Fearless and Unregretful, Evil and Selfish Alone

The Heart Fire the soul flickered, emitting a glimmer of light. Within it was a hint of scarlet blood, which now rapidly expanded!

Countless memories flashed through Qiu Yan's mind like a revolving lantern, with fragments of memories emerging one after another.

At first, it was just a few thoughts that Qiu Yan had after leaving the mountain temple, and the many things he had experienced...

Subsequently, scenes depicting his impoverished past and his diligent studies were also revealed...

Then, his ordinary life on Earth in his previous life was also revealed...

Past and present lives, ordinary yet extraordinary, events and people flash by rapidly, intertwining with Qiu Yan's thoughts and unleashing emotional fluctuations.

Attachment, longing, yearning...

A mix of emotions welled up inside me, gradually giving rise to a feeling of reluctance to let go, and a vague sense of regret and confusion began to emerge.

These feelings, like invisible ropes, were wrapped around Qiu Yan's heart, pulling him toward the unknown.

Deep within Qiu Yan's heart, his own figure vaguely appeared, below which lay an ocean of yellowed memories, and he was constantly falling downwards.

Just then!

A sword of Wisdom Sword, formed from concentrated will, flew swiftly and swung within the soul!

This sword gleamed with a cold light and looked no different from a real sword. In fact, it was a visualization, but it contained not principles or scriptures, but a spirit of perseverance!

With a sweep of his Wisdom Sword, he revealed an indomitable courage. Wherever the blade passed, the sorrow, memories, and illusions that permeated the soul shattered instantly.

Crackling! Crackling! Crackling!

The determination with which he swung the sword disregarded even the soul's ability to withstand the blow. As the sword flashed, the soul was also damaged, crackling and popping. Yet, the red dot within the soul grew ever more vibrant!

The figure in his heart trembled, then he took a step forward.

One step, two steps, three steps...

The invisible ropes binding him tightened continuously until they finally collapsed, and the yellowed memories sank into the depths of his heart, as if he were asleep.

Outside, Qiu Yan's soul body collapsed instantly, and the crimson within his Heart Fire expanded rapidly, spreading to every corner of his disintegrating soul. It then guided the reconstruction of his soul body, only this time, the soul itself was tinged with red.

As Qiu Yan's soul reassembled and crimson blood gradually appeared, the old man's face revealed a hint of shock mixed with a touch of bitterness.

In no time, Qiu Yan's soul stabilized again. He regained his human form, revealing his clothes to conceal his pale red soul. An invisible wave rippled from his soul, affecting the surroundings, and Literary Thought, who had gathered in the room, immediately retreated like a tide.

Immediately afterwards, he raised his head, looked forward, and bowed to the old man. "Thank you for your guidance, sir. The principle that 'nothing exists outside the mind, nothing happens outside the mind' has been extremely enlightening for me. This is a saying about self-cultivation. Everything always begins with the heart, then knowledge is established, and finally, through one's words and deeds, one influences those around them, ultimately impacting all directions and spreading throughout the world."

Memories flashed through his mind again, his Daoheart Fist Intent flowed, and insights emerged. He took a deep breath and continued, "However, in my opinion, the principle of inner and outer is not about confusing truth and falsehood, but about grasping the present moment. Only by acting according to one's true heart at all times will one not regret it when looking back."

The old man had composed himself by this time. Hearing this, he nodded and said calmly, "I didn't expect you to have such comprehension. However, I see that you still have many attachments, which has caused your mind to fluctuate and your soul to change. You might as well rest here for now, and try to pass the test again after your emotions have calmed down and you have cleared your mind of distractions."

The old man could not see Qiu Yan's memories, but he could glean some insights from the emotional fluctuations, hence this saying.

Then he added, "Before venturing into unknown dangers, it's inevitable that one's beliefs will waver and one will feel nostalgic. There's no need to be ashamed of this, as long as one doesn't become addicted to it, it won't have any impact. However, your mind is currently in turmoil. If you try to Literary Path Creation and your consciousness is not destroyed, your soul may merge with that of the Scholar Forest. Although you will have consciousness, you will be no different from an inanimate object."

Upon hearing these words, a glint of light flashed in Qiu Yan's eyes, then he shook his head and said, "Life is a cycle of ups and downs, and past memories are not distractions. My mind is made up."

After the change in his State of Mind just now, Qiu Yan felt as if he had undergone a baptism, and his soul had been transformed. He had originally chosen to challenge the level only to gather information, but now he genuinely wanted to explore it.

"Are you really sure? You won't regret it?" the old man asked again.

Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, not answering, but simply nodding.

Suddenly, the room fell silent, and the atmosphere gradually became heavy.

After a long pause, the old man suddenly shook his head and chuckled, "Indeed, that's how it is. How could someone who has made it this far be afraid and stop in their tracks because of a few hardships and dangers? Besides, Qiu Yan, you are also Literary Path Creation. You must have something to ask for and something to plan in Scholar Forest. You won't be intimidated by my words."

As Qiu Yan pondered the meaning of the old man's words, the man let out a long sigh and then uttered something that surprised Qiu Yan—

"You've passed the first hurdle!"

