"Haaah" Bai Qi heavily exhaled while the golden glow of a formation that had been covering his body slowly dispersed.

He had expected this to be an easy task, with the limit of dangers being just around the 7th level of the Sage realm and the challenges of his respective 4th level. But the 'Underground Land of the River' proved him wrong.

It wasn't as if he had been lied about anything, no, all of the explanations he got were true. Except for the fact that neither Grandmaster Li's nor Deng Guiying's information, with the latter using the Quan brothers to pass it, contained the most important point. The one about the Challenge Slates being able to sense one's true prowess, and their challenges being adjusted to it rather than one's cultivation.

Well, objectively speaking they probably did not feel the need to explain something like that, with the Chen Guang they knew being only a 4th level Sage and thus his challenges being of his level. But, Bai Qi's soul and consciousness were far above that level, and even realm, and he would have prepared differently if he was aware.

"Not that I can change anything now" Bai Qi murmured while stretching his body. He then moved his eyes towards the Challenge Slate, a five feet tall piece of rock that had a few characters inscribed on it. Characters that were shining brightly in a blue hue at this moment.

The initial 'Challenge of one's Soul' disappeared, being replaced by a single character, 'Surpassed'. And with the acknowledgment of the slate, a small box materialized in front of Bai Qi.

"Well, let's see what's the reward for this unavoidable challenge then" He spoke to himself and grabbed the box, opening it right away.

A strong pungent odor was released as soon as the lid went off, and Bai Qi's eyes widened in surprise.

"A thousand years old Lingzhi? Seems that not only challenges are scaled, but so is the reward for them" He exclaimed while closing the lid and storing the box into his Void ring. A Lingzhi was one of the rare mushrooms that could be categorized in several spirit herb tiers, with their age being the main qualifier.

And this one, a thousand-year one, was definitively an Earth-tier medicinal herb. One that could be used in several of the best healing pills that he could recall. Not a bad reward for a pressure challenge, even if it forced him to contend against one comparable to a late 8th level Warrior Lord, his current maximum.

After taking a few breaths and checking his current condition, Bai Qi discarded the need to rest. After waiting for the slowly disappearing rock slate to open his path, he quickly walked forward, in the only direction available of the narrow passage he was currently in.

Each of the gates that served as access to their respective 'Underground Land of the River' zones was a teleportation formation of the tamed void type.

More difficult to create than the widely used shortening space ones used by cities and powers. But with the effect of sending each presence to a separate, random, destination amongst the ones imbued into the formation.

This meant that from the people that entered the formation, no one would be sent to the same place.

Each participant would appear in a small room of the cave system that was in all its entirety called the 'Underground Land of the River'.

Probably because of worry, or just as a test, the room would be impossible to leave without clearing a Challenge Slate. One that would materialize along with the participant. Not only it would block the single exit, but it would also be impossible to forfeit.

Thus, if one could not prove himself capable enough, he or she would be forced to wait in the room for 15 days, after which the main formation would kick everyone out.

***

In Bai Qi's case, the Challenge Slate that had met him after he opened his eyes was one of qi control. Initially, he considered that a simple push and shove by controlling his inner qi against a created qi wall would be simple, but he spent a lot of effort to finish.

After all, one thing was to use qi equivalent to a 4th level Sage, and another one was to use all of his qi reserves. With the latter by this point being equivalent to a middle-level Warrior Lord.

But the reward was not bad, with him obtaining a mid-tier rarity and power Martial Skill scroll, 'Finger of Fiery Devastation'.

After briefly scanning it, Bai Qi concluded that it was a decent skill for him. And so stored it intending to train it at first chance.

***

The Challenge Slates were fairly interesting in their own right, as each of them was a true formation masterwork. Even the stone that served as the material was just a physical manifestation in place of true stone, not to mention that it would activate several formations as soon as a challenger touched it.

One was a guarding formation that would surround the challenger, guarding his body against any external threats.

Another one was a mind connection, which would transport one's consciousness into an illusion.

The illusion formation itself, which was where all challenges took place.

A scanning formation that would adequate the challenge to one's cultivation. Or as Bai Qi discovered, to one's true prowess in the respective area.

And the last to affect the challenger would be a 'Chains of Illusive Reality', a Saint exclusive formation that would make one spend qi, soul, or mind power in the physical world equivalent to the one used inside the illusion.

***

After clearing the obligatory challenge, Bai Qi took a few moments to examine the place and then began moving forward while trying to sense the mind power marks he had left on most of the Sages.

And even though one's senses were limited to just a few dozen of feet around, basically to what one could normally see, mind power worked perfectly. 14 marks he had left, and 14 he could sense at different distances from himself. The closest one was about three miles to his right, while the farthest one was in the opposite direction, more than ten miles away.

Limited to following the single passage he had in front, Bai Qi slowly made his way forward while stopping every odd minute to concentrate on his mind power.

But after a few times, he stopped doing it and picked up his pace. All of the marks were slowly moving in the same direction, and so he could only conclude that all passages would lead to the same place. The big area where most of the Challenge Slates would appear, one explained by Grandmaster Li as the single suitable area to attack someone.

As he walked, his mind had recalled the strong killing intent he had sensed before he was absorbed by the vortex. Having less than a fraction of a breath to try and find its origin, Bai Qi wasn't sure that he got it right. Especially as by his sensations, the intent wasn't even directed at him, but at someone nearby.

