Su Xi returned to Penglai Mountain and found that Lin Qing had still not returned. She didn't mind; Lin Qing's absence made it easier for her to do things.
Having used so many talismans, she naturally needed to replenish them promptly. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to handle danger if it arose again.
She looked at the large number of talismans in Lin Qing's room, and a string of dark lines appeared on her forehead.
Since Lin Qing could draw such powerful talismans, if he were to sell them, he wouldn't be in such dire straits, let alone become rich and influential.
Shaking her head helplessly, Su Xi was soon captivated by the various talismans in the room.
After a casual glance, she gave up on picking. She directly lifted the large sack and stuffed the talismans in front of her into it.
The talismans drawn by Lin Qing were extraordinary; even if she took them to a Level One talisman, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Since Lin Qing, her master, was extremely irresponsible, she had no choice but to find her own way.
After collecting the talismans, Su Xi tidied up the scene slightly and returned to her room.
Back in her room, she categorized and stored the obtained talismans according to the Grand Compendium of Talismans taught by Lin Qing, making it convenient for her to use them promptly if danger struck.
After organizing the talismans, Su Xi realized she was quite lucky; among the pile of talismans, there were also quite a few Level Three talismans mixed in.
Level Three talismans possessed spiritual essence and required special techniques and incantations to activate.
Su Xi spent a full two days studying in her room before she fully understood all the Level Three talismans. With a sense of relief, she immediately felt a dull ache in her back and waist.
Just as she stood up, wanting to stretch, she suddenly saw a paper crane float in through the window.
As soon as Su Xi touched the paper crane, a gentle voice emanated from it.
After listening to the message, Su Xi suddenly understood, but her brows furrowed into a line.
The transmission indicated that a grand competition for disciples of the younger generation below the Golden Core stage from the five major sects would be held that afternoon. All eligible disciples were required to gather in the plaza to participate. As the sole disciple of Penglai Mountain, she was naturally unavoidable.
Knowing she couldn't escape, Su Xi simply tidied herself up and headed towards the plaza at the entrance of the Five Immortal Mountains.
Since she couldn't fly yet, by the time she reached the plaza, there were already quite a few people there. Amidst the dense crowd, many were conversing in low voices with those around them.
"Did you know, although the difficulty of this trial is very high, the rewards for the victor far exceed those of the past."
"Yes, I heard that in addition to being able to choose Earth-grade techniques from the Sutra Repository, this time participants can also enter the Heavenly Moon Pool for marrow cleansing and bone transformation. This will not only improve their cultivation but also reduce the hindrance of cultivation demons."
"That's right. It's a pity that the contestants this time are also very powerful. It will be extremely difficult to achieve a good ranking."
...
Hearing the words of those around her, Su Xi gained a better understanding of this trial and made up her mind.
She was never a rigid person. If there was a shortcut in cultivation, only a fool wouldn't take it. History books never dwelled on the process; they only focused on the final outcome.
Su Xi was eager to recover her strength and seek revenge as soon as possible.
She wandered around, spotted the location of Penglai Mountain, and started walking towards it. Just as she stood in place, she suddenly noticed everyone looking at her with surprised eyes.
Everyone was curious why, after nearly a hundred years without any appearance from Penglai Mountain, someone would participate this time.
Gu Li, standing on the high platform, looked at Su Xi, his eyes filled with even greater coldness. With the identity of a Penglai disciple, he could no longer blame anyone. In this competition, Su Xi was destined to die.
Suddenly, twelve clear bell tolls echoed through the plaza, followed by an elder with white hair and a Daoist robe flying down from the sky and landing steadily on the high platform.
Upon seeing the elder appear, everyone knelt on the ground, their faces filled with reverence.
Seeing this, Su Xi, despite disliking such bowing, could only follow custom and kneel on the ground.
Daoist Master Meng Xu, in addition to being the sect leader of Shu Mountain, was also the mountain master of the five great immortal mountains for the past century, holding the authority to command them.
He glanced at the disciples in the plaza and said, "The rules of this competition are the same as in the past. All sect disciples must pass through three trials. The disciple who emerges victorious will be the first place in this competition..."
Daoist Master Meng Xu's voice was not loud, yet it could be clearly heard in every corner of the plaza.
After explaining the competition rules, he nodded to the person beside him, signaling that the competition could begin.
Upon receiving Daoist Master Meng Xu's instructions, a slightly plump man stepped forward. Without any unnecessary words, he chanted a series of complex incantations and then cast a spell with his hand.
A red ball of light appeared on his fingertip and finally landed in front of the plaza.
As the red ball of light fell, a buzzing sound emanated from the sky above the plaza. Immediately afterward, a transparent, rippling light portal appeared before each person.
Watching the light portals appear, the slightly plump man said expressionlessly, "Everyone enter through the light portal in front of you. If you do not emerge within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you will automatically be considered defeated."
Hearing the time limit, the crowd naturally did not want to waste any time and entered without hesitation.
No one knew what would happen inside the light portal, so they had to cherish their time. Otherwise, being eliminated due to insufficient time would be infuriating.
As soon as everyone entered the light portal, the plaza immediately projected their situations within the light portal, allowing everyone to observe.
Cultivators, besides innate talent, require a more crucial element: state of mind. Without a sufficiently strong state of mind, one could not go far.
Therefore, this trial was designed to test a person's state of mind. The trial would automatically conjure the scene that a person feared most in their heart.
Su Xi did not want to be eliminated in the first round, so she also hurried inside.
As Su Xi entered the cave, Gu Li's gaze never left her. He couldn't interfere in this round and could only pray in his heart for Su Xi to persevere.
After all, if Su Xi were to fail too early, he would then have to waste his mind thinking of ways to deal with her later.
In the secret realm, Su Xi saw an endless starry sky, and her body felt a familiar sense of weightlessness, as if she had returned to the previous interstellar world.
"Senior Sister." A familiar call came from behind her.
Su Xi turned her head upon hearing the voice and saw a familiar face. Her previously calm and unwavering heart once again rippled.
She had been severely injured at the time, and Wen Chen had risked her life to save her. Later, in order to treat her injuries, Wen Chen had sold herself to obtain medical resources...
Scene after scene unfolded, making her feel a sense of profound familiarity.
"Xiao Wen." Su Xi looked at Wen Chen, and for the first time in a long time, a genuine smile appeared on her face.
Wen Chen, with her baby-faced cheeks, had a sweet dimple when she smiled. At this moment, she giggled and grabbed Su Xi's arm, acting spoiled, "Senior Sister, hurry and come back with me. I asked Mr. Liu for something good. I believe you can use it."
Seeing the smile on Wen Chen's face, Su Xi's expression turned grim.
She knew that although Mr. Liu appeared to be virtuous on the surface, he was in reality a scumbag who deceived women's feelings. His kindness towards Wen Chen now must be for her body.
Since she understood what kind of person Mr. Liu was, she naturally had to protect Wen Chen. However, she was well aware that she could not directly warn Wen Chen, as it would also affect their relationship.
In her past life, she had directly exposed Mr. Liu's true nature, but instead of receiving Wen Chen's gratitude, Wen Chen became even more infatuated and was later drugged by those people, causing her to lose her combat ability and perish.
"Alright, I'll go back and see," Su Xi patted Wen Chen's head and, holding her hand, walked towards home.
Upon returning home, a dark wooden box was conspicuously placed on the table. A talisman was affixed to the wooden box, and faint light flickered from it. A faint scent of burnt char emanated from the air.
Smelling this scent, Su Xi's expression changed, and she looked at Wen Chen in confusion, "What is this?"