"Of course—it's the sect's Spiritual Plane," someone nearby said. "A place filled with inheritances. Most of them are incomplete or ancient, though. Very hard to practice."
Wang Li hadn't even asked yet, but the answer came anyway.
Another voice followed.
"And you think such a place would be used lightly?"
A soft laugh spread through the group.
"Junior Sister, you're overthinking it. That place is dangerous. Strange beings roam inside, and any one of them can kill you. And that's not even counting the other disciples."
From just a few exchanges, Wang Li began to understand.
This trial wasn't simple.
"Will the sect punish us if we destroy the inheritances?" someone asked.
"You can try," another replied calmly. "If you succeed, you'll probably be made an inner disciple immediately."
The tone made it clear—no one believed it would be easy.
Wang Li narrowed his eyes slightly.
There were still things he didn't know.
He was about to ask more when the voice from earlier echoed again.
"Time is up."
The entire Exchange Square fell quiet.
"Since no one has withdrawn, you will now enter the Spiritual Plane."
The moment the words ended, the ground lit up with five-colored light.
It spread instantly, covering everyone present.
Before anyone could react, their bodies turned into streams of light and rose into the air, merging into the massive golden beam.
Wang Li felt his body grow light.
All sense of direction disappeared.
For a moment, it felt like drifting in empty space.
Then—
Everything changed.
---
When his vision cleared, he found himself somewhere else.
The sky was dim, covered in a faint red mist. The air felt heavy, carrying a quiet sense of pressure.
Wang Li looked down.
He was standing in midair.
Yet his feet felt stable, as if there was something solid beneath them.
He crouched and reached out.
His hand met resistance—an invisible surface supporting him.
"Strange…" he muttered.
Whatever this place was, it allowed movement through the air.
But he didn't dwell on it for long.
A familiar pressure spread from his body, extending outward.
Everything within a wide range around him seemed to dim slightly.
This was the effect of his Mountain and Seas Art reaching perfection again.
If he pushed it further and broke through, it would likely change even more.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
Once he stepped into the next stage and became a warrior, Yellow-grade techniques would lose their value to him.
For now, strengthening his foundation was more important.
"I've heard this place contains incomplete Earth-grade techniques… even fragments of Heaven-grade ones."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"If that's true, then this trip won't be wasted."
---
He began moving forward.
Before long, large phantom figures appeared in the distance.
To one side, a giant ape roared into the sky.
The moment Wang Li saw it, he understood.
"Incomplete Earth-grade body refinement technique."
He didn't stop.
Further ahead, a massive golden sword floated quietly.
"Another one."
In the distance, thunder gathered in dark clouds.
"A fragment of a Heaven-grade technique."
Still, he kept moving.
On another side, a huge serpent coiled within the mist.
"Another remnant."
He passed them all without hesitation.
Then—
He saw it.
A large white tiger stood in the distance, its presence far stronger than the others.
There was something different about it.
"Incomplete… but ancient."
His eyes focused.
"This one."
The Mountain and Seas Art within him reacted faintly.
Without hesitation, he moved toward it.
---
More disciples appeared within the plane, but Wang Li ignored them.
At this level, no one here had reached the warrior stage.
That meant he didn't need to be cautious.
Of course, others thought the same.
Confidence was everywhere.
Wang Li increased his speed.
As he moved, he noticed something unusual.
The gravity here felt inconsistent.
With a light step, he could travel much farther than expected.
A faint smile appeared as he adjusted his movement, covering distance quickly.
Soon, others noticed him.
"What is he doing?"
"Who is that?"
"Moving like that here… is he crazy?"
Wang Li didn't respond.
His attention stayed on the white tiger.
It stood tall, its presence steady and heavy.
Most avoided even looking directly at it.
But Wang Li didn't.
Their eyes met.
A slight smile appeared on his face.
"Let's see what you are."
---
He sped up.
His figure blurred, leaving faint afterimages behind.
The movement drew attention—not just from the disciples, but from the phantoms themselves.
The white tiger lowered its head slightly.
A strong pressure spread outward.
A deep roar echoed across the plane.
Many nearby turned pale and stepped back.
"Who is that?"
"That's Wang Li… one of the new outer disciples."
"He's going straight toward it? The trial lasts three days—why rush like this?"
No one understood.
Then—
Something blocked his path.
A massive ape stepped forward, roaring loudly.
Wang Li didn't stop.
"Move," he said calmly.
The ape remained.
He sighed lightly.
"Then stay."
His fist moved.
A single strike sent the ape flying backward.
It crashed heavily into the ground.
For a moment, everything went quiet.
The ape tried to stand again, anger rising.
Wang Li stepped forward.
His movements became faster, more direct.
A series of strikes followed.
Cracks spread across the ape's body.
Then he leapt.
One final punch landed.
The ape shattered.
---
When it disappeared, a thin golden page appeared in his hand.
"Nine True Demon Ape Refinement," he read softly.
He looked at it for a moment.
"Not bad… but not enough."
He stored it away and continued forward.
---
Behind him, the others were silent.
"He destroyed it so easily…"
"That wasn't normal."
"That kind of strength…"
Some hesitated.
Others looked at each other.
Then someone spoke quietly:
"Aren't you interested in what he just obtained?"
The mood changed.
Eyes grew colder.
Greed appeared.
---
Ahead, Wang Li continued moving.
The white tiger was getting closer.
Their gazes met again.
This time, neither looked away.
The tiger roared again, its presence locking onto him.
Wang Li didn't slow down.
He didn't care about the people behind him.
His focus was clear.
As he entered the area around the tiger—
The red mist began to shift.
The space around him trembled slightly.
Then—
Another roar echoed.
Deeper.
Heavier.
Different.
Wang Li stopped.
His expression changed slightly.
Because this time—
The sound hadn't come from the white tiger.