The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

Junior Brother Chen's expression wavered, but he quickly regained his resolve: "No matter what you say, the Valley Rules are the Valley Rules!"

“Then let me see the Valley Master,” Murong Xuewei said in a deep voice. “If he insists on refusing, we will leave immediately.”

"See the Valley Master?" Junior Brother Chen sneered. "Do you know how many people want to see the Valley Master? Unless..."

Unless what?

"Unless you can pass the 'Azure Terrace.' That's the final barrier to the Valley Master's residence; over the past thousand years, only a handful of people have managed to pass it."

Murong Xuewei answered without hesitation, "Lead the way."

"Xue Wei!" Zhang Jing exclaimed urgently, "Bi Luo Tai sounds elegant, but do you know how many martial arts masters have perished there? You simply can't..."

“It’s alright,” Murong Xuewei interrupted him, looking at Junior Brother Chen. “Lead the way. I’m willing to take any danger to save him.”

Junior Brother Chen glanced at Murong Xuewei with some skepticism, then turned and led the way. The mountain mist thickened, and the stone steps beneath their feet were slippery with dew.

"Xuewei," Zhang Jing quickened his pace to catch up, lowering his voice, "Are you really sure? The Azure Sky Platform isn't an ordinary trial ground; it's said that there..."

“I know,” Murong Xuewei said firmly, her gaze fixed ahead, “but now I have no other choice but to take this path.”

The three walked up the winding mountain path, the surrounding fog growing thicker and thicker, a faint medicinal fragrance filling the air. In the distance, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard, accompanied by the whistling of the mountain wind.

"We've arrived." Junior Brother Chen suddenly stopped.

The outline of a stone platform was vaguely visible through the thick fog. In the drifting clouds, it was faintly discernible that the platform was suspended in mid-air, with a bottomless abyss below. The surface of the platform was as smooth as a mirror, gleaming with an eerie blue light.

"Is this the Azure Sky Terrace?" Murong Xuewei stared at the scene before her, her heart beating faster involuntarily.

Junior Brother Chen's expression was solemn: "The Azure Sky Platform has nine trials, each of which is potentially fatal. Once you begin, you cannot give up halfway, otherwise..." He glanced meaningfully at the abyss below the platform.

“I understand.” Murong Xuewei took a deep breath and said slowly, “Then let’s begin.”

"Xuewei!" Zhang Jing grabbed her wrist, his voice trembling slightly, "You really don't have to do this. I could just go..."

Murong Xuewei turned around, looked into Zhang Jing's eyes, and said softly, "Zhang Jing, perhaps you don't know, but Gu Ye and I have overcome so many difficulties. I can't let him die here, at least not before me." A gentle smile curved her lips. "Besides, if I don't even dare to take this little risk, do I deserve to be his empress?"

Zhang Jing looked at her with a complicated expression. After a long while, he finally let go of her hand: "Fine, since you insist, I won't try to persuade you anymore. But..." He took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve, "These are my specially made pills; they can save your life in a critical moment."

Murong Xuewei accepted the porcelain bottle and solemnly tucked it into her bosom: "Thank you."

"Are you ready?" Junior Brother Chen asked. "Once you step onto the Azure Sky Platform, there will be no turning back."

Murong Xuewei straightened her clothes, her gaze resolute: "Let's begin."

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn. Murong Xuewei stepped onto the first step of the Azure Terrace, the stone steps gleaming with a faint blue light, as if in response to her resolve.

Just then, a cool breeze swept by, carrying a chill that sent shivers down one's spine. The first trial was about to begin.

As Murong Xuewei stepped onto the first step, the surrounding fog suddenly became even thicker, almost obscuring the view. The faint medicinal fragrance in the air also became stronger.

"The first test is the 'Bewitching Incense Array,'" Junior Brother Chen's voice came from within the mist. "This mist contains hallucinogenic drugs that will induce various illusions. Once lost in these illusions, one will fall into the abyss."

Murong Xuewei held her breath and carefully took a step forward. Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the mist: "Xuewei..."

She looked up abruptly and saw Gu Ye standing not far ahead, his face pale and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth: "Xue Wei, why didn't you come to save me sooner..."

