Once the Path of Purgatory opened, at a signal from the members of the Qi Family, the Cultivators gathered there surged like a tide toward that dark and profound road.

HUM!

But the instant they stepped onto it, the Spiritual Qi in the air suddenly froze. A vast pressure, heavy as a mountain, came crashing down, weighing directly upon the bodies and Divine Souls of the crowd.

SPURT...

Under the terrifying pressure, many of the spectating Cultivators instantly stumbled and collapsed heavily to the ground, lacking even the strength to struggle. Some with weaker cultivation levels felt a sweet sensation in their throats before spitting out a mouthful of hot blood, staining the cold stone path red beneath their feet.

"How is it this difficult?!"

"Is this something a human can even pass?"

They were hit hard right from the start. The difficulty of the Path of Purgatory far exceeded everyone’s expectations, leaving some of the Cultivators horrified.

This sight caused Ji Hao’s expression to stiffen, and he felt a flash of awkwardness—the current situation was inextricably linked to the arrangements he had made to target Zhong Ming.

Of course, he would never admit this.

Meanwhile, the perceptive Patriarch of the Qi Family stepped forward and took full responsibility for the situation.

"Ahem, fellow Cultivators, the Path of Purgatory is fundamentally a trial to temper one’s Divine Soul, Magical Power, and physical body. Since it bears the name ’Purgatory,’ its difficulty is naturally extraordinary."

"Only those with great willpower and Great Magical Power can reach the end of this path."

"Fellow Cultivators, I urge you to be cautious as you tread this path. Do not push beyond your limits."

...

The Qi Family Patriarch’s speech silenced many of the Cultivators. He had made it perfectly clear: the Path of Purgatory was difficult. It wasn’t that the trial was flawed; it was that they were too weak.

Just as they were crying out in misery about the difficulty, the Cultivators from the Silver Moon Royal Mansion also stepped onto the Path of Purgatory.

HUM—!

Just as it had for the others, the moment the Royal Mansion’s Cultivators set foot on the Path of Purgatory, a vast, mountain-like pressure suddenly enveloped their bodies.

However, unlike the others who had crumbled instantly, this immense pressure only caused the Cultivators from the Silver Moon Royal Mansion to sway slightly. An instant later, they bore the weight without a change in expression and began walking straight forward.

The Cultivators from the Xia, Qi, and Chu Three Great Clans fared similarly. The crushing pressure that had rendered others unable to take a single step felt like a gentle breeze on them, barely even rustling the hems of their robes. Their pace was unhurried, and in a flash, they had advanced several yards.

...

This effortless display made the hearts of the collapsed Cultivators ache with bitterness. They could no longer muster a single word of complaint, their faces etched only with despair.

’Are we so weak we don’t even qualify to participate in the trial?’

"Sigh..."

Some sighed in defeat, but others quickly adjusted their mindset.

’So be it. If we can’t get through, watching a contest between the top factions will make this trip worthwhile anyway.’

With that thought, many Cultivators turned their attention to Prince Qinghe’s Mansion—or more specifically, to Zhong Ming.

The members of the Silver Moon Royal Mansion and the Three Great Clans had already entered the Path of Purgatory and were advancing steadily. Everyone wanted to see if Prince Qinghe’s Mansion could keep pace.

It wasn’t just the ordinary Cultivators who were watching with anticipation. The Patriarchs and elders of Immortal Martial City’s Three Great Clans, the bickering Demonic Fiends outside, and even Prince Qinglin, who had arrived early, all fixed their gazes with keen interest on Zhong Ming and his party.

’Ever since arriving in Immortal Martial City, you’ve stirred up trouble and recruited talented individuals. Your ambition is plain to see. Now, let’s find out if you have the strength to match it!’

Zhong Ming and the others naturally felt the weight of everyone’s attention.

He knew that in the Cultivation Realm, strength was the only thing that truly mattered. To win the support of the masses, one had to display commensurate power. Far from being annoyed by the impending demonstration, Zhong Ming felt no trace of stage fright.

"I’m heading in."

After nodding to Ji Qingyue and Ji Qinglian, Zhong Ming led the contingent from Prince Qinghe’s Mansion and strode toward the Purgatory Array.

"Young Master, I will accompany you."

Xiyue followed right behind him, respectfully attending to his side like a handmaiden.

And so, with the two of them in the lead, the large contingent from Prince Qinghe’s Mansion swept into the Trial Array.

HUM—!

However, once inside, the performance of Prince Qinghe’s Mansion was abysmal.

—Thanks to the Dream Array, the Prince’s Mansion had recruited quite a few people recently.

But it was undeniable that these ordinary Cultivators—with their mediocre Talent, common Cultivation Techniques, and lack of resources—were more than a single cut below the elites of prominent clans and the direct lineage of a Royal Mansion.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The moment they entered the Array, a full ninety percent of the accompanying Cultivators collapsed. The remaining few had ashen faces, their teeth grinding loudly. Their muscles were drawn taut as bowstrings as they used every ounce of their strength just to remain standing, unable to even take a single step.

Among the entire contingent from Prince Qinghe’s Mansion, only Zhong Ming and Xiyue appeared to be at ease.

It was a truly terrible showing. Especially when contrasted with the sterling performance of the Silver Moon Royal Mansion, the quality of Prince Qinghe’s Mansion’s personnel seemed exceptionally poor.

This scene caused everyone—whether they were gathered at the Qi Family estate or observing from afar with Treasure Mirrors and Secret Techniques—to shake their heads.

’As expected. In terms of strength and foundation, Prince Qinghe’s Mansion is no match for the Silver Moon Royal Mansion.’

"Isn’t that what we concluded long ago?" The one who spoke was the Patriarch of the Qi Family. He had never believed for a moment that Prince Qinghe’s Mansion stood a chance of winning.

However, despite this conviction, he couldn’t help but shake his head after glancing at the situation on the Path of Purgatory. "I predicted they would lose, but I never imagined it would be this pathetic. They made such a huge splash in Immortal Martial City, I thought they must have a trump card up their sleeve. I figured they’d be a notch below the Silver Moon Royal Mansion at worst, but looking at them now... they aren’t even worthy of the comparison."