Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 227 The Promise of the Third Trial: A Test of the Heart for the People

The afterglow of the written examination at Tingquan Terrace had not yet faded, but Lan Fenghuang's attitude had already subtly changed. She was no longer as aloof and scrutinizing as before; her gaze towards Chen Xing was now dominated by curiosity and inquiry, and even contained a hint of appreciation for a "fellow traveler" that she herself was unaware of.

"Follow me." She turned around and walked lightly to the other side of the stone platform. It was not a dead end, but rather a place close to the mountain wall, where several old vines, as thick as a child's arm and of unknown age, hung down. The vines were intertwined and disappeared into the thicker mist above.

Lan Fenghuang grabbed one of the vines, turned back to Chen Xing with a sly smile, and said, "Your Majesty, there are no mountain demons blocking the way this time, but the path... you'll have to climb it yourself. The third test is up there." She pointed to the white, misty expanse above, which seemed to lead to the sky, and then leaped up like a nimble lynx, using the vines for leverage. In a few bounds, she disappeared into the mist, leaving only her silvery voice drifting back: "Your Majesty, don't lose me!"

Chen Xing looked up at the almost vertical, slippery, and treacherous cliff face and the tangled vines, then glanced back at the white cobblestone path he had come from—now the path was shrouded in the receding mist, and there seemed to be no way back. He took a deep breath, sheathed his steel sword, slung it behind his back, stretched his wrists, grabbed the toughest-looking old vine, tested his strength, and then, using both hands and feet, relying on the superhuman strength, agility, and balance enhanced by the system, he climbed upwards just as swiftly and steadily.

The cliff face was much steeper and slipperier than it appeared, covered in moss and thorns, making it impossible to touch. The fog was especially thick above, almost pitch black, and one could only rely on feeling and the occasional faint, silvery chimes emanating from the blue phoenix to determine direction. After climbing for about twenty zhang (approximately 33 meters), the fog suddenly cleared, revealing a natural stone platform jutting out from the cliff, half-hidden by clouds and mist. The platform was small, but in its center stood a simple, ancient altar, slightly carved from natural rock. The altar was circular, with a recessed stone basin in the center, filled with a clear liquid that shimmered with a strange light. Around it stood several stone pillars engraved with intricate patterns of insects, snakes, and stars, their tops burning with a ghostly blue, smokeless, and odorless flame, illuminating this secluded place above the clouds with a mysterious and solemn aura.

Lan Fenghuang was already standing by the altar, bending down and gently fiddling with something in the stone basin. Hearing Chen Xing climb up, she didn't turn around, but simply said softly, "Your Majesty is quite skilled. Please come over; this is the third test, the 'Test of the Heart'."

Chen Xing stepped onto the stone platform and looked around. This seemed to be the highest point of Cloud Mist Ridge; below him, a surging sea of ​​clouds stretched out, and above, a rare, hazy blue sky filtered through the mist. The wind howled, yet it couldn't dispel the strange, lingering atmosphere on the stone platform. The altar, stone pillars, ghostly fire, and the unknown liquid in the stone basin together created an ancient and primal sense of ritual.

"A heart test?" Chen Xing walked to the edge of the altar and stood side by side with Lan Fenghuang, looking at the stone basin. The liquid in the basin was crystal clear, but it did not reflect any human image. Instead, it was like a mirror, reflecting the changing clouds and the eerie blue firelight above, deep and unfathomable.

"Not bad." Lan Fenghuang straightened up, her expression more solemn than ever before, even carrying a hint of divine reverence. She stretched out her hands, palms up, placing them above the stone basin, and began to chant an ancient, difficult-to-pronounce song full of peculiar rhythms. The song was not like a human voice, but rather like a convergence of natural sounds—the wind rustling through the treetops, springs gushing from the crevices of rocks, and insects chirping in the moonlit night—ethereal and otherworldly, reaching straight to the heart.

As she chanted, the shimmering liquid in the stone basin began to rotate slowly without wind, gradually forming a vortex at its center. The vortex grew deeper and deeper, drawing in the eerie blue flames. Mixed with the liquid's shimmering light, it projected a hazy, ever-changing light and shadow about a foot above the basin's surface.

"Your Majesty, please look." Lan Fenghuang stopped chanting, her voice somewhat ethereal. "This is the 'Mirror of Inquiry,' which reflects not external objects, but the desires and fears deep within the viewer's heart. It is a series of illusions, but also a trial that points directly to one's true nature. What you see in it, what you hold onto, and what you reject—that is the answer to the 'Trial of the Heart.'"

