Chapter 1615: Stone Gate

"Let's go!" Seeing the stone statue enter, Zhang Xuan called out, and the three immediately followed close behind, moving forward.

The main hall was brightly lit. Countless sun-like luminous stones hung overhead, illuminating the surroundings and making the enclosed room as bright as day.

Inside the passage of the room, ancient inscriptions were carved, detailing moral codes and etiquette standards.

"Didn't you say that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu didn't care much about etiquette, so why...?" Zhang Xuan asked, full of doubt, as he approached the stone statue boy. When he first met the boy, he had said that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu didn't care about various rules and formalities, yet these things were inscribed all over the hall.

"Because he didn't pay attention to them, he was reprimanded by Master Kong, which is why they are carved here as a constant reminder!" The stone statue boy nodded.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Master Kong once said, "Examine oneself three times a day." Ancient Sage Ran Qiu carving these here, where he could see them daily, was a way of daily self-reflection.

"Before us, did four people already pass the assessment?" Hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan lowered his voice. The four Spirit race members who had arrived earlier were nowhere to be seen. Could they have also passed the assessment? Their strength was a minor concern, but could it be that the relic left by Master Kong's top combat student couldn't even distinguish between humans and the Spirit race? If so, that would be truly outrageous!

"They went in!" The stone statue boy replied, not refusing his question. Knowing he had received Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's legacy, its attitude had clearly improved.

"They really passed... Were there any... abnormalities with them?" Zhang Xuan frowned. He wanted to directly ask if they had any aura of slaughter within them, but he held back in the end.

"Abnormalities?" The stone statue boy shook its head: "No, they all properly defeated the 'Master' character golden soldiers. Furthermore, one of them even presented a treasure from Ancient Sage Yan Yan!"

"Ancient Sage Yan Yan?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

Ancient Sage Yan Yan was one of Master Kong's ten most virtuous disciples, renowned for his mastery of rites and music. He was as famous as Ancient Sage Bu Shang, Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, and others. The survival of the Demonic Tunes Guild's legacy was largely due to him, which is why the guild had always revered him as their patriarch. These four Spirit race members actually possessed his treasure...

"To be able to come to the Master Teacher Continent undetected, find a relic unknown even to the Master Teacher Pavilion, and even present a treasure from Ancient Sage Yan Yan... it seems this group of Spirit race members did their preparatory work very meticulously!" His expression became serious.

When the Spirit race fought against humanity in ancient times, both sides suffered losses, and it was normal for many human treasures to be lost and claimed by them. He just hadn't expected these individuals to be so thoroughly prepared for their current visit, to the point that even the statue boy hadn't detected anything unusual. He had intentionally asked earlier, hoping that if the other party revealed any flaws, he could seize the opportunity to make the stone statue wary. But in the current situation, saying too much might provoke its dislike, and if he were to be wrongly accused, it would not be worth the trouble. No wonder they managed to capture Zhao Ya and the others without leaking any information; these guys were indeed not as simple as he had imagined.

"We've arrived!" While still in shock, Zhang Xuan heard a faint voice. He quickly looked up and saw that they had arrived in a spacious hall.

The room was circular, with hundreds of densely packed doorways all around.

"There are ninety-nine doors here, each with a different trial. Each of you has only one chance to choose, and you can only enter one. If you pass successfully, you will reach the end and find what you seek! If you fail, I'm afraid you'll have to remain here with me, this stone statue, until your lifespan runs out!" Looking around, the stone statue boy gazed at them. "In other words, out of ninety-nine doors, if you choose correctly, you pass the assessment; if you choose wrongly, you bear the consequences!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan looked over. "Can these doors be chosen arbitrarily?"

"That's right, you can enter any one you wish. You now have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to make your decision, so decide quickly!" After speaking, the stone statue boy took two steps back, its expression blank.

Knowing the fellow wouldn't give any hints, Zhang Xuan, Luo Ruoxi, and Wu Chen exchanged glances, nodded, and looked forward.

All these doors were carved from stone, identical, without any discernible differences. If one were to turn around twice, they might not even be able to find where they entered from.

"It's practically a maze..." After looking around, feeling a bit dizzy and unable to find anything, Zhang Xuan softly snorted and muttered to himself, "Eye of Insight!"

*Whoosh!* Lines of patterns emerged from his eyes, and Zhang Xuan hurriedly looked around.

Since the four Spirit race members had already entered the palace, it meant they had very likely been here before, just like them, and had made their choices. These individuals, who could find this place and carry Ancient Sage Yan Yan's treasure with them, might also have known about this place in advance and found the safest, most reliable doorway.

"Hmm? Why are there no traces?" Soon, after looking around, Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed into a knot.

He had thought he would find some clues, just like outside. But unexpectedly, these four people, just like when they captured Zhao Ya, left no traces; he couldn't find anything.

"No need to search. Since it's an assessment, it's impossible for you to discern anything. Moreover, the stone statue also said that each person can only enter one, meaning even if you chose the stone door they entered, you wouldn't be able to go in!" Luo Ruoxi transmitted her voice, seemingly having seen through his thoughts.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was speechless. Indeed. Since it was an assessment, how could such an obvious loophole be left? After all, if someone else had already chosen and entered, the mechanisms and formations would have surely activated, leaving no danger.

"Then what should we do?" He turned his head and looked at her.

"Just pick one!" Taking a step forward, Luo Ruoxi casually chose a doorway. With a graceful hand, she pulled it open, about to step inside.

"You... be careful!" Seeing her enter directly, Zhang Xuan felt a bit anxious and quickly urged.

"Don't worry!" The girl smiled faintly, her eyes revealing strong confidence. "While the assessment left by Ancient Sage Ran Qiu won't be simple, it won't be easy to keep me here!" After speaking, she stepped inside.

"Right..." Although he hadn't seen Luo Ruoxi make a move much, if the boy Wu Chen was so powerful, then as the young lady, she must be even stronger. An assessment left by an Ancient Sage might challenge ordinary geniuses, but it shouldn't pose much danger to her.

"I'll go in too!" As she entered the doorway, Wu Chen also casually chose a room and strode inside.

"It's your turn..." The stone statue boy looked at him indifferently.

"Mmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He was about to casually enter a room himself, when suddenly, a thought struck him: "The Eye of Insight can't tell the quality behind these doors... What about the Library?"