"It's fake!" Murong Xuewei gritted her teeth, forcing herself to look away. "It's just an illusion!"

But the illusions did not disappear. Various images kept appearing in the mist: Gu Ye, who was seriously injured and dying; Murong Qingyu, who was crying; the burning Murong Mansion... Every one of her nightmares was replayed here.

"Focus on your feet!" Zhang Jing's voice suddenly rang in her ears. "Don't look, don't listen, just focus on the path beneath your feet!"

Murong Xuewei took a deep breath and forced herself to look down at the steps. In the hazy mist, she noticed that each step was engraved with fine lines, vaguely forming a path that was barely visible.

"I see..." She narrowed her eyes slightly and began to carefully follow the patterns. The illusions around her continued to appear, but she had learned to ignore them.

"Very good." Junior Brother Chen's voice carried a hint of appreciation. "You've found the right method. However, this is only the first test."

Murong Xuewei didn't answer, continuing to walk forward with focused concentration. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she tilted towards the edge of the stage!

At the critical moment, she raised her right hand and flicked a ribbon from her sleeve, which wrapped around a stone pillar on the platform, using it to steady herself.

"Impressive skills." Zhang Jing breathed a sigh of relief. "However, the challenges ahead will only get tougher."

Murong Xuewei steadied herself and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. In the distance, the outline of the second trial was already faintly visible. Behind her, the dawn gradually dispelled the mist, revealing the path she had already traversed.

"Gu Ye," she murmured the name in her heart, "wait for me."

As Murong Xuewei completed the first trial, the mist ahead gradually dissipated, revealing the full picture of the second trial. It was a seemingly flat stone surface, but its surface was covered with countless tiny holes.

“This is the 'Thousand Machine Platform',” Junior Brother Chen warned. “Every hole is filled with hidden weapons; a moment's carelessness could result in being hit. And…” He paused, “these weapons are all poisoned.”

Murong Xuewei intently observed the stone platform before her, suddenly noticing what appeared to be regular patterns on its surface. Just as she was about to take a step, Zhang Jing urgently called out, "Wait!"

He picked up a leaf from the ground and gently tossed it onto the stone platform. Instantly, several flashes of cold light appeared, and the leaf was shredded into pieces.

"Did you see that?" Zhang Jing said in a deep voice, "These hidden weapons are so fast they're almost invisible. You must..."

“I know.” Murong Xuewei interrupted him, a determined glint in her eyes. “I’ve seen similar mechanisms in Jiangnan. The key is to find the pattern of their launch.”

She took a silver needle from her bosom and gently tossed it towards a corner of the stone platform. As the needle landed, another burst of hidden weapons flew out. Murong Xuewei's eyes lit up: "Just as I thought."

"What did you find?" Zhang Jing asked curiously.

“These hidden weapons weren’t launched randomly,” Murong Xuewei pointed to the patterns on the stone surface, “they followed a certain order. As long as…”

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly leaped and landed lightly on the stone platform. Immediately, she began to move swiftly, each step perfectly avoiding the trajectory of the hidden weapons.

"What amazing movement skills!" Junior Brother Chen couldn't help but exclaim.

Zhang Jing noticed that Murong Xuewei's movements were gradually slowing down, and fine beads of sweat were appearing on her forehead: "This is bad, she can't hold on any longer!"

Just then, Murong Xuewei suddenly stumbled. With a "whoosh," a hidden weapon grazed her arm, leaving a bloody mark.

"Xue Wei!" Zhang Jing exclaimed.

"I'm fine," Murong Xuewei said through gritted teeth, quickly swallowing the pill Zhang Jing had given her. Soon, she felt a warm current flow through her body, and her strength seemed to have returned somewhat.

Seizing this brief opportunity, she quickened her pace and finally crossed the last stretch, safely reaching the other end of the stone platform.

“You’ve passed.” Junior Brother Chen nodded. “However…” He looked towards the third trial shrouded in mist in the distance, “the real test is yet to come.”

Murong Xuewei leaned against a stone pillar to rest for a while, gazing at the looming danger ahead, a resolute smile playing on her lips: "No matter what trials lie ahead, I will overcome them."

A ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a long shadow of her. In the distance, the outline of the third trial became increasingly clear in the morning light.