From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 462 The Trial of the Key of Destiny

After passing through that treacherous valley, the surrounding miasma and eeriness seemed to have dissipated considerably thanks to Wen Chen's brief companionship.

The lingering warmth of his palm seemed to still linger on my hand; that brief warmth was a rare comfort in my perilous journey of cultivation.

After saying goodbye to him, I followed an inexplicable pull in my heart and continued to explore the depths of the valley alone.

The deeper I went, the stronger the sense of calling became, as if something was waiting for me on the other side, calling my name.

Finally, amidst the ruins, I saw an ancient altar.

It stands there silently, having endured countless years of erosion. Its stone surface is covered with mottled moss and strange patterns, exuding a desolate and mysterious aura.

That powerful call came from this altar.

My heart was racing uncontrollably, as if propelled by an invisible force, leading me step by step toward it.

I reached out and gently touched the cold stone surface with my fingertips.

In that instant, all the runes on the altar suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, and golden pillars of light shot into the sky, causing the entire valley to tremble violently!

Rocks tumbled down the cliff face, the wind and clouds changed color, and an indescribable, overwhelming pressure instantly enveloped the surrounding area.

"How dare you touch this thing!" A deep, aged, and authoritative voice came from behind.

I turned around abruptly and saw an old man with white hair and a youthful face, dressed in a plain Taoist robe, standing not far away. He had a thin face and deep eyes, and was looking at me with a furrowed brow, his expression showing a hint of surprise and solemnity.

This person was the ethereal immortal I had met once before at the valley entrance, the guardian of this ruin.

He approached slowly, his gaze settling on the brightly lit altar, and said in a deep voice, "This is the trial of the Key of Destiny. Once it is opened, there is no turning back. Do you know what you have just done?"

A chill ran through me. The Key to Destiny?

Is this the key that unlocks all the secrets of this place?

I steadied myself and met the ethereal immortal's sharp gaze: "Junior Xiao Yao, may I ask what exactly this trial you speak of, senior?"

The ethereal immortal shook his head slightly, his tone tinged with a sigh: "Foolish child, foolish child. This Key of Destiny is not merely a key to unlocking the core secrets of this place; it is also a trial artifact used to select the suitable person to bear the inheritance of this place. Everyone who touches it will be forcibly pulled into a soul-level test. That test confronts one's true heart and interrogates the soul."

His voice paused, and his eyes became extremely serious: "If you pass, the opportunity will be boundless, and it is no exaggeration to say that you will rise to the top in one step. But if you fail..." He took a deep breath, "The loser will have their soul completely stripped away by the Key of Destiny, and will be obliterated between heaven and earth, never to be reborn."

Never be reincarnated forever!

These six words exploded in my mind like a thunderbolt, making me tremble all over.

I could sense the weight in the ethereal immortal's words; it was not mere bluster or intimidation.

This trial came at the cost of annihilating one's soul!

For a moment, I fell silent.

The path of cultivation is inherently defying the heavens, fraught with thorns at every step, and a single misstep can lead to utter destruction.

I, Xiao Yao, started as a useless person with no spiritual roots, and only through my indomitable will and countless struggles on the brink of life and death have I come this far.

Should we back down because of these unknown dangers?

If I don't even have the courage to try, how can I talk about changing my fate, or about pursuing the unattainable path of immortality?

I raised my head, my eyes now devoid of any hesitation, and said firmly to the ethereal immortal, "Thank you for informing me, senior. My mind is made up; I am willing to accept the trial of the Key of Destiny."

The ethereal immortal stared at me for a long time, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes that seemed to see through everything, which finally turned into a soft sigh: "So be it, such is fate, beyond my control. Since you insist on this, then go. Whether you become a dragon or a snake is entirely up to your own destiny."

As soon as I finished speaking, the light on the altar suddenly surged, completely engulfing me.

I felt an irresistible, immense suction force pulling me in, as if my entire consciousness was being forcibly pulled out of my body.

In an instant, the world was spinning.

When I regained some senses, I found myself in a boundless void.

There is no sky, no earth, no light, and no sound here, only an impenetrable darkness, and... countless chaotic fragments of memory.

The fragments surged towards me like a tidal wave, rushing into my mind.

There's the loneliness and numbness I felt day after day in that concrete jungle before I transmigrated; there's the humiliation and resentment I felt when I first arrived in this cultivation world and was ridiculed as a good-for-nothing; there's the pathetic and bitter struggle I endured on the edge of life and death to fight for a sliver of cultivation resources; and there are those who once trusted me but ultimately betrayed me, and those things I once cherished but ultimately lost...

Countless negative emotions, like cold, venomous snakes, coiled tightly around my heart, almost suffocating me.

Pain, regret, anger, despair... all the darkness I had buried deep in my heart was now surging out, turning into countless sharp blades that were ruthlessly cutting into my soul.

My will teetered on the brink of collapse under the onslaught of these memories, as if it could crumble at any moment.

Just as I felt I was about to be swallowed up by this endless darkness and pain, a cool yet gentle figure suddenly flashed through my mind.

It is Wen Chen.

I remembered his calm yet firm gaze, the helping hand he extended to me in my time of need, and the words he once said to me: "The road is difficult, but the will is not."

His voice, like a ray of dawn piercing through the mist, dispelled the chill in my heart.

Yes, I, Xiao Yao, am not alone.

I still have him, and those beliefs that are worth protecting.

I am not one to give up easily!

This sudden force sustained me, allowing my consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse, to regroup.

Those surging fragments of memory are still roaring, still trying to tear me apart, but my eyes have regained their clarity and resilience.

All that has happened in the past, whether joyful or sorrowful, successful or unsuccessful, has shaped who I am today.

I took a deep breath and slowly straightened my spine on this empty battlefield of souls.

The suffocating pain and despair seemed to lessen somewhat, replaced by a resolute determination to burn one's bridges.

These past events that haunt me, these inner demons that tried to drag me down—today, I will settle things with them right here and now!