Shen He had descended from the mountain of the Infinite Dao Sect at that moment and was standing in the middle of the enormous crowd, waiting.
The recruitment was about to begin after thirty days of competition, and many wondered how the sect would deal with such a massive multitude gathered at its gates to participate in this major event.
Some said that the sect would probably accept only around ten thousand people and take the most qualified among the overwhelming number gathered.
This theory came from the fact that a mountain with a Third-Level spiritual vein, like the one the Infinite Dao Sect possessed, had limited space, and around thirty thousand people was already the maximum it could hold without feeling overcrowded. Besides, it wasn't common for a sect to recruit so many people at once.
Others believed that the sect must have a way to recruit a much larger number of disciples. Otherwise, why would they gather so many people with such loose requirements?
Shen He was among those who believed in the latter option.
In the past month, he not only witnessed but also competed side by side with the disciples of that sect and had seen how terrifying the capabilities of its members were.
Shen He participated in two competitions—duels and alchemy—and in both he won first place in the Refiner Tier level.
In the duel match, he shone with his fifth level of Qi Refinement, defeating a cultivator at the perfection stage of that same realm. It was a difficult battle in which he almost lost, but with the spells and cultivation his master had taught him, he managed to triumph in the end.
But even that glorious match only drew a little attention. Soon after, the disciples of the Infinite Dao Sect fought, and for the first time, the public witnessed a battle that shook the earth. They said even Golden Core cultivators turned pale upon seeing it.
Shen He's eyes had been opened that day to what true power really was. Although his master dismissed it as nothing, he could still tell that his master had been surprised by something in those matches.
Perhaps the disciples of that sect were simply too strong within the same realm?
He couldn't say.
While the boy was lost in thought, a voice emerged in his mind, waking him up.
["Xiao He, it's about to begin."]
His master gave him a serious warning.
Shen He immediately lifted his head and saw several men in the outer elder robes of the Infinite Dao Sect, led by some men in purple inner elder robes, floating calmly in front of the mountain, at a great altitude above the crowd.
Leading them was a man Shen He had seen before.
The leader of the Punishment Pavilion, Lie Zheng, with his fierce scar and steady eyes, was apparently the one presiding over the ceremony.
The man's black eyes swept calmly from one side of the crowd to the other.
"Today, my sect will once again preside over a recruitment ceremony. This time, it is likely the largest recruitment ever held in this continent's history."
He spoke calmly, his voice transmitted effortlessly by his powerful spiritual energy, allowing everyone to hear.
And they listened, attentive and breathless, their hearts shaken by witnessing such a historic moment. There was also, of course, excitement for what awaited them.
"Our sect will conduct only two simple tests, which will determine whether your fate aligns with our sect. But be aware that in these two tests, even if you pass, only the elite chosen by our sect will be allowed to enter our gates."
"Many of you who pass will be assigned to a force subordinate to our sect, the Infinite Dao Empire. However, the choice to join is yours, and you are free to leave if you wish, even if you have passed the challenge."
He explained calmly, observing the confusion and commotion that began to arise because of his words.
"But our Infinite Dao Empire is also full of opportunities for you to change your destinies. And it is not impossible that, through accumulated merit, you may climb and become full members of the sect."
Everything he said provoked an instant reaction, generating even more excitement and expectation, but also a strong touch of apprehension.
Lie Zheng observed everything without expression. Even blinking, he did so with calm deliberation.
Seeing his silence and fearsome aura, the noisy crowd slowly quieted down until silence was restored—almost eerie, considering the sheer number of people present.
Although Lie Zheng appeared calm, Aotian, in truth, felt his heart tremble when confronted with the direct gaze of nearly one and a half billion people.
He had to swallow dryly and remain firm, for it was a sensation he had never experienced, which only made clearer the notion of the power he now held in his hands.
Fortunately, he had thousands of minds and bodies to deal with the emotional load of this. Otherwise, he could not guarantee that his avatar Lie Zheng wouldn't tremble in front of everyone upon receiving those gazes.
Taking a deep breath through a hidden avatar far from everyone's sight, he recomposed himself and became more serious.
Lie Zheng then waved his hand before everyone, and in front of the mountain, where a formation had previously been set up to prevent the crowd from advancing, a staircase of light began to take shape.
The ethereal staircase began gaining color, and several bright white points, along with a spectral blue, dotted its structure, giving it a solemn and otherworldly appearance.
Its width was impressive, spanning about two miles, while 999 steps were arranged along it, narrowing more and more toward the top.
With its appearance, serious yet confused expressions emerged among the crowd.
Liu Taixuan, inside the necklace around Shen He's neck, blinked curiously.
