Inside the palace, Yun Ting found himself standing in a vast hall, its towering ceiling shrouded in dim, flickering light. On each side of the hall, there were five round passageways, making a total of ten passages.
He walked forward, noticing that his three team members were already waiting, standing opposite the five members of the Earth Devil Palace.
Stepping behind his team, he asked, "What's going on?"
The one who answered was Zhen Wouwei, the cultivator who had broken the final desert formation.
"The main inheritance hasn't started yet," Zhen Wouwei explained. "It will only begin after ten people have entered the palace."
Yun Ting nodded, falling into silent contemplation.
A few minutes later, Shi Tian entered, making him the tenth person to arrive. The moment Shi Tian stepped forward, the voice echoed through the hall once again.
"Congratulations to the ten of you. You have earned the right to compete for my master's main inheritance."
The voice continued.
"Now, for the next trial—each of you sees the ten passages surrounding you. Within each passage lies an inheritance, with techniques reaching up to the Sky Palace Realm."
"Your task is to learn the chosen inheritance up to the Human Base Realm in 15 years. However, time is limited—as only 15 days remain before the secret realm collapses, each year here equals 15 days outside."
"Now, the ranking order will determine the selection process. Choose wisely."
"The first three to fully comprehend their inheritances will be granted the chance to compete for the main inheritance."
The leader of the Earth Devil Palace was ranked first. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and asked, "Is there any benefit in choosing a more difficult inheritance?"
"No," the voice responded flatly.
Satisfied, the leader of the Earth Devil Palace nodded and chose a passage marked "Dead Claw Technique", disappearing into it.
Next was Liang Ji. Before selecting a passage, she asked, "What happens to those who fail?"
"They will be sent out," the voice replied. "Just as those who failed the staircase trial have already been expelled from the realm."
Liang Ji nodded in understanding and stepped into the passage labeled "Dead Wind Sword Technique."
One by one, the remaining cultivators entered their chosen passages.
Now, it was Yun Ting's turn. Only two passages remained.
One was "Dead-Life Rotation", and the other was "Dead Poison Snake Inheritance."
Without hesitation, Yun Ting stepped into the Dead-Life Rotation passage, drawn by its profound concept—the balance and cycle of Dead and Life Energy.
As he reached the end of the passage, he found himself standing before a massive rotating wheel depicted on an ancient mural. Half of the wheel glowed with a vibrant green hue, radiating life and vitality, while the other half was a deep, deathly black, exuding silence and decay.
The moment his gaze fell upon the mural, he felt himself being pulled into its mysteries, as if the very Rules of Life and Death were trying to sink into his soul.
The voice echoed once more.
"This is the most difficult inheritance within the Sky Palace Realm—one that holds the deepest secrets of my master."
"The inheritance is divided into five realms, each corresponding to the realms of a cultivator."
The first three realms were:
1. Health Qi and Disease Qi Seal
2. Corpse Qi and Vital Qi Seal
3. Killing Qi and Vitality Qi Seal
"You must form the first three seals within 15 years."
With that, the voice faded into silence.
The Trial Begins
Before delving into the inheritance, Yun Ting chose to meditate, clearing his mind. The intense strain from learning nine previous techniques had left him mentally exhausted.
After a few hours, he opened his eyes and noticed something beside him—a basket of green fruits and a jar filled with water. Without questioning their origin, he ate two fruits and drank some water, feeling a soothing energy flow through him.
He then turned his attention back to the mural, knowing he had to rely on his eyes alone. Unlike cultivators, he was a warrior, and his realm had yet to reach Peak Grandmaster, meaning his spiritual sense was still sealed.
Fixing his gaze on the rotating wheel, he felt his consciousness drawn into the mural.
The Five Wheels
Inside the vision, he saw five massive wheels stacked atop one another, each spinning at different speeds.
The largest wheel at last was so vast that it seemed to touch both the earth below and the sky above, while the smallest wheel sat at the very top, moving the fastest.
Yun Ting focused on the first and smallest wheel, observing its intricate patterns and motion.
Time lost all meaning. He had no idea whether days, months or even years had passed. The only thing he felt was an increasing burden on his mind as if his very thoughts were being twisted and reshaped by the comprehension of Life and Death.
