54: Chapter 54 The Holy Land of Yao Guang: Trials Begin

The door to the Materials warehouse opened slowly inward after the rusty copper lock was melted by the Chaos Fire.

Inside the door, it was not the mountains of Materials Lin Ye had expected, but a scene of Chaos.

Time had eroded most of the storage racks and containers; many precious Artifact Refining Materials had long since lost their Spiritual Qi, turning into common objects or dust.

Only a few items preserved through special methods still retained a glimmer of spiritual light.

But even so, the harvest was still far beyond expectations.

In a damaged profound iron box, Lin Ye found three fist-sized pieces of star iron (Epic), a rare type of meteorite iron containing the power of the stars, which is an excellent material for refining Flying Swords and Formation Flags.

In another jade box, twelve drops of Earth Core Lava Essence (Epic) were sealed—a top-tier fire-element material, with one drop worth five thousand Spirit Stones.

The most precious discovery came from a secret chamber in the deepest part of the warehouse.

There was a small protective Formation there, and although it had weathered the passage of time, the core was still functioning.

Lin Ye expended thirty percent of his Divine Power, combined with the technique for breaking Formations from the Void Scripture, to barely open a gap.

On a stone platform in the center of the secret chamber lay a fist-sized piece of silver metal, its surface naturally generating cloud patterns; it felt warm to the touch yet weighed over a thousand catties.

[Ten Thousand Year Cloud Pattern Silver (Earth Rank Low Grade)]

Quality: Gold (Rare Material)

Effects:

① Core material for refining Magic Treasures, can significantly improve the flexibility and Spiritual Qi conductivity of the Magic Treasure.

② Direct absorption can improve metal affinity (10-20 points).

③ Fusing it when refining a Natal Artifact has a chance to grant the "Cloud Concealment" effect (some attacks can become ethereal and penetrate).

④ Cannot be melted by Artifact Refiners below Earth Rank; requires at least Expert-level Artifact Refining combined with special Earth Fire.

Description: Formed by a silver vein nourished by earth energy for ten thousand years, having accidentally absorbed a wisp of essence from celestial cloudglow. The yield is extremely low; one might not even find one tael in ten thousand catties of silver ore.

Earth Rank material!

Although it was only Low Grade, its value far exceeded the sum of all previously harvested items.

This level of material, if placed at an auction, would have a starting price of at least one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and it would be priceless.

"It was worth the trip after all," Lin Ye carefully put away the Cloud Pattern Silver. "With this, upgrading the Heavenly Court battle armor to Blue quality is within reach."

The other team members also had their own gains.

Su Qingyue found a box of [Ice Soul Jade] (Excellent), which had a nourishing effect on the Vast Cold Spirit Body; Chen Hao discovered a broken [Po Jun Spear] (Epic, damaged), with the spearhead intact, which could be recast; Shi Potian collected a set of [Shadowless Needles] (Blue) crafting diagrams.

When the team left the Materials warehouse with their haul, the six hours promised by Qin Ruoxue had just passed.

The communication Jade Slip vibrated, and Qin Ruoxue's voice came through: "The news has spread. Now all factions in the Secret Realm know about the existence of the 'Mysterious Gold Secret Realm Core' and that it is in the third-layer Dead Zone. Olympus has accelerated its speed in cracking the central palace, the Zongheng Alliance has given up searching for you and turned to the entrance of the Dead Zone. The Green Robe Tower, the remnants of the Shadow Kill Tower, and the exploration team from the Eternal Star Domain are all moving in that direction."

"Good effect," Lin Ye replied. "We are now going to the vicinity of the Dead Zone entrance to observe and wait for an Opportunity."

"Be careful, it will soon become a meat grinder there," Qin Ruoxue warned. "Also, I just received news from Yan State, there is an important matter you need to know."

"Speak."

"Yaoguang Holy Land has announced that it is opening its trials to the public for seven days. The top one hundred who pass can become Outer Sect Disciples of the Holy Land, enjoying Disciple benefits and cultivation resources. Registration has already started, and there are currently over one hundred thousand players signed up."

Yaoguang Holy Land trial!

Lin Ye felt a jolt in his heart.

