In the Piaoxue Palace, apart from advancing through the Outer Sect battles or being directly admitted due to exceptionally high innate talent, there were two other methods to enter the Inner Sect: the Battle Eight Directions and the Yellow Springs Road.
The Battle Eight Directions required the challenger to issue a formal challenge to eight Outer Disciples. As long as they could achieve total victory, they could enter the Inner Sect.
However, among these eight challenged disciples, none could be in a lower Realm than the challenger. Furthermore, at least one of them had to be Two Heavens higher in cultivation.
Therefore, this method of entering the Inner Sect was incredibly difficult.
Let alone challenging a Martial Artist Two Heavens higher than oneself, consecutively fighting eight opponents in the same Realm was already a highly thorny task.
The challenges had to be consecutive without any breaks, meaning the challenger would have absolutely no time to recover their Primordial Qi. This method of challenge was entirely a case of bullying the few with numbers.
As for the Little Three Prisons, this involved the challenger entering the Floating Snow Forbidden Land’s Ice Domain, Karma Fire Prison, and Thunder Prison!
These three prisons combined were known as the Little Three Prisons. As long as the challenger could successfully walk through them, they could enter the Inner Sect.
However, this way of entering the Inner Sect was extremely cruel.
According to the records of the Piaoxue Palace, over the past thirty years, a total of 381 Outer Disciples had chosen to challenge the Little Three Prisons, but only three had successfully made it through.
The first was the current Piaoxue Palace Master, Yann Nangui.
The second was the current number one in the Inner Sect, Xie Qinghou.
And the third person was Lin Cangxue.
Among these three, if judged by their performance during the challenge of the Little Three Prisons, Lin Cangxue would be ranked Grade A, while Xie Qinghou and Yann Nangui would both be Grade B.
It could be said that attempting to enter the Inner Sect through the Little Three Prisons was more dangerous than a near-death experience.
Thus, almost all Outer Disciples harbored a deep fear of the Little Three Prisons. This was because, whether in the Outer Sect battles or the Battle Eight Directions, one could simply concede to save their life if they found themselves in mortal peril.
But as for the Little Three Prisons, once it was initiated, there was no turning back.
Either live!
Or die!
However, extreme danger naturally came with rich rewards. This point could be clearly seen from the three individuals who had successfully passed through the Floating Snow Forbidden Land.
One was the Piaoxue Palace Master.
Xie Qinghou had become the number one in the Inner Sect.
And one was the former East Spirit Legend.
"Do you really want to challenge the Little Three Prisons or the Battle Eight Directions?" Yann Qing’er looked at Lin Huang with an unfriendly expression, the mockery on her face unmistakably clear.
"Why not?" Lin Huang replied with perfect composure.
"You’re just a blockhead... a complete blockhead!" Yann Qing’er stared at Lin Huang with fiery eyes, wishing she could charge into the waterfall and kick him straight into the Cold Pool. "Who do you think you are? Are you Sister Xuee? Or Xie Qinghou?
"You are Lin Huang, you are Lin Cangxue’s brother, you are not anyone else! If you go to the Battle Eight Directions, do you think those with ulterior motives will let you walk off the arena alive? And that Little Three Prisons—it’s a miracle if one in a hundred passes. Do you think you have the physiognomy of an Emperor, draped in heaven-defying luck?"
Yann Qing’er simply couldn’t believe that Lin Huang would survive if he chose either the Battle Eight Directions or the Little Three Prisons.
Listening from the side, Fatty Bai was terrified as well. He looked at Lin Huang with deep concern. "Boss Lin... are you really up for this? How about I lend you Da Bai?"
Lin Huang smiled and shook his head.
Standing nearby, Lu Han watched the three staring at each other. Finding himself completely left out, he couldn’t help but force his way into the conversation. "The Battle Eight Directions is worth a try, but don’t even think about the Little Three Prisons!"
Among the three of them, only Lu Han had seen the Godslaying One Slash, so his perspective differed from that of Yann Qing’er and Fatty Bai.
