Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 116 Ancestral Spirit Inheritance [7000-word combined chapter]

Zuling Mountain.

On a certain platform.

More than ten stone pillars, each several meters tall, moved swiftly through this narrow space at an extremely fast speed.

Each stone pillar weighs over ten thousand jin (approximately 5,000 kg). If one were to accidentally bump into one, even a sixth-rank martial artist would likely be seriously injured.

Youmeng held Lin Xuan's hand in one hand and Aya's hand in the other. Her steps seemed to contain some kind of pattern, always managing to lead the two of them to narrowly avoid the movement of the stone pillars at crucial moments.

Soon, the three of them finally crossed the platform and stepped onto the new stone steps.

Behind them, the stone pillars slowly returned to their positions, emitting a heavy thud.

Lin Xuan looked at the stone pillars and let out a long sigh.

Although he cultivated the Zhenyue Gong and possessed a powerful physical body, he was still just a mortal. If he were to collide head-on with those stone pillars or be trapped between two of them, he would likely be forced to sleep forever amidst these green mountains and clear waters.

This is nothing like what Youmeng said, merely a little dangerous...

Fortunately, she was reliable enough, and we finally got through this dangerous situation.

now.

On another stone platform right next to them.

The Holy Son of the Dark Witch Clan and his two protectors were struggling to walk up a stone staircase.

Each stone step was engraved with spiritual runes, and with each step they took, it felt like they were carrying heavy shackles.

The higher they went, the heavier the shackles became. The three of them could only channel their inner energy into their legs and move upwards with great difficulty...

Rumble!
A deafening sound came from somewhere diagonally above them.

Three figures in white robes were fighting against several stone golems covered in spirit patterns.

A muscular man with bulging muscles exchanged blows with the puppet, holding his own. The other two used their agile footwork to dodge and weave, but whenever they tried to leave, the stone puppet would block their way.

Ling Tian glanced at the puppets and knew that forcing his way in wouldn't work, so he began to carefully observe the spirit patterns on the stone figures.

At a certain moment, he suddenly flicked out a series of subtle streams of true energy from his fingertips, which precisely struck a spiritual pattern between the eyebrows of one of the stone figures.

After the spiritual pattern on its forehead was struck, the stone man's entire body flashed with spiritual patterns, and then it stood there blankly, motionless.

He unleashed several more bursts of true energy, and in an instant, all the stone figures lost their ability to move.

The three quickly left the area and continued upwards.

……

Zuling Mountain.

On a certain stone staircase.

Three figures appeared at the end of the stone steps and arrived at a wide platform halfway up the mountain.

Lin Xuan let out another long sigh of relief.

Although the road is not long, the journey is extremely dangerous.

The Jiuli people had set up numerous checkpoints along the stone steps in advance.

Poisonous creatures, Gu worms, mechanical puppets, spirit pattern arrays, and poisonous smoke that's impossible to defend against...

If it weren't for Youmeng protecting them, he and Aya would never have been able to get here.

As Lin Xuan climbed up the mountain, he deeply realized that being the Holy Maiden and Holy Son of the Jiuli tribe was not an easy task.

Youmeng is only a few years older than Lin Xuan, and she has reached the fifth rank in both martial arts and mental strength.

Not only that, she is also proficient in Gu poison, mechanisms, formations, and poisons...

If she is not proficient in any one of them, she will not be able to pass the trial.

Lin Xuan looked around; for the time being, only the three of them were on this platform halfway up the mountain.

Below, on the stone steps, one can vaguely see figures climbing upwards.

It seems they are quite fast.

A look of surprise appeared on his face when his gaze fell on the only stone steps leading to the top of the mountain.

Surprisingly, someone was even faster than them; three figures in white were already dozens of steps above.

Aya wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "They're from the Spirit Witch Clan!"

Youmeng's chest heaved slightly, her hair a little disheveled. She looked at the two of them and said, "Let's rest for a while before continuing our ascent."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly. The three of them rested for a moment, then walked side by side to the stone steps at the end of the square.

The moment Lin Xuan stepped onto the stone steps, he felt an invisible pressure envelop his entire body.

