It had only been two days since descending to the mortal realm, and already he found himself in Dafuli Land! The Azure Heaven Demon King descended to test Ji Xiang. This was far from the expected scale for an initial demonic trial!
Ji Xiang couldn't help but sigh, looking up at the sky. With his elementary-level cultivation, why was he being tested with a university-level exam?
Was he being singled out, or had something gone wrong in a previous operation, leading to this situation?
It was said that when a Demon King descended, it was only to test Earth Immortals, True Lords, Celestial Masters, and the like. He, a mere novice Daoist, should have had no connection with them whatsoever!
The *Commentary on the Dongxuan Lingbao Natural Nine Heavens Life-Generating Jade Chapter Scripture* stated: "For those who cultivate the Dao, there are many demonic trials. First, they face the Zi Mo, then the Da Mo. If the second trial is passed, the Demon King will recommend them for promotion to immortal ranks."
Zi Mo referred to the ten demons of the mortal world. One had to endure ten demonic trials and nine tribulations to encounter the Da Mo!
And Da Mo were the Demon Kings of the Three Realms, Five Heavens, and Eight Emperors. Theoretically, they would only descend once as a final assessment!
Furthermore, among the Five Heavens Demon Kings, the Azure Heaven was the foremost, serving under the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, known as the "Ancestor of Ten Thousand Gods." All celestial beings and divine generals were tested by him!
However, it was rumored that passing the Azure Heaven Demon King's examination would lead to immediate ascension to immortality!
"Esteemed sirs, we have shared a century of incense offerings and camaraderie. Why do you slap my face like this!"
"Forget it! Since you've come, I won't let you old fellows look down on me!"
Ji Xiang steadied his mind. He had just been boasting about his old acquaintance with the Demon Kings and how he had once "plucked" incense offerings. Now, he had actually summoned a Demon King.
The Azure Heaven Demon King wasted no words, nor could it. The spirit tablet was devoid of emotion and wisdom, merely performing its designated task. Ji Xiang had already been singled out by the Demon Kings for special attention due to his unique identity.
As both an extraterrestrial demon and a guest of Fuli, his arrival in Dafuli Land was immediately observed by numerous deities!
The minor demons of the mortal world were not qualified to test Ji Xiang, for he was not an ordinary mortal but a celestial being!
Now, with the Azure Heaven Demon King personally descending to conduct the trial, Ji Xiang had no choice but to brace himself. In fact, the moment the Azure Heaven Demon King tore up the minor demon's examination paper and descended personally, Ji Xiang's anger had already marked the beginning of the Demon King's trial!
The Demon King's trial was a closed-book examination, with no precise answers. No prior notification was given before the start!
This was because "tribulations arise from the unseen"!
"Not good, I've become enraged!"
Ji Xiang felt his strength plummet. His body felt weak, his vital energy circulation was damaged, and a blockage in his chest caused blood to ooze from the corner of his mouth. He immediately recited the Pure Heart Divine Incantation!
This Azure Heaven Demon King governed the joys and angers of the mortal world. Any display of anger would deplete a person's strength and essence.
Ji Xiang saw the scenery before him change. This trial directly targeted the essence of the Lord of Incense, not his physical body!
Within the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet, information about the Azure Heaven Demon King appeared!
[Azure Heaven Demon King: Great Demon (Divine King)! Ninth Rank of the Heavenly Department's Great Positions! One of the Five Heavens Great Demons, the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Gods!]
[Commands Heavenly Demons; his moods are unpredictable. Heavenly Gods and Heavenly Immortals are tested by him!]
[In the Azure Heaven Demonic Trial, you will witness various events of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, filled with immense indignation. These stories often end in suffering, never in perfection! During the demonic trial, the tester will become one with the illusory characters but cannot interfere with their actions until a desperate moment, at which point a choice can be made!]
[Ten lifetimes of reincarnation, a thousand years of time. At least six times must your heart remain free from anger to pass the demonic trial! Continuously reciting "Do not be confused, do not be provoked; all things will naturally clear. Do not be startled, do not be frightened; all things will naturally arrange themselves," or continuously reciting the Pure Heart Divine Incantation, can stabilize the spirit, prevent the demonic realm from invading the heart, and greatly increase the chance of passing the examination!]
[If it is difficult to suppress anger, please recite the *Scripture of the Grand Supreme Lord Laozi on Purity and Stillness*.]
[If the first millennium is not passed, the difficulty of subsequent demonic trials will gradually increase!]
[If a person can recognize the demonic form and subdue it, then the Dao cultivator and the Demon King will simultaneously transform into the image of the Heavenly Emperor, ascending the cultivator's form and spirit!]
[Upon passing the demonic trial, the spirit can ascend unimpeded to Dafuli Land! You will attain the cultivation of the Ascension Realm!]
