Chapter 253: Chapter 250: Courage Training Road_1
The Path of Courage required crossing a single-plank bridge over the Red Demon Magma. Constantly suspended above the magma, the bridge’s temperature had reached terrifying heights, making any attempt to cross a formidable task.
Qin Wudao eyed the single-plank bridge, intending to summon the Nine Dragon Emperor Robe. The full imperial set, including the shoes, offered significant defensive capabilities.
Just then, a mysterious energy descended, obstructing the manifestation of the Nine Dragon Emperor Robe.
Left with no choice, Qin Wudao abandoned the attempt to summon the robe and tried to circulate his Spiritual Energy. However, he discovered that the Spiritual Energy in his Dantian could not flow to his feet.
Even Spiritual Energy is prohibited?
Qin Wudao’s expression shifted subtly. No protective gear, no Spiritual Energy—crossing the bridge solely with physical strength was tantamount to a death sentence.
Are all the trials on Mount Kunlun this difficult?
No matter how hard, I must try!
Qin Wudao took a deep breath and, with a light tap of his toes, landed steadily on the single-plank bridge. A SIZZLE immediately rose from the soles of his feet; within moments, his shoe soles were burnt through.
Shortly after, the acrid smell of something burning filled the air.
Damn it!
Qin Wudao gasped, the searing pain a nerve-wracking shock. He hurriedly tried to take a step, only to find his skin stuck fast to the bridge. Gritting his teeth, he wrenched his foot forward.
RIP!
A layer of his flesh was torn away, left permanently on the bridge, reeking of burnt meat. Thick blood oozed from Qin Wudao’s feet. As it neared the Red Demon Magma, the intense heat vaporized it, releasing a faint smell of blood into the air.
Perhaps drawn by the scent of blood, the previously calm magma began to churn violently. Countless massive beasts dwelling within it surged upwards, their vast maws gaping to snap at Qin Wudao. Fortunately, the bridge was too high for the beasts to reach, as they couldn’t fly.
However, this sight alone was enough to paralyze the timid with fear.
Magma Monster Crocodiles! Qin Wudao thought, observing the massive beasts. Their bodies were bulky and clumsy, with bulging eyes, long snouts revealing sharp teeth, and covered in blood-red scales. Each was several yards in size. This type of Magical Beast lived only in magma, making it quite rare and highly valuable for both artifact refining and alchemy.
At this moment, however, Qin Wudao had no leisure to concern himself with Magma Monster Crocodiles. He was struggling to ensure his own survival. After a quick glance to confirm they were out of attack range, he pressed onward.
Each step he took left another layer of his flesh and blood on the bridge.
In just over a dozen steps, all the flesh on Qin Wudao’s soles had been stripped away, revealing blackened, burned bones. The excruciating pain contorted Qin Wudao’s face.
Hold on!
Qin Wudao silently screamed at himself, his gaze fixed firmly on the single-plank bridge, which he had just halfway crossed. Though his feet throbbed with relentless pain, each step he took remained firm and confident, as if he were walking on flat ground. He couldn’t afford the slightest negligence. A single slip meant falling, only to be devoured by the Magma Monster Crocodiles below—perhaps even suffering a death roll before meeting his end in their maws.
Beneath the bridge, the Magma Monster Crocodiles repeatedly leaped from the magma, thrashing violently as they fell back down, narrowly missing their prey. The most dangerous attempt brought one within mere inches of Qin Wudao.
This was the true meaning of the Path of Courage: to forge one’s nerve in the crucible of near-death experiences!
「Five minutes later」
Qin Wudao staggered off the single-plank bridge with his nearly ruined feet. He arrived at another cliff edge where a small pool filled with blue liquid awaited him. Beside it, a signpost bore a message: Heavenly Blue Mystery Water, an Earth-rank treasure that stimulates blood flow, regenerates flesh, heals burns, and restores damaged bones...