I encountered a similar situation while climbing a certain stone staircase earlier.

But that pressure was directed at the physical body.

The oppressive aura at this moment, however, was applied to mental strength.

To climb upwards, one must dedicate mental energy to resisting.

However, for Lin Xuan, this pressure was only a slight obstacle and did not have much impact.

He sensed that a spiritual energy fluctuation of over sixth rank was emanating from Aya.

This spiritual power is even stronger than Youze's, reaching almost the mid-stage of the sixth rank.

No wonder Youmeng brought her along.

The Jiuli tribe is indeed full of hidden talents; the little girl looks innocent and easy to bully, but she is actually a sixth-rank sorcerer.

Lin Xuan's current direct control over mental energy is less than that of this little girl.

The three of them released their spiritual power and, despite the pressure from above, slowly moved forward.

Lin Xuan keenly observed that with each step he took, the pressure he faced would increase slightly.

But that pressure didn't bring only bad things.

Under this pressure, his mental strength seemed to become more concentrated.

He only walked a dozen or so stone steps, but it was equivalent to several days of meditation.

At this moment, he finally understood what Youmeng meant by the trials and benefits.

There are a thousand stone steps leading from here to the top of the mountain.

One can imagine how refined his mental strength would have to be if he climbed up step by step.

This stairway to heaven is simply the perfect place to hone one's spiritual strength.

The more refined the spiritual power, the easier it is to control. In time, he might be able to completely control the spiritual power hidden within his body.

By then, he will be a genuine peak fifth-rank sorcerer.

Thinking of this, Lin Xuan suddenly felt full of energy, and even his steps became much faster.

Aya followed behind him, panting, "Big brother, slow down, aren't you tired...?"

Lin Xuan really wasn't tired.

Logically, the higher you climb, the greater the pressure you face, and the more tired you should become.

However, more than 90% of his spiritual power is hidden within his body.

The greater the pressure, the more concentrated his mental energy becomes.

The more refined one's mental strength, the easier it is to resist this pressure.

So the more he climbed, the easier it became.

This pressure was naturally not a problem for Youmeng, who possessed fifth-grade spiritual power.

Only Aya was lacking strength, and her breathing became increasingly heavy.

Seeing that she looked exhausted, Lin Xuan asked, "If you're tired, do you want me to carry you?"

Aya gritted her teeth and said, "No need, I'm fine."

At this moment, Youmeng looked at her and said, "Let Young Master Chen carry you. This will allow you to recover your mental strength. The path at the top will be even more difficult."

Only after the saintess spoke did Aya nod shyly.

Lin Xuan squatted down, and she obediently lay on Lin Xuan's back.

Although the little girl was very light, the pressure from above instantly increased once you carried her on your back.

This is exactly what Lin Xuan needs.

In this way, the efficiency of mental energy condensation is actually higher.

If he could carry only one, he would have even wanted to carry Youmeng as well.

After traversing countless stone steps, the oppressive feeling on their mental strength vanished instantly when they stepped onto a new platform.

Lin Xuan was caught off guard and almost fell.

Aya jumped off his back and exclaimed happily, "We've completed the trial!"

Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback.

Is this over?

He wasn't done yet...

His mental energy was compressed to less than one-fifth, still far from his goal.

Youmeng breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the last three hundred stone steps behind her.

From the mountainside to the temple of the witch god, one needs to climb a thousand stone steps.

Climbing the seven hundred stone steps signifies passing the trial.

The Saintess Trial was not difficult for her. She invited Lin Xuan to the Jiuli tribe not to complete the trial.

She looked at Lin Xuan and said, "There are only three hundred steps left. The rest of the journey will depend on you, young master. If we can reach the Temple of the Witch God, I will naturally fulfill the promise I made to you."

Lin Xuan naturally understood her unspoken meaning.

She will keep her promise only if she ascends to the Temple of the Witch God.

If he cannot ascend to the Temple of the Witch God, his trip to the Jiuli tribe will have been in vain.

Lin Xuan was prepared for this, after all, he had done almost nothing since the beginning, following behind her from beginning to end without accomplishing anything, mainly just keeping her company.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Trying to get rid of the Heart-Eating Gu just like that seems far too easy.

