Watching Feng Yan and a few others stand bewildered outside the golden vortex and hesitant to act, Murong Wu's gaze turned toward the golden vortex itself, where he finally noticed figures being pulled into its depths, floating unconscious within.
Spotting Ling Feng inside the vortex, Yan Jinghong sneered, "This fool is just asking for it!" He channeled his elemental force and struck toward Ling Feng within the golden vortex, seemingly intent on taking the opportunity to kill him.
"You despicable coward!"
Yue Yunlan shouted and flew forward to intercept Yan Jinghong's attack. Li Bufan and Mu Qianxue also moved immediately, unwilling to watch Ling Feng suffer.
Yan Jinghong smirked and unleashed his Ice Emperor's Domain, sending a powerful strike that threw Yue Yunlan, Li Bufan, and Mu Qianxue into the golden vortex. Golden beams shot from the depths, striking the three and causing them to lose consciousness.
"Hahaha, this is what you get for going against me!"
Yan Jinghong laughed. But the next moment, his expression turned strange as the vortex absorbed his power and created a pulling force that dragged him inside as well.
Despite Yan Jinghong's strength, he couldn't resist and was swiftly pulled into the vortex, leaving yet another floating figure within.
"What is this place?"
Nangong Yu stared in disbelief at the vortex below, realizing that even Yan Jinghong couldn't escape its pull. Anxious worry rippled through the gathered geniuses.
"It's the Golden Illusion Spirit Array!"
Finally, the usually silent Huang Kaixuan blurted out. "Young Master Feng, I just realized! This vortex is an ancient Golden Illusion Spirit Array designed to test disciples seeking to inherit powerful teachings!"
"Fatty, what did you say? Explain clearly," Feng Yan demanded, glancing back at him. Sometimes, Huang Kaixuan could be surprisingly useful!
"I only just remembered!" Huang Kaixuan said proudly. "Young Master Feng, the Golden Illusion Spirit Array is an illusionary array. Inside, it tests a warrior's mental fortitude. Only those who pass can obtain its teachings."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Though I'm not sure why it's been activated now, it's obvious that this isn't a normal Golden Illusion Spirit Array. There might be a malfunction, amplifying its difficulty a hundredfold or more."
"So you're saying only those who pass the test can receive the inheritance?" Feng Yan asked seriously.
"That's about right." Huang Kaixuan nodded. "But the difficulty..."
A slight smile tugged at Feng Yan's lips. "At least I now know more than the rest of them!"
Without a second thought, he leapt into the golden vortex.
Or rather, into the Golden Illusion Spirit Array.
"Hmph, Feng Yan, as if I'd let you get the upper hand!" Murong Wu sneered and, with no hesitation, followed closely behind.
If this was a test, he'd be the first to conquer it and obtain the inheritance.
"Like I'd let myself fall behind!" Nangong Yu grinned as he too jumped in.
Yingying Lan scowled at Huang Kaixuan. "You had to say it so loudly! Now everyone's heard it!"
"Uh... my bad," Huang Kaixuan mumbled, scratching his head. "But Young Master Feng asked, and he's an honorable man, you know that."
"Hmph! It's still your fault!" Yingying Lan glared at him fiercely and then jumped down as well. Though her chances of gaining an inheritance were slim, she wasn't about to give up.
If she got lucky, perhaps even Feng Yan would be impressed.
"Yingying!" Gritting his teeth, Huang Kaixuan followed her into the Golden Illusion Spirit Array.
Ling Feng felt his consciousness drifting through different planes until he finally opened his eyes, realizing he was lying on the edge of a cliff.
The entire world around him was dark, clearly no longer the ruins of the Huangji Sect.
Before Ling Feng could understand the situation, a thunderous rumbling shook the ground, as if the world was tearing apart.
Ling Feng's heart skipped a beat as the noise grew louder.
He looked down and saw a massive creature bulldozing through the pale forest below. It stood towering at twenty zhang tall, with a massive horn on its head and a thick club in its hand, tearing through the canyon with terrifying force.
"That... is an Ancient Giant Demon!"
Ling Feng's pupils shrank. Ever since learning about the Battlefield of the Gods and Demons, he'd studied various texts on the Devils from Beyond, and Ancient Giant Demons were a known species among them.
Though not high-ranked, they were at the Spiritual Element Realm level!
But how could there be Devils from Beyond here?
Ling Feng stared in disbelief. Unbeknownst to him, this Golden Illusion Spirit Array had been created during humanity's war against the Devils from Beyond. Back then, any disciple seeking resources from their sect had to first prove themselves by battling these devils.
Thus, the Golden Illusion Spirit Array's first test was to face the Devils from Beyond, conquer one's fear of them, and thereby earn the resources for cultivation.
However, due to unforeseen changes, the difficulty of the illusion had intensified immensely.
The Ancient Giant Demon continued rampaging forward, knocking down one towering tree after another, each crash reverberating like thunder.
More rumbling came from another direction, followed by rows of fallen trees, revealing a second Giant Demon. Though slightly smaller at eighteen zhang tall, its body was covered in scales, making it even more monstrous.
The deafening roars grew louder as ten colossal fiends appeared, stomping through the canyon, each one hefting a massive club and roaring skyward as if performing some ritual.
Ten Ancient Giant Demons, nearly at half-step demon king level!
Ling Feng's scalp tingled in shock. Fighting just one would be a struggle.
This is practically a death sentence!