Chapter 80: Remember to Go to Bed Early

The cultivators following Qin Tang were all shocked by the scene in the distance.

“What a bunch of idiots. They were told there was an anomaly, yet they still tried to escape. They truly don’t know what death means.”

“I know one of them, Sun Kairong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His dao techniques were quite impressive, but I never expected him to die so silently.”

“Strange, why was there no unusual celestial phenomenon when they died?”

“Is this your first time hearing about anomalies, fellow Daoist? Under the shroud of an anomaly, its own rules are formed. Most common sense no longer applies, so we must be extra careful.”

“Thank you for the guidance, fellow Daoist.”

As they walked, they communicated with their spiritual senses, each with a different expression.

Not long after, Qin Tang led them into a tall building.

In the center was a straight corridor.

Small partitioned rooms were located on both sides of the corridor.

Inside each room, there was no other decoration.

Only five simple wooden beds were placed there.

“Alright! Everyone will rest here tonight! Tomorrow morning, we’ll gather in the plaza!” Qin Tang turned and said to the group.

After speaking, he shook his head and walked out.

“Oh, and remember to go to bed early!”

After his figure disappeared, Qin Tang’s voice faintly echoed once more.

Seeing the anomaly disappear, the cultivators present finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Most of them, being familiar with each other, found a room together to settle down.

Sikong Yi and Baili Chen naturally stayed together.

Li Fan chose not to force his way in; he simply picked another room relatively close to theirs.

There were already two people in the room.

These two also knew each other and were communicating something with their spiritual senses.

Li Fan didn't greet them either.

He lay directly on the bed, activating the Xuanhuang Heart Refining Mantra, and all distracting thoughts vanished from his mind.

Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.

The other two, still conversing, were initially startled by this.

Then, remembering something, their faces suddenly turned pale, as if struck by a wave of lingering fear.

So the two quickly stopped communicating and forced themselves to fall asleep.

However, not everyone could acutely perceive what was about to happen.

Many others were still chatting with their companions about the day's events and expressing their longing for potential treasures in the newly discovered Cloudwater Heavenly Palace ruins.

Their expressions were excited, making it difficult for them to fall asleep.

Time passed, little by little.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

Suddenly, all the lights inside the tall building abruptly vanished.

In the complete darkness, Qin Tang’s voice eerily echoed.

“Oh dear, these newcomers aren’t very obedient this time.”

“I told them to go to bed early.”

“How is it that so many are still awake now?”

“It wouldn't be good if it delays tomorrow morning's trial.”

“Since you can’t sleep, I’ll give you a hand.”

“Puff!”

“Puff!”

“Puff!”

Chilling sounds continuously rang out.

It was unknown how many cultivators lost their lives without even letting out a scream.

Only then did everyone present realize that Qin Tang's earlier remark, "remember to go to bed early," was not a joke.

But it was already too late.

The auras of cultivators continuously vanished from their senses.

Some wanted to yell and awaken those who were already fast asleep.

But as soon as their voices emerged, they abruptly ceased.

Slaughter and death spread through the darkness.

Under this terrifying atmosphere, some cultivators who were still awake finally couldn't bear it any longer.

Their auras surged, ready to unleash their full power and fight White-robed Qin Tang to the death.

Qin Tang snorted coldly, seemingly provoked.

A blue light flared up, then immediately extinguished.

Consequently, these cultivators who intended to resist fell silently, without causing even a ripple.

After killing these people, Qin Tang's mood seemed to improve slightly.

“Sigh, this task is truly exhausting. If it weren't for the Sect Master, senior brothers, and senior sisters all disappearing, I wouldn't have had to come out myself.”

“Boring, truly boring. I’d rather go drinking!”

Qin Tang's words were inconsistent, and his actions were entirely arbitrary.

As his voice faded, all the surviving cultivators inside the building breathed a long sigh of relief.

But no one could guarantee when Qin Tang would return.

So, they all tried to quickly fall asleep.

However...

Those who frequently suffer from insomnia would surely understand how difficult sleep can be.

If there's no mental burden, one can simply fall asleep.

But conversely, if one keeps dwelling on something and tries to force themselves to sleep,

They will most likely wake up just as they are about to drift off.

Furthermore, many of these cultivators were accustomed to replacing sleep with secluded cultivation.

They had seemingly lost the ability to sleep.

Therefore, even knowing that not sleeping would lead to death, many cultivators still couldn't fall asleep.

Seeing that the death-dealing Qin Tang could return at any moment, these people had no choice.

Secretly regretting not learning a hypnotic spell or two before coming, they chose to knock themselves unconscious, hoping to pass the test that way.

Unfortunately, in Qin Tang's eyes, being asleep and being unconscious were clearly two different concepts.

Thus, in the latter half of the night, when Qin Tang returned,

Another bloody massacre ensued.

The next morning, when Li Fan woke up,

He saw bodies strewn across the floor inside the building.

As Li Fan had expected, Jiao Xiuyuan failed to pass this trial.

His body was separated from his head, lying silently there.

Li Fan naturally felt no pity for him.

Without delay, Li Fan headed straight for the plaza from the previous day.

Learning from yesterday's lesson, the cultivators didn't wander off to other places but obediently gathered in the plaza.

The crowd was sparse; fewer than two-thirds of yesterday's cultivators had survived.

So many casualties had occurred even before the trial officially began.

The survivors were pessimistic about what lay ahead, their faces dejected.

Li Fan knew that this was just the beginning.

In the end, less than one-tenth of this first group of cultivators who entered the Cloudwater Heavenly Palace would make it out alive.

In the crowd, Li Fan also spotted Sikong Yi and Baili Chen.

He merely glanced at them, his gaze not lingering.

He quietly waited for Qin Tang to arrive.

Not long after, Qin Tang reappeared before everyone.

He held a wine gourd in his hand, walking and chugging from it.

“Good wine! Excellent wine!”

Qin Tang let out a joyous shout before finally looking at the surviving cultivators in the plaza.

“Alright, it seems everyone is here.”

“So, let us officially begin the first trial.”

He squinted his eyes slightly, as if recalling something.

“My master once said that in the pursuit of immortality and the Dao, three things are most crucial.”

“Talent, temperament, and luck.”

“My master believed that among these three, talent was the most important.”

“I, however, disagree.”

“I believe that temperament is the most important of the three.”

“Therefore, the three trials I've arranged are all related to temperament.”

Qin Tang spoke slowly, leading the group into a pavilion.

The pavilion had three levels.

On the first level, where they were, hundreds of bookshelves were arranged.

Each bookshelf was filled with books.

Everyone looked closely.

"Flying Cloud Illusory Scroll," "Flying Thunder Escape," "Azure Wood Rejuvenation Art"...

Every book was, astonishingly, a cultivation technique.

Everyone's breathing immediately quickened.