Passing through the sea of clouds, once Jiang Chen and the others' vision gradually clarified, the world before their eyes was entirely different from the world they had left behind.
In the distance, towering mountains loomed like primordial beasts coiled in slumber, their peaks reaching toward the stars and their might pressing down from the highest heavens. The sight filled everyone with a crushing sense of grandeur.
The higher-ups of the four great sects had long since entered the ancient ruins and had been waiting for quite some time.
"Remember — the ground beneath your feet is already within the ancient ruins. Here, you must follow all commands. If you stray from the group and wander recklessly, you could very well perish here. This is absolutely not a threat."
The ancient ruins were universally acknowledged as the most mysterious secret realm among the sixteen-kingdom alliance.
"Enough with the pleasantries. What comes next is your first trial — the Trial of Mental Fortitude. This trial is called the Road of Samsara. You will be divided into one hundred zones and enter the Road of Samsara. The path each of you walks will be equally difficult, but the Road of Samsara will conjure different visions according to each person's mental landscape… This trial tests your mental strength. The time limit is ten days. If you cannot walk out of the Road of Samsara within ten days, you will have failed the first trial."
"And those who fail will be expelled directly from the ancient ruins."
A cold voice echoed in everyone's mind.
"This trial also has the highest elimination rate. In this trial, as many as two-thirds of you — perhaps even more — may be directly eliminated."
On the path of martial cultivation, mental fortitude was paramount.
If one could not pass the trial of mental strength, then no amount of talent would matter. A martial artist whose psychological resilience lagged behind would never reach the peak of anything.
After all, when charging into the Yuan Realm, if one's mental strength was insufficient, one could never enter the Yuan Realm.
And the ultimate goal of the four Grand Ancestors' selection was to find geniuses with the potential to break through to the Yuan Realm.
The Road of Samsara?
Jiang Chen turned those three words over in his mind. They sounded profoundly mystical. To name it the Road of Samsara was no mere coincidence.
Was this a path where one would have to experience the cycle of life and death?
Jiang Chen felt perfectly at ease. Having lived two lifetimes, what cycle of life and death had he not experienced? What separation and reunion had he not endured?
"This Trial of Mental Fortitude gives me an advantage. Setting aside my life experience, which is far beyond what these martial artists can compare with — the cultivation of the Heart of Rock alone is enough to give me a tremendous edge in a competition among worldly disciples."
Jiang Chen brimmed with confidence.
"Remember, the time limit for the first trial is ten days. If you can walk the Road of Samsara within ten days, you pass. If you can finish it in eight days, your mental strength exceeds the passing threshold. If you can finish in five days, it means your mental strength is formidable — you are an absolute genius in this regard. And if you can finish in three days, then in terms of mental fortitude, you are a supreme genius without peer!"
The voice announced these words with casual indifference.
"One more thing — if you finish the Road of Samsara within three days, your results will be relayed directly to the Grand Ancestors' ears, and you will receive their special attention. Though your identities are currently unknown, the competition tokens you carry will be flagged in the Grand Ancestors' records, and they will pay you extra attention. I trust I don't need to spell out what that advantage means?"
"What? We can receive the special attention of the Grand Ancestors?"
"My will toward the martial path has always been unwavering. This time, I must finish in three days!"
"If I can earn the Grand Ancestors' special attention, it could be my chance to soar in a single leap. Wonderful — I've been deliberately strengthening my mental cultivation all along. This is surely my opportunity to take flight!"
The martial artists encouraged themselves ceaselessly, filling their minds with powerful affirmations.
"Very well. The zone assignments will now begin. There are one hundred zones in total, with roughly three to four thousand people per zone. However, on the Road of Samsara, you will be alone. You will not encounter each other on the road. So for this trial, you need not worry about fellow contestants killing one another. On the Road of Samsara, you are always a lone traveler. Remember that."
Four hundred thousand people walking the Road of Samsara, and none of them would run into each other?
Every worldly martial artist was stunned.
Jiang Chen, on the other hand, reacted with indifference. Since this Road of Samsara existed within the ancient ruins, anything was possible. A mere spatial-folding Divine Ability would be nothing more than a parlor trick in the hands of ancient powerhouses. Besides, this Road of Samsara was so profoundly mysterious — the only way to understand what it truly was would be to experience it firsthand.
Since everyone wore masks and there was no risk of their identities being exposed, Jiang Chen saw no reason to hold back.
"Show everything you've got!" Jiang Chen had already made up his mind.
The zone assignments were completed swiftly. Jiang Chen was placed in Zone Eleven.
Each zone had its own guide. The three to four thousand people of Zone Eleven followed their guide to a vast, open clearing.
"See that? This clearing is a formation array. Once the array is activated, you will enter the Road of Samsara. Remember — the place where you start is also your destination. In other words, once the array activates and you appear somewhere, that point is both your beginning and your end. Your task is to set out from the starting point, press ever forward, and return to where you began. You must walk one complete circuit of the Road of Samsara."
The starting point was the destination?
"Remember — no clever tricks. If you stay put and fail to walk the circuit of the Road of Samsara, you will be considered to have forfeited. After ten days, you will be expelled. And one more thing, even more important: once you choose a direction on the Road of Samsara, you may only move forward. You cannot turn back. The moment you turn around, the Road of Samsara will descend into chaos, and you will be eliminated on the spot."
Since the starting point was the destination, some quick-minded individuals began hatching schemes. If they simply stayed where they stood, wouldn't that count as having walked the Road of Samsara?