"In ancient times, there was a Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure named the Five Dragon Guillotine. It was forged using the corpses of five top-tier Body Integration stage flood dragons of the five elements' attributes.
"Of course, that Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure held a tremendous reputation even in ancient times. It was far beyond what any ordinary Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure could compare to.
"As for Profound Heaven Spirit Treasures..."
Murong Yun paused for a moment before explaining, "They are divided into Postnatal Profound Heaven Spirit Treasures and Innate Profound Heaven Spirit Treasures. As for the specific details, even I am unsure.
"I have only read related introductions in the sect's ancient classics.
"Even the ancient Azure Dragon Sect only had a single Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure serving as the sect's guardian artifact."
"Innate Profound Heaven Spirit Treasures? Could it be that such spirit treasures are naturally born from the world?"
"Exactly. Profound Heaven Spirit Roots exist in this world, occasionally taking root in heaven and earth. Examples include the Profound Heaven Spirit Vine, the Profound Heaven Flower, and the Profound Heaven Spirit Tree. Once their fruits or flowers mature, they transform into Profound Heaven Spirit Treasures.
"When such a spirit treasure appears for the first time, it inevitably triggers massive changes in heaven and earth. It is said that the phenomena can affect a region stretching for millions of miles."
They flew for several hours.
Suddenly, the silhouette of a colossus gradually came into focus on the horizon ahead. As they drew closer, its towering and oppressive presence became increasingly apparent.
It was a mountain peak entirely black as ink. It looked as if it was forged from the purest darkness, refusing to reflect even the slightest sliver of light as it stood silently upon the vast landscape.
The mountain was incredibly steep and treacherous, piercing straight into the gray sky with no visible peak in sight.
The most bizarre aspect was the inexplicable domain radiating from the entire black mountain, causing one's heart to tremble slightly.
When Xu Deyue and Ye Fan flew to within about three kilometers of the black mountain, both felt their bodies instantly grow heavy. The flow of mana within them also became noticeably sluggish.
Their power of flight was rapidly fading!
"A no-fly domain!"
Ye Fan shouted deeply. Reacting with lightning speed, he instantly ceased flying and plummeted straight down toward the ground.
Xu Deyue followed suit.
The two landed securely on the earth.
Looking up, they saw a broad bluestone staircase carved right into the base of the silent, massive black mountain before them.
The stone steps were ancient and unadorned. Every tier was polished as smooth as a mirror, having weathered countless ages.
Dark green moss grew along the edges, winding ever upward.
It disappeared straight into the depths of the clouds and mist blanketing the mountainside, its end nowhere to be seen.
At this moment, over twenty figures had already gathered on the expansive platform at the bottom of the bluestone staircase.
Upon closer inspection, a full sixty percent of the Golden Core cultivators who had entered the Cold Mountain Secret Realm this time were actually present here!
There were numerous rare treasures and exotic spirit grasses scattered throughout the Cold Mountain Secret Realm, but in their eyes, none of those held nearly as much appeal as the black mountain before them.
The remaining Golden Core cultivators were likely farther away, which was why they had not yet arrived.
Seeing Ye Fan and his companion arrive, many of the Golden Core cultivators merely cast them a fleeting glance before losing interest.
Only the scruffy old beggar, a Golden Core cultivator from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, experienced a slight contraction of his pupils.
A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He proactively shuffled over, stroking his messy beard as he asked, "Daoist Friend Ye, it seems you and your wife have also come to this Little Cold Mountain?"
Ye Fan gave a slight nod.
He had already swept his divine sense over the area earlier, discovering a massive stone stele erected nearby with the words "Little Cold Mountain" inscribed upon it.
'So this is the true Little Cold Mountain!' Ye Fan mused inwardly.
The old beggar did not pry further.
After all, the Cold Mountain Secret Realm and the black mountain inheritance within it were famous throughout Flowing Moon Prefecture.
Virtually all cultivators at the Golden Core stage and above were aware of it and had entered before.
It was not unusual for the couple to learn about it through some casual inquiries.
"Since this is your first time here, you probably do not know that while this place holds grand opportunities, they are not so easily obtained. This old beggar is willing to bet that over ninety percent of the people here are destined to leave empty-handed."
"Why come here if they know they have no chance?" Ye Fan asked in surprise.
"Just joining in on the fun," the old beggar grinned, showing his teeth.
Ye Fan also cracked a smile.
Even without being told, he could easily guess that most of them were likely trying their luck in hopes of stumbling upon an opportunity.