She looked at Chen Xing, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "Ordinary people who enter this illusion often become immersed in the most intense desires or the deepest fears, unable to extricate themselves, ultimately suffering mental and physical damage and falling into a state of confusion. Your Majesty is no ordinary person; your martial prowess and wisdom astound even Phoenix. However, while martial prowess can subdue ferocious beasts and wisdom can discern rare poisons, it is this 'heart'... that is the most unpredictable, and also the most real. Your Majesty cherishes the world and aspires to unify it. Is this aspiration genuine? Is it driven by boundless greed for power, or is it a sincere desire to end the chaos and save the people? Before this 'Mirror of Inquiry,' all pretense will be exposed."

She paused, her tone becoming profound: "If Your Majesty can remain steadfast in your original aspiration of 'pacifying the world and saving the people' amidst these illusions, resisting temptation and fear, and breaking free of the illusions, then you will have passed the 'Test of the Heart.' My Baiyue Sect will not only cease to be Your Majesty's enemy and be willing to lend our way to the royal army, but we may even... consider forming an alliance with Your Majesty. If Your Majesty becomes lost in them..." She shook her head, not finishing her sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

Chen Xing stared at the ever-changing vortex of light and shadow above the stone basin, and understood. This was probably a "mental interrogation" that directly probed the subconscious, combining hallucinogenic drugs passed down in Miao territory, a special geographical energy field, and hypnotic techniques. Compared to the direct confrontation of the previous two trials, this one was far more dangerous, targeting the core of one's spirit.

"I understand," Chen Xing said calmly. "How shall we begin?"

"Simply concentrate and focus on the 'Mirror Heart'." Lan Fenghuang stepped back two steps, making way for the position directly in front of the altar. She then sat cross-legged beside a stone pillar, closed her eyes, as if she were also regulating her breathing, or perhaps waiting for something.

Without further hesitation, Chen Xing stepped forward and stood before the altar, clearing his mind of all distractions. His gaze sharpened as he focused on the deep, swirling vortex at the center of the stone basin.

The instant his gaze met it, the light and shadow in the basin suddenly surged! A halo of deep blue and pale white light engulfed him like a tidal wave, and the surrounding altar, stone pillars, blue phoenix, and even the entire stone platform and the howling wind all instantly receded, blurred, and vanished...

The first illusion rushes towards you.

He found himself clad in the twelve-symbol imperial robes, perched atop a throne in a palace far more magnificent than the Weiyang Palace in Chang'an, a palace built of gold and jade. Below him stretched an endless array of officials and envoys from various nations, prostrating themselves like ants, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Beyond the palace lay a vast, beautiful land, bathed in sunlight, a scene of peace and prosperity. Ultimate power, unparalleled honor, the ability to take whatever he desired—it was as if he held the entire universe under his control. A seductive voice echoed in his mind: "Look, this is what you deserve for conquering the world! To possess the four seas, to enjoy supreme power, to have the power of life and death, to experience boundless pleasure! Why bother caring about the lives of those insignificant commoners? Enjoy this supreme power..."

Chen Xing's lips curled slightly, his eyes as clear as ever. This illusion was indeed alluring, amplifying his subconscious expectations of the "scene after the unification" to the extreme. However, he knew all too well that the pinnacle of power, if not built on a foundation of responsibility, was a castle in the air, destined to collapse. What he sought was never absolute power for himself, but rather the creation of an era where billions of lives could live in peace and prosperity. This illusion could not sway him.

As if sensing his resolve, the illusion of power shattered like a bubble.

The second illusion followed immediately.

He found himself in a tranquil and peaceful Jiangnan water town, untouched by worldly strife. Small bridges spanned flowing streams, misty rain shrouded the landscape, and the sounds of music drifted from painted boats. Murong Mingyue, Su Xiaoxiao, Lin Wan'er… even Lan Fenghuang surrounded him, their smiles radiant, their affection tender. There was no court intrigue, no smoke of war, only the beauty of life, and the company of beautiful women. A voice within him softened: Let it go. Why carry such a heavy burden? To be with one's beloved, to roam freely amidst nature, to enjoy the bliss of having multiple lovers—wouldn't that be a thousand times, a million times, more joyful than the cold throne and the weight of state affairs? This was the true meaning of life…

Chen Xing's heart trembled slightly. This illusion touched a soft spot in his heart. After years of fighting and little time spent with his family, the longing for a peaceful life was real. However, he knew even more clearly that without the foundation of a peaceful world, this so-called "Shangri-La" was nothing but a mirage, destined to be destroyed by war in an instant. His responsibility and his ideals did not allow him to indulge in this. A life of comfort is a hero's grave, but he, Chen Xing, wanted to be a founder, not an escapee.

