A Mortal's Start in the Spirit Beast Mountain

Chapter 296 The Mystery of the Spirit Gathering Cauldron

"Perhaps the original intention of the builder was to leave a place for the Chaotic Star Sea human race to systematically cultivate high-level cultivators, especially those at the Nascent Soul stage. It's just a pity... times have changed, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be."

The human cultivators of the Chaotic Star Sea today have long lost the ambition and unity of their ancient ancestors. Most are preoccupied with internal strife, power struggles, and the pursuit of personal gain, viewing the Void Heaven Palace merely as a place to plunder treasures. How many truly understand its profound meaning and good intentions?

Upon hearing this, Luo Ming wholeheartedly agreed. The world of cultivation was a place where the strong preyed on the weak, and profit was paramount; this was the norm.

However, a "land of inheritance" like the Void Heaven Palace, which features systematic trials, provides targeted rewards, and is clearly intended to cultivate high-level combat power, is indeed rare. It can only be said that the vision of its builders was different from that of cultivators in later generations.

"What you say is very true, senior. However, those are matters for later, and things that those in power should worry about," Luo Ming replied calmly via telepathy.

"Right now, I am merely a Core Formation cultivator struggling to survive. The future of humanity and the true meaning of the Void Heaven Palace are too distant for me. If I were to one day reach the pinnacle of this realm, perhaps I would restore this palace to its original purpose, thus not failing the efforts of my predecessors. But for now..."

"Since this trial might simulate the inner demon tribulation, it's a good opportunity for me to see in advance what is hidden deep within my heart, what I care about most, what I fear most, and what I can't let go of most! It will also help me prepare for the real Nascent Soul inner demon tribulation in the future!"

"Buzz—"

The instant he stepped across the threshold, it was as if he had passed through an invisible, icy film of water. The pale, dim light of the outer plaza, the feel of the black rocks beneath his feet, even the sound of the air moving, all vanished instantly!

Instead, there was an endless, pure darkness that was terrifying!

What made Luo Ming's heart sink even more was that his powerful divine sense, comparable to that of the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, was firmly suppressed and imprisoned by an indescribable invisible force the moment he entered the hall.

It was as if they were stuck in a thick, heavy swamp, only able to barely extend a few feet away from their bodies before being unable to extend any further! Their original ability to use their divine sense as freely as their own arms and to explore all directions was greatly restricted here.

Luo Ming's mind raced, and he immediately activated the Qianyang Fire Eye. Deep within his eyes, a flash of crimson-gold fire appeared and disappeared. With the enhancement of his pupil power, his vision and perception range expanded considerably, allowing him to barely see an area of ​​about ten feet around him.

However, all that could be seen was a vast, desolate, dark void without any reference points. Beneath his feet was the equally dark and seemingly boundless "ground," and above him was the equally deep "sky." All around him was endless darkness.

Luo Ming remained calm and highly vigilant, slowly taking steps forward. Since this place was named "Questioning the Heart," illusions were bound to appear; it was just unknown in what form they would descend.

Just as he had taken about twenty steps, a sudden change occurred!

Without warning, a faint blue light appeared in the darkness ahead. At first, the blue light resembled the faintest star in the distant sky, but then it quickly magnified and drew closer, as if a figure was slowly walking towards him from the end of the darkness.

Luo Ming's pupils contracted slightly, and he stopped in his tracks. He activated his Qianyang Fire Eye to its maximum, staring intently at the increasingly clear blue figure.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man dressed in a simple blue robe, who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. He had a square face and deep eyes, which seemed to hold the imagery of stars fading and the universe being born.

He didn't exude any earth-shattering spiritual pressure, but he naturally revealed an unparalleled majesty and demeanor that was as steady as a mountain, as profound as a deep pool, as if he controlled all worlds and understood the secrets of heaven! It was a grandeur and profundity that far surpassed any cultivator Luo Ming had ever seen.

The middle-aged man in the green robe stopped a few feet in front of Luo Ming. His gaze fell on Luo Ming, and a gentle, pleased smile appeared on his face, as if he were seeing a close friend. He spoke, his voice calm yet possessing a strange penetrating power that resonated directly in Luo Ming's heart:

"You've arrived. This is the Heavenly Palm Bottle I just crafted, along with the Origin Cauldron that Brother Luo brought..."

His words were clear, tinged with an indescribable excitement and anticipation, as if he were recounting a major plan. However, he had only spoken halfway through his sentence, and had barely uttered the words "Source Cauldron."

The Spirit Gathering Cauldron, which had been quietly placed in Luo Ming's storage bag, suddenly opened a crack at its bottom, like a pair of eyes looking at the blue figure in front of it.

Luo Ming was completely unaware of all of this.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound, like shattered glass or a break in time, rang out without warning!

The middle-aged man in the green robe stopped abruptly, his smile froze instantly, and his entire being, along with the profound and mysterious aura emanating from him and the unfinished words, suddenly appeared with countless fine cracks, like a reflection in a shattered mirror!

Immediately afterward, under Luo Ming's horrified gaze, the lifelike figure in the green robe shattered with a crash, turning into countless green light spots, like fireflies in the wind, and instantly dissipated into the surrounding darkness, as if it had never existed!

Immediately afterward, under Luo Ming's horrified gaze, the lifelike figure in the green robe shattered with a crash, turning into countless green light spots, like fireflies in the wind, and instantly dissipated into the surrounding darkness, as if it had never existed!