In his past life, this event happened at the end of the third month after the server opened and was the first major plot event on the Eastern Wasteland server.

The trial was divided into three rounds, and in the end, only one hundred people could become Outer Sect Disciples, making the competition extremely fierce.

But accordingly, the benefits were also immense.

Becoming an Outer Sect Disciple of a Holy Land meant being able to learn the Holy Land's basic Cultivation Techniques, use cultivation resources, accept Holy Land missions, and accumulate contribution points to exchange for more profound Legacies.

More importantly, having the status of a Holy Land Disciple would make things much more convenient when acting in the Eastern Wasteland.

"When does the trial start?" Lin Ye asked.

"In three days," Qin Ruoxue said. "However, registration closes at midnight tomorrow. If you rush back now, you will still make it."

Three days...

Lin Ye looked at the map. At least six faction markers had gathered at the entrance to the Dead Zone, with a total of over eight hundred people.

The battle for the Mysterious Gold Secret Realm Core was on the verge of breaking out.

Stay here to fight for the core, or return to Yan State to participate in the Holy Land trial?

Almost without hesitation, Lin Ye made his decision.

"Give up the core, return to Yan State," he said to the team. "Although the Secret Realm core is precious, the risk is too great, and the returns are uncertain. The Holy Land trial is a tangible Opportunity, and becoming an Outer Sect Disciple is more helpful for the development of the Heavenly Court."

Although everyone was a bit unwilling, they understood this decision.

With their current strength, getting involved in a chaotic battle of eight hundred people meant there was less than a thirty percent chance of coming out alive.

"Then these gains..." Chen Hao looked at the Storage Pouch.

"Bring them back first. It won't be too late to explore the Secret Realm after the trial ends. Anyway, we control the entrance, others can't get in," Lin Ye said.

He contacted Qin Ruoxue: "Miss Qin, we are preparing to evacuate the Secret Realm. Can you provide a safe route?"

"Yes," Qin Ruoxue replied quickly. "There is a hidden passage in the southeast direction, it's the path I came by, and no one has discovered it yet. If you go out from there, you can directly reach the outskirts of Falling Phoenix Slope. However, I need you to do something for me in exchange."

"What is it?"

"In the middle section of the passage, there is a 'Phantom Sound Wall' which records a fragment of the ancient musical secret technique, the 'Heart Clearing Mantra'. People from the Green Robe Tower are looking for this, but they don't know the specific location. Help me make a rubbing of it; I need it for my research on musical intelligence."

"Deal."

Following the route provided by Qin Ruoxue, the team successfully avoided other factions and arrived at the southeast passage.

The passage was narrow and deep, with glowing moss growing on the rock walls.

After walking for about three miles, faint music came from ahead, like the tinkling of a spring, and also like wind passing through a bamboo forest.

The Phantom Sound Wall had been reached.

It was a black stone wall as smooth as a mirror, two zhang high and three zhang wide.

On the wall surface, countless fine lines had formed naturally. When air flowed, these lines would vibrate and make sound, forming strange music.

Listening carefully, one could distinguish a certain pattern contained in the melody.

"Is this the 'Heart Clearing Mantra'?" Su Qingyue approached the stone wall and listened intently.

She possessed the Vast Cold Spirit Body and had special perception for sound and rhythm.

After listening for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, she took out a Jade Slip and began to record the melody and the corresponding spiritual fluctuations.

This process lasted for half an hour.

When Su Qingyue finished the rubbing, the music on the stone wall suddenly stopped, and those lines dimmed as if they had completed their mission.

"Got it." Su Qingyue handed the Jade Slip to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye copied it, then sent the original to Qin Ruoxue via the communication Jade Slip.

"Happy cooperation," Qin Ruoxue replied. "There is a small teleportation array of mine at the exit of the passage, which can teleport you directly to fifty miles outside Lin'guan City, saving you a day's time. The coordinates of the array are..."

Following the coordinates, the team indeed found a hidden teleportation array at the end of the passage.

The array was not large, accommodating at most twenty people, so the team teleported in three batches.

When the last batch of people left the Secret Realm and appeared outside Lin'guan City, it was already dark.