Hmm? Earth-rank? If my memory serves me right, the Heavenly Blue Mystery Water ought to be a Heaven-rank treasure! Qin Wudao frowned. As an Earth-rank Alchemist, he was familiar with all kinds of natural treasures and was certain he wouldn’t misidentify the Heavenly Blue Mystery Water. I definitely remember correctly! Could it be that the people of Mount Kunlun made a mistake?
"I didn’t expect that with the passage of time, even Heavenly Blue Mystery Water has become a Heaven-rank treasure!"
By the edge of the pool, ripples in the Void gave way to a silhouetted figure. Dressed in Daoist robes, he remarked with an air of nostalgia.
Upon seeing the elder, Qin Wudao was startled. Initially thinking it was a soul phantom from the forest outside the mountain, he quickly adopted a defensive stance.
"Don’t worry! I won’t hurt you!" The elder inspected Qin Wudao from head to toe, a look of surprise on his face. Despite his vast experience, he couldn’t see through Qin Wudao, especially his constitution and Cultivation Technique. "You are quite mysterious!" he remarked.
"Who are you?" Qin Wudao didn’t let down his guard.
"You can call me Kun Daoist. Hurry and soak your feet in the Heavenly Blue Mystery Water! Otherwise, they’ll be ruined!" The Kun Daoist chuckled, his figure gradually fading until it disappeared completely.
Kun Daoist? Qin Wudao murmured the name, then submerged his feet in the Heavenly Blue Mystery Water. A slight itching sensation told him his damaged muscles were regenerating rapidly, leaving no hidden injuries or lasting effects.
As he sat by the pool, he began to contemplate. It was clear that the Kun Daoist was from Mount Kunlun; otherwise, he wouldn’t have lamented how the changing times had elevated Heavenly Blue Mystery Water to a Heaven-rank treasure. An upgrade in a treasure’s rank signified an increase in its rarity. The Heavenly Blue Mystery Water, once an Earth-rank treasure, was now considered Heaven-rank. This suggested that the cultivation civilization on the Primordial Continent was in decline. This might even explain why, since the Ancient Times, no Martial Artist had managed to break through to the Immortal Realm. The reduction in cultivation resources would inevitably affect top-tier Martial Artists.
But why have the cultivation resources diminished? Is it man-made? Or is there another reason?
It seems that only by passing through the Kunlun Path can I uncover the secret!
About an hour later, his wounds were completely healed. He took a pair of shoes from his personal storage space, put them on, and pressed ahead.
"This youngster is not bad; he can be listed as a candidate!"
In the hidden Void, Kun Daoist watched Qin Wudao approvingly. He had appeared to clarify the matter of the water’s rank precisely because Qin Wudao had managed to pass the courage trial. Not only that, but he had done it in the shortest time, breaking Mount Kunlun’s record!
The Kun Daoist waved his right hand, and hundreds of images appeared before him. The majority of participants were still struggling in the Heart Demon trial; only Shen Youlin and Jade Snow Gentleman had advanced to the courage trial. Finally, he focused on the foremost image, which showed Qin Wudao arriving at the third trial—the Comprehension Trial!
"To pass the Comprehension Trial, you must comprehend half of a Heaven-rank martial technique within two hours!" a mysterious voice echoed in Qin Wudao’s mind.
In front of him, ten jade stones hovered, each inscribed with a Heaven-rank martial technique for the disciples to comprehend. Mount Kunlun’s generosity was truly astounding. Such Heaven-rank martial techniques, rare even across the entire Primordial Continent, were here used merely to test disciples. This alone was a testament to the formidable power of the cultivation civilization in Ancient Times!
Qin Wudao approached, randomly selecting a jade stone and placing it against his forehead. Instantly, countless golden characters and images flooded his mind, depicting a martial artist in a purple robe striking out forcefully.
A bolt of lightning shot forth, shattering the heavens and decimating the earth!