Chapter 2214: Trial

All the powerful Saints collectively sent the treasures into the Heart Lake.

Hong Tian watched the direction the treasures flew. Before long, a hint of daze flickered in his eyes, but fortunately, he quickly broke free and regained clarity.

"How formidable!" a female cultivator exclaimed. So many people working together, triggering the mysterious power within the Heart Lake, almost got dragged in, unable to extricate themselves.

"No wonder those old fellows are so deeply entrenched!" Someone else sighed, "We still need to be careful when we make our move later. Now it's up to the younger generation!"

"Brother Mu, have you already chosen your team?" Hong Tian interjected, asking.

"Hong Tian, I'll tell you, but only if you promise not to target my people." That person first replied loudly, while secretly transmitting a message: "I hear you've chosen a human cultivator who's quite strong. But surely, this person and your brother are just decoys to attract attention, aren't they? I can guess who you're truly hiding in the dark. How about we form a pact? It would be mutually beneficial."

Hong Tian's expression subtly shifted. He said coldly, "Brother Mu seems to know me well. However, I, Hong Tian, always act openly and honestly; I have no hidden pawns. If you wish to target me, Brother Mu, you are welcome to try."

"So, I, Mu, was mistaken? Haha, Hong Tian, you've misunderstood. What benefit would I gain from intentionally targeting you? I, Mu, am genuinely acting out of good intentions. You might as well wait and see..." That person's laughter gradually faded.

Hong Tian snorted, his gaze flickering, and did not continue the verbal dispute.

The ground let out a deafening roar. After the roar, the divine mountain stopped growing. Stone cliffs stood tall on its slopes, with rows and columns of stone platforms, as if inviting everyone to ascend.

Everyone was very cautious and did not act rashly. However, after observing for a while, they found the divine mountain to be very quiet, with no signs of demonic beasts or other creatures, nor any fluctuations from restrictive formations. With no visible dangers, whether it was truly safe could only be known by venturing in themselves!

Among the disciples of the ancestors, someone grew impatient, and a streak of escape light shot directly towards the divine mountain.

"Wait!"

The Winged Human Prince suddenly made a move. A black feather appeared in the void and fiercely fanned the streak of escape light. A fierce gust of wind suddenly rose, and a muffled groan came from within the escape light. It flew backward, revealing a young man upon landing. Though not injured, his cultivation robe was wrinkled, making him appear quite disheveled. The young man glared at the Winged Human Prince, but knowing the significant gap between their strengths, he dared not truly retaliate.

"Everyone!" The Winged Human Prince gently flapped his wings and flew to the center of the two camps. "The number of stone platforms on the mountain is sufficient for all of us, but the positions vary in height. Shouldn't we establish some rules beforehand regarding who takes which spot, and who can stand proudly at the summit?"

Scornful laughter erupted from the crowd. "What's difficult about that? Naturally, it's about individual ability. Whoever is strong enough to subdue everyone will claim the mountaintop!"

"Do all of you fellow cultivators think so?" The Merfolk Queen swayed her fishtail, gliding out with an elegant posture as if moving through water. She stood beside the Winged Human Prince and revealed a charming smile. "With so many people in a chaotic battle, and everyone having their own agenda, how long will it take to determine superiority? Even if one manages to stand on a stone platform, who could hold their ground if challengers keep coming?"

"Fellow cultivator, it seems there's a deeper meaning to your words?" From among the ancestors' disciples emerged a white-robed man. He had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, with long, colorful hair that almost touched the ground, presenting a graceful and refined demeanor. Among the crowd, this man appeared to hold a high status. Seeing him step forward, others quickly made way, tacitly allowing him to go to the very front.

Both the Winged Human Prince and the Merfolk Queen fixed their gazes on the white-robed man; he was precisely the person they were looking for! In the current situation, their biggest fear was the opposing side acting independently and making negotiation impossible. With a leader, discussions would be much easier.

"May I ask for your esteemed title, fellow cultivator?" the Winged Human Prince asked, bowing deeply.

"Xi Rui of the Shengyu Tribe," the white-robed man replied, cupping his hands.

The Winged Human Prince's expression subtly shifted. Upon seeing the man's colorful hair, he immediately recognized him: the Shengyu Tribe was one of the Winged Human Tribe's subordinate clans. However, this hierarchy only applied in the Misty Sea; here, the other party would not acknowledge his clan as superior, and their strength might not be weaker than his.

"Brother Xi," the Winged Human Prince nodded, his tone shifting. "Don't assume we know nothing about this. One must not only ascend a stone platform but also refine it to become its true owner. Tell me, even if you gain the upper hand, if we are determined to continuously harass you, how will you cope?"

