Chapter 502: Nine Hearts Trial
While the five cultivators of the Spirit Eye Mountain were talking amongst themselves, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue were getting ready to enter the tribulation grounds.
"Azhen, see you later." Jiang Yue said and smiled at his husband.
"See you." Yu Nianzhen said and rubbed Jiang Yue’s hair.
At the same time, the first stone gate exuded a golden light.
"This..., what’s going on?" An alarmed shout echoed in the surroundings.
"Is something happening in the tribulation grounds?" Someone asked.
"Why is the gate exuding a golden light?"
"I have never heard of something like this. Does anyone know what is going on?"
"I don’t know anything."
"You..., aren’t you an information vendor? Do you know what is going on?" Someone said and looked at a masked female cultivator.
"I don’t know anything." The female said with a frown on her masked face.
"Look..., the second gate is also exuding a light."
"Maybe something is happening in the tribulation grounds."
"The nine stone gates lead to different spaces. Why would more than one act strangely at the same time?"
"I am with this fellow Daoist. Something strange is going on."
"I should message my mountain master." Someone said and these words fell like a stone into a calm lake.
Soon after, several people took out their communication jades and talismans and began to contact their world cultivators.
Simultaneously, nearby cultivators saw the golden light and rushed to the entrance of the tribulation grounds.
[Azhen...] Jiang Yue transmitted.
[I know.] Yu Nianzhen said and frowned.
When Yu Nianzhen became the Cangxing mountain master, a connection formed between him and the world mountain stele at the foot of Cangxing mountain.
Due to that connection, he knew a lot more than ordinary cultivators.
[We seem to have triggered more than one tribulation.] Yu Nianzhen said with a solemn look in his eyes.
Ordinarily, reincarnation realm cultivators could only cross one tribulation at a time.
However, this was not always the case.
From ancient records, ancient cultivators could cross more than one tribulation at a time.
If a cultivator triggered one tribulation, it was called a one-heart trial.
In the same way, if they triggered nine tribulations, it was called a nine-hearts trial.
However, a two-hearts trial, let alone a nine-hearts trial hadn’t occurred in the Reincarnation world for more than a million years.
"The third gate has lit up." Jiang Yue said and looked at Yu Nianzhen worriedly.
"Although we have been training and polishing our state of mind..."
Hearing his lover’s uncertainty, Yu Nianzhen held the person’s hand and squeezed.
In fact, he wasn’t as confident as he appeared.
However, once a trial was triggered, there was no going back.
No matter what, he and Jiang Yue couldn’t escape or postpone whatever trial was about to befall them.
"Whatever happens, I will be with you." Yu Nianzhen said.
"I know." Jiang Yue said and looked at the fifth gate that had just lit up.
At the same time, a group of thirteen rushed to the entrance of the tribulation grounds.
"It’s a five-hearts trial." The leader of the group said as he looked at the fifth gate.
"Five hearts trial? Mountain master, do you know something?" A female cultivator asked and looked at her group leader.
"A five-hearts trial means the person who triggered it will endure five tribulations before they can come out of the tribulation grounds."
"Crossing one tribulation is already a hardship. Can anyone cross more than one tribulation?" Someone asked in a voice laced with doubt.
"I also think it is impossible." Another said and sighed.
"Although I prepare well, I almost die every time I cross a tribulation. How is it possible to cross one tribulation after another?"
"The sixth door has lit up. It’s a six-hearts trial."
"Whoever triggered this trial is too unlucky. They will definitely die."
"Who triggered it?"
With that, several people tried to push their way to the front.
However, there were too many people and everyone wanted a front-row seat.
In the end, the thirteen couldn’t push their way to the front but they did see the people who triggered the tribulations.
"There are two people near the first gate and both are in the first level of the reincarnation realm." Someone informed.
"Which of them triggered the six-level trial?"
"I don’t know."
"Wait..., I think it’s both of them."
"Don’t talk nonsense." Someone admonished.
Triggering more than one tribulation was already an extremely rare phenomenon.
