The 4th Trial Realm

When Yaan regained his bearings, he realised that he had already left the red vortex. There were 22 others around him, including Zue Yin. Everyone looked disorientated and exhausted, but strangely, this exhaustion was entirely psychological – physically, they were all in peak condition.

"What even was that…?" Zue Yin muttered, shivering as she recalled the experience just now. Yaan glanced at her but said nothing. He wasn't surprised that she hadn't gained the hidden benefits from the vortex, since she wasn't a body temperer and had a minimal understanding of vitality.

Yaan remained silent, because right now, he was hurriedly refining the absorbed vitality from the spatial vortex into his own Vital Energy. Taking that vitality into his body had been useless originally, but after fighting against the spatial vortex's current, the absorbed vitality was used to rapidly heal over the sustained injuries, improving his physical flesh and his Vital Energy in the process!

'I started at 17% progress through the 3-Star Realm…but now, I've actually reached 42%, and it's still climbing!' Yaan swallowed slightly, struggling to contain his excitement. Just as he was about to refine this lingering energy throughout his body into Vital Energy, he paused.

Right now, there was a large amount of vitality from the spatial vortex lingering within his body, but not so much that he couldn't forcibly hold it in place. Yaan realised that if he forced this energy to stabilise, without circulating it through his body and absorbing it, the energy actually strengthened his fleshly body! Opportunities like this were hard to come by!

And so, Yaan restrained the energy whilst doing his best to maintain a plain expression, despite the monuments pressure which was building up within him.

As soon as the 23 people who emerged from the spatial vortex regained consciousness, the giant red devil spirit appeared once again. However, it seemed a bit different this time…

"Greetings, to the 23 true contenders for master's supreme inheritance. The tests up until now were to filter off those who possess no chance of being the rightful inheritor. In the previous trials, the me that you saw was merely a recording, but now, I, the true inheritance spirit, am here."

Everyone stared at the spirit with blank expressions. When they recalled the terror they had felt when they faced the devil spirit in the previous three trials, despite it only being a recording, they realised that this inheritance was truly something incredible.

"I will now explain the rules of the 4th trial." The giant spirit's booming voice resounded across the region. It waved its giant red arm, sending out 46 arcs of red light. When Yaan blinked and looked down, he saw that he was now holding two books, one in each hand.

"All entrants into the 4th trial are given two copies of the Fiend Transformation Technique. The first copy is the incomplete version; this version has already been spread throughout the outside world, it is occasionally given out as a prize in the 2nd and 3rd trials. The second book is the complete Fiend Transformation Technique. This copy contains everything of note regarding the path of the fiend…"

Yaan stared at the two books in shock.

He gained the complete Fiend Transformation Technique, just like that…?

"To complete the 4th trial and enter the 5th Trial Realm, the requirements are strict. It is possible to live peacefully and safely in the 4th Trial Realm, but if you wish to progress further, then it is almost essential that you undergo the Fiend Transformation. Even for Qi refiners, there is still hope if you wish to change your path. At any time, you may state this chant, and the realm will allow you to switch paths."

With a flick of the devil spirit's wrist, 22 streams of dark light flew shot into the minds of the 22 cultivators around Yaan. Clearly, they had been taught the chant which would allow them to make use of the inheritance in order to change their path. However, when they considered this choice, everyone wore unwilling expressions.

Their complex looks were understandable. Who would willingly cripple their own cultivation, just to switch to the body tempering path? Zue Yin and a few others glanced at Yaan when they had this thought, as did the devil spirit.

"So there is already a fiend amongst you…and a pure body temperer at that…" Suddenly, the devil waved its hand once again, sending a red beam of light directly into Yaan's forehead before he had the chance to react. After slowly passing through him and out from the back of his head, the beam of light curved back around, before re-returning to the devil spirit's hand. The devil closed its eyes for a few seconds, then when it reopened them it looked at Yaan with an odd expression.

"I strongly recommend that you study the complete Fiend Transformation Technique…and that Fiend Alchemy guide…"

When he heard the strange tone of voice used by the devil spirit, Yaan felt bewildered and couldn't help but ask:

"Why, is there a problem?"

"Your technique is incomplete…and your knowledge is far too lacking…"

After looking at Yaan deeply for a moment, the devil spirit shook its head before turning away and casting its gaze across the group.

