The group pressed onward. After walking for roughly a quarter of an hour, the space about a hundred meters ahead suddenly warped.

Amidst the roiling mist, a staircase of white jade materialized out of the void. Each step shimmered with translucent, cloud-like patterns. The summit of the staircase vanished into a chaotic haze, where faint silhouettes of dragons and phoenixes could be seen circling.

The Path of Heart Inquiry!

Shen Xian narrowed his eyes, immediately recognizing the staircase that had appeared before them.

This cave abode contained many trials, and completing each one offered specific benefits. For example, this Path of Heart Inquiry could temper and strengthen one’s spiritual sense upon successful passage.

Of course, one could choose to ignore these trials. However, according to his family’s deductions, ignoring them or failing to pass would negatively impact one’s chances of obtaining the final legacy. In other words, only by completing all the trials would one be qualified to touch the true inheritance of this cave abode.

Therefore, every cultivator who entered would choose to give it a try. After all, there was no life-threatening danger involved.

It was just that… many cultivators failed this particular trial.

To cultivate the Dao, one must first cultivate the heart!

Not everyone could live up to that maxim. For most people, the act of cultivation itself consumed an immeasurable amount of mental energy. Where would they find the extra time to solidify their Dao Heart?

They essentially only engaged in intensive “cramming” to stabilize their minds right before breaking through a major realm. Thus, on this Path of Heart Inquiry, many people ended up revealing their ugliest sides.

To avoid making a spectacle of himself, Shen Xian turned to look at the twelve guards behind him, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth. “The Path of Heart Inquiry can temper your spiritual sense, greatly benefiting your cultivation. Who among you wishes to try first?”

He planned to let these men go first to test the waters.

The guards exchanged uneasy glances.

The spiritual sense of Foundation Establishment cultivators was inherently fragile. If they could strengthen it through this opportunity, it would naturally be a heaven-sent chance. But the thought of potential public humiliation gave them pause.

At that moment, Ye Qingxian had somehow already appeared before the steps, her plain white dress fluttering despite the absence of wind.

Shen Xian felt a slight jolt of surprise. He watched as she lightly tapped her toes against the ground and stepped directly onto the Path of Heart Inquiry.

As her foot made contact with the step, a faint golden light shimmered beneath her sole. It was almost imperceptible, but it was undoubtedly there.

“This…” Shen Tianhao’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Ye Qingxian ascended with calm, steady steps, as if walking on level ground. In the blink of an eye, she had already traversed more than half the staircase without pausing her stride even once.

Shen Xian’s mouth twitched slightly. This Empress was being a bit too eager.

Witnessing this scene left the others utterly dumbfounded. In their impression, she was just an ordinary mortal now. How could her Dao Heart be more stable than theirs—Foundation Establishment cultivators?

Hadn’t she just suffered the immense blow of losing all her cultivation? Could it be due to her special constitution? They racked their brains but couldn’t figure it out.

With Ye Qingxian setting an example, a young guard gritted his teeth and stepped forward. However, the moment his foot touched the first step, his body froze rigidly.

His eyes suddenly bulged wide, and an expression of wild ecstasy spread across his face. While everyone else saw empty steps, he saw them piled high with top-grade spirit stones.

“A fortune… they’re all mine!” The man suddenly threw himself onto the ground, his hands frantically clawing at the stone steps. He didn’t even notice his fingernails cracking and bleeding.

The storage pouch at his waist was torn open in his frenzy, and the few spirit stones he had treasured clattered out, rolling into the abyss below.

Shen Tianhao’s expression changed drastically. He hadn’t expected his subordinate’s Dao Heart to be so unstable. He hurriedly formed hand seals, trying to awaken his companion. But then he saw the man’s face twist into a snarl as he drew his sword and slashed at the nearest guard.

“Who dares steal my spirit stones!”

Seeing this, the others quickly used their techniques to restrain him. It took a long while before he finally came back to his senses.

“Captain, I…” The man was deeply ashamed. Failing the trial meant he had lost his chance at the legacy.

“The Dao Heart is difficult to guard. Consider it a tempering experience,” Shen Tianhao could only console him. “Besides, there are other treasures in this place.”

The man nodded dejectedly. He stepped onto the staircase again to leave. No more illusions appeared for him; he had lost his qualification.

