Torment!
For the first time, Yun Ze understood what a gap was. Gong Chi Yi, the newly promoted Emperor, was still considered good. Although her attacks were fierce and strange, after becoming familiar with them, he could still break through her techniques with sheer force and suppress her!
But the other Emperors were different.
When they learned of Yun Ze's origin and the purpose of his cultivation, they became energized!
Especially when they discovered that in the space constructed by Shi You, time could be rewound, and no matter what was consumed or how severely injured one became, they could instantly recover.
Was there any need to hold back?
All their trump cards, hidden strengths, and techniques that required sacrificing lifespan or soul were unleashed upon Yun Ze!
Yun Ze was constantly being tempered. From initially being unable to withstand even a single move from Gong Chi Yi, he later became able to contend with the Immortal Emperor and the Demon Emperor.
To outsiders, this progress took less than an hour.
But within the space constructed by Shi You, the actual time spent was... eight thousand years!
He was indeed from a martial arts family, but he was not a traditional genius. His aptitude was mediocre, and his talent was not particularly good.
For a full eight thousand years, Yun Ze did nothing else but endure beatings and more beatings.
It was only after eight thousand years that he finally defeated Tan Jing Sheng by half a move.
A hint of relief flashed in Tan Jing Sheng's eyes.
Regardless, he had at least graduated!
But just as the two were about to leave, Shi You did not give them any time to rest and directly let Gong Chi Yi, who was outside, in.
"Seventeenth trial."
Shi You sat cross-legged to the side and said slowly, "Prepare to begin."
As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers, and everyone's exhaustion instantly recovered.
Here we go again!
Yun Ze was completely stunned.
He thought he had passed the trial by defeating the Immortal Emperor. How could there be a seventeenth trial!
"Senior Shi, this..."
"Little Yun..."
Before Yun Ze could finish speaking, Shi You turned his head and interrupted him, "You don't actually think that winning by half a move is enough to complete that plan, do you?"
"Don't forget, with your cultivation, you can rival five Lesser Saints! Is half a move enough to make you complacent?"
"Look at them!"
Shi You raised his hand and pointed at Tan Jing Sheng and Gong Chi Yi.
"They haven't uttered a single word of complaint!"
"The current situation in the Nine Nether is far beyond what you and I can imagine. With so many Emperors gathered here, do you understand the consequences?"
"It's empty!"
"The entire high-end combat force opposing the Nine Nether is depleted! Every moment you delay, countless people die because of that moment! The demons below the Nine Nether will have a greater chance of discovering this flaw!"
"Do you understand?"
"..."
Yun Ze pondered for a few breaths and stopped speaking.
He could not deny that everything Shi You said was true.
Was it just another round, with one more person added?
Bring it on!
"I understand."
Yun Ze finally uttered four words calmly.
He looked up at Tan Jing Sheng and Gong Chi Yi before him and cupped his fists for the seventeenth time, "Gentlemen, please guide me!"
"Good!"
Tan Jing Sheng and Gong Chi Yi exchanged glances and did not hold back. Both attacked Yun Ze simultaneously!
When these two Emperor realm cultivators acted together, the effect was far more than simply one plus one.
Yun Ze, who thought he had gradually mastered his strength, was suddenly overwhelmed and at a loss.
However...
Time could teach even the most dull-witted person everything, even making a monkey blindly strike the Guai Wu Secret Codex was not difficult.
Fourteen thousand years later.
After facing the dream team combination of Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian, Yun Ze could deal with them with ease.
And during this period, he began to intentionally study and explore the techniques of these Emperors. With Shi You's records and guidance, he learned almost all of them.
A total of twenty-two thousand years was enough for a willing learner to master everything they wanted to learn.
"Hoo..."
This time, it was Tan Jing Sheng's turn to gasp for breath.
As the strongest in this era, Shi You naturally focused his attention on this young man in such a situation.
Yun Ze had spent twenty-two thousand years here, and he had spent at least twelve thousand years, constantly being the focus of Yun Ze's attention.
When it was a two-on-one fight, he was almost always restrained or instantly defeated.
These two, one old turtle and one young turtle, were truly black-hearted!
*Snap!*
With a snap of Shi You's fingers, everyone's condition instantly recovered.
Tan Jing Sheng pushed himself up and the first thing he asked Shi You was, "Is that enough now? This kid can even handle both of us combined with ease. I'm afraid there's no point in continuing to train him."
"Who said that?"
Shi You retorted, "You two wait outside. I'll call you in later."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian disappeared from the space.
Only Shi You and Yun Ze remained in this space.
Looking at Shi You, Yun Ze had already guessed something: "Is it time for the third round?"
He had always thought that Shi You would join the team in the second round to temper him, but later, when he knew that Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian were attacking together, Shi You did not participate.
Yun Ze knew that Shi You's strength was likely more terrifying than he had imagined!
"Naturally."
Shi You calmly uttered two words, then smiled, "I've watched you grow from the very beginning. Are you ready?"
"Bring it on."
Twenty thousand years later.
