The clear breeze caresses the hills, and the bright moon illuminates the great river.

They were that clear breeze, they were that bright moon, while Jian Chou was merely the hills, the great river.

If you don’t hear, then you don’t hear. If you do hear, then pretend you don’t hear.

Love it or leave it.

Jian Chou had always been someone with a good temper in the past, even someone who could be called gentle, but now she didn’t know if she had been corrupted by this Shijiu Zhou, or if she had been corrupted by Fudao Shanren and his group of unreliable disciples under his tutelage. In any case…

After discovering that opposing enemies would make her feel physically and mentally comfortable, Jian Chou resolutely embarked on this “heavenly path to success.”

Her heavenly path to success was others’ dead end.

Jian Chou directly sat cross-legged on the ground, with Ghost Axe placed beside her. In front of her, on the left was an ordinary lamp of Ice Vine Jade Essence, on the right was an Ice Vine Jade Essence with a drop of Jade Essence Spirit fallen into it.

According to what “Human Vessel” stated, Ice Vine Jade Essence was already an extremely high-grade body refinement material.

This “Human Vessel” body refinement method’s first layer was the easiest to pass, of course, this was for those who could endure pain, because it was just pain; but by the second and third layers, besides pain, the more important issue was finding materials.

Without good fire, it was difficult to temper bones; without good water, it was difficult to protect the organs.

Therefore, the “Human Vessel” body refinement method was not only bitter work, exhausting work, dirty work, and painful work, but also something only cultivators with thick family foundations and small treasuries could afford to play with.

There were few body refinement cultivators in Shijiu Zhou. Besides body refinement being too difficult and unnecessary, there was another reason: everyone lacked that abundant strength.

Jian Chou was lucky; she got fire in the first trial and water in the second trial.

Being able to choose between two lamps of Ice Vine Jade Essence was probably something that would seem extremely luxurious to other cultivators.

Choosing either lamp would be sufficient!

Now Jian Chou was struggling over which lamp to choose, which was a “sweet trouble” that others couldn’t have even if they wanted it.

After a long time, Jian Chou carefully calculated, gritted her teeth, and directly collected the ordinary lamp with a small jade bottle into her Qiankun Bag, leaving one jade lamp in her hand. Jian Chou looked at it, then also tossed the jade lamp into her Qiankun Bag.

Anything that could appear in this Killing Red Small Realm probably wouldn’t be ordinary.

After storing the items away, Jian Chou looked toward the remaining lamp of Ice Vine Jade Essence.

Picking it up, Jian Chou took a large gulp.

The third layer of “Human Vessel”—Heavenly Organs and Earthly Viscera—was extremely simple to cultivate. One only needed to follow the simple method provided in “Human Vessel,” guiding the Ice Vine Jade Essence to form protection around one’s five organs and six viscera, and nourish the organs, taking a relatively gentle path.

Thus, this time Jian Chou didn’t feel any pain.

The taste of Jade Essence was somewhat sweet, and when drunk, it had an extraordinarily refreshing quality.

Ice Vine Jade Essence was juice condensed from special ice vines grown in ice fields, naturally very gentle.

Once it entered Jian Chou’s body, with her guidance, it immediately wrapped around her five organs and six viscera.

The originally fragile organs, absorbing spiritual energy from the Jade Essence, gradually became stronger…

The entire process was not slow, and because of its gentle nature, Jian Chou felt none of the pain like before.

She only felt her entire body was like being soaked in cool water, feeling refreshed and clear from the inside out, with clear consciousness, as if clouds had parted to reveal the moon.

For a moment, Jian Chou actually hoped this time would last longer…

Unfortunately, everything has an end.

On the stone disc, everyone had already begun a new round of communication.

Liao Kong spoke first as usual: “It’s really too terrifying… Fortunately, the benefactor in the due east was merciful and made Ximen Lu disappear; otherwise, this monk wouldn’t know how many more times he’d have to save people.”

“You were saving people in the illusion?”

A listless Qian Que finally spoke, saying a couple sentences.

“Yes… I saved people three times in total, and they died every time…”

Thinking about it, Liao Kong was filled with bitter tears.

Qian Que said: “Strange, I only saw lots and lots of money, and a poor child…”

“I didn’t even get to see anything…” Meng Xizhou from the due south sighed, thinking of the green apricot he had finally picked but never got to use. “But everyone’s illusion seems different. I wonder what the senior’s was like. By the way, Miss Gu from Kunwu also passed the illusion, I wonder what it was?”

