Chapter 171: Yu Xian'er's Examination, Going Against the Current

Seeing the scene before him, Qingfeng Zhandi was completely dumbfounded, and he shouted in a flustered panic.

"Hey, hey, what are you up to this time?"

"I announced her passage just as you said."

"What else do you want?"

Lin Yang snorted coldly, his gaze like a blade as he looked at Qingfeng Zhandi and said, "Didn't you hear that my future disciple needs to pass the trial to prove herself?"

"Hurry up and increase the difficulty of the trial for me."

Upon hearing this, Qingfeng Zhandi's face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot.

He cursed Lin Yang repeatedly in his heart; this person is simply a madman—one moment forbidding the setting of trials, the next demanding they be made harder.

Truly fickle, leaving people unable to fathom him.

Upon hearing Lin Yang's words, Yu Xian'er did not get angry; instead, she slightly nodded, her eyes full of gratitude, saying, "Thank you."

She naturally understood Lin Yang's painstaking intentions.

She had no choice but to fight with her back to the water, to break before she could stand, cutting off all retreat, so that those who looked down on her would view her anew.

Even without support, she must rely on her own strength to rise straight to the heavens.

Although Qingfeng Zhandi was speechless toward the two, he could only remain silent.

He held a breath in his chest, neither up nor down, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

This Imperial Clan examination is overseen by the five Imperial Clan Great Emperors, each serving as an examiner for the five Imperial Clan Divine Sons and Daughters.

He happened to be assigned to oversee Yu Xian'er's examination.

He originally thought that, as a Great Emperor, he would surely be lofty and dignified in this examination, but who could have imagined that he would be completely manipulated by this brat Lin Yang.

Things having come to this, he could only let Yu Xian'er undergo the examination.

He took a deep breath, then spoke to Yu Xian'er: "Yu Xian'er, since you insist on increasing the difficulty of the examination, fine—I will satisfy your request."

Having said that.

Qingfeng Zhandi glanced sideways at Lin Yang, his gaze seeming to proclaim something to Lin Yang.

The Imperial Clan is not a soft persimmon that anyone can pinch.

Immediately afterward.

With a "hum".

An azure sword emitting a frigid chill appeared out of thin air.

The sword's body trembled slightly, fully displaying the dominance of an imperial weapon.

Qingfeng Zhandi lightly stroked the sword blade, then slowly said to Yu Xian'er: "I had prepared to let you pass through nine gates, but now I have raised the difficulty of the trial; currently, this sword contains only five layers of examination gates."

"However, each of these five gates hides a life‑and‑death crisis; if you can successfully break through all five, this examination will count as your passing."

Yu Xian'er's gaze locked firmly onto the azure sword; her eyes held no trace of fear, only burning fervor.

She immediately answered without hesitation: "I understand; I will surely pass!"

Her tone was decisive, as if success were already in her pocket.

Qingfeng Zhandi instinctively wanted to question Yu Xian'er's words, after all, these five gates were constructed from the divine abilities of the five Imperial Clan Great Emperors.

Even if a moderately strong ordinary Imperial Realm cultivator came to challenge, they might not escape unharmed.

But when he saw Yu Xian'er's gaze, firm as a rock, the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

He had to admit, this girl was indeed tenacious and persistent.

Setting aside her background, she could stand on the same starting line as the other Divine Sons and Daughters with her unyielding perseverance.

Perhaps she truly has the potential to become an heir of the Imperial Clan, and maybe he would also be inclined to support this girl.

However, Qingfeng Zhandi clearly knew that the power struggles within the Imperial Clan were intricate and tangled.

Even though he held the rank of Great Emperor, in matters involving core interests he was merely willing but powerless.

Many things were simply beyond his ability to influence or decide.

"May you have good luck."

Qingfeng Zhandi sighed, his tone carrying both a hint of hope for Yu Xian'er and a hint of helplessness about her future fate.

Yu Xian'er nodded slightly, her eyes full of resolve and tenacity.

Thereafter, she strode forward beneath the dazzling azure light emanating from the sword.

In an instant.

The azure light enveloped her entirely.

The next second.

She was drawn into the sword like a wisp of smoke.

Thus.

The examination officially began.

When Yu Xian'er's feet steadied inside the sword.

The sight before her caused her to faintly start.

All around was a vast white expanse, the thick mist rolling and surging like milk.

Within it various strange and mighty forces intertwined.

These forces interwove and collided, emitting a faint humming vibration.

She felt as if she were in a world just opened from chaos, everything filled with the unknown and mystery.

"Hum!"

At that moment, the entire space suddenly shook violently, and a huge azure stone tablet slowly emerged from the depths of endless void.

On the tablet, bold and vigorous strokes carved the characters "First Layer of the Five Emperors' Ultimate Examination".

On several large characters, an ancient and heavy aura emanated.

Immediately after.

An ethereal voice, tinged with the vicissitudes of time, drifted over slowly.

"Welcome, goddess, to the first layer of the Five Emperors' Ultimate Trial."

Yu Xian'er heard the voice, momentarily stunned, but quickly her gaze returned to its usual calm and composure.

She knew deeply that this Five Emperors' Ultimate Trial was an extreme test created by combining the divine abilities of the five great emperors of the imperial clan.

Just as before, the War Emperor of Qingfeng had originally prepared nine layers of trial for her, with the ninth layer's gate being the ultimate trial formed from his divine ability.

Now, at her strong request, the War Emperor of Qingfeng greatly increased the difficulty of the trial.

The nine layers were simplified to five, and each of these five layers is an ultimate trial constructed from the divine ability of one imperial clan great emperor.

Passing each layer is equivalent to defeating the ultimate trial of divine ability set by a great emperor.

Other divine sons or daughters need only pass one great emperor's divine ability ultimate trial, whereas she must pass the ultimate trials of five great emperors' divine abilities.

Thus, her trial's difficulty is nearly five times that of others, yet she feels that merely passing a single great emperor's divine ability trial would hardly showcase her strength and resolve.

What she wants is to clear all five great emperors' divine ability trials in one go.

Only then can those who harbor ill intentions and look down on her truly view her with new eyes.

"Let the trial begin."

Yu Xian'er spoke slowly, her gaze firm and her tone calm.

As her words fell, the voice sounded again in the space: "Welcome, goddess, to accept the trial; the current trial content is the divine ability trial left by the Sword Ghost Great Emperor; please, goddess, break this divine ability."

Afterward.

The voice ceased abruptly, the whole space fell into dead silence, only the pervasive mist continued to drift slowly.

At that moment.

A figure slowly emerged from the deep mist.

It was an old man wearing a tattered black robe, his hair disheveled and scattered, his face covered with the wrinkles of time's vicissitudes.

He also had a large wine gourd hanging at his waist.

With his steps, the wine gourd made a "clang-clang" sound.

The old man walked while tilting his head back to pour liquor into his mouth.

His steps seemed insubstantial, yet they carried a peculiar rhythm.

When he drew near, Yu Xian'er could see that the old man still held in his hand an iron sword mottled with rust.

The blade was covered in nicks, yet its aura was extraordinary.

And this person, Yu Xian'er naturally knew.

He is none other than the Sword Ghost Great Emperor, one of the Five Emperors of the imperial clan.

…………