this an extra "test"?
He frowned. Didn't the Old Ancestor saying go that newcomers who choose the easiest path often end up "going astray" and should be quickly eliminated? How could this person have such a dazzling performance?
"There's more?" Qin Ming was alarmed. Was he going to fail on this very path he had initially chosen?
At this moment, the night sky was no longer peaceful, but a strange force was stirring, followed by a downpour of Outer Heavenly Poison Fire, streaks of light, and Extraterrestrial Substance from beyond the heavens.
The Daoist energy they unleashed from beyond the Nine Heavens was incredibly violent, like a meteorite tumbling down. Upon first contact, Qin Ming's entire body turned crimson, his flesh was burning hot, his bones seemed to be broken, his internal organs felt like they were on fire, and his whole body was about to be burned through.
The violent Daoist energy, like poisonous fire or a sharp blade, directly eroded his body through the void.
Qin Ming was not actually here; he was using someone else's body, but the sensations were still incredibly real. The pain was unbearable for him, and he let out a muffled groan.
His internal organs felt as if they were being burned to ashes, and his Mental Field was about to be burned through. It was an inhuman torture, and the path beneath his feet was rapidly spreading, leading to the secluded depths of the villa.
"This... three extra trials, what kind of monster is this?" Li Heng walked steadily on his own path, but his mind was shocked by the various strange phenomena on the opposite road.
Moreover, it seems they've managed to pull through.
"Doesn't this mean he can stand shoulder to shoulder with His Your Highness?" Li Heng's expression changed drastically. Someone who should have taken the "easiest" path had suddenly leaped up, seemingly about to spread his wings and Fuyao great heights?
"No, if he's so extraordinary, why would he choose the easiest path? Could it be that he's hiding a treasure, and is taking advantage of the Jade Capital's disintegration and initial Nirvana to slip through and seize all the benefits of this place!"
Li Heng clearly remembered that even His Your Highness had lost his composure back then, appearing disheveled and disarrayed, and afterwards was unwilling to mention that experience.
Some speculate that Your Highness Highness's inner Inner Landscape was blasted through, shattering his celestial aura. His originally untainted, otherworldly body was forced to use both hands and feet to escape in a disheveled state.
Li Heng's peach blossom eyes flickered as he said, "Even His Your Highness, who relied on the strength of two major systems, barely managed to pass the three additional trials. How could someone who wouldn't even dare choose the more difficult path possibly have succeeded?"
At this moment, Qin Ming was smoking all over. As he walked this path, each step left a charred footprint. He seemed to be burned through from head to toe, from body to Divine Capital.
Fortunately, he pulled through again. The rich Nine Heavens Clear Spirit Qi flowed into his body, leaving him Lingering by a refreshing aura.
A moment later, his injuries healed, and he regained his energy.
However, Qin Ming was deeply shocked. Jade Capital was too strict in selecting disciples, and this path was too difficult, making him feel like he was dying.
He secretly reminded himself that he must hold himself to the highest standards from now on; otherwise, how could he possibly compete with the true Saint Disciple of the Jade Capital?
The old sweeper, Li Cang, gazed into the depths of the courtyard, a puzzled look on his face. He said, "Judging by the time, that boy should have collapsed by now. Why hasn't he been brought out yet?"
This is a golden bamboo forest, its Spiritual Matter flowing like water. Qin Ming sits here, taking a short rest.
In the night sky, wisps of Light of Order descended, heading towards him.
"Huh?!" He suddenly opened his eyes.
"Given the outstanding performance of the challenger, who bravely overcame three additional challenges and successfully reached the end of the path, they were blessed by the Light of the Law Chain."
A line of golden text appeared, providing this prompt.
" With Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella, come out and greet the guests!" Qin Ming quickly called out.
He was particularly sensitive to the Law Chain, the Light of Order, and the Dao Chains, all of which were said to be blessings bestowed by the Jade Capital, representing the arrival of good fortune, yet he was extremely wary of them.
He would never forget that Liu Mo, as Higher Deity, was tormented to the point of near death when he finally tried to escape his past. Five hundred years had passed, and he was still not completely New Life.
The Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella was no more than the length of a palm, hovering in front of Qin Ming. He quickly activated it, causing it to enlarge instantly, truly displaying an extraordinary aura, like a heavy weapon in an emperor's procession.
It trembled gently, as if leaping and cheering, finally emerging from the Torn Cloth Space. It regained the breath of the Great World and was no longer so oppressive.
Suddenly, its divine light surged, as if it were about to burst through the night sky. The umbrella spun, and the sun, moon, and stars embroidered on it seemed to come alive, as if they were about to fly and scatter into the night sky.
