The cultivators following behind Qin Tang noticed the scene in the distance and were all shocked and alarmed.
“What a bunch of fools. I already said to be wary of the strange occurrences, yet they still attempted to flee. They truly don’t know how to write the word 'death.'”
“I recognize one of them; he is the Foundation Establishment cultivator Sun Kairong. His Dao techniques are quite remarkable, yet he has quietly perished like this.”
“Strange, why didn’t we see any celestial phenomena when they died?”
“Is this your first time hearing about the strange occurrences? Under the shroud of the strange, there are rules that govern. Most of the previous common sense becomes ineffective. So, we must be even more cautious.”
“Thank you for the guidance, fellow Daoist.”
As they walked and communicated with their divine sense, the expressions among them varied.
Before long, Qin Tang led everyone into a tall building.
In the center was a straight corridor.
On either side of the corridor were small compartments.
Each room had no other decorations.
Only five wooden beds were simply placed inside.
“Alright! Everyone will rest here tonight! We will gather in the square early tomorrow morning!” Qin Tang turned back to address everyone.
After speaking, he shook his head and walked out.
“By the way, remember to sleep early!”
After his figure disappeared, Qin Tang’s voice echoed faintly once more.
Seeing the strange phenomenon vanish, the cultivators present finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Most of them were familiar with each other, and they all found a room to settle in together.
Sikong Yi and Bai Li Chen naturally stayed in the same room.
Li Fan chose not to force himself into their company and instead selected another room that was relatively close.
There were already two people inside.
These two also knew each other and were communicating with their divine sense about something.
Li Fan did not greet them.
He lay directly on the bed, operating the Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra, clearing away all distracting thoughts in his mind.
Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
The two who were still conversing were taken aback at first.
Then, as if recalling something, their expressions suddenly turned pale, seemingly filled with dread.
They quickly ceased their conversation and forced themselves to fall asleep.
However, not everyone could keenly sense the impending danger.
Many were still discussing what they had seen and heard that day, as well as their yearning for the potential treasures that might exist in the new Cloud Water Heavenly Palace ruins.
Their expressions were excited, making it hard to sleep.
Time passed bit by bit.
It was unclear how long had gone by.
Suddenly, the lights in the tall building all extinguished at once.
In the darkness, Qin Tang’s voice echoed eerily.
“Oh dear, this batch of newcomers really doesn’t listen.”
“I told you to sleep early.”
“How come there are still so many people awake at this hour?”
“If it delays tomorrow’s trial, that wouldn’t be good.”
“Since you can’t sleep, let me help you out.”
“Puff!”
“Puff!”
“Puff!”
A chilling sound continued to echo.
It was unclear how many cultivators perished without even having the chance to scream.
At that moment, everyone present finally understood that Qin Tang’s earlier remark about “remembering to sleep early” was no joke.
But it was already too late.
The auras of cultivators kept disappearing in the sensing.
Some wanted to shout and wake the already sleeping, but as soon as the sound was made, it abruptly stopped.
Slaughter and death spread through the darkness.
In this terrifying atmosphere, some cultivators who had yet to fall asleep finally couldn’t bear it any longer.
Their auras surged, ready to unleash their full strength and fight Qin Tang in white.
Qin Tang snorted coldly, seemingly angered.
Blue light flickered, then extinguished.
Thus, these cultivators who wished to resist stirred not a ripple and fell silently.
After killing these people, Qin Tang seemed to feel a bit better.
“Ah, this job is really tiring. If it weren’t for the fact that the sect master, senior brother, and senior sisters have all disappeared, I wouldn’t have to step in.”
“Boring, really boring. I might as well go drink!”
Qin Tang’s words were disjointed, and his actions were whimsical.
As his voice faded away, the surviving cultivators in the building all let out a long breath.
But no one could guarantee when Qin Tang would return.
Thus, they all tried to seize the time to sleep.
However…
For those who often suffered from insomnia, they surely understood this well.
If there were no burdens on their minds, falling asleep would be easy.
But conversely, if their minds were preoccupied with something, forcing themselves to sleep would likely result in waking up just as they were about to doze off.
Moreover, many of these cultivators had become accustomed to using closed-door cultivation instead of sleep.
They had seemingly lost the ability to sleep.
Thus, even knowing that not sleeping would lead to death, many cultivators still could not fall asleep.
Seeing that the life-threatening Qin Tang could return at any moment, these people felt helpless.
Inwardly regretting not having learned one or two hypnosis techniques before coming, they could only choose to knock themselves out in hopes of passing through unnoticed.
Unfortunately, in Qin Tang’s eyes, sleeping and being unconscious were clearly two different concepts.
Thus, in the latter half of the night, when Qin Tang returned again.
Another wave of blood and carnage ensued.
The next morning, when Li Fan awoke.
What he saw was the building filled with corpses.
That Jiao Xiuyuan, as Li Fan had anticipated, had indeed failed to pass this trial.
His body and head lay quietly separated.
Li Fan naturally felt no pity for him.
Without delay, Li Fan headed straight for the square from yesterday.
Having learned from the previous day’s lesson, the cultivators did not scatter to other places but obediently gathered in the square.
The crowd was sparse, and the surviving cultivators numbered less than two-thirds of the previous day.
Before the trial had even officially begun, there had already been so many casualties.
The survivors felt quite pessimistic about the upcoming ordeal, their expressions downcast.
Li Fan knew this was just the beginning.
Ultimately, of the first batch of cultivators entering the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, less than one-tenth would make it out alive.
In the crowd, Li Fan also spotted Sikong Yi and Bai Li Chen.
He merely glanced over, not lingering his gaze.
Silently waiting for Qin Tang’s arrival.
Before long, Qin Tang appeared before everyone once more.
He held a wine gourd in his hand, drinking deeply as he walked.
“Good wine! Excellent wine!”
Qin Tang shouted joyfully, then turned his attention to the surviving cultivators in the square.
“Good, it seems everyone is here.”
“Then, we will officially begin the first trial.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if recalling something.
“My master once said that when seeking immortals and asking for the Dao, there are three key elements.”
“Natural talent, disposition, and fortune.”
“My master believed that among these three, natural talent is the most important.”
“I, however, do not agree.”
“I believe that among the three, disposition is the most crucial.”
“Therefore, the three trials I have arranged are all related to disposition.”
Qin Tang spoke slowly, leading everyone into a pavilion.
The pavilion had three floors.
On the first floor where everyone stood, there were over a hundred bookshelves.
Each bookshelf was filled with books.
As everyone focused their gaze.
“Flying Cloud Illusion Book,” “Flying Thunder Escape,” “Green Wood Rejuvenation Technique”…
Each book was clearly a cultivation technique.
Everyone’s breathing suddenly became rapid.
Thank you to Xing Hei, Zhi Zuo Huang Wu, Yan Yu Ji Du Chun Qiu, Jiao Jiao Fen Gu Hu, Pen Dao Mo Zun, Book Friend 20210902162451420, Tian Qing Se De Bao Yu, He Bai Xiao Nan for their support!
Thank you all for your support!
(End of Chapter)