Chapter 57: Cuiping Mountain Trial

Bang…

Inside He Pingsheng’s room, one of the stone pillars was shattered outright by the Yellow Turban Warrior’s axe.

So strong!

Seeing this, He Pingsheng himself was stunned.

If this axe had struck a cultivator, a Qi Refining cultivator would at least suffer severe injuries.

“Retreat!”

He Pingsheng waved his hand and dismissed the spell; the Yellow Turban Warrior dissolved back into golden spiritual energy and returned to his dantian.

In the following period, He Pingsheng continued his cultivation.

His days were simple enough.

Just sitting, cultivating, and refining elixirs!

After another half year or so, He Pingsheng’s cultivation base finally reached the peak of Qi Refining Sixth Layer, just one step away from breaking through to Seventh Layer.

He estimated he could accomplish it within a month at most.

At this moment, Yuning Palace suddenly rang three deep, resonant bells.

He Pingsheng quickly gathered his things and stood up; he knew three bell rings meant the Master was summoning all disciples, likely to announce something urgent.

He Pingsheng did not dare delay, hurriedly changed into a clean Daoist robe, and went to the entrance of Yuning Palace.

When he arrived, many others were already gathered there.

“Come in, all of you!” came the Master’s voice from within Yuning Palace.

The disciples entered the hall one by one, bowing respectfully.

In the center of the hall stood a stone blue lotus platform, upon which Master Yuning sat.

On the floor below were three rows of meditation cushions.

Three per row.

Nine in total.

He Pingsheng ranked ninth, so these nine cushions were clearly meant for the disciples.

“Greetings, Master!” The disciples bowed to Yuning.

The Daoist nun seated on the lotus platform, appearing roughly the age of a fifty-year-old woman from the mortal world, nodded slightly and smiled: “Children, sit down.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Everyone took their seats in order.

Naturally, He Pingsheng sat in the very last position.

To his left was Eighth Senior Xu Kunlun; further left was Seventh Senior Tian Xiaoqing!

In front of He Pingsheng sat Sixth Senior Zhao Linger.

“Hey… Ninth, you’re already at Sixth Layer?” Xu Kunlun’s eyes widened like copper bells: “When did this happen? If you break through to Seventh Layer, you’ll catch up to me!”

He Pingsheng’s spiritual sense swept over Xu Kunlun.

Indeed, the fellow was at Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

“Idiot!” Above, Master Yuning’s face darkened as she glared at Xu Kunlun: “Eighth, what have you been doing all these years? Your foundation isn’t bad—why haven’t you improved?”

“How many years has it been?”

Xu Kunlun’s face twisted in distress: “Master, it’s not that I’m stupid… I don’t know why, but my cultivation just won’t advance!”

Yuning said: “You simply haven’t applied yourself.”

“When your younger brother catches up to you and surpasses you, don’t think you’ll still be Eighth—let him be Eighth, and you become Ninth!”

“If you still can’t improve, I’ll demote you back to the Outer Sect!”

Xu Kunlun nearly wept: “Master, please don’t!”

“Hmph…” Yuning snorted, then turned her gaze to He Pingsheng: “Pingsheng, I recall you broke from Qi Refining Fifth Layer to Sixth Layer shortly after becoming my disciple. Now nearly three years have passed—why are you still stuck at Sixth Layer? Why?”

Clearly, Yuning thought He Pingsheng’s breakthrough was too slow.

“This…” He Pingsheng could only make up an excuse: “Disciple… previously took too many elixirs and damaged my body, so I needed time to recover!”

“Master, don’t worry—I’m close to Seventh Layer. At most a month, I’ll break through!”

“Oh…” Yuning nodded upon hearing He Pingsheng could break through in a month: “That’s best.”

She then withdrew her gaze and looked at the others: “All of you, perhaps some of you have already guessed why I summoned you?”

“Correct—in half a year, the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm will open!”

“According to regulations, when the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm opens, any Inner Sect disciple of Grand Void Gate with Qi Refining Late Stage cultivation may participate!”

“I hope all of you will participate and find your own opportunities within.”

“Therefore, Pingsheng, you must hasten your cultivation!”

“Enter Qi Refining Late Stage as soon as possible!”

He Pingsheng instantly understood.

No wonder the Master had repeatedly urged him to reach Qi Refining Seventh Layer early—it was for this reason.

Qi Refining is roughly divided into four levels: Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Perfection.

Early Stage refers to Levels One, Two, and Three.

Middle Stage is Levels Four, Five, and Six.

Late Stage is Levels Seven, Eight, and Nine.

Perfection is Levels Ten, Eleven, and Twelve.

The minimum requirement to enter the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm is Qi Refining Late Stage.

Thus, once he enters Seventh Layer, he theoretically qualifies to participate in the Secret Realm.

“Yes, Master!” He Pingsheng bowed.

Yuning nodded and continued: “The Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm opens only once every thirty years. For Qi Refining disciples, it is an irreplaceable trial ground. Today, I will explain its secrets to you—listen carefully!”

“Yes!” The disciples bowed.

Yuning began to speak.

The Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm belongs to the public resource zone of the Matou Mountain Daoxuan Alliance, sealed by a massive array of unknown rank—certainly set by the Ancestors.

This array has a unique property: it repels all cultivators above Qi Refining.

In other words, any Foundation Establishment cultivator cannot enter.

Of course, it’s not truly impossible.

Legend says that in history, a Foundation Establishment disciple from one sect disguised himself as a Qi Refining cultivator and entered—only for the array to detect him, shut down immediately, and prevent everyone from trial and treasure hunting.

The result: the thirty-year trial cycle was ruined.

Enraged cultivators united, killed that disciple, and even eradicated his entire sect.

Since then, no Foundation Establishment disciple has dared to impersonate a Qi Refining disciple for trial.

As for the rules inside, they are simple.

Answer: there are no rules.

Once inside, anything you see may be claimed.

But generally, each sect still observes one principle: unity within the sect, searching as a sect unit.

Yet when something truly valuable is found, fights—even deadly ones—among sect disciples do occur.

Often.

Dead is dead.

No one asks.

All sects have reached a mutual understanding: disciples lost in the trial are not counted as sect grievances.

If you have the ability, settle it within the trial grounds.

As for items acquired within the trial, typically, the sect and the individual split them fifty-fifty.