"In the second stage of the Illusory Realm, the test is honesty. The old man is blind and frail, completely defenseless against the testers. If one can remain honest despite such temptation, they pass the test."
"Of course, the requirements for passing this stage have been adjusted once, making it much easier than a thousand years ago..."
As Yin Qingyuan introduced the test, Bai Xirou watched Qi Yuan's performance in the Illusory Realm with a calm expression.
When she saw Qi Yuan see through the old man's deception and return the package to its rightful owner, a sparkle appeared in her beautiful eyes.
Another perfect pass!
Not only her, but the cultivators from Falling Cloud Valley also showed expressions of surprise, their discussions rising one after another.
"Who would have thought the second stage of the Illusory Realm would be so intricate? It's truly worthy of the formation laid down by our grandmaster himself."
"This rogue cultivator is indeed extraordinary. Not only did he not succumb to greed, but he also wasn't deceived by sweet words. His will is strong, his wisdom exceptional, truly not one to be underestimated."
"I wouldn't be so sure. Although Qi Da's performance is remarkable, his cultivation aptitude with Four Spiritual Roots is quite poor. With such aptitude, his future achievements might be limited."
"That's true. His path is destined to be difficult, with little value for cultivation..."
As everyone whispered and commented, a female cultivator curiously asked Bai Xirou:
"Senior Sister, what was the result when you passed the second stage of the Illusory Realm nine years ago?"
For a moment, several Falling Cloud Valley disciples focused their attention on Bai Xirou, clearly curious about the answer.
Bai Xirou's face turned slightly red, her expression somewhat embarrassed.
"I was young and naive back then, and I was indeed deceived by that old fox of a formation spirit. I only asked about the number of spirit stones in the package, and after confirming the count, I handed it over, receiving an 'Excellent' rating instead of 'Perfect.'"
Hearing this, the younger disciples around her immediately understood and comforted her:
"It's okay, Senior Sister, you were only ten years old then, still immature. If you were tested now, you'd definitely outperform Qi Da."
"Yes, Senior Sister is still amazing."
"We believe in Senior Sister's strength..."
"Not necessarily, this stage is actually much harder than the previous one," Bai Xirou shook her head. "Besides overcoming the greed for spirit stones, one must also overcome the instinct to underestimate the weak, naturally assuming that an old man in his twilight years wouldn't dare lie."
"Any slight negligence, and the chance for a perfect pass is lost."
Hearing her explanation, the disciples suddenly understood, nodding repeatedly, secretly relieved.
It's a good thing the requirements for passing have been lowered significantly, otherwise, with such a difficult Illusory Realm test, Falling Cloud Valley might never recruit new members again.
At this moment, the much-watched Lin Zhen and Wang Luchuan also passed the second stage of the Illusory Realm.
Notably, Lin Zhen returned the package to the old man immediately upon meeting him and even helped him back home...
Meanwhile, Wang Luchuan, seemingly using some kind of cheat, continued his perfect performance, becoming another perfect passer after Qi Da.
In fact, whether one chooses to return the package directly or demands a portion of the spirit stones as a reward, both are considered passing the Mental State Assessment of this stage. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
After the first stage of the Illusory Realm, about sixty percent of the testers were eliminated, leaving only over fifty to participate in the second stage.
Among these fifty-plus testers, about half were disqualified for lying or directly attacking the old man, leaving less than thirty who passed...
In the Illusory Realm.
Qi Yuan continued on his way, soon arriving at a small hill.
Though called a hill, it was really just a small mound, barely over ten feet high, barren with not a single tree.
At the top stood a tall stone gate inscribed with three characters—"Dao-Knocking Gate."
At the base of the hill was a staircase, exactly one hundred steps long.
Seeing this setup, Qi Yuan immediately understood what the final test in the Falling Cloud Valley Illusory Realm was:
Climbing the hill!
With this realization, he didn't hesitate, stepping towards the stairs.
Upon stepping on the first step, he felt nothing unusual.
On the second step, he felt his steps grow slightly heavier, but still without any pressure.
Then the third, fourth, fifth steps... until he reached the tenth step, Qi Yuan finally stopped.
He had discovered and confirmed that with each step, the pressure on his body doubled.
At this rate, by the hundredth step, the pressure would be terrifying, enough to crush even the hardest refining material, Geng Metal.
Using this as a reference, Qi Yuan quickly calculated his current limit—around seventy steps.
Of course, if he exhausted all his potential, he might manage three or four more steps.
But his goal now was merely to enter the Falling Cloud Sect as a minor servant, not to push himself to the limit...
Gazing at the ancient and towering "Dao-Knocking Gate," Qi Yuan decided to study it carefully, looking for a way to pass the test effortlessly while hiding his strength.
With this in mind, he narrowed his eyes and leisurely descended the stairs.
...
Outside the Illusory Realm.
A Falling Cloud Valley cultivator noticed Qi Yuan's actions, full of suspicion.
"Didn't this kid perform remarkably in the first two stages? How could he not even manage ten steps?"
"Who would've thought he looks young but is actually quite weak..."
"Wait! Look, he's trying to throw a stone onto the upper steps, he must be searching for a loophole in the test!"
This remark caused an uproar.
"This Dao-Knocking Mountain has been around for a thousand years, perfected over time. How could a newcomer possibly find a flaw?"
Seeing the crowd's discussions, Yin Qingyuan, responsible for the assessment, snorted coldly and said solemnly:
"Rest assured, Dao-Knocking Mountain was set by our grandmaster to test the Dao Heart and perseverance. All living beings outside the formation are affected."
"In the Illusory Realm, one cannot use Magical Artifacts or Spiritual Treasures, nor can they fly. Even trying to use a ladder or dig through the ground will have no effect."
"In short, even if he suddenly grew wings, he couldn't fly up."
"The third stage of the Illusory Realm leaves no room for tricks; everyone must climb step by step. Climbing over thirty steps is passing, and reaching fifty steps is rated 'Perfect'..."
Hearing this, everyone nodded.
"No wonder it's so formidable, it was set by the grandmaster."
"The grandmaster was indeed wise and powerful..."
Suddenly, the Falling Cloud Valley crowd looked as if they'd seen a ghost, staring at the Mystic Mirror's image, speechless...
Meanwhile.
In the Illusory Realm.
"Didn't you refuse to hand over the package to me? Why have you come back?"
Seeing Qi Yuan return, the old man was so angry he blew his beard and glared, clearly unwelcome.
Qi Yuan didn't mind, smiling as he said:
"Old man, I have quite a few spirit stones on me. Are you interested in earning some?"
"What do you mean?"
The old man was taken aback, asking instinctively.
Seeing the old man's expression, Qi Yuan's smile grew even brighter.
"It's simple. There's a small hill ahead. If you carry me up, I'll give you a hundred spirit stones..."