553: Shennong Ding

Outside, on the Light Gate, the names of the participants in the Trial appeared, each followed by a light spot. The brightness and speed of the light spot represented the participant's comprehension of the Tracing of Life.

"Look quickly, it's the Saint of the Golden-Winged Great Peng Clan, his speed is incredible! I heard he has already touched the threshold of the Dao Realm. He came this time to perfect his Dao using the Great Dao of Life."

"That successor from the Netherworld Blood Sea isn't slow either. His understanding of the Dao of Life and Death seems unique. Although the Netherworld Blood Sea is somewhat despicable, this person's strength is certainly interesting."

"Huh? That Jiang Li... her light spot is very stable. Although not fast, the light is pure, almost without any impurities!"

Among the onlookers, there were many knowledgeable people who immediately understood the trick.

Behind Jiang Li's name, the azure light spot, though not miles ahead of the rest, was astonishingly stable.

That radiance was extremely pure, representing her focus on cultivating the Great Dao of Life, which shared the same Origin as the Shennong Trial.

"That's the Divine Maiden of the Jiang Family. Don't forget, the Jiang Family's Dao technique relies on the Shennong Cauldron. Since it's gone, even if she passes the Trial, she won't be able to perfect her Physique. It's truly a pity."

...Everyone had their own opinions.

Sect Master Xu Yun stroked his beard and nodded, saying to Ye Xuan beside him, "Brother Ye, your wife's Dao foundation is solid and her Heart-Nature is tranquil—truly rare. I, this old Daoist, haven't seen such pure Life Qi in many years."

Ye Xuan calmly gazed at Jiang Li's name on the Light Gate and said indifferently, "Lier's nature is tenacious, and she has her own Karmic Destiny in the Dao of Life."

The withered old man from the Myriad Gu Star Domain next to him interjected sinisterly, "Hmph, the Tracing of Life is just an appetizer. The real test is yet to come. What good is a pure understanding of life alone? My Myriad Gu Star Domain controls life and evolves myriad poisons. Is our understanding of life shallow? Yet, how many people ultimately pass the Trial and manage to activate the Shennong Cauldron's Origin?"

Ye Xuan didn't even bother looking at him, his gaze remaining fixed on the Light Gate.

The inability to activate the Shennong Cauldron's Origin was simply because the Shennong Cauldron had vanished, leaving only a Phantom Image. How could it be activated?

Ye Xuan disdained to speak.

This disregard made the old man more uncomfortable than any rebuttal, and his face grew increasingly gloomy.

Just then, the scene of the River of Life suddenly changed! The original picture, full of vitality and evolution, began to mix with countless distorted life forms carrying the aura of decay.

This was the dark side of the Life Law, a path leading to destruction, full of temptation, attempting to lead the comprehenders astray.

"Hehehe... merge with us and gain greater power..."

"The meaning of life lies in plunder, in devouring..."

Countless whispers full of Malice sounded in their Divine Souls.

The light spots behind the names of some trial participants began to flicker violently, and some quickly dimmed.

The extinguishing of the light spots meant that they had lost control of their minds, were eroded by the dark side, and were eliminated.

Jiang Li also felt immense pressure. Those negative energies were like Maggots Clinging to Bone, trying to pollute her pure Life Origin.

"My Dao is nourishment, it is life!"

She silently chanted this in her heart, and the light spot behind her name became even more dazzling under the impact!

She did not know how much time had passed; it felt like only an instant, yet also like ten million years.

All the illusions receded like a tide. Jiang Li felt her Divine Soul return to her body, and her understanding of the Great Dao of Life had deepened several times over.

"First stage, passed."

As the Sound of the Law fell, the light spot behind Jiang Li's name suddenly brightened significantly, firmly placing her among the leaders, drawing gasps from the onlookers.

She gently exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, her gaze more resolute as she looked toward the Shennong Cauldron Phantom Image.

She knew the first two stages were mostly tests of comprehension and Heart-Nature. What followed was the moment that truly decided destiny: activating the power of the Shennong Cauldron to awaken her Perfect Dao Body!

She sat cross-legged, forming Arcane Hand Seals with both hands. Holding nothing back, she completely activated the Life Divine Body Origin within her, which was already very close to Perfection!

"Boom!"

A majestic azure Divine Light, far purer than before, shot up from her crown, like a Pillar of Life, actively moving toward the massive Shennong Cauldron Projection.

"She's starting!"

"Directly inducing resonance with the Cauldron Projection? What courage!"

The onlookers outside held their breath.

However, the Shennong Cauldron Projection merely trembled slightly, and the descending radiance did not change much.

Jiang Li was not disheartened. With a thought, she communicated with the genuine Shennong Cauldron she carried with her!

"Boom!"

The sound of a cauldron chime, seemingly from the Primordial Great Desolation, suddenly rang out from within Jiang Li's body. Although not violent, it carried a supreme majesty that suppressed all Laws and governed life!

Immediately afterward, an extremely condensed azure-gold Divine Light, containing the Primordial Life Origin, erupted from the small Cauldron Phantom Image above Jiang Li's head, generating an unprecedented resonance with the massive Cauldron Projection outside!

"That is... the Qi Mechanism of the genuine Shennong Cauldron?!"

"How is that possible! Hasn't the Shennong Cauldron been lost for ages?"

"The Ye Family! That's right, the Ye Family must have found the Shennong Cauldron!"

At this moment, the entire audience was in an uproar! Even Sect Master Xu Yun showed a look of astonishment.

The old man from the Myriad Gu Star Domain widened his eyes, filled with disbelief.

No wonder Jiang Li came to participate in the Shennong Trial; it turned out she had found the genuine Shennong Cauldron.

However, the Shennong Cauldron is a Primordial Divine Item. If one obtains it, they can acquire the complete Essence of Life, and any Spirit Medicine placed inside the Shennong Cauldron will undergo a complete transformation.

Thinking of this, a hint of greed flashed in the old man's eyes.

However, he glanced at Ye Xuan and hid the greed in his eyes well.

But he had already decided to incite the crowd later to make Ye Xuan hand over the Shennong Cauldron.

With the blessing of the genuine Shennong Cauldron, the massive Projection seemed to have been infused with a Soul. The patterns on the Cauldron's body instantly lit up completely: the sun, moon, and stars revolved; mountains, rivers, and seas appeared; and all spirits and vegetation roared!

An azure-gold light pillar, far thicker and more condensed than any previous radiance, descended like the Nine Heavens Galaxy pouring down, carrying the primordial power of creating life and shaping myriad things, completely engulfing Jiang Li!

This time, it was a genuine impact and Fusion of Origin!

Intense pain struck instantly, as if every inch of flesh and blood, every trace of Divine Soul, was being torn apart and reshaped!

Jiang Li's body trembled violently, and fine drops of blood oozed from her skin, but she gritted her teeth, her eyes sharp as knives, frantically circulating her Cultivation Technique.

Ye Xuan, standing with his hands behind his back, leaned slightly forward, a trace of solemnity flashing deep in his eyes.

He could feel that within the light pillar, a brand new, incredibly powerful Life Qi was struggling to gestate and be born.

Success or failure depends on this one action!