Chapter Sixty-Two: Unexpected Change

“What exactly is this Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Triple Trial?” Du Gu Ling turned to Ouyang Chi and asked.

“Oh, that’s actually a tradition of the Hidden Divine Pavilion—” Ouyang Chi had barely begun to explain when Bo Jun Cheng cut in, saying, “This so-called Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Triple Trial has been the Pavilion’s selection system since its founding. The specifics are like this.”

Ouyang Chi smiled as he watched Bo Jun Cheng hastily explain to Du Gu Ling, while Du Gu Ling listened intently.

“The Triple Trial is divided into the Mortal Trial, the Earth Trial, and the Heaven Trial. The Mortal Trial is the preliminary round, designed to eliminate candidates. It tests a candidate’s willpower. Our Pavilion Master Hu mobilizes the pure energy from within a ten-thousand-mile radius to exert pressure on all the candidates. During this process, Master Hu will continuously increase the intensity. If anyone can’t withstand it anymore, they can simply sit down, and Master Hu will release the pressure on them. If you can’t hold on, just sit down, understand?” Bo Jun Cheng explained.

“Master Hu can exert pressure on over ten thousand of us at once? That’s impossible!” Du Gu Ling asked in disbelief.

“He’s not lying. Master Hu is just that powerful. In fact, he’s the only one in all of Hidden Divine Pavilion capable of this, which is why you’re seeing him today. He’s here not only to attend the opening ceremony but also to personally oversee the Mortal Trial,” Ouyang Chi replied.

“I see. So what are the Earth and Heaven Trials?” Du Gu Ling asked.

“The Earth Trial tests basic combat ability. Now you know why so many people in Cold Moon City sought you out to forge artifacts. Here, having a reliable ordinary artifact is a big advantage. But it’s not about having the most powerful artifact—what matters is how well it suits you. If you bring a top-tier artifact you can’t control, it’s useless.

“In the Mortal Trial, the last thousand standing proceed to the Earth Trial. The rest are eliminated. The Mortal Trial is designed to filter out the majority of candidates. If you can’t even pass the first round, you’ll be packing your things and leaving soon enough.

“The Earth Trial takes longer. Once you pass the Mortal Trial, you’re considered a disciple of the Hidden Divine Pavilion and can train in the outer court. If you pass the Earth Trial, you become an inner court disciple. The Heaven Trial is mainly for ranking the inner court disciples this intake. The higher you rank, the better the reward. It’s said that the top scorer in the Heaven Trial can ask the Pavilion Master to forge a celestial artifact for them—impressive, right?” Bo Jun Cheng concluded.

“Incredible! I must become the champion of this Heaven Trial,” Du Gu Ling declared.

“It’s good to have confidence, but don’t force yourself. Just do your best. Don’t underestimate the Earth and Heaven Trials. In the Earth Trial, the thousand who pass the Mortal Trial are divided into ten groups by lot, and only the winner of each group advances to the Heaven Trial. Just one in a thousand. The competition is fierce. The Heaven Trial sends those ten to the mountain behind the Pavilion to hunt demon beasts for their demon cores. The ranking is based on the quality and number of cores collected. Remember, only at least two-star demons produce cores, so just do your best, alright?” Ouyang Chi patted Du Gu Ling on the shoulder.

“What? Hunting demon beasts?” The memory of his encounter with the Cold Moon Demon Wolf in the Cold Moon Forest sent a chill down Du Gu Ling’s spine. That wolf was only a lowly one-star beast.

It seemed the Hidden Divine Pavilion’s tests were as brutal as rumored. Even so, some monstrous talents must always pass these trials with ease at every intake. Thinking of the vast gap between himself and such geniuses, Du Gu Ling unconsciously clenched his fists.

“All right, look, the Pavilion Master is rising—the Mortal Trial is about to begin. Get ready,” Ouyang Chi said to Du Gu Ling.