"Finally out," Chen Hao let out a long breath. "Staying in the Secret Realm for two days felt like two months."

"Return to the Capital City first and prepare for the Holy Land trial," Lin Ye looked into the distance. "For this trial, the Heavenly Court must get as many quotas as possible."

Traveling at full speed, the team returned to the Yan State Capital City on the evening of the second day.

Inside the headquarters, Zhao Wuji had been waiting for a long time.

"Brother Ye! You're finally back!" He greeted them. "The news of the Holy Land trial has gone crazy, and players from all over the Eastern Wasteland are rushing to the Yaoguang Holy Land. Our Heavenly Court is famous now, and many brothers want to try, but the quota is limited..."

"How many people signed up?" Lin Ye asked.

"Among the official members, one hundred and twenty-three people above the fifth layer of the Sea of Wheels all want to go. There are even more peripheral members, but their strength is uneven." Zhao Wuji handed over the list. "According to the conditions announced by the Holy Land, registrants must meet: one, level not lower than the fourth layer of the Sea of Wheels; two, age not exceeding thirty; three, no record of major evil deeds. We have about three hundred people who meet the criteria."

Three hundred people... but there were only one hundred spots, and that was for the entire Eastern Wasteland to compete for.

"Filter them," Lin Ye made a decision. "Prioritize those above the seventh layer of the Sea of Wheels, prioritize those with special talents or skills, and prioritize those who have contributed greatly to the guild. Finally, select fifty people, and I will lead the team."

"Fifty people? Isn't that too few?" Zhao Wuji hesitated. "Other large guilds have hundreds of people signing up; more people means a better chance."

"Quality is better than quantity," Lin Ye shook his head. "The Holy Land trial is not something you can just stack people for; the first few rounds are personal tests. Sending more people who lack strength is just cannon fodder. Fifty elites can look out for each other and improve the overall pass rate."

"Understood, I'll go filter them right now."

The screening work was carried out overnight.

The fifty people finally selected included core members like Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, and Zhang Meng, as well as elites from the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise halls.

The average level was the seventh layer of the Sea of Wheels, and half of them had special talents or equipment above Blue grade.

On the morning of the third day, the team set off.

The Yaoguang Holy Land was located in the "Yaoguang Mountain Range" in the southeast of the Yan State, eight hundred miles away from the Capital City.

This time, they didn't use an expensive teleportation array but rode horses instead—although the Heavenly Court had some savings now, they saved where they could.

Along the way, they encountered many player teams heading to the Holy Land.

Some were in groups of three or five, some in groups of dozens or hundreds, with different clothing and a wide variety of weapons.

Everyone had anticipation and nervousness on their Faces—this was an Opportunity to change their fate.

"Look over there, that's the 'Iron Blood Alliance'. I heard their Alliance Master is already at the second layer of the Dao Palace."

"There's also 'Hundred Flowers Valley', all female players, but their strength is not weak."

"Is that... people from Olympus? Aren't they in the West? Why are they here too?"

"The Yaoguang Holy Land trial is open to the entire Eastern Wasteland, and people from the Western server can also participate as long as they pass through the cross-border teleportation array."

Amid the discussions, Lin Ye saw several familiar signs: the Thunder Scepter of Olympus, the words "Zongheng" of the Zongheng Alliance, the green lotus of the Green Robe Tower... Almost all the influential factions in the Eastern Wasteland had sent people.

"It seems this trial is not only an Opportunity but also a stage for various factions to show their strength and recruit talent," Su Qingyue said softly.

"Exactly," Lin Ye's eyes were calm. "Let the Eastern Wasteland see the weight of the Heavenly Court."

At noon, the Yaoguang Mountain Range came into view.

Seven mountain Peaks soaring into the clouds were arranged in the position of the big dipper, shrouded in clouds and mist, with cranes dancing.

Rainbow bridges connected the Peaks, with waterfalls and springs, and spiritual birds and strange beasts appeared and disappeared.

The rich Spiritual Qi could be clearly felt even at the foot of the mountain, making one feel refreshed with every breath.

At the mountain gate, it was already crowded with people.

A rough estimate was that more than one hundred and fifty thousand players had gathered! And the number was still increasing.