However, he was quite curious. Were these Golden Core cultivators truly so bored that they would wait around in this spot for half a month?
Xu Deyue and Ye Fan exchanged a glance before moving to a slightly more secluded area.
Xu Deyue contacted Murong Yun and asked, "Honored Master, is this the inheritance site you spoke of? What should we do next?"
Murong Yun's cold and clear voice echoed within her sea of consciousness. "Indeed. This mountain is the true core of the Cold Mountain Secret Realm. It is a severed peak of the ancient Little Cold Mountain.
"Shangren Hanshan took it, placed it here, and modified it into an inheritance site.
"There is not only a no-fly restriction surrounding the mountain, but also a restriction that blocks spiritual sense probing.
"Do you see those bluestone steps?
"Simply walk up them.
"The bluestone staircase features a special restriction that acts on both the soul and the physical body. The further you ascend, the stronger the pressure becomes.
"Below the Soul Formation stage, unless one is a Nascent Soul cultivator at perfection who practices the dual cultivation of dharma and body, absolutely no one can reach the top.
"And even if one does reach the summit, they might not necessarily obtain Shangren Hanshan's true inheritance.
"Unless, of course, they are a perfect match for it."
She paused briefly before continuing, "Climbing the stairs step by step is the inheritance trial. Descending, however, will not trigger any pressure on your body.
"This mountain possesses a mountain soul, which will evaluate candidates in various aspects.
"If someone meets the requirements, they will automatically be transported into the corresponding inheritance space to undergo a trial.
"Upon passing the trial, they may enter the corresponding inheritance grotto-residence.
"The better the performance and the greater the potential displayed, the higher the tier of the inheritance grotto-residence they will be allowed to enter."
"There are... multiple inheritance grotto-residences?" Xu Deyue asked, slightly surprised.
"Naturally," Murong Yun replied. "According to the records in ancient classics, Shangren Hanshan left an inheritance in every single grotto-residence.
"There are a total of one hundred and twenty-eight lower-tier inheritances, which pertain to the Golden Core stage.
"There are thirty-two middle-tier inheritances, related to both the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.
"Lastly, there are eight upper-tier inheritances containing opportunities for the Nascent Soul and Soul Formation stages. Cold Light Liquid might even be present among them.
"That spirit liquid is formed from the condensed essence of Little Cold Mountain's frigid veins. It is a genuine heavenly treasure, condensing at a rate of only one drop per year.
"Just a single drop is several times more precious than ten-thousand-year-old frost marrow.
"For someone like you with an inherently icy constitution, or for cultivators who practice related cultivation methods, it holds immense benefits.
"Bathing in it will not only temper your mana, raising its quality to a higher level, but also expand your foundation, making your mana infinitely more robust.
"Most importantly, it nourishes your constitution and elevates your bloodline potential. You absolutely cannot afford to miss it.
"After receiving such a baptism, your constitution and bloodline might even rival those of Xu Deling. Your comprehension of frost-path divine abilities will become drastically faster."
Hearing this, an intense wave of excitement swept through Xu Deyue's heart.
Elevate her constitution and bloodline potential?
To any cultivator, this was a legendary opportunity that could only be stumbled upon by pure luck!
Xu Deling had only achieved her profound transformation after being baptized in Flame Phoenix essence blood, followed by undergoing nirvana through a secret art.
Later, she acquired a true spirit feather of a Fire Phoenix. By refining the trace of true spirit blood within it, she evolved her Flame Phoenix bloodline into a Fire Phoenix bloodline, causing her spirit eyes to mutate into Fire Phoenix spirit eyes.
Such a phenomenal constitution and bloodline allowed her to cultivate at a speed several times faster than even Xu Chuan.
Xu Chuan was still grinding his way through the late stage of the third layer of the Golden Core stage, while she had already reached the fourth layer, and was rapidly approaching the mid-stage of the fourth layer.
It was hard to say whether such a constitution and bloodline would provide the same level of assistance at the Nascent Soul stage.
But during the Golden Core stage, Xu Deling's cultivation speed undeniably made her an unrivaled prodigy among her peers.
'Can I catch up to Sister Ling?'
She took a deep breath and firmly replied within her sea of consciousness, "Yue'er understands. I will give it my absolute all!"
"Right. Shangren Hanshan practiced the dual cultivation of dharma and body. The upper-tier inheritances will likely contain body cultivator-related inheritances and treasures. Tell your husband to also give it his all.
"Regardless of what happens later, focus on securing the inheritances and treasures first."
Murong Yun added.
