[ The Trial Ladder of Heavenly Dao has been detected, consisting of nine levels: Level 1: Trial of Strength, Level 2: Trial of Speed, Level 3: Trial of Heart... Level 9: Trial of Dao.]
[Completing the trial will reward you with Fragment of Heavenly Dao Origin, allowing you to break through to the mid-stage of the sixth level of the Ancient God Bloodline.]
" Trial of Strength? Trial of Speed?"
Luo Chuan narrowed his eyes slightly, a smile curving his lips. This was like a level in a game, just what he wanted.
"Fellow Daoist, shall we ascend the ladder together?"
Mu Bingmei looked at Luo Chuan beside her and asked curiously.
Her clone, Liu Mei, was once Luo Chuan's chief disciple. She knew Luo Chuan's strength well and naturally hoped to travel with him and support each other.
"No need. You two can wait below. I alone am sufficient for this Ladder of Heavenly Dao."
Before he could finish speaking, Luo Chuan ignored Mu Bingmei and the others. He flashed like a black lightning bolt and leaped straight toward the first level of the Ladder of Heavenly Dao.
He moved incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, he stepped onto the first step.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a vast and boundless power, like Ancient God, suddenly surged out from the steps and crushed towards Luo Chuan.
This force was not a simple physical impact, but rather contained the primordial pressure of the Heavenly Dao, as if it wanted to crush Luo Chuan's body and make him submit to the Heavenly Dao.
"Snort!"
Luo Chuan let out a cold snort, and the Ancient God bloodline within his body was activated at full power.
The primal power of the Six-Star Ancient God flowed through his meridians like a surging river. His feet were firmly rooted to the ground, and no matter how the power crushed him, his body remained completely still.
[The pressure of the Heavenly Dao has been detected. The Ancient God Bloodline is automatically activated, granting immunity to 90% of the pressure damage.]
The system notification sounded in his mind, but Luo Chuan remained calm. He slightly raised his head, stared at the end of the stairs, and slowly stepped forward, heading towards the second set of stairs.
The first Trial of Strength was nothing more than walking on flat ground for him.
Mu Bingmei and Lv Yundao, who were standing below, suddenly contracted their pupils upon seeing this scene.
"This... how is this possible?" Lv Yundao exclaimed in shock. "The pressure of the first level of power would require even a cultivator in the late stage of the Sunie Realm realm to withstand with all their might, yet he did it so easily?"
A strange light flickered in Mu Bingmei's beautiful eyes. She knew Luo Chuan was strong, but she hadn't expected him to be this strong.
In Liu Mei's memory, Luo Chuan was only at the Nascent Soul Realm stage when he was on Vermilion Bird Planet. In just a thousand years, he has grown to such a terrifying level.
"There must be a great secret hidden within him."
Mu Bingmei murmured to herself, her curiosity about Luo Chuan deepening, and she became even more curious about how he had cultivated to his current level.
Luo Chuan had already stepped onto the second step. As soon as he landed, the surrounding space suddenly distorted, and an extreme speed law enveloped his body.
At that moment, he only felt a blur before his eyes as countless afterimages rushed towards him, so fast that he couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion.
This is the Trial of Speed, testing a cultivator's speed and reaction ability.
Luo Chuan's lips curled up slightly. His Ancient God bloodline inherently contained extreme speed. Moreover, with the system at his disposal, his own strength had already reached its peak.
Luo Chuan's figure flickered, and he moved like a ghost among countless afterimages.
Those afterimages seemed fierce, yet they couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes. Although Luo Chuan's steps were not fast, each step precisely landed in the gaps between the afterimages, as if he were strolling leisurely.
In just a few breaths, Luo Chuan stepped onto the third step.
The third trial Trial of Heart.
As soon as Luo Chuan stepped onto the stairs, the scene before him suddenly changed. It was no longer the cold Ladder of Heavenly Dao, but the familiar Hengyue Sect.
Green hills and clear waters, birdsong and fragrant flowers, the sounds of children playing and disciples chanting scriptures—everything was exactly the same as the illusion he had just shattered.
On a blue stone platform not far away, Yuqing True Person sat cross-legged, holding a scroll of Daoist scripture in his hand, and softly reciting it.
With a gentle smile on his face, Yuqing True Person saw Luo Chuan approaching, put down his Daoist scripture, and slowly stood up.
" Luo Chuan, you're back?"
Luo Chuan paused slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. This was not an illusion, but Trial of Heart.
The most tender and cherished memories in a cultivator's heart are transformed into inner demons to test the cultivator's Dao heart.
"Senior brother."
Yuqing True Person's care, like that of an elder brother, brought a touch of warmth to his heart, which was shrouded in hatred and duty.
"Since you're back, stay here." Yuqing True Person stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and smiled, "The outside world is too dangerous. The treasures of the Qinglin Immortal Mansion are just external possessions. I will also help you take care of that child, Liu Mei."
"Here, you can cultivate in peace and no longer be troubled by worldly affairs."
Looking into the gentle eyes of Yuqing True Person, Luo Chuan Chuan's Dao heart trembled slightly.
Yes, it would be so good to stay.
There was no strife, no hatred, no mission, only peace and warmth.
However, Luo Chuan quickly realized what was happening, and the confusion in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling coldness.
You are not him.
Upon hearing Luo Chuan's words, the Yuqing True Person's smile froze, his body began to contort, and his eyes revealed endless ferocity.
"I am him, I am the Yuqing True Person you've been waiting for!" the twisted figure roared, crazed, "Stay here, this is the life you want!"
"The life I want?"
"What I want is for Xue'er to be safe and sound, for revenge for my fallen comrades, and for those who betrayed me to pay for their crimes in blood!"
"This peace is nothing but a mirage, a fleeting illusion. I, Luo Chuan, disdain it!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Ancient God's origin within Luo Chuan suddenly erupted, and his nine-colored divine sense shot out, appearing in front of Yuqing True Person in an instant.
"Boom!"
Almost the instant they touched, the figure impersonating Yuqing True Person let out a shrill scream and vanished like a bubble.
The surrounding Hengyue Sect scenery shattered, transforming back into the cold Ladder of Heavenly Dao.
Luo Chuan took a deep breath, his Dao heart instantly becoming more resolute than ever before. He then lifted his foot and walked towards the fourth step.
The fourth level, the Trial of Techniques, tests a cultivator's mastery of magic. The fifth level, the Trial of Weapons, tests a cultivator's weapon-making ability. The sixth level, the Trial of Elixir, tests a cultivator's elixir-making skills.
The seventh level is the trial of formations, testing the cultivator's mastery of formations.
These four trials were equally easy for Luo Chuan. In less than half an hour, Luo Chuan passed all four trials and stepped onto the eighth step.
Mu Bingmei and Lv Yundao below were already dumbfounded.
Lv Yundao opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time. Clearly, he had never seen anyone pass through the first seven levels of the Ladder of Heavenly Dao so easily.