Everything happened too fast, from its appearance to its destruction, in just a few breaths!

Luo Ming stood frozen in place, his heart feeling as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand, almost stopping its beating! The color drained from his face instantly, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his eyes were filled with disbelief, shock, and horror!

It wasn't because of the eerie sight of the broken figure, but because of—the face of the middle-aged man in the green robe!

Although their temperament, demeanor, and age were completely different, their eyebrows, eyes, and facial features... clearly bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to Han Li! No, it was practically what Han Li might look like after entering middle age, experiencing vicissitudes, and reaching an unimaginable level of cultivation!

Especially those eyes that seemed to contain the stars and the universe, which had a certain resemblance to Han Li's usually low-key and reserved, and occasionally deep gaze!

What shocked Luo Ming even more, almost causing him to lose his Dao heart, was the other party's unfinished words!

"The Source Cauldron? He mentioned the Source Cauldron! Could it be the Spirit Gathering Cauldron?" A huge wave of emotions surged in Luo Ming's heart.

"Brother Luo? He called me 'Brother Luo'? His tone was so familiar and intimate, as if we were close friends? And those unfinished words... What earth-shattering event are they plotting? Why did this illusion appear here? And why did it suddenly shatter?"

Countless questions churned and surged in Luo Ming's mind like boiling water. This fleeting illusion contained too much information and had too strong an impact, almost exceeding his comprehension! Was this truly his inner demon's illusion?

Or did this "Hall of Inquiry" glimpse into some hidden connection or potential fear deep within his heart that he himself was unaware of, related to Han Li and the Spirit Gathering Cauldron?

Could it be that what she cares about most and fears most deep down is some kind of future intersection with Han Li, the "chosen one"?

Or perhaps... a colossal causal connection to that mysterious "Source Cauldron" that I cannot yet comprehend?

He forcefully suppressed the turmoil in his heart and compelled himself to calm down. Now was not the time to let his mind wander. He took a deep breath and tried to contact Tianjing Sanren in his mind.

"Senior... just now, did you see anything unusual? Or hear anything unusual?" Luo Ming transmitted his voice with divine sense, his voice carrying a hint of dryness that was barely perceptible.

"An unusual phenomenon?" The voice of Tianjing Sanren, filled with obvious doubt and confusion, rang in Luo Ming's mind.

"I saw you stop here just now, staring straight ahead into the darkness. You seemed to be stunned for a moment, your aura fluctuated slightly, and then you returned to normal."

Aside from that, I saw nothing unusual and heard no strange sounds. What, have you fallen into some kind of illusion? The illusion magic here is truly remarkable; it even kept me completely unaware!"

Tianjing Sanren... did not see the middle-aged man in the green robe, nor did he hear those words!

Luo Ming's heart sank. This meant that what he had just witnessed was not an ordinary illusion, but a unique illusion that was directed at him alone and went straight to the deepest part of his heart!

"Oh...it's nothing, perhaps just a fleeting illusion, a slight lapse in concentration." Luo Ming quickly composed himself, his tone returning to calm as he replied perfunctorily to Tianjing Sanren. Since the other party couldn't see him, there was no need to say more, lest anything untoward happen.

"This place is strange, be careful and keep your mind clear." Tianjing Sanren had no doubts and solemnly warned him.

"I understand."

Luo Ming responded, his face now completely expressionless. He turned his gaze back to the endless darkness ahead, his eyes now deeper and sharper than before, carrying an indescribable solemnity.

"Asking my heart... it turns out it's not just about ordinary inner demons..." he murmured to himself, but his steps continued, heading deeper into the darkness.

Before a colossal palace, towering a thousand feet high and majestic like a mountain, constructed entirely of some kind of dark blue-green boulder, lies a vast platform paved with massive bluestone slabs.

The main hall's entrance consisted of two incredibly thick, dark blue stone doors, each fifty or sixty feet high, carved with ancient patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers, exuding an aura of vastness and antiquity. The stone doors remained tightly shut, as if they had never been opened since time immemorial.

At this moment, beneath this breathtakingly magnificent hall and stone gate, on the platform, a solitary figure sat cross-legged. Compared to the thousand-foot-tall hall and the tens-of-foot-tall gate, this figure was as insignificant as an ant, yet possessed a calm and composed demeanor. It was Wan Tianming.

His eyes were slightly closed, his breath long and deep, as if he were regulating his breathing or silently comprehending something, seemingly oblivious to the magnificent scenery around him.

A moment later, at the edge of the platform, at the exit connecting to that wondrous illusion, space rippled, and a burly, towering figure suddenly appeared! This man had fiery red hair, a full beard, and bulging muscles all over his body, exuding a violent and domineering aura. He was none other than the demonic giant known for his body refinement—Barbear!

The moment the bearded man appeared, his gaze, sharp as lightning, locked onto Wan Tianming, who sat cross-legged in the distance. His copper-bell-like eyes narrowed, a hint of arrogance and resentment flashing across his face, and his booming voice resounded across the empty platform:

"Wan Tianming! You old codger, you ran pretty fast! I spent ages inside dealing with those scribbles, but you still beat me to it!"

Wan Tianming slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and collected as he glanced at the bearded man.

He knew the barbarian's temperament well: straightforward, competitive, and especially concerned with his reputation. He knew that being the first to arrive here through the illusion must have made the barbarian lose face.