Xu Deyue relayed everything she had just learned to Ye Fan.
Ye Fan's gaze swept over the bluestone staircase that snaked into the clouds, looking as though it led straight into the azure firmament. A burning war intent ignited in his eyes.
"An upper-tier inheritance? A body cultivator inheritance?"
"If we can secure it, the Xu family will gain yet another body cultivation inheritance!"
In the blink of an eye, over half an hour passed.
Seeing that no one else seemed eager to scale the mountain, Ye Fan and Xu Deyue stepped forward in unison. Walking toward the bluestone path, Ye Fan declared, "Since none of you Daoist friends wish to ascend the mountain yet...
"My wife and I shall take the first step. We would like to see just how difficult the inheritance trial of this Little Cold Mountain truly is."
With those words spoken, he said no more.
The two immediately navigated through the crowd, preparing to set foot upon the bluestone path.
The inheritance opportunities of Little Cold Mountain could only be obtained once per person in a lifetime.
Thus, everyone present was someone who had yet to secure an opportunity.
Of course, over ninety percent of them would never even be able to trigger the Cold Mountain trial.
This was exactly why the old beggar had been so certain when he stated that over ninety percent of the Golden Core cultivators were destined to leave empty-handed.
A stubborn few refused to accept this reality and perhaps wanted to try again.
But the vast majority were simply waiting for the prodigies of their respective factions to arrive.
Those prodigies would also attempt the ascent.
Aside from them, there were also many Foundation Establishment disciples. Their main task was to scour the forests, valleys, and other hidden corners of the secret realm in search of spirit grass and minerals.
During this process, fierce battles with the demonic beasts lurking within the secret realm were unavoidable.
Whoever managed to leave alive with rare spirit grass and materials was guaranteed to receive key cultivation resources from their respective factions.
For them, this place served as a grueling trial.
Ignoring the countless stares piercing their backs, Ye Fan and Xu Deyue centered their minds and lifted their feet almost simultaneously, planting them firmly on the first tier of the bluestone staircase.
"Hum..."
The instant their feet touched down, an invisible pressure quietly descended upon them.
This pressure clamped down heavily on both their physical bodies and their souls simultaneously.
It made them feel as though they had been bound by a layer of invisible shackles.
However, their expressions remained completely unchanged.
They had already faced a similar test during the Prodigy Grand Assembly.
Therefore, they displayed neither surprise nor any signs of strain.
With Ye Fan's steady strides and Xu Deyue's graceful movements, they ascended the ancient stone steps one foot after another, moving neither too fast nor too slow.
Their pace did not seem particularly quick, but their steps were incredibly resolute.
Their figures were soon swallowed by the faint mountain mist, completely vanishing from the sight and spiritual sense of the crowd below.
A momentary silence fell over the platform.
The old beggar from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance took a hearty swig of wine, smacked his lips, and was the first to break the quiet.
Sweeping his murky, aged eyes over the Golden Core cultivators of the various factions, he chuckled. "Daoist friends, in your expert opinions, is it possible for that couple to obtain an opportunity this time?"
A mid-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Flowing Moon Sect shook his head. "Old Beggar, isn't it a bit too early to be talking about them securing an opportunity?
"We have to see if they can even pass the trial first."
An arrogant-looking late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Du family snorted coldly and chimed in, "You make it sound as though they are guaranteed to be chosen.
"The inheritance trial is incredibly harsh and bizarre. Out of all the Daoist friends present, merely a handful have ever even qualified to participate in the trial, right?"
"That is true, but whether one is chosen or not leaves traces. The younger a Golden Core cultivator is, the higher their chances of participating in the trial.
"Old Beggar, I am not mistaken about this, am I?"
"So what if you aren't?" the Du family cultivator retorted. "There is no shortage of Golden Core cultivators who are four or five hundred years old but still retain a youthful appearance."
"One's aura might be faked, and one's appearance can certainly be maintained to look young. However, a person's eyes—the light within their gaze—cannot be altered so easily.
"That profound depth comes from experiencing the fickleness of the world, the warmth and coldness of human nature, and the exhaustion of mutual deception. It carries a unique vicissitude.
"It is exactly like this wine. The longer it is hidden away, the more mellow and rich its aroma becomes!"
The old beggar took another swig and wiped the wine stains from the corners of his mouth.
A flash of shrewdness that completely contrasted with his unkempt appearance flickered in his eyes.
"This old man chatted with them briefly and can confidently determine that those two are incredibly young—younger than every single person present here.