It emitted an unusual fluctuation, seemingly indignant, as Law Chain fell, intertwining on its umbrella surface and entangled its metal rod.
It had to fight against and stop this Law Chain from expanding.
Qin Ming was shocked. The original Myriad God Banner was now faintly glowing, revealing its true material. Both the canopy and the ribs were made of Exotic Metal!
Putting everything else aside, this material alone is priceless.
"As expected, it has a very powerful origin; it's most likely a treasure from some region!" Qin Ming's expression turned solemn. This kind of item is definitely not easy to control.
Fortunately, it has encountered a major problem; its grade seems to have dropped, and it is now extremely difficult to fight against the Law Chain.
In the end, the Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella seemed to have been "tattooed," with inexplicable Law Chain appearing on its surface, like veins growing on its body, and radiating Divine Nature brilliance.
Qin Ming spoke up, "I've heard that the more intricate and denser the Law Chain on a rare treasure, the more terrifying it is. You've certainly received a great fortune."
With a whoosh, the treasure transformed back into the Myriad God Banner, filled with ghostly shadows, Yin Qi atmosphere, and billowing Black Mist, threatening to turn this place into Mo Ran world.
Its spirit was severely injured and is now in a daze, but it can still understand the current situation. It's furious and if it could speak, it would surely be spewing profanities.
In fact, it wanted to smear the banner all over his face!
Seeing this, Qin Ming threw it directly into the Torn Cloth Space.
"Aren't weapons meant to be used? I'm giving you Law Chain so you can slowly fight against and analyze it. It will be of great benefit to you in the future, and you're not even grateful."
Within the Torn Cloth Space, the Myriad God Banner trembled, deeply uneasy and unwilling to linger even for a moment longer.
In an instant, it transformed into Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella again, a disguised form of bowing down.
Qin Ming said, "Most special weapons made from Exotic Metal can liquefy and become battle armor that can be worn. Can you transform into one too?"
He was extremely envious of Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran's ability to transform their weapons into battle suits.
However, the Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella emitted a hazy fluctuation, clearly indicating that the systems were different and it could not become a battle suit.
However, one could sense that the spirit was very arrogant, as a blurry image of Black Mist sweeping across the entire world appeared on the umbrella surface, which was quite terrifying.
Qin Ming fiddled with the small Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella before setting off again.
He hadn't walked far when he saw a Scripture Repository. As he got closer, he showed a jade token in his hand, which was the identity certificate given to him by the New Ranking.
Instantly, a Scripture Repository, with a True Scripture placed on it.
One of them is the "Extreme Golden Body," which even the Heavenly Venerate practices and has studied for most of his life. It is his Fundamental Scripture, and this immortal body-refining method can directly lead to the realm of Heavenly Immortal.
Qin Ming sat down, opened the Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella, and activated it to enlarge, thus enjoying the grandeur of an ancient emperor.
The book "The Extreme Golden Body" consists of two volumes. Although both are thin, the text inside is densely packed with annotations from predecessors, representing the interpretations and insights of many Old Senior.
"Hmm?" Qin Ming was surprised. This book must be quite old, but it was surprisingly "clean" and showed no signs of emotion.
This means he cannot resonate with it.
"Was this cut off by someone? Or did certain Daoist principles and emotions dissipate when Jade Capital disintegrated?" Qin Ming's expression was quite solemn.
He realized that the ancient powerful beings were extremely terrifying, and perhaps they knew about the ability to resonate!
He didn't insist; having the complete text of the scriptures was enough for him. His own comprehension was actually quite terrifying.
Qin Ming skimmed through it, and then went to look at the <Heavenly Transmission Jade Book>, which was made of jade and had only six pages in total, making it the complete book.
The Beyond the Mundane Pure Land, with its four damaged Jade Stone Book, was already regarded as a sacred text of the sect and one of the three most difficult True Scripture to practice. It is understandable that there are only two extra pages here.
Moreover, even in the Jade Capital, this was an extraordinary True Scripture, which was studied by the once-renowned Heavenly God and peerless Immortal Capital.
The Jade Book, too, could not resonate; it remained silent and undisturbed.
Qin Ming calmed himself down and began to study the text carefully, trying to understand its various profound meanings.
Li Heng looked at the road in the distance and said, "He should be studying the scriptures. I need to hurry and get to the finish line before him."
He was quickly startled, for he saw a spiritual glow rising from the road in the distance, accompanied by faint chanting.
"He's rapidly grasping the True Scripture?" Li Heng was deeply shaken.
He knew very well that this test was a test of comprehension, and that person seemed to have shown extraordinary comprehension ability, even bringing forth extraordinary phenomena when comprehending the scriptures.
"Could he be cheating?" Li Heng wondered, just like him, knowing in advance which scripture would be tested on this path.
