Sandstorms so hot that it was as if they were made of lava, ice-cold knife-like wind blades, and icy snowstorms that would completely turn one's Mental Energy body into an ice statue… 

Lin Dong finally understood the meaning of "Purgatory" after entering this place. In this place, he no longer had his formidable physical body and his majestic Yuan Power. Instead, all he had was his pathetic Mental Energy body. With his current Mental Energy body, any one of these trials in "Purgatory" could easily kill him.

However, after one entered this place, there was no turning back. Moreover, he was not qualified to make a decision. Therefore, all he could do was to persevere on. Otherwise, the only thing awaiting him would be death. 

This training was very cruel. Fortunately, this was within Lin Dong's expectations. There was no strength in this world that came for free. After all, if it was so easy to reach the Symbol Grandmaster level, there wouldn't be so few of them in this world.

In order to metamorphosize, it was natural that one had to experience endless pain.

This was something that Lin Dong clearly knew since the beginning.

　　……

Hail came pouring down from the sky like a thunderstorm. Meanwhile, the yellowish ground had already turned white. A cold chill, that was visible to the naked eye, permeated the entire place. In fact, even the air itself showed signs of crystallization. 

At a certain corner of this snowy land, a skinny figure was trembling while snowflakes fell around him. Currently, he was seated on the ground with a dark green glow undulated on his skin. His blood, muscles and bones seemed to have been corroded by the chilly air.

Chi chi.

As snowflakes fell around him, b.l.o.o.d.y scars would appear each time they brushed against his body. However, no blood flowed out from those wounds and he looked just like a withered corpse.

Below his dishelieved black hair, was a pair of black eyes, which were devoid of any emotions. A lethargic aura was scattered around his body and he looked just like a dead person.

Sharp blade-like snowflakes continued to brush past his body before b.l.o.o.d.y wounds continuously emerged. However, he did not budge at all. 

That shrivelled corpse continued to sit quietly for an entire day. The snowflakes and hail, which drifted down from the sky, finally began to gradually weaken before they completely disappeared.

After the snowflakes disappeared, the chill, which permeated the entire place, also began to dissipate a little at a time.

As the chill slowly dissipated, a tinge of vitality which was hidden deep within his body, began to gather in his black eyes, which were completely out of focus. After which, his body began to tremble violently.

Clenching both his hands tightly, his nails pierced into his palms. After which, his wounds, which covered his entire body, gradually began to turn scarlet. Subsequently, blood spurted out from them just like a fountain.

Immediately, he became a person completely covered with blood. 

Ahh ahh!

The cry, which was being firmly suppressed in his throat, was low, deep and hoa.r.s.e. It was like the sound of a dying beast, as it reverberated across the land.

Currently, he was kneeling on the ground, with his head lowered to the ground, while he pounded his fists heavily against the ground. Previously, his body was corroded by that chilly air, causing him to lose all senses. Therefore, he felt nothing despite being slashed by countless sharp blade-like snowflakes. However, the most frightening thing was that this intense pain did not disappear. Instead, it was acc.u.mulating and it finally erupted after the cold air dissipated and he regained control of his body. Moreover, this intense pain which suddenly erupted, could even cause a tough-minded individual to go mad.

That painful low roar continued for an hour, before that figure finally stopped. After which, his body collapsed feebly onto the ground. In fact, he did not even have the strength to move his fingers. 

"d.a.m.ned… Purgatory."

Half of Lin Dong's face was buried in the sand and he looked thin and pallid. Time in this place flows at a different rate compared to the outside world. However, Lin Dong had already spent two months in this place experiencing that abnormal torture.

Each day was spent in endless agony. Moreover, he would genuinely feel the threat of death each time. Although he had frequently toed death in the past, that sensation was exceptionally prominent here. That was because Lin Dong's tightly guarded consciousness had nearly been lost amidst the terrifying pain, for more than ten times.

Once it was lost, his Mental Energy body would also vanish and he would no longer have the opportunity to return.

"The icy cold chill this time around is stronger than the previous one."

While his body was gradually regaining its strength, Lin Dong's originally chaotic mind also recovered slightly. He could detect that the icy chill this time around was stronger than before. Clearly, the trials in this place were constantly changing and becoming stronger. Once his body failed to strengthen accordingly, he would end up failing to persevere on and would naturally suffer a terrible fate.

In order to survive in this place, one must get used to its cruel tempo.

The constant, intense feeling of danger also forced Lin Dong's current body to become much tougher after experiencing those frightening trials. The only thing that Lin Dong found comforting was that his current body was slowly becoming stronger.

