CHAPTER 94: CHAPTER 92.3: THREE TRIALS, THREE TREASURES

It is indeed a joyful thing to meet an old friend.

Li Ye looked back and did not find the figure of True Man Youtian, so he naturally walked towards Su Ya.

The two walked slowly forward on the platform.

No need for any formalities or polite exchanges.

From the moment they met, the slight melancholy and awkwardness brought by the brief separation quickly dissipated.

"This is the Divine Jade Platform of the sect."

Su Ya introduced, "Further ahead is the Divine Jade Valley, which is the place of assessment for entry cultivators.

The Earth Emotions Technique, Xiguang Seed Nurturing Technique, and Five Elements Spirit Ascension Technique that you have learned need to undergo a test.

If you can pass the test, you will receive corresponding rewards, and if you get a Level A appraisal or higher, the rewards will be even better."

"What if you can’t pass?" Li Ye was confident he could pass, but was still curious about the consequences of failing.

"..." Su Ya remained silent, just staring at Li Ye with a peculiar look—the latter immediately understood that failing would be quite embarrassing.

After all, he was now a disciple of a Nascent Soul True Man and had received the Jianmu blessing from the Temple of All Gods, so it would indeed be a great shame!

For a cultivator, reputation truly matters!

So, Li Ye immediately felt a surge of determination.

"Don’t worry, leave it to me."

By now, they had arrived in front of a pavilion carved from white jade. After saying this, Li Ye walked in with his head held high.

As he entered, he was momentarily dazed.

Then, what appeared before him was a desolate land.

The earth was dry and cracked, with only dead grass and tree trunks like barren bones lying across the ground.

Seeing the situation here, he already knew what his first assessment would be.

"Inner Sect Disciple Li Ye."

A voice resounded from the heavenly dome, reaching Li Ye’s ears: "Ancestor Tianwen once said that when emotions move the heavens, even barren land will bloom with flowers.

The number of flowers you can make bloom on this barren land will determine your assessment result."

Indeed, it was the Earth Emotions Technique assessment.

Li Ye nodded knowingly, "Disciple understands."

Then, he sat down cross-legged.

His fingers gently inserted into the somewhat dry and hard soil.

He had already practiced and performed the Earth Emotions Technique many times before, thinking it shouldn’t be difficult, but only after touching the earth did he realize how mistaken he was.

The spiritual qi within the earth was chaotic, and the emotions he perceived were filled with deathly silence and barrenness, giving him the illusion of touching the spiritual power inside a Hungry Bone for the first time.

He really couldn’t handle it casually.

He calmed his mind, focusing all his energy on the earth.

According to his thoughts, in such a situation, expecting the earth to bloom like a sea of flowers was unrealistic; its recovery would already be quite good.

Even though the voice from above said the test required the earth to bloom with flowers, he instinctively felt that using limited spiritual power to make flowers bloom wasn’t quite right.

So he acted according to his own ideas, giving all his emotions to the earth, hoping it would recover.

Time passed moment by moment.

Around Li Ye, the earth suddenly began to churn, but what emerged was black soil like dripping oil, and some water flowed up from the depths of the soil.

The water spread over the soil around him, smoothing the originally dry land.

However, the water and spiritual power could only extend to about an acre of ground.

Tender green grass sprouted from the soil, and some very small flowers were faintly visible among the grass.

The grass and small flowers surrounded him.

"Huh."

At this moment, Li Ye opened his eyes, feeling exhausted but with a smile on his face, he said to the sky:

"Disciple has done all he can."

In response to him was a pillar of light, carrying extremely pure spiritual qi, which swiftly restored his divine sense and spiritual power as it entered his body.

In an instant, he directly advanced from the Foundation Establishment First Layer to the Second Layer, with both spiritual power and divine sense fully restored, even better than before.

The previous voice also sounded, "Disciple Li Ye, Earth Emotions Technique rated as Level A."

Li Ye’s body was lifted by the light pillar towards the sky.

When he reached a sufficient height, the voice continued, "Look, to the earth, this is flourishing with flowers."

—In the barren, dry land, there was a small area with lush green grass and nameless small flowers, standing in stark contrast to the surrounding desolation, bringing joy at just a glance.

Just as expected.

Li Ye had long guessed, although the Earth Emotions Technique changes the earth with one’s own emotions.

It doesn’t mean forcibly using the earth’s spiritual qi to bloom flowers.

To him, that would be too showy and impractical.

A lush grassland and flowing spiritual water, that’s the way it should be.

He looked at the small patch of greenery created by his own power and nodded with satisfaction.

His body was already being drawn by the light pillar into a brilliantly glowing palace.

Looking around, he couldn’t help but squint.

It was so bright.

Bright sunlight penetrated through the glass walls, and many golden flowers grew around him.

They seemed like sunflowers, but the edge of each flower head had a metallic texture, paired with curved petals, resembling a sun totem made of metal.