Hearing these words, many people's expressions abruptly changed.

Xi Rui, however, remained perfectly calm and asked in return, "What wise counsel do you two fellow cultivators have?"

"Each person selects a stone platform. Outsiders are not allowed to interfere. The winner will be determined and become the owner of that platform, and no one else may contend for it again!" The Winged Human Prince already had a plan in mind.

"No regrets once chosen!" the Merfolk Queen added.

"And what about the losers?" Xi Rui pressed.

The Winged Human Prince replied, "With the mountainside as the boundary, losers will be relegated below and may not cross above the mountainside again!"

The powerful Saints had not told them the specific reasons, but one thing was certain: the higher the position, the greater the benefits to follow. Below the mountainside, the value was greatly diminished, so the competition wouldn't be as fierce there. Once the occupants of the upper section were decided, the rest would be simple; they could just repeat the process a few more times if needed.

Xi Rui frowned internally. "No regrets once chosen" meant each person only had one chance to pick a platform. Even those with exceptional strength would simply have to admit defeat if they happened to clash with an even stronger opponent. The closer one got to the summit, the fiercer the competition was bound to be. Choosing which position to contend for required a careful assessment of one's strength. And if they didn't agree, as the Winged Human Prince said, as long as the opposing side was determined to harass them, they would be unable to peacefully refine their stone platforms.

Others only knew to refine the stone platforms and strive for higher positions, but Xi Rui knew more of the inside story. This was because the ancestor behind him held a special status, and above that ancestor was a master whose cultivation had reached the Ancestor Realm! The Ancestor Realm powerful beings of the Alien Race were equivalent to the Human Race's Mahayana stage cultivators, standing at the pinnacle of the Great Thousand World. Few secrets in the world could elude them. Within the entire Alien Race, there were likely not many Ancestor Realm powerful beings. This incident involved not only the ancestors but also the hidden hand of Ancestor Realm powerful beings!

Before departing, the ancestor had offered some guidance. Refining the stone platform before the final moment would grant them a certain protection later. While this wouldn't decisively influence the ultimate outcome, it would make their subsequent situation much safer, with the protective power increasing with the height of their position. The ancestor had not explicitly stated what this protection entailed, and Xi Rui dared not inquire further. This secret was likely known by very few present, and no one would actively reveal it. Because others had initially believed that position merely determined the amount of benefits received, once it became a matter of life and death, they would undoubtedly fight with all their might.

Xi Rui did not agree immediately; he retreated to discuss with his group. Not long after, Xi Rui returned. "Alright, we'll agree to your proposal, fellow cultivators! Anyone who dares to renege on this will not be tolerated by the group!"

Once the pact was established, someone immediately chuckled loudly, "If I choose a position halfway up the mountain, surely no one will contend with me, right?"

No sooner had he spoken than a disciple of an ancestor flew out, pointed to a stone platform halfway up the mountain, and flew straight towards the divine mountain. The Winged Human Prince and Merfolk Queen's eyes flashed with cold light as they swept a glance behind them. The cultivators looked at each other, and for a moment, no one stepped forward to contend with him.

The stone platform this person chose was halfway up the mountain, arguably the lowest position in the first wave of contention. Anyone with significant strength or ambition would choose a higher spot. For instance, those like the Winged Human Prince, backed by powerful forces, would only target the positions near the summit, and their opponents would surely do the same. If they wished to deter rivals and secure their success, they would instruct their subordinates to also choose the same stone platforms, thereby lessening the pressure on other positions further down. This person was indeed clever. Seeing through this dynamic, he directly chose a position halfway up the mountain, where the competition pressure would be minimal, and his rank would at least be higher than that of the losers in the first wave.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, this person smoothly flew to the front of the mountain, but suddenly his figure sank, and he almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough to stabilize himself and ascend against the unseen force. It was now clearly visible that he was experiencing an invisible pressure, which increased with altitude. Everyone secretly became vigilant, realizing this would also be an impediment in the upcoming struggles. Apart from that, there truly seemed to be no other dangers. The person successfully flew to the stone platform he had previously indicated, landed safely, swept a glance around, and revealed a look of joy.

Seeing him easily secure a stone platform, others couldn't help but feel their hearts stir.

"I want the one next to his!" Immediately, two more individuals vied to fly out of the crowd. The stone platforms halfway up the mountain were limited; if they were any slower, they would all be taken. Besides, the ancestors hadn't demanded they reach the summit; securing a spot halfway up would be enough to report back.

Just as others were also eager to try, a whistling sound suddenly came from high in the sky. Everyone looked up, only to see meteors descending from the sky.