["It looks like a Staircase of Sincerity, though a bit different. Are they planning to marry all the disciples who climb it to each other?"]
The old man pondered with curiosity, though the last part was just him teasing.
But Shen He didn't seem to understand that, and he grew pale, looking distrustful and terrified at that staircase.
Liu Taixuan rolled his eyes at that foolish disciple and, irritated, didn't bother correcting him, leaving it for him to discover on his own.
Fortunately, Lie Zheng did not leave everyone waiting and explained.
"This is the Stairway of Soul Judgment. It has 999 steps, with the first 333 being the judgment of the heart, the next 333 the judgment of loyalty, and the final 333 the judgment of will."
"Those among you who pass the first two judgments may, if you so wish, join the Infinite Dao Empire. Those who pass all three judgments may join the sect."
"The judgment will remain here for thirty days. Those who are disqualified—unless their hearts have changed while climbing the stairs—should not attempt to return, for the result will be the same."
"At the end of this period, the sect's ships will send everyone back to their respective domains from where they were taken."
His voice was firm, yet calm and unhurried, giving the crowd time to process and understand what awaited them.
But his gaze, previously only firm, suddenly became fierce, frightening all who could see his face in the sky.
"One final warning. These stairs pose no danger to anyone except those whose hands are soaked in blood, whose hearts overflow with sin, and whose minds are twisted with cruelty. I do not say this to warn such individuals, but so that everyone understands that my sect does not hide its intentions. If you, vile creature, fall within our domain… know that you alone are to blame for courting death."
With a cold snort, he waved his hand and, together with the elders around him, suddenly appeared at the top of the staircase, observing everyone.
"Begin."
That single word, which echoed in the minds of all present, was enough to awaken them from the fear imposed by Lie Zheng's aura and fierce gaze.
The braves among them were the first to step forward toward the staircase, moving solemnly and with caution.
Meanwhile, a few specific individuals in the crowd swallowed hard, pale, and did not dare to advance after the warning, for they knew themselves well.
Aotian, through his avatars, watched everything from the sky and etched some of those faces into his mind.
Indeed, later, he would seek them out one by one and cleanse the world a little more, if necessary.
Shen He did not care about the warning. He had never been cruel or evil. On the contrary, as someone who suffered severe bullying from his family after his cultivation vanished, he did not develop a distorted personality, but instead became kinder to those who were weak, just as he once had been.
Thus, standing at the very front of the crowd — having come directly from the mountain of the Infinite Dao Sect, where he had stayed for the past month — he was among the first to step forward, placing his foot on the first step.
And with that step, his soul trembled.
His head throbbed, his mind blurred, and his vision changed.
That was when a voice came from behind him, and Shen He quickly turned around.
"Boss He, we found a great treasure this time when we went out. I hope that when you're done enjoying it, you'll let us have some fun too."
There, in a large and luxurious room, some burly men grinned lewdly. Carrying a breathtakingly beautiful girl who was half-naked, they threw her onto the lavish bed while they laughed and explained.
The girl struggled violently, but her body, covered in wounds, was exhausted. In the end, she only glared at Shen He, the leader of those men, with tears of suffering and rage streaming from her red, furious eyes.
Shen He frowned as a strange flood of memories passed through his mind, unnoticed. He no longer remembered anything about the staircase or the Infinite Dao Sect.
All he could recall was that he had been the leader of those men for some time.
Since they were a gang of thieves, stealing was normal. But this was the first time he had encountered such a scene since becoming their leader.
Seeing the girl clearly mistreated by his men and the intention behind their actions, Shen He's fist clenched, and a flame of hatred burned in his heart as he glared coldly at the bandits. This had crossed his limits.
"What's wrong, boss? Why are you hesitating? This one was hard to get. Her parents didn't want to hand her over when we asked, so we had to kill them. A pity, though—the mother wasn't bad at all, but when we tried to have some fun, she managed to kill herself," one of the men complained, spitting on the floor in anger.
The more he listened, the more furious Shen He's heart became. In the end, those sins fell upon his head, and he was the one to blame for keeping such bandits.
Then, suddenly, he drew a sword.
"Huh? Boss? What are you trying to do?" the men asked, confused by his action.
Shen He, without saying a word, simply advanced with a cold killing intent.
With blood spraying everywhere and a look of relief appearing on the girl's face, that world shattered.
Even though he could have taken advantage of the girl, since he did not remember the judgment nor realize that it was a false world, he remained firm in his principles.
In the real world, Shen He's body, with hazy eyes, took a step forward right after stepping on the first step.
There, on the second step, he paused for a moment and then took another step.
Neither slow nor fast, Shen He, along with others, walked steadily upward.