38: Opening of the Palace Gate and Test of Inheritance

The appearance of the Sloppy Old Man instantly broke the balance on the field.

The powerful aura of a Five-Star Dou Ling pressed on everyone's hearts like a mountain, causing the already tense atmosphere to freeze slightly.

"Who are you, Your Excellency?" Ge Ye of the Yunlan Sect asked with a solemn expression, his voice deep.

A Five-Star Dou Ling was considered a top-tier powerhouse across the entire Northwest Continent, certainly not an unknown figure.

The Sloppy Old Man took a swig of wine, his eyes hazy as he scanned the crowd, chuckling, "This old man is just a passing drunkard.

I heard there was some excitement here, so I came to take a look.

What? Not welcome?"

His words were clearly perfunctory, but no one dared to question them.

Strength was the right to speak.

Kuang Shi and the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect both looked extremely displeased.

They had originally planned to rely on their numerical advantage to snatch the keys after the main hall opened, but now with a Five-Star Dou Ling suddenly appearing, their plans were completely disrupted.

Hai Bodong also frowned deeply, secretly transmitting a message to Xiao Chen: "This person's strength is unfathomable; it's best to be careful."

Xiao Chen nodded, his soul perception quietly sweeping over the Sloppy Old Man, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea, unable to probe his depth.

This old man was definitely not simple!

"Since all three keys are here, stop dawdling and open the door," the Sloppy Old Man seemed a bit impatient, shaking the key fragment in his hand.

"The sooner we go in, the sooner it's over.

This old man is still waiting to drink."

Ge Ye took a deep breath, suppressing the apprehension in his heart, and looked around at everyone, saying, "Everyone, things have come to this; more words are useless.

As per our agreement, one person from each of our three factions will simultaneously place their key into the door's groove to open the main hall!

After it opens, it's every man for himself!

How about it?"

"Alright!" Kuang Shi gritted his teeth.

"Agreed," the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect said hoarsely.

The Sloppy Old Man shrugged indifferently.

"Good!" Ge Ye looked at Xiao Yan and Xiao Chen, "Which of you will go?"

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Chen, who pondered for a moment, then whispered, "I'll go.

You stay with Elder Hai and be careful."

Xiao Yan nodded.

Xiao Chen, the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect, and the Sloppy Old Man, each holding a key fragment, walked to the towering hundred-zhang-tall colorful giant door.

The three grooves on the giant door emitted a faint suction, resonating with the key fragments.

"Begin!" Ge Ye shouted.

The three exchanged glances and simultaneously pressed the key fragments in their hands into the corresponding grooves!

"Buzz—!"

The moment the three fragments fully embedded into the grooves, the entire Illusory Spirit Palace trembled violently!

The colorful giant door erupted with dazzling light!

The mysterious runes on the door seemed to come alive, flowing rapidly!

A vast, ocean-like soul pressure swept out from within the door!

"Click... click..."

Heavy mechanical sounds rang out as the colorful giant door slowly opened inward, revealing a deep passage radiating with colorful light!

The hall door opened!

"Charge!"

"The treasure is mine!"

After a brief silence, the crowd instantly went wild!

Someone shouted, and everyone surged towards the open hall door like a tide!

To be the first to enter, various insidious tricks and hidden attacks erupted instantly!

The scene completely lost control!

"Get out of the way!" Kuang Shi roared, blasting away several unlucky individuals blocking his path with a punch, and was the first to rush into the hall door!

The Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect transformed into a wisp of black smoke, following closely!

Ge Ye of the Yunlan Sect cleared a path with his long sword, leading his disciples in!

Xie Biyan of the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect scattered poisonous mist, forcing back the crowd, and also rushed in!

Powerhouses from other factions and rogue cultivators also displayed their abilities, surging in frantically!

"Let's go!" Hai Bodong low-roared, his Dou Qi erupting, protecting Xiao Chen, Ya Fei, Mo Chen, and Xiao Yan, as he also rushed towards the hall door!

The Sloppy Old Man, however, was unhurried, strolling leisurely as if taking a walk in a garden, seemingly not anxious about the treasures inside.

The moment he rushed into the hall door, Xiao Chen felt a blur before his eyes, as if he had passed through a curtain of water and entered a strange space.

