100: Chapter 100 Ancient Cultivator's Cave

In the Falling Star Rift Valley, one can often find Immortal Caves left behind by ancient Cultivators, which usually signify an Opportunity.

Everyone's eyes shone with excitement. Working together, they cleared the sand and stones from the cave entrance, and before long, a passage just wide enough for one person to pass through was revealed.

The inside of the passage was pitch black, and any Divine Sense sent in was blocked by a powerful force.

"The Immortal Cave is protected by a Restriction; it seems the master was no ordinary Cultivator."

Shi Feng tried to strike a blast of True Essence into the cave entrance, but it was repelled by a force.

"The Restriction is very strong. Trying to break it by force might trigger unpredictable consequences."

The group tried various methods, even attacking together, but that layer of invisible Restriction light screen only rippled slightly, remaining otherwise immovable.

Hope was right before their eyes, yet they were blocked at the door, which inevitably made people anxious.

Ye Tian did not join the others in trying to break the Restriction with brute force.

He walked to the cave entrance and, without using any True Essence, reached out his finger to gently touch the light screen.

A peculiar rhythm was transmitted from his fingertip.

At the same time, the chaos bead in his bosom sent out a wave of fluctuations.

"This Restriction doesn't seem intended to keep people out; it's more like a test." Ye Tian's heart stirred.

He recalled the look in Mu Sisi's eyes when she left. Could she have known about this place long ago?

He closed his eyes, no longer using his sight, but instead used his mind to try and connect with the rhythm of the Restriction.

Simultaneously, he tried to guide the aura of the chaos bead to make contact.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind!

This Restriction's rhythm was seventy to eighty percent similar to the Overlapping Wave Concept he had comprehended!

Both were progressive layer by layer, though these Restriction fluctuations were more profound, secretly aligning with the movements of the celestial stars!

He understood instantly. Using the Overlapping Wave Concept, he synchronized his True Essence fluctuations with the rhythm of the Restriction!

It was extremely difficult at first, as he could never quite resonate at the same point.

Fortunately, he was steady enough. After several attempts, one particular True Essence fluctuation finally reached a point of alignment with the Restriction's rhythm!

In that very instant!

The Restriction at the cave entrance emitted a soft glow that rippled outward. It didn't disappear, but that powerful repulsive force suddenly weakened!

A gap the size of a person appeared!

"It's open! The Restriction is open!"

Everyone was both surprised and delighted, looking at Ye Tian with disbelief.

The Restriction they couldn't even shake with all their strength had been triggered so effortlessly by Ye Tian?

Ye Tian took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "The Restriction hasn't been broken; rather, the test has begun.

I'll go first. Everyone, be careful."

With that, he said no more and stepped into the gap in the light screen, his figure vanishing instantly.

After he entered, the light screen returned to its original state, but the repulsive force no longer targeted those outside.

Shi Feng and the others looked at each other, gritted their teeth, and one after another tried touching the light screen.

Sure enough, as long as they didn't carry strong aggressive intent, they could pass through smoothly.

The group hurriedly entered in sequence.

The inside of the cave was not pitch black as imagined, but instead shimmered with starlight.

Ye Tian found himself in a wide corridor where the walls on both sides were carved with countless star charts, emitting a faint glow.

He proceeded carefully. Not far ahead, a massive stone chamber appeared.

In the center of the stone chamber, two balls of dazzling light were suspended.

One ball was pale gold, and inside it, countless weapon shadows seemed to be practicing.

The other ball was ice blue, with various profound scripts flowing endlessly inside.

The moment Ye Tian stepped into the stone chamber, an ancient voice traveled through time and space to echo within: "Latecomer, to be able to trigger the Star-Trace Restriction proves you have an affinity with my Dao.

This is the first trial, the Martial Arts Star Wall.

Within three days, you must comprehend an offensive technique before the Star Wall that conforms to the principles of celestial movement to proceed.

Those who fail will be teleported out of the cave."

As the voice faded, the Star Wall suddenly lit up. The stars upon it began to slowly Move, collide, and generate according to certain trajectories... evolving into endless variations of offense and defense.

Meanwhile, Shi Feng, Leng Yue, and the others also entered the stone chamber one after another and heard the same rules.

"Comprehend an offensive technique? And it has to conform to celestial principles?"

One team member looked troubled; this requirement was too high.

No one dared to be negligent, and they all sat cross-legged before the Star Wall, observing intently to try and comprehend something.

Shi Feng tried to comprehend a fierce boxing style from the collision of stars, while Leng Yue focused on the curves of the star trajectories, wanting to integrate them into her archery.

