Master Xi was thoroughly confused by Xiao Tian Wen as he froze for a long time without understanding what had happened, pointing at Xiao Tian Wen and stammering, "Y-Y-You! I-I-I…! I'll go let the peak master know about this too!"
"No need for that we are already here," a nonchalant voice came across the field and 5 powerful core formation cultivators came through the Hidden Sword Peak with fanfare completely grasping everyone's attention. The one leading them had a delicate handsome face with sword-like eyebrows, his aura was like a hidden sword that could strike the moment he was provoked.
The young man was clad in golden robes tailored with nine swords that seemed to continuously spun around his gown. His physique was excluding hegemonic rhythm as if he was the emperor of the world; his breath was sharp like swords that seemed to be a part of him.
Besides him was a woman with an equal caliber of beauty wearing a robe that held her supple breasts and bottoms in place tightly but her beauty was in contrast to the frosty aura that was filled with desolation reserved inside of her. Her piercing eyes were devoid of any emotion akin to a walking corpse.
Approximately 3 feet away from them were two old men gliding through the air; one on the left eluded a small pill fragrance that soothed everyone's souls. He wore a simple green robe handmade with 9 black cauldrons around his sleeves and wore a sunny smile that reflected a tad of fatigue; his eyes were watery as if they were not of an old man. Next to him was the a man with a red robe tailored with a eight shaped trigram inscription on his humped back, even though he was quiet his eyes were shimmering with light as if pondering about something.
Behind was an old man with a scholarly look, he was holding a small book and a pen as though he is deep thoughts. His white robes handmade with a meditating monk symbol on his back matched his righteous aura.
Looking at these five figures, Xiao Tian Wen envisioned reaching such heights, "So this is what they meant when they said even if their sect power regressed but they still hold their inheritance." He thought to himself.
"Ah! It's the 5 peak masters, how long has it been since we had experienced such a moment when they are all together at once?" An old bystander shouted out with euphoria.
…
"Peak Master Li Qing of the strongest Heavenly Sword Peak, it is said he has never lost before building his core on his hegemonic sword Dao when he was crossing core tribulation. Next to him it's the ice fairy Liu Mei of the Desolate Ice Peak who is rumored to have formed her way by practicing an emotional severing technique.
"Then there is Old Master Cang Lang of the Alchemy Refining Peak, five years ago he became a Grand Master Alchemist after going into seclusion for 20 years. There is also Old Peak Master Lu Baiqiu of the Inscription Peak who is on the same level of obsession as Old Master Cang Lang to alchemy."
"The last is Master Fa Wang of the Dao Spell Peak, it is said he always spend his time teaching his disciples different cultivation techniques that fitted their spiritual roots perfectly. His other name is Spell Master because of how adept he is on his Daoist Spells."
"This little brother might be done for; destroying an ancient Spiritual Root Detection Array definitely alarmed them." Another voice said with lamentation.
"Serves him right, what is a country pumpkin like him doing here anyway." A jealous voice from the disqualified 400+ mortal youth said.
"Yeah, what is a lowly peasant like him doing here anyway?"
"He should be disqualified; the stone wall must have exploded because he might have the legendary false spiritual roots." The haughty boy added flames by coming with a superstitious ideology.
Xiao Tian Wen's face darkened when he had his provocation but he soon relaxed and smiled towards as he said in a childish tone, "I didn't know that this lowly peasant got in his majesty's way."
"Forgive me your highness..." Xiao Tian Wen said loudly while giving a 90 degree angle bow towards the haughty boy, catching off by surprise but he was feeling giddy inside as he showed a small smile.
People were speechless towards his disposition.
"…But I never knew your grace could decide my fate in front of these powerful immortals." Xiao Tian Wen said in lamentation as he cupped his hands towards the peak masters.
"Greeting seniors, my name is Xiao Tian Wen, a mortal peasant from a small village." Xiao Tian Wen said in a humble but proud voice, complete contrast to when he spoke to the haughty boy.
His change of tone was like a speeding train for a young teen like that haughty boy making him not to grasp anything he said but most people did get it, sending a chill in their hearts.
All the peak masters nodded towards Xiao Tian Wen but none of them asked anything about the broken stone wall as if it was an insignificant thing.
The haughty boy's face soured when he saw everyone looking at him like a fool but he turned a blind eye to it within a split of a second.
Master Li Qing nodded his head while gazing at him, before returning his eyes towards Xiao Tian Wen and turning a blind eye to everything.
"Since you are all divided into two parties, the left and the right side then its time we added a little stage to our test called "Seven Po Illusion," a frosty voice of Liu Mei unhurriedly said as she waved her hand to form a seal which fell on every recommended youths; qualified or otherwise.
"Activate."
…
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Tian Wen felt an ominous sense of danger. The last thing he saw was an Peak Master of the Desolate Ice Peak sweeping her robes from a distance away as an unblock-able energy blasted at them!
The energy was tremendous and Xiao Tian Wen could not resist it at all.