How was it possible for two people to trigger it once?
"I am not talking nonsense. Look..., both their mountain identity jades are on the first gate."
"This? How can something like this happen?"
"I may know who they are." The mountain master said and his eyes narrowed into slits.
Although the two wore masks and their qi presence was hidden, there were only a few extraordinary first-level cultivators in the Reincarnation world.
"Mountain master, do you know them?" Someone asked and the surrounding people looked at the person eagerly.
"Think about it." The mountain master started and then continued.
"In the Reincarnation world, how many extraordinary first-level cultivators are there? Most importantly, which two are from the same world and are closely related to each other?"
"Mountain master, how do you know they are from the same world and are closely related?" Someone asked.
"They are holding hands." The mountain master answered and almost rolled his eyes.
Although it was not unheard of for cultivators from different worlds to become Taoist companions, it was rare.
After all, the Reincarnation world was transitional.
When the time came, everyone would go their separate ways and may never see each other again.
Most importantly, most cultivators were xenophobic.
Although they could normally interact with foreign cultivators, they rarely chose foreign Taoist companions.
"It’s just my assumption but those two should be from the same world."
"I agree with the mountain master." Another cultivator said and looked at the mountain master.
"Mountain master, if I am not mistaken, those two should be the mountain master and deputy mountain master of the Cangxing mountain."
Hearing this, the mountain master nodded and spoke.
"Their appearance and Qi presence are disguised but there are still some clues."
"Their height and figures are the same as the Cangxing mountain master and deputy mountain master."
After that, the group stood around and discussed the clues while keeping an eye on the gates.
When the ninth gate finally lit up, everyone held their breath.
"Nine hearts trial." The mountain master muttered and his face turned pale.
"Mountain master, is something wrong?" Someone asked.
"From ancient records, if a cultivator crosses the two-hearts trial, their cultivation will directly advance two levels. Similarly, if they cross the nine hearts trial, their cultivation will advance to the peak of the ninth level but this isn’t the greatest benefit."
"What do you mean?" Someone asked and everyone turned to look at the mountain master.
"If those two successfully cross the nine-hearts trial, they will automatically earn the right to enter the transformation pools." The mountain answered through gritted teeth.
The mountain master was called Gao Peng.
He was from a high-grade world and his cultivation was at the late stage of the ninth level of the reincarnation realm.
Like every cultivator at the ninth level of the reincarnation realm, Gao Peng yearned for the transformation pools.
However, he was self-aware.
With his strength and standing, he knew he was not qualified to fight for the pools.
Although he secretly resented his situation, he wasn’t too bothered.
After all, the top contenders of the transformation pools were powerful mountain masters from top-grade worlds.
When he thought of that, Gao Peng could reluctantly accept his inability to compete for the opportunity.
Unexpectedly, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue had suddenly appeared!
The two were the mountain master and deputy mountain master of a low-grade world.
Most importantly, the Cangxing Mountain was the weakest world in the Reincarnation world.
When Gao Peng thought about it, he suddenly felt unacceptable.
He couldn’t accept that the opportunity that he could only yearn for was now within the reach of two ants from a low-grade world.
"Unacceptable." He muttered and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
"Mountain master, did you say something?" Someone asked.
"We can’t allow this to happen." Another said with a malicious face.
"The competition for the transformation pools has yet to start. Why should the Cangxing world suddenly have two places?"
"I am also against this."
"Fellow Daoists, aren’t you overreacting?" Someone said and quickly continued.
"The nine hearts trial is not easy to cross. Those two are only in the first level of the reincarnation realm. They will likely die under the tribulations."
"I agree with the fellow Daoist. Their state of mind is not enough to cross the nine hearts trial."
"What if they pass?" Someone argued.
"Everyone said that mountain master Yu wouldn’t survive one hundred years of challenges. Look what happened?"
"These two fellow Daoists are not ordinary. I have a feeling that mountain master Yu and deputy mountain master Jiang will survive."
