People fight and become emperors in advance

Chapter 191 Test
The soul power that spread out like a tide gradually dissipated after a few minutes, and a burst of bright light shone from Chen Xiao's room.

Finally, under the expectant gaze of Little Fairy Doctor, the tightly closed door opened, and a figure stepped out in the bright light.

"Xiao..."

Just as Little Fairy Doctor was about to step forward, she suddenly realized that Chen Xiao's current state was obviously wrong; his body seemed extremely illusory.

"This is... the soul!"

Little Fairy Doctor's mouth agape, unable to hide her surprise.

In this day and age, the soul is an ethereal and intangible existence for the strong. Its power is not only colorless and formless, but also makes it impossible to defend against.

True humanoid souls are extremely rare. After all, even some powerful individuals at the Dou Zun level would find it difficult to condense an elusive soul into a stable human form that would remain intact for a long time.

As Chen Xiao emerged from the room, he nodded slightly to Little Fairy Doctor, but could not speak. He then turned to look at the figure on the bed inside the room.

There, Chen Xiao's main body also stood up. As his main body stepped forward, the "Chen Xiao" formed from his soul also moved and walked towards his main body.

With each step he took, his body shrank a little. By the time he reached his original form, he had transformed into an invisible ball of light the size of a palm, which floated lightly onto his forehead and vanished without a trace in an instant.

The moment his soul returned to Chen Xiao's brow, his body trembled slightly, and the pervasive pressure of his soul vanished completely.

Looking up to meet Little Fairy Doctor's gaze, Chen Xiao nodded and smiled, his spirits high.

At this moment, he felt refreshed like never before!
Only now does he truly have the confidence to stand out among the Dou Zong stage!

Before today, although Chen Xiao had many tricks and trump cards, he only dared to compare himself with the geniuses of the major forces in Zhongzhou. When he thought of the people of the ancient races, he always had some reservations.

It wasn't that he lacked confidence; it was simply that the ancient races possessed such profound foundations that their geniuses could not be judged by ordinary standards.

But things are different now. With his soul having entered the Spirit Realm, Chen Xiao can now face anyone below the Dou Zun level with just his soul power!

"I remember Cao Ying mentioning before that one of the necessary conditions for advancing to the eighth-grade alchemist is a spiritual soul. In this respect alone, you are already no less than those eighth-grade alchemists."

Little Fairy Doctor's gaze was tender, and her smile was radiant.

It seems that Chen Xiao has made a breakthrough, which makes her even more delighted than if her own strength has improved.

"There aren't many eighth-grade alchemists on the continent, but there are quite a few people with spiritual souls. They break through each other and improve greatly, but it's still not enough for them to dominate the continent."

While the breakthrough is certainly something to celebrate, the road ahead remains long and arduous, given the numerous challenges ahead.

As the two were talking, they both sensed something and immediately stepped out.

Upon exiting, one sees the high priest standing high in the distance.

"Emperor Heaven and Mortal Realm, each realm is a new heaven. Congratulations, young friend, on advancing to the Spirit Realm."

Hearing the high priest's congratulations, Chen Xiao bowed slightly.

It was both a polite gesture and an expression of gratitude for his help.

Looking back on the state of mind during the breakthrough, that strange power, which was like the very essence of the soul, clearly could not have come out of thin air.

Within this holy city, the only one who could provide assistance quietly was this high priest, whom he couldn't quite fathom.

As he learned more and more, and his consciousness even entered the main hall where the assessment was held, and he saw the two former saintesses, Chen Xiao increasingly realized that there were many loopholes in the high priest's words.

However, what's rather strange is that he didn't sense any malice whatsoever.

"High Priest, the cold night is approaching. May I come inside for a chat? I would like to learn more about the trial."

Entering the Spirit Realm gave Chen Xiao even more confidence.

Now that we have learned a lot, we should focus on the test.

It would be good to pass through, as this would give one more chance to gain opportunities in the Dream Realm.

If something goes wrong along the way, you can cut your losses in time and leave as soon as possible to avoid wasting too much time here.

"It seems you've made your decision, young friend. I'll have a chat with you then, hoping it will be of some help."

The high priest nodded with a smile, took a step forward, and landed in front of the two.

Upon entering the house, the cold night arrived as expected.

