Ten Thousand Years in Seclusion

And just a moment before the lightning force on the Heaven-Ascending Stairway vanished—

At the white-jade platform at the end of the stairway, Elder Wei was standing guard beside the formation plate on the right when he suddenly heard a soft snap.

The fourth of the four main spiral lines that had been glowing suddenly went dark.

The dark-golden radiance receded from the fourth line like an ebbing tide, and the entire formation plate trembled faintly.

Elder Wei’s pupils contracted, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his back.

"Don’t tell me this one has gone wrong too..."

He stared at the dimmed fourth line, his heart pounding.

If something went wrong with the Heaven-Ascending Ten Tribulations Formation as well, he and Elder Li might truly be unable to answer for it.

The only consolation was that the first, second, and third lines were still glowing.

Meanwhile, on the four-hundred-and-ninety-eighth step, the lightning force had been completely exhausted.

Qi Tian looked toward the higher steps, about to continue climbing.

He had just raised his right foot when a voice suddenly rang out from below, booming like a great bell—

"Test time is up—!"

Elder Li’s voice rolled through the air, sending the sea of clouds surging.

Qi Tian withdrew his gaze. Without hesitation, he turned and began walking slowly back down the jade steps.

The elders below found nothing particularly remarkable about it. After all, four hundred and ninety-eight steps was impressive, but not enough to be called astonishing.

Only Elder Li’s thoughts were in turmoil.

Just who is this kid?

In terms of spiritual pressure alone—if the formation had never been switched, this one step of his would already have been equivalent to reaching the summit.

As that thought crossed his mind—

A figure clad in deep indigo suddenly shot forward!

Elder Liu’s body flashed like lightning as he charged straight toward the Heaven-Ascending Stairway.

Damn it!

Elder Li was startled. He slammed one foot down and reached out to stop him.

But he was still a step too late.

Elder Liu was incredibly fast. After only a few leaps, he had already reached the jade steps. One foot was raised, just about to land on the first step—

At that very moment, the spiritual light running through the entire Heaven-Ascending Stairway suddenly went out!

The jade steps returned to their original warm, lustrous white, without the slightest trace of spiritual energy remaining.

Elder Liu’s foot remained suspended in midair, never coming down.

He slowly lowered it and turned toward Elder Li, his gaze deep as a still pool.

"Junior Brother Li, what is the meaning of this?"

Elder Li’s heart was pounding, but his expression remained unchanged. With his hands behind his back, he replied calmly,

"The formation hasn’t been completely repaired yet. I told Elder Wei to shut it down as soon as the test ended. Senior Brother Liu, what were you planning to do?"

Elder Liu stared at him for a moment. The Green Jade Ruyi slowly turned in his hand.

He gave no answer. He merely snorted and returned to the other elders.

Cold sweat had already soaked through Elder Li’s back.

Looks like Elder Liu is already suspicious.

Fortunately, Elder Wei was quick enough to react.

He drew a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, then called out loudly:

"The formation is shut down! Everyone, come down on your own! The test is over. Follow me to the Heart-Questioning Hall!"

Qi Tian quickened his pace as he heard the call from below.

Qian Duobao was waiting for him on the three-hundred-and-thirty-third step, and his first question was:

"Brother Qi! What was the fourth trial?"

"Lightning," Qi Tian replied calmly.

Qian Duobao pressed him for more, but Qi Tian only smiled and said nothing. Left with no choice, Qian Duobao scratched his head and limped along after him.

Before long, all of the fifth group of examinees had descended the Heaven-Ascending Stairway and gathered below.

Elder Wei swept down from the mountain-top platform and, without drawing attention to himself, slipped the dusky green Spirit Vein Key into Elder Li’s sleeve.

"Good thing I shut it down in time," he transmitted.

Elder Li flicked his sleeve and tucked the Spirit Vein Key away.

"Thank you, Senior Brother," he transmitted back.

Elder Wei’s lips did not move, yet his voice sounded in Elder Li’s sea of consciousness once more.

"It seems something went wrong with the Heaven-Ascending Ten Tribulations Formation as well."

Elder Li froze. He was about to ask what had happened, but Elder Wei had already transmitted one final sentence:

"I’ll explain later."

He then turned to face the crowd and said in a deep voice,

"Follow me."

He led the two hundred and thirty-nine examinees around the mountain gate and toward the mountainside on the other side. They passed through a stretch of ancient pines and lush greenery before the view suddenly opened up.

