As more and more cultivators reached their limits and fell along the path to the Dao,
the mountain road was no longer filled with the easy cheer and lively conversation of before. Most wore grave expressions, afraid they would suffer the same fate as those who had fallen.
Only those at the very front—Burning Lamp Daoist, Guangchengzi, Golden Spirit Holy Mother, and the others—still strolled along with ease.
After all the Acquired Beings had been eliminated, even some cultivators with inferior Innate Roots began to feel a faint pressure.
Clearly, the earlier selection had only been the first round.
Over the next half month, most of the cultivators with inferior Innate Roots were eliminated one after another.
Seeing the number of people around him dwindle, Li Qingxu couldn't help growing uneasy.
His Five Elements Root was only at the level of a mid-tier Innate Being.
If the selection continued like this, he feared he would struggle to become a disciple of a Saint.
Fortunately, after climbing for some time, he had reached the halfway point up Kunlun Mountain.
Clouds swirled and churned like a milky-white ocean, partly obscuring the mountain and its paths.
Rainbow bridges stretched across the sky, appearing and disappearing amid the sea of clouds. Their brilliant yet gentle light lent the scene an even more ethereal, heavenly air.
At first, Li Qingxu paid little attention to the clouds, taking them for a natural wonder of Kunlun Mountain, a place blessed with spiritual splendor.
But the moment he stepped into them, everything around him suddenly fell silent. The cultivators who had been nearby vanished without a trace.
Li Qingxu immediately went on high alert and cautiously sent out his Spiritual Sense to probe his surroundings.
But as soon as his Spiritual Sense entered the clouds, it was swallowed up by the seemingly ordinary sea of mist, like a stone sinking into the ocean.
"It seems there must be another trial hidden in these clouds, set up by a Saint."
Li Qingxu murmured to himself. Divine power surged within him as he prepared to unleash True Sun Fire at a moment's notice, should danger suddenly strike.
He carefully made his way along the mountain path, shrouded in thick fog, but nothing out of the ordinary happened.
It was as though the white mist had formed naturally, rather than being a trial laid out by a Saint.
Just as the taut string of his nerves, pulled tight for days, began to slacken, an intense flood of emotion crashed into his mind like a raging tide.
The faint resentment he had felt over his ordinary, unremarkable life in his previous existence; the deep fear of barely surviving after first arriving in the Prehistoric World; his helpless fury at seeing the Human Race reduced to prey; the heavy responsibility of bearing the hopes of the Taihao Tribe...
One thought after another poured in, clashing violently in his mind as they tried to destroy his will and shake his Dao Heart.
Li Qingxu knew this had to be the second trial the Saint had set for his Dao Heart.
Yet under the onslaught of these thoughts, he neither lost control of himself nor fell into confusion.
It was precisely because he had achieved nothing in his previous life that he had resolved to make his mark in this dazzling Prehistoric World, where countless races stood side by side.
It was precisely because he had witnessed the Human Race reduced to prey, and felt such fury and helplessness, that he had become determined to grow truly powerful and secure a place for the Human Race in this world.
"My Dao seeks transcendence, freedom, and the infinite possibilities of the future."
"My Dao also seeks to protect, to shoulder responsibility, and to let my Human Race stand tall in this Primordial Heaven and Earth."
"All that came before has become my foundation. The vast unknown of the future lies ahead, and my heart is the guiding light."
"Fear, stray thoughts, desire, responsibility... They are all scenery along my Dao Path. I can observe them and learn from them, but I must not linger, and I must not let them lead me astray."
In this silent yet fierce battle within himself, Li Qingxu's gaze did not grow lost or unfocused. Instead, it grew brighter, clearer, and more resolute.
The surging tide of emotion was the finest whetstone, tempering his heart in pursuit of the Dao until it became purer, stronger, and more unbreakable.
When Li Qingxu understood what he sought and steadied his Dao Heart, the mist before him vanished in an instant, and everything around him came into clear view once more.
But along the stretch of mountain path he could see, he stood alone.
"It seems most of the cultivators with decent roots were eliminated at this test of the heart."
Li Qingxu murmured.
Events proved that his guess was right.
War raging across the land, tangled love and hatred, the loneliness of seeking the Dao, struggles for power...
Every facet of life, every desire of the heart, appeared in the trial like fleeting reflections on water.
Even the slightest wavering in a cultivator's convictions allowed these thoughts to spread and multiply like maggots burrowing into bone, utterly destroying their Dao Heart.
Those who passed this trial were fewer than one in a hundred.
At the Peak of Kunlun Mountain,
Taiqing Laozi, Primordial Heavenly Venerate, and Tongtian Cult Master stood shoulder to shoulder. To them, every blade of grass and every tree on Kunlun Mountain was as clear as lines on the palm of their hand.
"Those who have come this far and still walk with such composure have outstanding roots, insight, and Dao Hearts. They are worthy of cultivation."
Primordial Heavenly Venerate slowly swept his gaze over the handful of figures at the front—Guangchengzi, Jade Cauldron True Man, Antarctic Immortal Elder, and, a little farther away, Duobao, Jin Ling, Wudang, Guiling, and the others. A hint of satisfaction appeared on his face.
He valued roots and order, and preferred to have no disciples rather than accept unworthy ones. Seeing such promising talent naturally pleased him.
"Mm." Tongtian Cult Master gave a slight nod of agreement.
He believed in teaching without discrimination and was willing to carve out a chance of survival for all beings. But that didn't mean he couldn't tell the good from the bad.
Those who had passed one natural trial after another to reach this point were all uncut gems, blessed with fine character and talent. They were perfect candidates to inherit his Dao of Severing Heaven and help his great sect flourish.
"That boy who took form from a breeze, and the girl who took form from three clouds, have faintly linked auras. They travel together and advance side by side. How interesting."
Tongtian Cult Master had noticed Zhao Gongming and the Three Xiao sisters, who stood in the second group.
"These four have pure roots, and, more importantly, steady Dao Hearts. Given time and a little refinement, they may well become worthy of cultivation."
After commenting on Zhao Gongming and the Three Xiao sisters, Primordial Heavenly Venerate's gaze suddenly settled on a somewhat solitary figure farther down the mountain.
"Oh?"
A trace of surprise, so slight it was almost imperceptible, crossed his usually placid eyes. "A member of the Human Race has made it this far?"
At his words, Taiqing Laozi and Tongtian Cult Master immediately turned their attention to Li Qingxu, who was walking steadily up the mountain path alone.
With the power of a Saint, a single glance revealed the true nature of all things.
Li Qingxu's Innate Five Elements Root and mid-stage Earth Immortal cultivation instantly came into view.
"He must have encountered a fortuitous opportunity. Not only have his roots transformed, reaching the level of a mid-tier Innate Being, but his cultivation has also broken through to the mid-stage Earth Immortal realm. He is rather extraordinary."
Tongtian Cult Master remarked, somewhat surprised by Li Qingxu, though he didn't think too much of him.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate, however, turned to Taiqing Laozi beside him.
"Elder Brother, he is of the Human Race, yet he has stood out in this trial. It seems his character and roots are not lacking."
"You established the Human Sect and command the Human Race's Luck. Perhaps this person is fated to join you. Will you take him as a disciple?"
Before you continue