In the instant the temperature suddenly dropped, Little Fairy Doctor had already summoned the Netherworld Poison Fire, causing the temperature inside the room to rise rapidly.

Chen Xiao gestured for the High Priest to sit down and, without beating around the bush, asked directly, "May I ask, High Priest, do you know what exactly the trials left behind by that senior were?"

Upon hearing this, the High Priest sighed, "I am ashamed to say that although I am the High Priest of the Holy City, I do not know much about this trial. I am afraid that only the Holy Maidens who have participated in the trial throughout the ages know the specific details."

"What I know is only a rough estimate."

"It is said that the senior once received some inheritance on the Dao of Arrays and was even known as the 'Master of Arrays'. When he appeared to save my Bai Clan, he set up a large array with a wave of his hand, which trapped several top experts. Therefore, according to our guess, there must be a test related to arrays. To obtain his inheritance, one must have talent in this area."

"Regarding this, young friend, there is no need to worry. As the saying goes, if you understand one method, you will understand all methods. As far as I know, the art of array formation and the art of alchemy have something in common. They both require a high level of soul power. The stronger your soul power, the easier it is to learn."

Not just in the art of formations, but in any field, those with stronger soul power have an advantage.

This is the benefit of a powerful soul!

"I have read many ancient books and even studied the art of beast taming. I don't have a deep understanding of formations, but there are some famous formations in the Dou Qi Continent. However, they seem to be fundamentally different from the formations the High Priest mentioned."

Chen Xiao frowned slightly.

He now knows a great deal about the great formations of the Dou Qi Continent.

The most common example is the protective formations of various sects; any force with some resources will generally have one.

For example, the Cloud Mist Covering the Sun Formation of the Cloud Mist Sect.

Or perhaps, the Soul Clan secretly laid out the Soul Devouring Life-Severing Array in the Central Plains, and so on.

The setup and activation of these grand formations require advance preparation, which is completely different from the performance of the powerful figure mentioned by the high priest, who could casually set up formations to trap enemies.

This powerful figure's performance was more like the methods of a spirit array master from the Great Thousand World.

Could it be that this person received a similar inheritance by chance?
"It's too far in the past to know for sure, but according to the ancient records of our clan, the way that senior set up the formation was indeed unique."

"Aside from the possible array tests, the rest are more conventional. The stronger you are, the greater the probability of passing the test. Within the same realm, the stronger your combat power, the greater the probability." "In the past, when each generation of Holy Maidens went to accept the test, the current High Priest would have them leave a soul imprint to determine their life or death. The stronger their combat power, the longer the soul imprint would dissipate. Therefore, this can be confirmed."

Chen Xiao nodded slightly; this test of strength was to be expected.

No strong person wants their legacy to fall into the hands of an mediocre person.

In fact, many powerful individuals, if they cannot find a suitable successor, would rather bury their unique skills deep underground than settle for less.

"I see. That's why the high priest was able to determine from their vanished soul imprints that they had all perished."

Without mentioning the two saintesses he saw during his breakthrough, Chen Xiao followed the high priest's instructions and expanded his thinking accordingly.

The high priest nodded. "That's right. If you're determined to participate in the trial, young friend, you must remember one thing: once the trial begins, it cannot be interrupted. You either pass the trial and receive the inheritance, or... you'll be stuck in it forever."

Chen Xiao was not surprised by this.

The inheritance of a top expert is extremely precious, and it is perfectly normal to only have one chance.

If one can keep trying and coming back, then someone will eventually get through it by sheer perseverance, which is far too frivolous.

"High Priest, can two people enter this trial together?" Little Fairy Doctor rarely interrupted the conversation.

She didn't want to be separated from Chen Xiao as long as conditions allowed.

Although he knew Chen Xiao had something to rely on to escape unscathed, waiting alone outside was still agonizing.

"Yes, but the difficulty you will face after entering the test will increase dramatically, because the difficulty of the test depends on your strength. The stronger you are, the higher the difficulty. Unless you are as in tune with each other as Qinghuan and Xingyao, having one more person does not provide an advantage. Therefore, I suggest that you enter one after the other."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao nodded.

He and Little Fairy Doctor definitely can't be separated.

After all, he only has one chance left to use his advance payment. If they encounter an insurmountable danger, they can only leave together if they are together.