The Gray-Clad Elder Li Cang, had True Disciple and lectured on the scriptures for several days.
Li Heng now strongly suspects that this newcomer has likely received prior "preferential treatment" and also has a powerful background; otherwise, how could he be so "aggressive"?
Li Heng quickly calmed himself down, sat quietly before the jade table, and began to study some kind of Spirit Domain text.
Anyone who embarks on this path, even if they fail, will not have come in vain, for they have read a highly valuable manual, and most of them can directly reach the Sixth Realm.
Qin Ming has two True Scripture here, the corresponding levels of which are clearly far beyond the standard. This is mainly related to the fact that he came with a jade token, which clearly states which scripture he wants. This can be considered as a reward.
"The <Extreme Golden Body> is indeed wondrous beyond words. No wonder the Heavenly Venerate, as Body Cultivator, can look down upon all heroes. This scripture is profound and unfathomable, with unique insights and unparalleled dominance." Qin Ming exclaimed in admiration after reading it.
He had thoroughly studied the "Body Refining and Dao Integration Scripture" and also comprehended the "Vajra Sutra," both of which were related to body refinement. The former, in particular, was mysterious and unpredictable; it could slay gods with pure physical strength without using Heavenly Light!
Therefore, Qin Ming's understanding of the <Extreme Golden Body> was twice as effective with half the effort, and he quickly mastered it.
As for the parts of the scriptures that were beyond his understanding and comprehension, he simply memorized them.
He then flipped through the Jade Book, memorizing the last two newly added pages before putting it down. This True Scripture was extremely difficult, involving topics such as Heart Ape Severing; he had already comprehended the parts he could understand before.
Qin Ming got up and continued walking.
"The spiritual radiance has faded; he's finished his enlightenment and is back on his journey. This... he's not even putting on an act anymore!" Li Heng found it absurd. Although he had studied the scriptures beforehand, he at least put on an act. This guy was too arrogant!
He was uncertain; could this person with connections have an even stronger backing than him?
In the Night Mist Sea, a huge tree branch grew into the courtyard. The appearance of the ancient tree itself was unknown, but this branch alone was as thick as a mountain, and its verdant greenness exuded a sacred aura.
At the very tip of the branch grows a huge bud, with thirty-six layers of petals, seemingly corresponding to the thirty-six heavens. It is fragrant and has a flowing, hazy mist, exuding a strong Daoist charm.
Deep within the giant flower bud, a woman sat cross-legged, silently comprehending the supreme inheritance of the Jade Capital.
A woman with transparent butterfly wings flew over and reported, "Your Highness, the person who followed the same path as you has passed two trials and is setting off again."
The woman within the flower bud, radiant and like the Divine Moon, even her hair glowing, was enveloped in a hazy light as if Moon Essence had coalesced. Slightly surprised, she asked, "So fast? How many extra trials were added to him in the first stage?"
The Butterfly Woman, with her graceful figure and beautiful appearance, said, "I don't know. I'm too far away to investigate, but I imagine it's impossible for me to have been subjected to three extra trials like Your Highness."
Then she added, "Judging from the spiritual radiance he exuded while comprehending the scriptures, and the faint resonance of the scriptures, he seems to be practicing the <Extreme Golden Body>. He finished so quickly; he probably obtained the scriptures ahead of schedule."
A woman's slightly magnetic voice came from within the flower bud, saying, "The <Extreme Golden Body>, which points directly to the path of Heavenly Immortal Immortality, is something ordinary people have no chance to see. The Heavenly Venerate who rank extremely high on the New Ranking practice this scripture."
The Butterfly Woman said, "Could it be someone with connections? Did they study this scripture beforehand? Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to comprehend it so quickly, even more efficiently than Your Highness back then."
Then, she chuckled and said, "He probably doesn't know that His Your Highness meditating here, and that you will need to personally oversee things at the final moment. If it's someone with connections, they will be severely punished and suffer a major blow, which might cause their confidence to collapse and their Dao Path to become unstable!"
Qin Ming had arrived in front of a huge mirror. There were inscriptions on the mirror's surface that read, "Attack this mirror, and it will reveal your own shortcomings."
He realized that the rewards the New Ranking had arranged for him were closely related to the path of trials for Saint Disciple; they were almost identical, if not completely. This was Law Mirror.
On the other road, Li Heng muttered to himself, "Hmm, I've reached the third level. Jade Capital has become more accepting of people like me and has begun to bestow favors upon me. There are three Body Illuminating Mirror here that can help me identify my shortcomings. I need to seize this opportunity."
He took a deep breath and rushed toward a mirror. A figure appeared in the mirror and pounced on him, engaging in fierce combat.
