235: The Corridor of Myriad Herbs, where the stubborn rocks remain silent.

After a brief moment of dizziness passing through the glowing portal, Li Ao found himself in an extraordinarily peculiar corridor.

Beneath his feet were warm, green jade flagstones, but the sides were not walls; instead, they were surging, colorful energy mists. These mists were not merely pure Heaven and Earth energy, but rather the condensed Origin medicinal properties of countless extremely pure medicinal ingredients!

The mist on the left was full of vitality, displaying warm tones like emerald green, fiery red, and golden yellow, emanating an invigorating fragrance—that was the Origin of Yang-attributed and life-attributed medicinal ingredients.

The mist on the right, however, was cold and silent, exhibiting cool tones such as ethereal blue, dark purple, and grayish-white, emitting a crisp, even slightly corrosive aura—that was the Origin of Yin-attributed, cold-attributed, and even poison-attributed medicinal ingredients.

The entire corridor wound forward, with no end in sight, as if leading to unknown depths. The air was filled with a complex scent, a mixture of thousands of intertwined medicinal properties. An ordinary person inhaling even a single breath would likely explode and die due to the conflict of these properties.

“The first trial, the Myriad Medicine Corridor,” the ancient, gentle voice resounded again, echoing through the corridor. “Proceed, perceive with your Souls, resonate with your true hearts. How far you can go depends on your understanding and tolerance of the essence of medicinal properties.”

As the voice faded, Li Ao felt the relatively calm energy mists on both sides begin to slowly press in on him. Each medicinal property was like a spirit with a simple consciousness, carrying its own characteristics, attempting to invade his Physical Body and test his Soul.

He saw the figures of Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Qiu Hao, and the Medicine Clan disciples not far away. Each person’s body glowed with different lights, some constructing barriers with Soul Power, cautiously avoiding overly violent medicinal properties; others employing some secret method, attempting to guide and soothe the approaching medicinal properties; and even more, like the Netherworld Poison Sage, actually opened his mouth and swallowed a few wisps of highly toxic medicinal properties, a look of enjoyment on his face.

Yao Tian and the other Medicine Clan disciples appeared much more composed; they seemed to possess some Bloodline mark on their bodies, which made most of the medicinal properties relatively gentle towards them.

Li Ao did not erect any Soul barriers, nor did he use Dou Qi. He simply took a calm step forward.

When the first wisp of “Dragon Blood Ganoderma” medicinal property, hot as fire, touched his Physical Body, the subtle grey Rule patterns beneath his skin faintly glowed. That violent medicinal property, like a drop of water falling onto a red-hot branding iron, emitted a faint “sizzle” and was instantly assimilated and decomposed by the Guixu Great Dao Concept, which was automatically operating within his Nirvana Hegemon Body. It transformed into a wisp of pure energy, merging into his Qi and Blood, and subtly strengthening his Hegemon Body by a fraction!

A flash of realization crossed Li Ao’s eyes.

“So that’s it. This ‘Myriad Medicine Corridor,’ which is a trial for others, is excellent nourishment for tempering my Nirvana Hegemon Body!”

His Guixu Great Dao inherently contained the profound truth of all things returning to nothingness, and also creating from nothingness. These medicinal Origin properties, no matter how violent or conflicting their attributes, were forcibly “analyzed” and “unified” by the higher-level Annihilation Rule the moment they touched his Hegemon Body. Their external attribute manifestations were stripped away, returning them to their Origin as the purest life energy and Rule fragments, used to nourish his Physical Body!

He thus walked forward at a leisurely pace.

Wherever he passed, the surging energy mists on both sides not only failed to hinder him in the slightest but instead, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, actively poured into his Physical Body. The violence of the Scarlet Flame Vermillion Fruit, the extreme cold of the ice spirit cold spring, the potent poison of the Heart-Corroding Grass, the immense vitality of the Dragon Saliva Bone... no matter the attribute, once it touched his Physical Body, it quickly became docile and was greedily absorbed by the Nirvana Hegemon Body.

His pace was unhurried yet steady, and he surpassed the cautiously advancing participants at a constant speed.

“He… how did he do that?!” A Medicine Clan disciple’s eyes nearly popped out as he watched Li Ao stroll through a toxic mist area of “Soul-Shattering Flowers” that even he had to circumvent.

