Chapter 233 : Ominous Stone Stele

Chapter 233: Ominous Stone Stele

“Subdue the Heart Monkey?”

Chen Beiwu’s brows furrowed slightly, countless thoughts turning in his mind.

The term “Heart Monkey” was easy to understand. This thing could be said to be the heart demons a cultivator encountered during cultivation, manifestations of a restless spirit, or distractions taking form.

In the Southern Wastes’ cultivation method Principles of Nature and Life, cultivators used “herding cattle” as a metaphor for refining the heart.

The “cattle” was precisely the embodiment of the “unruly Heart Monkey and galloping thoughts.” To lock it down and tame it meant stabilizing one’s foundation. Otherwise, a cultivator’s mana would be hollow and rootless, making it difficult to form a Golden Core.

Meanwhile, in the Immortal Alliance’s cultivation method Treatise on Borrowing Beasts to Grasp Truth, it was written: “The Heart Monkey stirs in the square-inch mind; only when effort matches the heavens can one achieve longevity. If one masters the art of subduing, one gains the foundation of immortality.”

If Immortal Alliance cultivators could not even cultivate their own discipline of heart-refinement, how could they possibly stabilize the Heart Monkey, tame beasts, and grasp the myriad laws of truth?

‘All Foundation Establishment cultivators who made it this far were first-class experts. They had already subdued their own Heart Monkey and were hopeful of forming their Golden Core. Could it be that the Heart Monkey mentioned on this stele had another meaning?’ Chen Beiwu kept guessing inwardly.

As for the death threat True Monarch Tianyan had warned of in the stele, Chen Beiwu grew cautious and began to silently prepare the prelude for the Gate of Ten Directions.

Even though the fortune-glows above the heads of cultivators from the Greenwood Sect, Heavy Gold Sect, and Mirror Moon Sect showed no signs of great misfortune.

“Let Zhou try first.”

Zhou Yuan activated his Ten-Thousand-Kalpas Golden Body. Blazing golden radiance burst forth from his body, while the Broken-Mountain Staff in his hand condensed into a three-zhang-long golden staff aura.

He had seen this type of inheritance stele before in the Heavy Gold Sect—striking it with one’s full power could reveal an evaluation of one’s natural aptitude.

Cultivators with extraordinary talent could even stir the divine sense imprints that True Monarchs had left in such inheritance steles.

Perhaps the key to whether he could subdue the Heart Monkey lay upon this very stele.

“Wong!”

At the instant his golden staff aura smashed into the stele, the inscription abruptly shifted.

【Metal-attribute Heavenly Root. Dao foundation is not Heavenly-Derived, only Earth-Extreme. Aptitude evaluation: Mid-Grade.】

【Geng Metal too sharp, rigidity leads to breakage. Cultivation method evaluation: Mid-Grade.】

【Divine sense comparable to Pseudo-Core. Spirit platform and sea of consciousness stable. Heart Monkey not subdued. Disposition evaluation: Low-Grade.】

【Threefold Evaluation: Lower-Mid Grade. Encounter Heart Monkey = Certain Death.】

Seeing the inscription, Zhou Yuan’s face darkened terribly.

Impossible. Back in the Heavy Gold Sect, he was considered a Golden Core seedling, even a candidate successor for the next Sect Master. How could his evaluation be merely Lower-Mid Grade?

Moreover, what exactly was this “Heart Monkey” the stele spoke of? Could his guess have been wrong?

Upon noticing Zhou Yuan’s shifting expressions, Han Shengwu and Zhao Qingluo exchanged glances, eyes flashing with a trace of delight.

The stele’s meaning was clear—Zhou Yuan was eliminated. One less powerful competitor for them.

Yet, they too had to face the same problem next.

Zhou Yuan, as the foremost true disciple of the Heavy Gold Sect, had only received a Lower-Mid Grade evaluation. What could they possibly obtain?

Upper-Mid, perhaps even High Grade?

Han Shengwu and Zhao Qingluo exchanged another look but remained motionless. Instead, the disciples behind them seemed a bit restless.

Chen Beiwu’s eyes narrowed slightly. His gaze shifted from the stele to the fortune-glow above Zhou Yuan’s head, which suddenly transformed.

Dark clouds of misfortune loomed overhead—a sign that a great tribulation was imminent.

The last time Chen Beiwu had seen such calamity-grade misfortune was upon Elder Yu.

There was no doubt—this level of doom cloud was sufficient to fell even a Golden Core Elder.

Zhou Yuan was most likely doomed to perish within the Tianyan True Realm.

