The combination of life-or-death response ability, precise flame control, and the semi-artifact gave Qin Ruqing the qualification to dance on the edge of the cliff.

After defeating the second Core Formation beast, Qin Ruqing collapsed.

Her Fifth Heavenly-grade white-green robes were stained red with blood, and she lay motionless on the ground, barely breathing.

The clanking sound of the chains and the iron cage reappeared.

There was more!

It wasn’t over yet!

Qin Ruqing, exhausted and drained of all energy, managed to lift her eyes and glance at the dark cage ahead, only to drop them again.

She was worn out, with no strength left.

Even though her body’s innate energy was still flowing and slowly replenishing, she felt powerless to control it.

It was as if she briefly lost control over her body.

Her mental fortitude had collapsed.

Defeating Core Formation beasts was her limit.

She faced two major life-and-death crises against them.

The only thing keeping her going was the belief that:

“Just hold on. This trial shouldn’t be too extreme. Given my strength, defeating Core Formation beasts should be the limit. The will of the trial should recognize this, and…”

And it made me fight two rounds. With that, I should be able to get a Heavenly-level rating.

But just as I finished the second one with great difficulty, the iron cage appeared again, indicating there was another level!

I’ve fought Core Formation beasts, what’s next, Peak Core Formation!

Heavens, how could I possibly fight a Peak Core Formation beast! During the competition, the Core Formation elder from the Fang family who tried to assassinate me failed because he didn’t dare to act openly and didn’t expect me to detect his position in advance, so I was prepared.

But actually fighting one is completely impossible.

The massive gap in strength is like a chasm.

Even if Qin Ruqing had perfect talent and skills, she couldn’t cross such a huge gap.

So, her will was crushed.

She truly felt incapable.

It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in herself, but she was very clear about her limits, and the answer was simply impossible.

The iron cage hovered quietly, like a giant abyssal mouth ready to swallow Qin Ruqing.

She just lay there, letting it be, and the prison’s will didn’t seem to be in a hurry to urge her.

Her eyes reflected the white flames of the wall lamps, looking quite desolate.

Two seconds later, the desolate Qin Ruqing suddenly sprang up.

Then, without looking back, she started walking towards the iron cage.

“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe this prison is so damn messed up!”

“The appearance of the iron cage doesn’t necessarily mean there’s another level. Maybe it’s taking me up? Let’s think positively! If people think positively, good things will come more often!”

“Hmm, I’ll go up and see!”

Qin Ruqing placed one foot on the iron cage, and when it didn’t react, she stepped fully onto it.

After a pause of one second, the iron chains began to move, and it turned out to be going down.

It actually dares to go down!

Damn it!

In that moment, Qin Ruqing’s face went from pale to dark and then from dark to green, displaying a very dramatic change.

She clicked her tongue and gritted her teeth, saying, “Alright, you’re something… But I already guessed it.”

When she jumped up just now, she had a premonition. This “Path of the Unworthy” had given her the feeling of having no limits or decency.

The only reason she made this move was because she was unwilling to accept defeat.

She was really angry.

It wasn’t just about the “Path of the Unworthy,” but about how her own faith had truly collapsed.

When she was lying on the ground, she was ready to give up.

She felt like she couldn’t do it.

This feeling of giving up, this sense of failure, struck Qin Ruqing deeply.

She felt frustrated and distressed!

How could she give up?

How could she not be able to do it?

She had faced hardships before, but she had never truly felt like she couldn’t do it.

It was just about killing Peak Core Formation Beast!

If she couldn’t do it, did she not even have the courage to keep trying?

So, Qin Ruqing stood up.

She puffed out her cheeks and looked in a certain direction, saying, “If I die in the ‘Path of the Unworthy,’ please, a kind soul from the celestial family, take my ashes back to the Qin family. Tell them it’s a bit frustrating to die in the trial. You can just say…” Qin Ruqing thought and thought but couldn’t come up with a dignified way to die, so she dejectedly said, “Forget it, just tell them the truth.”

The iron chains continued to descend with a creaking sound, showing no mercy.

Qin Ruqing cursed in her heart, realizing that even playing the sympathy card didn’t work! Even though she had just said those words, she didn’t really want to die.

Clack, the sound of the iron cage reaching a checkpoint, meant the new level had arrived, and Qin Ruqing was about to face the trial.

That clacking sound seemed to hit Qin Ruqing hard.

She tightly closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, instead of resolutely stepping out of the cage, she began to pray and worship.

Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, please bless me!

When strength is lacking, turn to mysticism!

Qin Ruqing knew she couldn’t beat the elixir, and there was no other way.

Now, her only hope was to rely on mysticism.

After worshiping gods from both Eastern and Western traditions, she also worshiped the “gods” of this world, the legendary powerful immortals.

To outsiders, this young girl who worshipped various deities seemed to have a fragile belief, as if a gentle push could shatter her.

But strangely, this faith and perseverance were still stubbornly present.

After performing her mystic rituals, Qin Ruqing finally turned her attention back to the prison, where she could sense the powerful aura of the Peak Core Formation beasts.

She closed her eyes again, and stepped out with one foot…

However, before she could firmly plant her foot, the iron cage suddenly began to rise rapidly.

She almost missed her step and had to hold onto the bars to stabilize herself.

The speed of the ascent was completely different from the previous descent.

The descent had been slow and torturous, like it was intentionally pressuring her heart.

The ascent, however, shot up like a rocket.

Returning to the dark space at the beginning, the iron cage spat her out. As the cage turned to leave, Qin Ruqing shouted:

“My reward! The token!”

The iron cage resolutely did not turn back, and Qin Ruqing suddenly felt something new in her hand…

Something.

She felt something and looked down to find a bronze token of the same material.

Qin Ruqing slowly turned the token over, and the ancient characters engraved on it clearly read “Heavenly Level.”

Before Qin Ruqing could react, the dark space suddenly twisted and changed.

When she opened her eyes again, she was outside the bronze door of the [Path of Life].

Qin Ruqing touched herself, “I’m out already?”

She suddenly remembered something, turned around nervously to look ahead, and then sighed in relief.

Fortunately, the Fifth Lingyu wasn’t there to greet her.

Normally, if she had struggled through a trial and emerged, it would be close companions like Third Sister, Qirong or Tang Zifeng who would come to get her.

Qin Ruqing could then just lie down and have them carry her back.

Because she was so exhausted now that she didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger.

But if Fifth Lingyu had come to get her, Qin Ruqing would have had to mentally prepare for a confrontation with this scheming fox.

She was truly exhausted.

It was just as well that he didn’t show up.

Qin Ruqing took out a bronze bell, quickly inputted an address, and with a shift in the scene, she finally appeared in her waterfall courtyard.

Qin Ruqing intentionally left the bronze bell outside and set up a barrier in the room before allowing herself to fully relax.

She collapsed onto the bed, leaving only her mind active.

She didn’t fall asleep immediately because there was still something urgent to confirm.

Qin Ruqing took out the new Heavenly Level token and probed it with her consciousness.

After a moment, her pupils narrowed sharply.

Even though she had some guesses, confirming them still left her deeply shocked.

The Heavenly Level token reward from the Path of Life was named: “Endless Vitality!”

And the greatest feature of her Green Lotus Dao Physique was also Endless Vitality!