Chapter 41: I Desire Immortal Ascension (10)
Liu Sheng lowered her head, not daring to look at the stone tablet before her.
It was a stone tablet that seemed to have sprung out of thin air in the center of this plaza, solitary, abrupt, with no trace of being embedded in the ground.
Just now, when she and the four Inner Dormitory Students participating in this Ascension Examination suddenly appeared in this desolate, empty plaza surrounded by mist, she had caught a glimpse of it.
There were no words or patterns on the stone tablet, only a smooth, whole piece of bluestone, taller than a person, its surface lustrous and slick, as if someone had been carefully caressing and maintaining it. Within the bluestone were some purplish-red infiltrations, like fresh blood seeping in.
But with just that one glance, she nearly fell into madness.
A malevolent power seemed to envelop this stone tablet, enough to distort reality and induce mental confusion.
The other Disciples also noticed it; those who could reach this place were not foolish, and naturally, they averted their eyes, not daring to look directly.
However, looking around, there was nothing else to see.
Around the plaza, ancient immortal dwellings and exquisite pagodas that might have once stood, perhaps with swaying green bamboo and circling white cranes, were now only broken walls and strange withered trees shrouded in thick black mist, indistinct and blurry, conveying only despair and deathly silence.
Layers of black mist, like the boundary walls of the Netherworld, were substantial, like chains of a prison, twisting and entwining, sealing the edges of the plaza.
In the sky, a crescent moon, several pieces missing and somewhat abnormal, hung high, casting down its indifferent light, draping a layer of eerie silver gauze over this silent land. Beneath the moonlight, the distant, blurry mountains resembled sleeping giants, isolated from this Domain, yet seemingly silently observing everything in the center of the plaza.
A suffocating dullness permeated the air, as if all sounds had been swallowed.
Everyone first walked around to see if there was anything else, but the plaza was indeed empty and barren.
Liu Sheng and another thin man even tried to step into the layers of black mist that writhed like living things.
However, even as she tried to move in a straight line, visibility within the black mist was extremely limited; everything around her was both blurry and distorted, and her sense of direction began to gradually disappear. The broken buildings in the mist seemed to be both near and far, and with every step forward, the oppressive atmosphere made her heart race and her breathing quicken.
When she thought she was about to Breakthrough the mist, the scene before her instantly returned to where she had entered the mist, as if she had been pulled back to the starting point by some invisible force.
The man, just like her, returned to the plaza with a bewildered expression.
Liu Sheng recalled that when the examination began, the Instructor had said that this test was about Comprehension Ability, and only by gaining some insight could they leave this place and pass the examination.
She was not sure if they were still in Seven Profound Academy, but she was certain they were trapped here, and the only thing they could try to comprehend was that strange stone tablet.
“Since we don’t know how to pass the examination for now, why don’t we exchange names so we can cooperate fully?” Amidst everyone’s confusion, a very tall, strong man with honest features spoke up proactively, “I’ll go first. My name is Zhang Tinglin.”
“Is that necessary?” The thin man sneered, speaking in a sinister tone.
Another refined-looking woman, however, agreed with Zhang Tinglin, saying, “This stone tablet is very strange, but if everyone studies it together, sharing and verifying insights, perhaps we can break through this barrier together.”
The woman looked around at everyone, seemingly trying to find the next supporter.
Liu Sheng was pensive and did not speak, but another young man, who looked quite young, perhaps only eleven or twelve, timidly said, “Since they have confined us together and haven’t said anything about us competing, it means this checkpoint can be cooperated on.”
“And I once sought out an Upper Dormitory Student who had already passed the examination to inquire. Although he couldn’t reveal the specific examination content due to the rules, he did hint that it’s easier to pass if we work together with one heart,” the young man added softly.
“You actually managed to find an Upper Dormitory Student? It’s said that becoming an Upper Dormitory Student allows one to obtain Cultivation Technique and Cultivate in Chongdao Shrine, and once they Breakthrough the Qi Refinement Stage and pass the final Ascension Examination, they can enter Seven Profound Mountain. So, it’s already very difficult to see Upper Dormitory Students outside,” Zhang Tinglin exclaimed, “Moreover, even if you did see one, they might not be willing to tell you.”
“It was a coincidence. That person was my fellow Dormitory Student, and he told me before he went to Chongdao Shrine,” the young man said, straightening his back a little and speaking a bit louder.
At this moment, Liu Sheng opened her mouth and asked Zhang Tinglin, “Then how did you learn so many things? If Upper Dormitory Students are so hard to encounter.”
“That’s because I found a handwritten note in the Hidden Scripture Library, which contained some information about this bizarre disaster. I don’t know how the owner of that note could explore so many things in such a short time, yet then disappeared without a trace. Logically speaking, someone with such ability should have a very high chance of survival,” Zhang Tinglin did not hide anything, which made everyone feel a bit more favorably towards him.
