Chapter 1691: Chapter 639: Secret Realm Inheritance
She hesitated slightly before following the crevice and entering within.
Boom!
As a muffled sound echoed, Zhou Zhiying, who had entered the grand hall, looked back to see the doors had closed again.
However, the interior of the hall was not dark, for each of the supporting beams had treasure beads emitting radiance.
These treasure beads seemed capable of autonomously absorbing spiritual energy to recharge, so even after countless years, they still emitted illuminating brilliance.
Looking at the arrangement inside the hall, a jade couch was seen at the upper position, with a peculiar puppets of human body and snake tail standing beside it.
When Zhou Zhiying focused her gaze on the puppet body, it seemed to receive some instruction and suddenly opened its eyes.
Its eyes resembled amber, exuding a faint yellow glow.
It looked at Zhou Zhiying, and slowly spoke in a hoarse voice: "To have come this far and awakened me, means you have successfully met my initial selection criteria for a successor, and are eligible to receive my inheritance!"
"But merely meeting the initial criteria is not enough, for my successor must not only possess talent in cultivation but also sufficient comprehension and steadfast willpower!"
Saying this, it slowly stepped down from the platform beside the jade couch, directly approaching several yards in front of Zhou Zhiying and said: "The upcoming tests of willpower and comprehension will be personally overseen by me. Are you ready, young one?"
"I am ready, esteemed elder!"
Zhou Zhiying took a deep breath, replying in a low, determined tone.
"Very well, let us begin the test of willpower. I will pull you into an illusion; you must escape within the allotted time to pass the test. You have only three attempts, not exceeding one month!"
The serpent puppet nodded slightly, explaining the test while its eyes flashed with starlight, forming two vortices, instantly pulling Zhou Zhiying’s consciousness into a certain illusion.
About six hours passed this way before Zhou Zhiying managed to escape the illusion, dripping with sweat.
Upon regaining consciousness, the serpent puppet spoke words that made her countenance change: "First attempt, exceeded the time limit by two hours and six moments, not qualified!"
"You have two attempts remaining!"
After finishing, the serpent puppet closed its eyes again, entering a dormant state without giving Zhou Zhiying time to ask more questions.
Faced with this, Zhou Zhiying gritted her teeth, immediately retrieving a spirit spice that aids the restoration of divine sense from her storage pouch, lighting it, and silently meditating to recover her spirit.
Five days later, Zhou Zhiying, having fully restored her spirit, solemnly addressed the serpent puppet: "Esteemed elder, I am ready."
"Commence the second willpower test!"
The serpent puppet opened its eyes, the dazzling starlit vortices again pulled Zhou Zhiying into the illusion.
This time, having gained experience, she escaped quicker, taking less than five hours to escape the illusion.
However, this still fell short of the minimal requirement of three hours.
And she had only one attempt left.
This situation naturally left her face pale and her heart full of anxiety.
She did not know what would happen if she failed the third attempt.
Even in the best-case scenario of being directly sent out of the Secret Realm, it would fully disappoint her master Zhou Chun and the Zhou Family elders’ expectations and hopes in her.
Even if Zhou Chun and the Zhou Family elders were magnanimous enough not to blame her for this, she herself would be consumed by guilt, making it hard to progress in cultivation in the future!
The pressure she faced was obvious!
Under this immense pressure, she dared not attempt a third try easily, fearing another failure.
Yet, as a cultivator in the late stage of the Purple Mansion, she understood she must confront all of this eventually.
After two days of dispiritedness, she stopped overthinking and focused on practicing the Heart Lotus Scripture secret technique.
She did not intend to make breakthroughs in the short days remaining, but simply aimed to use the secret technique to steady her mind and restore her vitality.
Seven days later, seeing that the half-month mark was nearing an end, Zhou Zhiying, resolute and ready to risk everything, accepted the third willpower test.
A few hours passed again, and as Zhou Zhiying recovered consciousness with sweat-soaked face, she anxiously looked at the serpent puppet.
Facing her anxious and uncertain gaze, the serpent puppet slowly said: "Two hours and seven moments, willpower test passed, proceed to comprehension assessment!"
After speaking, the serpent puppet opened its mouth, sending a silver light towards Zhou Zhiying, which she caught with her outstretched hand, revealing a silver metallic foil sheet.
"This sheet contains a divine sense secret technique, Taichi Separation of Spirits; if you can master its first layer within three years, the comprehension assessment is passed!"
The serpent puppet briefly explained and then closed its eyes to enter dormancy once again.
Upon hearing its words, Zhou Zhiying couldn’t help but glance at the secret foil in her hand, immediately storing it in her storage pouch before focusing first on restoring her depleted spirit.
After a few days passed, with her condition reaching perfection, Zhou Zhiying took out the secret foil to study the Taichi Separation of Spirits secret technique within.