Every single one of them was a prodigy from their respective sects. Slowly, one of them stepped forward—Ge Wuzhang, the representative of the Ge Sect.
The boy had crimson red eyes and long flowing black hair. The moment he stepped onto the rope bridge leading to the trial grounds, the monster that had been lurking beneath the lava vanished.
He stood still, his feet planted firmly on the rope as he took a deep breath and calmed his heart. His expression was calm, his posture unshaken. The lava below bubbled ominously, and then, as if sensing his presence, the monstrous figure rose again—massive, fiery, and menacing.
Yet Ge Wuzhang didn't even flinch.
The creature stared at him, almost as if evaluating every micro-expression, checking for even the faintest trace of fear in his eyes. But Ge Wuzhang remained motionless, his mind a sea of stillness.
After three long, tense minutes, the beast let out a guttural growl and slipped back into the lava, leaving the surface calm once again.
Using the narrow window of opportunity, Ge Wuzhang began to walk carefully but swiftly across the rope. Step by step, he moved with grace, easily completing the challenge and stepping onto the next platform.
I twitched at the sight. My eye narrowed. "No way am I going to let fear rule over me," I muttered under my breath.
I couldn't afford to fall behind—not just because of pride, but because being last meant receiving the lowest-ranked reward.
The surrounding sects watched with surprise, whispering to one another. No one knew who I was. My identity was shrouded in mystery. The only clue they had was the assumption that the Shadow Veil Sect must have obtained some kind of superior Foundation Establishment Pill.
The righteous sects gritted their teeth in frustration, clearly displeased by the rise of a dark horse. Several sect leaders immediately issued commands.
"That boy… whoever he is, make sure he doesn't leave here alive."
Despite the bloodthirsty atmosphere, I kept my face aloof, my expression unreadable as I stepped onto the rope bridge. I moved slowly but surely, not rushing, not hesitating.
Halfway across, the lava surged again, and the monster reappeared.
I didn't move. My cold eyes locked onto the creature as it stared back, as if trying to intimidate me.
Outside the trial grounds, a few cultivators cursed in disbelief. My unyielding gaze felt like a silent provocation.
The monster lingered longer than usual—ten minutes, at least—as if it hated my very existence.
But when it finally sank back into the lava, I didn't just walk. I paused, turned slightly, and gave it a middle finger.
From the perspective of the watching sects, it looked like I was mocking all of them. An unknown rogue cultivator, giving the monster—and by extension, them—a blatant gesture of disrespect.
Teeth were gritted. Tempers rose.
Liu Maofan entered next. He had striking white hair, piercing blue eyes, and a noble bearing. Calm as a tranquil lake, he walked with the elegance expected of a top-tier prodigy.
By the time he reached the middle, I had already crossed the rope and entered the next trial chamber. There, I found Ge Wuzhang sitting in a lotus position, eyes closed, immersed in meditation.
I followed suit, sitting cross-legged and closing my eyes just as the elder in charge of the trials began to speak.
"The second trial is of the mind and soul—an illusion. You will live two lifetimes and must emerge with a deeper understanding of yourself."
As the elder cast the technique, a blinding light engulfed me. For a moment, I believed I had already been reborn into a new life.
But then, a familiar voice echoed in my mind.
[Host, should not forget the system will forcibly override and end the illusion technique.]
The voice of the system made me want to laugh, but I held back, keeping a composed appearance. I waited five minutes, pretending to still be immersed in the illusion like the others.
At the same time, Liu Maofan had entered his illusion trial as well, eyes shut in a deep trance.
Meanwhile, Chen Bugeng, trying to cross the rope bridge, lost his balance. Panicked, he crushed his life-saving token and was pulled out of the trial instantly. Despite his failure, he was still awarded a 9th-tier pill.
Gasps rang out across the sects.
"9th place, and he still received a 9th-tier pill?" someone exclaimed.
Their breathing grew heavier. If the ninth place received that kind of reward, what would the first place get?
Chen Bugeng returned with a regretful smile. His sect didn't scold him, only patted his shoulder and sighed. A 9th-tier pill was still a massive reward.
Seven minutes into the trial, I opened my eyes.
Within those illusions, it felt like I had lived for centuries, faced countless challenges, joys, and tragedies. But I returned grounded, more certain of who I was.
Well that's there perspective I'm lucky to have my love dovey wife system i thought.
The elder watching me raised an eyebrow, then laughed heartily.
"Indeed, this generation is something special!"
The watching sects cursed under their breaths. From their perspective, I was the luckiest brat alive.
Then came the next challenge—a battle trial. A hulking rock monster, easily the size of a small hill, emerged in the distance. I took one look and immediately shook my head.
"Yeah… no thanks. I'll let the others handle this one."
Even if this was a Legacy Trial, my life was more important. That monster radiated power equivalent to a Core Formation cultivator—I had no intention of dying here.
Slowly, more participants began to pass the rope trial.
Yon Wuxie, a boy with soft features and a slightly feminine air, passed and entered the illusion stage.
Hei Xianzun, with pitch-black hair and equally dark eyes, crossed shortly after and was now within his own illusory world.
Leng Shashen and Song Mochen, however, failed. They were eliminated before even crossing the rope.
The Leng Sect looked at their fallen disciple without disappointment. In fact, they smiled with satisfaction.
A superior-tier artifact had been awarded to him.
Artifacts were ranked from Low, Mid, High, Superior, Earth, and finally, Heaven Tier. Even though he failed, obtaining a superior artifact was more than enough to make up for it.
The Song Sect, surprisingly, smiled even more—Song Mochen had been granted a 10th-tier pill. Even those who were eliminated earlier, like Chen Bugeng, looked envious.
The higher the tier, the greater the leap in power. Each rank was a chasm apart, as vast as heaven and earth.
Finally, the last participant, Wang Tiewa, stepped onto the rope.
His heart was pounding, sweat gathering on his brow. The anticipation and pressure weighed heavily on him.
But he focused, breathing slowly, calming his nerves.
At the midpoint, the lava stirred—and then, strangely, the monster emerged only briefly before disappearing again.
Luck. Pure, absurd luck.
The watching sects stared, stunned. The Wang Sect grinned in satisfaction.
The old man nodded. "Heaven-defying luck. Not bad at all."
With that, Wang Tiewa reached the platform and entered the illusion trial, joining the others in the next phase of the Legacy Trials.
[4 powerstone for extra chapters TvT]