Beneath the waterfall, Lin Huang looked at the furious Yann Qing’er and the worried Fatty Bai, feeling a growing warmth in his heart. He grinned and said, "Don’t worry, little tigress. I have my own plans for this. I will definitely enter the Inner Sect."
With that, before Yann Qing’er could throw another fit, Lin Huang abruptly drew the Demon-Suppressing Blade and slashed horizontally at the waterfall plummeting from three thousand feet above. As the blade sliced through, a terrifying aura of slaughter instantly erupted, causing the three onlookers to violently shudder as a chill ran down their spines.
Severing the water’s flow with a single slash!
Watching the severed waterfall cascade down in disjointed sections, Yann Qing’er couldn’t help but widen her perfectly round eyes, completely shocked by the scene before her.
Lin Huang’s slash had come and gone in a flash, but the sensation of extreme danger lingered in her mind, alongside the sight of the severed water flow. Yann Qing’er had to admit that if she had to face that slash herself, she wouldn’t have full confidence in blocking it. After all, despite her lack of combat experience, she was a genuine Earth Element Fifth Heaven cultivator.
"Hmph, you think waving around a broken blade makes you amazing? You definitely haven’t seen Sister Xuee’s Ten Thousand Swords Return to One and Snow Falling on Earth. That’s the only reason you’re so confident. You think cutting off a water flow is impressive? If you’re so capable, make the waterfall stop! Make the waterfall flow backward!" The anger on Yann Qing’er’s face gradually faded, but she still stubbornly gritted her teeth and spoke toughly.
"Do whatever you want. I couldn’t care less about you, whether you choose the Battle Eight Directions or the Little Three Prisons. If you die, we’ll see who collects your corpse.
"Staying in such a freezing place all day long, you must be sick in the head!"
Saying that, Yann Qing’er immediately turned around and marched out of the Celestial Waterfall Cliff, muttering viciously under her breath, "Honestly, you think knowing a powerful Martial Technique can scare me? Just wait until I learn Snow Falling on Earth from Sister Xuee. I’ll beat you into a pig head that floats on the Cold Pool!"
Yann Qing’er grumbled to herself as she left the Celestial Waterfall Cliff. By the time she finished her rant, her face had broken into a bright smile. Even her steps became cheerful as she skipped along, clearly in an excellent mood.
"Oh right, one more thing!" Halfway there, Yann Qing’er suddenly spun around and called out to Lin Huang, saying, "Aunt Shen asked me to tell you that she went to find a Tier Four Array Master. She said there will soon be news about the Heart-Burning Lotus, and she told you to prepare yourself to enter the Inner Sect as soon as possible."
With that, Yann Qing’er innocently blinked at Lin Huang. Evidently, she knew about the matter of Lin Cangxue’s Martial Soul recovering.
"The Heart-Burning Lotus?!"
Lin Huang’s mind buzzed, and then he tumbled headfirst into the Cold Pool.
By the time Lin Huang climbed out of the Cold Pool, Yann Qing’er was already gone. Only Lu Han and Fatty Bai were staring at him intently, watching him like he was a thief.
"Why are you looking for the Heart-Burning Lotus?"
"You guys are looking for a Tier Four Array Master?"
The two asked simultaneously.
"It’s none of your business," Lin Huang shot them a cold glance, then suddenly reached out, grabbed them both by the heads, and dragged them into the Cold Pool.
Throughout the entire day, Lin Huang was exceptionally happy.
Now, Lu Han had the Sea of Karma Flower, the Piaoxue Palace had the Flame Dragon Fruit, and there was finally news of the Heart-Burning Lotus. Furthermore, Shen Diexin had personally set out to find a Tier Four Array Master. Although none of these were completely secured yet, there was a great deal of hope.
Perhaps... the recovery of Lin Cangxue’s Martial Soul was just around the corner.
