In the deepest part of the Wisdom Immortal's cave, a hunched figure sat cross-legged in the darkness. He wore a pitch-black robe, heavily coated with dust, with sparse hair and sunken eyes that made his cheeks appear hollowed out. He looked as if a human skin was draped over a skeleton.
As Bai Qiuran traversed the mist once more, he felt the familiar sensation of spatial distortion. He began to contemplate the space transfer mechanism within the fog. Just as he felt he was nearing an understanding, the mist dissipated, transporting him into a new realm.
Normal people would treat their desires with extreme caution, cherishing them more than their own lives. It was hard to believe that even the one who designed this trial could not anticipate there existed someone who, when faced with things they could not obtain, would rather take the sword and strike first than hesitate.
“I know well,” the black-robed figure replied, “for I am bestowed with great wisdom by the heavens.”
“How can this cave allow cultivators to experience the pain of aging? Could it possess the power to manipulate time?” Upon hearing this, the black-robed man snorted coldly, though his lips did not move; his voice echoed from within as he asked, “Do you know his details?”
Below him, the mist swirled as he sensed they were about to embark on yet another mystical trial.
If he could seize the man’s physical body, then he... After glancing for a moment, he averted his gaze, surprised that such a powerful outsider existed in later generations. He remained draped in the same dusty black robe, but his black eyes still sparkled with a chilling light.
“Humph.” The black-robed figure’s voice held a hint of anger as it resounded, “You cannot kill me. My soul has received blessings from the heavenly way, making me immortal. What can you mere mortals do against me?”
This indifference towards others also applied to the black-robed figure. Every type of person existed in this world; sometimes, the presence of cultivators with odd behaviors was indeed normal.
“Life is fraught with eight sufferings, breaking out of the cycle to ascend to immortality... So, it means one must proceed through the eight trials of suffering before entering the true Wisdom Immortal’s cave, right?”
At the same time, on another light screen beside him, Li Jinyao wielded two blades, chasing down a white-haired handsome man, fighting fiercely.
“Life is filled with sufferings, yielding neither rest nor solace.” When he returned his gaze to the black robes, the glowing skull within had flames flickering in its eye sockets.
Thoughts split in two. On one side, Bai Qiuran emerged from the thick mist, only to realize he returned again to the mountain cliff.
“Life is fraught with eight sufferings; breaking from the cycle to ascend to immortality… it seems one must face these eight trials to enter the true Wisdom Immortal's cave.” His observation of the swirling mists hinted another unique trial was ahead.
Tempers seemed to flare as Bai Qiuran walked forward, glancing back at what he had just passed, the peak now obscured by fog, feeling he had crossed a significant distance already.
“That trial merely tests the resolve of the heart, not a show of fighting strength, it’s a measure of mental toughness.”
“Then count me different, Crown Prince of the Sacred Dynasty.”
Lowering his eyes to the swirling mist below, Bai Qiuran pressed on, stepping cautiously down the steep cliff, venturing deeper into the mists ahead.
“Unbelievable, later generations indeed have such formidable outsiders.”
The black-robed figure snickered darkly. As if complying with his thoughts, the skull beside him flared with eerie blue flames, delivering a mocking tone: “Thinking of possessing his physical body? With your foolishness, that body would be useless to you even if offered.”
“Once I seize the flesh, then I shall... At that time, I will make you cry, begging for death! No means to survive!”
It seemed that their prior trials had concentrated poor spirits into weaker beings, devoid of combat capability. The black-robed man’s expression grew more intense, his chest heaving from suppressed rage, but he kept his eyes firmly trained on Bai Qiuran.
Standing at the cliff's edge, he felt the weight of the trial pressing down upon him. The oppressive aura of the black-robed man loomed above, tinged with the ghostly echoes of regrets and desires unfulfilled. He advanced further, ready to face whatever lay ahead without hesitation.