"Damn him! Damn him! Damn that Chu Fengmian, I must kill him!"
Seeing everyone’s gaze, Prince Yan Nan’s heart grew even more frantic.
Especially upon hearing about the rewards others received, Prince Yan Nan’s heart was filled with incomparable envy, as everyone had obtained a considerable opportunity except for himself.
And the root cause of all this was Chu Fengmian—his resentment towards Chu Fengmian grew deeper.
"Now that everyone has passed the first trial, the second trial can also begin."
Emperor of Fertility surveyed the crowd and said loudly.
"This second trial involves passing through these five gates behind me. Whoever can pass through all of them will have completed the second trial."
Behind the Emperor of Fertility stood five towering gates that led into depths unknown, hiding mysteries.
Previously, the stone bridge had been an illusion; in the Emperor of Fertility’s view, it was nothing more than a greeting gift. The five gates may have seemed ordinary, but whatever lay beyond them, no one dared underestimate.
As a result, no one was willing to enter first, as they all had but one chance and needed to be cautious.
"Hmph, since no one dares to go, then I will be the first."
Prince Yan Nan saw the gate and snorted, stepping forward boldly.
During the first trial, he was the only one who did not receive a reward, already burning with rage. Now seeing that no one else dared to step forward,
he scoffed and took a step into the first gate.
However, not five minutes after Prince Yan Nan entered, he was thrown back out through the gate.
Fear was plastered across his face, and he became insane.
Prince Yan Nan roared continuously, falling into a state of madness.
"A deep-seated Heart Demon?"
"How did Prince Yan Nan suddenly fall into madness?"
Many onlookers were shocked by the change in Prince Yan Nan, their faces pale with fear.
He had just entered the first gate and was thrown out in less than five minutes, seemingly consumed by a deep-seated Heart Demon.
Emperor of Fertility, watching this unfold, snorted coldly.
The madness receded from Prince Yan Nan’s face, and the Heart Demon within him was shattered.
"Thank you for saving me, senior..."
Prince Yan Nan came to his senses and hastily thanked the Emperor of Fertility.
"Trial failed, you no longer have the qualifications to stay on this trial ground."
Emperor of Fertility spoke coldly, waving his hand as a space rift appeared in front of Prince Yan Nan and expelled him from the trial ground.
"Prince Yan Nan can’t even pass the first gate."
"What exactly is hidden behind these gates...?"
The other Martial Artists pondered, feeling a chill in their hearts as they saw Prince Yan Nan being thrown out.
Prince Yan Nan’s strength was undoubtedly not inferior to any of them. As the Sect Leader of the Candle Flame Sect, he had plenty of hidden strengths.
Yet with such might, he was unable to pass even the first gate and was expelled.
Their own strengths were not any stronger than that of Prince Yan Nan; seeing his fate, the others were even less inclined to enter.
"A deep-seated Heart Demon; behind this first gate must be a formidable Heart Demon."
Chu Fengmian thought to himself, scrutinizing the first gate.
The first trial’s three barriers truly tested a Martial Artist’s strength, the most fundamental aspect for a Martial Artist.
Besides strength, mental fortitude was equally crucial; without a resolute mind, a Martial Artist could never become strong.
Although Prince Yan Nan was powerful, his mentality was immature. A few taunts from Chu Fengmian had provoked him to challenge the Emperor of Fertility and hence lose his reward.
Therefore, his falling at the first gate was not surprising to Chu Fengmian.
At least, the first gate likely tested a Martial Artist’s mentality.
Chu Fengmian suddenly spoke and moved forward, stepping up towards the gate.
Chu Fengmian’s action immediately attracted the attention of the others.
"Does Chu Fengmian have such confidence?"
"Prince Yan Nan couldn’t pass; what makes Chu Fengmian think he can?"
"However, it’s good. With him trying it out, we can also observe."
Everyone had their thoughts but remained silent, quietly watching Chu Fengmian prepare to enter the first gate.
Han Yueli, nearby, quietly murmured, her voice so faint that no one else present could distinguish it.
Only Chu Fengmian, with his senses far beyond ordinary, could hear clearly.
Chu Fengmian’s lips curved into a smile as he whispered back to Han Yueli and then stepped through the first gate.
As soon as both of Chu Fengmian’s feet crossed the threshold of the first gate, the world spun and mist filled the air before him.
Within the mist, Chu Fengmian could faintly see a figure.
Chu Fengmian watched the figure and challenged it.
"Who am I? Shouldn’t you know better?"
The figure suddenly spoke, and the voice was nearly identical to Chu Fengmian’s.
Through the mist, Chu Fengmian could make out that the figure resembled himself.
Chu Fengmian coldly uttered the two words.
He knew exactly what this figure was; it could say the name "Chu Jianbai."
It was his own Heart Demon.
Every Martial Artist had a Heart Demon, strong or weak. As long as one had a heart, there would be a Heart Demon.
Usually, the Heart Demon was suppressed and did not easily emerge, but upon entering this first gate, a Martial Artist’s Heart Demon would be directly summoned.
The test of the first gate was to defeat one’s own Heart Demon.
"Since you’ve guessed it, why did you still come here?"
The figure looked at Chu Fengmian, a strange smile playing on its lips.
"Do you have confidence you can overcome your Heart Demon, or did you simply want to see for yourself?"