Chapter 619: The Trial of Life and Death

Chen Yan fell along with the collapsing ice wall, and the moment he was buried by countless crystal shards, he had already returned inside the ancient palace.

"You are the second martial artist to pass the Trial of the Dao."

On the throne, the woman in the immortal dress spoke.

Lu Jianxia was wrapped in black mist, looking toward the direction where Chen Yan was; beneath the black mist, a pair of eyes were very calm.

This master of all six paths had taken much longer to pass than she had, but being able to pass was enough to prove the firmness of this master of all six paths' own Dao heart.

The woman in the immortal dress glanced at Chen Yan and Lu Jianxia.

"Now, placed before the two of you is the final trial. I must offer a reminder: if the two of you end it here, you may take your treasures and leave immediately.

Once you choose to continue into the third trial, the two of you will face the risk of life and death."

As the woman in the immortal dress's voice fell, Lu Jianxia frowned slightly.

The risk of life and death?

She asked:

"If I pass the third trial, what will I obtain?"

"I will lecture on the Dao for you for one day."

The woman in the immortal dress lifted her neck and smiled:

"Do you know who I am?"

Lu Jianxia's expression trembled slightly, and she immediately bowed:

"Greetings, Element Lord."

Lu Jianxia showed respect, her heartbeat quickening.

Chen Yan narrowed his eyes; this existence was actually the Element Lord.

Is it the true self, or a divine soul?

Element Lord...

When Chen Yan participated in the college entrance exam secret realm, he had learned some secrets at Zhan Tu Village.

In the stories of Zhan Tu Village, Xue Qi was the son of the village chief Zu Lianhen, and Zu Lianhen had caused the death of his own son's family.

And Xue Qi's daughter was named Suyuan.

Xue Qi's past was a metaphor for the past history of the Master of Blood Qi.

Zu Lianhen was a metaphor for the Master of Hard Refinement.

Zu Xue Qi was a metaphor for the Master of Blood Qi.

And Xue Qi's daughter should be the Element Lord.

Of course, the path of elements itself could also be seen as an extension of the path of blood qi, assisting the martial path.

The true history that Zhan Tu Village corresponded to was:

The Master of Hard Refinement slaughtered the Master of Blood Qi, causing them to become the Daxia Continent's brilliance.

As for the Element Lord, she was the daughter of the Master of Blood Qi.

Chen Yan did not know why this person was here.

The woman in the immortal dress slowly looked toward Chen Yan, revealing a smile:

"Have you decided? Will you take the reward and leave, or continue to participate in the third trial's test?"

She thought highly of Chen Yan; on one hand, Chen Yan's performance had been too stunning.

On the other hand, Chen Yan carried the scent of the Daxia Four Blood Arts.

The person most suited to listen to her lecture on the Dao was Chen Yan.

The woman in the immortal dress raised her head, a faint coldness appearing in the depths of her eyes, and then she looked at Chen Yan.

"I will participate."

Chen Yan spoke.

"I will also participate," Lu Jianxia said as well.

The woman in the immortal dress frowned slightly and looked at Lu Jianxia:

"I have already said that the third trial will have the risk of life and death."

She did not want Lu Jianxia to participate in the third trial, which was why she had warned her.

Yes, a warning.

If Lu Jianxia was willing to participate, she would not mind modifying the trial mode a little.

Of course, the trial mode would change, but the rules would not.

Lu Jianxia's eyes flickered, and she continued:

"I will participate."

Beneath the black mist, a look of firmness appeared in the depths of her pair of silver eyes.

Since it was a risk of life and death mentioned by the Element Lord, that meant she really might die.

But living amidst the struggle of the five clans, no one would think they definitely would not die.

She had finally made it here, so how could she talk of giving up?

"Good."

A trace of a smile appeared on the Element Lord' lips:

"Then, the third trial begins. The two of you must accept the Heart-Questioning Stele; you must not reveal anything you encounter in the third trial."

She raised her slender hand slightly, and a bluestone stele appeared in the center of the great hall, engraved with complex secret texts that connected to some kind of mystery.

Chen Yan and Lu Jianxia walked before the Heart-Questioning Stele, and runes emerged from the stele, wrapping around the two of them.