Silently, it floated towards the top of the dome - yes, the dome. There was a grey-blue translucent dome covering the region, which was perhaps half a mile from end to end. The devil, although still huge, had clearly shrunken itself substantially just to fit within the confines of this dome. Aside from the devil spirit and the 23 cultivators, there was nothing else to be seen within this dome apart from the dry, barren, dusty ground beneath their feet.

"There are nine levels of elevation within the 4th Trial Realm. We are currently on the lowest level, the 1st level, which is a barren land without much external pressure. You will start with an abode on this level, and you may only ascend to a higher level after gaining an abode on that level. Each consecutive level is superior to the last. Each level is located 333 feet above the lower levels. The higher levels flaunt superior lands, where superior plants, fruits and herbs can be grown. The upper levels have environments which are highly suitable for body tempering cultivation, alongside resources which cannot be found easily in the outside world…"

The devil paused to let them process this information. Just as the spirit was about to continue, Zue Yin interrupted with questions.

"What about the Spiritual Energy? The Spiritual Energy here is awful, cultivating here is impossible! Is it better on higher levels?"

"No." The devil answered flatly, stunning many people present.

"The 4th Trial Realm is a micro-realm which master created after modelling its environment after his home-world. In master's home-world, there was no Spiritual Energy permeating the air, making Qi refining a rarity. Instead, all of the energy of heaven and earth was absorbed into the ground, into the rivers, streams, trees, flowers and fruits, and so on. The same is true here. There is no atmospheric Spiritual Energy in the 4th Trial Realm, but resources are aplenty…you could call this a body tempering utopia of sorts, compared to the outside world at least."

Seeing that there were no more questions, and ignoring their depressed expressions, the devilish spirit continued on.

"Now then, onto the rules…"

Everyone tensed up. Until now, slaughter and bloodshed had been strongly encouraged. Would the same be true in the 4th trial…?

"All violence outside of official battles is prohibited. Minor discretions will be punished by reducing your rank, or even your level of abode. Major discretions such as murder, will be met with execution. If violence is used in self defence, the case will be judged individually and fairly."

People sighed in relief, but Yaan narrowed his eyes and couldn't help but ask:

"What's an official battle? What's a ranking? How can we raise our level of abode?"

The devil glanced at him and immediately broke out into a deep, booming laughter.

"Hahaha! Do not be impatient, I will explain everything to you clearly It is like this…"

"There is a ranking system in the 4th Trial Realm. The ranking is split up into half-levels, meaning the lower 50% and upper 50% of each level. You can only challenge someone ranked at most two half levels above yourself. You cannot challenge those on half-levels below your own. For example, you are currently in the lower 1st level, and as such, you may challenge anyone within the lower 1st level, the upper 1st level, and the lower 2nd level."

"All official battles are arranged in the official battle temples. The official battles take place in the designated battle arenas, and all are to the death. If you defeat someone, you gain their rank, their abode and all of their possessions. If someone declines your challenge, they lose by default. In such cases, the loser will keep their life, but they will still lose their rank, their home, and their possessions to the default victor."

As people processed all of this, someone unknown spoke up, asking the question that was on everyone's mind.

"How can we pass the trial? And…is there any method to leave the 4th inheritance other than passing through to the 5th trial?"

The devil spirit seemed to glare at the man who spoke up for a moment, making him stifle a faint squeal as he flinched backwards. The devil then snorted before replying.

"There is no exit, not until the inheritance has been completed! As for passing the 4th trial…firstly, you must reach the 9th level. Then, you must pass through the three halls in the 9th Pagoda, and fly up, out from the 4th Trial Realm and into the 5th Trial Realm."

"Huh?" Someone couldn't help but blurt out. "That's it, we just need to…fly out?"

The devil laughed in an eery manor and shook its head slowly.

"Flying out of the 4th Trial Realm is no easy feat…"

"Then how-"

"Enough questions!" The devil spirit's words silenced everyone. Its booming voice which echoed through their ears like countless claps of thunder reminded made them unable and unwilling to say anything else.

