Chapter 112 The Final Trial
Chapter 112 The Final Trial
Chapter 112: Chapter 112 The Final Trial
The golden radiance swallowed the ancient hall.
For a brief moment, the remaining participants could see nothing but dazzling light.
The inscriptions, the enormous stone pillars, and the ancient platforms beneath their feet all disappeared.
Then the space around them changed.
The light faded, revealing an entirely different world.
A collective gasp swept through the gathering.
Before them stretched an enormous expanse of land beneath a deep, star-filled sky.
Mountains rose in the distance, their peaks piercing the clouds.
Ancient palaces floated above the ranges, connected by bridges of golden light.
Rivers of spiritual energy flowed through the valleys, lighting the land with a gentle glow.
Countless stone monuments stood scattered across the landscape.
Some were simple, weathered tablets.
Others looked like enormous swords driven into the earth, ancient cauldrons, towering pagodas, or strange structures whose purposes were impossible to guess.
The air itself felt old.
As though this place had existed long before the Primordial Sealing Ruin was found, preserving an era that had vanished from the world.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
Even the successors of the Forbidden Families and Forbidden Sects could only stare.
"What kind of place is this?"
A young cultivator turned his head slowly, trying to take it all in.
Then he drew a breath, and his eyes widened.
"The spiritual energy here is astonishing!"
Others made the same discovery.
The energy filling this land was extraordinarily pure, with a faint primordial quality unlike anything in the outside world.
But the structures were even more striking.
Each one seemed to hide a history of its own.
Some gave off a faint sword intent.
Others carried the oppressive aura of ancient beasts.
A few released fluctuations that even the most knowledgeable participants couldn’t identify.
Then the sky trembled.
BOOM!
A vast, ancient aura descended upon the land.
The surrounding spiritual energy went still.
The floating palaces stopped moving, and the rivers of light briefly froze in place.
Even the most confident successors straightened their expressions.
Then the familiar ancient voice echoed across the world.
"Welcome to the fifth trial."
It carried no emotion, yet its words reached every corner of the land.
"The final trial of the Primordial Sealing Ruin."
Some participants exchanged startled looks.
They had heard it announced before.
But hearing it again in this strange world made it real.
They had finally reached the last stage.
Some clenched their fists in anticipation.
Others studied their surroundings, wondering what kind of trial could take place in such a place.
"Those who reached this stage have earned the right to proceed."
"However, the fifth trial shall be different from the previous four."
The participants focused at once.
Different?
"The final trial shall serve as both a trial and a reward."
Silence fell.
A reward?
"Within this land lie countless inheritances left behind by powerful cultivators from ancient eras."
"These inheritances preserve their creators’ knowledge, techniques, cultivation experiences, and in some cases, the principles they comprehended throughout their lifetimes."
The participants’ expressions changed.
Ancient inheritances!
Pills could be used up.
Weapons could eventually break.
But a suitable inheritance could change the course of a cultivator’s entire journey.
"These inheritances are not ordinary treasures waiting to be collected."
"Each one possesses its own conditions, and will select a recipient compatible with its legacy."
"Your cultivation level alone shall not decide the outcome."
"Neither shall your background, your status, or the influence of the force you belong to."
"The inheritances shall make their own choices."
Some participants exchanged thoughtful looks.
Others began examining the structures with new interest.
An inheritance that chose its own recipient?
That was very different from simply finding a treasure and claiming it.
A cultivator with an extraordinary background could still be rejected.
While someone of lower cultivation might attract a legacy that suited them perfectly.
A young cultivator from a lesser force clenched his fists.
If cultivation and background weren’t the only factors, then perhaps he still had a chance.
Beside him, another participant muttered.
"An inheritance that chooses its own master... I wonder what its conditions are."
Nobody could answer him.
"Some inheritances shall test your comprehension."
"Others shall respond to your physique, your cultivation foundation, your spiritual attributes, or the path you have chosen."
"Certain inheritances may acknowledge those whose potential has yet to be fully revealed."
"Others may remain silent before cultivators of great strength who lack the compatibility their legacies require."
The meaning was clear.
Raw strength guaranteed nothing.
Shi Tianba folded his arms.
"At least this means we won’t have to fight everyone for a single treasure."
Ji Xueyan glanced at him.
"Don’t celebrate too early. We haven’t heard all the rules."
He gave a faint snort.
"I know that."
"Then listen."
He looked at her for a moment, then turned his attention back to the sky.
Nearby, Feng Yuling was already studying the structures.
"If these inheritances choose their own recipients, forcing our way into one that rejects us would be pointless."
Mo Chen nodded.
"Exactly."
Elsewhere, Long Aotian’s gaze rested on a distant mountain.
An ancient dragon had been carved into its peak.
The carving was weathered, but a faint, domineering aura still radiated from it.
