"Senior Brother, are we really going to let him take the Celestial Trial just like that?"

After stepping aside, Gongsun Shou secretly transmitted his voice, filled with great dissatisfaction.

"Intimidating him was meant to affect his state during the trial, but in the end, he must face the Celestial Trial, unless we are willing to risk our lives in combat with him."

Gongsun Taicheng looked straight ahead and replied slowly, "Just wait, it's not over yet. If he fails the Celestial Trial, this ancestral spirit statue was specifically designed to give hope to the collateral branches of the family. The trial contains restrictions, and with Jiang Li's ambition, it's impossible for him to pass. Once he fails..."

Gongsun Taicheng left his sentence hanging, simply turning his gaze towards the figure ascending the steps.

There were nine levels to the lofty platform, all of which were the color of red copper, merging seamlessly with the stage. The statue above, clothed in an Emperor's Robe, wearing a celestial crown, had an earnest face, yet nothing particular about its appearance stood out.

However, if one were to change perspectives and view it from different directions, it would become apparent that from any direction or angle, the statue always faced forward, and one could only see its front.

'It is rumored that the Yellow Emperor had four faces, but upon observing today, the origin of the Yellow Emperor's four faces may lie here. Because no matter the direction from which it's viewed, only the front can be seen, leading to the widespread legend of the Yellow Emperor's four faces.'

Jiang Li looked up at the statue and recalled Ji Jiji's manifestation of the Four Faces of the Emperor on Wushan, 'Ji Jiji's Four Faces of the Yellow Emperor are not yet fully realized.'

If it were fully realized, it wouldn't be four faces of the Emperor, but always a single face, yet from every angle, only the front would be seen.

With this thought, Jiang Li confirmed that this statue held the profundity of the "Form Tomb," and immediately took a step forward, ascending the first level of the platform.

An invisible fluctuation spread from beneath his feet into his body, and Jiang Li felt his acupoints, fused with the talismanic seeds, beginning to move. Scales appeared on his skin, runes under his flesh, and even the acupoints on his face started to emanate a peculiar qi, forming rune shapes.

His Yinglong Transformation and the Heavenly Dharma were both activated.

Then, that fluctuation shook within his body, causing all his acupoints to tremble and his qi and blood to surge. If Jiang Li hadn't had a microscopic control over his physical body, he might have struggled to keep standing.

'The first step tests the foundation, doesn't it?'

He felt the fluctuation wane and strengthen until it gradually faded after a while, only then did he step onto the second level.

"Corners and edges, straight and bent, convex and concave, there must be form. Far and near, high and low, long and short, swift and slow, there must be order. Cold and heat, dry and humid, wind and rain, reverse and compliance, there must be timing..."

A profound voice echoed in his ears, and the scene before his eyes changed, as if entering an Illusion Realm. First, a straight line appeared, then it bent and transformed into various shapes, eventually becoming three-dimensional, taking on form.

An assembly of shapes filled Jiang Li's vision, and the steps in front of him seemed to become a twisted path, hidden behind the numerous forms.

Unconsciously, Jiang Li began to ponder those combinations of forms, and with the wisdom of a Great Grandmaster, he clarified them and then reconstructed them.

The intricate forms came together perfectly, and a human figure emerged. Jiang Li's steps continued forward without pause...

Thud.

All his steps merged into one, reaching the third level of the platform, while another wave spread within his body, stirring his qi and blood.

"Are you of the Human Race?"

In the depths of obscurity, a voice seemed to resonate.

Yet, Jiang Li did not stop walking and inwardly responded, "Yes."

At the same time, Gongsun Taicheng's gaze focused, and he whispered, "It's begun. The first level tests the foundation, the second the basic wisdom. These two are fundamental. Upon reaching the third level, one will face the verification of Heaven. Only with Heaven as a witness on the ninth level can one view the 'Form Tomb.' But for Jiang Li, he won't pass the ninth level."

While he spoke, Jiang Li had already reached the fourth level.

"Are you not a traitor?"

His mind unconsciously began to rewind memories, revisiting past experiences.

"I dare not claim to be entirely noble, but 'traitor' is far from the mark."

Jiang Li ascended another level.

The fifth level, "Are you willing to make a vow?"

—Never to betray the Human Race.

'So this is the key.' Jiang Li thought to himself.

The Celestial Trial, Heaven's Trial, was not just a test, but also a pledge. To receive the "Form Tomb," one must take a vow under the witness of Heaven.

With this in mind, Jiang Li internally gave a firm affirmative response.

Boom!

It was as if he heard an invisible clap of thunder, and the surroundings began to change. Everything beyond the platform turned into nothingness, leaving him alone, and above him, some presence was gradually emanating a vast sense of existence.

The sixth level, "Are you willing to make a vow?"

—Never to wantonly kill the innocent.

This, too, did not conflict with Jiang Li's own principles; he was not some maniac who delighted in the random killing of the innocent.

Responding internally, he ascended another level.

"Are you willing to make a vow?"

—Never to harm the Xuanyuan Descendants

Jiang Li furrowed his brows.

Although it was sabotage, there was no rule against fighting back, and even if there was reason, taking the initiative did not count as sabotage, but there were indeed limitations.

Jiang, with a belly full of mischief, was just waiting to display his methods on the enemy, and now he was putting shackles on himself?

