The morning light of the mao hour had just pierced the eastern cloud layer, like an extremely fine golden sword, slicing an opening in the perpetual mist shrouding Gazing Star Cliff.

Su Ming was already dressed and standing before the entrance to his cave dwelling.

The newly issued purple True Disciple robe, due to its special material, had an excellent drape. The seven-star cloud patterns on the cuffs occasionally refracted a faint gleam in the dawn light.

He raised his left hand. On his index finger was the "disguised" Xuantian ring.

At this moment, the ring was dull and dusty, its surface even bearing several scratches as if eroded by time. It looked like a defective item picked up from some second-hand stall, completely out of place with that resplendent True Disciple robe.

"Buzz."

Two tokens in his bosom vibrated almost simultaneously.

Su Ming reached in and took them out.

One was a True Disciple token carved from purple jade, warm and smooth to the touch; the other was a Punishment Peak law enforcement token cast from black iron, chillingly cold.

The same line of characters appeared on both tokens, the strokes sharp and severe, exuding an official, impersonal coldness: "Chen hour, Heart-Questioning Platform, Illusory Wave Sea. Do not be late."

Su Ming gently rubbed his thumb over the icy-cold characters "Do not be late" but said nothing, merely hanging the tokens back at his waist.

He took one final look back at the cave dwelling behind him that he hadn't even warmed up yet.

All the defensive formations were activated to maximum power, even that unknown web-spinning spider was kept outside the barriers.

"Let's go."

He said to himself in his heart, then turned and stepped forward.

Just as he walked out of the range of the illusion formation before the cave dwelling, a grating, teeth-on-edge sound of metal scraping suddenly came from above, followed by a loud "CLANG!"

A blast of air carrying pine needles rushed towards his face.

Su Ming instinctively retreated half a step back. He saw a plank that looked like it was cobbled together from various scrap metals and junk, crashing crookedly onto the clearing ahead.

As the dust settled, Luo Feng's face, always wearing a brilliant smile, appeared.

"Little Junior Brother! Good morning!"

Luo Feng jumped down from the "Floating Formation Board" that was still smoking black, holding a red-lacquered food box carved with intricate patterns in his hand. "I figured the time was about right, so I came specifically to see you off!"

Su Ming's tense shoulders relaxed slightly as he cupped his hands in salute. "Third Senior Brother, what brings you here?"

"Seeing you off for your assessment, of course. Can't let you go alone."

Luo Feng scurried over to Su Ming in a few steps and shoved the food box into his arms. "Here, eat it while it's hot. This is the 'Mind-Calming Cake' Second Senior Brother specially made last night. It uses several spirit-calming herbs and honey from the Beast Peak. I 'requisitioned' some on my way from his place for you to snack on the road."

Su Ming took the food box. It was heavy in his hands and still warm.

"Thank you, Third Senior Brother. Please also thank Second Senior Brother for me."

"What's with the formalities among family?"

Luo Feng said this while very naturally grabbing Su Ming's sleeve and pulling him towards that broken plank. "Come on, come on, get on board! Those Punishment Peak folks are the most rigid. If you're late, those grim-faced monsters will definitely find some reason to pin a big label on you."

Su Ming stepped onto the wobbling formation board. The metal sheet underfoot groaned with creaks and groans as if it might fall apart at any moment.

"Senior Brother, Master, he..." Su Ming asked casually.

Luo Feng manipulated the board to rise into the air, dodging an early-rising spirit crane out foraging. "Don't even mention it. Originally, Master was going to take you there personally. But early this morning, that old man Zheng from the Vessel Hall came rushing over in a panic, saying they were missing a key material for repairing an ancient remnant formation, and insisted on dragging Master to the storeroom to verify."

Luo Feng curled his lip, his face full of displeasure. "That old man Zheng, couldn't have picked a worse time. Master had no choice. Before leaving, he repeatedly instructed me to make sure I got you there safely."

The fingers Su Ming had resting on the edge of the board suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Elder Zheng from the Vessel Hall, coming neither early nor late.

This was a diversionary tactic.

Since Punishment Peak dared to add something extra to the Heart-Questioning Formation, they naturally had to first get rid of Xuanheng, who was the most protective of his disciples. It seemed that Punishment Peak Master, in order to investigate his background, had even mobilized connections with the Vessel Hall.

"Little Junior Brother, don't be nervous."

Seeing Su Ming silent, Luo Feng, thinking he was worried about the assessment, launched into chatterbox mode. "This True Disciple Heart-Questioning Formation is really just a formality. Even when Punishment Peak presides over it, it's just going through the motions."

"Back when I was promoted to True Disciple, I was only inside for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn."