On the central viewing platform, Pavilion Master Hu now stood up and called out, “Candidates for the Mortal Trial, gather in the center of the main square. All unrelated persons, step back. Candidates, arrange yourselves in order. The Mortal Trial begins now!” Strangely enough, even at such a distance, Du Gu Ling felt as if Master Hu were speaking right beside him.

No sooner had Master Hu finished speaking than Du Gu Ling felt a tremendous pressure descend upon him.

How could the pressure be this intense? Du Gu Ling wondered. Glancing around, he saw that some people had already collapsed under the weight, dropping to the ground.

Gritting his teeth, Du Gu Ling straightened his back and bore the crushing force from Master Hu.

What’s going on? Wasn’t the pressure supposed to increase gradually? Why is it so strong from the start? Looking at Ouyang Chi and Bo Jun Cheng, he saw their legs shaking uncontrollably—they must be struggling too.

Du Gu Ling observed the crowd. Though many had given up at the outset, about half remained standing, determined to endure. Clearly, many capable individuals had come to this grand recruitment.

But Du Gu Ling was not one to give up easily. As long as anyone was still standing, he would not concede defeat.

Time passed slowly. The pressure from Master Hu intensified further. Du Gu Ling’s legs began to tremble. The recruitment process of the Hidden Divine Pavilion truly was remarkable, pushing both body and mind. The path of cultivation was a long and arduous one—without a steadfast spirit, one would be lost in the mortal world and doomed to fail.

Du Gu Ling took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and stubbornly held on as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

His physical strength surpassed most, but he had foolishly forgotten to remove the Bloodthirst and the Black Iron Warhammer from his back. As a result, he endured a hundred times the pressure Ouyang Chi and the others faced. Otherwise, this level of pressure would not have overwhelmed him so easily. It just goes to show—foolishness can last a lifetime. (Ling: You’re the fool, you lousy author.)

By now, Du Gu Ling’s legs trembled violently. He looked around—few remained standing. Ouyang Chi and Bo Jun Cheng were still upright, but the pressure had bent them double, and they could barely stand.

In moments, with two heavy thuds, Ouyang Chi fell to the ground, propping himself up with both hands and gasping for breath, while Bo Jun Cheng collapsed altogether, barely able to breathe. Du Gu Ling caught Ouyang Chi’s encouraging and supportive gaze, which reignited his inner strength.

The immense pressure kept mounting, and Du Gu Ling fought with all his might to keep his back straight. The marble floor beneath his feet began to crack under the force. One could only imagine the burden he bore.

Am I finished?

His head throbbed, his body ached, his chest felt tight, and his vision blurred—he could see nothing at all.

He felt as though a mountain weighed down on him, crushing him so thoroughly he was momentarily blinded.

No, I must endure. Du Gu Ling vaguely heard Ouyang Chi’s words of encouragement, but the voice grew fainter and fainter. What was happening? His ears buzzed until he could hear nothing.

He tried to straighten his back, but the relentless pressure forced him to bend, his body curling like a bow. Sweat poured from his brow, soaking the floor beneath him. His legs shook uncontrollably.

Ouyang Chi, sitting to the side, couldn’t help but feel a new respect—strength is innate, but will is forged. In this, he admitted, he was no match for Du Gu Ling.

Suddenly, Du Gu Ling felt himself transported once again to that mysterious space, the sea of his consciousness, the blood-soaked world where he seemed to bathe in a pool of blood. His mouth, pen, eyes, and ears brimmed with blood, and the stench in the air was stronger than ever.

Back in reality, an almost imperceptible black aura seeped from Du Gu Ling’s body under the pressure. His eyes, closed from exertion, would have been terrifying if anyone saw them: no whites, only solid red.

Abruptly, the pressure vanished. Du Gu Ling lost consciousness, and as he fainted, he wondered, strangely, why the pressure had disappeared when he hadn’t even sat down.