The moment the ancient voice announced the conclusion of the second trial, the entire maze fell silent.
The countless illusions that had filled the surroundings began to disappear. The distorted landscapes gradually returned to normal, and the oppressive atmosphere that had weighed on the participants for the past 5 days finally began to fade.
Those who had successfully reached their exits stood in different parts of the maze, catching their breath.
Some had suffered injuries during their final battles. Others looked exhausted after spending days fighting illusions and overcoming obstacles.
Nevertheless, relief filled their faces.
They had survived the second trial of the Primordial Trial Ground.
Before anyone could say anything, the vast space suddenly trembled.
A powerful ancient aura descended from the depths of the maze, causing every participant to raise their heads.
Then, the familiar ancient voice sounded again.
"Congratulations to all participants who successfully passed the second trial of the Primordial Trial Ground."
Its voice was calm and majestic, carrying an indescribable authority.
"Your performance throughout the Maze of Ancient Illusions has been recorded. Those who successfully overcame the final obstacle and reached their exits have fulfilled the requirements of this trial."
"According to the rules of the Primordial Trial Ground, all successful participants shall now receive their rewards."
The moment those words fell, countless eyes lit up.
Rewards!
After enduring 5 days of terrifying illusions, surviving dangerous encounters, and overcoming the final obstacles, they were finally receiving their rewards.
Everyone remembered the benefits they had obtained from the first trial.
The Primordial Spiritual Rain had cleansed their bodies, removed impurities, and strengthened their foundations. Some had even experienced a brief moment of enlightenment.
If the rewards from the first trial had already been so valuable, what would the second trial offer?
The ancient voice continued.
"The rewards for this trial surpass those of the previous trial. However, the benefits each participant obtains shall depend on their ability to absorb and refine the primordial essence contained within their reward."
As soon as the announcement ended, the space before every successful participant began to ripple.
A small, transparent crystal appeared in front of each person.
The crystals were approximately the size of a thumb. Golden patterns flowed slowly within their transparent surfaces, resembling countless tiny streams of light moving through an ancient river.
Although they appeared small, every crystal carried an astonishing aura.
The moment the crystals appeared, the surrounding spiritual energy began moving toward them.
Several participants immediately widened their eyes.
"What is that?"
"I can feel an extraordinary energy coming from this tiny crystal!"
"Even the spiritual energy around it seems to be responding to its presence!"
Whispers spread throughout the maze.
The successors of the Forbidden Families carefully examined their rewards.
Shi Tianyu stared at the crystal floating before him, his expression becoming serious.
He could sense that the energy contained within it was far beyond ordinary spiritual resources.
"This thing is extraordinary," he muttered.
Nearby, other Forbidden Family successors reached similar conclusions.
Some attempted to examine the crystals with their spiritual senses, only to discover that the energy within them was unusually pure and profound.
Even the successors of the Forbidden Sects couldn’t hide their interest.
Bai Jinyu studied the golden patterns inside her crystal, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"What kind of spiritual qi is in this stone? I’ve never encountered anything like it before."
No one could provide an answer.
Then, the ancient voice finally revealed its name.
"These are Primordial Origin Crystals."
The moment the name entered their ears, everyone listened attentively.
"Each Primordial Origin Crystal contains refined primordial essence. By absorbing and refining this essence, you may strengthen your cultivation foundation, purify your spiritual energy, and improve your body’s ability to absorb the energy of heaven and earth."
"However, primordial essence is not ordinary spiritual energy. Those who attempt to absorb it carelessly may fail to obtain its full benefits."
The voice paused briefly before continuing.
"Refine it patiently. The more effectively you absorb its essence, the greater the benefits you shall obtain."
The announcement ended, leaving the participants staring at the crystals before them.
Strengthening their cultivation foundations!
Purifying their spiritual energy!
Improving their ability to absorb the energy of heaven and earth!