"I examined all of the people while walking with Zhuan Min, and none of them had such strong and baleful air about them. But, can it be possible for her to be the source? And in any case, who was the target?" He asked himself while thinking. He could recall all but one of the thirteen people around the spot he sensed the intent from. But the one he did not recognize, the new addition, was a small girl with her face covered with a strange porcelain mask. Could she be the source of such a killing intent? One that showed that the owner had killed and killed not a small number before?

As for the target... The only people around him at the moment of entering the vortex were Zhuan Min, Chang Kun, Tang Lei, and a 6th level Soul realm girl from the Sheng clan. Better said, her master was a guest of said clan.

In any case, Bai Qi could not do much more than try and guess for now. And the latter would not help, so in place of losing time, it was far better to be the first to get to the open area. To be able to react to whatever happens next.

Adding the four to his list of people to monitor, Bai Qi advanced briskly.

But for some reason, he found himself with another Challenge Slate that blocked his path forward. It was a normal slate, one that could be forfeited. But it was blocking the path, and so he could either wait for someone to come and complete it or wait until it disappeared on its own as Grandmaster Li had explained.

"Two of my marks are already close to each other, I can not lose time!" Bai Qi thought before touching the 'Challenge of one's Soul' slate.

(Back to) Present time. 'Underground Land of the River', Bai Qi's path.

A few hundreds of steps later, Bai Qi reached the end of his passage. Before leaving the narrow corridor, he quickly scanned the surroundings around the opening. Sensing not a single presence or any dangers, he made a few steps out and gasped at the sight before his eyes.

A frondous forest, with several visible streams and even a small lake in the distance, extended as far as his vision, even with the addition of qi reached.

There was no doubt he was still underground, made clear by the rock and earth wall behind him. Or the mile or so away stony ceiling.

But at the same time, there was no doubt that the forest in front of him was real, not an illusion or a formation manifestation. After all, no matter how good was either, the breath of life was impossible to feign.

Bai Qi spread his aura to the utmost possible under his cultivation, encircling an aura of over a mile. Only to be forced to suppress another gasp. Every plant, stone, and even grain of sand at the bottom of the nearby stream was under the influence of a formation. A grand formation that not only protected them from destruction and decay but also provided for them. The almost natural light, the source of which he could not sense previously was also revealed, being part of the same formation.

After standing a few minutes marveling at such a masterwork, Bai Qi shook his head and concentrated on the tasks he had.

First, he was supposed to keep an eye on the Sages.

Second, try to find any clues about the attack five years ago.

He had also added a third task just a bit ago, which was related to the source and objectives of that killing intent.

With the first two being related, Bai Qi concentrated on his mind power marks. Finding that now three of them were close to each other, he decided to go in their direction. Just about two miles along the cave wall behind him.

___________________________________________________________________

Around the same time. Different locations of the 'Underground Land of the River'.

Each of the 96 people that had entered the zone alongside Bai Qi, or Cheng Guang from the Dai Clan as he had introduced himself to some, was also moving.

***

Zhuan Min was eager to prove to her dad that she was a full-grown cultivator already. Granted, she was only a Soul realm, and not even a peak, one, but she did not need to be watched after!

The first, and only Challenge Slate she encountered, the one blocking her exit turned out to be one to test combat skills and made her fight a phantom of herself.

And unfortunately for her, the phantom had no emotions and used the skills and abilities far better than she even could think of.

It took her an entire hour and all of her trump cards to finally win.

*Plop*

Immediately as the formation released her, she fell on all fours. Exhausted and having spent all of her reserves.

"I won! I won!" She exclaimed while profusely thanking that the formation did not allow injuries to be transferred.

"It's only the first of many Challenge Slates I will challenge and clear. But as father says, one has to rest and recuperate!" She thought while assuming a lotus pose to meditate and recuperate her spent qi, she muttered with a small smile

"I wonder how many has Big Brother cleared?"

***

Chang Kun was the youngest peak Soul realm cultivator amongst the ones known in the city. He wasn't the strongest of his age, with Zhen Zexi being a Sage, but he was close. After all, from what he knew, she was six months older than him!

"I will definitively enter the Sage realm in this half month!" He thought to himself, and probably because of his lack of experience neglected the fact that Zhen Zexi was also in the zone. And that she probably would be trying to advance as well.

In any case, he was acting true to his world, completing the initial Challenge Slate in less time than an incense stick.

And by this moment, he was entering the Underground Forest, the place that his father said contained the best spots for cultivation. And where most of the slates would appear.

"There!" He spread his aura, and even though he lacked enough control it was enough for him to find another slate.

'The path of the Talented' read the multicolored characters on the Slate, but he did not stop to read, no.

Chang Kun rushed and touched it directly, fearing that someone could steal HIS opportunity.

And in so, totally overlooked his older brother's words - "Avoid the multi-colored ones!".

***

Tang Lei's first challenge was left behind as nothing, he simply did not even consider it a challenge. After all, a test based on sensing life amongst death? It was practically meant for him and his Wood Elemental Bloodline.

And so, with a single glance, the challenge was completed and he obtained his reward, an 'Insight' pill of the 9th level. A pill meant to help one break through all the barriers between the Soul and the Sage realm. It wasn't useful for him, but it still was a rare pill of the utmost quality. One that he could either share with someone of his friends like Chang Kun, or exchange for something in the Trade Hall.

In truth, he wasn't interested in the Challenge Slates, but the Underground Forest that his Uncle had told him about. A forest filled up with life and natural energies, as well as several spots heavily influenced by the wood element. It would be the best environment for his cultivation, and so, he was cautiously moving to one of the aforementioned spots.

"The best would be to avoid any attention" He mulled while using the trees as cover, suppressing the aura and using a concealment talisman to avoid being discovered.