What appeared before him was not the imagined interior of a palace, but an boundless sea of colorful clouds!

Within the cloud sea, countless colorful platforms of various sizes floated, connected by rainbow-like bridges.

In the distance, a majestic colorful palace was vaguely visible, suspended in the center of the cloud sea, radiating a sacred and dignified aura.

"This is... the internal space of the Illusory Spirit Palace?" Ya Fei looked around in surprise.

"Such dense soul energy!" Mo Chen took a deep breath, feeling his soul tremble.

Hai Bodong's expression was solemn: "Be careful! The spatial rules here are strange, and... there are powerful soul restrictions!"

Xiao Chen's soul perception spread out, and sure enough, he found this space filled with various powerful soul restrictions.

Once triggered, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Moreover, he felt that this space seemed to repel Dou Qi, but was exceptionally friendly towards soul power.

"Ah!"

Just then, a scream came from not far away!

A Dou Shi who had rushed too fast accidentally touched an invisible soul restriction, and his entire body was instantly swallowed by colorful light, turning into a wisp of green smoke and disappearing!

This scene made everyone who had rushed in gasp, and their feverish minds instantly cooled down!

"This place is dangerous! Do not trespass recklessly!" Ge Ye shouted loudly, stopping the agitated crowd.

Only then did everyone realize that they were all standing on a giant colorful platform, with the endless cloud sea at its edges, and only a few rainbow bridges leading to other platforms and the distant central palace.

"It seems that to reach the central palace, we must pass through these rainbow bridges and platforms," Kuang Shi said in a deep voice, "but each platform and bridge probably holds a test."

As soon as he finished speaking, the platform beneath their feet suddenly vibrated!

In the center of the platform, a colorful stone tablet rose, and a line of ancient text appeared on it:

"Illusory Spirit Trial, activate!"

"First Trial: Inner Demon Illusion!"

"Cross the rainbow bridge, pass three platforms, and those who reach the other side may enter the next trial!"

"Failure results in the scattering of soul and spirit!"

The text dissipated, and the three rainbow bridges at the edge of the platform simultaneously lit up, seemingly urging everyone to choose.

"Three paths? Which one do we take?" Ya Fei asked.

Hai Bodong looked at Xiao Chen: "Xiao Chen, your soul perception is the strongest, can you see anything?"

Xiao Chen concentrated, his soul perception sweeping over the three rainbow bridges.

He found that the soul fluctuations emitted by the three bridges were slightly different: one was peaceful, one was violent, and one was eerie, but all contained powerful illusionary power.

"The three paths are probably all similar, all tests of inner demons," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice, "We'd best go together, to look out for each other."

"Good!" Hai Bodong nodded in agreement.

Other factions also made their choices.

The Mad Lion Gang and the Black Emperor Sect each chose a path.

The Yunlan Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect seemed to have formed a temporary alliance, choosing the last path.

The Sloppy Old Man, still unhurried, casually chose one and leisurely walked onto it.

"We'll take this middle one," Xiao Chen pointed to the rainbow bridge emitting peaceful fluctuations.

He felt that the illusionary power of this path was relatively gentler.

The five stepped onto the rainbow bridge.

The bridge surface was soft and elastic, as if stepping on clouds.

After only a few steps, the surrounding scenery began to twist and change!

The colorful cloud sea disappeared, replaced by a familiar scene—Wutan City, the Xiao Family!

"Xiao Yan! You trash! Why are you fighting with me?!" Xiao Ning's distorted face appeared before his eyes, leading a group of followers, surrounding "Xiao Yan" and punching and kicking him.

"Yan'er! My Yan'er!" Clan Leader's heartbroken cry came.

Nalan Yanran's cold voice rang out: "Xiao Yan, we are not from the same world.

Let's break this engagement!"

Scene after scene of familiar, infuriating, and humiliating moments flashed before their eyes like a carousel!

Intense negative emotions surged like a tide, impacting everyone's minds!

"It's an illusion! Guard your minds!" Hai Bodong low-roared, cold air permeating his body, trying to dispel the illusions, but with little effect.

This illusion directly acted on the soul, making it difficult for Dou Qi to resist.

