Supreme Alchemist-Chapter 2396 - 2386: Heart Inquiry Road

The Obstacle Pill may be considered a life-saving artifact, but for a genius like Long Yan, it’s nothing more than a future wager. Relying solely on such a thing to get Long Yan to agree to Jian Wuchen’s request was clearly not something Jian Wuchen had anticipated.

"Of course, these things are far from sufficient. In the future, if there’s anything you need, feel free to come to me for assistance."

Jian Wuchen spoke more today than all the words he’d exchanged with Long Yan up to this point combined. Feeling somewhat out of character, Jian Wuchen directly exited Long Yan’s room. For that matter, if Long Yan, such a genius, agreed to help, it would almost certainly be a guaranteed success.

"Whew."

Long Yan let out a long breath. As for the bottle of Obstacle Pills in his hand, there was no interest at all. This revealed a flaw in Long Yan’s temperament—he couldn’t refuse when it came to his friends. Evidently, Long Yan now truly regarded Jian Wuchen as his friend.

What Long Yan didn’t anticipate was that not long into the future, he’d have to use this bottle of elixir, and the karmic obstacles he carried were not light. But isn’t it true that things rarely unfold as people imagine?

Despite the early morning hour, Long Yan opened his eyes. For a cultivator, sleep was clearly not of great importance, but Long Yan still preferred a brief rest to maintain his energy.

He opened the window. The morning air was still cold, even more so atop the Tianshan Mountains, a place already known for its harsh chill. The cold wind that swept in erased any trace of lingering drowsiness. Below the window, Jian Wuchen was still engaged in his daily morning practice, though his sword techniques still lacked a decisive killing move.

Long Yan couldn’t fathom why Jian Wuchen practiced in such a way.

After all, Long Yan was not a sword cultivator and naturally didn’t understand the intricacies of swordsmanship. Today marked the final trial of the Tianshan Challenge—also the decisive moment to determine the champion. Most of the cultivators participating had likely given up on claiming first place. With someone as monstrous as Long Yan here, even securing first place in the third level was far from enough to surpass him.

Who would have thought that this year’s Tianshan Conference would turn out so unexpectedly, with an underdog like himself becoming the champion? The cost, of course, was the attention of countless sects now firmly fixed on Long Yan. The situation even forced Long Qingtu to intervene, intimidating the petty people who sought to harm Long Yan. Yet, against people like Thunder Leopard, such deterrence was evidently ineffective.

Nonetheless, thanks to Long Qingtu’s influence, the number of cultivators surrounding Long Yan had significantly decreased, making him feel much more at ease. While he still easily drew others’ attention, it was much improved compared to before.

The Path to Immortality was undeniably the dividing line between true brilliance and mediocrity at this Tianshan Conference. If one could slowly muddle through the first level, it became impossible to pass the Path to Immortality without genuine prowess. Thus, before reaching the third level, only a scant few dozen individuals remained.

This, of course, was thanks to Long Yan’s influence. Many cultivators had performed exceptionally and made it through the Path to Immortality only due to his inspiration. But under the dazzling light of Long Yan, their names naturally paled in comparison. However, many sects that had initially set their sights on Long Yan were still pleased—after confirming that he belonged to the Eastern Ancient Clan, they didn’t dare to snatch him from the clan but instead targeted the other talented cultivators who had passed the Path to Immortality.

Some of these cultivators already belonged to sects, but many were still loose cultivators and were quite happy to accept the olive branches extended by various factions. Yet, all of this had little to do with Long Yan. Now, Long Yan and Jian Wuchen stood at the doorway of the third level.

This was already the peak of the Tianshan Sect’s mountain, and the third level consisted of a short, flat path.

"All you have to do is walk this path, and you clear the trial?"

Long Yan looked skeptically at Liang Tu, who served as a referee. This third level seemed far too simple. Even though Long Yan was already universally recognized as the champion, this blatant favoritism felt overly conspicuous.

"Brother Long, this appears to be the Heart Inquiry Road."

Jian Wuchen’s body now trembled slightly, almost as if he had fallen entirely into fear. Even the long-standing expressions on his face showed signs of dread. It seemed something had happened to him on the Heart Inquiry Road.

"What?"

Long Yan was genuinely unsure of what was going on. He had only a superficial understanding of the trials and levels within the Sacred Domain and had never heard of the Heart Inquiry Road. Thus, he couldn’t grasp its purpose. But anything capable of instilling such terror in Jian Wuchen certainly wouldn’t be a simple trial.

"By rules, I’m not supposed to explain the Heart Inquiry Road, but since only the two of you are left, it shouldn’t matter."

Liang Tu kept a solemn expression as he spoke, and he wasn’t wrong—the Heart Inquiry Road had naturally formed atop Tianshan over ages, but its purpose was straightforward:

Heart Inquiry!

Throughout one’s life, how many decisions lead to regret? Letting go of the one you loved most, saying deeply hurtful words to loved ones—life holds countless moments ripe for remorse. But no one possesses the ability to turn back time. Even those who bear the Azure Dragon’s Mystics cannot accomplish such a feat. For matters weighed down by overwhelming guilt, they inevitably become inner demons within a cultivator’s heart.

The Heart Inquiry Road exists to help cultivators dispel their inner demons. Of course, what one sees on the Heart Inquiry Road may not necessarily be their own experiences and, in some cases, could stem from a past life. Considering the shared tales in the Sacred Domain’s lore—whether it’s the Celestial Court, the Netherworld, or other realms—they do indeed exist. But such realms lie at higher levels that even the Land Immortals within the Sacred Domain cannot reach.

Each person’s journey through the Heart Inquiry Road conjures visions uniquely theirs, though they may not necessarily represent reality. However, they feel hauntingly real. Successfully obliterating these inner demons ensures future cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds. Failing, though, turns the visions into genuine nightmares, haunting the cultivator for life and possibly surfacing during their ascension to immortality.

This was precisely why Lu Wujue worried about Jian Wuchen’s entry onto the Heart Inquiry Road. Yet what must come will come. Ironically, it was Jian Wuchen himself who insisted on making the Heart Inquiry Road part of this trial.

"Good luck, then."

Lu Wujue, upon witnessing Jian Wuchen’s determined visage, let out a slight sigh. No one understood his apprentice’s personality better than Lu Wujue. Once Jian Wuchen made up his mind, no one could change it.

With the rules clearly outlined, Liang Tu spoke with a stern expression:

"Those who choose to forfeit the trial can stand by my side. After all, the Heart Inquiry Road is no joke. Throughout history, countless geniuses have succumbed to inner demons here, especially those who’ve just endured the Path to Immortality."

After some time passed, three cultivators stepped over to Liang Tu’s side. They realized that one’s talent was not to be trifled with, and caution was the wiser choice.

This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