However, judging from the implications in Shen Diexin’s message, the Heart-Burning Lotus wouldn’t be easy to obtain. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have specifically reminded Lin Huang to enter the Inner Sect as early as possible. Thinking about it, this must be somewhat connected to the Heart-Burning Lotus.
For the following period of time, Lin Huang focused on peaceful cultivation, gradually adjusting himself to his peak state in preparation for the upcoming battle to enter the Inner Sect.
Yann Qing’er also started visiting the Celestial Waterfall Cliff more frequently, appearing as if she were there to supervise Lin Huang’s cultivation. With Yann Qing’er coming so often, that rascal Fatty Bai naturally followed like a shadow. He showed up right after Yann Qing’er every single time, treating each day’s encounter as a fateful coincidence.
Between the two of them—one being the daughter of the Piaoxue Palace Master and the other being the troublemaker of the Sect—they naturally brought Lin Huang quite a lot of news.
The Outer Sect battles had already begun, and the top sixty-four had been decided.
Xie Qinghou, the number one in the Inner Sect, had come out of seclusion and descended the mountain for experiential training on that very day.
The news of the impending emergence of the Yin Yang Valley was now known to everyone in the East Spirit Realm.
The time for the great war between the Four Sects and Ten Dynasties had been set. It would take place on the second day of the second month next year, which was exactly a year away.
Hann Wuzhong of the Celestial Thunder Sect, the Guardian of the Fengyu Tower’s Scripture Pavilion, and the Vice Alliance Leader of the Qie Celestial Alliance had consecutively died in assassinations carried out by the Thirteen Kills of the Character Ren.
After twelve years, the Human World Myth, Xuanyuan Tibing, struck once more, killing two groups of people. One group consisted of unidentified black-robed individuals, numbering as many as eighteen. The second group was made up of Martial Marquises ranked sixth, eleventh, fifteenth, and twenty-third on the Martial Marquis List.
Hearing this, Lin Huang’s eyes narrowed slightly. He thought, "Black robes, an all too obvious feature. They should belong to the same faction as the black-robed person hiding in the Piaoxue Palace. I wonder how long the one in the Piaoxue Palace can hold back before coming to me to demand the Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers."
It seemed that Xuanyuan Tibing had also sensed many unusual circumstances.
As for the news about the Heart-Burning Lotus, Lin Huang had also gotten the full story from Yann Qing’er.
It was said that in the Qinglong Mountain Range, near Xuanyuan City, the mausoleum of a Martial King Powerhouse had been discovered. According to speculations, the Heart-Burning Lotus existed within this Martial King’s Mausoleum.
However, almost all tombs of Martial Artists were concealed by Feng Shui and sealed by Arrays. Up until now, those who had entered the Qinglong Mountain Range were still searching for the entrance to the Martial King’s Tomb. Because of this, factions large and small across the East Spirit Realm were all preparing to send their disciples or Elders to the Martial King’s Tomb.
After all, some of the burial goods within the Martial King’s Tomb were enough to make many Martial Marquis Powerhouses extremely envious, let alone Earth Element or Celestial Element Martial Artists.
Naturally, the Piaoxue Palace was making its own preparations for this. Perhaps when the entrance to the Martial King’s Tomb appeared, they would dispatch their disciples down the mountain.
However, for an event like this, which involved snatching treasures from other factions, the dispatched disciples would have to be Inner Sect Disciples at the very least. If Outer Disciples went, they would purely be cannon fodder.
Thus, Lin Huang understood why Shen Diexin wanted him to enter the Inner Sect as early as possible. It was because only Inner Sect Disciples had the qualifications to descend the mountain and undertake missions.
Lin Huang was naturally determined to obtain the Heart-Burning Lotus, which made the matter of entering the Inner Sect all the more urgent.
In the following days, Lin Huang slowed down his cultivation and began to adjust his mindset, keeping both his Mental Realm and strength at their absolute peak.
It wasn’t until the evening of the finals of the Outer Sect battles that Lin Huang, having changed into a snow-white robe, walked out of the Celestial Waterfall Cliff...