The inside of the tree was far more spacious than it appeared from the outside.
Layers of natural chambers spiraled upward, illuminated by faint, living light that pulsed gently with each breath of the tree itself.
It felt less like a residence and more like a sanctuary – quiet, ancient, and watchful.
Yu Xuan chose a spot near the inner wall and sat down, crossing his legs to ditate.
This run was... different.
He hadn’t died yet.
That alone already placed it far above his previous attempts.
Not only that, he had begun to encounter beings whose very existence challenged his understanding of cultivation and mortality.
’Seriously... how are they mortal?’ Yu Xuan wondered, frowning slightly.
Those people, no, those monsters were clearly capable of killing him effortlessly, and yet every single one of them was bound by the rules of this Land of Mortality, becoming a mortal.
It made no sense.
’Is this an innate racial difference?’ he thought.
If that were the case, if certain races could retain such terrifying strength even after being reduced to mortality, then in the grand sche of things.
Humanity would be in a very bad position.
The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Yu Xuan shook his head lightly.
Negative speculation wouldn’t help him right now.
His priority was simple, increase his strength.
Even without cultivation, he still possessed his body, his will, his experience and more importantly, his adaptability.
There had to be a way forward.
Just as he settled into thought, Yu Xuan felt it.
A presence.
Outside the tree.
"...Who is it this ti?" he muttered, opening his eyes.
Since eting the so-called Leader, he had already encountered both a fake and a genuine big shot.
At this point, the odds felt like a coin toss, either another eccentric powerhouse... or sothing far worse.
The probability was 50%.
With a sigh, Yu Xuan stood and stepped outside.
Waiting for him was a middle-aged man.
At first glance, he looked human.
Ordinary, even.
But Yu Xuan had long since learned not to trust appearances.
He imdiately categorized the visitor in his mind as.
A middle aged man whose appearance ant absolutely nothing.
But he didn’t know that the man before him was Xin Juesheng, a Heavenly Human.
The Peak of Humanity.
The Third Human Emperor.
Xin Juesheng gazed calmly at the young man standing before him, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
After a brief mont, a single thought surfaced in his mind.
’...He does have quite remarkable beauty.’
And with that, the eting between two very different Humans quietly began.
***
Xin Juesheng stepped into the interior of the tree, his expression thoughtful, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings with quiet scrutiny.
’Hmm... they even allocated him a Path Enlightening Tree,’ he mused inwardly.
’How generous of that old thing.’
The Path Enlightening Tree was no ordinary tree.
It was quite frankly, a cheat.
Its roots did not sink into soil, but instead connected directly to the Spirit Realm, allowing one who resided within it to enter states of enlightennt with far greater ease than normal cultivators.
Normally, such a thing would be priceless, sothing even Immortals would sche over and bleed.
But of course, this land was special.
The original effects were suppressed, distorted by the rules of Mortality, but even then, the symbolic aning of being granted such a tree was not lost on Xin Juesheng.
This child was being watched.
"First let’s change locations." Xin Juesheng said calmly.
Before Yu Xuan could even respond, the world folded.
In the next instant, the scenery shifted, and both of them appeared within Leaf Number 7462 – a realm directly connected to Xin Juesheng himself.
Yu Xuan found himself standing inside sothing akin to a grand imperial court.
The space was vast and dignified.
Azure light reflected off jade pillars, ancient symbols carved into the floor radiating quiet authority.
Statues of mythical beasts stood in solemn silence, and the air itself carried the weight of rulership and history.
"You’ve already removed three physical and spiritual restrictions binding humanity’s potential," Xin Juesheng said, studying Yu Xuan with renewed interest.
"That’s really quite impressive."
Yu Xuan was montarily caught off guard.
Complints, especially in a place like this, were not sothing he had expected.
"...May I ask who you are, Senior?" Yu Xuan asked after a brief pause.
No matter how he searched his mory, this man felt unfamiliar.
He didn’t even appear in Human Legend Textbook, he had read through his persona the Book-Human.
Xin Juesheng smiled faintly.
"Well I am human. What more identity do I need?" he replied.
Yu Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I was only curious because many of the beings I t today didn’t appear human at all."
"You’ve t more than you realize," Xin Juesheng said cryptically.
"But let’s set that aside for now."
With a casual wave of his hand, the surroundings shifted again, transforming into an open training ground within the imperial realm.
"How about you show your level?" Xin Juesheng continued.
Yu Xuan let out a quiet sigh.
’Old n and their obsession with testing the younger generation...’ he thought.
Still, hearing that the other party was human did ease his tension, if only slightly.
That said, Yu Xuan did not lower his guard or suddenly began to trust this man.
After all, if there was one thing he understood better than most...
It was that the most dangerous enemies of humans were often other humans.
"...Alright," Yu Xuan said calmly.
With a flicker of light, a Heaven Grade sword appeared in his hand, its blade humming softly.
Xin Juesheng’s lips curved into a faint smile.
"It’s only fair that I take out my weapon as well, don’t you agree?"
There was no response.
Yu Xuan had already entered a state of absolute.
Words, at this point, were unnecessary.
Xin Juesheng chuckled lightly.
"Young these days are so serious already..."
Then he extended his hand.
The air trembled.
A golden spear manifested in his grasp, its shaft etched with ancient dragon and phoenix carvings that seed almost alive.
The mont it appeared, the ground beneath them let out a low groan.
The spear radiated an indescribable weight – not physical alone, but sothing far heavier.
Will.
History.
Destiny.
This was not rely a weapon.
It was the Human Destiny Spear, the symbol of the The ThirdHuman Emperor.
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