Remember to Sleep Early

The cultivators following behind Qin Tang took note of the scene in the distance, and every one of them was struck with terror. "What a bunch of idiots. They were already warned that they had encountered an anomaly, yet they still presumed they could run away. They truly have no idea how death is spelled." "I recognized one of them—it was Sun Kairong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His Daoist arts were quite remarkable. Who would have thought he'd die so silently?" "Strange, how come there were no heavenly phenomena upon their deaths?" "Is this your first time hearing of an anomaly, Fellow Daoist? Under the shroud of an anomaly, its own rules govern everything. Most conventional wisdom no longer applies. That is why one must proceed with utmost caution." "Thank you for the guidance, Fellow Daoist." ... As they walked, exchanging words through divine sense, the crowd wore varied expressions. Before long, Qin Tang led them into a tall building. Down the center ran a straight corridor. Small cubicles lined both sides of the passage. Inside each room, there were no decorations whatsoever—merely five wooden beds placed plainly on the floor. "Alright! Everyone will rest here tonight! Gather at the square early tomorrow morning!" Qin Tang turned his head and announced to the crowd. With that, he wobbled his head and strolled out. "Oh, right—remember to sleep early!" After his figure disappeared, Qin Tang's voice drifted back faintly once more. Seeing that anomaly leave, the cultivators present finally breathed a collective sigh of relief. Most sought out rooms together with those they knew best to settle in. Sikong Yi and Baili Chen naturally took lodging in the same room. Li Fan chose not to force his way into their company, picking another room relatively close to theirs instead. Two people were already inside. These two were also acquainted with each other and were in the middle of communicating via divine sense. Li Fan did not bother greeting them. He lay straight down on a bed, circulated the Xuanhuang Heart-Refining Incantation, and cleared all stray thoughts from his mind. Before long, he was sound asleep. The two who were still conversing froze upon seeing this. Then, as if realizing something, their faces suddenly drained of color in a rush of retroactive terror. Without another word, the two ceased their communication at once and forced themselves to fall asleep. Yet not everyone possessed the sharp intuition to anticipate what was about to happen. Many were still conversing with their companions about everything they had seen and heard today, as well as their yearning for the treasures that might exist within these brand-new Cloud Water Heavenly Palace ruins. Their emotions ran high, making sleep impossible. Time trickled by, bit by bit. No one knew how much time had passed. Suddenly, the lights throughout the tall building abruptly vanished. In the pitch-black darkness, Qin Tang's voice rang out eerily. "Oh dear, the newcomers this time really aren't very obedient." "I told you to sleep early." "Why are so many people still awake even now?" "It wouldn't do if you delayed tomorrow morning's trial." "Since you can't fall asleep, allow me to lend you a hand." *Pfft!* *Pfft!* *Pfft!* Chilling sounds echoed incessantly. No one knew how many cultivators lost their lives without managing to utter even a single scream. Only at this moment did everyone present understand that Qin Tang's earlier parting words—"remember to sleep early"—had been no joke. Yet it was already too late. Cultivator presences vanished continuously from their spiritual perception. Someone tried to cry out in alarm to wake those who were fast asleep, but the cry was cut short the instant it left their throat. Slaughter and death spread throughout the darkness. Under this horrifying atmosphere, several cultivators who had yet to fall asleep finally broke down. Their auras surged violently as they prepared to unleash everything they had in a desperate fight for survival against the white-robed Qin Tang. Qin Tang let out a cold snort, seemingly annoyed. A blue light flared and died in an instant. And so, the cultivators who attempted to resist perished in utter silence, without raising the slightest ripple. Having killed these people, Qin Tang seemed to be in a slightly better mood. "Sigh, this errand is truly exhausting. If Sect Master Martial Uncle, senior martial brothers, and senior martial sisters hadn't all vanished, there would be no need for me to step in." "Boring, so utterly boring. Better to go have a drink!" Qin Tang's words were rambling and incoherent, and his actions were entirely governed by whim. As his voice faded into the distance, the surviving cultivators inside the building let out long sighs of relief. Yet no one could guarantee when Qin Tang might return. Consequently, they all desperately tried to seize the time to fall asleep. However... Sleep was a fickle thing, as anyone who suffered from chronic insomnia knew all too well. If one's mind was unburdened, falling asleep was effortless. Conversely, if one fixated on the task and tried to force oneself to sleep, nine times out of ten, they would jolt awake the very instant they teetered on the edge of slumber. Furthermore, many of these cultivators were long accustomed to substituting sleep with meditative seclusion. They had practically lost the ability to sleep naturally. Thus, even knowing full well that failing to sleep meant death, many cultivators still could not manage it. Seeing that the death-dealing Qin Tang could return at any moment, these people were driven to desperation. Curses filled their minds for having never learned a hypnotic spell or two before coming here, leaving them no choice but to knock themselves unconscious in hopes of duping their way through. Unfortunately, in Qin Tang's eyes, being asleep and being unconscious were clearly two very different concepts. And so, during the latter half of the night, when Qin Tang returned once more... Another storm of blood and slaughter swept through. Early the next morning, when Li Fan awoke, what greeted his eyes was a floor covered in corpses throughout the building. Just as Li Fan had anticipated, Jiao Xiuyuan had failed to survive this hurdle. His head separated from his body, he lay there quietly. Li Fan naturally harbored no pity for him. Without delay, Li Fan headed straight for the square from yesterday. Having learned yesterday's lesson, the cultivators refrained from wandering about, obediently gathering in the square. The crowd was sparse; fewer than two-thirds of the cultivators who had arrived yesterday remained alive. Before the trials had even officially begun, there were already so many casualties. The survivors looked exceedingly grim about what lay ahead, their faces weighed down with dejection. Li Fan knew that this was merely the beginning. In the end, fewer than a tenth of the cultivators in this first wave to enter the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace would make it out alive. Within the crowd, Li Fan also caught sight of Sikong Yi and Baili Chen. He merely swept his gaze past them without lingering, quietly waiting for Qin Tang to arrive. Before long, Qin Tang appeared before everyone once more. He held a wine gourd in hand, chugging greedily from it as he walked. "Good wine! Excellent wine!" Qin Tang shouted in delight before finally casting his gaze over the surviving cultivators in the square. "Good, it seems everyone is here." "In that case, we shall officially begin the first trial." His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were reminiscing about something. "Master once said that when seeking the immortal path, three things are paramount." "Talent, temperament, and fortune." "Master believed that of the three, talent was the most critical." "I, however, disagree." "I believe that temperament is the most important of all." "That is why the three trials I have arranged are all tied to temperament." Speaking at an unhurried pace, Qin Tang led the crowd into a pavilion. The pavilion stood three stories high. On the ground floor where they stood, over a hundred bookshelves were arranged. Every single bookshelf was crammed full of books. The crowd focused their gaze. *Flying Cloud Phantom Scripture*, *Flying Thunder Escape*, *Azure Wood Spring Rejuvenation Art*... Every single book was an authentic cultivation method. Everyone's breathing instantly quickened.