Obviously, this guy actually wanted to communicate with Gu Qingmei.

Gu Qingmei snorted coldly and didn’t answer.

But actually, her thoughts couldn’t help flying back to that day’s illusion…

Why would she encounter such an illusion?

She clearly remembered that sword had always hung on the wall, and she had looked at it before. Senior Brother Xie said it was a sword he brought back from a lonely island in the mortal realm. It looked ordinary, so Gu Qingmei had just glanced at it and never paid it any more attention.

This sword had never been unsheathed in front of her.

So Gu Qingmei dared to be certain she didn’t know this sword’s name.

What she saw in the illusion were the three characters “Seven Part Soul,” but all people generally have three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls—three-part soul, seven-part soul. This sword’s name was chosen very strangely.

Most importantly…

Was this sword really called this name?

Was what was shown in the illusion real or fake?

Gu Qingmei felt somewhat melancholy for a moment. Thinking about it, she looked again at that motionless green light, then directly took out her communication spirit pearl, preparing to ask Xie Buchen.

Activating the spirit pearl, it emitted a hazy white light.

Gu Qingmei closed her eyes and sank her consciousness into the spirit pearl.

At this moment in Kunwu.

Xie Buchen had already walked to the edge of the plaza floating at the dome of the sky, with the Hall of All Heavens behind him, isolated above the cloud layers.

A movement in his sleeve, and a spirit pearl flew out. Gu Qingmei’s voice immediately sounded in his mind.

“Senior Brother Xie, that sword hanging on your wall, brought back from the lonely island in the mortal realm—is it named ‘Seven Part Soul’?”

“…”

Seven Part Soul.

Xie Buchen’s eyelids drooped as he looked at this spirit pearl, frowning slightly.

He rarely showed this sword to others.

And because this was just an ordinary mortal sword, even fewer people would notice it.

Now Gu Qingmei was asking about this sword out of nowhere, which was quite strange.

Moreover, how did she learn this sword’s name?

After a moment of silence, Xie Buchen said faintly: “Yes.”

Then he didn’t ask why.

Though he might have doubts in his heart, Xie Buchen wasn’t someone who liked to talk.

Things he could decide and control himself had nothing to do with him no matter how much others said.

Gu Qingmei in the Killing Red Small Realm also fell silent upon hearing this.

She seemed not to know what to say either…

Gu Qingmei touched her forehead, cursing herself in her heart: Why did I contact Senior Brother Xie for no reason? Now I don’t know what to say—isn’t this embarrassing for myself? Really enough!

She opened her mouth wanting to say another sentence to end today’s abrupt conversation, but at this very moment—

On the stone disc, changes occurred again!

The green light that had never moved suddenly rushed out, heading toward the next trial!

Gu Qingmei was simply dumbfounded. For a moment, she couldn’t be bothered to continue talking with Xie Buchen, and just shouted: “Again! Shameless!”

Without hesitation, she directly stored away the spirit pearl, stepped on her flying sword, and rushed forward!

“Dijiang Guyu belongs to me alone. Those who compete with me—kill without mercy!”

Her cold voice transmitted through the stone disc.

The others couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to her wild words.

The third trial was right before them!

Anyone who could reach here should have a chance to select some items. This wasn’t first-come-first-served, nor was it a reward for clearing trials, but a place where everyone had opportunities!

Dijiang Guyu?

Who the hell cares about you?

The senior is simply a great person, finally rushing out again!

Except for the two people in the due west and northwest who were still dawdling, everyone else’s speed was simply like a ray of light!

Jian Chou, flying at full speed, heard Gu Qingmei’s words and just raised an eyebrow, immediately adding another burst of energy.

Ghost Axe split the oncoming wind, carrying her figure even faster.

First with Azure Lotus Spirit Fire tempering bones, then with Ice Vine Jade Essence nourishing organs, Jian Chou at the third layer of “Human Vessel” had reached a level of physical strength and toughness that ordinary cultivators could hardly hope to match.

In her ordinary posture, infinite power seemed to lurk. She appeared relaxed, but looking carefully, no one dared attack her.

Because she seemed to always have space and opportunity to counterattack!

Jian Chou’s cultivation had also improved through these two layers of rapid tempering.