The dense crowd formed a long line, waiting for registration.

Yaoguang Holy Land sent out three hundred Outer Sect Disciples to maintain order, each with extraordinary aura, the lowest being at the Sea of Wheels Seventh Layer.

The several Deacons leading them were even at the Dao Palace Realm, their pressure making the noisy crowd quiet down significantly.

The registration process was simple: verify identity, test bone age, register information, and receive the trial token.

But the speed was very slow. With 150,000 people, even if each person took only one minute, it would require 2,500 hours; it was obviously impossible to finish in one day.

"If we keep queuing like this, we won't be able to register by tomorrow," Chen Hao frowned.

"The Holy Land should have arrangements." Lin Ye looked toward the inside of the mountain gate, where several people who were clearly in charge were conversing.

Sure enough, a middle-aged Cultivator wearing a cyan Daoist robe rose into the air, his voice spreading across the entire venue:

"Silence!"

The voice was like a great bell, drowning out all the noise.

"I am Li Qingyang, an Outer Sect Deacon of the Yaoguang Holy Land. In view of the numerous applicants, the rules are now adjusted: all representatives of factions may bring their teams directly to the 'Spirit Testing Platform' for initial screening. Only those who pass the initial screening may officially register!"

The rules had changed!

The crowd became agitated. This meant that individual players without factions needed to continue queuing, while those with factions could proceed directly to the initial screening.

"All faction representatives, bring your Faction Token and come to register!" Li Qingyang continued.

Lin Ye took out the Heavenly Court Token and walked toward the registration desk.

There were already a dozen faction representatives queuing there, each with a strong aura. Lin Ye saw several acquaintances: the Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance from the Zongheng Alliance, Qingluan from the Green Robe Tower, the leader of the Iron Blood Alliance... and several Faces from the Western server, one of whom had golden hair and blue eyes, with an aura that was clearly at the Dao Palace Fourth Layer—"Ares," one of the twelve main gods of Olympus, the God of War.

"Lin Ye?" The Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance saw Lin Ye, and his eyes turned cold. "You still dare to appear before me?"

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Lin Ye said indifferently. "Have you not had enough of the lesson from the Secret Realm?"

"You!" The Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance clenched his fists, but seeing the Holy Land Deacon nearby, he held back. "Hmph, we'll see the truth in the trial. At that time, I will let you know the consequences of offending the Zongheng Alliance."

"I'll be waiting."

It was soon Lin Ye's turn to register.

"Faction name?" The Disciple in charge of registration didn't even lift his head.

"Heavenly Court."

"Token."

Lin Ye handed over the Heavenly Court Token. The Disciple took it and placed it into a Formation Plate to test it, and the Formation Plate lit up with silver light.

"Level 2 Faction, meets the criteria." The Disciple recorded, "How many people can you bring to participate in the initial screening?"

"Fifty people."

"Go to the No. 3 Spirit Testing Platform and find Deacon Liu."

Lin Ye took back his token and led his team to the designated Spirit Testing Platform.

The Spirit Testing Platform was a circular stone platform with a radius of ten zhang, on which stood a three-zhang-high white jade pillar engraved with runes. Standing at the edge of the platform was a solemn-faced gray-robed Cultivator, who was none other than Deacon Liu.

"Come up one by one, place your hand on the Spirit Testing Pillar, and inject Spiritual Qi," Deacon Liu said concisely. "The Spirit Testing Pillar will display your bone age, cultivation, and Spiritual Qi purity. Those with a bone age over thirty, cultivation below the Sea of Wheels Fourth Layer, or Spiritual Qi purity below fifty percent will be eliminated."

A cruel initial screening.

Cultivation and bone age were fine, but the Spiritual Qi purity item would eliminate many people. So-called Spiritual Qi purity referred to the level of refinement of the Spiritual Qi within the body, which was related to Cultivation Techniques, talent, and cultivation methods. If ordinary players did not have good Cultivation Techniques or special Physiques, most of their Spiritual Qi purity would be between forty and sixty percent. Fifty percent was a passing line.

The first to go up was Chen Hao.