These were benefits that couldn’t be measured simply by looking at the size of a resource.
For cultivators, a strong foundation was essential. It could influence their future breakthroughs and determine how far they might progress along the cultivation path.
A resource capable of improving such a foundation was undoubtedly precious.
Even the most composed participants couldn’t hide their excitement.
Long Aotian held his Primordial Origin Crystal between two fingers, examining the golden patterns inside it.
His expression remained calm, but the interest in his eyes was unmistakable.
’If this crystal can strengthen my foundation further, then the benefits will be considerable.’
He carefully stored the crystal away.
Yue Kun did the same, although his gaze lingered on the crystal for a little longer.
Fu Xingchen examined his reward before nodding slightly.
None of the 3 Holy Family successors underestimated what they had received.
They had witnessed enough during the trial to understand that the Primordial Trial Ground operated according to rules far beyond ordinary cultivation resources.
A reward personally bestowed by such an ancient trial ground was unlikely to be insignificant.
Meanwhile, the other participants were equally delighted.
Some immediately stored their crystals away, afraid of accidentally damaging them.
Others continued examining the golden patterns, hoping to discover more about the primordial essence inside.
A few exchanged excited glances.
They had come to the Primordial Trial Ground seeking opportunities, and their efforts had not been in vain.
Yet, while most participants were busy studying their rewards, the 10 youngsters of the Lin Clan had gathered together.
Lin Mo held his crystal close to his face, turning it from side to side.
"Is this thing edible?"
The moment he spoke, the surrounding youngsters turned toward him.
Lin Chen stared at him.
"Why is that the first thing that comes to your mind whenever you receive a treasure?"
Lin Mo scratched his head.
"Well, it’s small enough to swallow."
Lin Yu burst into laughter.
"Then go ahead. If you disappear after swallowing it, we’ll make sure to tell everyone that you died because you were too greedy."
"Who said I was going to swallow it?" Lin Mo immediately retorted.
"You just asked whether it was edible," Lin Jue reminded him.
"That doesn’t mean I’m going to eat it!"
The others couldn’t help laughing.
Lin Qing shook her head helplessly before looking at the crystal in her hand.
Although she found Lin Mo’s behavior amusing, she hadn’t overlooked the extraordinary energy contained within their rewards.
"This is different from the resources we’ve encountered before," she said.
The others gradually became serious.
Lin Chen nodded.
"The ancient voice said that we need to refine the primordial essence carefully. We shouldn’t rush into absorbing it just because we’re excited."
Lin Yu examined the golden patterns within her crystal.
"If we can strengthen our foundations with this, it might be worth spending some time refining it properly."
"Exactly," Lin Qing replied. "We should make the most of it."
Lin Mo finally stopped turning his crystal around and carefully stored it away.
"Fine. I’ll resist the temptation to eat it for now."
Lin Xuan glanced at him.
"For now?"
The group burst into laughter again.
Their relaxed attitude attracted a few curious glances from nearby participants.
After surviving 5 days in the Maze of Ancient Illusions, the 10 youngsters appeared far less distressed than many others.
They had entered the trial together, faced their final obstacle together, and successfully escaped together.
Not a single member of their group had been eliminated.
For them, the Primordial Origin Crystals were another valuable opportunity to strengthen themselves.
They had no intention of wasting it.
As the participants continued examining their rewards, the ancient voice sounded once more.
"The second trial has concluded. All successful participants have received their rewards."
"The third trial shall begin after the required preparations have been completed. Until then, make proper use of the opportunities you have obtained."
"Remember this: the Primordial Trial Ground rewards those who possess the ability to endure its trials and seize the opportunities presented before them."
The moment the voice fell silent, the entire maze trembled faintly.
Far away, beyond the participants’ sight, an ancient structure began to stir.
The second trial was over.
But the Primordial Trial Ground still held 3 trials ahead.
And whatever awaited them next would test them in ways they had yet to imagine.