As they got closer to the peak, the pressure and burning would gradually increase.
Lin Yue felt the Refining God Rank challenge for the first time, and immediately realized that each step felt quite heavy. He had to move slowly with each step. Normally, with his speed, he could reach the mountain summit in a single breath, yet now it took him ten times or even a hundred times longer.
This was despite having trained in the Three Thousand Hell Body. Otherwise, it would have taken him the time it takes to brew tea just to reach the summit.
Lin Yue let out a sigh of relief. At the end of the nine hundred and ninety-nine steps of the Refining God Rank was a white jade plaza at the mountain peak, and in the center stood a massive stele.
As he reached the top, the stele emitted a light that fell into his eyes.
The next moment, Lin Yue immediately noticed lines of text appearing on the giant stele before him.
[Take two Hundred Leaf Three-Element Fruits, four feet of Golden Thread from the body of a Golden Thread Bear, three Eyeless Snake galls, to obtain one Dao Heart Treasure "Three-inch Spirit Heart," with four remaining.]
"This is just like running a quest."
Lin Yue showed a slight smile and immediately took out two strange fruits glowing with three colors, a four-feet-long golden thread, and three snake galls stained with blood, placing them before the stele.
The next moment, the stele issued an extremely intense light, with a beam shooting to the sky, illuminating the three test items.
"Quite a commotion, huh."
Lin Yue shook his head slightly. He had hoped to retrieve the treasures quietly.
When the light dissipated, the test items on the ground were gone, replaced by a sandalwood box.
Lin Yue opened it and took a glance, finding within it a three-inch Spirit Heart made of seven-colored Spiritual Jade.
This was the Three-inch Spirit Heart?
He put away the sandalwood box and continued to place test items on the ground, trying to place double the amount.
Once more, a massive beam of light shot to the sky, cloaking the test items. When the light vanished, there were two sandalwood boxes on the ground.
"Can I submit multiple tasks at once?"
Lin Yue nodded slightly, confirming it. He took out another set of test items, obtaining the last remaining Three-inch Spirit Heart.
"Time to quickly turn in quests at other Secret Treasure Peaks."
He didn't waste any more time and started down a different mountain path.
Climbing the mountain was for starting the treasure trial, but descending didn't require it, so he bypassed the Refining God Rank.
However, no one ambushed him after he got down the mountain.
It seemed the smart ones were plenty.
"Good thing I retrieved the treasure early. Those who can get treasures this early aren't ordinary people. It's normal no one ambushed me," Lin Yue muttered to himself.
He quickly headed toward the second Secret Treasure Peak.
The treasure he chose on the second Secret Treasure Peak was the 'Heavenly Martial Heart Plate,' a Miracle Item for aiding martial arts cultivation. Though not as valuable as the Martial Art Shell, it was decent and the second most prized treasure he sought this time.
After spending a cup-of-tea time to pass through the Refining God Rank and turning in the test items, he promptly acquired the Heavenly Martial Heart Plate.
Next, he was off to the third Secret Treasure Peak.
What caught his eye was a Lifebound Treasure for close combat, extremely precious. The Duke Heng's estate had searched for a long time without finding a suitable Lifebound Treasure for him.
It just so happened that this Secret Cave Heaven had a suitable one, so he wouldn't be courteous about it.
Columns of light began appearing at one Secret Treasure Peak after another as the treasures were obtained, happening quite a few times already.
"The next one, I must hurry."
Lin Yue stashed away the Lifebound Treasure and prepared to head down the mountain towards the fourth Secret Treasure Peak.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Three figures suddenly flew up from below the mountain, landing on this white jade platform.
The newcomers were a black-robed, bald man exuding a murderous aura, followed by two attendant-like individuals.
"A face I've never seen?"
The black-robed bald man inspected Lin Yue with cold eyes, feeling reassured. Being a second-layer cultivator from Tianxia Building, along with the two guards by his side who were of similar strength, they ranked middle to upper among the cultivators within the Cave Heaven.
Their only fear was those on the Divine List.
But he basically knew what those Divine List strongmen looked like, and the person before him was unfamiliar.
The black-robed bald man immediately spoke coldly, "You're quite fast with your actions, quickly hand over—"
Before he finished speaking, the white-haired young man before him suddenly flashed and appeared right in front of him!
The black-robed man's eyes changed. Before he could even speak, Lin Yue effortlessly slapped him.
Yet to the black-robed man, this slap seemed to transform into a terrifying blaze, engulfing his world before finally landing atop his head.
His protective Magical Treasure Light, spells, and close-fitting vestment robe burst apart like paper, offering no resistance, and were shattered to pieces by the slap. Even half his body was crushed, turning into a bloody pulp and scattering away.
"With such strength, you dare to try to kill and steal treasures?" Lin Yue raised an eyebrow slightly.