Before Zhao Xing could react, he unknowingly entered an illusion.
"Master..."
The beauty in the bathing tub pressed herself against him, making him forget everything. His eyes held only this peerless beauty—delicate, alluring, and his for the taking—as wild, primal desire took control.
Only when his strength was completely spent did he fall into a deep sleep on the bed with the beauty's support.
When Zhao Xing woke again, the ink on the Yellow Paper on his forehead had already dried, and it had drifted aside.
The Guiding Talisman on his abdomen had been soaked through with sweat.
"Mmm, what a comfortable dream..."
Zhao Xing clutched his head and sat up. He remained still for a long while before realizing what had happened.
"What? I failed?"
"!!"
Yet the lingering aftertaste of the dream remained, and several record notifications still sat on the panel:
You entered the secret realm 'Great Dream Academy' You entered the 'Heart Questioning Platform' trial. Heart questioning failed. You gained nothing from this trial.
Zhao Xing closed the panel and muttered, "It must be because this body is too young, at an age brimming with energy. Or perhaps the old version of the Heart Questioning Platform is simply too powerful... That's why I entered a treasure mountain and came away empty-handed."
"No matter. I'll fight again next time and take it down in one go!"
After consoling himself, Zhao Xing saw that dawn was breaking. He immediately dressed and went out, beginning the day's labor and cultivation.
The second night.
Great Dream Academy.
"Mmm, what a comfortable dream... Huh? I failed again?"
The third night.
Great Dream Academy.
"What overwhelming power. It actually makes people fall into it without realizing it. I'll definitely pass next time!"
This cycle continued for half a month, with Zhao Xing constantly stuck at the Heart Questioning Trial.
Even Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong found it strange.
"Why has Brother looked so listless lately?"
"Could he have secretly gone out to have fun behind our backs?"
"Ziyu, how can you think that of Brother? He must have been training day and night, which is why he looks so tired."
"...Stop talking."
Zhao Xing felt rather melancholy. The old version of the Heart Questioning Platform was simply too powerful, and with this young body at the height of its desires, he found it difficult to pass for a time.
After reflecting deeply, Zhao Xing reexamined his heart.
The Great Dream Academy was a supreme treasure used by the Great Li Dynasty to test elites. Without putting some thought into it, passing the old version of the Heart Questioning Platform truly would not be easy.
He began throwing himself wholeheartedly into cultivation. Every day, he banished all distracting thoughts. Other than eating and sleeping, he practiced spells and cultivated Origin Gathering.
He used insane self-discipline to strengthen his resolve. Sometimes, he even disciplined himself during meals.
He would deliberately place a bowl of delicious food before himself when he was starving, yet force himself not to take a bite until he had endured for the prescribed amount of time.
He was not trying to eliminate desire, but to make his body achieve one goal: delaying gratification.
Finally, one night.
Great Dream Academy, Heart Questioning Platform.
"Master..."
The woman beside the bathing tub turned around.
Her posture was incomparably seductive as she nestled into Zhao Xing's arms.
But Zhao Xing did not move in the slightest.
"Master~ Was the floral medicinal bath this servant prepared comfortable?" the beauty whispered in his ear, her voice like a murmur.
This time, Zhao Xing remained clear-headed. Recalling his previous failures, he sincerely praised her. "It was indeed comfortable."
"Then why is Master unmoved? Did this servant fail to do something well enough?" The beauty raised her head, her eyes glistening as she looked pitifully delicate.
"I still have desires." Zhao Xing shrugged, then pushed the woman away. "It's just that my ambitions are lofty."
"If I'm going to play, I'll play with the best. The lust in this trial doesn't count as the best."
The illusion shattered amid the beauty's stunned expression.
Next, Zhao Xing climbed ten steps in one breath.
All kinds of beauties appeared before him, using every means possible to tempt him.
Yet Zhao Xing quickly broke free from them all. After tempering himself through self-discipline, he had finally regained the feeling of being a high-level player clearing the Heart Questioning Trial in his previous life. He was no longer affected by this life's body.
A false illusion was fine for a little taste. How could he truly become addicted to it?
"Student Zhao Xing has successfully passed the Lust Trial's heart questioning."
"With initial Origin Gathering cultivation, you have passed the first Heart Questioning Trial. Your Dao heart is steadfast. Reward: 'Dao Embryo Pill.'"
A voice sounded beside his ear, and Zhao Xing saw an ancient box floating amid the clouds and mist.
"A Dao Embryo Pill? The first trial actually rewards such a treasure?"
Zhao Xing's calm expression instantly cracked the moment he heard the reward.
He was so affected that he did not even attempt the eleventh step, instead waking himself up directly.
Zhao Xing jolted upright and immediately looked down.
He saw that his left hand was holding an ancient box, exactly like the one in the dream.
"The Dao Embryo Pill—before the revival version, it was the absolute finest cleansing pill one could obtain! None compared!" Zhao Xing was ecstatic.
He had not even eaten one in his previous life. Making one himself was too expensive. Buying one from others was also impossible—too expensive!
By the time he could afford one and obtain one, he no longer needed it.
"Is this real?"
Zhao Xing still scarcely dared believe it. Thinking he might still be dreaming, he hurriedly rubbed his eyes. Only after checking the panel records did he confirm it.
You entered the secret realm 'Great Dream Academy' You entered the 'Heart Questioning Platform' trial. Heart questioning succeeded. You obtained 'Dao Embryo Pill' from this trial. Dao Embryo Pill: A royal treasure of the ancient Great Li Dynasty. It can help one undergo rebirth and reconstruct one's Dao foundation.
"The Heart Questioning Platform actually rewards such an outrageous treasure?"
Zhao Xing quickly deduced a reason. "Is it because my realm is so low, yet I passed ten Heart Questioning steps, causing the reward tier to increase dramatically?"
The Great Dream Academy's assessments did not have entirely fixed rewards. They were judged according to individual performance.
For Zhao Xing to pass ten Heart Questioning steps at the Origin Gathering realm—the Li Dynasty cultivation system—was extraordinarily rare. This had nothing to do with the time spent. Even if someone at second order Origin Gathering took a hundred years to pass, it would still be impressive. That was why the Heart Questioning Platform had given such a generous reward.
"I'm eating it!"
Zhao Xing impatiently opened the box and swallowed the pale red pill inside in one gulp.
An extremely fierce heat instantly coursed through his entire body, making Zhao Xing's body tremble involuntarily.
But the next second, the sensation abruptly vanished.
The abnormality came quickly and went just as quickly.
That was the Dao Embryo Pill's wonder. Aside from that initial reaction, it caused its user no discomfort and did not directly raise one's realm. Instead, it gradually and imperceptibly transformed one's foundation.
Still, the Dao Embryo Pill's changes to Zhao Xing were considerable!
It was clear from the panel.
Name: Zhao Xing Realm: Unranked Luck: Yan Two Spells: Basic Cultivation (Max Level) Flourishing Growth: Beginner (201/9999) Cloudcalling: Beginner (352/9999) Origin Gathering: Second order (142/1000) Undergoing rebirth, reconstructing Dao foundation: Special status (in progress). This status cannot be detected by anyone below First Rank.
"There's an additional special status. As expected of the strongest cleansing treasure."
"Origin Gathering went from 71 points at First Order to 142 points at second order, directly doubling. It can't be helped—even if it only showed a tiny fraction of its effect at the start, that was enough to provide a massive increase at my current stage. Fortunately, such an increase isn't too noticeable at the lower stages."
"Wait, why did my luck level also become Yan Two? I've never heard that taking a Dao Embryo Pill could increase one's luck level."
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