After this little interlude.
The people of the Returning Origin Holy Land continued deeper into Immortal Demon City.
Their lodgings lay there.
The lord of Immortal Demon City was named Bai Wenqin.
He was an elderly man with the bearing of an immortal, and he even possessed a trace of divine beast blood.
His ancestors had also produced a supreme powerhouse.
Unlike other members of the Demon Race, he was not so arrogant toward humans and could be counted among those relatively close to humanity.
During the ancient Human-Demon War, he had remained neutral, keeping Immortal Demon City from being swept into the flames of war.
"Brother Li, you must be tired from your journey. Please, take a seat!"
Bai Wenqin greeted the Returning Origin Holy Land's Supreme Elder.
The two were old acquaintances, and their relationship appeared quite close.
"Is this the Returning Origin Holy Land's Divine Son?"
"Truly a dragon and phoenix among men. I believe your future achievements will surely be unparalleled!"
Bai Wenqin also knew about the earlier battle in the city, and a measure of admiration now showed in his eyes.
"This junior, Su Changge, pays his respects to Senior Bai Wenqin."
Su Changge cupped his hands and returned the greeting.
Stroking his beard, Bai Wenqin smiled. "Excellent! With such talent, you remain neither arrogant nor impatient. The Heavenly Questioning Mirror will activate tomorrow. I certainly look forward to your performance!"
"The Heavenly Questioning Mirror?"
Su Changge knew something about it as well.
This object was said to have been passed down from the Immortal Realm. Mysterious and unfathomable, it could question one's true heart toward the Great Dao and even resonate with some of the Heavenly Dao's laws.
Anyone who gained the Heavenly Questioning Mirror's complete recognition could even obtain a legendary wisp of immortal qi, an opportunity for a complete transformation.
Before each opening of the Returning Ruins Secret Realm, Immortal Demon City would activate the Heaven Questioning Mirror to help the many prodigies better examine their true hearts toward the Great Dao.
That night, Su Changge and his companions stayed in the palace Bai Wenqin had prepared for them.
Deep into the quiet night, faint candlelight still flickered inside one palace.
Two indistinct figures were doing something.
After a long while, Su Changge slowly exhaled.
He withdrew the hands with which he had been channeling spiritual energy.
Yun Xinyan lay limp on the floor.
Her pretty face was flushed, and her small, cherry-like mouth kept panting heavily.
Her chest rose and fell ceaselessly, like a vast sea of surging waves.
Her gauzy white robes were already soaked with sweat.
The young woman's snow-white skin showed faintly through them, setting off her already graceful figure to its fullest.
Su Changge had been helping Yun Xinyan cultivate since the afternoon.
Not only had he spent a great pile of cultivation resources, but she had also absorbed every last drop of his spiritual energy!
"Can the Grand Yin Body really absorb that much?"
Su Changge felt a headache coming on. He possessed the Innate Saintly Body Dao Embryo bloodline, after all, yet every last drop of the spiritual energy he supplied had been absorbed!
"Divine Son, I..."
A soft, alluring voice sounded again.
Yun Xinyan's beautiful eyes were hazy, her snow-white shoulder had slipped into view, and her skin was like snow as she gently bit her lower lip.
The corners of her mouth revealed an expression of lingering desire for more.
Truly, each half-frown and half-smile dazzled like autumn waters, each pose and gesture intoxicated the spring mountains.
Su Changge shook his head. What did any of this have to do with anything?
Weren't we cultivating?
Why was the atmosphere so strange?
Early the next morning.
Hum!
The vast sky rumbled, and a strange aura of the Great Dao spread. Resplendent runes formed ceaselessly, enveloping all of Immortal Demon City.
Countless clouds surged across the heavens.
An ancient mirror, like the starry sky, hovered high in the heavens, shining brilliantly.
Like a reflecting jade-green lake, it captured everything in the world within it.