.........
First life: Weak and timid in youth. Ten years of diligent study, a sudden success in the imperial examinations, only to be framed and become a scapegoat, leading to the confiscation of property and the annihilation of his clan.
Second life: Ten years of carefree existence. After reaching adulthood, he married a beautiful wife, but she was noticed by a powerful official. Fearing to offend, he could only offer his wife and child.
Third life: Toiled like an ox and horse for half a lifetime, accumulating a small fortune. However, his relatives coveted it, bribed the county yamen, forcibly seized his property, and then falsely accused him, leading to his imprisonment with an unassailable injustice.
Fourth life: A beggar fighting with dogs for scraps, mocked by a dandy, his hands and feet were severed, and his body was discarded in the bustling market.
Fifth life, sixth life, seventh life...
A hundred years of wasted time, a thousand years of stories.
For as many years as the "plot characters" in the illusion lived, Ji Xiang lived with them. In the illusion, it was like a dream in Nanke, with time uncounted.
From birth to death, Ji Xiang was the consciousness within these illusory characters. However, the actions, movements, pain, and sorrow of the illusory characters seemed unrelated to Ji Xiang. Ji Xiang could witness it all but could not take any action to反抗. Even the humiliating, fawning, or vile words and expressions made Ji Xiang feel as if he were the one performing these actions!
He had almost completely become a character within the illusion!
Even though Ji Xiang knew the method to pass, he could initially suppress his anger according to the incantations and scriptures. But starting from the third life, even the scriptures became difficult to recite. Ji Xiang realized that his own anger made even reciting scriptures a strenuous task.
His inner disposition was not suited for the path of purity and stillness.
Therefore, Ji Xiang could only try his best to restrain himself, constantly reminding himself that this was the suffering of others, and he was merely an observer, even though he was forcibly immersed in the demonic realm...
Even though the Divine Tablet offered an easier way to pass, Ji Xiang's inner, nameless flame always threatened to flare up.
At this moment, Ji Xiang suddenly understood the words that the Fire Lord had spoken to Emperor Wanli: "When a single thought arises within you, the karmic fire burns fiercely. It is not others who incite the karmic fire to burn you; you are burning yourself!"
"Honest people are forced to lie, upright people bow subserviently, outspoken people are silenced, kind people are framed, diligent workers have their savings stolen, the lowly are treated worse than beasts, proud people are trampled into the dust, and those with ambitions watch their ideals shatter..."
"Black is called white, and one cannot defend oneself against slander. Those who commit evil deeds prosper. Three men talking about a tiger can make it real; the collective whispers can melt metal and shatter bone!"
"You speak reason for half your life, but when you reason with these people, they resort to force. When you use force against them, they invoke the law... In the end, there is no place in this world to reason."
Ji Xiang tried his best to restrain himself, but the nameless fire in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
The spirit tablet of the Azure Heaven Great Demon occasionally flashed in Ji Xiang's eyes.
It seemed to be mocking Ji Xiang, implying that these mortal tribulations were nothing!
"When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility upon a person, it first tries their heart and will, strains their muscles and sinews, reduces their body to starvation, empties their body of its substance, and frustrates their undertakings. Thus it stimulates their mind, hardens their nature, and supplies their deficiencies."
A thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. Within the demonic realm, nine hundred years had already gone by!
Four failures, five successes. Only one last trial, the final century, remained to pass the Azure Heaven Demonic Trial. But if he failed, it would lead to even more arduous trials.
Make-up exams were not necessarily easier than the formal ones, especially when dealing with Demon Kings; make-up exams were even harder!
Ji Xiang clenched his fists, his eyes wide, awaiting the final demonic trial. The Azure Heaven Demon King's spirit tablet emitted two rays of azure and crimson light. The demonic realm opened, but this time there was no change. The demonic realm fluctuated, still presenting the appearance of Dafuli Land.
But then, Ji Xiang's ears were filled with a venomous curse. These words were released by the Azure Heaven Demon King from the spirit tablet!
Starting with the first sentence, the subsequent malicious and strange words transformed into the demonic sounds of the heavens, pouring into his ears incessantly!
......
"This woman must have committed adultery with her lover and killed her husband. Look how beautiful she is... that's how it's always written in storybooks..."
"Risking her life to save someone, such a person is a fool, deserving of death!"
"He cheated on his exam! Since he cheated, why hide it? And change it? Does he think everyone is blind?"
"When I take your money, it's because I think highly of you. Don't think too highly of yourself. Who do you think you are? The makeup I buy for my concubine in a day is enough to buy your life three times over."
"When will your whole family die?"
"Perhaps they didn't kill enough back then,嘻嘻...."