Three Things Followed Him into the Mortal World

The person who appeared before Qiu Yan was none other than Chen Jing, who had entered the forest with him!

"This is the second of the Three Passes. How could Chen Jing be here? Could it be an illusion?"

Qiu Yan and Chen Jing parted ways outside the Book Mountain. In Qiu Yan's memory, the other party was on the suspended boat. After the yellow sand dispersed, when the scholars entered the cave, there was no trace of Chen Jing among them.

Moreover, even if Chen Jing entered the cave, how could he possibly be here? This is the Yin Side of the Scholar Forest!

Questions raced through Qiu Yan's mind. He was initially surprised, but quickly suppressed his surprise as his thoughts raced.

"Speaking of which, Chen Jing has never mentioned the extent of his Literary Dao achievements. Even if he wasn't popular, he must have had some ability to be chosen by Zhen Zhizuo, otherwise he wouldn't have caught Zhen Zhizuo's eye at all."

"Furthermore, Chen Jing has always acted mysteriously, hiding many secrets and not revealing his purpose for entering the forest. Moreover, the Chen Household behind him seems to be extraordinary. Judging from his previous tone, they should be a prominent Aristocratic Clan in Prosperity Capital, and probably have a place in the entire circle of powerful and influential people in Great Rui."

"Whether he is friend or foe is uncertain."

Chen Jing seemed to have guessed Qiu Yan's thoughts. He walked over and said with a smile, "Brother Qiu, there's no need to overthink it. I've only come here to see for myself. The reason I got here is the same as when I entered the forest—I used a trick. I don't actually have the ability to pass the test."

Chen Jing had a smile on his face, giving people a sense of approachability. However, having just experienced the baptism of a "kind elder," Qiu Yan was not affected by this smile at all.

Suppressing his doubts, Qiu Yan's mind raced, and his various experiences since entering the forest flashed through his mind. He asked directly, "Brother Chen, is your purpose perhaps related to the resurrected deity?"

"Resurrecting a god?" Chen Jing shook his head upon hearing this. "What kind of resurrection is that? But since Brother Qiu has asked, it's not good to hide it..." He changed the subject. "However, my visit here is indeed related to that God of the Past. It's a matter of great importance, and it's inconvenient to tell you, Brother Qiu. But since we've traveled together and met again here, our fate is not shallow. I might as well give you a heads-up."

"I'd like to hear the details," Qiu Yan, snapping his fingers.

"The Great Rui Dynasty has passed its zenith. In recent years, it has suffered more defeats than victories in its several clashes with the Hu people, leading to the depletion of the national treasury. This is why His Majesty initiated the reforms. However, such reforms are bound to cause turmoil, and these are somewhat related to the Divine Path," Chen Jing said, a glint of light flashing in his eyes as he looked at Qiu Yan. "I know Brother Qiu is resolute and acts with method, but it would be best if you maintained your distance from both the New Party and the Old Party in the future, lest you be caught in the crossfire."

"The New Party, the Old Party?" Qiu Yan pondered, then said aloud, "The matter of reform is too far removed from my understanding. But judging from Brother Chen's words, could it be that the Divine Path intends to harm Chancellor Ma, Chancellor Wang, and others? There's a difference between gods and men..."

Before Qiu Yan could ask further, Chen Jing waved his hand and said, "I'm just giving Brother Qiu a heads-up. I can't say much about the specifics, and besides, my knowledge is limited. We are all mortals, not gods. We can only think about and guess about matters of the Divine Path; we can hardly know the true secrets."

"Could a mortal with limited knowledge arrive here silently? How much of Chen Jing's words are true, and how much are false..."

As Qiu Yan pondered this, a fragment of memory suddenly flashed through his mind: a person he had once met in the Land of the Divine Remains, the former Dong Grand Preceptor.

"That former Grand Tutor, after talking with Yin Xiao'e, vaguely revealed some information. It seems that the fall of the former dynasty was related to the Divine Path. He also said something similar after hearing about the Great Rui Reform..." Qiu Yan did not press Chen Jing for details, knowing that the other party would not reveal any more information.

At this moment, Chen Jing laughed again, "Alright, my ramblings have wasted a lot of Brother Qiu's time. This is the gap between the first and second levels. If you go any further, you'll reach the second level. Bai Zhaoyuan arrived here before Brother Qiu, and he has already passed through."

"Bai Zhaoyuan?" Upon hearing this name, Qiu Yan looked around, then thought of something, "He's here too? Where did he come from?"

Chen Jing was not surprised and frankly said, "In the Yin Side of the Scholar Forest, there are a total of eighty-one small worlds. Anyone who comes to the Dark Side will go to different places according to their Literary Heart. The first of the Three-Gate Trial is actually breaking through the small worlds to come here. However, the specific content of the first trial varies from person to person and is almost always different."

Chen Jing knew that Qiu Yan was not familiar with the historical anecdotes of the Scholar Forest, so he gave him a brief introduction.

"I see, eighty-one places..." Qiu Yan nodded. "So, Bai Zhaoyuan and Bei Xuan forgot about the other small worlds. You said Bai Zhaoyuan came, but what about Bei Xuan?"

"I don't know about that," Chen Jing shrugged. "I'm just staying temporarily and have no intention of trying to pass the test. I've heard that only those Literary Path Creation can reach the final level."