"Compared to the previous oaths, this one seems quite out of place."

His expression unchanged, he would have responded, but instead he simply continued climbing upward, "The Sect Leader must have passed this place as well, but he still went about his business without concern. Not to mention, not wantonly killing the innocent was hardly relevant to him. Therefore, without taking an oath, one can still advance."

His steps approached the eighth stair, already close to the summit, but this step encountered endless obstacles.

Runes upon runes appeared on the stairs, the vast oppressive force materializing, while divine light radiated from the statues above.

Witnessing Heaven made no move, yet the platform itself provided a response.

This platform must not be something handed down from ancient times; instead, it was constructed by the Ji family's ancestors. Its purpose was naturally to sift out the appropriate clan members to study the "Form Tomb" under the witness of Heaven, using Heaven to bind those who learn the "Form Tomb."

Thus, ensuring that the right people learn the "Form Tomb," and that the practitioners do not act recklessly with it.

"Certainly much more enlightened than the Jiang family's approach."

Jiang Li thought to himself as he moved his hand, and the Ochre Whip flew out from his forehead into his hand.

Bolstered by the Dao Artifact, "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top."

The Qi Refiner's Dao Fruit Ability "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top" was amplified into a fifth-rank Divine Power, greatly increasing his defense capabilities. Jiang Li manifested three blossoms atop his head, casting down a golden light to cover his body, resisting the oppressive force.

One step rose, one step fell, onto the eighth layer.

The platform glowed brilliantly, and an array of runes emerged, even the great hall's Array system began operating.

But before both could act together, the Ochre Whip struck down on the stairs, the Innate Qi combined with the Ochre Whip's ability, and a streak of obscure Dirt Qi was forced into it.

Jiang Li extended the ability of the Ochre Whip to transform medicinal powers into transforming Essence Qi, the Innate Qi penetrating the Dao Platform, converting the Five Vile Qi, and instantly a vast expanse of murkiness began to spread on the eighth layer of stone steps.

"How dare you!"

Gongsun Taicheng's complexion changed drastically, he had not anticipated that Jiang Li would be so audacious to employ tactics against the platform. Then, he felt joy in his heart and was about to ascend with the other two.

However—

The first step tested the foundation, easily crossed, but the second required expenditure of Heart Power, not something that could be accomplished instantly.

And yet, Jiang Li had already traversed the eighth step, reaching the ninth.

"Would you like to take the oath..."

Before the oath could even emerge, Jiang Li had already whipped the stair.

Even though the platform could draw upon Essence Qi to operate the Array, it was no match for the third grade Dao Artifact. It seems that the Ji ancestors who established this did not foresee that someone would pave their way onto the platform with a third-grade Daoist Artifact.

Or perhaps they did consider it, but were unable to create a platform capable of resisting a third-grade Daoist Artifact.

Regardless, Jiang Li ultimately climbed to the top and faced the Yellow Emperor's statue.

The moment he looked at the Yellow Emperor's statue, a mysterious air arose within him, a complex bird-shaped script emerged, arranging themselves and resonating with the air inside him.

Wind Form Qi, Rain Cloud, Water Formation River, Earth Form Mountain, yin-shaped moon, Yang-shaped Sun, Earth-shaped, Qian Form Heaven.

The air transformed, displaying all sorts of mystique, the profound principles of heaven and earth unfolding before Jiang Li's eyes.

Unlike derived Cultivation Techniques, the "Form Tomb" directly pointed to the natural world, expounding the wonders of heaven and earth, with a complexity that far outstripped the "Qi Tomb," making cultivation much more difficult.

The "Qi Tomb" deals with evolution, taking the Innate Qi as the root, transforming into Ten Thousand Qi, from Simplicity to complexity. Meanwhile, the "Form Tomb" is the opposite, from complex to simple, using runes to construct the aspects of nature, converging into one entity.

Both were interconnected, but the process of cultivation was completely different.

Jiang Li's head started to smoke, instantly receiving those various essences frankly overwhelmed him, but fortunately, the intelligence of a Great Grandmaster was empowering enough to sustain him.

And in the midst of reception—

"The 'Form Tomb' moves from complex to simple, not yet achieving perfection, it must not be altered at will, for its essence is like a building, where various Magic Doors are combined into one and not merged into one. If that's the case, then the 'Yin Talisman Scripture'..."

Ji Jiji's "Yin Talisman Scripture," from the beginning, practiced the Heavenly Dharma, like the "Qi Tomb," from simplicity to complexity, although stemming from the same source as the "Form Tomb," but heading in completely different directions.

"The 'Yin Talisman Scripture' has more than just the 'Form Tomb'..."

Before the thought could fully emerge, blood suddenly splattered from Jiang Li's chest, a piercing light passed right through his body from behind.

As Jiang Li attained the "Form Tomb" legacy, just as he was about to uncover the secrets of the "Yin Talisman Scripture," a sudden attack brought his thoughts to an abrupt halt.

"Ji Jiji!" His gaze dropped, and he saw a hand, murmuring softly.

"It is I."

A figure had somehow appeared behind Jiang Li, his right hand piercing Jiang Li's body, and mighty True Qi surged from his arm into Jiang Li, trying to assimilate his flesh.

"Surprised?"

He spoke indifferently.

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