Outside of the sphere of light, the stooped old man's eyes were calm as he looked at the hundreds of thousands of Cultivators on the thirty-nine Primeval Beasts.
"There is one more thing that I hope all of you understand. Just because you have a past life doesn't mean that you will be able to gain enlightenment. It all depends on your own potential and your ability to comprehend things. The only thing the Exalted Lord can do is to assist you, to amplify your potential and enlightenment in the trial by fire.
"Therefore, whether or not you succeed will depend on yourselves. Later, I will activate the trial by fire. Time flows differently in the trial by fire than it does in the outside world. Ten days in the trial by fire is only the time it takes an incense stick to burn in the outside world.
"The Exalted Lord has never used such methods and good fortune before. Therefore, this time … I hope that all of you will be able to gain enlightenment of your past lives in the trial by fire. I hope that all of you will be able to gain enlightenment of your past lives in the trial by fire, and increase your own power. However, there is one thing that will remain the same as before. Only Planet cultivators can participate in the trial by fire. Star cultivators cannot!" As the old man's words echoed out into the ears of all the Cultivators, their expressions flickered.
Clearly, the trial by fire this time was completely different from what they had expected. It was also vastly different from what had been recorded in the past. This change caused all of the preparations they had made in advance to go to waste.
Even so, the meaning behind the old man's words caused everyone's hearts to tremble. Their breathing grew unsteady, and at the same time, their hearts were filled with eagerness.
Only a few Cultivators had the same expression as before. They weren't surprised, but their eyes glittered brightly. Clearly, they had all heard about the trial by fire in advance through various channels. Therefore, their hearts were filled with anticipation.
The seventeenth Son of the Seven Spirits Society suddenly flew up into the air. He clasped hands and bowed to the old man.
"Senior, we Cultivators spend our lives practicing cultivation. Although we rely on luck, we also rely on natural selection. I'm afraid that there will be at least a hundred thousand Cultivators participating in the trial by fire. If that's the case … we will be able to see who has more past lives, but to a certain extent … we will lose all sense of competition!"
"That's right, Senior. Junior has his doubts as well. If hundreds of thousands of Cultivators participate in the trial by fire together, then friction will inevitably occur, and we will interfere with each other's enlightenment. Is such behavior permitted?"
One after another, some of the cultivators who knew about the trial by fire flew out and asked, "Also, if everyone has a chance to gain enlightenment about their past lives, then … can we give that chance to someone else?"
These people all had extraordinary cultivations, and their words were filled with ambition. Clearly, their goal was to maximize their gains from this trip. That was why they asked about the details of the various rules in advance.
It was the same for Wang Baole. These questions had also surfaced in his heart. Now that someone had asked them, he immediately looked at the old man outside the sphere of light.
"All living beings are equal, and so are opportunities. Success depends not on others, but on yourself. Isn't that good? Do you really have to fight for each other's opportunities? "The old man outside the light sphere was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke.
"Senior, we cultivators have always defied the heavens. If we follow the rules, how can we live a wonderful life?!"
"The so-called equality is only on a superficial level. If I am outstanding, work harder, and have greater advantages, why should I force myself to be equal with those who are not outstanding, don't work hard, and have no advantages?"
"Senior, please give us your permission. All of the opportunities in this trial by fire must be fought for. Only then … will it be fair!" The seventeenth Dao Child of the Seven Spirits Society, the Seventh Dao Child of the Nine Continents Society, and the ninth disciple of Divine Emperor Kiga were among those who responded to the old man.
Wang Baole didn't say anything, but he also agreed. He looked silently at the old man outside the sphere of light.
The old man was also silent. Finally, he turned to look at Lord Heavenly Dharma, who sat on the altar within the sphere of light. He bowed slightly, obviously waiting for the Lord to make the final decision.
Lord Heavenly Dharma sat cross-legged on the altar, a profound look in his eyes. After a long moment passed, he closed his eyes. After a few breaths of time passed, he spoke in an ancient voice.
"I don't ask for anything in return," he said. "I just want to bring good fortune to all living beings …. However, it is true that I overlooked the competitive nature of all of you. Very well …. Gaining enlightenment about your past lives requires the assistance of guiding lights. Everyone who enters the trial by fire has a guiding light. The more lights you have, the greater the guiding power, and the higher the chance of gaining enlightenment!"
