The rising columns of thick smoke seemed to divide the area inside and outside the plaza into two completely different worlds.

Seeing this, even those who had never participated in the Buddhist Assembly before knew that it had officially begun.

"The Buddhist Assembly is just the first hurdle. To truly enter Great Virtue Temple, you have to pass the Three Trials of the Heart. Only those who pass the scripture listening at the Buddhist Assembly are qualified to go to Yan'an Temple for the three trials!

But even if you don't make it past the Buddhist Assembly, you can still gain something. Even though it's just listening to scriptures, it's still a fortunate opportunity for us."

Amidst the crowd, Yang An's keen senses picked up on the hushed exchange.

Of course, he wasn't the only one who heard it. Many others did as well, gaining a preliminary understanding of the Buddhist Assembly's true purpose.

Then, without another word, the Monks atop the twelve pillars began to loudly chant abstruse, incomprehensible scriptures. The crowd in the plaza fell deathly silent, listening quietly.

Once again, with no one to guide them, the Buddhist Assembly had begun in silence.

The sound of the chanting was as deafening as thunder, yet as ephemeral as a dream. To Yang An, it felt like being back in a classroom from his past life, where he couldn't help but grow drowsy the moment the teacher started to speak.

No, in terms of effect, the Buddhist Assembly was a hundred, even a thousand times more potent!

But Yang An's mind was perfectly clear. He had no idea why he was so lucid.

'It's started. This must be the test of the Buddhist Assembly. So what do I need to do to pass?'

He mulled over the question. The only thing to do was to observe the others.

He saw many people listening quietly with rapt attention, not uttering a word. But some had already entered the state with startling speed, their standing bodies beginning to sway slightly.

Without exception, however, those who had already entered this state were all individuals with low Cultivation Levels—basically at the Fake Food realm.

But as time trickled by, the state spread like a virus under the chanting that blanketed the plaza. Many Primordial Feeding Cultivators also began to enter the trance, becoming completely mesmerized.

But compared to the Fake Food Cultivators, Yang An noticed something strange among those at the Primordial Feeding realm. Many of them showed clear signs of resistance on their faces; they seemed unwilling to enter that rapturous state.

But their resistance was futile. As time slowly passed, more and more people grew listless.

Yang An felt it too, but the hazy sensation of his consciousness being slowly and invisibly eroded had little effect on him. He wondered if it was because his true Cultivation Level was Corpse Transformation, merely sealed down to Fake Food.

'In other words, I have no idea what's going on. I'd love to pretend to enter the state like everyone else. After all, I'm supposed to be at the Fake Food realm right now, so it's best to put on an act.'

But as it turned out, even when he tried to, he couldn't fall into that dazed, mesmerized state. In fact, he felt more clear-headed than ever.

Another hour passed. More and more Cultivators in the plaza succumbed to the stupor. A large number of Fake Food and Primordial Feeding Cultivators had even collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Even many Visceral Stone Cultivators were finding it increasingly difficult to hold on. The number of people who remained conscious was dwindling.

As for Yang An, to avoid attracting attention, he could only pretend to be struggling, his steps unsteady.

A few other Cultivators with only a Fake Food Cultivation were still on their feet, but they didn't look good and could collapse at any moment. Yang An was just copying them.

'But as I listen to this thunderous chanting, why do I feel more and more energetic?!'

'Those Monks sitting on the pillars have been chanting nonstop for over an hour. Aren't their throats getting dry?'

As he mulled over such trivial questions, time continued to slip by quietly.

One hour... two hours...

Just from listening to the scriptures, the night had deepened. By now, you could count the number of people still standing in the plaza at a glance—fewer than a hundred remained.

After a short while longer, the chanting, which had gone on for several hours, slowly died down. The entire plaza was plunged into an eerie silence.

The Monks who had been sitting atop the pillars rose to their feet one by one, looking down from on high at the few people still standing in the plaza below.

An opening quickly parted in the thick smoke rising from the incense and candles at the plaza's edge.

A tall, thin Monk with a Visceral Stone Cultivation Level walked through the opening. He swept his gaze over the people still standing.

"Fated benefactors, please follow this humble Monk to Yan'an Temple." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

He bowed slightly and gestured toward the opening in the smoke, his face a mask of compassion.

Yang An slowly opened his eyes, as if snapping awake from a stupor. He followed the others' gazes toward the Monk who had come to guide them, feeling a little stunned.

'That's it? I passed?!'

...

Yang An followed the others who were still conscious out of the plaza, leaving through the opening in the smoke.

Among the few who remained, many were still dazed. They walked with a tremor, as if they might collapse at any moment.

Under the guidance of the Monk at the exit, the smoke sealed the plaza once more after everyone had left.

Yang An quietly tried to probe with his senses, only to find that his perception couldn't penetrate the incense smoke sealing the plaza. He was unable to see what was happening inside.