If he could regret it, Yun Ze might not have let himself utter those four words.
Twenty thousand years!
For a full twenty thousand years, Shi You had deciphered all his secret arts and techniques in various ways, methods, and skills!
No matter how he tried, he could not break through Shi You's defenses. Even when Shi You used the same methods Yun Ze had used, and Yun Ze tried to counter them using Shi You's methods, it was still useless. Instead, he would be counter-attacked!
By the eighteenth millennium, Yun Ze finally understood.
The so-called techniques and secret arts were merely methods of using spiritual energy. Even if secret arts were used according to that pattern and method, they could achieve a multiple-fold increase, so what?
As long as there was enough spiritual power, secret arts and techniques could be deciphered regardless of how they were performed!
However, speaking of which.
When spiritual energy was equal, the importance of secret arts and techniques was self-evident.
But the techniques and secret arts he used were designed by others, so their compatibility was naturally different from that of their creators.
If he wanted to maximize the efficiency of his spiritual energy, there was only one way.
Self-creation!
The important thing was not the grade of the technique or secret art, but a route for using spiritual energy that suited him!
Yun Ze had a sudden enlightenment.
In the subsequent two thousand years, he incorporated the strengths of the various Emperors and finally designed a set of techniques that best suited him.
This time, Yun Ze finally understood what it meant to have autonomous control over his power.
"You finally understand?"
Twenty thousand years later, Shi You had not been defeated, but after a draw with Yun Ze, he stopped.
"It seems it's time for the next stage."
"There's more!?"
Yun Ze was completely stunned.
Although he was willing to save the world, the constant battles and attrition over these forty thousand years had made him somewhat despair: "Old Shi, just give me a definite answer. How far do I need to go before we can move to the next stage?"
"You can't possibly expect me to fight all the current Emperors alone, can you?"
"Why not?"
Shi You retorted, "With your current cultivation foundation, is it not enough to do such a thing?"
"This..."
Yun Ze was momentarily stunned by the question.
Is it not possible?
The answer was obviously yes!
It would just be very difficult!
Extremely difficult!
But these forty thousand years had passed, was he still concerned about this little bit of difficulty?
Shi You did not press further, but with a wave of his hand, he opened the space and pulled Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian in.
"Second to last stage."
He said to the two, "If you can defeat the three of us simultaneously, you will pass."
Three people!?
Yun Ze's vision went black, and he felt a sense of despair.
After ten thousand years, he naturally knew how terrifying the combination of these three was!
Xiu Li Tian's path of killing was unparalleled in its ferocity, while Tan Jing Sheng, although primarily cultivating the immortal path, had dabbled in all other paths. He could be considered a perverted version of Yun Xiao, and he was at the peak of the Emperor realm!
Coupled with Shi You...
For the first time in over forty thousand years, Yun Ze doubted himself.
He did not doubt his ability to defeat the combination of Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian, but he doubted if he would be beaten to death by these three!
This was no longer a matter of talent, control of power, or technique.
It was a chasm!
"Still standing there?"
Shi You's voice echoed in his ear. Yun Ze felt a sharp pain in his lower back and experienced the feeling of his soul and form being annihilated!
First failure!
With a crisp sound, Shi You snapped his fingers again, restoring everything around them.
Yun Ze frowned and couldn't help but ask, "What was that just now..."
"Obviously, you died once."
Shi You said calmly, "To give you more motivation, I've increased your pain perception to triple. How is it? Isn't it thoughtful?"
"...I really thank you!"
Before Yun Ze could make a move, Shi You turned to Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian, "Including me, and you two. All of us now have triple pain perception. Unless we die, we won't recover to our original state."
"This is a trial for him, and for us... it is too!"
Xiu Li Tian and Tan Jing Sheng exchanged glances. They also knew that this might be an opportunity for them.
An opportunity to break through to a higher realm!
After all, apart from a certain pervert, the easiest way to break through on the path of cultivation was a battle to the death!
Now, in this environment, there were three individuals of similar caliber who had abandoned life and death for a single battle.
Such an opportunity was rare and precious!
Fight!
"It seems everyone is ready? Then let's begin!"
Fifty thousand years!
This time, it took a full fifty thousand years!
Under the siege of the three, Yun Ze died over a million times. It was only when he mastered the unity of the five elemental origins that he could barely contend with the three without defeat.
After all, he was improving, and the other three could not stand still.
The four had fought for so long without a clear winner. When the fifty thousand years were up, Shi You also stopped.
"It seems about time."
Shi You turned to Yun Ze and said, "The final stage, we'll tackle it after you break through."
As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers and removed the entire space.
Looking at the world before him, which he had not seen for nearly a hundred thousand years, Yun Ze couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
Nearly a hundred thousand years!
In these hundred thousand years, he was either fighting for his life or on the path to death.
This feeling had stretched his spirit to its absolute limit!
The moment Shi You removed the space, he fainted directly.
Fortunately, Bu Bu was quick-witted and caught him in time, otherwise it would have been bad if he had damaged the flowers and plants.