Lin Xuan looked up and saw that the three members of the Spirit Witch Clan were already dozens of steps away.

The three of them did not rest for long and walked to the last section of stone steps.

Youmeng handed Lin Xuan and Aya two calming pills, reminding them, "The last three hundred steps of the Witch God Temple are extremely difficult to climb. After taking the calming pills, mobilize all your mental energy to resist that oppressive force..."

Upon stepping onto the first stone step, Lin Xuan noticed a distinct difference.

The pressure at this stage is at least three times that of the last stage.

The mental energy he could control was compressed to the extreme, and the surplus portion was quickly replenished, then compressed again, and replenished again...

With one hand holding Aya's and the other holding Lin Xuan's, Youmeng and Lin Xuan gathered their spiritual energy together to resist the pressure from above, slowly moving forward step by step.

Lin Xuan looked up and saw that the three people in front of him were also climbing in the same way.

Every step Aya took seemed particularly strenuous.

After climbing more than a hundred steps, she lifted her foot, but never put it down.

Her hair was already soaked with sweat and stuck tightly to her forehead.

Aya looked at Youmeng with a pale face and said, "Holy Maiden, I... I can't walk anymore..."

Youmeng's hair was also a little messy. She nodded slightly and said, "You've done very well. Go wait for us at the 700th step..."

The oppression of Mount Zuling is limited to climbing upwards.

If you're going down the mountain, these are just ordinary stone steps.

Watching Aya leave with light steps, Youmeng looked at Lin Xuan, whose forehead was slightly sweaty, and asked, "Can we continue?"

Lin Xuan nodded and said, "Okay."

Although climbing to this point was not easy for him, he had no other choice but to do so in order to remove the curse.

Even if it means climbing with her, we'll climb to the top of the mountain.

Moreover, the process of climbing the mountain has great benefits for him.

At this moment, the mental energy he could control was several times greater than before.

It was tiring, but the rewards were equally huge.

The two held hands and continued climbing.

After climbing a few more steps, Lin Xuan saw a man from the Spirit Witch Clan slowly walking down the mountain.

Ling Yue looked at You Meng and Lin Xuan, a hint of surprise appearing on his face.

Unexpectedly, there are still people who want to ascend to the Temple of the Witch God in this trial.

He glanced back and saw that the Holy Son was a full hundred ranks ahead of them.

The efforts of the Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan were destined to be in vain.

He paid no more attention to the two of them and continued walking down the mountain.

Zuling Mountain.

At the 700th step.

More than ten figures from nine tribes sat cross-legged and rested in various places on the platform.

An hour had passed, and five holy sons and daughters appeared on the platform.

The Holy Son of the Medical Witch Department and the Holy Maiden of the Poison Witch Department failed to climb the seven hundred steps within an hour, thus losing their qualifications as Holy Son and Holy Maiden.

Everyone's gaze turned to the stone steps leading to the top of the mountain.

There were four other figures moving slowly up the stone steps.

In the past, climbing seven hundred steps was considered passing the trial. Although the final three hundred steps lead directly to the Temple of the Witch God and one can obtain the inheritance of the ancestral spirit, few people would attempt it because climbing the steps is too difficult and the inheritance of the ancestral spirit is too dangerous.

Unexpectedly, both the Holy Son of the Spirit Witch Department and the Holy Maiden of the Mysterious Witch Department chose to continue climbing the Temple of the Witch God during this trial.

To climb to the top of the mountain, one needs at least the peak of the fifth rank of spiritual power.

Neither Lingtian nor Youmeng can meet this requirement.

This is also the minimum requirement for receiving ancestral blessings.

The Jiuli people are exceptionally gifted, and over thousands of years, only a handful of them have met this requirement.

Even though they had passed the trial, they were not in a hurry to go down the mountain, but chose to stay here and observe.

The Temple of the Witch God was originally built for the purpose of ancestral spirit inheritance. There is only one way for any member of the Jiuli tribe to enter the Temple of the Witch God.

That is to first become the tribe's holy son or holy daughter, and then, during the trial, ascend the final three hundred steps to heaven.