The woman asked curiously, “Where is that handwritten note? Did you bring it with you?”
Zhang Tinglin shook his head, “I didn’t take it. Books in the Hidden Scripture Library cannot be borrowed. The bizarre entity there is very powerful; once you steal a book, it will anger this bizarre entity, leading to an endless pursuit. Have none of you been to the Hidden Scripture Library yet?”
The other four all shook their heads.
Liu Sheng hadn’t had time to go yet. She passed the Ascension Examination yesterday, and after resting, she had to go to Qiongxiang Hall for work. After work, she hid for a while and then rushed to Qingxu Hall to continue the examination.
Working and studying at the same time was really tiring!
She thought she had to pass the examination quickly and become an Upper Dormitory Student. It was clear that the others thought the same; besides Zhang Tinglin, everyone else here had passed the Outer Dormitory Student examination with Liu Sheng yesterday.
And now, after hearing Zhang Tinglin’s words, she felt even more that becoming an Upper Dormitory Student was imminent; perhaps this was the hope for escaping the bizarre disaster.
However, she also made a mental note of what Zhang Tinglin said and planned to find an opportunity to visit the Hidden Scripture Library.
Now that everyone had finally reached a tentative agreement, they exchanged names.
The thin man’s name was Jiang Tao, the woman’s name was She Chan, and the young man’s name was You Yingcai.
Liu Sheng only said her name was Su Jin.
Under this temporary harmony, Zhang Tinglin proposed again, “This stone tablet is too malevolent. Once one gets absorbed into it, it’s easy to lose oneself. Why don’t we try to comprehend it in shifts, two and three people per group? While one group is observing, the others will be responsible for keeping them alert to prevent them from losing their sanity.”
Everyone felt this sounded feasible, but they also knew that feasibility depended on genuine mutual trust.
However, before they could come up with a better solution, they could only try this.
Since there was no paper or pen, and no way to draw lots, they had to divide into groups verbally.
Zhang Tinglin and You Yingcai were both people who had some understanding of the Ascension Examination and possessed some information, so it was best to split them into two groups.
They felt that the two women were weaker, so they should also be split into two groups for better balance.
Thus, Zhang Tinglin and She Chan formed one group, while the younger You Yingcai, Liu Sheng, and Jiang Tao formed another group.
Zhang Tinglin and She Chan, as the first group, sat cross-legged in front of the stone tablet and began to try and comprehend it.
The other three stood by, observing, ready to immediately wake them if they showed any abnormality.
Time slowly passed. The plaza was eerily silent, with no sound other than the breathing of the five people.
Suddenly, Zhang Tinglin’s expression began to twist. He stared intently at the stone tablet, bloodshot eyes revealing that he was struggling with some unseen pain.
She Chan’s situation was not much better; her body trembled slightly, her face was ashen, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Liu Sheng immediately stepped forward, calling their names softly, trying to pull them back to reality from the stone tablet’s influence.
You Yingcai and Jiang Tao also reacted quickly, helping Liu Sheng wake the two of them.
However, no matter how much they called or shook them, the two could not wake up; they only trembled all over, their gaze fixed on the stone tablet, their eyes contorted and faintly showing a bloodthirsty Qi.
Seeing this, Liu Sheng raised her sleeve to block Zhang Tinglin’s vision.
Jiang Tao immediately understood and also used his sleeve to block She Chan’s face.
Only when they were not looking at the stone tablet did the two finally regain consciousness through sheer willpower.
At this moment, Zhang Tinglin and She Chan were like drowned people surfacing from the water, taking deep breaths, their faces filled with terror.
They looked at each other, seemingly trying to find answers to their recent experience in each other’s eyes.
“There’s something… inside this stone tablet…” Zhang Tinglin said tremblingly, his voice filled with fear.
She Chan tightly clutched the hem of her robe, not speaking, only nodding repeatedly.
“There must be words on it! We just can’t see them… I suspect this is a Cultivation Technique!” Zhang Tinglin calmed down and said decisively.
She Chan shook her head, “I didn’t perceive that layer; I just felt there was a very terrifying existence inside…”
Next, it was Liu Sheng’s group’s turn.
Zhang Tinglin and She Chan watched them nervously from the side, still shaken.
She Chan cautioned, “If something feels wrong, be sure to quickly remove the stone tablet from your sight.”
Liu Sheng took a deep breath, deciding to once again use meditation to try and approach the stone tablet, at least to ensure her sanity remained intact.
Liu Sheng slowly walked towards the stone tablet and sat down cross-legged.
She closed her eyes, breathed slowly, and began to employ her meditation technique, attempting to extend her perception into the stone tablet.
The seven profound token on her body emitted a slight coolness, and a force enveloped her perception, extending it deeper.
However, just as she was about to touch that power, she felt an indescribable fear envelop her, as if countless hands were pulling at her Soul, trying to drag her into a dark abyss.