Immediately, a series of contracts appeared in Chen Yan's mind, binding themselves to him.

As Chen Yan signed, strands of rules and constraints gradually came into being.

The signing was completed quickly.

Chen Yan's expression remained cold and stern throughout.

A life-or-death danger?

He had never feared such things.

Compared to the present, the true challenge Chen Yan faced was the domain war that was about to unfold against Chi Xue.

Both Chi Xue and the Dark-Devouring Mother Nest placed immense pressure on Chen Yan.

Once the war began, that would be the moment.

Every Creation Realm expert of the Great Xia on Chen Yan's side could potentially die, and Chen Yan himself had a high probability of perishing.

What Chen Yan possessed, forever, was a heart that feared nothing.

The woman wearing a ten-colored immortal dress looked at Lu Jianxia and Chen Yan with interest, as strands of brilliant, dazzling immortal light bloomed from the dress.

The immortal light spread, nearly occupying the entire palace.

The very next instant, after the vision of both Chen Yan and Lu Jianxia was occupied by the light, they reappeared above a vast lake.

"The third trial lasts for a total of three hours.

Between the two of you, determine the survivor, and you may listen to my sermon.

If no survivor is determined within three hours, both of you will surely die."

The ethereal voice of the woman in the immortal dress resounded from above.

Lu Jianxia and Chen Yan were both stunned.

"Senior!"

Lu Jianxia hurriedly let out a low cry, her expression beneath the black mist becoming extremely unsightly.

At this moment, she and that Six-Path All-Rounder had both had their martial paths sealed, their physical strength no different from that of mortals.

But in terms of physical control alone, she was definitely no match for this Six-Path All-Rounder.

To fight a life-or-death duel against the opponent, Lu Jianxia's survival rate was too low.

The ethereal voice of the woman carried a hint of playfulness:

"In ten thousand years of martial arts, how many geniuses have foundered and failed; the true strong are not the most monstrous, nor are they the ones with the strongest will.

They are the ones who can survive until the end."

The woman's voice slowly faded.

The next instant.

Lu Jianxia turned directly and ran toward the direction of the opposite shore.

She knew very well that there were absolutely no Six-Path All-Rounders within the Five Clans.

Then this person must be a Great Xia expert.

The opponent would definitely kill her.

The key was, regardless of whether the opponent was from the Five Clans or not.

The rules had already been stated: if there was no survivor between them within three hours, then both of them would die.

With the two of them dueling on the lake, Lu Jianxia had no chance of winning at all.

But on the shore, there were trees, grass, and blind spots; these were all unstable factors.

Only by grasping these unstable factors would Lu Jianxia have a glimmer of hope for survival.

Chen Yan stood still in place, his eyes beneath the black mist flickering with uncertainty.

To think it was a life-or-death duel.

This was something he had not expected either.

After entering the Shang Gu Zhan Tai, all of Chen Yan's martial strength had been suppressed.

Including his path of will.

But before entering the Ancient Battle Gong Dian, Chen Yan had already determined through his martial path connections where Lu Jianxia had appeared and which tier she had climbed to.

Therefore, he knew from the beginning that the person was Lu Jianxia.

"Senior, what is the meaning of this?"

Chen Yan watched Lu Jianxia's fleeing back and spoke coldly.

"To want to listen to my sermon, one must pay a price; is there some problem with that?"

The voice of the woman in the immortal dress resounded:

"If you cannot kill her within three hours, both of you will die."

A cold light flashed in the depths of Chen Yan's eyes.

He knew that only his consciousness had come to this place.

To be precise, the illusion of the Shang Gu Zhan Tai had been injected into the depths of the mind of Chen Yan, who was currently cultivating in the forging room.

Chen Yan himself was still in the forging room.

Could the Shang Gu Zhan Tai truly kill him?

Chen Yan harbored doubts.

But at this moment, Chen Yan had no way to gamble.

Once he lost the gamble, he would truly be dead.

At this moment, Chen Yan did not pursue Lu Jianxia; instead, he sat calmly cross-legged on the surface of the water.

Lu Jianxia wanted to rush to the opposite shore to seek out unstable factors for herself; she was certainly free to do so.