Furthermore, even if one becomes a priest or high priest in the future, one can no longer enter the ancestral temple.

Of course, there's no way to get in.

Once you are over twenty-five years old, no matter how strong your cultivation is, you will not be able to step onto the Heavenly Ascension Staircase.

Inside the Temple of the Witch God, there is a powerful array of spirit patterns. With the help of the surrounding mountains, unless the nine high priests work together to activate it, even those with cultivation levels above the third rank cannot enter.

When the Jiuli tribe faced a life-or-death crisis, the Temple of the Witch God was their last refuge.

On the steps to heaven.

Lin Xuan and You Meng's fingers were tightly clasped together.

He had never held Qingluan's hand for this long before.

But at this moment, there's no time to worry about that.

Only by holding her hand tightly can Youmeng continue on her journey.

After Aya descended the mountain, the two walked forward another hundred steps.

Youmeng has almost reached its limit.

Her spiritual power was only at the initial fifth rank.

Lin Xuan's spiritual power has reached the peak of the fifth rank, just one step away from breaking through to the fourth rank.

An hour ago, he could only control sixth-grade spiritual power.

But as he climbed the steps, his mental energy became more and more refined, and he was able to control more and more power. When he was still a hundred steps away from the summit, his mental energy had successfully broken through to the fifth rank.

It seems that every step he takes is his limit.

But taking this step will push his limits once again.

The Ascension Staircase of the Jiuli tribe seemed to have been tailor-made for him.

Even though the Heart-Eating Gu hasn't been cured yet, his gains have already made the trip worthwhile.

The veil of dreams was completely soaked with sweat.

With her own abilities, this is the most she can get to.

Her gaze fell on Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment and asked, "How about I carry you on my back?"

Youmeng nodded slightly.

The two were several dozen steps ahead.

Ling Tian and the number one genius sorcerer of the Western Regions held hands tightly, both of them mobilizing all their mental energy to resist the pressure emanating from the Temple of the Witch God.

The next step was only a step away, but their raised feet could not touch it.

The difficulty of climbing the temple of the sorcerer far exceeded his expectations.

Even though he used the art of spirit runes to combine their spiritual power into one, he could only hold on for this long.

These last thirty steps are an insurmountable chasm for him.

Even though he was extremely unwilling, Ling Tian could only let out a deep breath and give up.

He released the hand of the Western Regions' genius sorcerer and sighed, "Go back..."

The two turned around, about to descend the mountain, when they both froze in surprise.

Behind them, two figures were slowly making their way up the stone steps.

The fact that anyone other than them could reach this point has already shocked Ling Tian.

What shocked him even more was that the man, carrying the Holy Maiden of the Xuanwu Clan, was still able to continue forward.

Although he walked very slowly, stopping to rest after each step, he never stopped.

Ling Tian's desire to back down was temporarily reconsidered.

He looked at the Tibetan sorcerer, who shook his head repeatedly without hesitation: "I can't carry you..."

Ling Tian explained, "That's not what I meant. Let's try working together again..."

As the greatest genius in the Spirit Witch Department in a century, he refused to believe that he couldn't do what his peers could do...

Moreover, the person carrying Youmeng was clearly not yet twenty years old.

However, when the two took the pills to restore their strength and tried again, they found that they still couldn't take that step.

Physical strength can be restored, but mental strength still does not increase.

Ling Tian finally gave up completely and simply waited where he was.

He wanted to see just how far they could go.

Lin Xuan carried Youmeng on his back, and it took him a long time to finally step out.

He climbed slowly on his own, and he still had the strength to spare.

Carrying Youmeng on his back, he had to mobilize all his mental energy for each step he took.

Only when his mental energy is further compressed can he take the next step.

Sweat dripped down his face.

This was probably the most tiring mountain he had ever climbed in his two lifetimes.

But he couldn't give up.

Others have a way out, but he doesn't.

After resting for a moment, Lin Xuan took another step.

First order.

Two-stage.

Tenth level.

Lin Xuan carried Youmeng as he walked past Ling Tian.

Ling Tian stared blankly at this scene, and the genius sorcerer from the Western Regions also showed shock in his eyes.

