Getting a Sugar Mommy in Cultivation World!!-Chapter 835: The First Trial

Yuan Ming could not understand why the cult was going through such trouble to prepare for a mere test.

If it had been a trap as he had feared in the start, there was no need for them to keep everyone alive for so long.

The elders of the demonic cult had shown that they could kill them or make them a puppet whenever they wished to, so unless this was a real test, all the trouble did not make sense.

The weights were attached to the participants one by one.

Heavy shackles clamped around wrists and ankles, each one inscribed with formations that pulsed with a dull red light.

The moment they locked into place, Yuan Ming saw several people stumble, barely able to support themselves under the sudden burden.

When the junior disciples reached him, Yuan Ming didn't resist.

He stood still as they fastened the weights to his limbs—two around each wrist, two around each ankle. Each one felt like it weighed at least fifty jin.

With his cultivation locked, the weight was immediately oppressive.

'Two hundred jin total,' Yuan Ming calculated grimly, testing his movement. He could still walk, but every step would be a struggle. 'And that's just the beginning.'

"You have five years," the female elder announced, her voice carrying a note of amusement. "Reach the other side of the cave before time runs out. Those who fail..." She smiled. "Well, you've already seen what happens to failures."

The central elder raised his hand. "Begin."

Before anyone could react, the ground beneath the courtyard suddenly opened.

'Wait… what? The cave opening was just for show?' Yuan Ming felt the stone disappear from under his feet.

His stomach lurched as he fell, the weights on his limbs making him drop like a stone.

Around him, hundreds of other participants were falling as well, their screams echoing in the suddenly open air.

The darkness of the cave rushed up to meet them.

Yuan Ming twisted his body mid-fall, trying to shift his balance so he did not fall on his face. He tried to look around, but the darkness was absolute, swallowing even the light from above within seconds.

If he wanted to see, he had to use his qi.

'Tch. Guess I will follow the instructions and see what happens.' Yuan Ming felt the air shift below him and realized that he was about to meet the ground and prepared himself.

Bang!

One by one, another after another, everyone fell to the ground. Groans of pain and moans of agony echoed within the cave.

The impact was sudden and almost crushing with the weights. Many did not even manage to land standing up.

Their bones were cracked and exposed out in the open.

Yuan Ming was one of the few fortunate ones who had barely managed to land on their feet without suffering any injuries.

The impact drove the air from his lungs.

Despite his suppressed Golden Core cultivation giving his body enhanced durability, the combination of the fall and the weights made the landing brutal.

With his qi sealed, he was no different from a mortal with a slightly strong body. Yuan Ming pushed himself to his hands and knees, breathing hard.

Every movement felt like he was dragging a mountain. The weights on his wrists and ankles seemed even heavier now, the formations pulsing against his skin.

'Get up,' he told himself firmly. 'Get up or die here.'

He forced himself to stand, swaying slightly as he adjusted to the burden.

Slowly, his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. And he even noticed a faint light coming from the distance in the path ahead of them.

When he looked around at other participants who survived the fall like him, he noticed a familiar young man who he had noticed before.

The one with black hair, who had been leaning against the wall earlier like him.

'How is he handling the weights so easily?' Yuan Ming gasped in shock before shaking his head. 'I have to get out of here.'

He started following after the young man. At first he was slow and wobbly, but soon he regained his momentum and straightened his posture.

As he moved, Yuan Ming took in the area around him. The space stretched out in all directions, the ceiling somewhere high above lost in darkness. Stalactites hung like teeth.

The ground was uneven, covered in loose rocks and what looked like bones, whether animal or human, he couldn't tell.

As for the rest of the participants, they were already on their feet or were dragging themselves towards the light.

Even with the injuries, they were desperate to make it out of there. Only a few who had given up on living stayed back and stared at the rock-hard ceiling with despair in their eyes.

Ever since they had stepped into the cult, the number of participants had been gradually decreasing.

There were close to a thousand of them when they had started, and now nearly half of them were eliminated.

After thirty minutes of walking, he finally saw the end of the tunnel. The young man who had started before him was already standing there, facing an elevated platform.

In the corner he noticed a small pond enough to fit fifty people glowing with faint green light.

'Is that…' Yuan Ming realized how special the pond was with a single glance and entered it without a second thought.

As soon as the liquid touched his skin, a warm flow entered his body. All the hidden injuries from before were healed almost instantly.

Those who arrived after him saw this and jumped into the pond as well.

After being healed, Yuan Ming stepped out, but then he realized that he could not use qi to dry his clothes and sighed.

"Get out of the way!"

"I was here first!"

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden shots from behind. Yuan Ming turned around and saw the very people who were sharing pleasantries with warm faces before now throwing their fists at each other to claim a spot in the pond.

And yet, it was only the start of hell.