"Fine, kid, you think youâre a big shot, huh?"
Chen Changâanâs new aura was even felt by Shen Xuzi, which immediately prompted him to make a sarcastic remark.
This boy really loves to show off, huh!
But, show-off or not, he couldnât really criticize him since this boy truly did possess the strength to show off!
Without strength, itâs mere posturing; with strength, itâs all about class!
This is really freaking annoying!
"Old man, letâs go back, theyâre about to wake up."
"Weâll head back and let them come up on their own later."
At that moment, Chen Changâan looked at Mao Ruxue, who was gradually settling down in front of the ancient monument, and suggested this.
"Oh oh, kid, letâs go!" Shen Xuzi agreed, nodding his head.
He just wanted to get out of there.
Truly, he really wanted to leave. Shen Xuzi felt that he had already suffered enough shocks in the first half of his life. Now, he must be nuts to stick around here and let himself be tormented.
Hum Hum Hum~!
Following which, the two disappeared into the void, returning to the ninth layer.
...
Hum Hum Hum~!
Not long after Chen Changâan left, on the second level of the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion, in front of the seven stone tablets.
Mao Ruxue and Lin Qingxuan, who had fallen into a state of enlightenment, gradually came out of that miraculous state, rising from their spots.
At this moment, ripples of Dao spread all over their bodies.
Their eyes were reflecting galaxies, bright and resplendent, like celestial maidens descended from the ninth heaven.
Untouched by the mundane world!
"Huh?"
At this moment, both noticed each otherâs presence and were surprised.
However, since they didnât know each other, there was no real interaction.
Hum Hum Hum~!
Just then, the gateway to the third tier opened.
These were two bronze gates, one for each person.
Above the gateway in front of Mao Ruxue, a Fire Phoenixâs illusion became vivid.
And above the gateway in front of Lin Qingxuan, there was the image of an ancient Giant Beast, a colossal Demon, composed entirely of all the demons in the world.
At this moment, watching from the ninth level, Chen Changâan finally realized that the gateways on each tier of the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion were all different.
From this, Chen Changâan couldnât help speculating whether different people would face different scenarios after entering the third tier.
This wasnât just speculation; Chen Changâan was about 70-80% sure!
Whiz Whiz~!
Whiz Whiz~!
Meanwhile, while Chen Changâan was engrossed in his speculation, on the second floor of the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion, once the gateways opened, Mao Ruxue and Lin Qingxuan stepped in without hesitation.
And when both had entered the third tier, the scenarios they saw were, indeed, as Chen Changâan had speculated, not the same.
In front of Mao Ruxue was an endless icy glacier and snowfield, a vast expanse of snow as far as the eye could see, even the stars in the sky were of azure ice!
In front of Lin Qingxuan were majestic palaces, with strands of immortal qi wafting around within.
This was genuine immortal qi, even if a mortal just took a breath of it, they might not ascend immediately, but they could definitely become spiritual beings!
This immortal qi was as pure as the one Chen Changâan had condensed from the faith of the Transcendent class, the purest in heaven and earth.
Dong Dong~!
Within this range of celestial palaces, there were intermittent sounds of bells tolling.
The bell tolls were deep and profound, the drums of dawn and dusk!
There were sounds of the Great Dao within the bell tolls, which could enlighten one on the spot!
"What is this?" From the ninth level of the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion, Chen Changâan seemed a bit puzzled seeing all this.
When he passed through the third level, he didnât experience any of these things.
"This is a test of containment. The opportunities they obtained on the second level will be tested on the third level." Shen Xuzi explained, displaying some knowledge of the rules of Heavenly Emperor Pavilion.
"Relatively speaking, the second level of the Sky and Earth Pavilion is a reward. How much of this reward you can get depends on your own foundation."
"For example, you were awarded with the Divine Body of an Eternal Immortal Demon, your disciples were rewarded with the Dharma Aspect of the Primordial Demon and the Aura of the Heavenly Fate Phoenix. These are the rewards the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion granted you!"
"These rewards are determined by your foundation, but at the same time, they are also your tests."
"Upon entering the third floor, the Heavenly Emperor Pavilion will evolve a Dao opposite to the reward you obtained on the second floor to verify whether you can bear this karma."
"This is both a catastrophe and a reward!"
"If you can get through it, you will ascend from then on, resting high above in the ninth heaven!"
"If you canât get through it, at worst you would be erased from the mortal coil, and at best, you would be seriously injured!"
Shen Xuziâs expression became distinctly serious as he said this. The Way of Heaven and Earth always demands a balance, and nothing can be obtained lightly.
Take Mao Ruxue as an example - she had awakened the aura of the Heavenly Fate Phoenix, so what confronted her was this boundless icy glacier and snowfield.
Itâs commonly known that the Phoenix can be reborn through flames, but not every place in this world has fire!
If she can cross this boundless glacier, then she will truly become a Heavenly Fate Phoenix. If she canât, then she will inevitably become just one of many swept away by the endless tides of time.
After listening to Shen Xuzi, Chen Changâan immediately understood the meaning - this was a place to test oneâs abilities.
The world of cultivation has no room for the weak, and the weak cannot cultivate. The Heavenly Emperor Pavilion had merely made this truth abundantly clear.