Ye Tian also calmed his mind, gazing deeply at the Star Wall.

He was in no hurry to mimic specific Moves, but instead immersed himself in the vast Concept of celestial movement.

"The movement of stars seems chaotic, but it actually has internal laws.

Gravitational pull, constant trajectories, yet containing variables within that constancy... Does my Overlapping Wave Fist, with its layers of added power and endless follow-through, also secretly align with some kind of gravity and trajectory?"

He continued to deduce in his mind, imagining the "gravity" of the stars as the "hidden force" of his punch, and the "trajectories" of the stars as the "delivery route" of the power.

He discarded the fixed Move framework of the Overlapping Wave Fist and took only its "intent," trying to integrate celestial movement into his own understanding of power.

Time passed minute by minute.

Some scratched their heads, gaining nothing.

Some seemed to have gained something, but it was hard to form into a technique.

On the second day, Ye Tian was still sitting motionless, but a peculiar aura began to faintly emanate from his body, resonating with the stars on the Star Wall.

Occasionally, he would raise his hand and trace in the air, his fingertips carrying True Essence fluctuations as they simulated the star trajectories.

By the evening of the third day, when most people had given up hope, feeling either anxious or dejected, Ye Tian's eyes suddenly snapped open!

It was as if stars were being created and destroyed in his eyes!

He slowly stood up and walked to the Star Wall. Facing the vast star chart, he did not perform any known boxing Moves, but simply delivered a single punch forward!

This punch seemed slow, yet it pulled the starlight from the entire stone chamber!

Wherever the fist passed, True Essence trajectories of celestial gravity flickered around the fist's momentum!

Although there was no earth-shaking commotion, it gave off a sense of great terror!

"Buzz!"

The star chart on the Star Wall suddenly erupted with light!

A beam of starlight descended, enveloping Ye Tian!

"First trial, passed." The ancient voice rang out.

In the next moment, Ye Tian's figure slowly faded within the starlight and was teleported to the next trial.

Leaving the people in the stone chamber to look at one another, their hearts filled only with shock.

In the next moment, Ye Tian found himself in a completely different environment.

This was a narrow single-log bridge. Below the bridge was not flowing water, but churning, scorching lava!

What was even more terrifying was that the bridge was extremely unstable, constantly swaying.

On the opposite bank, a pool emitting Spiritual Qi was faintly visible.

"Second trial, Heart-Melting Bridge.

Those who cross the bridge within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn will receive the baptism of the Heart-Transforming Pool.

Those who fall will have their Divine Souls extinguished."

The ancient voice was cold.

The high temperature scorched his skin, the heat waves from the churning lava made breathing difficult, and the swaying of the single-log bridge made his mind waver.

This was not just a test of strength, but an ultimate challenge to one's judgment!

Ye Tian took a deep breath, and the scorching air caused a pang of pain in his lungs.

He did not rashly step forward, but instead observed carefully.

The bridge's swaying was not without pattern; every so often, there would be a violent tremor, as if something were striking the bridge from below.

"Calm down... I must find the pattern and intervals of the swaying."

He forced himself to suppress his instinctive fear, concentrating his Divine Sense to the highest degree to perceive every minute vibration of the bridge.

Time slipped away, and the incense stick burned rapidly.

Suddenly, a sharp light flashed in Ye Tian's eyes!

He had caught the pattern!

Between two violent tremors, there was a relatively short interval!

Now!

Blood Shadow Step erupted instantly!

He didn't wait any longer, because he knew the longer he delayed, the harder it would be to grasp the timing.

The moment that short interval appeared, Ye Tian pushed his movement speed to the limit and rushed onto the single-log bridge!

The bridge was still swaying, but relying on his movement technique, he maneuvered within the narrow space, avoiding one fatal loss of balance after another!

The scorching air waves from the lava below almost swallowed him!

Just as he was about to reach the opposite bank, the final and most violent tremor struck!

The entire bridge almost flipped over!

At the critical moment, Ye Tian slammed a foot onto the bridge's end. Using the counterforce, his body flipped through the air while his fingertip shot out a blast of True Essence, striking a protruding rock on the opposite bank to adjust his posture!

"Thud!"

He landed steadily on the ground of the opposite bank, and behind him, the incense stick had just finished burning its last wisp of blue smoke.

"Second trial, passed.

You may enter the Heart-Transforming Pool."

The ancient voice seemed a bit less cold this time.

Ye Tian let out a long breath, his back already covered in cold sweat.

He looked toward the small pool ahead. The water was milky white, emitting a refreshing fragrance and pure Spiritual Qi; it was indeed the Heart-Transforming Pool!