Talisman Emperor

Everyone present here had only recovered from their shock after Chen Xi arrived atop a Dao Sharpening Stone, and they exploded into an uproar.

Such a realm in the cultivation of the Dao Heart can be called unparalleled amongst his peers!

No one had imagined that Chen Xi, who was only at the initial-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm, would actually accomplish such extraordinary attainments in the Dao Heart. It was to the point that the entire Heart Reflection Lake was actually incapable of obstructing his footsteps at all.

It was common knowledge that the energy of the Dao Heart was beyond profound, and it was unfathomable like the secrets of the heaven. It was a type of mysterious energy of the Dao heart.

The firmer the Dao Heart, the longer one could go on the path of cultivation. This strength was divided in the Heart Qi, Heart Core, Heart Soul, and Heart Infant realms.

However, even though realms for it existed, practically the entirely of the three dimensions didn't possess a cultivation system for this mysterious energy of the Dao Heart. In other words, even if they knew of the existence of the mysterious energy of the Dao Heart, they didn't know how to cultivate it at all.

At the bottom of it all, it was because the mysterious energy of the Dao heart was unfathomable and illusory. It practically couldn't be found, so they didn't know where to start.

Up until now, the common view of the three dimensions was that there were only two rough methods to improve the mysterious energy of the Dao Heart. The first was slaughtering great villains to accumulate virtue in order to improve the mysterious energy of the Dao Heart.

The second was allowing it to improve naturally along with one's cultivation.

But no matter which method it was, it wasn't a method to cultivate this energy. Thus, it's improvement towards the mysterious energy of the Dao Heart was only the most basic.

For example, this group of disciples that were at the top in the three dimensions possessed extraordinary natural talent and were outstanding amongst their peers. But in terms of the cultivation of the Dao Heart, they had at most attained the Heart Core realm.

Even if it was those great figures that sat on the platform, merely a few of them like Zhou Zhili and Wang Daolu had attained the Heart Soul realm.

But all of them were seniors at the Saint Immortal Realm or Half-step Immortal King Realm!

So when they saw Chen Xi who was at the initial-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm actually possess a cultivation in the Dao Heart at the Heart Soul realm, many great figures were moved by this scene.

Thus, Zhou Zhili who hadn't spoken since the test began had spoken for the first time when he saw such a scene, and he said that Chen Xi was a very good young man.

These words seemed to be ordinary, yet it was already an extremely high praise when spoken by an extraordinary figure like this that was even renowned during the Primordial Era.

Swish!Meanwhile, someone thought that the Heart Reflection Lake wasn't difficult to traverse at all after watching Chen Xi pass through it so easily. Thus, that person stepped foot into the lake, yet hadn't even had the chance to steady himself when his countenance turned deathly pale while his figure was on the verge of collapse, and then his entire body was suddenly enveloped by the lake water as he let out a shrill cry.

After that, under the gazes of everyone present, he was directly eliminated from the test.

With this example before them, it completely dispelled the hope of being lucky in the hearts of many people, and their expressions became heavy. They had finally understood exactly how formidable Chen Xi's cultivation in the Dao Heart was, and they were utterly incapable of comparing with him.

This incident related to Chen Xi passed swiftly, and the test carried on as usual.

Disciples were eliminated from time to time while many disciples traversed the lake smoothly to arrive atop a Dao Sharpening Stone. But no matter which disciple it was, none of them were capable of accomplishing it as easily as Chen Xi had.

…

There was a total of seven hundred Dao Sharpening Stones standing towering at the center of the lake, and they were like stone pillars that shot into the sky.

When the last disciple traversed the lake, an entire hundred plus of those seven hundred Dao Sharpening Stones were empty. In other words, there were already over a hundred disciples that had been eliminated during the test to traverse the Heart Reflection Lake!

The competition was so brutal while the test was harsh to the extreme, and it was like a battle for supremacy where there was no place for luck.

Fortunately, Liang Ren and Gu Yueming had traversed the Heart Reflection Lake smoothly and had arrived on a Dao Sharpening Stone.