"Lord Heavenly Dharma is wise and brilliant!" Immediately, the Chosen clasped hands and bowed.
"However, there is one thing!" Lord Heavenly Dharma said no more. The person who spoke was the old man outside the sphere of light. He looked over the crowd and slowly spoke.
"Lord Heavenly Dharma does not like blood at his birthday banquet. Therefore, in this trial by fire … anyone who kills will have to pay with their lives!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the faces of the crowd flickered. Some frowned, some let out sighs of relief, and some retracted their killing intent.
"This trial by fire is completely different from the ones I've experienced before …." Wang Baole's eyes narrowed. As he listened to the old man's words, he thought back to his own trials by fire. If what the old man had said was true, then this really was an opportunity to bring good fortune to all living beings.
He couldn't tell what the old man's goal was. After all, from the moment he and the others had arrived until now, they had been receiving gifts.
Regardless of whether it was the enlightenment of the Dao Marks from before or the trial by fire, although there were some dangers, the rewards were also great. In fact, the latter clearly surpassed the former.
Not to mention that once they gained enlightenment of the tenth life, they would obtain the right to flip through the Book of Destiny and see the afterimages of the future. All of this caused a look of respect to appear in Wang Baole's eyes, and he lowered his head in acknowledgment.
Just as everyone was bowing, the stooped old man outside the sphere of light spoke in a voice that was like heavenly thunder. It instantly filled the air and spread out in all directions.
"The trial by fire of the previous life, begin!"
The moment he finished speaking, he raised his right hand and swung it. Immediately, a rumbling sound reverberated in the mouth of the volcano below the ball of light. A large amount of fog rose from within, and in the end, a gigantic vortex was formed in the air between the ball of light and the mouth of the volcano. The vortex spun continuously.
"Why aren't you all going in?!" The stooped old man's calm voice echoed in the minds of the crowd. Immediately, one figure after another shot out from their respective Desolate Beasts. Among them, Divine Emperor Jiga's ninth disciple was the fastest. He was the first to charge out and instantly disappeared into the vortex.
As for the Seventh Dao Child of the Nine States Path and the Seventeenth Dao Child of the Seven Spirits Sect, they quickly approached. Fatty and the other Chosen did the same. One by one, they disappeared into the vortex.
Among them was Xing Jingzi, who wore a black robe and carried a greatsword on his back. His entire body emanated a cold, murderous aura, and he did the same. Xu Yinling and the others also followed.
Most of them were gone. In the short span of a few breaths, at least a hundred thousand figures had entered the vortex. Behind Wang Baole, Xie Haiyang's eyes shone brightly.
"Martial Uncle, shall we go in as well?"
Wang Baole rubbed his bag of holding. Inside was the pearl that Heavenly Dharma Esteemed Lord had given him. His eyes shone brightly as he nodded. Then, in a flash, he flew out. Xie Haiyang followed closely behind, and the two of them shot into the vortex and disappeared.
As soon as they entered, Wang Baole immediately lost sight of Xie Haiyang within the range of his Divine Sense. Then, he was pulled away by a boundless, irresistible force. It was as if he had been teleported away.
Fortunately, the entire process was very short. In the next moment, Wang Baole's Divine Sense and body returned to normal, and he appeared in a patch of fog. He was in a spacious area that spanned only a hundred feet.
There was no mist within thirty meters. Beyond that, the mist churned, blocking Divine Sense. However, Wang Baole's body flickered as he tried to enter. He found that the mist did not block the Cultivator's body.
However, there was no sense of direction inside, and Divine Sense could not spread out.
Wang Baole didn't go any further. He quickly retreated to within thirty meters. Then, he saw a layer of faint white light covering his body.
After sensing it for a moment, Wang Baole's expression flickered. Within the white light, he could sense an aura that made his soul feel safe and warm.
"Light of Guidance?"
Just as Wang Baole sensed something and muttered to himself, an authoritative voice reverberated in the minds of more than a hundred thousand cultivators in the hundred thousand open spaces in the world of fog.
"The first day, the first life!"
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