But as long as Chen Yan did not pursue her, Lu Jianxia would eventually have to return.

After all, if a survivor is not decided within three hours, both will die.

Lu Jianxia is an extremely calm person.

In her heart, the desire to survive is far greater than the desire to perish together with the Six-Dao All-Talent.

Even knowing that she has arrived on the lake and has almost no chance of winning in a duel against the Six-Dao All-Talent, she will still fight to the death.

At the same time.

Having already run a thousand meters away, Lu Jianxia suddenly discovers that the Six-Dao All-Talent is not chasing her, but instead sitting cross-legged on the spot.

Under the shroud of black mist, Lu Jianxia's expression turns slightly cold.

The opponent has not fallen for the trick.

Her heart sinks; is she truly destined to perish here today?

Clearly, she had only just managed to reach the third stage with great difficulty.

She clenches her hands, then continues running toward the opposite shore.

As long as she reaches the shore, she might be able to use trees to craft some simple tools.

But there are only three hours; Lu Jianxia herself knows that she may be unable to put much pressure on that Six-Dao All-Talent.

Inside the Cloud-Peak Gong Dian, the woman in the immortal dress watches this scene calmly.

"This is the Dao of Sacrifice."

She murmurs; she had already warned Lu Jianxia, but Lu Jianxia still questioned and participated.

That is fine too.

She has learned some information regarding the Five-Clan Struggle, knowing that the greatest danger to Chen Yan is actually not Chi Xue.

It is instead Lu Jianxia, who is about to ascend to the eighth rank.

Lu Jianxia is another difficult hurdle deep within Chen Yan's heart.

Then, she chooses to give Chen Yan an opportunity here to deal with Lu Jianxia in advance.

She appears here as only a wisp of consciousness, surviving by relying on the Purple Universe World-Fixing Mirror, but she must also abide by the rules of the Purple Universe World-Fixing Mirror.

However, she can intervene in the mode of the Martial Dao Trial.

The third stage she created perfectly conforms to the requirements of the third stage of the Shang Gu Zhan Tai.

Whether it is Lu Jianxia slaying Chen Yan,

or Chen Yan slaying Lu Jianxia, both are sacrificing something important from their own lives.

After sacrificing it, one's own Martial Dao is no longer obstructed and becomes more resolute, only then can one achieve the ultimate.

Of course, she is naturally helping Chen Yan.

After all, relying on Lu Jianxia, it is impossible to kill Chen Yan.

"The path of Martial Dao contains much abandonment and endless hardships.

Only by forging ahead and understanding how to cut away can one attain the Dao."

She says calmly, yet a cold, sinister laugh rings out by her ear.

The woman in the immortal dress knits her brows:

"Shut up!"

Behind the palace, inside a dark room.

The old man sitting cross-legged opens his eyes, his full head of white hair hanging down, and suddenly an endless majesty that looks down upon the world and shakes the past and present radiates outward.

Clatter, clatter...

In an instant, the chains locking the room clatter and tremble.

The eyes of the woman in the immortal dress shrink, but she quickly calms down again:

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Nothing much." The old man laughs softly:

"I always thought you hated me the most; I didn't expect that in the end, you would be the one who understands me the most."

The expression of the woman in the immortal dress turns cold instantly, but she quickly stops herself from speaking.

"It's just that you still think too little."

The white-haired old man says, a trace of complex emotion that is difficult to detect flashing in the depths of his eyes.

He is white-haired and aged, and although there is still the heroic spirit of the morning sun between his brows, that sense of twilight is even more obvious.

"In recent times, the great world has seen many changes; the human world has already passed ten thousand mountains."

He was once at the height of brilliance; he rose when the human world was withering.

He was feared by the Five Clans, hated with malice, and loathed by his descendants.

He was exceptionally cold and exceptionally overbearing, killing his grandsons and destroying his sons, causing the Xia clan to suffer generation after generation.

Yet he was respected and worshipped by hundreds of millions of living beings.

He is the everything of everything.

He is the supreme of the supreme.

He is the founding sovereign of the Great Xia, the master of hard-body cultivation, and the restorer of the human race.

Of course, what is here is only a wisp of his consciousness.

He looks down below, noticing Chen Yan sitting cross-legged on the lake once again.