A stone hall had been built into the mountainside. Its entrance was broad and imposing, and three ancient seal-script characters were carved into the plaque above the doors:

Heart-Questioning Hall.

The doors of the hall stood wide open, and everyone filed inside.

The interior was spacious and empty, save for a long table stretching across the very center. Carved from a single piece of ebony, it was nearly three zhang long, its surface dark and gleaming. Three people sat behind it: a square-faced elder in the center, dressed in elder’s robes, with two young disciples seated on either side.

And at the center of the table—

sat a stone.

It stood only about one chi tall, its entire surface a smooth, lustrous milky white. Yet beneath that polished surface, wisps of mist seemed to drift and swirl, faintly visible one moment and gone the next.

The square-faced elder’s gaze swept across the two hundred and thirty-nine examinees in the hall before he spoke calmly:

"Before the Heart-Questioning Stone, no falsehood can stand."

"My surname is Zhang. I’m in charge of this final test. But really, it’s just a simple question-and-answer session." Elder Zhang’s voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly over the murmurs in the hall. "You need only answer three questions before the Heart-Questioning Stone. If every answer is truthful, you’ll officially become disciples of the Falling Cloud Sect."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Then smiles spread across the faces of many examinees, and they began whispering among themselves.

So all they have to do is answer questions? Wouldn’t that be a hundred times easier than the Heaven-Ascending Stairway?

Some even let out long breaths of relief, their shoulders visibly relaxing.

Qi Tian stood at the back of the crowd, his gaze fixed on the milky-white stone with mist swirling within it. His eyes narrowed slightly.

What will they ask? Can this stone really distinguish truth from falsehood?

And I wonder... will it work on me?

Pei Yi walked to the long table, opened the register, and called out, "Number Two!"

Number One had already been dismissed and sent down the mountain after the Spirit Stele revealed that he had Five-Element Spiritual Roots during the first test.

A young man quickly stepped out from the crowd and stopped before the Heart-Questioning Stone. Elder Zhang lifted his chin, motioning for him to place his hand against the stone’s smooth, milky-white surface.

The young man did as instructed. The moment his palm touched the mirror-smooth stone, the mist swirling within it rippled faintly.

Elder Zhang spoke calmly.

"First question—do you harbor any ill will toward the Falling Cloud Sect?"

The young man hurriedly shook his head. "No."

The moment the words left his mouth, the Heart-Questioning Stone suddenly lit up. A warm, bright milky-white radiance shone from deep within the stone.

"Second question." Elder Zhang’s expression remained impassive. "Did you come here today at the behest of another sect or faction?"

"No!"

The Heart-Questioning Stone remained brightly lit.

Qi Tian smiled faintly. So that was all this was—a few simple questions to keep spies from infiltrating the sect.

"Third question." Elder Zhang asked the final question. "Are you joining our sect solely to pursue cultivation and the Dao, with no other motives?"

The young man hesitated for a moment before nodding firmly.

"Yes! All I want is to cultivate and seek the Dao!"

The Heart-Questioning Stone remained brightly lit.

Qi Tian’s smile froze.

Elder Zhang gave a slight nod. "Passed."

The young disciple on the right side of the long table raised a hand and gestured. "Come over here to register."

"Yes, Senior Brother!" Number Two beamed with delight. Now that he had officially passed the test and become a formal disciple of the Falling Cloud Sect, he naturally had the right to address the other disciple as "Senior Brother."

As soon as he lifted his hand from the Heart-Questioning Stone, the warm radiance within the stone receded like a tide, returning it to its usual state, with mist swirling inside.

He went to the right side of the long table. The disciple opened the register and asked for his name and place of origin, recording each detail.

Pei Yi continued calling out the numbers.

The process was quick, and several more examinees passed one after another.

Qi Tian stood silently at the back of the crowd, watching. Beside him, Qian Duobao suddenly nudged him with his elbow and lowered his voice.

"Brother Qi, do you think... there might actually be someone who has something to hide and can’t pass the Heart-Questioning Stone?"

Qi Tian withdrew his gaze and glanced sideways at him. Instead of answering, he asked calmly, "Do you know what happens to those who fail?"

Qian Duobao scratched his head, his round face suddenly turning serious.

"No idea. But whatever happens... it can’t be good."

Isn’t that obvious?

Qi Tian couldn’t be bothered to respond.