“Next,” Shen Xian said calmly, his expression unchanged. He was curious—out of these twelve guards, how many would ultimately pass?

This time it was a middle-aged cultivator. The moment he stepped onto the stairs, his face turned deathly pale. “No… it wasn’t me who harmed you…”

He retreated repeatedly from empty air before finally drawing his sword and swinging it wildly, nearly injuring a companion.

Shen Xian sighed inwardly. Greed and guilt—the inner demons of these Foundation Establishment cultivators were far too obvious.

After that, the others came forward one by one. The moment they stepped onto the stairs, they fell into their own obsessions: some reached out towards illusory spirit stone veins in the void; others knelt and kowtowed to elders who didn’t exist…

In the end, only three people passed this trial: Shen Tianhao and two others.

Only Shen Xian remained at the foot of the staircase; everyone else had entered the second trial area.

Shen Xian looked around. Feeling greatly relieved that the audience was gone, he finally decided to give it a try himself. Now, even if he made a fool of himself, no one would be around to see it!

He stepped forward. The moment the sole of his boot touched the first step, the scene before him rippled like water.

Shen Xian found himself standing in the brightly lit office building of his previous life. Outside the window, it was deep night.

“Director Shen, could you take a look at this report for me?” The new intern, Xiao Zhang, leaned in close as she spoke. A faint scent of perfume drifted from her hair.

A slight smile touched Shen Xian’s lips. Temptation at this level meant nothing to him.

After just a moment, the illusion shattered like glass.

On the second step, he became a renowned powerhouse in the cultivation world, roaming freely across the seas, his name shaking the heavens. Yet, he still resisted the temptation of power and broke free once more.

On the third step, he saw himself ascending to become the Family Head, while his father patted his shoulder with gratified pride…

Shen Xian shook his head with a wry laugh; that illusion collapsed without any effort from him.

Having broken through three trials in succession, Shen Xian walked upward with light steps. These temptations of fame and fortune, so hard for ordinary people to resist, were nothing but fleeting clouds in his eyes.

However, as he continued forward, the illusions before him grew increasingly cunning.

In a daze, Shen Xian found himself back in that cramped rental apartment from his previous life. The blue glare from the computer screen was especially piercing in the darkness.

“Teacher Shen, still working so late?” A seductive voice came from behind him.

Shen Xian turned around. He saw a famous actress wearing nothing but one of his white shirts. Her long legs were faintly visible beneath the hem.

She held a cup of coffee, her red lips almost brushing against his earlobe. “Take a break…”

Shen Xian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled to resist.

Having lived two lifetimes, he had seen through many things. He had long since grown indifferent to fame and fortune. But when it came to “love,” due to a lack of worldly experience and too few encounters…

Fortunately, he ultimately managed to resist the sensual scene.

Yet, the very next moment, a new illusion followed close on its heels.

Ye Qingxian knelt upon a brocade couch, dressed in sheer gauze. Those eyes, usually so indifferent, now shimmered with watery light. Her vermilion lips parted slightly.

“Husband…”

Shen Xian’s breath hitched.

This illusion was far too cunning—it combined the most irresistible temptation of physical beauty with the image of his real-life Dao Companion, the woman he spent every day with.

He clearly knew this was fake, yet he couldn’t help taking another look. And the more he looked, the faster his heart pounded and the more his blood boiled within his veins.

What was even harder to bear was that Ye Qingxian actually began to shed her garments…

For a fleeting moment, Shen Xian felt his control slipping. In an instant, he lunged forward, and the illusion abruptly dissipated.

Shen Xian came back to himself and found he was sprawled awkwardly on the steps, looking rather ridiculous.

Fortunately, no one was around to witness it.

Shen Xian rubbed his nose, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He had actually stumbled in the first trial. It seemed the inheritance was beyond his reach now. He felt a flicker of disappointment but instantly dismissed the thought. It was unimportant anyway; he had the Marriage Blessing System. Even without this opportunity, he would still ascend to the Immortal Realm someday.

Yet, while ascending the remaining steps, he couldn’t help but ponder: why did the ultimate illusion take the form of Ye Qingxian?

Was it because of the subtle affection born of their daily companionship, or…

Shen Xian shook his head, suppressing the thought.