Seeing Yun Ze in this state, Bu Bu frowned and turned to Shi You, "How long did you take?"
"Ninety-two thousand years."
Shi You replied calmly, "He has eight thousand years left in the Yu Jue. I plan to save it for him after his breakthrough."
"Mm."
Bu Bu responded with a slight nod.
Yu Jue, also known as Time Immortal Jade.
Apart from the controller, every person who reached the Emperor realm had a usage time of one hundred thousand years within it. During these one hundred thousand years, all Emperors who entered would not consume their lifespan.
Originally, this was used for peak Emperor realm cultivators to enter secluded cultivation and attempt to break through to the Land Immortal realm. However, with the heavenly chasm now, mortals could not break through that realm no matter what techniques they cultivated.
Unless someone could shatter the heavenly chasm, they would have a chance to ascend to that realm!
And Yun Ze was naturally the only key.
He did not need to use these one hundred thousand years for secluded cultivation.
"Shall I wake him up now?" Shi You asked Bu Bu as he walked over.
"He's too tired. Let him rest for a while longer."
Bu Bu replied, also giving Yun Ze a brief respite.
"Very well."
Shi You responded, then turned to look at all the Emperors, including Tan Jing Sheng and Xiu Li Tian, "Everyone, while our savior is sleeping, shall we have a small meeting?"
The main topic was here!
The Emperors emerged from their cultivation state, looked at Shi You, and waited quietly.
Shi You explained his future plans, including how to counterattack the Nine Nether and what to do after entering the Nine Nether.
After discussion among the Emperors, about three hours later, the plan to counterattack the Nine Nether was basically finalized.
Then, they would wait for Yun Ze to awaken and, with the collective strength of everyone, help him break through to the Land Immortal realm.
It was just a single hurdle, so there was no need to worry about the purity of spiritual energy; quantity was enough to pile it up.
However, to be safe, Shi You still turned to Gong Chi Yi and said, "Little Gong."
"Senior, what are your instructions?"
"There's someone who might need you to personally go and find him."
"Who?"
Gong Chi Yi was slightly taken aback. She knew Shi You intended to send her away, but she didn't know what reason he would use to do so.
"I think his name is... Yu Xian or something."
Shi You said uncertainly, "Yes, his name is Yu Xian. He's also from your Immortal Mansion. You need to capture him alive and bring him here as soon as possible. Don't worry about the rest."
Gong Chi Yi did not speak. She glanced at Tan Jing Sheng, as if asking for his opinion.
Tan Jing Sheng nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.
"Alright, I'll be back soon."
Gong Chi Yi replied and instantly disappeared from her spot.
It's just finding someone.
Easy!
Let's see what excuse you have to not let me participate when I get back before that kid wakes up.
Half an hour passed. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Gong Chi Yi had not returned yet, but Yun Ze was gradually waking up.
The first thing he felt upon opening his eyes was that he seemed to be dreaming.
But when he saw Shi You's old face, the ninety-eight thousand years of memories instantly flooded his mind!
There was no way. These ninety-eight thousand years of memories were too painful for him!
Yun Ze shook his head, adjusted his mindset slightly, and looked at Shi You, asking, "Are we moving to the next step?"
"Mm."
Shi You responded, "Are you ready?"
"Does it matter if I'm not ready?"
Yun Ze gave a bitter smile and said, "Can you wait for me?"
"Of course not."
Shi You casually said, "The Nine Nether are about to launch a full-scale attack. If you say you're not ready, I'll just throw you into the Gate of the Nine Nether. Then, how many you can kill will depend on your own ability."
"...Let's do it."
Yun Ze couldn't help but roll his eyes and said in unison.
Shi You turned to look at the Emperors, "Come on, it's time to get to work!"
This half-hour was enough for Shi You to set up the formation.
As he called out, the Emperors took their positions according to their cultivation levels and proximity. Yun Ze sat in the center of the formation, with Shi You, Tan Jing Sheng, and Xiu Li Tian outside. Beyond them, five people were stationed at the five elements, and outside them, eight people formed the innate Bagua formation.
"Formation rise!"
Shi You uttered two words, and the Emperors poured their spiritual energy into the formation, instantly forming a waterfall of spiritual liquid suspended above Yun Ze's head, enveloping him!
As for Bu Bu and the others, they sat around, absorbing the scattered spiritual energy nearby.
Yun Ze felt his Qi sea instantly fill up, and then he sensed a barrier!
Is this the restraint of heaven and earth?
The barrier felt like a giant hand pressing down on his head, hovering in the sky, as if it could crush him into powder at any moment!
Even though Yun Ze was now at the peak of the Mahayana stage, he still felt as humble as an ant!
But... so what?
I am here to break through the barrier!
Yun Ze frowned slightly and began to condense the vast spiritual energy in his Qi sea into a ball, preparing to charge towards this barrier.
But in the next instant!
The chaos in his Qi sea seemed to sense something and instantly soared into the sky, easily passing through the barrier.
*Crack~*
With a crisp sound, since ancient times, the first Land Immortal realm appeared!