"Time's up! Next, the test of the Dao Sharpening Stone will begin!" On the distant platform, Wang Daolu stood up and announced in a low voice. As he spoke, he held a golden scroll in his hand.

At this moment, all the great figures on the platform stood up in unison while their expressions turned solemn as they looked at the golden scroll.

"The Dao Emperor's Golden Decree!"

"The quintessence aura of the Dao Emperor is branded within it. When we undergo the test on the Dao Sharpening Stone, this aura will envelop every single one of us, and it'll be utilized to the determine the strength of our Martial Dao Will. It's the fairest method."

"Exactly. However, the effect of the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree isn't so simple. According to legend, some experts with extremely outstanding Martial Dao Wills would be able to cause phenomenon of the heavens and the earth to descend, and this would activate the quintessence aura of the Dao Emperor to cause the 'Praise of the Gods' to descend!"

"The Praise of the Gods! That's a supreme force that's capable of providing karmic luck. If we're able to obtain such a force, then we'll at least have a seventy percent chance of obtaining an Allheaven Divine Crest bestowed by the heavens when advancing into the Golden Immortal Realm!"

"Supposedly, the Iron Abyss Ye Tang obtained the Praise of the Gods, and thus obtained the Allheaven Divine Crest called Metalfuse Watermoon. It allowed his combat strength to rise explosively by three times!"

When they saw the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree in Wang Daolu's hand, all the disciples on the Dao Sharpening Stones revealed expressions of burning desire. They seemed to have firm appearances as if they were determined to obtain the Praise of the Gods.

Even Zhen Lu, Ji Xuanbing, Zhao Mengli, and the others were no exception, and their gazes burned and carried a shred of anticipation.

Chen Xi's heart was moved as well, and he recalled many rumors regarding the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree.

Amongst these rumors, the more famous of them all was that the quintessence energy within the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree was capable of providing Karmic Luck that allowed one to be bestowed with an Allheaven Divine Crest upon advancement into the Golden Immortal Realm.

An Allheaven Divine Crest was condensed into form by two or more Grand Dao Laws. For example, the Greenflame Divine Crest contained the Grand Dao Laws of wood and fire, or for example the Windmoon Divine Crest contained the Grand Dao Laws of wind and Yin.

A further example was the Metalfuse Watermoon Divine Crest that the Iron Abyss Ye Tang had obtained. It contained the Grand Dao Laws of fire, metal, water, and Yin!

Normally speaking, Allheaven Divine Crests mostly contained two Grand Dao Laws, and there were some Allheaven Divine Crests that were more formidable to the point of even possessing even more Grand Dao Laws.

However, it was absolutely not so easy to condense an Allheaven Divine Crest, and it was even to the extent of being extremely difficult. A normal Golden Immortal was only capable of condensing and grasping a single Allheaven Divine Crest in their entire lifetime.

Yet the quintessence energy of this Dao Emperor's Golden Decree was actually capable of providing karmic luck that allowed immortal cultivators to possess an extremely high chance of obtaining an Allheaven Divine Crest bestowed by the heavens when they advanced into the Golden Immortal Realm. This obviously showed exactly how extraordinary the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree was.

It was supremely enticing and impossible to refuse for any immortal cultivator.

Om~

While Chen Xi was in deep thought, a strand of strange fluctuation suddenly arose in midair, and the golden scroll unfolded open to be revealed in the clear blue sky.

At that instant, it was like a scorching sun had suddenly emerged in midair, and it emanated a myriad of strands of golden radiance and was suffused with divinity as it illuminated the world.

Moreover, there was even a wave of desolate aura that was ancient, obscure, grand, and boundless. It caused the heart of every single person present here to be shaken fiercely, and they couldn't help but arouse a strand of dense reverence as if they were paying their respects to something holy.

In the next moment, the golden scroll emanated circle after circle of halos that enveloped every single disciple, and it was like a cocoon that covered them from head to toe.