*Swish! Swish!*

Three streaks of fiery light tore through the void, descending towards the divine mountain. To everyone's astonishment, these three fiery streaks were heading precisely for the stone platforms the three individuals had just chosen! Witnessing this, those who had been eager to act quickly suppressed their desires and quietly watched for developments.

The cultivator already standing on the stone platform looked at the meteor falling towards him and inexplicably felt an ominous premonition. Just then, everyone finally saw the true forms of the 'meteors': within the fiery light, three treasures were clearly encased.

"Those participating in the Holy Land trial, heed this command: only by standing upon it can one obtain the treasure..."

A grand and ethereal voice drifted from the horizon, reverberating in everyone's ears. The voice contained mysterious power, clearly emanating from a powerful Saint, and immediately caused a stir. The ancestors' disciples looked at each other. The voice only mentioned those participating in the Holy Land trial; did that include them?

"Skywind Tree!" Qin Sang heard someone exclaim with surprise and delight. He turned his head to look and saw it was a female cultivator. She stared at one of the meteors, which encased a small tree.

This tree was small like a common shrub, with sparse, bare branches and tangled, withered roots, seemingly dead. However, those with discerning eyes could see a small whirlwind at the tip of each branch, always condensed and never dissipating—it was precisely a spirit tree known as the Skywind Tree.

This woman had been searching for the Skywind Tree for many years, and her joy was apparent. She turned to another female cultivator beside her and said, "I'm sorry, Sister Mi, but the Skywind Tree is vitally important to me. I simply cannot miss this opportunity!" As she spoke, the female cultivator leaped and flew towards the divine mountain.

The cultivator already standing on the mountain's face suddenly darkened. The Skywind Tree was landing precisely at his spot, turning what was once a certainty into a contest with an unexpected opponent. Seeing this, Qin Sang and the others all looked thoughtful. It seemed this was Hong Tian and his group's strategy: enticing people with benefits. Previously, everyone might have considered feigning compliance and trying to avoid offending the ancestors, but what about now, faced with such valuable treasures? Most would likely make the same choice as the female cultivator, as the treasure was right before their eyes, and any resentment from the ancestors would be a later concern. What's more, Hong Tian and his group had given everyone an excellent reason, allowing them to fully justify their actions by citing the Holy Land trial.

The female cultivator moved with a light and agile grace. She was prepared in advance. Resisting the pressure, she lightly floated above the stone platform and gently landed, under her opponent's gloomy gaze.

"I am determined to obtain the Skywind Tree, so I apologize for the offense!" The female cultivator performed a deep curtsey and gently said, "Fellow cultivator, you are no match for me. Please withdraw."

The disparity in their auras was clearly visible. Her opponent, still somewhat unwilling, summoned a jade hook and sighed softly, "If you, fellow cultivator, can withstand this single strike from my hook, I will concede this spot."

The female cultivator nodded, unfurled her cloud sleeves to block in front of her, and said crisply, "Please!"

"Be careful, fellow cultivator!" With that, her opponent threw the jade hook. The jade hook struck directly at the cloud sleeves with a 'thud,' embedding itself deeply. Two spiritual lights clashed; it seemed calm but secretly harbored great danger.

After a moment, her opponent saw that the jade hook could not break through the cloud sleeves. He sighed, put away his hook, and said, "I have lost." Accepting his defeat, he turned and flew down the divine mountain, inwardly giving a bitter smile. He had thought he could snatch an easy gain, but it turned out to be a fruitless effort.

After seeing off her opponent, the female cultivator looked beyond the mountain and secretly rejoiced that no one else came to contend with her.

*Whoosh!*

The Skywind Tree landed before the female cultivator. As she reached out to collect it, her pretty face suddenly changed color, and she reeled back several meters. The fiery light around the Skywind Tree rippled, holding terrifying power that almost sent her flying. With a thought, the female cultivator understood the reason. She hastily sat down cross-legged, immersed her mind into the stone platform beneath her, and began to refine it.

At this moment, everyone was intently watching the female cultivator's every move. Not long after, the female cultivator opened her eyes and was surprised to find that the stone platform beneath her had transformed into a crystal-clear, translucent jade. Without a moment's hesitation, she manifested a large hand and eagerly reached for the Skywind Tree.

The barrier around the Skywind Tree vanished. The large hand easily passed through the fiery light, grasped the tree, and brought it before the female cultivator. The female cultivator gazed at the spirit tree, her face beaming with joy. With her strength, she could have easily contended for a higher position, but obtaining the Skywind Tree brought her more happiness than any other treasure.

The female cultivator became the first major winner!

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. He had already figured out the rules of this trial, and a list of those treasures appeared in his mind. The trial and the struggle for positions on the divine mountain were linked, and he realized that obtaining the most precious few treasures would likely be no easy feat.