His eyes narrowed.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt a subtle resonance when he looked at it.
It wasn’t strong enough to identify its source.
But it was unmistakable.
He quietly memorized the location.
Not far away, Yue Kun had noticed an enormous stone tablet standing beside a river of spiritual energy.
Its surface was covered in ancient markings, and even from a distance he could sense a profound fluctuation coming from it.
He didn’t approach.
There was no need to rush before the rules were finished.
---
The ten Lin Clan youngsters were studying their surroundings as well.
Lin Qing’s gaze swept across the distant mountains and settled on the floating palaces.
"These structures must have existed for an extraordinarily long time."
Lin Chen nodded.
"Their auras are ancient, but many still hold traces of their original power."
Lin Yuexin watched the spatial fluctuations around the palaces.
"The space here is unusual. Some of those structures may connect to independent spaces."
Lin Haochen crossed his arms.
"Whatever is hidden here, we should wait until we understand the rules."
Lin Zhen nodded.
"Agreed. We have no reason to rush into something we know nothing about."
Lin Mo turned to him.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Lin Zhen?"
"What?"
"You just agreed to be patient without complaining. That’s suspicious."
Lin Zhen rolled his eyes.
"I can be patient when the situation demands it."
"Since when?"
"Would you like me to demonstrate my patience by letting you run ahead alone?"
Lin Mo shook his head quickly.
"No need. Your patience is truly admirable."
Lin Qing glanced at them.
"Both of you, focus."
The two straightened.
"Yes."
Lin Chen smiled slightly, then looked back at the landscape.
This trial felt different from the others.
There was no terrifying beast chasing them.
No crushing pressure on their bodies.
No reflection waiting to copy their every move.
Only a vast collection of ancient legacies.
The ten of them had already gained enormously from the Ancestor’s arrangements and their training in the Time Tower.
They didn’t need to treat every inheritance as something they had to obtain.
But they understood that a suitable legacy could strengthen their foundations.
"We should remember what the ancient voice said," Lin Chen said. "Compatibility matters more than appearances."
Lin Qing nodded.
"An inheritance might look ordinary and still suit someone perfectly."
"Then we’ll let the inheritances make their choices," said Lin Yu.
The others agreed.
---
The ancient voice spoke again.
"Listen carefully to the remaining rules."
The participants fell silent.
"During this stage, no participant shall be eliminated."
A stir ran through the crowd.
"No elimination?"
A young cultivator stared at the sky in disbelief.
Another let out a long breath of relief.
After four trials, many of them had watched companions disappear.
Even the survivors had spent every moment worrying about failure.
Now that threat was gone.
"Do not mistake the absence of elimination for an absence of difficulty."
The excitement quieted.
"An inheritance may reject you."
"Some may remain inaccessible to those who lack the necessary compatibility."
"Others may require you to demonstrate your understanding before their legacies can be passed on."
"Not every participant shall obtain an inheritance of equal value."
"Some shall receive techniques or cultivation insights."
"Others may obtain weapons, artifacts, or resources left behind by their creators."
"Those who gain nothing from one inheritance may continue searching for another."
That last part was especially important.
Approaching an inheritance didn’t mean receiving one.
And not every inheritance would offer the same reward.
This wasn’t a contest in which the strongest participant claimed everything.
"However, you must not attempt to seize an inheritance that has already accepted another recipient."
"Once an inheritance has formed its connection with a cultivator, that legacy shall belong to the chosen recipient."
"Any attempt to interfere with another participant’s selection is forbidden."
Several cultivators exchanged uneasy glances.
Some had already been wondering whether they could take a valuable inheritance by force if it rejected them.
The rule ended that thought.
Shi Tianba clicked his tongue.
"Looks like the inheritances have their own rules for choosing masters."
"That should have been obvious," Ji Xueyan said.
"Does everyone have to comment on everything I say?"
"Then stop saying obvious things."
He looked away.
Feng Yuling suppressed a smile.
"Search carefully. Do not allow impatience to determine your choices."
"Let the inheritances reveal their judgments."
"Your final trial begins now."
The vast world fell silent.
For a brief moment, none of the participants moved.
Then a deep rumble rolled across the land.
BOOOOM!
It came from the distant mountains.
A pillar of golden light rose into the sky, lighting an ancient palace that hung above the highest peak.
Another rumble followed, this time from the valley to the east.
An enormous stone monument began to glow, its weathered surface lighting up with countless ancient symbols.
Then another structure responded.
And another.
Across the landscape, ancient auras began to awaken one after another.
The floating palaces released waves of spiritual energy.
The towering monuments trembled.
Ancient weapons embedded in the earth gave off a faint light, and sealed chambers hidden in the mountains revealed traces of their long-dormant power.
The whole world seemed to be waking from a sleep that had lasted countless years.
Some participants were so astonished that they forgot to speak.