Luo Feng controlled the board weaving through the sea of clouds while gesturing back at Su Ming. "You just go in, stand on the platform, and a voice will ask you a few questions. Things like 'Are you loyal to the sect?', 'Have you colluded with external demons?', and so on. You just answer truthfully, swear a Great Dao Oath, and that's it!"

The howling wind tore Luo Feng's voice, making it somewhat fragmented.

"I was even thinking inside, the spiritual energy circuit of that formation was quite interesting, wanted to study it longer, but then I got ejected."

Luo Feng laughed carelessly. "With a clear conscience, we have nothing to fear. As long as you're not a demonic cultivator spy, this formation is just a decoration."

Su Ming listened quietly, occasionally nodding in acknowledgment.

Looking at Luo Feng's side profile, completely free of shadows, Su Ming's heart was filled with a cold, clear understanding.

For a formation-obsessed genius like Luo Feng, the Heart-Questioning Formation might indeed be just a prop.

But for someone like him, carrying an "otherworldly remnant soul" and "knowledge of unknown origin," it was a gate of hell he absolutely had to cross.

"Hold on tight! We're hitting a wind gap ahead!"

Luo Feng shouted. The formation board suddenly dipped downward, plunging into the cloud layer below.

The surrounding scenery instantly turned dark, damp, and cold.

This was the Illusory Wave Sea, a natural perilous place located in the back mountains of the Cloud Hidden Sect. Perpetually shrouded in heavy fog and abundant moisture, even divine sense extended out would be swallowed by this strange mist.

A solitary bluestone platform, like an isolated island in the sea, loomed faintly visible amidst the churning white fog.

A cloud bridge, wide enough for only one person, extended from the cliff edge, leading straight to that stone platform.

Luo Feng controlled the board to slowly land at the entrance of the cloud bridge.

"We're here."

Luo Feng jumped down, patted Su Ming's shoulder, and pointed ahead at the thick fog whose depth was impossible to discern. "I can only take you this far. The cloud bridge ahead has restrictions; only those summoned may enter."

Su Ming placed the food box on a rock nearby and straightened the hem of his robe, which had been ruffled by the wind.

At this moment, the mouth of the Illusory Wave Sea was silent except for the howling wind; no sounds of birds, beasts, or insects could be heard.

That Heart-Questioning Platform hidden in the fog was like a giant beast with its maw wide open, quietly waiting for its prey.

"Go on."

The smile on Luo Feng's face faded somewhat, his eyes turning serious. "I'll wait for you here, Senior Brother. When you come out, we'll go to the dining hall for a good meal at noon! I heard they have braised Crimson-Tail Chicken today."

Looking at this senior brother who was still trying to ease the atmosphere with talk of food, Su Ming felt a slight warmth in his heart.

He nodded, not uttering any grand declarations.

"Alright."

Su Ming responded, then turned and stepped onto that slippery, damp cloud bridge.

The soles of his shoes made no sound as they stepped on the bluestone slabs.

The surrounding fog instantly surged up, icy, damp, carrying a chill that drilled straight to the bone.

Su Ming did not look back.

His left thumb gently pressed against the rough ring on his index finger. His steps were steady as he walked, step by step, deeper into that unknown expanse of white fog.

Only after his figure was completely swallowed by the milky-white thick fog did Luo Feng withdraw his gaze. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

This usually carefree Third Senior Brother now had all traces of a smile completely gone from his face. He took out a communication talisman from his bosom, his fingers swiftly tracing a few strokes on it, his eyes becoming exceptionally sharp.

"Second Senior Brother, Junior Brother has entered. The fog here is a bit strange, thirty percent thicker than usual... Something's not right."

...

At the end of the cloud bridge, the view suddenly opened up.

That bluestone platform suspended above the sea of clouds was much smaller than Su Ming had imagined.

It was only about ten zhang in diameter. The ground was paved with a kind of translucent crystal, beneath which liquid seemed to be flowing slowly.

In the center of the platform, there were no tables, chairs, or incense altar, only an ancient bronze mirror standing upright, as tall as a person.

The mirror surface was dull and lusterless, reflecting no image.

Before the mirror stood an old woman dressed in black robes.

She leaned on a withered wooden cane, her face full of wrinkles like old tree bark. A pair of turbid eyes were fixed intently on the approaching Su Ming.

"Formation Peak's Su Ming, answering the summons."

Su Ming stopped three zhang away from the old woman, bowed in salute, his tone neither subservient nor arrogant.

The old woman did not speak.

She looked Su Ming over as if appraising a piece of merchandise for sale, her gaze scraping over him several times, finally lingering on Su Ming's left hand.

That dull, dusty ring was half-exposed as Su Ming saluted.