Ya Fei and Mo Chen also turned pale, their eyes struggling, clearly caught in their respective illusions.

Xiao Yan bit his lip tightly, his body trembling slightly, as if seeing something terrifying.

Only Xiao Chen, whose soul realm had already reached the Spirit Realm, and who had the Spirit Nurturing Art protecting him, found these illusions, though realistic, unable to shake his mind.

He observed the changes in the illusion calmly, like an outsider.

"This illusion is amplifying our deepest fears and obsessions..." Xiao Chen understood in his heart.

He looked at his companions caught in the illusion, knowing he had to help them.

He concentrated his soul power, transforming it into gentle spiritual waves, gently sweeping over the sea of consciousness of Hai Bodong, Ya Fei, Mo Chen, and Xiao Yan.

"Wake up! These are all fake!"

Like morning and evening bells, Xiao Chen's voice resonated directly in their deepest souls!

Hai Bodong and the other three's bodies trembled, the confusion and struggle in their eyes rapidly fading, restoring their clarity!

"What a powerful illusion!" Hai Bodong said with lingering fear, "Thank you, Xiao Chen!"

Ya Fei and Mo Chen also cast grateful glances at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Yan even clutched Xiao Chen's sleeve tightly, as if finding a reliance.

"Follow me! Don't be misled by the illusions!" Xiao Chen said in a deep voice, his soul perception locked onto the front, leading the four steadily forward.

With Xiao Chen's soul guidance, the five were like a lighthouse in raging waves.

Although illusions continued to emerge endlessly, they could no longer confuse their minds.

Soon, they crossed the rainbow bridge and reached the first platform.

The platform was empty, with only a giant colorful crystal mirror standing in the center.

The mirror reflected the figures of the five, but the "them" in the mirror had distorted expressions, greedy eyes, and were filled with various negative emotions!

"Second Trial: Reflect the True Heart!" A cold prompt sounded.

The "negative avatars" in the mirror actually stepped out of the mirror, grinning menacingly, and lunged at the five!

They possessed similar strength and combat methods to their originals, but were more insane and fearless!

"Defeat them!" Hai Bodong roared, facing his own "Frost Avatar"!

Ya Fei, Mo Chen, and Xiao Yan also confronted their respective avatars.

Xiao Chen looked at the "greedy and cunning" avatar rushing towards him, his eyes cold.

He directly launched a Soul Impact!

"Perish!"

The invisible mental spike instantly pierced through the avatar's head!

The avatar screamed, turning into a wisp of green smoke and dissipating!

Before a Spirit Realm Soul, this level of negative avatar was no match!

He quickly helped Hai Bodong and the other three resolve their respective avatars.

The second trial, passed!

Without any pause, the five stepped onto the second rainbow bridge, walking towards the third platform.

This time, the illusion was even more perilous, directly stirring up inner demons and causing internal energy to run wild!

But Xiao Chen was prepared; his soul power was like a stabilizing needle in the sea, protecting everyone's minds, allowing them to pass through safely.

On the third platform, the test was willpower.

An endless surge of soul pressure washed over them, attempting to crush their will!

Hai Bodong resisted with his Dou Ling cultivation, while Ya Fei and the other two relied on Xiao Chen's soul protection, gritting their teeth and enduring.

Finally, the five successfully stepped onto the other side platform, completing the first trial!

Looking back, on the other two rainbow bridges, people constantly screamed, swallowed by illusions, or killed by their own avatars, their souls scattered!

Less than one-third managed to reach the other side!

The Sloppy Old Man had already stood on the other side platform at some point, leisurely drinking wine, as if the trial just now had no effect on him.

The people from the Yunlan Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect also suffered heavy losses, with only Ge Ye, Xie Biyan, and a few core disciples remaining.

The Mad Lion Gang and the Black Emperor Sect also only had Kuang Shi and the Old Woman, along with two or three subordinates.

The first trial eliminated nearly half the people!

"Congratulations on passing the first trial," the cold prompt sounded again, "Second Trial: Soul Talent Test, about to begin."

In the center of the other side platform, nine light pillars of different colors rose.

Each light pillar represented a type of soul talent attribute.

The true inheritance selection had begun!