Others immediately began searching for inheritances that resonated with their own paths.
A young cultivator pointed toward the northern mountains.
"Look over there!"
A narrow beam of crimson light had appeared above a distant peak.
Its aura was fierce and scorching.
Another cultivator turned toward a stone platform near the river.
A translucent sword phantom had appeared above it, releasing a faint but unmistakable sword intent.
Several sword cultivators felt their attention pulled toward it.
Farther away, an ancient pagoda began to shine with a gentle blue radiance.
Its aura was calm and deep, carrying traces of flowing water and an endless sense of continuity.
Near the edge of the valley, a dark monument released a strange fluctuation that made the surrounding space ripple.
Everywhere they looked, something was awakening.
The ancient legacies were no longer forgotten remnants.
They were responding to the participants’ arrival.
---
Lin Qing’s gaze settled on the distant sword phantom.
Even from where she stood, she could feel its sword intent.
It was ancient, restrained, and exceptionally profound.
For a moment, it seemed to overlap with the understanding she had gained in the previous trial.
Her eyes sharpened.
Lin Chen noticed.
"You felt it too?"
"Yes. It’s very different from what we encountered before."
Lin Chen studied the phantom.
"It may hold insights left by a powerful sword cultivator."
"Perhaps."
Neither moved.
They had learned that compatibility mattered, and there was no guarantee the first inheritance they met would be the right one.
Lin Mo had noticed a dark red glow above a distant stone fortress.
Its aura was sharp and domineering, and his saber intent stirred faintly in response.
He raised an eyebrow.
"That one seems interesting."
Lin Qing turned to him.
"Let’s observe first. The inheritances have only just awakened, and we don’t know how the selection works."
Lin Mo sighed.
"Fine. I’ll patiently observe."
Nearby, Lin Yuexin was studying the fluctuations around the floating palaces.
"The spatial fluctuations are changing. Some of those palaces may be preparing to open."
Lin Xuan looked toward the crimson beam in the distance.
"I wonder whether the inheritances will approach us, or whether we have to seek them out."
Nobody knew.
They would have to learn how it worked through experience.
---
Across the gathering, the other successors were beginning to make their own decisions.
Long Aotian kept watching the dragon carving.
The resonance he had felt earlier had grown stronger.
He couldn’t yet tell whether the inheritance was suited to him.
But the sensation was too clear to ignore.
Yue Kun’s attention was still on the stone tablet by the river.
Its markings had begun to glow, and a faint aura of antiquity spread across the area.
He took one step forward.
Then stopped.
He watched the fluctuations for several moments, trying to understand what kind of legacy the tablet held.
Ji Xueyan was studying a distant structure wrapped in pale mist.
The space around it looked strangely distorted, and its fluctuations vanished and returned without warning.
Her Supreme Void Spirit Physique responded faintly.
She narrowed her eyes.
That place might be worth investigating.
Feng Yuling had noticed the crimson beam rising from the northern mountains.
Its scorching aura reminded her of a sleeping flame, though she couldn’t yet tell whether it would acknowledge her.
Mo Chen’s attention had settled on an ancient black monument.
Its aura was strange and hard to read.
But he sensed it hid something worth investigating.
Shi Tianba was looking at a towering stone structure covered in rough, powerful carvings.
Its aura was domineering and forceful.
He smiled faintly.
"Now that looks like something worth my time."
The final trial had created a new kind of tension among the successors.
They were no longer simply trying to prove they were stronger than their peers.
They were searching for legacies that could shape their futures.
And for the first time since entering the ruin, cultivation level alone couldn’t say who would receive the greatest reward.
---
The ancient world kept awakening.
Golden light spread across the mountain ranges.
The floating palaces shone brighter, and the stone monuments sent waves of energy sweeping through the valleys.
Then, without warning, several beams of light rose at once from different parts of the land.
One was crimson.
Another was silver.
A third carried a deep blue radiance.
Farther away, a violet beam pierced the clouds, while a golden pillar rose from a secluded valley.
The participants turned toward the spectacle.
The beams didn’t stay still.
They began to move.
Some descended toward the stone platforms scattered across the land.
Others drifted above the ancient structures, releasing faint fluctuations, as though searching for something.
Or someone.
A young cultivator watched a silver beam pass over a nearby monument.
"What’s happening?"
Before anyone could answer, the beam abruptly changed direction.
It swept across the landscape, passed several participants, and stopped above a young man standing at the edge of the gathering.
The young man froze.
A silver radiance descended around him.
His eyes widened as a voice sounded inside his mind.
It wasn’t the ancient voice that had announced the trial.
It was older and quieter, and it belonged to the owner of the inheritance.
The surrounding participants stared in astonishment.
The silver light began to condense.
Something was about to happen.
And the first inheritance had begun its search for a master.
End of Chapter 112