"They might even be younger than some of the Foundation Establishment disciples who entered the secret realm."
The expressions of several Golden Core cultivators shifted noticeably.
"If that is true, then where did these monstrous geniuses come from? And they just so happen to be Dao companions?!" someone exclaimed in astonishment.
"That is something this old beggar cannot guess."
Many people's eyes rippled with hidden thoughts, plotting who knew what in the shadows of their minds.
The old beggar just grinned, flashing a mouthful of yellow teeth, before turning his gaze back toward the massive black mountain.
His murky eyes seemed capable of piercing the thick mist, watching the young Dao companions steadily ascending the stone steps.
"These two little ones are anything but simple. If no one goes to test their true depths, I fear it will be quite unsafe."
Back on the black mountain's bluestone steps, the higher they climbed, the heavier the pressure became.
The two had no idea how long they had been walking. Their pace grew slower and slower, and they had already begun to separate.
Since Ye Fan practiced the dual cultivation of dharma and body, his tolerance for the pressure was significantly stronger. He had already pulled ahead of Xu Deyue by roughly a hundred stone steps.
An hour later.
He was completely out of sight.
"If you enter an upper-tier grotto-residence, your master will impart a secret art designed to enhance your physical constitution. While it cannot compare to a true body cultivation method, it will at least ensure you are not so frail and delicate.
"If you pair it with the Cold Light Liquid, you can rapidly achieve minor success, allowing your physical form to rival a Tier 2 physical body."
Xu Deyue did not even have the luxury of spare energy to reply to Murong Yun; she was dedicating every ounce of her strength to resisting the crushing pressure of the bluestone stairs.
She gritted her teeth and persevered like this for another hour and a half.
Just as she reached her absolute limit and was about to stop.
Suddenly, a brilliant white light swallowed Xu Deyue, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished completely.
As for Ye Fan, he managed to endure for another five or six hours before finally hitting his own limit and being teleported away.
It had to be said.
The stamina of someone practicing the dual cultivation of dharma and body at the Golden Core stage was nothing short of terrifying.
Within the inheritance space.
The two consumed a specialized spirit liquid. In approximately thirty minutes, their mana and physical strength were fully restored. Following that, they began their respective trials.
Not long after, the Foundation Establishment prodigies of the six great factions arrived at the site and initiated their own ascent of the black mountain.
A number of Golden Core cultivators followed their example.
Inside the inheritance space.
An illusory black dragon soul closely observed the trial performances of both Xu Deyue and Ye Fan.
The trial was extremely simple: defeat the opponent.
The first round pitted the challenger against a single early-stage Golden Core cultivator.
The second round featured two early-stage Golden Core cultivators.
The difficulty scaled sequentially from there until the challenger failed.
The dragon soul was the manifestation of Little Cold Mountain's mountain soul. It governed everything within Little Cold Mountain, holding the entirety of the secret realm under its absolute control.
"Ever since the massive changes to heaven and earth following the Ancient War, I have not laid eyes on individuals with such staggering potential."
"The male practices the dual cultivation of dharma and body and has stepped into the Golden Core stage. He must have utilized Divine Ability Core Formation.
"His divine sense exceeds his cultivation realm. Even in the Ancient Era, he could barely be classified as a prodigy.
"While the female is slightly inferior, judging by her foundation, she also succeeded through Divine Ability Core Formation.
"Her divine sense is equally remarkable, and her encounters have been extraordinary. She actually possesses a fallen-grade natal spirit treasure that has birthed an artifact spirit.
"Furthermore, she harbors a unique, icy-yin constitution. It is neither a Pure Yin constitution nor an Extreme Cold constitution.
"The perfect fusion of yin and cold... Fascinating.
"It perfectly matches my master's inheritance.
"In the current age, these two are absolutely among the topmost echelon of geniuses.
"They barely qualify to inherit the upper-tier legacies left behind by my master.
"However, the inheritances within the remaining two upper-tier grotto-residences happen to suit them both perfectly.
"Is it mere luck?
"Or is it heaven's will?"
The dragon soul's eyes flickered, seemingly possessing the power to deduce the workings of fate.
Yet, after attempting to glean the truth, the karmic ties binding the two proved so profound and dense that it was entirely unable to see through them.
Ye Fan bulldozed his way through nine waves of enemies before finally falling in the tenth wave.
As for Xu Deyue, she fell during the eighth wave.
This was primarily because her "Supreme Yin" flying sword was sealed within her dantian by an unknown force, rendering her entirely unable to wield it.