“Let me try.”

Gu Yunsi’s robe sleeves swelled as he summoned a half-broken turtle-shell artifact. A strand of deep-blue waterline burst forth, comparable in aura to a Pseudo-Core True Person, and slashed toward the stele.

“Szzzt!”

As the waterline vanished, the inscription shifted again.

【Water-attribute Earth Root. Dao foundation Human-Extreme. Has not condensed Immortal Mana. Aptitude evaluation: Low-Grade.】

【Gui Water utmost softness. Can carry boat or overturn boat. Cultivation method evaluation: Lower-Mid Grade.】

【Divine sense at perfected Foundation Establishment. Heart Monkey not subdued. Disposition evaluation: Mid-Grade.】

【Threefold Evaluation: Low Grade. Encounter Heart Monkey = Certain Death.】

Seeing this evaluation, Gu Yunsi’s eyelids twitched.

Good heavens, in the eyes of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, his aptitude was actually just Low-Grade.

Han Shengwu and Zhao Qingluo remained indifferent at this result.

If even Zhou Yuan could only obtain a Lower-Mid evaluation, then Gu Yunsi receiving Low Grade was natural.

Only Chen Beiwu’s heart sank slightly. His gaze imperceptibly swept toward the sudden change of misfortune above Gu Yunsi’s head.

True Monarch Tianyan’s warning was indeed no lie—this inheritance stele was nothing short of a killing weapon.

Whoever dared to test it had their death-star begin to shine.

With that thought, Chen Beiwu remained still, merely watching as cultivator after cultivator stepped forth to test.

“Low Grade.”

“Lower-Low Grade.”

“Low Grade.”

“……”

Other than Zhou Yuan and Han Shengwu, no Foundation Establishment cultivator who tested managed to achieve even a Lower-Mid Grade evaluation.

‘Their fortune has all changed!’

Chen Beiwu’s divine sense swept the fortune-glows above the others’ heads—all of them now bore the aura of the doomed.

“Huuh.” Chen Beiwu exhaled a heavy breath.

Each person had their own fate.

Even the warning of True Monarch Tianyan could not stop them from stepping forward to test. He naturally would not waste words, declaring that anyone who touched the stele was fated to die.

If he did so, he would instead become the focus of every cultivator’s suspicion, even viewed as an enemy blocking their path. That would bring more harm than good.

At last, of the dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators present, only Chen Beiwu and Zhao Qingluo had yet to test.

“It seems the Five Great Sects of the Earth Proliferation Territory have truly declined. A whole group of true disciples, and yet all of them turn out to be Low-Grade mediocrities.”

Speaking thus, the Purple Kui Hound said bitterly: “In the end, none of you can even obtain the recognition of the inheritance stele. What meaning does our alliance have, then?”

Before encountering the Violet-Thunder Mystic Bamboo, the Purple Kui Hound had eagerly wished for the human cultivators to fail and be unable to claim a True Monarch’s legacy.

But now that it had seen the Violet-Thunder Mystic Bamboo yet could not obtain it, possibly missing its chance to evolve its bloodline, the Purple Kui Hound could not help but stir with killing intent.

Truly, what a useless bunch of humans!

Ignoring the beast’s scorn, Zhao Qingluo turned her gaze toward Chen Beiwu.

“You’re not going to give it a try?”

“Yes, yes. With Junior Brother’s aptitude, he should be able to obtain a Lower-Mid Grade evaluation like Senior Brother Han.” Gu Yunsi chimed in flatteringly.

At these words, Han Shengwu’s eyes lit with curiosity.

After all, True Person Zhu was the number-one Golden Core of their sect.

For Chen Ziang, an obscure disciple, to be accepted under his tutelage meant there had to be something extraordinary about him. Perhaps he could even obtain an Upper-Mid Grade evaluation and open the spatial fissure suppressed within the inheritance stele.

Chen Beiwu only shook his head and did not step forward.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Qingluo arched her brows slightly.

The description of the Heart Monkey on the stele was far too vague.

Until she truly understood what the Heart Monkey was, she would not risk a test—lest she end up, as the stele said, with her body fallen and spirit extinguished.

Yet, gazing at the spatial fissure within which countless rare treasures were suppressed, and recalling the Nascent Soul Talisman she carried, Zhao Qingluo finally could not resist. She pressed her palms together and activated the Eternal Evergreen Cycle Creation Scripture.

The Green-Vine Sword at her side lit up in a flash of emerald, infused with Evergreen Mana, as it cleaved fiercely toward the stele.