Eventually, the vision faded, and he found himself back in the passage. His mind was exhausted, but he instinctively reached for the fruits and water, replenishing his energy before returning his gaze to the mural.
The cycle repeated five more times.
Each time, he was pulled into the vision, studying the wheel, feeling his understanding deepen, only to return when his mind could take no more.
Finally, on the fifth cycle, something changed.
As he focused on the first wheel, it suddenly shattered into countless fragments, and he felt a strange warmth on his palm.
Looking down, he saw a small wheel etched onto his palm—the first seal of the Dead-Life Rotation Inheritance had successfully formed.
As he returned to the passage, he carefully examined the seal. It resembled the innate abilities of demons—with a mere thought, he could inflict diseases upon those weaker than him or, conversely, cure them of common ailments.
After resting for a few hours, eating more fruits, and drinking water, he prepared to continue his comprehension. However, this time, he took a moment to observe the basket and jar.
He had noticed a peculiar phenomenon—each time he stopped studying the mural, the previously consumed fruits and water would be replenished as if he had never touched them. Yet, upon closer inspection, he found nothing unusual about them.
Setting the thought aside, he turned his attention back to the mural and was once again drawn inside the vision.
This time, the first wheel was gone, having shattered upon his last breakthrough. Now, his focus shifted to the second wheel.
Just like before, time became meaningless. He followed the same grueling cycle of studying, retreating, recovering, and returning.
However, the second wheel proved far more complex. It took him twenty-one full cycles of observation before the wheel finally shattered.
As he awakened from the vision, he looked down at his palm and saw that a second seal had formed, wrapping itself around the first seal. Unlike before, the two seals did not appear separate—instead, they had fused into a single, unified mark.
Testing his newfound ability, Yun Ting felt a terrifying power within him. With this seal, he could turn any corpse into a corpse monster given enough time. At the same time, he could unleash devastating attacks against undead creatures, dealing super-effective damage to anything infused with corpse energy.
Understanding the potential of his new power, he took another period of rest, allowing his mind to fully recover.
Then, without hesitation, Yun Ting turned back to the mural, ready to begin comprehending the third wheel.
After an exhausting eighty cycles of observation and rest, the third wheel finally shattered. Just as he was about to explore the abilities granted by the third seal, the voice suddenly echoed through the passage.
"Congratulations. Do you wish to proceed to the Final Trial Palace?"
Yun Ting hesitated before asking, "Can I say no?"
"Yes, you can," the voice replied.
Hearing this, Yun Ting let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Then, the voice spoke again.
"May I ask why?"
Yun Ting gave a simple yet decisive answer. "I have no backing to protect me."
The voice fell silent for a moment before giving a low, thoughtful "Hmm."
Seizing the opportunity, Yun Ting asked, "Can I continue comprehending the rest of the inheritance?"
"Yes," the voice responded. "You have two years left."
Without wasting a second, Yun Ting turned back to the mural, focusing on the fourth wheel. The moment he began, a name surfaced in his mind—Plague Qi - Purifying Qi.
He devoted himself to comprehending the fourth wheel, cycling between observation and recovery. However, after twenty-three cycles, just as his understanding was deepening, the voice interrupted him once more.
"Time's up."
Before Yun Ting could react, everything around him turned black. A moment later, light returned—and he suddenly felt himself falling.
As his body plummeted, a golden energy wrapped around his waist, abruptly halting his descent. In the next instant, he was pulled back, landing safely on the flying boat he had taken to enter the secret realm.
Standing nearby was Zhen Wouwei, also having been retrieved. The one who had saved them was the female elder from Tyrant Blade Gate. Yun Ting immediately bowed to her in gratitude.
Regaining his composure, he scanned the deck of the ship, noticing that—aside from Lu Yan, Liang Ji, and the deceased—all of his team members had returned.
His gaze shifted toward the portal of the secret realm, just in time to witness a massive black palace emerging from within it. The portal then sealed itself shut, rising high into the sky until it disappeared.
As their flying boat, along with the Earth Devil Palace's ship, began leaving the area, Yun Ting's thoughts lingered on Lu Yan and Liang Ji, who were still inside the Black Palace.
However, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a terrifying presence.
Above the clouds, he sensed several horrifying auras descending around the black palace.
At that moment, he understood why they were leaving so quickly.
This place had become a battlefield—a place where right and wrong no longer mattered, only power did.