During this process, his shortcomings were revealed in the mirror, indicating that there was room for improvement. In the end, the mirror even pointed out the flaws in the scriptures he practiced and the problems with his body.
With a bang, he finally materialized his Divine Embryo, condensed Heavenly Saber with his Mental Field, and slashed out fiercely, shattering the first Law Mirror.
Some streams of light entered his Mental Field; these were all prompts, telling him where he was lacking and where he needed to correct his mistakes.
It was at this moment that he sensed something was wrong and looked up at the road in the distance.
Li Heng's eyes widened in shock. He exclaimed, "So... ferocious! He shattered three Law Mirror in one go? Did he obtain the Treasure Mirror beforehand, rendering the Principle Mirrors ineffective against him? He could just rush through them. This is true favoritism; he's not even pretending anymore!"
In fact, the feedback Qin Ming received from the Law Mirror was very positive, even praising him generously. He even wondered if he had encountered a fake mirror? It didn't correct anything for him and was completely useless!
Qin Ming shattered mirrors one after another, and when he finally broke through twelve precious Treasure Mirror, the last three mirrors finally gave him some valuable feedback.
"The Fundamental Scripture hidden dangers, and there is a risk of physical and spiritual disintegration in the future, with a probability exceeding 30%."
Upon seeing this prompt, Qin Ming fell into deep thought. Unfortunately, the Treasure Mirror did not offer a real solution, but only suggested reducing the fusion of top-tier True Scripture.
Clearly, this did not meet Qin Ming's expectations.
"How could his path possibly have twelve Treasure Mirror, and how could he have broken through them in one go?" Li Heng was astonished, becoming even more certain that the other party had cheated. He had experienced the wonders of such Principle mirror beforehand, corrected his own shortcomings, and thus was able to advance unstoppably.
Qin Ming discovered that the Law Chain in the night sky had reappeared, flowing downwards like glowing streams, as if to baptize him.
Furthermore, there are golden inscriptions suggesting that this might compensate for his shortcomings, using the Law Chain to mend his form and spirit, forging strands of Immortal Characteristic.
"Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella, welcome the guests!" Qin Ming once again brought out the dusty treasure.
At the same time, he collected all the broken Treasure Mirror and threw them into the Torn Cloth Space, intending to destroy them later. Who knows if they recorded scenes that shouldn't exist?
The Myriad God Banner was clearly filled with intense emotions, billowing Black Mist and raging with uncontrollable fury, because it had been "tattooed" once again!
Qin Ming set off again, heading towards the fourth level.
After Li Heng shattered the three precious Treasure Mirror, he didn't have time to savor the experience. He quickly memorized the clues from the flowing light and set off, not wanting to fall behind and hoping to reach the destination ahead of time.
"Huh? How is that possible? How come Wishing Pool appeared in the fourth level?" Soon, Li Heng blinked his peach blossom eyes incessantly, revealing his astonishment.
Ahead, amidst the swirling Spiritual Qi, rising mists, and flowing Daoist rhythms, a hazy treasure pool, resembling the source of the Milky Way, appeared in the void.
Moreover, Li Heng discovered that several roads converged on this location.
At that moment, he could already see his rival on the distant road approaching the Wishing Pool, Lingering divine light.
"It's definitely someone with connections. They had experienced the Law Illumination Realm beforehand, which is why they were able to pass so quickly. Then they encountered the Wishing Pool Well. It was all arranged in advance."
Li Heng's heart sank. The other party seemed to have a very powerful backer, capable of rewriting the rules.
"Let's go for it! We're all connected, who's afraid of who!" Li Heng rushed forward, wanting to be the first to enter the Wishing Pool.
"A competitor?" Qin Ming's expression changed, his mood turned heavy. He had taken the easier path and was already feeling the pressure. Even if the path on the other side wasn't Hell difficult, it probably wasn't far off either, and it was definitely more difficult than his current path.
Qin Ming felt that he had most likely encountered a formidable opponent.
"The Wishing Pool cannot be lost. It is mine to begin with, and I will never back down!" Qin Ming whispered.
"As expected, you can't even pretend anymore. You already decided on it beforehand, right?!" Li Heng was indignant. Although they were both people with connections, he thought the other party had gone too far. To say such things in public was utterly shameless.
He would naturally "argue his case" and would never back down. If the situation got out of control, he would at the last minute ask His Highness to Your Highness in and uphold justice for him!
"It belongs to me!" In an instant, Qin Ming's entire body shone brightly, the Heavenly Light, his consciousness, and his Divine Wisdom merging together, bursting forth with a terrifying light that pierced through the night. His fighting spirit was high, and he used his most powerful strength to prepare to fight this unprecedented enemy.