[Name]: East Sun Welcoming Sunflower

[Mood]: None

[State]: Sleeping

This environment gave Li Ye a feeling as if he were inside a divine temple, very solemn and majestic.

The voice sounded again:

"Inner Sect Disciple Li Ye."

"This place is the East Monarch Divine Temple for the assessment of the Xiguang Seed Nurturing Technique.

The objective of the assessment is how to make the surrounding East Sun Welcoming Sunflower resonate with your Xiguang Bell."

Li Ye nodded and reached out to summon the Xiguang Bell.

This time, he treated it with utmost seriousness, gathering spiritual power at his fingertips and gently flicking the white bell.

"Ding ding ding~"

An unexpected event occurred.

At the moment the bell sound echoed, the surrounding East Sun Welcoming Sunflower simultaneously turned their flower discs towards the small bell, and the metallic petals at the edge of the flower disc began to shimmer.

Then—

"Swish!"

"Swish!"

"Swish!"

Countless dazzling golden beams shot towards the Xiguang Bell.

The Xiguang Bell embraced them all.

While gently shaking to produce a gentle bell sound, it converted the spiritual power of the East Sun Welcoming Sunflower into chunks of Sunlight Crystal, absorbing them.

"..."

——This scene was not unfamiliar to Li Ye.

Usually, when he prepared sunlight for the Qingsui Silkworm, he did it this way, first gathering it with the Xiguang Bell and then using the Light Technique to condense it into crystals.

Unexpectedly, using it for so long had unconsciously enhanced the power of the Xiguang Bell.

He was just about to wave his hand to recall the Xiguang Bell, but the voice sounded again:

"Disciple Li Ye, the assessment of the Xiguang Seed Nurturing Technique is Level A."

"Everything acquired here can be taken away."

This time, the voice carried a hint of surprise.

Then, the scenery before Li Ye changed again, transporting him to a room filled with jade stones.

"Release your spiritual qi," the voice said.

"Yes."

Li Ye reached out his palm to release a surge of spiritual qi, which flew towards the surrounding jade stones.

During its flight, it was divided into countless different colored phantoms before landing on the jade stones.

Various virtual images of Spirit Beast and Spirit Plant immediately appeared on the jade stones.

Such as the Weichuan Beaver, Silver Moon Grass, Flint Fire Crystal Insect, Spirit-Uniting Lotus, Spirit Water Phoenix Eye Lotus, Spring Wheat...

Finally, even a shadowy image of a Jianmu appeared faintly.

"So many?"

The voice that had been guiding Li Ye was now not only slightly surprised but genuinely startled.

It had guided many cultivators here, but none had received such wholehearted gratitude and pure spiritual energy from so many Spirit Beasts and Spirit Plants right at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

No wonder True Man Su Xing had specifically instructed it.

Given this, it was able to offer a reward:

"Disciple Li Ye."

"You have passed all three assessments."

"All three are Level A, with the outcome of the last assessment for the Five Elements Spirit Ascension Technique being especially unique. Here is your reward."

Accompanying its voice, three radiant treasures appeared before Li Ye—a piece looking like miniature land, a golden metal, and an Eight Trigrams Plate.

When Li Ye focused his gaze on any of the treasures, its effect naturally surfaced in his mind.

The first was indeed a piece of land, ten acres of Pure Spiritual Field, capable of swiftly accepting Li Ye’s spiritual power and emotions, transforming into the most suited spiritual field for him.

If well nurtured, Pure Golden Lotus could grow on the land, which would transform into elves to help him manage the field.

The second was a piece of East Monarch Sun Gold that could fashion a true Xiguang Bell.

The third was an Eight Trigrams Celestial Plate capable of summoning Spirit Plants and Spirit Beasts perfectly matched to his spiritual power anytime and anywhere, regardless of distance!

Li Ye’s breath grew heavier.

The first two treasures might have been expected.

But the third treasure, a magical treasure allowing summoning across vast distances, seemed overly generous?

The guiding voice noticed Li Ye’s doubts and answered: "It is deserved. It’s not easy to receive such wholehearted attention from Spirit Plants and Spirit Beasts at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Moreover, True Man Su Xing sent a message from the Southern Domain with specific instructions, thus specially granting you this treasure, hoping you utilize it well.

Now, leave."

The three treasures automatically flew into Li Ye’s Storage Ring, and he was transported away, returning to Su Ya.

Li Ye was momentarily dazed before regaining his senses.

Su Ya, upon seeing Li Ye return, curiously asked: "How did it go?"

"Naturally..." Li Ye, feeling extremely pleased, intentionally elongated his voice for suspense before saying, "All Level A!"

Now within the sect, he no longer needed to hide his achievements.

Yet, Su Ya merely nodded, looking indifferent: "As expected, it would be quite strange if you couldn’t achieve Level A."

"Let’s go, I’ll take you to the Celestial Inquiry Mountain Range to find a Cave Mansion and share some sect matters along the way..."