Shennong Dao Master-Chapter 1239 - 23: The Debt-ridden Venerable’s Fighting Spirit—Did the Soul Test Bug Out? (11,000) (Part 6)

"Then just let it go."

Lu Ying's eyes suddenly lit up: "Look, Zhao Xing has started moving again."

...

Inside the Earth God Palace, Zhao Xing staggered forward.

A shadow of a bird lay on his back, chirping incessantly in his ear, while Zhao Xing's vision blurred as if a [Knowledge Barrier] had been cast over it.

"From a cultivation standpoint, the fewer entanglements with cause and effect while drawing the Earth Soul and Heavenly Soul into the Fate Palace, the better."

"The Divine Skills Su Fairy comprehended originated from the Reincarnation Divine Country, and this trial is modeled after that force. Similarly, the fewer the entanglements, the better. After all, with the power of resurrection in one's hands, strong entanglements could lead to misuse of this power."

"Thankfully, I noticed this from a young age."

Zhao Xing contemplated as he walked.

At this moment, his body was covered in wounds, inflicted earlier by the pecking of the Heavenly Destiny Mysterious Bird.

"As you advance, illusions born from cause and effect that directly confront the heart will appear."

Turning a corner, Zhao Xing saw another figure.

"Zhao Xing, you have brought me great misery."

"Three of my sons died because of you, and you obstructed my grand plans!"

"You even unjustly insulted me..."

Zhao Xing: "..."

The person before him was none other than Prince Liang, Ji Mingxian.

"Sigh."

Zhao Xing sighed.

The next moment, Prince Liang, Ji Mingxian, collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Xing had killed him directly.

"Sow evil causes and reap evil results, which trap one in illusions, but did Prince Liang truly count as my evil cause and effect?"

"Humph!"

Zhao Xing snorted coldly, stepping over Prince Liang's corpse and continuing forward.

The illusions generated by the Karma Maze can easily mislead challengers, testing their mental strength.

"Even with heinous crimes and countless causes and effects, if one's mind is resolute, they can still cut through forcefully."

"Cutting cause and effect is the most violent way to clear these trials."

"But it's easier said than done."

Zhao Xing walked on and saw another challenger.

"It's Marquis Ling Huan."

At this moment, Marquis Ling Huan stood still, arms wrapped around air, as if embracing someone.

His right hand caressed the back of this 'nonexistent person,' muttering: "Xin'er, Xin'er, I won't heed appointments anymore, I won't go, I'll never wrong you again, I'll always be with you..."

Zhao Xing glanced at Marquis Ling Huan and couldn't help but shake his head.

Marquis Ling Huan had once collaborated with Ye Yuxong, the Heavenly Food Palace Master, the Dragon Abyss Mansion Master, and King Shenluo on missions in Tianhe Prefecture, addressing an assassination plot against them.

Over fifty years ago, Zhao Xing had met Marquis Ling Huan, who at that time also harbored doubts about war.

"Could the Karma Illusion he encountered be about someone he wronged deeply?"

"Marquis Ling Huan himself is an illusionist; how ironic for him to drown in illusions."

Zhao Xing tried calling out a few times, fearing this might also be an illusion, but he was unaffected by it, though he couldn't awaken Marquis Ling Huan either.

After watching for a while, Zhao Xing shook his head and continued forward.

"Illusions born of cause and effect are the hardest to break. The one faced by Marquis Ling Huan resembles a seductive lure."

"The usual notion of a seductive lure: fair skin, beautiful and long-legged, young, vibrant, and undemanding."

"In reality: 'Zhongba, I'm back~'"

"Not to mention, Marquis Ling Huan had indeed wronged his beloved; this trial nearly cost him his life."

"Fortunately, I don't have such troubles; women would only slow down my spellcasting speed."

...

In the second stage, there were a total of nine people. Zhao Xing tread the Path of Cause and Effect, quickly surpassing Marquis Ling Huan not long after entering.

It was unclear how long he'd been walking, when he saw, one after another, a young man in a Daoist robe.

"Master, you can't blame me!"

"Blame yourself for not passing the position of Sect Master to me!"

The Daoist-robed man's face twisted as he growled low, "I had no choice but to send you to purgatory..."

But before Zhao Xing could listen clearly, the man's expression shifted, and he wept bitterly:

"Master, I'm sorry... boo hoo."

"You were the only one in the sect who was good to me. I'm not fit to live. It was my greed for power; I'm a beast..."

"Boo hoo."

...

"He's the Sect Master of the top sect 'Green Sun Sect.'" Zhao Xing glanced at the man's attire and continued walking.

Though a maze, it generally had a forward direction.

The farther Zhao Xing walked, a shadow began to form behind him as well.

Marquis Tian.

His former mentor in the Ten Suns Cave Heaven.

"Marquis Tian never asked anything of me, and in the 18th year of Yuan Shou, he passed away." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"At the time, I was in the secret realm clearing a trial; I had the power to help Marquis Tian prolong his life but failed to do so, and didn't attend his funeral or heed his last wishes."

Zhao Xing shook his head, letting Tian Shan beat his back.

"You ungrateful bastard!"

Even knowing this was a Karma Illusion, Zhao Xing preferred to bear this pressure and spiritual torment than to harm Marquis Tian within the illusion.

...

"Hoo~"

"Hoo~"

As time went on, Zhao Xing's pace slowed, and the pressure on his spirit became heavier.

The confluence of Earth Soul and Life Soul was burdensome and painful to the Life Soul.

By now, no one else was in sight on the path ahead.

This meant he had surpassed the other eight challengers.

"Liar! Liar!"

"Ungrateful! Heartless!"

"Senior brother, do you know how long I've waited..."

"..."

Zhao Xing felt exhausted, fatigued from the depths of his soul.