Chapter 92: Chapter 88: "Execute Bian Chuyao

"Senior Brother Shan, are you alright?!"

Seeing the tall young man’s pale face, Bian Chuyao smiled faintly at the corners of her eyes and asked softly.

"I... I’m fine, thank you for your concern, Junior Sister Bian!"

The tall young man seemed to have experienced something terrifying, constantly rubbing his neck. However, upon hearing Bian Chuyao’s voice, he forced himself to perk up and showed a smile.

"As long as Senior Brother is fine!"

Bian Chuyao nodded, then turned to the others in the hall and said with a smile:

"Fellow senior brothers, Senior Brother Shan has already demonstrated that this array will not harm anyone. Even if you fail to climb, you will be returned to the original place. To save time, I will fully activate the grand array, and I hope you all will enter the array and compete!"

With that said, Bian Chuyao waved her hand, and the entire Jade Hall shook instantly. Gu Yuan felt the space beside him seem to elongate.

Originally, the distance between each Jade Altar was no more than a few meters, but now, it seemed as if there were dozens of meters between each Jade Altar, vast beyond measure.

The entire hall became extremely majestic and boundless.

Above the hall, the Star River gently swayed, seemingly split into more than twenty pieces. Then, within each piece of Star River, a staircase, distinct in its silver and dark hues, descended directly before everyone.

In an instant, more than twenty silver-dark distinct heavenly paths ascended upward within the Jade Hall.

"Please, fellow senior brothers!"

Bian Chuyao extended her hand in an inviting gesture.

"Thump, thump!"

Seeing this, the cultivators in the hall stood up one by one, holding their breath and focusing their spirit, stepping onto the staircases before them.

Seeing the cultivators around him ascend the stairs, Gu Yuan no longer hesitated, letting his robe sleeves flow as he walked into the grand array.

"Thump!"

As soon as Gu Yuan stepped onto the first step, he felt a heavy force emanating from the stairs, impacting his mana.

However, this force was very slight, and Gu Yuan merely needed to compose his heart and spirit to keep his mana completely steady, firmly resisting the force.

"Is this... a test of cultivation?"

Gu Yuan took another two steps and found that strange forces continued to shake his mana as if hammering something, and he immediately understood the preliminary test.

It’s merely a basic examination of cultivation.

Only those with insufficient mana would fail the climb.

Gu Yuan glanced around and found that no one in the Jade Hall was hindered by the first few steps. They all strode forward, effortlessly passing the early steps.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

Without stopping, Gu Yuan also walked confidently past the first seven steps. When he reached the eighth step, a tremendous force came like a tidal wave, continuously assaulting his mana, seemingly trying to destroy his entire mana.

If one’s mana was impure or scattered, it would be nearly impossible to hold on.

"Thump!"

Yet, Gu Yuan merely stabilized his heart and spirit, and his mana remained as steady as a rock, unwavering, as he crossed this step.

Throughout his cultivation, although he had relied on external forces frequently, he never destroyed his foundation. All his pills were neutral and gentle, and the Little Giant Divine Wood, cultivated with essence blood, was of the same origin as his mana, without any impurities.

"Thump!"

But upon stepping onto the ninth step, the scene in front of him suddenly changed.

"Crash!"

Torrential rain poured, a desolate mountain, and a ruined temple appeared before his eyes.

"Coo, coo!"

Before Gu Yuan could react, a strange croaking sounded from the ruined temple, carrying a peculiar power. It was like an invisible beast attacking Gu Yuan’s Sea of Consciousness.

Moreover, in the temple, a black fox with green eyes and blood dripping from its mouth lunged toward Gu Yuan’s throat, carrying a strong, bloody wind.

This series of attacks was sudden, and the fox’s strength was no less than the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, making the situation extremely perilous.

"Roar!"

But from within the ruined temple came a ferocious and domineering roar, momentarily stunning the previously swift black fox.

"Puff!"