He placed his hand on the white jade pillar and injected Spiritual Qi. The pillar lit up, and three lines of text appeared at the bottom: [Bone Age: 22] [Cultivation: Sea of Wheels Ninth Layer] [Spiritual Qi Purity: 68%]

"Pass, next." Deacon Liu nodded.

Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief and stepped aside.

Next was Su Qingyue.

[Bone Age: 21] [Cultivation: Sea of Wheels Eighth Layer] [Spiritual Qi Purity: 79%]

"Oh?" Deacon Liu took another look. "Ice Spirit Body? Not bad, pass."

Shi Potian, Zhang Meng, and others tested one by one, and all passed. The lowest Spiritual Qi purity was 62%, and the highest reached 71%—that was a fire-element mage from the Vermilion Bird Hall, whose talent was [Heart of Flame].

It was Lin Ye's turn.

He placed his hand on the pillar, not using his Chaos Divine Power, but injecting the most ordinary Spiritual Qi.

The Spirit Testing Pillar shone brightly!

[Bone Age: 23] [Cultivation: Dao Palace First Layer] [Spiritual Qi Purity: 92%]

"Dao Palace Realm?!" Deacon Liu was finally moved, carefully examining Lin Ye. "A Dao Palace First Layer at the bone age of twenty-three... 92% Spiritual Qi purity... Do you have a special Physique?"

"You could say that." Lin Ye did not explain in detail.

Deacon Liu looked at him deeply and recorded it in the register: "Pass."

All fifty people were tested, and none were eliminated. The lowest Spiritual Qi purity was 62%, and the average was 68%. This data made even Deacon Liu nod involuntarily: "Your Heavenly Court has a very solid foundation. Unlike some factions that are in a rush to increase their Rank, leaving their Spiritual Qi floating and purity below fifty percent."

Passed the initial screening, officially registered.

Lin Ye and the others received their trial tokens.

[Yaoguang Trial Token (Temporary)] Quality: Green (Special) Effects: (1) Identity Proof: Proof of participation in the Yaoguang Holy Land trial. (2) Trial Record: Automatically records trial results and rankings. (3) Communication Function: Can communicate with members of the same faction over short distances (maximum distance: ten li). (4) Protection Mechanism: Automatically activates a shield when encountering fatal danger, and at the same time teleports out of the trial area (considered as eliminated). Trial Number: Heavenly Court-001 to Heavenly Court-050. Current Ranking: Not started. Note: Exclusive token for the Yaoguang Holy Land trial, must be returned after the trial ends. Loss or damage will result in disqualification.

After receiving the tokens, everyone was guided to the temporary campsite at the foot of the mountain to rest. The trial would officially start tomorrow, and all participants would spend the night here.

The campsite was divided into areas according to factions. The Heavenly Court was assigned a location near the edge, not large, but enough for fifty people to camp.

Just after settling down, a visitor arrived.

"President Lin, I've long heard of your name."

A gentle voice rang out. Lin Ye looked up and saw a young man wearing a moon-white robe, his Face like jade, and his temperament refined and scholarly. Behind him followed two maids, both at the Sea of Wheels Peak cultivation. [Name: Ji Mingyue] [Identity: Yaoguang Holy Land Saintess (Candidate)] [Level: ???] [Status: Friendly]

The Yaoguang Saintess!

Lin Ye stood up and cupped his hands: "So it is Your Highness the Saintess, excuse my lack of manners."

"No need for formalities." Ji Mingyue smiled. "I was ordered by my master to come and understand the seedlings worth paying attention to in this trial. President Lin broke through to the Dao Palace Realm with the Chaos Body, with a Spiritual Qi purity of 92%, so you are naturally on the list."

Her gaze swept across the Heavenly Court campsite, lingering for a moment on Su Qingyue: "Vast Cold Spirit Body... Ice-element talent is also rarely seen. It seems the Heavenly Court really is full of talent."

"The Saintess flatters me." Lin Ye was neither humble nor arrogant. "I wonder what advice the Saintess has for coming here?"

"It's not advice, just a few reminders." Ji Mingyue said seriously. "This trial is divided into three rounds: the first round, 'Path of Asking the Heart', tests Heart-Nature and willpower; the second round, 'Sea of Illusions', tests wisdom and adaptability; the third round, 'Ladder to Heaven', tests strength and potential. Each round will eliminate a large number of participants, and only one hundred will remain in the end."

