So...
Did she truly clear the trial, or was she forced out in failure?
Everyone looked up toward the sky in unison.
There—
The names shimmered faintly on the list.
Then, all three names vanished at once.
Everyone stiffened slightly.
Another unprecedented development.
Could it be...?
Even Qin Ping's gaze carried a flicker of anticipation. Standing beside him, Feng Linglong's expression turned complicated. Throughout the trials, she had always believed Yun Jin's talent was slightly inferior to her own.
But who would have thought—
Some people only grew stronger the further they advanced.
Yu Songnian's advice... had been completely correct.
Feng Linglong let out a soft sigh.
Originally, she had thought her only true rival within Canglan Kingdom was Ma Yuanwu. Yet here she was, not even managing to rank in the top three, all from a mere Sword Tomb trial.
And this was only within Canglan Kingdom.
Beyond its borders—
In that vast and boundless world, how many more chosen ones and peerless geniuses might exist?
What did that make her, Feng Linglong?
She recalled what her master once said.
For cultivators of the Imperial lineage, entering a sect was already more difficult than for others. As for joining a Holy Land, it was practically impossible.
She used to think that was unfair, believing her talent could carry her across the world.
But now—
Feng Linglong could not explain why, but a sense of dejection had crept into her chest. Even if the Holy Land treated Imperial cultivators equally, no prejudice, no discrimination...
Could she truly join such a place?
That was the supreme haven where the world's greatest talents gathered.
As Feng Linglong stood lost in thought—
The names list flickered once more.
This time—
Only one line remained.
[Trial Clearer: Yun Jin]
In the next moment—
Ma Yuanwu and Yu Songnian were both teleported out. Still mid-attack in their respective challenges, they arrived outside in combat stances.
Yu Songnian blinked, then let out a small smile.
"Little Sister... had cleared it?"
He looked up, and there it was—Yun Jin's name, glowing in golden brilliance.
Ma Yuanwu's face changed instantly.
How could that be?
He knew how difficult the final two trials were. Wind-element cultivators might have an easier time passing the eighth trial, and thunder-element ones the ninth.
He himself was born with a rare mutated thunder-element spiritual root. So the ninth trial gave Ma Yuanwu an advantage. He had been preparing to overtake Yun Jin at the final stage. But he had only just entered the eighth trial and hadn't even cleared the first wind circle yet.
And Yun Jin had already cleared the whole thing?
Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.
Yun Jin had neither a wind nor thunder spiritual root. His master had tested her. She was clearly just a useless five-element root.
That kind of universally recognized waste of a spiritual root—how could she possibly make it this far? How could she pass the final two trials?
"Impossible!" Ma Yuanwu stared at the list, his eyes red with disbelief.
He would never accept defeat at the hands of some no-name waste.
"Yuanwu, what are you panicking for?" Mu Lan said in a low voice. "How have I always taught you? Where is your calm? Where is your discipline?"
Mu Lan's tone held some displeasure. Ma Yuanwu snapped back to awareness, pressed his lips together, and said no more. Even if he wanted to explode with anger, now was not the time.
Too many people were watching.
If he looked like a sore loser now, who knew what rumors would spread about him later?
This was a crucial period for preparing to enter the Holy Land. There could be no missteps.
"Patriarch Yu," Qin Ping suddenly smiled and said, "I've heard there's a treasure hidden within the Sword Tomb. Now that Yun Jin has cleared all nine trials, could she be the one to obtain it?"
Yu Lin's expression changed slightly, but he still answered, "After the ninth trial, there's actually a tenth trial that no one has ever seen. Some speculate that the tenth trial has no actual challenge, and one simply has to walk through it to claim the treasure. Others believe that one must face the test of the giant sword in the center of the Sword Tomb. What exactly it entails is still unknown."
The rumored—
Tenth Trial.
Ma Yuanwu stared hard at the water screen.
If he hadn't passed yet, then Yun Jin couldn't have passed either.
That tenth trial had better be some impossibly difficult challenge.
Something Yun Jin would never be able to complete.
As long as she failed to take the treasure, he would still have a chance to try again. One day, he could succeed.
That way, it wouldn't be too humiliating.
In the ninth trial—
When Yun Jin passed, she obtained the third fragment.
Over the course of all nine trials—
She had acquired three sword techniques.
Some she had comprehended, others fused. She now wielded three powerful sword intents.
And she had also collected three fragments of unknown purpose.
This harvest far exceeded Yun Jin's expectations.
And according to legend, the true treasure of the Sword Tomb was hidden within the tenth trial.
To think—
All of this, and it was only a B-ranked secret realm.
Yun Jin suddenly became much more interested in secret realms of higher rank.
But for now, it was time to see what this tenth trial held.
Yun Jin followed a path lined with blooming flowers, walking slowly toward the tenth trial.
Along the way—
There were no obstacles.
Step by step, she arrived before the giant sword embedded at the center of the Sword Tomb.
This sword was so massive that people from several li away could see it clearly.
Many who traveled to Lin City even used it as a landmark. When they saw the sword, they knew they were almost there.
Before the giant sword—
Stood a small, humble gravestone.
Compared to the towering sword, the gravestone was minuscule.
Yun Jin stared at it earnestly.
The previous gravestones had all been very simple.
Only the sword's name, its rank, and that same phrase repeated:
Destroyed a thousand years ago.
But this one was different.
The characters carved into this stone were vivid and powerful. Yun Jin only glanced at them once, and it felt as though countless sword lights flashed before her eyes.
Her vision almost burned with the sensation.
Whoever carved this gravestone must have been a peerless sword cultivator.
Otherwise, how could the writing itself contain such flowing sword intent?
Yun Jin could hardly focus on the content. Just that single glance made her feel bathed in sword energy, her whole body surging with clarity and sharpness.
In the next instant—
The sword energy within Yun Jin began to stir.
Transparent sword force wrapped around her body, and the gravestone's words shimmered with light.
Yun Jin's sword aura and the script on the stone resonated, reflecting and amplifying one another.
Inside the sword realm—
The giant sword watched in silence.
"Master...
Across a thousand years—
You have finally found your successor.
As for me...
My duty is complete.
She is exceptional. Her talent is astonishing.
If you could see this, you would surely be proud."
The giant sword spoke in a deep voice, "Prepare to welcome the Young Master."
All the swords gathered around.
Hearing the giant sword's words, they answered in unison. Their gazes were filled with anticipation and awe.
Their Young Master...
Had finally arrived.