"Huh?" Qiu Yan was taken aback upon hearing this, and even the thoughts in his mind suddenly stopped. However, he returned to normal in the next instant, which showed just how surprised he was by the old man's words.

"An accident?" The old man smiled slightly. "Actually, the first of these Three Passes trials tests whether one has the courage to face the unknown and whether one dares to take that step."

"A test of courage? Is this one of the Three Passes?" Qiu Yan's heart stirred, and he made up his mind. "The old gentleman's words just now, and his manipulation of Wen Literary Thought to influence my State of Mind, were all to deepen my fear of the unknown?"

"Not bad." The old man nodded, a look of appreciation and satisfaction on his face. "When faced with the unknown, ordinary people often hesitate and look back. But how can one achieve anything if one is indecisive? Only those with great wisdom and courage can quickly settle their minds, resist their instinctive fear of the unknown, make a decision, and remain steadfast in their resolve."

Looking at the old man's face, Qiu Yan pondered for a moment, then asked, "So, old sir, your descriptions of the perilous Three Passes are all fabrications? Or exaggerated?"

"I did not fabricate or exaggerate. As I have already said, passing through the Three Passes is extremely difficult. A careless decision can lead to failure. Just now, if you had even the slightest thought of retreating, you would have failed the first trial."

Upon hearing this, even Qiu Yan, with his resolute will, couldn't help but feel a chill. He snapped his fingers, "So, after I stepped into this room, I had already begun the trial. The old man used fear to stimulate my State of Mind and suggested that I go back to calm my nerves. If I agreed, it would mean failure, and my soul would be shattered and my will merged by Scholar Forest?"

"Not bad." The old man's face still held a smile, revealing appreciation. Even his tone of voice remained unchanged, giving off a kind and peaceful feeling. However, his words sent a chill down Qiu Yan's spine. "This is precisely the matter of life and death, success and failure, all in a single thought."

With a sudden thought, Qiu Yan frowned.

"This was utterly unpredictable, and this old man was no pushover either. He was far more terrifying than Zhao You. Zhao You's ruthlessness and jealousy were written all over his face, while this old man appeared kind and amiable, yet his actions and words were ruthless and merciless. In a short time, I practically circled the Soul Annihilation Gate..."

Qiu Yan knew he couldn't withstand the combined power of the Scholar Forest. Just as he was pondering this, the old man said again, "The first test is over, so it's time to begin the second. The first test tested your courage, while the second will test your determination."

At this point, his voice turned low, giving off a solemn and mysterious feeling. "The second challenge requires you to break through the limitations here and return to the Yang Side of the Scholar Forest. Yin and Yang are called the Dao. It is said that Scholar Forest is a manifestation of the Dao, and it also has Yin-Yang. The place where you and I are now is the Yin Side of the Scholar Forest."

"I don't yet know this old man's true strength or weakness, so it's not the time to turn against him..."

Qiu Yan composed himself and asked, "So, the area with the Book Mountain, the Doubt Frost, and the Historical River is the Light Side?"

The old man nodded, then said, "However, one person's soul alone is not enough to break through the limitations; some external force is also needed." As he spoke, he turned to look outside.

"External force?" Qiu Yan followed the other person's gaze, only to see a bamboo forest outside the window. Then, a jolt ran through him. "The external force you're referring to, could it be...?"

The old man smiled and said, "With one person's soul, it's difficult to break through the barrier between Yin-Yang, but gathering the souls of many is a different story. In the first trial, you used your Wisdom Sword to sever your sorrows, but in this second trial, you need to wield your sword to slay external souls! There are many Confucian scholars outside. By destroying their consciousness and merging their souls into your own, you can inherit their knowledge. They have been lingering for hundreds of years, and under my tutelage, many have condensed their Literary Heart. Even if they haven't, they are very close, which will be of great help to you."

These words intensified the chill in Qiu Yan's heart, and the old man's kind expression appeared particularly ferocious in his eyes.

To sever the souls of others is to prove one's heart!

"What? Have you taken pity on them?" The old man shook his head. "That's not good. You might fail the test because of it and suffer a terrible fate. You're only hurting yourself because you're soft-hearted towards others, and they won't even know. Even if they did, they wouldn't appreciate it; they'd just be glad you failed. You've had contact with Zhao You, so you should know that what I'm saying is true. Human nature is inherently evil and selfish."

Qiu Yan's thoughts were stirred. He turned to look at the door, his mind racing.

"Slaying Human Soul? Isn't that Evil Dao? No, wait a minute. If the Three Passes are so treacherous, and I don't know their specifics, how can I be sure I've passed them? How can I be sure what I'm saying isn't a lie? Besides, have I really started the trials?"

Thinking of this, Qiu Yan suddenly realized that his State of Mind was in turmoil, and what caused the turmoil was the old man's series of words.

"Reality and illusion, truth and falsehood..."

Looking at the old man again, Qiu Yan had a Spiritual Light and said, "These scholars have been trapped for a hundred years. If I were to sever their souls, I would surely incur Karmic Sin. Even if I were to fail to pass the trial because of this, I would not do it."

"Oh?" The old man gave a soft "hmm," showing no surprise.

At this moment, Qiu Yan suddenly stood up and walked towards the old man, asking, "There's something I don't understand. Is there anything wrong with your eyes?"