Chapter 78

Zhang Yunlu's mountain path was extremely steep.

Fighting those people here, one misstep could send you tumbling off a high cliff.

"This spawn point is terrible!" Chi Jiuyu complained.

Within the Secret Realm, you can use at most Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivation, and you can't even use the Art of Controlling Objects—if you fall, you're truly done for.

"Actually, it's not that bad." Xu Xing glanced over, "You could look at other places."

Immediately, the screen's image shifted, revealing the valley floor.

Dense clusters of monsters crouched on the ground, their blade-like arms stacked together; viewed from above, they looked like countless silver worms writhing.

On both sides, monster after monster slowly crawled outward along the nearly vertical cliff walls.

The scene sent a chill down Chi Jiuyu's spine.

"This place shouldn't let anyone fall in, right?"

"That depends on how lucky they are."

Trial participants appear within a certain radius centered on Jianfeng, but their positions are completely random—neither Xu Xing nor Huo interfered in any way.

"Tsk tsk!" Chi Jiuyu looked up again at the floating screen.

If some unlucky bastard landed here, he'd be in for a world of pain! Looking at it this way, Xiao Yunlu's 'spawn point' is actually pretty good.

……

……

Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of Xuanjian City, a secret little inn.

Yang Lin and Han Yun stood by the window, both looking grim.

Ever since Zhang Yunlu's realm was announced, they'd sensed something was off.

What the hell, it's just a trial—why does it have to turn into a public execution? So conspicuous, it's clearly targeting them! "Yang Lin, Cultivator of the Supreme Dao Sect, Nascent Soul Realm Full"

"Han Yun, Cultivator of the Supreme Dao Sect, Nascent Soul Realm Full"

Sure enough, it came.

"You're Nascent Soul Realm Full?!"

Their voices overlapped almost perfectly, and their gazes grew complex.

That old fox Han Shixiong really knows how to hide—he claimed he was only Mid-Nascent Soul, yet he's clearly Full-Nascent Soul; judging by this, he's probably on the verge of Soul Transformation. This was what Yang Lin thought.

Yang Dizi is a real master of concealment—he's already Full-Nascent Soul but pretended to be Early-Stage! This was what Han Yun thought.

Damn! Why the hell did I get stuck with the Ancient Cultivators Response Division when we drew lots?!

Those bastards in the sect definitely cheated!

This was their shared thought.

Soon, beams of light descended—not onto the little inn where they stood, but onto opposite ends of Xuanjian City.

As for the two inside the inn, Han Yun turned into a burning paper doll and burned to ash, just like yesterday; Yang Lin dissolved directly into a wisp of clear qi.

These two—again—weren't their true bodies.

These two were once again not the true body.

Inside the Secret Realm.

Beneath a cliff-face as if carved by a blade, light flickered and Xiao Fan stepped out.

Beneath a knife-edged mountain peak, as light flickered, Xiao Fan stepped out from within.

The sound of blades slicing through air—sharpness already at his doorstep.

Xiao Fan's pupils contracted; without hesitation, he rolled sideways.

Then he sprang to his feet.

He stamped his foot and swiftly retreated backward.

Only then did he see what had just attacked him.

A monster—a creature seemingly born for combat.

Its entire body was silver-gray, slender and elongated, with two sharp horns on its head; its arms resembled blades, etched with eerie purple patterns, and its pair of violet eyes glowed with a chilling light that sent shivers down the spine.

Is this the opponent of this trial? Xiao Fan halted his retreat, drew his sword, and charged toward the monster.

Ding! Ding! Ding! In an instant, countless crisp metallic clashes rang out as his blade struck the monster's blade-arms, spraying bright sparks.

The battle, which he'd expected to end quickly, turned out to be unexpected. The monster swung its arms like waves, relentless and surging.

Thrust, slash, sweep, parry, entangle—its movements were precise and disciplined.

