Translator: CinderTL
The Mad Daoist led Xu Sanyan behind Harmonious Heart Mountain, where a dim hall stood silently. The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, suggesting it hadn't been cleaned in ages.
The Mad Daoist grinned, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "Hehehe, kid, I'm going to show you something good."
Xu Sanyan's lips twitched. The Mad Daoist's expression made it seem like he was about to do something unspeakable.
"Go on in."
"This is...?" Xu Sanyan hesitated.
The Mad Daoist took a swig of wine, crimson droplets clinging to his beard. "The Heart-Inquiry Hall. Don't worry, as long as you didn't join the Holy Sect with ulterior motives, you'll be fine."
Xu Sanyan knew he had no choice. He had to go through this no matter what. He took a deep breath and strode into the hall.
But before entering, he had a thought. He summoned his panel.
During his previous experience in the Soul Realm, he discovered that the panel could resist attacks on his divine soul. Since this hall was called the Heart-Inquiry Hall, it might have a similar effect.
The hall was vast and empty, with only an elderly man on the verge of death seated at the far end.
The old man's hair and beard were completely white, his face wrinkled and loose. Hearing the sound, he looked up, a spark of light flickering in his cloudy eyes as he scanned Xu Sanyan from head to toe.
In a single glance, it seemed he had seen through Xu Sanyan entirely. A hint of surprise flickered across his face. "What a remarkable talent."
This gaze made Xu Sanyan uncomfortable. He bowed slightly and said, "Senior flatters me."
The Mad Daoist didn't enter the hall. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, a crystal-clear soul stone appeared in his hand. It resembled a Spirit Stone but was different. Spirit Stones were milky white, while this soul stone was pure, transparent, and utterly flawless—a far more precious treasure.
With a wave of his hand, the soul stone embedded itself in a hole above the hall. A nearly invisible light swept across the hall, not even disturbing the dust on the floor.
In contrast, Xu Sanyan felt his mind reel. The hall before him twisted and shattered, as if a giant hand had crushed the scene, revealing an abyss of utter darkness behind it. He felt himself about to plunge into the void.
The panel before Xu Sanyan remained unmoving, pulling his spirit back and safeguarding the last vestiges of clarity in his consciousness.
Suddenly, the world erupted with thunderous roars and countless mournful wails. The shattered images reassembled, but not in the grand hall. Instead, they coalesced in the dim Underworld.
Four colossal pillars stood on either side, their surfaces carved with unknown floral patterns. The sky was a hazy gray, its apex lost in the gloom.
Directly ahead, a towering desk stood before a figure shrouded in mist, their face obscured. Only their embroidered golden robe and the book they held were visible, resembling Yanluo presiding over the judgment of sinful ghosts.
And Xu Sanyan was one of those ghosts.
His gaze swept across the hall, where a dense crowd stood on either side, their eyes burning with hatred as they glared at him. Among them were familiar faces.
He saw the Ma family: Ma Tianqing, Master Ma, the Ma women. The people of Taian City he had killed. The Song siblings. Disciples from various gangs. Villagers slain during the struggle for the Mystical object.
Prince Rui, the Cui family, and countless others all cried out in anguish, demanding to flay him alive.
Xu Sanyan's expression remained blank. So many people had already died by his hand, some of whom he could barely remember.
But among them, some weren't killed by him directly, only connected to him—like the women of the Ma family.
Clap!
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the hall. Xu Sanyan instinctively looked up to see Yanluo behind the judge's table slam the court gavel down, his head snapping up to stare directly at him.
Though his face was obscured by gray mist, one could still imagine the stern expression, the cold gaze fixed upon him.
"Who stands before this court?!"
The deep, solemn voice sent a chill through Xu Sanyan's heart.
Feigning confusion, he replied in a dull voice, "This humble one is Xu Sanyan."
"Where is your home?"
"In Taian City, Great Qi Kingdom."
"Who are your parents?"
"My father is Xu Changhai, and my mother is Duan Jinhua."
The questions continued, one after another, and Xu Sanyan answered each without being asked anything about the Holy Son Competition. It seemed Yanluo wasn't concerned with how Xu Sanyan had obtained the Holy Son Token.
"What was your purpose in coming to the Harmonious Heart Holy Sect?"
"To seek a way to continue my cultivation, as my Cultivation Method has been severed."
After the trial, Yanluo nodded slightly. After a moment of deliberation, he posed a question: "How did you cultivate to Foundation Establishment Perfection in your twenties?"
Xu Sanyan's heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, he had relied on his panel to maintain his last shred of clarity. Otherwise, revealing the panel's existence would have cost him his life, even as the Holy Son.
"I've cultivated diligently since childhood and stumbled upon a Heavenly Earth Treasure by chance."
After a moment's thought, Xu Sanyan decided to reveal the Heavenly Earth Treasure. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain how he had reached such a realm in his twenties.
"What kind of Heavenly Earth Treasure?"
"A small knife that enhances qi and blood. It greatly accelerated my progress before Foundation Establishment."
Upon hearing this, Yanluo immediately lost interest. He waved his hand, and the hall crumbled. Xu Sanyan opened his eyes to find himself back in the Heart-Inquiry Hall.
The old man before him no longer looked at him, his eyes devoid of admiration. He casually waved his hand, signaling Xu Sanyan to leave.
"Go now. When the others return, you can all go observe the Holy Scripture together," the Mad Daoist's voice echoed from outside the hall.
Xu Sanyan walked out and asked curiously, "Observe?"
The Holy Scripture isn't just a cultivation method. Why use the word "observe"?
"You'll understand when the time comes," the Mad Daoist replied, unwilling to explain further. He led Xu Sanyan back to Harmonious Heart Mountain.
Venerable He Yu and Hua Gu glanced over, their eyes filled with inquiry. The Mad Daoist nodded slightly, signaling that everything was fine.
The three Hall Masters sat at the highest point, with five chairs arranged below them. The Mad Daoist gestured for Xu Sanyan to take a seat.
Xu Sanyan nodded and sat in the first chair.
As time passed, midnight arrived. Xu Sanyan saw a streak of rainbow light hurtling toward the mountain gate. He wondered who it could be.
Clang!
A melodious bronze bell rang out, and the familiar ceremony began again. This time, it was at night. The colorful cloud in the sky seemed even more vibrant than during the day, a breathtaking sight.
Xu Sanyan stood up to watch as a lone figure gradually approached along the mountain path.
He didn't recognize her, but the incredulous expressions on the faces of those around him told him this person must be ranked low among the Ten Great Talents, someone everyone had little faith in.
"It's actually Jiang Qinqin..." someone murmured.
Xu Sanyan nodded in understanding. He had heard the name before—she ranked ninth.
Hua Gu couldn't hide her surprise. She had never expected Jiang Qinqin to return before Mengdie.
Jiang Qinqin bowed respectfully. "Disciple Jiang Qinqin greets the three Hall Masters and Senior Brother Xu."
To Xu Sanyan's surprise, she knew his name and had specifically greeted him. He returned her bow.
The rest of the process followed the same pattern. Finally, Hua Gu led Jiang Qinqin away to the Heart-Inquiry Hall.
Everyone felt something was amiss with this Holy Son Competition. The first two to return were either previously unknown or weaker in strength. Meanwhile, the top-ranked Qi Liang, Tu Wanshan, and Mengdie hadn't emerged at all. No one knew what had happened within the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.
The crowd buzzed with speculation about who would be next.
(End of the Chapter)
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