Especially that lamp of Ice Vine Jade Essence—with abundant spiritual energy, it had expanded Jian Chou’s battle disc outward by nearly half a foot.

With just one more push later, she should quickly reach the late Foundation Establishment realm.

As thoughts surged, the mountain wall leading from the second to the third trial finally ended.

Jian Chou looked up and saw only an ordinary mountain wall.

Frowning, she didn’t hesitate and directly rushed forward on Ghost Axe.

Pop.

It was as if she had rushed through and burst a bubble.

The bubble burst, and the world before Jian Chou’s eyes suddenly changed.

The third trial—A Jade-Green City!

Boundless lake water, with lotus leaves reaching the sky on the water’s surface, infinite jade-green color spreading from beneath Jian Chou’s feet.

She turned around to look behind her—behind her was also an endless lotus leaves…

There was no other color at all; even this lake water was reflected into a sheet of jade-green.

Indeed, it was jade-green overwhelming the city.

This pleasing color made Jian Chou’s state of mind suddenly broaden.

She looked around, but her gaze suddenly stopped at a certain place—

What was that?

On a huge lotus leaf, a beauty with half-bare fragrant shoulders was reclining diagonally.

The beauty wore an emerald dress, and even her hair was deep, dark green.

She looked at Jian Chou with bewitchingly upturned eyes, then looked at several positions in the void beside her…

Jian Chou frowned.

Instinctively, she also turned to look around—there wasn’t a single person around.

Or perhaps there were people, but she couldn’t see them.

The green-dressed beauty twisted her slender waist like a water snake, changing to a more comfortable position on the lotus leaf before speaking: “It’s been so many years since anyone came, I never expected to wait for you today. I’m called Ye Pianpian, you can call me Sister Ye. Hehe hehe…”

Speaking to this point, she giggled.

The stone disc floated beside Jian Chou, making no sound from within.

But Ye Pianpian suddenly looked in one direction, her gaze turning cold.

“Little friend, put away your sword. Here, you can only see me, but you can’t see others, much less hurt others. The first time, I can consider this presumptuous, but if there’s a second time—”

Her voice paused, then actually resumed its previous allure and gentleness.

“You’ll be killed.”

The light voice made people’s hair stand on end.

Jian Chou frowned slightly.

From Ye Pianpian’s words, Jian Chou could immediately deduce—

Someone, upon discovering that Ye Pianpian was speaking to their entire group, had directly drawn their sword and seemed to want to hurt people, or had already launched attacks on the surroundings, probably trying to find these companions hidden in the “void.”

However, Ye Pianpian had noticed, hence her current words.

Using a sword and wanting to strike first.

Who could this person be?

Thinking about it, Jian Chou found it quite difficult to judge everyone’s weapons.

Ye Pianpian’s gaze also gradually became languid.

She leaned back on the lotus leaf, looking up at the sky.

The clear sky was also dyed a strange jade-green color.

This was exactly the ancestor’s preference…

Sighing in her heart, Ye Pianpian dragged out her seductive tone and spoke again: “The third trial has no designated items for excellent trial-clearers, but everywhere in this Jade-Green City is treasure. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in the world that can be gained without effort. Therefore, Jade-Green City also has one rule—victors enter, losers are eliminated.”

Victors enter, losers are eliminated.

Jian Chou was suddenly startled.

With victory and defeat comes conflict.

What was Ye Pianpian hinting at with these words?

Everyone, no matter which corner of the void they were currently in, was watching Ye Pianpian, waiting for her to speak.

Ye Pianpian smiled: “Don’t be nervous, it’s just a competition. There are seven of you, mm, it seems one is destined to be lucky. But cultivation often depends on luck, and luck is also a kind of strength. Now, there will be a drawing among you to see which opponents you can draw… After drawing, you’ll have a battle, and only the winner can enter Jade-Green City to pick fruits. Conversely, they’ll be kicked out.”

No one spoke.

This scene was simply transparently ridiculous.

Everyone, including Jian Chou, was worried about certain things.

Ye Pianpian looked around and finally couldn’t help laughing loudly.

Her water-snake-like waist trembled with her body, revealing fairer skin.

“Ah, so fun, so fun… So very fun! Looking at all your expressions, I don’t understand. You seem to have grudges between you… Mm, with stone discs, everyone doesn’t know each other’s identities, and it’s non-interfering, just voice transmission trials through the Killing Red disc, yet you can still make enemies with each other! Cultivators, cultivators, truly wonderful, wonderful…”

“…”

Undoubtedly, she was telling the truth.