This was not his real body, but his Mental Energy body. In other words, his Mental Energy was gradually becoming stronger and he was slowly advancing towards the Symbol Grandmaster level.

Even though he was improving slowly, it still gave him a glimmer of hope.

Huff.

Lin Dong exhaled. Then, he lifted his head and looked at the boundless land. His eyes contained a steely determination, which could not be extinguished despite experiencing numerous hards.h.i.+ps over the years. Therefore, he believed that one day, he would be able to face Purgatory with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Just you wait!"

Lin Dong clenched his teeth before he viciously looked at the sky and swore. After which, he struggled before he climbed up and walked miserably towards the horizon. That was because he knew that the next trial was coming soon.

The longer Lin Dong stayed in Purgatory, he began to vaguely feel that he was not the only one in this place. Moreover, this faint feeling told him that this person was likely the linchpin that would decide whether he could leave this place.

　　……

After he swore, Lin Dong still had to suffer endless amounts of pain. Moreover, the crazy trials, which could drive one insane, came continuously and left Lin Dong with little time to catch his breath. At times, he would even forget how it felt like when his body was not in pain.

The concept of time was rather blurry in Purgatory. Moreover, time seems to flow at a different rate in this place compared to the outside world. The Eternal Illusion Demon Flowers might be peculiar, but they were indeed powerful.

Initially, it was still possible for Lin Dong to estimate the time in his heart. However, as the intense pain experienced by his body grew day after day, he no longer paid any attention to it. All he could do, was to focus all his strength in order to survive the various deadly trials that originated from Purgatory.

Time flowed by aimlessly. The torture each day continued without fail.

Half a year… one year… two years… three years… 

In the lonely Purgatory, various trials took turns to arrive. That skinny figure, which seemed to have came from a great distance, gradually became stronger after he survived repeated threats of death.

Lin Dong endured the pain and loneliness. He was just like a pupa in a coc.o.o.n, which was gradually gathering its strength. After it acc.u.mulated sufficient strength, it would break the coc.o.o.n and transform into a b.u.t.terfly.

　　……

It was still the same yellow desert. Meanwhile, there were dozens of incomparably huge sandstorm raging on crazily. Many huge sand whips, which looked like giants, were dancing while the sound of air being torn apart reverberated across this place in a deafening fas.h.i.+on.

Bam bam bam!

Upon closer inspection, it was possible to see the sand whips landing on the body of a person. After which, one could see a travel-weary figure, slowly walking out from between the sandstorms.

Many huge sand whips carried a shocking force as they came whistling towards that person. After which, they heavily lashed against his body before a low and deep deafening sound followed.

However, what left one bewildered was that this person would not budge even after receiving those vicious attacks. In fact, his slow footsteps continued to remain calm and orderly.

Those cruel attacks, which seemed to have came from a giant, appeared exceptionally weak.

That person finally stopped before he lifted his head. His eyes looked exceptionally deep and appeared just like a pair of mysterious black holes amongst the stars. Contained within his eyes, was a sensation of loss. 

He simply stared at those huge giant-like sandstorms. Those sandstorms were several times more powerful compared to the ones he encountered when he first entered Purgatory. However, they were unable to pose a threat to him now.

How many years had it taken for him to attain this result? Five years? Or ten years? How many times had he endured this painful training, that would nearly cause someone with his mental fort.i.tude to collapse?

He could no longer remember how much time had pa.s.sed. All he knew was that these trials, which he was once extremely terrified of, seemed to have turned into an ordinary event. He had eventually became strong.

"Did I become stronger…"

Lin Dong lowered his head and looked at his pale long hands. At the beginning, his hands did not possess any strength. However, right now...

Lin Dong seemingly smiled. After which, he slowly lifted his hands and pointed them at the huge sandstorms, before he gently clenched them. 

Bang!

The raging storm came to a sudden halt before the rapidly rotating wind also stilled. It was as though a large hand was grabbing them out from nowhere.

Boom boom.

The storms finally burst apart, turning into a yellow fog that diffused over the place.

Yellow sand was falling down around Lin Dong while he slowly exhaled. Currently, he could finally feel a vast and mighty, ocean like energy within his body. That was the Mental Energy that he finally obtained after training for so many years.

This Mental Energy appeared to be far stronger than before…

"It's about time that this training ends."

Lin Dong slowly shut his eyes. A moment later, he suddenly opened them. A sharp murderous intent, which had been laying low for far too long, finally rose.

"Hence, it's time for you to show up."

Lin Dong looked at the completely empty land before his low and deep voice echoed across the land.