Chapter 223: Test

Sword!

A forest of swords!

An ocean of swords!

Gazing at the dense ranks of flying swords, Zhang Xingyu felt nothing but shock.

In his past life, Zhang Xingyu had seen car graveyards and airplane graveyards, but the sights there were nowhere near as shocking as what lay before him now.

The flying swords were neatly arranged, stretching out of sight.

Each flying sword was plunged straight into the ground, resembling veterans awaiting review.

These flying swords had no shine, and the runes on their bodies were indistinct.

They resembled old men in the twilight of years, their vigor completely sapped by time.

Zhang Xingyu tread lightly, carefully weaving through the sword forest.

He avoided touching any sword, afraid he might nick them.

Trembling, he walked four or five hundred meters forward, where a nine-tiered platform came into view.

Each level of the platform bristled with gigantic flying swords.

Zhang Xingyu estimated that each level contained thirty‑six swords.

Though the swords' shapes endured, their spirit had been eroded by ages.

At the top of the platform stood a man in a golden helmet, golden armor, and hand on a golden sword.

He was tall and robust, stern‑faced, eyes closed, radiating a strong killing aura.

As Zhang Xingyu drew near, the man slowly opened his closed eyes.

"Since you're here, let's start!" the man said slowly.

"Huh?" Zhang Xingyu said, utterly confused.

"The Sword God Inheritance trial starts now. It has three sections: Sword Intent, Sword Heart, and Sword Tool tests."

"We're starting the first part, the Sword Intent Test. Test begins, countdown: three, two, one." The man spoke mechanically, voice icy and deep.

No sooner had his voice fallen than a sword qi materialized in the void.

The sword qi was mild and warm, akin to spring sunlight.

"Sword Intent Test, first item: Spring Sword Intent!" the man called.

Zhang Xingyu grew intoxicated and sleepy.

Knowing the sword qi was coming, he found himself unable to muster any resistance.

What the heck?

As the sword qi was about to break his skin, Zhang Xingyu jerked backward.

The sword qi skimmed his hairline, breaking him out in a cold sweat.

Close call! Close call!

Had it not been for the system's black diamond aiding him, he would surely have been cut in half by the sword qi.

He gave himself a hard pinch; the intense pain snapped him awake.

"Sword Intent Test first item passed! Now onto the second item, Summer Sword Intent!"

Not waiting for Zhang Xingyu to catch his breath, the man launched the second Sword Intent test.

In the void, a turbulent sword qi surged forward.

This sword qi resembled the scorching midsummer sun, making it hard to breathe.

"Fire Dragon, strike!"

Using fire to counter fire.

The Fire Dragon met the sword qi.

The air emitted crackling noises.

The temperature around climbed, the air seeming ready to burst into flame.

What the heck?

While Zhang Xingyu was puzzled, the man's voice came again.

"Sword Intent Test second item passed! Now the third item, Autumn Sword Intent!"

And so, whenever Zhang Xingyu felt on the verge of giving up, he invariably got the man's notice that he had cleared a test.

After passing the eight Sword Intent trials—spring, summer, autumn, winter, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—Zhang Xingyu finally cleared the Sword Intent Test.

Zhang Xingyu wiped sweat from his brow.

Damn it, this Sword Intent Test is way too perverse!

Right then, Zhang Xingyu wore a weary expression, his Daoist robe torn into strips.

"Hey, can you slow down these tests? I'm worn out—let me grab a drink and catch my breath first!" Zhang Xingyu yelled at the man on the platform.

The man didn't answer.

He said mechanically, voice cold: "Now begins the Sword God Inheritance second stage, the Sword Heart Test. Countdown: three, two, one."

No sooner had his voice faded than a sword light shot from the void, stabbing fiercely at Zhang Xingyu.

This flying sword was vicious; taken by surprise, Zhang Xingyu got a one‑inch cut on his shoulder.

Blood soaked his collar.

Damn it, are they really playing for real?

"Fire Dragon, Slay Immortals!"

The Fire Dragon shot out, smashing the opposing sword.

Right after, another flying sword appeared in the void.

This time there are two.

Two, scatter!

Four! Scatter!

Eight! Scatter!

Each time all the flying swords are scattered, new flying swords appear in doubled numbers.

A quarter hour passed, half an hour passed, an hour passed......

The Spiritual Aura within his body had dried up, and he couldn't muster any strength.

After scattering the last flying sword, the flying swords no longer appeared.

Zhang Xingyu braced both hands on the fire dragon, striving to maintain his balance.

Come on, again!

Zhang Xingyu shouted hoarsely and exhausted at the man on the high platform.

"Sword God Inheritance test, second stage Sword Heart Trial passed! Next up is the third stage Sword Artifact Trial!" The man's voice remained cold and mechanical.

My goodness!

This guy couldn't be a robot, could he?

Zhang Xingyu complained inwardly while welcoming the arrival of the third trial.

In the void, a blaze of fierce fire burned fiercely.

The firelight was immense, the temperature extremely high.

Around the flames, the void was scorched and twisted.

What the hell?

Zhang Xingyu was utterly confused.

The man offered no explanation, merely watching Zhang Xingyu in silence.

Zhang Xingyu brandished the fire dragon at the man, saying, "Hey you-know-who, what exactly do you mean?"

The man gave no reply.

I'm dizzy.

Communicating with this robot is truly difficult.

Zhang Xingyu thought for a moment, then swung the fire dragon at the blaze in the air.

If you won't speak, I'll disperse this ball of fire you made, then talk.

The fire dragon struck the flames.

But the flames were not scattered as imagined.

The flames clung to the fire dragon's blade, emitting a sizzling sound.

Buzz, buzz.

The scorching heat roasted the fire dragon, its blade slowly turning red and bright.

The fire dragon trembled, emitting a painful groan.

Feeling the fire dragon's pain, Zhang Xingyu's heart felt as if cut by a knife.

Fuck, this flame is truly perverse.

If this continues, the fire dragon will likely be melted.

What should we do?

For a moment, Zhang Xingyu was at a loss.

After thinking for a while, Zhang Xingyu slapped his head and decided to give it a try.

He circulated the Creation Technique, extending his left hand toward the blaze in the air.

In an instant, the blaze enveloped his palm.

Ah!

His palm turned bright red.

The piercing pain almost caused Zhang Xingyu to faint.

The Creation Technique was pushed to its limit.

At the center of his palm, a vortex continually devoured the spiritual fire.

After a quarter hour, the spiritual fire was completely consumed by his palm.

Zhang Xingyu's mind eased, and he collapsed flat onto the ground.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying atop the high platform.

Beside him, the golden-armored man stood there expressionless, like a golden statue.

Zhang Xingyu examined his body.

It's alright.

His hand was there, and all other parts were present.

Zhang Xingyu breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to his feet.

Hey! Handsome golden-armored guy!

Zhang Xingyu waved at the golden-armored man.

The golden-armored man glanced at him, then said in a mechanical, cold voice: "Having passed the Sword God Inheritance trial, the Sword God Inheritance officially begins!"

As he spoke, the golden-armored man turned into a golden light and flew into Zhang Xingyu's brow.