He thought his talent was unparalleled in the world, but he never expected that there was such a genius in the Jiuli tribe.

He and Ling Tian joined forces to barely make it this far.

This person was carrying another person on his back and was still able to surpass them; his mental strength was probably close to the peak of the fifth rank.

At this age, peak fifth-grade mental strength...

He's a prodigy!

If he were a member of the Xuanwu tribe, then it shouldn't be Youmeng who came to participate in the trial, but him!
Where did the Xuanwu tribe find such a monstrous talent?
The two watched helplessly as the man carried the Xuanwu Clan's Holy Maiden up the last thirty steps and disappeared from their sight.

At the end of the stone steps.

Lin Xuan didn't know how he got up there. When the mountain-like pressure disappeared, his legs went weak and he knelt heavily on the ground. Then, Youmeng on his back pressed him down.

At that moment, he didn't even have the strength to move a finger.

For the last few steps, he relied entirely on his will to survive.

Fortunately, he practiced the Zhenyue Gong, which is known for its physical strength. If it were any other martial art, he probably would have worked himself to death and still wouldn't have made it up.

Youmeng climbed off Lin Xuan, sat down beside him, and said softly, "You've worked hard. When we get back to the Xuanwu Tribe, I will remove the Heart-Eating Gu from you."

Lin Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she kept her promise, it didn't matter if she suffered a little hardship.

Youmeng took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom, poured out two pills, swallowed one herself, and handed the other to Lin Xuan.

These are pills to restore physical strength; the two of them have taken quite a few along the way.

Lin Xuan reached out to catch it, but after raising his arm halfway, it fell heavily back down.

Youmeng brought the pill to Lin Xuan's lips. Lin Xuan opened his mouth, and as the pill entered his mouth, a warm current flowed into his limbs and bones, and his lost strength was rapidly restored.

Physical strength can be recovered quickly, but mental exhaustion can only be relieved through rest.

Lin Xuan got up and sat down next to You Meng, admiring the scenery below the mountain.

And I must say, the view from here is exceptionally beautiful.

Having accompanied her through the trials, he not only gained complete control over all his mental power, but the biggest problem he had been facing for months—the Gu worm—was also about to be solved. With the mountain breeze blowing and the scenery in sight, Lin Xuan felt more relaxed than ever before.

Youmeng breathed a soft sigh of relief and said, "Thank you."

Without Lin Xuan, she wouldn't have been able to get here.

Lin Xuan smiled and said, "You're welcome. As long as the Holy Maiden keeps our agreement, that's fine."

This was originally a transaction: Lin Xuan helped her reach the top, and she helped Lin Xuan remove the curse. It was a win-win situation where each got what they wanted.

Currently, Lin Xuan's gains have far exceeded his expectations.

The pressure from the Temple of the Witch God helped him completely control all his mental power. Although his martial arts strength was only at the seventh rank, his mental power was at the peak of the fifth rank, a true peak of the fifth rank.

Once an unapproachable sixth-rank martial artist, he can now annihilate with a wave of his hand.

You don't even need to wave.

He possessed this power from the very first day he arrived here.

But only today has he truly mastered this power that belongs to him.

Both were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and they simply gazed at the scenery below the mountain without uttering a word.

Half an hour later.

Youmeng broke the silence first, asking, "How is your mental strength recovering?"

Lin Xuan closed his eyes and sensed it for a moment, then said, "It's over 90%."

Youmeng said, "Then let's wait another quarter of an hour."

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and asked, "Holy Maiden, is there any danger in inheriting the ancestral spirit?"

Youmeng smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I'm just borrowing your mental power. Even if there's danger, it's me who's in danger, not you."

Lin Xuan had just learned why Youmeng insisted on climbing to the top of the mountain.

From the moment she sought Lin Xuan's help, she had only one goal: to inherit the ancestral spirit.

The most powerful figures of the Jiuli tribe throughout history would return to the Temple of the Witch God upon the end of their lives, and use the method of spirit runes to seal their consciousness into the statue of the Witch God, leaving it to talented descendants to inherit.

These insights contain the fruits of their lifelong spiritual practice.