The relentless barrage of rapid strikes made Xiao Fan feel as if he were dueling a swordsman wielding twin blades.

What the hell, this monster actually knows sword techniques!

His caution deepened, and his swordplay gradually shifted toward defense, while the monster's assault grew fiercer.

After half a minute, Xiao Fan finally discerned the sword pattern, spotted an opening, and drove his blade straight through its brow.

The monster trembled slightly, then collapsed backward.

Good—it wasn't too resilient.

Hummm~ Suddenly, a change occurred: the purple patterns on the monster's arms vanished, and its body rapidly shrank, turning in an instant into a plant with sword-shaped leaves.

This is… Tongxuan Grass? Even though he'd dropped out of school, he was still a proper high school student—he wouldn't fail to recognize this.

The monster's true form was Tongxuan Grass! Xiao Fan stepped forward to pick it up, but the moment his fingertip touched the leaf, familiar golden text appeared before his eyes.

The true body of this monster was actually a Tongxuan Grass! Xiao Fan stepped forward, preparing to pick it up, but the instant his fingertip touched the grass blade, the familiar golden text appeared before his eyes once more.

【Realm: Qi Condensation Ninth Layer (Unadjusted)】

At the same time, a familiar sensation of comfort surged through his heart.

At the same time, a familiar sense of comfort surged into his heart.

This was... the feeling from before when he used the *Mu Ling Yang Wu Jing* to strengthen his own spirituality, and the spirituality gained was nearly dozens of times stronger than that of the rat! These Tongxuan Grass Demons actually possessed spirituality.

Then, did this mean he could avoid killing these Tongxuan Grass Demons and instead directly seize their spirituality? Senior Huo, could it really be the Cang Clan?

Rustle, rustle~ A few small bits of gravel fell.

Hmm? He raised his head, and immediately his scalp went numb.

He saw over a dozen Tongxuan Grass Demons clinging to the cliff face like geckos, their eerie gazes fixed tightly on him.

Without hesitation, Xiao Fan turned and ran.

The instant he turned, a piece of information appeared in his mind.

…………

Between two mountain peaks, in an extremely narrow space.

In Lin Qiu Xian's hand was an arm he had just detached from one of the Tongxuan Grass Demons; the bone connecting to the sharp blade served as a hilt, fitting his grip perfectly.

In his other hand, he held a Tongxuan Grass missing one of its leaves.

There was no helping it — before he was teleported in, he had been locked up in the Silutang prison, so he truly couldn't get his hands on any weapons.

【Name: Lin Qiu Xian】

【Realm: Mid Nascent Soul (suppressed to the ninth layer of Qi Refining)】

"So that's how it is." Lin Qiu Xian closed his eyes and felt.

Ever since entering this trial space, he had felt his thoughts surging, inspiration flowing unceasingly.

Many of the cultivation difficulties that had long puzzled him were solved with ease, and every time he drew his sword, he gained a new insight.

Lin Qiu Xian walked out of the gap between the two mountains and gazed into the distance, seeing a sword peak standing quietly, with chains coiling around it.

The trial required everyone to hurry to the location of the sword peak at the very center.

During this time, if he encountered other trial participants, the two would be dragged into a peculiar space to fight, until one of them died.

The victor, meanwhile, would be restored to peak condition.

Moreover, all means other than oneself — such as powerful magic treasures, talismans, pills, and the like — would fail to work.

Of course, you could also choose not to go, but the reviving Tongxuan Grass Demons would grow ever more numerous, forcing you toward the sword peak at the center.

When only the last one of the five hundred trial participants remained, the third round of trials would end.

As for the rewards, nothing was mentioned.

Cruel rules...

It doesn't quite seem to match Senior's usual style.

His brow furrowed slightly.

Come to think of it, why does this look more and more like that Secret Realm the Return-to-Void Elder requested in his mission?

Begging for favorites, begging for follow-up reads!! (End of this chapter)