She paused and continued: "For the first two rounds, the Holy Land is looking at 'Heart-Nature' and 'wisdom'. No matter how strong the strength is, if the heart is not right or if one is stupid and reckless, the Holy Land will not accept them. Therefore, do not just think about relying on force to pass."

"Thank you for the reminder, Saintess." Lin Ye thanked her sincerely. He did not know this information in his previous life.

"In addition," Ji Mingyue lowered her voice, "This trial has 'Special Observers' joining. Their evaluations will affect whether you can enter the 'Inner Sect' in the end, or even become a 'True Inheritance Candidate'. Perform well."

Special Observers? Lin Ye's heart moved. He hadn't heard of this in his previous life; it seems that because of his butterfly effect in this life, some things have changed.

"May I ask, Saintess, who are these observers..."

"Cannot be said." Ji Mingyue shook her head. "You only need to know that their standards are very high, and ordinary geniuses cannot catch their eyes. But if you are favored by them, your future will be limitless."

After speaking, she turned to leave, but then remembered something and turned back: "By the way, Elder Xuanwei asked me to pass on a message, asking you to see him after the trial ends. He said... your Chaos Body might need special cultivation guidance."

Elder Xuanwei! The Elder who guided him in the Five Elements convergence!

"This Disciple will definitely go." Lin Ye said solemnly.

Ji Mingyue nodded and left with her maids.

Once she left, the campsite immediately became lively.

"Brother Ye, the Saintess came to remind us personally, we have enough Face!" Chen Hao said excitedly.

"It's not about having Face, it's about being valued." Su Qingyue analyzed calmly. "The Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body and the Vast Cold Spirit Body are also scarce talents in the eyes of the Holy Land. They are investing in advance."

"Regardless, this is a good thing." Lin Ye said. "Everyone, get a good rest tonight and recharge your energy. Tomorrow is the trial, we will make everyone remember the name of the Heavenly Court."

Night fell, and the campsite lit bonfires.

But not everyone could sleep peacefully.

On the other side of the campsite, the area of the Zongheng Alliance.

The Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance looked at the intelligence Jade Slip in his hand, his Face gloomy. Inside the Jade Slip was the basic information of the fifty people in the Heavenly Court, including cultivation, Spiritual Qi purity, and possible talents.

"Average Spiritual Qi purity 68%... five whole points higher than our Zongheng Alliance." A subordinate whispered. "Alliance Master, this Heavenly Court is not simple."

"No matter how simple, there are only fifty people." The Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance snorted coldly. "Our Zongheng Alliance registered three hundred people, six times their number. A war of attrition can wear them out."

"But the first two rounds of the trial are not combat..."

"Then the third round." A ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of the Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance. "The Ladder to Heaven allows interference with each other. At that time, I will let them know the consequences of offending the Zongheng Alliance."

Similar scenes were being played out in the campsites of several other major factions.

In the Olympus area, Ares looked at Lin Ye's intelligence and said to his deputy: "Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body... Zeus said that this Physique has great potential. If we cannot win him over, we must stifle him as early as possible. Find an Opportunity during the trial."

In the Green Robe Tower area, the Tower Master Qingluan gently stroked her ancient zither: "Heavenly Court... Lin Ye... Interesting. Pass down the order, try not to conflict with them during the trial, and cooperate if there is an Opportunity."

The Iron Blood Alliance, Hundred Flowers Valley, remnants of the Shadow Kill Tower, the Eternal Star Domain exploration team... each faction had its own thoughts.

That night, undercurrents surged at the foot of the mountain.

And Lin Ye sat in his tent, holding the trial token, feeling the faint Formation fluctuations contained within it.

He knew that tomorrow's trial would be a war without smoke.

It was not only for the quota of Holy Land Disciples, but also for the status of the Heavenly Court in the Eastern Wasteland.

"Come on." He closed his eyes to adjust his breath. "Let me see, what kind of difficulty this Yaoguang Holy Land trial really has."

At dawn, the morning bell rang.

The trial had begun.