However, this means it's impossible to take Qinghuan and the others away now; they'll have to find another opportunity later.

Therefore, it is best to pass the test and come out of that place of trial safely.

"One last question: how do we participate in the test?"

“It’s very simple. Please look, you two. Outside Tinglan City, there stands a stone tablet. Behind it lies a hidden space. From here, you can enter the trial grounds at any time,” the High Priest said, pointing to a map.

Tinglan City is tens of thousands of miles away from the Holy City, separated by more than ten cities and numerous mountain ranges. If one's strength is insufficient, it is impossible to reach it from Baili.

"I'll also give this map to you two. Not many people in the Dream Realm know about the trial, but there are a few people in Tinglan City who do. If you have any doubts, you can ask them for more information later."

Chen Xiao nodded his thanks.

I asked everything I needed to ask, and the night passed quickly.

When the extreme cold passed and daylight returned, the high priest rose to take his leave without any hesitation.

Chen Xiao stood at the door, watching the High Priest's retreating figure for a long time before finally turning his gaze away.

"But what other problems were discovered?"

Little Fairy Doctor put away the Netherworld Poison Fire, leaned against him gently, and was extremely familiar with Chen Xiao's condition.

Chen Xiao nodded slightly. Only now did he have time to tell Little Fairy Doctor about the scene he saw during his breakthrough yesterday.

"Actually, it's not just these things. The more this high priest talks and does, the more flaws he reveals. For example, his self-reference. I remember he referred to himself as 'this one' yesterday, but today he calls us 'little friends.' Although it's very polite, upon closer inspection, there are problems everywhere. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if he's not afraid of our suspicions at all."

A person who is so carefree either has a clear conscience or is confident of victory and believes they can control everything.

However, the High Priest's strength was undeniable. In fact, Chen Xiao sensed that the High Priest was already like a candle flickering in the wind, and it was estimated that he would face his end in about ten years.

“Compared to this high priest, I am more surprised that the Holy Maiden Qiwu from ten thousand years ago is still alive. I remember Qinghuan and Xingyao saying that she was already a Dou Zun when she ‘fell’. Now that ten thousand years have passed, her strength may have already transcended the mortal realm!” Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly.

In the Dou Qi Continent, reaching the Dou Zun level means one's lifespan can easily exceed a thousand years, and Dou Sheng level experts, unless they are extremely unlucky, can easily live for several thousand years.

But tens of thousands of years...

This is no longer a concept.

If Chen Xiao hadn't said it himself, Little Fairy Doctor would have found it hard to believe it was true.

Over such a long period of time, let alone a saintly figure with outstanding talent, even a person with average talent, as long as they can survive, can transform into a top-tier powerhouse through the accumulation of time!
"What she said to you was also quite interesting. According to her, that Xuan Yin Saintess shot herself in the foot. She clearly did something to you or secretly helped you, but your consciousness intruded and disrupted her plans. However, we have only been in the Dream Realm for three days and have only really met a handful of people. We have only heard about that Xuan Yin Saintess from Qing Huan and the others."

Listening to Little Fairy Doctor's analysis, Chen Xiao couldn't help but nod slightly.

indeed so!

This little world is shrouded in mystery.

"Let's put all that aside for now. Now that we know where the trial is, let's go and take a look. No matter what, I have to experience that trial."

Suppressing his doubts for the time being, Chen Xiao spoke up.

The follow-up to the advance use of the Purple Spirit Cold Qi must be completed through a test.

I had not yet seen the Heavenly Demon Puppets that I knew about before I came in.

Furthermore, the bone spirit cold fire he had witnessed made the trial incredibly tempting for Chen Xiao, and he was absolutely unwilling to leave just like that.

"Shall we set off now?" Little Fairy Doctor nodded gently.

"Wait a moment. We don't know many people in this holy city. We've been fortunate to have those two young saintesses these past few days. Based on the pattern of the past two days, they'll probably come over again. Let's say goodbye to them."

As soon as Little Fairy Doctor finished speaking, two fiery red figures appeared at the end of the street.

One of them was jumping and skipping in front of the other, as if it had unlimited energy.

One of them, Wenjing, followed behind, creating a stark contrast.

"If you take them out, what are your plans for their future?"

Chen Xiao hadn't really thought about this question carefully.

(End of this chapter)