He was swept off the peak and fell over, watching the top of the peak turn smaller by the second. His body was not his to control at all as fear started growing within him.
Bam!
Xiao Tian Wen fell into the void and his entire body was crushed.
Even though his physical body was clearly destroyed, Xiao Tian Wen was still entirely conscious. Endless waves of pain shot through him, biting at him tirelessly as his tendons tore and his flesh was shredded.
What was happening?
Xiao Tian Wen could not understand at all.
In fact, he did not have the time to think about it as he was tormented by the endless pain .
He had never understood the sort of pain that one would experience in the face of death.
An intense fear existed between the edge of life and death.
It was a fear that could cause one to breakdown.
For humans, it was almost instinct for them to fear death. If they could even shit their pants by having a sword pointed at their throat, how terrifying would it be to be faced with death itself?
At the testing field, Xiao Tian Wen and the rest of the recommended youths stood motionlessly with their eyes shut and bodies shivering.
All of them were now within the illusion of the activated Seven Po illusion which attack the seven spirits of the human body.
"This Seven Po Illusion is too strong; will they be able to endure it?" Peak Master Cang Lang asked worriedly.
Liu Mei replied in a detached voice, "Let's wait and see. As long as they can get through one tribulation, they'll be considered to have passed the test even including the ones with mortal grade spiritual roots."
"Mm?"
Liu Mei said with a voice devoid of any emotions. "Not bad. The white bloused girl, the haughty boy and that little boy have already crossed the tribulation of Death Dog."
"Hmm, that's fast? He's already endured through the distress of finding his breath?" Liu Mei was surprised.
The distress of finding breath was something that everyone had to go through but have forgotten.
Within the womb, a fetus would be coiled into a ball with its arms and feet unable to stretch and neither could it breathe. It was akin to being sealed in a tight cage and the pain of it was excruciating.
That was also the reason why babies would cry the moment they are born because they is a need of breath in the lungs.
Right after, a fourth beam of light shot from her seal!
"This…
Cang Lang and Lu Baiqiu exchanged glances – both could read the shock in the other's eyes.
From a secluded region, an old man with ordinary face and average height was wearing beggar clothes while holding a small gourd on his hand soared into the skies and looked at the lights from afar, frowning to himself. "That light's from a seal for the Seven Po Illusion. Someone actually managed to reach the fourth tribulation this fast?"
With a slight pause, he muttered to himself, "No, I've got to go check it out."
A streak of light formed as he disappeared from where he stood.
Bam!
A fifth beam of light appeared!
A sixth beam of light!
"He's already passed through six of the Seven Po Illusion distresses! What a mental fortitude! Where is this lad from?" the beggar asked while observing intently.
"He's from some unknown village. I don't know anything about him," Master Xi shook his head as he answered without seeing whom he was talking to.
The cold faced lady swept her gaze across Xiao Tian Wen's body and frowned, asking, "Five Elemental spiritual root?"
"That… seemed to be the case. However, for some reason, the Spiritual Root Detecting Array was destroyed so there is no way to confirm. We can test him with a spiritual root stone again later," Lu Baiqiu replied.
Xiao Tian Wen had passed through the sixth tribulation!
Qing Feng was already sprawled on the ground bawling in tears after enduring through the tribulation of life – he had yet to pull himself out of the pain received from the tribulations of the Seven Pos.
During the time, the young cultivators explained to everyone present about the entirety of the last included stage.
From the initial 500 odd applicants excluding the ones they already brought away, there were only seven remaining on the testing field that had passed the "small" stage.
Other than the haughty boy, white bloused girl, Wei Hao and Qing Feng, the remaining three were mortals with mortal spiritual root.
Everyone looked at Xiao Tian Wen with a complicated gaze.
They had just gone through the tribulations of the Seven Po Illusion personally and could still remember the excruciating pain they had gone through.
None of them could imagine the sort of torment it would be to endure through the Seven Po Illusions.
Liu Mei spoke in a cold but grim tone, "The Seventh Po is of 99 Lives of Samsara. That is akin to living in your endless fantasies forever trapped in an illusion. Let me dispel the spell lest the lad is hurt."
She was just about to move when a seventh beam of light shone!
It was extremely bedazzling on the peak and illuminated half the skies above them.
At the same time, Xiao Tian Wen suddenly opened both eyes and with a burning killing intent that was never there before and said, "Purgatory Fire, go!"
Baleful fire shot through the clouds!
The fire eclipsed the light making everything feel demonic!
It was directed right at Liu Mei with intent to kill.
All peak masters were stunned right away including the old beggar.
After all, the spell happened way too suddenly.
Liu Mei's expression was unchanged. Extending her finger, a desolate piece of ice exuded from the tip of it as she swung her finger slowly.
Boom!
The purgatory fire was extinguished instantly.
Xiao Tian Wen's body jolted as he stumbled back a couple of steps before falling on his back. Xiao Tian Wen slowly woke up and realized that everything he had experienced was merely an illusion.
The gazes of the five peak masters looking at Xiao Tian Wen changed slowly...