The idyllic illusion has also vanished with the wind.

The third layer of illusion is the most profound and terrifying.

He felt as if he had fallen into the deepest hell. Before him lay mountains of corpses and seas of blood, severed limbs and countless soldiers and civilians who had perished in countless wars, their faces contorted with resentment and pain, reaching out their bloodied hands in silent accusation. The cries and curses of countless lives filled his ears. The earth beneath his feet cracked, spewing forth scorching lava and poisonous mist. He was alone, his crown shattered, his robes stained with blood, abandoned by all. Jia Wen, Chen Wei, Dian Xiong… even Murong Mingyue looked at him with cold, disappointed eyes. A voice within him grew sharp and vicious: Look! This is what your so-called 'unification of the world' has brought you! Piles of bones, heinous sins! You are the greatest butcher! Your ambition, your so-called ideals, are nothing but hypocritical pretexts built upon countless lives! You deserve nothing, only to be forever condemned to this abyss, to bear this endless pain and condemnation!

This was a magnified manifestation of deep-seated fear and guilt. The cruelty of war and the loss of life had always been a heavy burden that Chen Xing was reluctant to touch. Now, it was laid bare before him, attempting to crush his will with the deepest sense of guilt.

Chen Xing's face paled slightly, and his breathing became heavy. But he clenched his teeth tightly, his gaze fixed on the wailing and howling phantoms in the illusion, and roared with all his might, his voice seeming to tear this illusory purgatory apart:

"I know! I know war kills people! It brings suffering! But that's precisely why I must end this chaos! A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one! Allowing fragmentation and endless war will only lead to more deaths and prolonged suffering! What I want to build is a world where future generations will never experience war again, a world where they can live in peace! These sacrifices... these sins... I will bear them! But my will will never waver! Break through!!!"

Amidst the roar, an overwhelming willpower, mixed with his unwavering belief in a peaceful and prosperous future, pierced through the illusions of fear and self-reproach like a sharp sword!

"boom--!"

All the mountains of corpses, seas of blood, curses, wails, and magma poison mist, like shattered glass, crumbled inch by inch, turning into specks of light and dissipating.

Chen Xing suddenly opened his eyes!

He still stood before the altar. The whirlpool in the stone basin had subsided, the liquid had returned to calm, and the soft light shone gently. The pale blue flames on the surrounding stone pillars flickered gently, reflecting the fine beads of sweat on his forehead and the slight rise and fall of his chest. But his eyes were brighter, more determined, and clearer than ever before, like tempered steel, stripped of all artifice, leaving only his true self.

Blue Phoenix, who was sitting cross-legged to the side, had opened her eyes at some point and was looking at him with an extremely complex gaze. In that gaze, there was shock, relief, admiration, and even a trace of something indescribable... a flutter of emotion.

She slowly stood up, walked to Chen Xing, looked up at him, and spoke in a soft, dreamlike voice:

"I saw it... In your illusion, I saw the temptation of boundless power, which you discarded like worn-out shoes; I saw the shackles of a gentle embrace, which you broke free from without regret; I saw the deepest sins and fears, which you carried yet moved forward... From beginning to end, the deepest and brightest part of your 'heart' has always been that 'world' you wanted to create, a world without war, where people live in peace..." A glimmer seemed to appear in her eyes. "So, there really are people in this world who can be so steadfast and willing to sacrifice everything for such a seemingly ethereal 'ideal'."

She suddenly smiled, a pure and radiant smile, like the moon emerging from the clouds, shedding all the veneer of mystery and distance: "The third test, 'Heart,' Your Majesty passed. Moreover, it was the most brilliant 'Heart Inquiry' that Phoenix has ever seen."

She took a step back, faced Chen Xing, and curtsied respectfully, her posture dignified and solemn, using the most formal etiquette of the Central Plains:

"Blue Phoenix, the thirty-seventh Holy Maiden of the Baiyue Sect, pays her respects to Emperor Xingqi. I was offended before because I did not understand Your Majesty's true intentions and feared that I would invite trouble into the mountain people. Now, seeing Your Majesty's benevolence and integrity, and your concern for all living beings, I am deeply moved. I am willing to lead the Baiyue Sect to submit to Your Majesty, help Your Majesty pacify the southwest, and offer our sect's secret antidote and insect-controlling method to atone for my past transgressions and do my utmost."