Then a bright peach blossom bloomed from the black fox’s head, pulverizing its brain.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

The scene brightened again, and Gu Yuan found himself standing once more on the staircase, having somehow bypassed seven layers in one breath.

"Is it a direct magical combat trial?"

Gu Yuan found it strange. He had initially thought it would be a test of heart nature or root bone, but after testing his cultivation, the method of ascent suddenly became crude.

He looked around and found that the others were in different stages.

Some, like him, looked puzzled, standing on the fifteenth layer, while others remained with eyes closed on the eighth step.

This single trial of magical combat clearly differentiated everyone.

Those who had already broken through the first trial coldly glanced at others, then confidently strode onto the next layer of stairs, their faces radiating strong confidence.

After a moment’s contemplation, Gu Yuan didn’t hesitate either, striding up to the new layer.

"Roar!"

The roar of a tiger echoed through the forest, with a bloody wind rushing towards him.

Before Gu Yuan could stabilize himself, a white tiger, about a meter in size, along with countless black Ghosts, surged like a tide.

The tiger’s roar was earth-shattering, carrying a terrifying soul-capturing power, assaulting Gu Yuan’s Sea of Consciousness. For an ordinary cultivator, the roar alone would stun them temporarily, only to be devoured by the tiger.

Yet, Gu Yuan’s eyes remained bright, without a moment’s distraction.

A giant Cyan Lotus bloomed at his feet, layers of cyan light stacking up, resembling a lotus blossom, quite beautiful, carrying a peculiar purifying power.

Ghosts who surged like a tide were shattered by the cyan light before they could approach the Cyan Lotus.

"Bang!"

The white tiger, however, robust in power, had reached the peak of the eighth layer, its body like a mountain. Its giant paws carried a layer of golden evil qi, extremely sharp. In merely a moment, it tore through the Cyan Lotus’s protection.

But a moment was enough.

"Clang, clang!"

Sword Qi resounded; peach blossoms fell like rain, best at demon-slaying.

In merely a moment, the white tiger was slain by the Peach Blossom Sword Seal.

Gu Yuan opened his eyes to find himself already on the twenty-second layer.

In the Jade Hall, only about ten or so people had reached the twenty-second layer.

Several people had fallen far behind.

"Thump!"

Without hesitation, Gu Yuan stepped forward again.

This time, it took him more time; only after ten breaths did he slowly open his eyes.

At this time, he had successfully stepped onto the twenty-ninth layer.

In the Jade Hall, along with him, eight others had also reached the twenty-ninth layer.

The next step forward would match Mountain Cloud Dragon’s achievement.

In the Jade Hall, Mountain Cloud Dragon watched Gu Yuan and the others nervously.

However, Gu Yuan and the others showed no hesitation, stepping forward onto the stairs once more.

...

"Save me, senior brother, save me!"

The cries for help echoed endlessly as the scenery in Gu Yuan’s eyes changed once more.

He saw Bian Chuyao, somehow tied to a Jade Pillar, tears streaming down her face, crying pitifully.

Her cries carried a peculiar power that tugged at one’s heart, and Gu Yuan felt as if his heart was shrouded in sadness, unable to bear seeing her tears.

Beside Bian Chuyao, a Daoist with a scar at the corner of his eye held a golden sword light aimed at Bian Chuyao’s throat, threatening Gu Yuan:

"If you want to save her, give up resisting..."

"Save me, save me, senior brother, Chuyao doesn’t want to die!"

At the same time, Bian Chuyao began crying again, making one’s heart ache, wishing to immediately give up resisting.

"First, cripple one Dharma Seal of yours, otherwise..."

The scar-faced Daoist’s mouth curled into a cold smile as the golden light pierced Bian Chuyao’s skin, red blood flowing down her fair neck, creating a poignant scene.

"Sizzle!"

Before the Daoist could finish speaking, a pink peach blossom arrived in an instant, first slicing through Bian Chuyao’s throat.

Then the peach blossom turned, slashing at the Daoist.