Cao Ying and Dan Chen’s beautiful eyes sparkled with wonder. They could feel that Li Ao wasn't just resisting, but rather… “devouring” those medicinal properties! Such a method was unheard of!

Qiu Hao’s expression grew even more solemn. He gritted his teeth and accelerated, but Li Ao still pulled further and further ahead.

Yao Wanhuo watched the scene inside the corridor through a water mirror, his face so gloomy it looked like water could drip from it.

Li Ao paid no attention to the others’ shock; most of his mind was immersed in the subtle changes of his Physical Body. With the influx of massive amounts of pure medicinal energy, his nascent Nirvana Hegemon Body was being further solidified. The grey Rule patterns became increasingly clear, and the strength of his Physical Body steadily progressed towards the Three-Star Dou Zun barrier.

At the same time, the fragment of the nirvana ancient talisman in his embrace also emitted a faint suction, seemingly drawing in the faint wisps of ancient Annihilation Qi (the Origin of certain withered and decayed medicinal ingredients) contained within the corridor, making the patterns on it appear a shade brighter.

After an unknown period of walking, the mist ahead seemed to thin, and the corridor reached its end.

At the end was not an exit, but a small circular stone platform. In the center of the platform stood an inconspicuous grey boulder.

The boulder’s surface was rough and riddled with holes, devoid of any energy fluctuations, as if it were just an ordinary rock that had endured countless winds and rains. But the moment he saw this stone, the fragment of the nirvana ancient talisman in Li Ao’s hand suddenly trembled violently! It transmitted an emotion of immense longing, even carrying a hint of filial affection!

And the ancient voice, timely, rang out again, carrying an indescribable anticipation:

“Touch the ‘heart-questioning stone,’ and with your true heart towards the Dao of medicine, towards Heaven and Earth, and towards yourselves, elicit its resonance. Three rings of the stone, and you may become an Inner Clan Guest Elder; six rings, and you may be granted an audience with the Elders; nine rings…”

The voice paused, carrying an ancient solemnity:

“…you may enter the core of the Ancestral Shrine and meet the Will of the Medicine Ancestor!”

At this moment, several people had already arrived at the stone platform, including Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Qiu Hao, as well as two top Medicine Clan disciples and the Netherworld Poison Sage. They gathered around the heart-questioning stone, all with solemn expressions, attempting to inject their Soul Power and their understanding of the Dao of medicine into the stone.

Qiu Hao was the first to act. His Soul Power surged forth, and the surface of the heart-questioning stone glowed faintly, emitting a low “hum” sound.

One ring!

His face paled, clearly having expended no small amount of energy.

A Medicine Clan disciple stepped forward, and the stone rang twice.

Cao Ying stepped forward, and the stone rang three times! Her pretty face was slightly flushed, evidently having achieved a good result.

Dan Chen stepped forward, and the stone also rang three times!

The Netherworld Poison Sage stepped forward, and the heart-questioning stone actually rang four times! Although the sound was slightly dull and jarring, it was indeed four rings! A smug curve appeared at the corner of his mouth beneath his black robe.

Everyone’s gaze, at this moment, involuntarily turned to Li Ao, who was the last to arrive, yet had walked the entire path with the most ease and grace.

How many rings could he elicit?

Li Ao did not step forward immediately. His gaze fell upon the heart-questioning stone, and the Concept of Returning to the Void flowed within his deep eyes. In his perception, this stone was by no means an inanimate object; it contained an extremely ancient, vast, and even… an Annihilation Concept that was of the same Origin as his own! It was just that this Concept seemed to be in a deep slumber, enveloped by a thick “shell.”

This “heart-questioning stone” was likely deeply connected to the nirvana ancient talisman and the Medicine Clan Ancestral Shrine!

He took a deep breath, and under everyone’s gaze, slowly walked to the front of the heart-questioning stone.

He did not, like the others, activate his Soul Power or understanding of the Dao of medicine. Instead, he slowly raised his right hand and gently placed his palm on the rough, cold stone surface.

Then, he closed his eyes.

He did not attempt to “awaken” anything; he simply transmitted his already formed “Guixu Great Dao Concept,” without reservation, into the depths of the heart-questioning stone.

In an instant, upon the stone platform, all sounds ceased.