Qiu Yan hesitated for a moment, then asked no further questions. He then cupped his hands in farewell and strode away.

"Qiu Yan actually came here," Chen Jing sighed as he watched Qiu Yan's figure disappear into the darkness. "We originally intended to use him to enter the forest, but we didn't expect to run into the Sun Household's actions, which allowed Qiu Yan to seize the opportunity. He has now entered the second level and can at least obtain a scroll of Sage Spirit. If he can go to the Three Passes... that would be truly extraordinary!"

Chen Jing's expression turned complicated.

"It's all about timing and fate. Qiu Yan possesses Dao Arts, and once he subdues the creature in the Three Passes, the power he can unleash will far surpass that of Bai Zhaoyuan, a true meteoric rise! Even ordinary deities wouldn't be able to subdue him. However, subduing it won't be easy, especially since the second stage alone will take a considerable amount of time..."

As Chen Jing was thinking, several whooshing sounds suddenly came from behind him.

Upon hearing the sound, his expression changed slightly, and he turned his head to look, only to see three things.

A pen, a Paperweight, and a Jade Basin!

The three objects flashed by and disappeared into the darkness in the distance.

As the three items disappeared, Chen Jing's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty.

"This second challenge seems more direct than the first..."

At the same time, Qiu Yan, after passing through the darkness, found himself in a bustling city.

A constant stream of people flowed around him, with shouts coming from both sides. As Qiu Yan walked through it all, he was met with a barrage of disdainful looks. Many people covered their mouths and noses and made disgusted faces as they passed by him.

The reason was simple: Qiu Yan was dressed in rags, covered in mud, and emitting a foul stench.

"Go away! Where did this beggar come from!"

"Go away! Don't interfere with my business!"

"If you block my signboard and get it dirty, can you afford to pay for it?"

A series of rebukes followed, but Qiu Yan simply ignored them, as if coldly observing someone else's plight. Even so, an unexpected event soon occurred.

I'm starving!

"This illusion is far too real. I've been in spirit form since entering the forest, my Divine Soul is immortal. If I hold fast to my original intention and don't let distracting thoughts arise, I won't feel much. But this feeling of hunger is hard to dispel..."

Even without a physical body, as long as one experiences the sensation of the soul, that sensation is real and authentic.

After Qiu Yan smelled the delicious aroma wafting from the roadside shops, his hunger intensified, but he couldn't get close.

Misfortunes never come singly.

Before long, the sun set and the temperature grew colder and colder. Qiu Yan was only wearing a single layer of clothing. Ten layers of clothing were not as good as one layer of cotton, and his limbs were soon filled with a cold feeling.

"Well, this second trial is really strange. My soul has actually lost its ability to transform, just like a weak physical body."

The chill gradually seeped into his internal organs, and Qiu Yan's movements became increasingly sluggish. Hungry and exhausted, he had little strength left and could only find a corner to curl up in to keep warm and endure the hunger.

People walk by on the street from time to time, at most glancing at you, but no one says a word.

Suddenly, the door in the corner opened, and a shrewish woman walked out, wielding a rolling pin. She started hitting Qiu Yan, yelling, "I'll beat you to death, you beggar! Lounging around my doorstep, are you trying to ruin our fortune?!"

After Qiu Yan entered the second level, all his Divine Ability disappeared. His body was weak, so how could he let the rolling pin fall on him? He immediately dodged and, after taking a few blows, managed to escape. A few steps later, he fell at the end of an alley, his body covered in bruises, and he was in great pain.

After a while, Qiu Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "What a fine Three Passes! I told that old man that hunger makes one want to eat, cold makes one want to be warm, and fatigue makes one want to rest, and now, after such a short time, he wants to experience them for himself..."

Dragging his weary body, Qiu Yan sat up. He mentally reviewed his future encounters in the various illusions and quickly grasped the key points, forming a general idea.

"The second trial should also vary from person to person; one needs to gain some insight to break through the illusion and escape. However, I have no idea what method to use to break through it. It seems I'll have to live here for a while..."

Click!

As Qiu Yan was thinking, a shattering sound suddenly came from all around. Three cracks appeared out of thin air, and then three things fell down!

Upon seeing the three items, Qiu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted!

"The Spring and Autumn Brush, the Literary Ancestor Paperweight, and the Northern Abyss Jade Basin!"

As he was surprised, the Literary Ancestor Paperweight suddenly flew up and made a loud thud in mid-air, then remained motionless, as if it had hit an invisible wall and left its mark on it!

Then, visible ripples radiated out from the edge of the Paperweight, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Wherever they passed, all the scenery suddenly froze, standing still, as if time had stopped!

Immediately afterwards, the Northern Abyss Jade Basin landed beside Qiu Yan. The basin, which was originally empty, emitted the sound of flowing water, like a small stream. The Spring and Autumn Brush then came directly in front of Qiu Yan and hovered in mid-air.

Looking at the pen in front of him, Qiu Yan had a flash of Spiritual Light, and everything suddenly became clear!

"Although I don't know the thoughts or purposes of the people who came after these three things, they have been of great help right now!"

After saying this, Qiu Yan stood up, grabbed the Spring and Autumn Brush, dipped the tip into the Jade Basin, and then wrote a character in the air beside the Paperweight, where there was nothing at all.

Fan!

P. S.: Thanks to "Volcano1889" for the monthly pass! Thanks to "ZhiqiSifang" for the donation!