Jian Chou hadn’t spoken all along the way; she thought this situation should be able to continue to the end.

Who would have thought that now, just upon entering Jade-Green City, before even touching the threshold of entry, she’d be hit with such news head-on. Thinking of all the “evil” she’d done along the way, Jian Chou truly had the urge of crows flying overhead.

If people knew her identity…

From Yashan’s gates, the genius Jian Chou, who surpassed Xie Buchen, someone who drew full hatred in the Killing Red Small Realm while still hiding her identity…

“Senior.”

If everyone’s identities were revealed, Jian Chou suspected that regardless of how others fought, she might first be beaten to death by everyone together in this Jade-Green City.

Beat to death first, then reason later.

Inexplicably…

She began to feel cold inside.

Jian Chou slowly raised her eyes, carefully examining Ye Pianpian, and her heart gradually settled.

Since they used Killing and Red discs, the Killing Red Small Realm originally wanted to see cultivators suspicious of each other. Since they hadn’t seen Dijiang Guyu yet, even if this master of the Killing Red Small Realm wanted to watch everyone kill each other, it wouldn’t be this early.

Moreover, looking at Ye Pianpian’s delighted appearance, she was probably just laughing at their cowardice.

Qian Que, in some corner, was already scared enough to gnaw his fingers.

If he had known today, why did he act then?

He had even mocked Gu Qingmei, telling that glorious Kunwu disciple to “deal with it if you’re not satisfied”!

Aiya, my stinking mouth!

Qian Que wanted to strangle his past self.

Made you feel good for a moment, feel good for a moment—now you have to buy yourself a coffin!

His heart was beating nervously; Qian Que was almost dying of anxiety.

Others were also nervous, but of course, some were excited, like Meng Xizhou, who had already revealed his identity, so he wasn’t worried about exposure at all.

At this moment, he had the same expression as Ye Pianpian, watching the show, looking around as if wanting to penetrate this void and discover someone within.

If only he could know who that particularly manly senior was, then he could ask if he accepted disciples.

Ye Pianpian didn’t keep everyone nervous too long.

She had looked enough, laughed enough, slowly stroking her chest to even her breathing, then leisurely said: “Alright, don’t worry, you can’t possibly know everyone’s identities. But, because of the battles, you’ll be able to know your opponent’s identity when competing for entry to Jade-Green City—you can completely hear and see them… Haha, now, who are you hoping to encounter? Come, let’s happily draw lots!”

Everyone’s faces darkened.

This was even worse!

Would anyone know if they were killed in this round?

Almost at the instant the rules were announced, nearly everyone simultaneously had the same thought—

Whatever you do, don’t draw the due east!

Damn it!

That would be fatal!

However, they had no chance to resist the rules.

Jian Chou also frowned, like the others, her mood far from calm.

Who would she draw?

Who did she hope to draw?

What would be the effect of drawing whom?

…

All questions could not be answered.

At this moment, the green light on the stone disc floating beside her suddenly began spinning madly.

At the same time, the other lights on the Killing disc also began spinning.

The speed was too fast—so fast that Jian Chou couldn’t tell which two lights overlapped with hers, and couldn’t distinguish which streak was which among the mass of red light.

But others could see this green light’s trajectory!

Everyone could see the green light on the stone disc—they all knew—

This was that senior!

Qian Que hugged his golden abacus, constantly chanting in his heart: Don’t meet Gu Qingmei, don’t meet Gu Qingmei, don’t meet that senior either, not due east, not green, no no no no… I don’t want any opponent… Empty, empty empty…

After all, there was still one person who would have no opponent and advance directly.

Everyone’s nerves were stretched to the extreme, tense to the breaking point!

Ye Pianpian casually pointed and lightly shouted: “Stop!”

The rapidly spinning stone disc suddenly stopped!

Jian Chou saw that her green light was steadily overlapping with a red light.

At this instant, she felt some fluctuation beside her, as if a mysterious space had been opened—

Another aura finally revealed traces!

Behind her!

Just at the moment of turning around, Jian Chou was already tense all over, like an arrow on a bowstring!

A figure stood quietly behind Jian Chou.

This was her enemy and opponent in the next moment!

Raising her gaze, holding her breath.

She finally saw clearly—