The headquarters of the Heavenly Dao Society was situated in the most remote area of the city. Lacking any flashy exterior or luxurious decorations, it still radiated an undeniable solemnity. Chen Haotian and the Guide passed through the building and entered a spacious conference room. The atmosphere inside was unusually heavy; ancient talismans hung on the surrounding walls, and a faint trace of spiritual qi permeated the air.
The Guide gestured for Chen Haotian to sit down, then began to detail the operations and cultivation system of the Heavenly Dao Society. "You have already awakened your spiritual qi, and its flow is relatively stable. You have considerable potential. Next, you will undergo a test—the Trial Grounds."
Chen Haotian frowned slightly. "The Trial Grounds? What is that?"
The Guide smiled and explained, "The Trial Grounds is a special testing venue established by the Heavenly Dao Society for newly joined cultivators. Here, you will face various spiritual energy trials and challenge your own limits. Those who succeed will not only receive stronger spiritual qi blessings and the resources and support of the Heavenly Dao Society, but will also have the opportunity to access higher-level cultivation techniques."
"And those who fail?" Chen Haotian couldn't help asking.
"Those who fail..." The Guide's smile faded slightly. "Usually will not get another chance to enter the Trial Grounds. For cultivators who lack potential or are unable to overcome their inner obstacles, the Heavenly Dao Society administers the most direct elimination."
Chen Haotian's heart sank. He knew this was not a simple training session, but a life-or-death trial. The path of immortal cultivation was not merely a contest of strength, but a test of mind and willpower. To gain a foothold in the cultivation world, one had to undergo countless trials and walk a path that was nearly impossible to conquer.
"Then, how does this trial begin?" Chen Haotian asked, a flash of determination in his eyes.
Instead of answering, the Guide picked up an exquisite jade bottle from the table, inside of which lay a pill emitting a pale blue glow. "This is the Spirit Awakening Pill. It will help you perceive the fluctuations of the surrounding spiritual qi when you enter the Trial Grounds and enhance your ability to circulate spiritual qi. After consuming this pill, you will enter the first stage of the trial, which assesses your mastery over spiritual qi."
"The Spirit Awakening Pill..." Chen Haotian looked at the pill in his hand, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately swallowed it without hesitation.
As soon as the pill entered his stomach, a cool sensation instantly spread through his body. Chen Haotian felt the spiritual qi within him become much more active, as if an invisible force was guiding him, and his perception grew increasingly sharp. Every faint movement of the air and every tiny ripple of spiritual qi was clearly captured by him.
"Are you ready?" the Guide's voice suddenly rang out, carrying an unquestionable tone.
Chen Haotian gave a start and snapped back to his senses, only to find himself standing in a vast, empty space without any boundaries or reference points. The scene before him resembled a virtual world, surrounded by thick fog that obscured the distance.
He took a deep breath and circulated the spiritual qi within his body, attempting to perceive the surrounding environment. The efficacy of the Spirit Awakening Pill clearly played a massive role at this moment; his spiritual qi perception became exceptionally acute, allowing him to feel even the wispy flows of spiritual qi in the air.
"This is the first layer of the Trial Grounds: 'Spiritual Qi Condensation'." The Guide's voice suddenly echoed in Chen Haotian's ear. "You need to use your control over spiritual qi to condense a Spirit Bead. This is the baseline assessment of your spiritual qi circulation and manipulation abilities."
Chen Haotian nodded, collected his thoughts, and began to guide the spiritual qi within him. As the spiritual qi circulated, he felt it transform inside his body, converging into streams of fine light. Those streams of light gradually formed a condensed vortex of air in midair, with spiritual qi rotating and intertwining within it as if awaiting his guidance.
Time ticked away second by second, and sweat gradually beaded on Chen Haotian's forehead. Condensing spiritual qi was not as easy as he had imagined; spiritual qi was not merely gathered together simply—it required a unique rhythm and balance. Excessively strong air currents or an overly impatient mindset would lead to the dispersal and instability of the spiritual qi.
"Relax, relax..." Chen Haotian reminded himself repeatedly, trying to calm his state of mind. He closed his eyes and held his breath, and the flow of spiritual qi instantly grew gentler, as if responding to the shift in his mental state.
Suddenly, the fog before him seemed to change. Streaks of light lit up like stars, and the vortex of spiritual qi grew increasingly powerful. Guided by Chen Haotian's mind, the spiritual qi gradually formed a ball of light, eventually condensing into a Spirit Bead flashing with blue light.
He succeeded!
Chen Haotian let out a sigh of relief. Guided by the spiritual qi inside him, the Spirit Bead before him slowly floated upward, emitting a warm and clear radiance. With the completion of the Spirit Bead, he felt the circulation of spiritual qi within his body become much smoother, and his overall cultivation seemed to have increased slightly as well.
"Not bad, you've passed the first test," the Guide's voice sounded in his ear. "Now, enter the second layer of the trial."
As those words fell, the scene before him shifted once more. Chen Haotian felt a dizzying spin, and in the next second, he found himself in a completely different environment.
This time, the setting was a massive underground cavern, eerie and terrifying, with an aura of decay lingering in the air. In the middle of the cavern stood an altar, and hovering above it was a pitch-black orb emitting a strong dark aura.
"This is the 'Spiritual Barrier Trial'," the Guide's voice came again. "In this trial, you must use the power of spiritual qi to dissolve the dark aura and purify this orb. Only by successfully purifying the orb can you enter the final layer of the trial."
Chen Haotian took a deep breath, straightened his body, and began to circulate his spiritual qi once more. This trial was obviously much more complex; the dark aura before him gave him an inexplicable sense of oppression, as if a powerful, evil force was closing in.
He began to circulate his spiritual qi, attempting to sense the aura of the black orb. However, as the spiritual qi flowed, he felt a powerful wave of mental oppression instantly wash over him, and the dark aura seemed to transform into a giant net, firmly binding his consciousness.
"Focus!" His heart gave a jolt, and he abruptly surged his spiritual qi. With the violent churning of spiritual qi, the dark aura began to change; cracks gradually appeared on the surface of the orb, and the dark aura was suppressed bit by bit.
Yet, this was not the end. The dark power within the black orb seemed to grow even stronger, and the cracks became more pronounced, as if about to burst at any moment. Chen Haotian knew that if he did not accelerate the purification, this orb would likely erupt with unimaginable power and threaten his life.
"I cannot let up!" Chen Haotian clenched his teeth, channeled all his spiritual qi, and concentrated. A surging wave of light burst forth from within him, charging straight toward the black orb.
Finally, with a soft click, the surface of the orb cracked open completely. The dark aura dissipated in all directions, and a brilliant light suddenly shone, illuminating the entire cavern.
"Congratulations, Chen Haotian, for successfully passing the second layer of the trial," the Guide's voice rang out once more. "The final test, the 'State of Mind Assessment', are you ready?"