Chapter 85: The Dao Melody of the Vast World

"Young Master Chen, I truly cannot slay the demon in my heart."
Donggong Qianxue's face was deathly pale as she shook her head repeatedly.
"Then what, exactly, is your heart’s demon?"
Chen Changsheng frowned, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"I—I—Young Master Chen, please don’t force me, I truly cannot kill the demon in my heart."
Donggong Qianxue stared at Chen Changsheng in terror, instinctively shrinking back.
This demonic realm was far too sinister—it actually wanted her to kill Young Master Chen!
Even if she slaughtered the whole world, she could never raise her hand against him.
"But Princess, you truly have no time left."
Chen Changsheng stepped forward, fixing Donggong Qianxue with a steady gaze. "Hurry, do it now, or it will be too late."
"No, no, no…"
Donggong Qianxue stared at him in horror. "Young Master Chen, stay back! Don’t come any closer!"
"But you really have no time. Do it now!"
Chen Changsheng’s voice rang out, grave and commanding.
"Ah!"
A sudden roar burst from Donggong Qianxue. Endless flames surged from her, billowing out in all directions.
Her body transformed into a mighty, resplendent seven-colored divine phoenix.
With a thunderous crash, the entire demonic palace shattered to pieces in an instant.
"Young Master Chen—"
Donggong Qianxue cried out in anguish, tears streaming from her eyes.
"Hm? Young Master Chen?"
"Who is Young Master Chen?"
A murmur spread around the Xuanbing Battle Platform.
All eyes turned to Donggong Qianxue standing at its center, faces puzzled.
The Duke Donggong, the Holy Empress, and the other powerhouses of the Spring and Autumn Sacred Nation let out sighs of relief. Judging from the princess’s state, she’d broken free of the demonic realm.
The exclamations reached Donggong Qianxue’s ears. Her delicate form trembled violently as she suddenly regained her senses, realizing she was no longer within the illusion.
She hurriedly turned, only to see Chen Changsheng and his daughter seated quietly on the icy steps, staring at her in astonishment.
"Young Master Chen is alive—so that wasn’t truly him just now…"
A wave of wild joy surged through Donggong Qianxue, her body shivering with relief.
She’d truly been frightened—she had thought she had accidentally killed them.
As it turned out, breaking the demonic realm didn’t require slaying one’s heart’s demon; awakening the divine phoenix bloodline could shatter the illusion as well.

Of course, how could she ever mistakenly kill Chen Changsheng and his daughter?
Even if she were a hundred times stronger, it would be impossible!
How foolish she had been!
"Who is Young Master Chen?"
Suspended in the air atop her snow-white beast, Dantai Wushuang asked with a hint of confusion.
"Miss Dantai, I am the Young Master Chen of whom the princess spoke."
Chen Changsheng lifted his gaze to meet her eyes and replied with a gentle smile.
"Oh."
Dantai Wushuang’s elegant, narrow eyes narrowed slightly, a curious glint appearing as she studied him.
Chen Changsheng lowered his eyes, then glanced helplessly at Donggong Qianxue. Why had she cried out so suddenly?
He was just an ordinary man—remaining low-key was always best.
The sound of Nongyu’s flute had yet to cease, its melody continuing to drift through the air.
Many princes and princesses from various Sacred Nations stood motionless, their eyes vacant.
Clearly, they were still trapped within the demonic realm, unable to escape.
"The princess of the Spring and Autumn Sacred Nation is impressive—she broke free so quickly."
A faint voice drifted through the air: "However, your result is far inferior to mine. Of the thirty-six princes and princesses, I was the very first to escape."
Donggong Qianxue turned to see the prince of the Baidan Sacred Nation, Hua Wuhen, regarding her with a faint, knowing smile.
She frowned slightly, sighing inwardly. As expected, this scoundrel was truly ruthless, having so cleanly dispatched his own heart’s demon.
Hua Wuhen slowly turned his gaze to Chen Changsheng, seated atop the icy steps in the distance. "Young Master Chen? He must be the one you care for. May he live a long life."
As he spoke, a fleeting trace of murderous intent flickered in his alluring eyes.
How could any woman he fancied have another in her heart? Only death would suffice!
"How laughable—a mere clown."
Sensing the malice in Hua Wuhen’s eyes, Donggong Qianxue snorted in disdain.
He dared harbor murderous intent toward Young Master Chen—what a joke!
For Young Master Chen, ending him would be little harder than crushing an ant!
Soon, the melody of Nongyu’s flute faded away.
Those who had been lost in the demonic realm suddenly awoke from their trance as the illusion dissipated.
Immediately, pain and frustration clouded their faces.
"The first stage of the trial by demonic music is now complete."
Seated atop her beast, Dantai Wushuang announced, "The prince of the Blood Alliance Sacred Nation is eliminated; the princess of the Fandi Sacred Nation is eliminated; the prince of the Wansong Sacred Nation is eliminated…"
She recited the names of eighteen princes and princesses in a single breath.

Half had been eliminated at once.
A hush swept through the crowd as everyone drew in a sharp breath.
How cruel.
At the center of the Xuanbing Battle Platform, only eighteen princes and princesses remained, Donggong Qianxue among them.
"Very well, we will now proceed to the second stage of the trial."
Dantai Wushuang’s voice was as gentle as ever. She turned to her right and addressed Xianlan, "The question for the second stage is yours to set."
Xianlan nodded, flicking her slender wrist.
With a rustle, a scroll unfurled from her hand, floating in midair.
All eyes turned to the scroll, upon which a single character gleamed:
Dao.
The character shone with golden light, dazzling and resplendent like the sun.
Sitting astride her snow-white beast, Dantai Wushuang gazed down at the eighteen princes and princesses who remained. "Yes, what you see is the character ‘Dao.’
All things under heaven have their own Dao. On the grandest scale, the world possesses the six cycles of reincarnation, endless and eternal. On the smallest scale, a single flower has its Dao, a single blade of grass has its Dao, a single grain of rice has its Dao—and as cultivators, what we seek is also the Dao.
This character before you contains every principle of the myriad worlds.
You eighteen, step before it and you will hear the voices of all creation—the Dao-sounds of the myriad worlds.
Any who can endure these Dao-sounds for more than five minutes will pass. Less than five, and you are eliminated.
Begin now."
"I’ll go first."
No sooner had Dantai Wushuang finished speaking than Hua Wuhen, prince of Baidan, called out. He glanced at Donggong Qianxue, then strode before the character.
"Hmph, a dead man walking," Donggong Qianxue scoffed, her expression filled with disdain.
The moment Hua Wuhen harbored murderous thoughts toward Chen Changsheng, she had counted him among the dead.
As he took his place before the character, the golden radiance it emitted grew dazzlingly bright.
From within the character came a symphony of sounds—clashing battles, crumbling earth, shouts, cries, even the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs.
This single character seemed to contain every sound under heaven.
Within it, it was as if the myriad worlds were compressed into one.
A collective gasp rippled through those watching.
Hua Wuhen stood before the character, his expression calm and untroubled.