"I will say one more thing. On each level, aside from the private abodes, the battle arenas and the public regions, there are also multiple temples which have existed since the creation of the trial! There is a single battle temple and pagoda on each level, each will be exceedingly helpful for your progression. Now…it seems that those guides have noticed your arrival. There's no need for me to say anything else…I truly hope that one of you has the fate to become the true inheritor…"

Whoosh!

The devil spirit and the giant dome vanished at the same time, leaving the 23 individuals within looking around uncertainly. After looking around for a good few seconds, not a single person was able to remain calm at the sight which entered their eyes.

"This…this…this is the 4th Trial Realm?!" Zue Yin almost screamed out loud. Yaan's eyes widened and he swallowed heavily, hardly able to believe what his eyes were seeing.

The devil spirit did not explain anything clearly, but his words made a few things obvious. For one, each of the trials should be located in its own world, which the devil referred to as a 'micro-realm'. However, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Trial Realms were incomparable to the 4th Trial Realm.

Swoosh!

"Welcome, new arrivals! Now, I know that you all must be very confused, haha, I sure was when I first arrived in 4th Canyon!"

Everyone stared dazedly as an amicable looking young man flew across to them on a long sword. Behind him were four women, each more beautiful than the last. All five of these people wore flowery smiles that put people in a good mood.

Yaan blinked, narrowing his eyes and quickly snapping out of it. He pinched Zue Yin's arm, causing her to yelp and glare at him, until she realised that just like everyone else, she had been caught under in a strange trance when that young man spoke.

Yaan stood there silently, saying nothing even after the man looked at him in surprise. When the man nodded to him, Yaan lightly nodded back.

It took a minute for everyone to snap out from the daze. Some individuals became enraged when they realised that they had been manipulated, others were wary, but most people just felt confused…

The fact that this young man had sent them into a mild trance as soon as he laid eyes on them was not the confusing part, though.

As soon as the half-mile dome vanished, when the 23 cultivators looked into the distance, past the miles of wastelands, they saw a large cliff face. Alongside this cliff face, there were hundreds of small temples! When they looked around in other directions, they saw even more temples and other buildings, scattered all across the lands for as far as the eye could see!

If all of these buildings were occupied, then there were at least thousands of people living in this place! Was this not a trial realm within the inheritance? Just what was going on…?

"I apologise sincerely for testing you all just now." Drawing their attention away from the staggering sights beyond, the young man suddenly clasped his hands and bowed, reducing the ire of some of the more irritable cultivators present. When he stood up straight, he smiled and rubbed his nose with a melodic laugh.

"You see, I'm a designated guide for the newcomers in the '4th Trial Realm' as you call it. The residents here dislike this name however, so please do refer to this place as '4th Canyon'. My job is to introduce the trial, the realm and the society here, as well as explaining why this so called trial realm is so well-developed, and why there are so many permanent residents here.

Everyone nodded, but it seemed that one of the 23 cultivators was still feeling aggrieved.

"But why did you cast a spell on us?!"

"That is standard procedure. It's a test that we use to assign you all to the leaderboard. Your names will appear on the 1st level leaderboard in the order of how rapidly you broke out from the illusion, that's all."

What he said made some degree of sense. In the end, since it clearly wasn't a malicious spell, nobody said anything.

The man began walking in a certain direction whilst everyone followed behind him on foot. As he walked, he spoke, pointing out various regions, areas, buildings, villages, and even towns!

"It's simple, really - the 4th trial is safe. You can live here your entire life, you can have a family, and continue for generations, without encountering any serious issues. And remember, this inheritance was found around 1,800 years ago…in terms of outside time at least. Remember, time passes by ten times faster in the inheritance, meaning that since the very first adventurers entered this realm, 18,000 years have passed by on the inside, with more arrivals coming from the outside world every 100 years. Not so many make it this far nowadays, but in the past, hundreds, sometimes thousands would arrive with each opening. And so, after generations of procreation, an entire society developed, leading to the present 4th Canyon." The amicable man explained with a light hearted smiled.

"How many people live here exactly?" Someone asked curiously.

"Overall, across the nine levels, the population is close to one million at this point…" The man replied, sounding slightly dreamy as he spoke.

"A million people live in this trial realm?!"

When they heard this number, everyone was left feeling completely stunned.

No matter what everyone in the Ghu Province might have predicted, they had never guessed anything like this. To think that such an enormous society had developed within the 4th trial of this shocking inheritance!