Chapter 64

The seven people involuntarily exchanged glances, and their gazes turned serious as they looked at Hua Xiajiu. Although the seven of them did not know what the sixth chain's test was, it was a fact that no one had ever passed it in a hundred years. Moreover, anyone who chose the sixth chain, fell into the abyss, and was saved by the restrictions in the abyss, would strangely forget everything that happened on the sixth chain.

Hua Xiajiu absorbed the energy of the shadow that seemed to be a ghostly entity, but found no useful information in it, nor in the black smoke-like substance absorbed by the folder. Fortunately, he had some conjectures about the content of the sixth chain's test, so he steeled himself and moved forward.

Sure enough, as he walked along the chain, a shadow would appear every ten meters, penetrating Hua Xiajiu's soul sea. The shadows became denser and more powerful the further he went, but for Hua Xiajiu, this was merely a matter of energy quantity. They all became great nourishment for his soul, not only having no impact on his progress but also bringing him tremendous benefits.

Soon, Hua Xiajiu had walked nearly half of the nearly kilometer-long sixth chain. Apart from the shadow attacks, he encountered no other tests, but he remained vigilant throughout, not letting his guard down at all.

On the other platform, Zhao Jinghong and the other seven people, as well as the attendants and inner disciples at the mid-slopes of the giant peaks at the end of the chains, looked at Hua Xiajiu. Their initial shock had turned into numbness and deep confusion. Zhao Jinghong's expression, in particular, became increasingly grim.

At this moment, apart from Hua Xiajiu on the sixth chain, five of the six people on the other chains had already fallen into the abyss and become outer disciples. Only a girl on the second chain had passed the test and entered the second giant peak.

Hua Xiajiu caught a glimpse of a young man and woman leading the girl who had passed the test away from the mid-slope of the second giant peak. Looking at the mid-slope of the sixth giant peak at the end of the sixth chain, he felt puzzled.

"Why are there no people at the mid-slope of the sixth giant peak to lead the ones who pass the test, when there are people at the mid-slopes of the other giant peaks?" Hua Xiajiu thought, but his steps did not slow. After a few more breaths, he had already walked the entire length of the chain and stood at the mid-slope of the sixth giant peak.

At the same time, in the depths of a purple palace on the summit of the sixth giant peak, an old man with a tall figure, sitting in meditation with his eyes tightly closed, suddenly opened his eyes. His pupils were like stars, deep and profound, exuding an indescribable sense of authority. He turned his head slightly and looked down the mountain. His gaze seemed to penetrate the palace, the mountain, and the trees, ignoring distance and space. After a while, his gaze became complex, and he smiled, sighing softly, "After a hundred years, my Netherworld lineage has finally gained a disciple."

After speaking, the old man sighed again, his lips moving as if speaking, but no sound came out. Then he closed his eyes slightly, sat still, and his figure soon became faint.

At the same time, in a palace about a mile down the mountain from the purple palace, a figure in a purple robe, with his face covered by a hood, suddenly stirred and woke from his meditation. He muttered to himself, "My master wants me to take this disciple, but Senior Brother Han and the others will surely want him as well."

Hua Xiajiu's gaze swept over the small platform connected to the chain and the stone steps leading to the summit. Seeing no living creatures, he frowned and looked at the mid-slopes of the other giant peaks, where the ones who had passed the test were being led away by two or three people, excited and elated.

Hua Xiajiu suddenly remembered something and looked at the platform on the other side of the chain. He found that Zhao Jinghong and the other seven people had already left, and the chain used for the test had mysteriously disappeared.

Receiving different treatment despite passing the test made Hua Xiajiu feel a bit depressed. After a moment of thought, he curiously looked around.

Looking up the stone steps leading to the summit, he could faintly see a tall stone gate-like structure. Beyond the stone gate, a black stone building was barely visible, and from the gate, a faint layer of gloom enveloped the entire summit.

After looking at the distance, Hua Xiajiu focused on the stone steps leading to the summit. The steps were made of an unknown black stone, clean but with a faintly eerie feeling.

Hua Xiajiu, being an unusual person, felt no discomfort from the eerie sensation. He stepped onto the black stone steps and began to climb. As he took a step, the sky suddenly darkened. Hua Xiajiu sensed something and looked up. The sky was clear and the sun was bright.

It was a hot summer day, and the sky was intensely sunny, but after stepping onto the steps, the sunlight that shone on the sixth giant peak turned pale and cold, making one feel a chill from the inside.

Hua Xiajiu felt a bit puzzled but continued to think. He found no discomfort and felt that it was actually cooler than the previously hot weather.

Hua Xiajiu continued his steady pace, walking in a straight line up the steps. After about half an incense stick's time, he had climbed nearly a thousand steps, and the huge stone gate he had seen from a distance was now right in front of him.

In front of the stone gate was a nearly hundred-square-meter platform, extremely clean and black.

Hua Xiajiu had seen a figure moving back and forth on the platform. He looked at the figure, who was wearing a black robe with a hood covering the entire head, making it impossible to see his face. The figure was holding a broom-like object and was sweeping a few fallen leaves on the platform.

Seeing what the figure was doing, Hua Xiajiu understood, "No wonder the steps are so clean."

Hua Xiajiu looked around and, seeing no one else besides the figure, quickly walked to the figure's side, politely bowed, and asked, "Senior, I am a new disciple who just passed the selection. Excuse me—uh! Where should I go now? Who should I find?"

Before Hua Xiajiu could finish speaking, the black-robed figure suddenly lifted his head. His facial muscles were decayed, revealing dull white bones, and his eye sockets were deep black holes with two clusters of red light floating inside.

Such a terrifying face would have made ordinary cultivators either run away in fear or be greatly startled, but Hua Xiajiu was only momentarily taken aback and then resumed his normal expression, still asking his question with a curious look on his face.

The 'cleaner's' two red lights in the black holes flickered, and he tilted his head to look at Hua Xiajiu for a while, then shook his head with difficulty, lowered his head, and continued sweeping the platform.

Hua Xiajiu, seeing this, bowed to the 'cleaner' and then began to observe the stone gate in front of him, which was about ten meters high.

First chapter delivered. Two more to come. Please give red tickets, favorites, and positive reviews. ————

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