Although the inheritance of ancestral spirits cannot directly improve cultivation, those who can seal their consciousness into the statue of the witch god are all first-rank powerhouses who can travel beyond the mortal world. The cultivation insights of these powerful individuals throughout their lives are more precious than any spiritual medicine that can directly improve cultivation.

They created the Ascension Staircase so that the most talented younger generation of Jiuli could inherit the legacy.

Perhaps the ancestors of the Jiuli tribe never imagined that the Jiuli tribe would continue to decline, to the point that in the past few hundred years, not a single member of the tribe has been able to climb to the top of the mountain.

Left with no other choice, the Jiuli tribe came up with the idea of ​​using protectors, even allowing outsiders to act as protectors, all in order to allow the tribe's geniuses to inherit the legacy once again.

After another fifteen minutes, Lin Xuan felt that his mental strength had returned to its peak.

The two stood up and slowly walked towards the main hall behind them.

The mountaintop here has been unvisited for a long time, and the ground is covered with fallen leaves.

Upon reaching the Temple of the Witch God, the two exerted all their strength to push open the heavy stone door of the hall, leaving only a crack.

I slipped through the gap into the main hall, and the silver mirrors embedded around the hall suddenly lit up, illuminating the entire hall.

By the light, Lin Xuan saw nine silver statues, identical to those at the foot of the mountain but several meters tall, standing around the main hall.

In the center of the main hall is a circular altar.

The dense spiritual patterns extended outwards from the altar, all the way to the feet of the nine statues.

Upon closer inspection, one will find that these statues of witch gods are also covered with spiritual patterns.

The main hall was completely silent. Apart from Lin Xuan and You Meng, there were only these huge and ferocious statues, which looked somewhat sinister and terrifying.

Youmeng took out a cinnabar brush from her sleeve, drew a spirit pattern on her palm, and then looked at Lin Xuan, saying, "Give me your hand, young master."

Lin Xuan stretched out his hand and watched as Youmeng drew an identical spirit pattern on his palm.

The moment Youmeng grasped his hand and their two spiritual runes overlapped, Lin Xuan sensed that a strange connection had been established between him and Youmeng.

Youmeng explained, "These are the concentric patterns, which can connect our spiritual power. Only in this way can I inherit the ancestral spirit's legacy."

The Heavenly Ascension Staircase was established specifically for selection.

Only by being able to walk the Ascending Stairs alone can one satisfy the spiritual power inherited from the ancestral spirit.

She did not rise to the top through her own efforts, so naturally she could not complete the ancestral spirit inheritance on her own.

The clan's ancestors created the concentric patterns to enable clansmen with insufficient cultivation to complete the inheritance.

Now that things have come to this, Lin Xuan has no way out and can only let her do as she pleases.

Youmeng sat cross-legged at the intersection of the spiritual patterns in the middle of the altar, while Lin Xuan sat cross-legged opposite her, their fingers tightly intertwined.

Then, she took off the hairpin from her head and cut her wrist.

Drops of crimson blood fell onto the spirit patterns on the altar.

The spiritual patterns on the entire altar lit up instantly, and these faint lights quickly spread outwards, soon reaching the feet of the witch god statues, and then continuing upwards until all the witch god statues were lit up.

Beams of light shot from their eyes and landed on Youmeng at the center of the altar.

Lin Xuan's body trembled slightly.

He felt an immense pressure coming from above.

While enduring this immense pressure, Lin Xuan felt his consciousness being pulled by an irresistible force, as if his soul had left his body. The next moment, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed, and the main hall, altar, and statues all disappeared.

He found himself standing in a void, the dream beside him long gone, but the real touch on his hands remained; this must be his consciousness space.

Suddenly, a point of light appeared in front of him, then quickly expanded, transforming into a clear figure.

He was an old man dressed in Jiuli clothing. His hair and beard were all white, his face was ancient, but his eyes shone like stars.

An aged voice echoed in Lin Xuan's ears.

"My name is Youxuan. Those who have seen my form are bound to me by fate..."

Lin Xuan stared blankly at the old man.

This is wrong!

How did the ancestral spirit inheritance of the Jiuli tribe end up in his body?

(End of this chapter)