Labyrinth

Feng Fan let out a sigh of relief. 'If this trial involved fighting a demon beast or a cultivator, I might as well hand over my head on a silver platter,' he thought. 'But since it's based on something else, there's still a chance, no matter how low of a chance it is.'

A faint smile crossed his face. 'Good thing I managed to sense spiritual qi before coming here. That's going to be the key to finishing this labyrinth.'

Feng Fan slowly closed his eyes and started breathing according to the Basic Qi Cultivation Arts. In the same manner as the last time, he soon started feeling the spiritual qi entering and leaving his body.

He carefully expanded his senses, extending them beyond his body and into the foggy surroundings. He quickly noticed a pattern. 

Some areas in the fog had dispersed spiritual qi, while others had concentrated qi in a single spot.

Feng Fan pondered. The areas with qi concentrated at a small spot are likely traps or living beings, he concluded. 

The concentrated qi could signify the presence of something dangerous, perhaps a stronger entity like a cultivator or beast. The dispersed spiritual qi might indicate natural energy flow, guiding me toward a safe path.

With this reasoning in mind, he decided to focus on navigating through the dispersed qi zones.

While Feng Fan carefully searched for a way out of the labyrinth, the old soul plotting to seize his body was practically bursting with glee.

'Oh, my good heavens, you haven't forsaken me after all!' the old soul exclaimed, his thoughts brimming with excitement. 'This brat actually managed to cultivate the first part of the Heavens Suppression Arts! Who would have thought someone in this era could still achieve that? Once I claim his body, I, the Heavenly Demon Monarch, shall rise again and dominate the immortal world!'

'As long as his Qi Cultivation talent is at least Top Tale—no, even an above average is enough. If I can successfully cultivate the second part of the Heavens Suppression Arts, no matter how mediocre his body's qi cultivation talent is, I can rebuild it and dominate all under the heavens! Hahaha!'

A few minutes later, Feng Fan attempted to focus on his body while maintaining his spiritual qi vision. The moment he tried to move his right leg, the clarity of the spiritual qi around him began to blur.

He froze mid-step, his leg suspended in the air, and refocused his mind. 'This is harder than I expected,' he thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Once the spiritual qi stabilized in his vision again, Feng Fan carefully completed his step.

This time his spiritual qi vision didn't blur. Good! I can do this,' he thought, a flicker of confidence sparking within him.

Second step.

Third step.

After a full minute and ten steps, Feng Fan felt he was starting to adapt. 

He could almost move freely without losing his spiritual qi vision. 

He suddenly made a precise 45-degree turn to the left and continued to tread cautiously forward.

'Haha, not bad at all. As expected of someone who could touch upon the Return to Emptiness state even before stepping into the Qi Gathering realm,' he thought, a hint of desire for something that would soon be his surfacing.

This slight change in direction saved him from an encounter with a first-stage Qi Gathering demon beast. Faced with a creature that had already embarked on the cultivation path in a direct confrontation, Feng Fan would lose eleven out of ten times.

The further Feng Fan progressed, the more he understood the severity of this trial. Multiple figures were moving inside the fog. If he had ventured forward blindly, he would have been guaranteed to collide with them.

Feng Fan carefully navigated toward areas with less concentrated spiritual energy, confident that this path would eventually lead him to the exit. 

However, life rarely went as planned.

His right foot struck something hard, causing him to stumble and crash to the ground with a loud thud. The sound echoed through the labyrinth, and in that moment of panic, his spiritual qi vision faltered and vanished.

Gritting his teeth, Feng Fan forced himself to refocus, regaining his spiritual qi vision. But his relief was short-lived, several figures were already closing in on him.

'I'll have to maintain my spiritual qi vision while running. Fuck!'

'Damn it, this brat messed up!' the Heavenly Demon Monarch thought with panic. 'If he dies now, I'll lose a perfect vessel!'

Feng Fan took a deep breath and began to run. The instant he moved, his spiritual qi vision wavered, threatening to fade completely.

Gritting his teeth, he focused all his willpower, anchoring his concentration to his breathing and mind. Gradually, he managed to stabilize his spiritual qi vision. 

As he darted through the labyrinth, he made calculated turns, skillfully avoiding the clusters of dense spiritual qi heading his way.

Fortunately, unlike him, the entities couldn't pinpoint his exact location. Using this to his advantage, Feng Fan narrowly evaded them.

'Screw all of you! I, Feng Fan, am not some easy cockroach to squash! I'm a goddamn flying cockroach!' He thought triumphantly.

Feng Fan suddenly sensed a powerful surge of spiritual qi just a few meters ahead. Its size and intensity made him certain that this had to be the labyrinth's exit!

Determined, he dashed toward it, but before he could get far, a dense cluster of spiritual qi erupted from the ground directly in his path.

"ROAAAR!"

The deafening roar shook the air, and a cold shiver raced down Feng Fan's back. Hot, sticky droplets of saliva splattered across his face.

'Gross!'

The instant Feng Fan felt the hot saliva, he spun around and bolted, his legs pumping as fast as they could carry him. 

His spiritual qi vision had already slipped away due to his loss of focus, and he knew he couldn't outrun the beast, but he wouldn't need to run far. 

Just before the vision had faded completely, he sensed a dense concentration of spiritual qi ahead—like a vast lake. Without hesitation, he ran toward it, the only hope that seemed capable of saving him now.

As Feng Fan ran, he focused once more, and his spiritual qi vision returned. 

Just as he neared the vast spiritual qi lake, he threw himself to the ground. The beast, unable to halt its charge in time, slammed into Feng Fan's legs and tumbled into the lake. 

Whatever lay before him, Feng Fan didn't know, but he heard the beast let out one final roar before its voice faded into nothingness.