184: Chapter 184 The Sword Heart Illusion Array Tests the Dao Heart, Breaking Through Illusion Reveals My True Nature

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the early morning, when the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the towering mountain gate of the Heavenly Sword Sect, a melodious bell rang out from Wenjian Peak, spreading throughout the entire mountain range.

Every Cultivator participating in the Heavenly Pride Tournament felt their spirits lift and gathered towards the Sword-Testing Plaza at the foot of Wenjian Peak.

The Sword-Testing Plaza was a square paved with a massive, mirror-smooth, blue-black boulder, spanning several thousand zhang, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.

At this moment, the plaza was already packed with Cultivators participating in the assessment, a dense, bustling sea of heads.

Ye Qing mingled within the crowd, his gaze calmly fixed in the direction of Wenjian Peak.

Before long, several powerful auras descended from Wenjian Peak, landing on a high platform in front of the Sword-Testing Plaza.

They were several Cultivators dressed in the robes of Heavenly Sword Sect Elders, all with cultivation levels above the Void Refinement Realm.

The leader among them, a White-haired Elder, possessed an aura so unfathomable that it had clearly reached the Dao Integration Realm!

The White-haired Elder at the Dao Integration Realm scanned the entire venue, and the previously noisy plaza instantly fell silent.

"I am Jian Wuxin, the Enforcement Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect," the White-haired Elder spoke slowly.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, "I will be presiding over the first round of this Heavenly Pride Tournament."

He paused before continuing: "The first round of the assessment is called the 'Sword Heart Illusion Array.' This Formation was personally set up by a Grand Elder of our sect and can reflect the deepest obsessions and Heart Demons within your hearts.

Only those with a firm Dao Heart who can see through illusions will be able to pass this trial."

"The rules of the assessment are very simple: after entering the illusion array, you must use your own strength to walk out of it within one hour.

Anyone who fails to exit in time, or whose mind is lost and becomes trapped within the illusion, will be considered eliminated."

"Do you all understand?"

"Understood!" Hundreds of Cultivators in the plaza responded in unison, their voices resonant.

Elder Jian Wuxin nodded, said nothing more, and waved his hand.

Hum—!!!

Above the Sword-Testing Plaza, a soft and mysterious seven-colored light suddenly lit up.

The light intertwined and condensed in the air, finally transforming into a giant, slowly rotating phantom of a Formation that seemed to be cast from seven-colored glaze, enveloping the entire Sword-Testing Plaza.

The next moment, Ye Qing felt his vision blur, and the scene around him changed instantly.

He found himself standing in a vast, boundless space of pure white.

All around, there was nothing, only endless white and an absolute silence.

He knew he had already entered the Sword Heart Illusion Array.

He did not panic, nor did he rush to find a way out; instead, he slowly closed his eyes and sank his consciousness deep into his heart.

The illusion array tested one's Dao Heart.

As long as one's Dao Heart was firm and unmoved by external objects, the illusions would naturally collapse on their own.

However, knowing this was one thing, and being able to achieve it was another.

That endless white space seemed to possess a strange magic capable of magnifying the distracting thoughts and desires within a person's heart.

Some Cultivators, the moment they entered the illusion array, became trapped in various illusions because their greed, fear, anger, and other emotions were amplified, unable to extricate themselves.

Ye Qing's consciousness, however, remained as steady as a rock, unmoved.

He silently circulated the Hunxu Yandao Scripture, using the Chaos Dao as his Foundation to guard his true heart.

He saw his various experiences from his past life on Earth, saw the faces of his family and friends, and saw that world with advanced technology but depleted Spiritual Qi.

He saw the various hardships and obstacles he had experienced since his Transmigration to the Mortal Realm, and the many powerful enemies he had slain.

He saw the scene of himself slaying the Heavenly Demon Emperor and his Ascension to the Spirit Realm.

These images flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern, attempting to stir up the nostalgia, reluctance, pride, or fear within his heart.

But he remained as calm as still water, unmoved.

He knew that those were merely shadows of the past.

His Dao was under his feet, in the future, not in the past.

He did not know how much time had passed when that endless white space began to develop cracks like a mirror, and then, it shattered with a boom!

The scene before Ye Qing changed again, and he returned to the Sword-Testing Plaza.

He slowly opened his eyes and found that he was still standing in the same spot.

Around him, there were still many Cultivators participating in the assessment; some still had expressions of confusion or struggle on their faces.

And on the high platform, that Elder Jian Wuxin was looking at him with a calm gaze, a hint of imperceptible approval in his eyes.

"Congratulations on passing the first round of the assessment."

Elder Jian Wuxin's voice rang in his ears.