Test and inheritance

Chapter 446: Trials and Legacy

Under Meng Tianzheng’s guidance, Lin Fan passed through several large formations and arrived at an ancient land.

Here, there was no vegetation, only an endless, silent expanse, with a single golden metal stele standing before him.

“This metal stele is the trial. It contains a universe within. When you approach it and release your Divine Power, you can enter it,” Meng Tianzheng explained.

It is said that this stele was personally refined by the Holy Emperor and erected in the Celestial God Academy before he underwent his Immortal Ascension tribulation, all for the purpose of selecting a Legacy holder.

He also said that within the stele was a mark of the Holy Emperor, and any living being who entered would fight him at the same Realm.

Moreover, the same Realm here refers to from the Blood Moving Realm to the Heavenly God Realm; only by remaining undefeated in every Realm can one pass the test.

Only living beings below the Void Realm can attempt it!

Without needing to think much, Lin Fan knew how difficult it would be. A person who successfully cultivated the ‘Body as a Seed’ method would undoubtedly be “invincible” in his same Realm.

This could be seen from his little brother, Shi Hao; in battles of the same Realm, he never lost in the original text.

“Before this, tens of thousands of Prodigies have come to challenge it, including famous young Supremes from the Immortal Academy and the Saint Academy. Without exception, all of them failed.”

Meng Tianzheng even stated directly that most people lost in the initial Blood Moving Realm, unable to even reach the Heavenly Cave stage.

Lin Fan was startled to hear this. Among the failed Cultivators were Little Heavenly King, Purple Sun Heavenly Lord, Jin Zhan, and even Ning Fei had come.

Unfortunately, no one had succeeded. Let alone the Divine Fire stage, no one even managed to reach the Venerable stage.

“There’s one more thing I need to remind you: if you are killed inside, you might truly die,” Meng Tianzheng said gravely.

Previously, there were living beings who overestimated themselves and came to challenge it, attempting to obtain the Holy Emperor’s Legacy, only to die within the metal stele.

Even so, countless young prodigies still flocked to it, facing death without fear, just to obtain a great fortune.

After all, in the Nine Heavens, the Holy Emperor was a legend, becoming a Supreme before the age of five hundred, a unique case throughout history.

Under these circumstances, who wouldn’t want to obtain his secret to rapidly becoming stronger and become the next Holy Emperor?

Therefore, for a period of time, almost every day, young Supremes came to contend for the Legacy, but many also perished.

Later, perhaps due to the excessive number of young Cultivators who perished, some inevitably felt regret, and thus a rule was established: only living beings with Three Immortal Qi could attempt the challenge.

As a result, there are fewer people competing in this place now. A few years ago, it was bustling with people coming in droves.

“Doing this also has a purpose: for the ‘Body as a Seed’ method to succeed, one’s Physique must first be strong enough, increasing the chances of success,” Meng Tianzheng said.

Lin Fan nodded, a sharp glint in his eyes, naturally understanding this point.

In fact, before coming, he had already made ample preparations. His Physical Body cultivated the Undying Scripture, reaching a limit, unparalleled in the Heavenly God Realm.

As for his Primordial Spirit, he also cultivated a spirit-forging method. Although it couldn't compare to the Turbulence Suppression Art, it was the best he could possess at the moment.

Fortunately, the requirement to pass the golden stele was to remain undefeated, meaning a draw was sufficient, not necessarily defeating the Holy Emperor’s mark, otherwise it would be difficult.

Because for such an existence, it would be almost impossible for an outsider to defeat him in every Realm.

“Take this. If you fail, it can save your life!”

Then, Meng Tianzheng gave him a jade talisman, which could act as a substitute for death once, to be used for life-saving at critical moments.

Many Disciples of the Longevity Family would prepare similar secret treasures before attempting the challenge, to prevent accidents.

“Senior Meng, I already have a substitute talisman on me,” Lin Fan murmured, and with a flash of light, a wooden token appeared, shimmering with crystal clear luster.

“Soul Nurturing Wood!”

Meng Tianzheng was surprised that Lin Fan could find such a thing; it was truly unexpected and very extraordinary.

However, with his sharp eyes, he felt a pang of regret again: a rare treasure, yet it was made into a substitute death talisman, which was too wasteful.

But it was precisely because of this that Lin Fan was able to buy it from the Great Elder of Immortal Academy in the No Man's Land back then.

“You take this too. The Soul Nurturing Wood is special and can be used with the jade talisman I gave you; they won’t overlap, meaning you get an extra life!” Meng Tianzheng said.

Lin Fan was delighted. An extra life meant an extra chance, as he couldn’t guarantee that he could pass the trial in one go.

Of course, passing in one go would be best. Time waits for no one, and he couldn't stop. He had to grow stronger as quickly as possible.

“Boom!”

The next moment, Lin Fan’s figure disappeared. The Void Realm twisted, Immortal Qi bloomed, and he vanished into the giant stele.

As soon as he stepped in, he felt as if the stars were shifting and time fragments were flying, as if he had arrived in another world.

In a daze, some images flashed through Lin Fan’s mind. They didn’t belong to him, yet it felt as if he had experienced them himself.

A young man, who left the great wilderness since childhood, went through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, only to seek revenge and revive his relatives…

“Chii!”

Then, Lin Fan felt the sky and earth darken, and he suddenly fell into Chaos, into a special space.

“Is this the world within the stele?” Lin Fan was confused. His Sea of Consciousness was actually in a daze, and his head throbbed with pain.

Moreover, without him realizing it, the Reincarnation Seal in his palm emitted a faint light, as if something was trying to break free.

“Ah…”

Lin Fan roared, forcing himself to clear his mind and dispel all the images he saw, leaving only a hazy world.

“I haven't experienced it, yet it feels like it happened yesterday. Who exactly am I, or does everyone who comes here experience this?”

Lin Fan was very puzzled. Those scenes impacted his Sea of Consciousness, leaving him with an inexplicable sadness and an overwhelming sense of suffocation.

Then, he tried hard not to recall them, calming himself down, looking around, and observing.

Undoubtedly, there were spatial Laws here. It looked small from the outside, but it was exceptionally vast and boundless inside.

“Skeletons!”

Lin Fan was startled. He saw many殘尸 on the ground. Some even had blood that hadn't dried yet, and their bones glowed.

Based on his deductions, the living beings who died had perished within the last few decades, clearly people who had failed the trial and fallen here.

“There are even corpses of young Supremes with Three Immortal Qi?!” Lin Fan was shocked. Most of the remains had faint Immortal Qi lingering around them.

Some had one strand, some had two, and some even had Three Immortal Qi, pure and flawless, yet all had died here.

“No wonder Senior Meng set a threshold. If one fails, there truly is a risk to one's life!” Lin Fan realized, becoming even more cautious.

“Om!”

Suddenly, the gray mist dissipated, and a person appeared not far away. Lin Fan looked at him, as if facing a mirror, seeing another version of himself.

Similar, too similar!

Not to say completely identical, but almost. The similarity was ninety-eight percent, with only the temperament being different.

“Here it is!” Lin Fan had heard Meng Tianzheng explain that this was a trial, a great battle against the Holy Emperor’s mark.

At the same time, he also felt his own cultivation regressing, from Heavenly God, True One… directly to the very bottom, the most basic Blood Moving Realm.

Of course, this wasn't his cultivation truly disappearing; it was just temporarily suppressed and would naturally recover once he left.

“Kill!”

The next moment, that person charged at Lin Fan, blood Qi surging like a True Dragon churning, intensely bright.

Lin Fan’s brows furrowed, and he immediately met the attack. A great battle thus began, fiercely contested.