"That mirror is... Immortal Demon City's inherited secret treasure, the Heavenly Questioning Mirror?!"
"Gasp... I heard that if you gain the Heavenly Questioning Mirror's complete recognition, you can even obtain that legendary wisp of immortal qi!"
"Come on! The city lord said everyone has a chance to participate. Let's go take a look too!"
"..."
Streaks of light cut across the sky, shooting toward that location.
Among them were many rogue cultivators, who had also come to try their luck.
If they happened to gain the Heavenly Questioning Mirror's recognition, soaring into the heavens in a single leap was not impossible.
In the central district of Immortal Demon City.
A mysterious Light Curtain barrier condensed, enclosing the entire area like an upturned glazed bowl.
This Light Curtain was formed from the Heaven Questioning Mirror's power of laws. Only by passing through this enormous curtain of laws could one be considered to have gained its preliminary recognition.
The Heavenly Questioning Mirror-questioning one's own Dao Heart and illuminating the principles of all things and the Heavenly Dao.
The Great Dao was difficult to seek, but most important was holding fast to one's Dao Heart. Only by keeping that heart unchanged could one find the elusive, ethereal supreme Great Dao.
Thus, only those with steadfast Dao Hearts could gain its complete recognition.
Those who excelled could also obtain a legendary wisp of immortal qi.
Figure after figure passed through the dazzling barrier and arrived beneath the Heavenly Questioning Mirror.
They had all successfully comprehended the Dao and its laws, using their own insights to unravel this Light Curtain barrier.
Yet just then, a young man in white walked toward the Heaven Questioning Mirror.
Hum!
The curtain of laws actually rumbled and trembled, then erupted with blazing, dazzling rays of light.
Before that figure even approached the Light Curtain, the barrier of laws opened on its own, forming a gateway.
Brilliant radiance swirled within the gateway, strands of laws lingering around it as ripples spread, seemingly out of joy!
"Gasp! It can do that? Don't you need comprehension to enter this curtain of laws? What the hell is it opening on its own for?!"
"Wait... is this curtain of laws expressing happiness?!"
"Rigged! This is rigged! Someone's getting in through connections!"
"I cannot share the same sky with someone who gets in through connections!"
"..."
Many who witnessed this were dumbfounded, their faces filled with disbelief. Some people could not even get inside!
Even those who could enter needed steadfast Dao Hearts and had to resonate with it successfully. Otherwise, never mind entering-they could not even approach!
But what was going on with this figure?
It was as though the barrier was begging him to come in!
Everyone turned to look.
It was a young man in white. Resplendent runes danced around him, releasing a hazy chaos light, like an immortal descending into the mortal world!
"It's him? The Returning Origin Holy Land's Divine Son, Su Changge!"
"No wonder. This Divine Son possesses the legendary Innate Saintly Body Dao Embryo. He is naturally attuned to the Great Dao, his heart in harmony with it. This is practically tailor-made for him!"
"Is the Innate Saintly Body Dao Embryo really that terrifying? Other Saintly Bodies have taken part in the trial before, haven't they? Why didn't the Light Curtain open a gateway for them?" someone suddenly pointed out.
That was right!
Those words prompted everyone to reconsider.
The further their thoughts went, the more their scalps tingled. It could only mean one thing.
The Returning Origin Holy Land's Divine Son was even more terrifying than they had imagined!
Just then.
An ill-timed, mocking voice rang out.
"Hmph! The Heaven Questioning Mirror tests whether one's Dao Heart is steadfast and complete."
"It has nothing to do with physique or talent. Can he really gain the Heavenly Questioning Mirror's complete recognition?"
They looked toward the voice.
It belonged to a tall, powerfully built young man in crimson-gold armor, his face handsome and cold.
His long golden hair, in particular, fluttered in the wind, thick and lustrous.
More terrifying still, golden thunder power coiled and burst around his body from time to time, displaying the formidable strength of his flesh.
Before you continue