After that, Chen Xi and all the other disciples' six senses were sealed shut while the vital energy in their bodies were enveloped by a shapeless force, causing them to be unable to sense anything in the outside world any longer.

"Withdraw!" Wang Daolu shouted loudly with the tune of the Dao when he saw this, and then the golden scroll transformed into a wisp of golden light that flew back into his hand, and then the phenomenon that appeared in the heavens and the earth vanished along with it.

"Now, it's all up to them." Wang Daolu smiled as he held the Dao Emperor's Golden Decree with both hands and passed it over to Zhou Zhili who sat at the center.

Zhou Zhili nodded and said, "I have a feeling that more than one student amongst those participating in this year's test will be able to obtain the Praise of the Gods."

These words drew the interest of all the other great figures here as soon as it was spoken.

An old man that wore a Daoist robe with the pattern of wind and wire twisted his beard as he said with a smile, "Yes, I think so too. That Zhen Lu, Ji Xuanbing, and Zhao Mengli are all outstanding figures that were born as the times required. They were born to be leading figures."

He paused for a moment and continued. "Of course, the other disciples are extremely outstanding as well, and every single one of them possesses great fortune. They're much more excellent than the students of the previous years."

The other great figures deeply agreed when they heard this. The disciples that had come to participate in the test this year could be said to be hiding dragons and tigers amongst them, and it was a gathering of heroes. They outdid all the students from the previous years.

Wang Daolu glanced at the old man and said, "Then I wonder who Instructor Ji Wen feels to be the most probable to obtain the Praise of the Gods?"

He was surnamed Ji, so he was naturally a member of the Ji Clan.

Thus, this Instructor Ji Wen didn't hesitate in the slightest to answer with a smile. "It's naturally my Ji Clan's Ji Xuanbing!"

"Does anyone even praise someone from their own clan?" A peerlessly beautiful woman who wore luxurious palace clothes and had a graceful and noble bearing said indifferently, "If you say that, then I feel that my Phoenix Clan's Zhao Mengli will be able to obtain the Praise of the Gods."

The beautiful woman was called Zhao Qingping, and she was from the Phoenix Clan. She herself was a pure blooded descendent of the Water Phoenix Clan, and she was presently an instructor in the outer court of Dao Emperor Academy.

"Our Dragon Clan's Ao Wuming is a descendant of a Green Dragon. His karmic luck is extraordinary and isn't inferior to anyone."

"My Zhongli Clan's little fellow isn't bad as well."

"Hmph! Could it be that all of you think there's no one in my Jiang Clan?"

Instantly, the others weren't able to restrain themselves, and they spoke in succession while refusing to give in. All of them felt that their clan's disciple was the most outstanding, and they were locked in argument about this.

Actually, all of them were clearly aware that arguing like this was meaningless, and everything depended on the outcome of the test. The reason they were arguing like this was only because it was a form of their ardent expectation towards the disciples of their respective clans.

Amongst the people present, only Zhou Zhili didn't say a word. He sat upright on his seat while looking at the center of the distant lake in silence, and he maintained a reserved bearing.

Wang Daolu couldn't help but ask with a smile when he saw this. "Brother Zhou, I wonder who you think has the highest hopes to obtain the Praise of the Gods?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone else shot their gazes towards Zhou Zhili, and even Zuoqiu Hong was no exception.

Zhou Zhili raised his head and glanced towards the distance before his eyes drooped down once more, and then he spoke two words lightly. "Chen Xi."

There was no pause, no thought, and his voice wasn't loud. It was an extremely flat two words, yet it caused all the others to fall into silence. Compared to the disciples from their own sects, they were naturally clearly aware that Chen Xi's natural talent wasn't inferior to any one of them and was even more outstanding. But because all of them were clearly aware that there was a rather great enmity between Chen Xi and the Zuoqiu Clan, and coupled with Zuoqiu Hong's presence here, all of them had tacitly avoided mentioning Chen Xi's name.

But now, Zhou Zhili had spoken it just like this.

After that, everyone acutely noticed that Zuoqiu Hong's fair face twitched rather imperceptibly…