Chapter 57: The Rules of the Celestial Evolution Trial

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The Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds, as recorded in the ancient texts of the Lingxiao Pavilion, were established in the early days of the ancient cultivation world. Several mighty human cultivators joined forces to create this trial ground specifically for their disciples and descendants.

The original purpose of constructing these trial grounds was to offer a chance of breakthrough to those juniors whose lifespans were nearly exhausted but had seen no advancement.

As the Dao says, "Of the grand reckoning, there are fifty; forty-nine are employed, and one is concealed." The name Celestial Evolution arises from this very principle.

Moreover, as the balance of the heavenly way allows for only one and not two, the trial grounds permit entry only to cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage at most. Thus, the Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds are divided into four paths and four realms, each passage leading to a different realm, commencing from the beginning of Qi Refining and ending with Nascent Soul.

The demonic beasts within the trial grounds are restricted by the boundaries of their realms; their cultivation can only match the level of the trial ground they inhabit. Should their cultivation surpass the local boundary, they are expelled from the current trial ground and sent to a higher one.

If a beast exceeds the Nascent Soul level and reaches the twelfth rank, it completely breaks free from the Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds. A twelfth-rank beast is equivalent to a human at the Soul Transformation stage, capable of perfect human transformation and, needless to say, possessing great intelligence.

This was the balance granted by the mighty cultivators who established the trial ground, so that these beasts would not be trapped in that world for eternity over the course of their long lives.

“What you know is from a hundred thousand years ago,” Sitong Jing said, rising and pacing to the window, gazing at the large tree in the courtyard as if lost in some distant memory.

“A hundred thousand years ago, the great war between immortals and demons erupted in the Celestial Realm. The demon race had long plotted, while the various immortal clans were unprepared and unalarmed. The first battlefield was shattered into pieces by the violent energies unleashed, scattering them beyond the boundaries of the world.”

“The energy from that explosion was so vast it even affected several cultivation realms nearest the battlefield. The Mi Cang Realm must have felt the shock as well, for I only reincarnated and began cultivating anew after the entire war had ended.”

“That was already sixty-five thousand years ago. Of the so-called Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds, only the passages for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment remained; the Golden Core and Nascent Soul routes had vanished for over thirty thousand years by then.”

“Now, upon hearing you mention the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm, logically, there should also be a Cloudrise Secret Realm!”

“What is the Cloudrise Secret Realm? Is it for Foundation Establishment…” Ji Yao’s conjecture was cut short by Sitong Jing’s confirmation.

“It’s precisely the trial ground accessible to Foundation Establishment cultivators! The names of these two secret realms have been in use ever since that time.”

“But didn’t the Cloudrise Secret Realm disappear fifty thousand years ago?” Ji Yao blurted out.

Sitong Jing suddenly turned, casting a glance at Ji Yao. “Is this recorded in the classics of Lingxiao Pavilion again?”

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“Yes.” Gaining access to the inner sect was what pleased Ji Yao most, for it meant she could read in the Lingxiao Pavilion.

Though, with her status as a registered disciple, she had no access to high-grade techniques or jade slips, she was free to read historical records of the cultivation world.

Sitong Jing chuckled softly, “Then do you know that the Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds were not, in the beginning, a space conjured from nothing, but rather…”

A sense of foreboding seized Ji Yao, as if some unknown and dangerous creature was about to be released.

“They were originally a part of the Mi Cang Realm itself—a region confined and sealed by the power of formations and the force of laws, locked away since ancient times.”

“Bear in mind, even the mighty cultivators of that era were still mortals of the cultivation world; they had not yet survived the tribulation to ascend and become true immortals. Human effort is limited, and one must seek harmony within the rules of the world they inhabit.”

“I see!” Ji Yao suddenly grasped the crux of the matter, her voice turning to a murmur.

According to those cultivators who had entered the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm, the spiritual energy within it was much denser than in the present world. Even pseudo-spiritual root cultivators could sense that their absorption speed during meditation was much faster inside, let alone the effect on actual cultivation.

In the ancient Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds, the environment must have seemed a paradise for the beasts living within.

The Qi Refining passage only opened once every nine years, and each time lasted merely three months. The higher-level passages must have opened even less frequently.

They didn’t have to worry constantly about being hunted by humans, and there was space for advancement; compared to beasts outside, their temperament should have been much calmer.

But what if that path for advancement was sealed off? After millions of years with no hope in sight, they would begin to harbor resentment—even hatred—toward those who had imprisoned them, and toward all humans who could come and go freely.

Suppose a third-rank beast appearing in the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm had actually descended from a higher-level trial ground—what then?

Beasts are more straightforward in their thinking; lower-ranked ones may lack intelligence, but the higher the rank, the greater the mind. If such powerful beasts were sealed for ages, their hatred would accumulate.

Then, one day, if the passage opened—regardless of how—it would allow these beasts to suddenly encounter humans. Driven by instinctive enmity, the result would be immediate and vengeful slaughter.

That is why, nine years ago, less than twenty percent of the cultivators survived their entry into the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm—and all emerged wounded.

If, during this opening of the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm, any of the third-rank beasts from last time still survived, or if the passage they used remained open, what would the consequences be?

Ji Yao was startled by her own thoughts and had to seek confirmation of another possibility from Sitong Jing.

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“Senior, if—just supposing—both the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm and the Cloudrise Secret Realm have reappeared, does that mean the original laws of the Celestial Evolution Trial Grounds could function normally again?”

Sitong Jing looked at Ji Yao with satisfaction. This girl, once she set her mind to it, understood instantly, saving much trouble.

“They could! Since the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm still exists and opens on schedule, it proves the original binding laws have not been broken.”

“Even if these third-rank beasts managed to descend through some loophole into the Awakening Immortal Secret Realm, they could not remain for long. Otherwise, those descending would not be just third-rank beasts, but also fourth- and fifth-rank ones, equivalent to Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

“The power of repulsion in each trial ground still exists. Fourth- and fifth-rank beasts, far exceeding the boundaries permitted by the realm’s laws, naturally cannot appear in the lower levels through any loophole.”

“The true third-rank beasts that descend will gradually be expelled by the force of the laws and return to the Foundation Establishment trial ground—that is, the Cloudrise Secret Realm you mentioned. It’s a cycle; the only question is which process is faster.”

After listening to Sitong Jing’s detailed explanation, Ji Yao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet, after thinking it through, Ji Yao realized that relying on this race between two processes was unreliable.

The time a Qi Refining cultivator could survive under the claws of a third-rank beast might be shorter than the time required to expel the beast back to its realm; otherwise, the previous casualties wouldn’t have been so severe.

Was there any way to eliminate the danger once and for all? Ji Yao still wanted to ask Sitong Jing if there was a permanent solution.

After hearing her question, Sitong Jing suddenly gave Ji Yao a slightly enigmatic smile.

“Are you sure you really want to know?”

Ji Yao instantly realized that Sitong Jing’s answer might not be something she wanted to hear, and for a moment, she hesitated.

But this time, Sitong Jing did not indulge in her usual suspenseful antics and revealed the answer directly.

“You must go in yourself, find the passage where they appear, and seal the loophole!”