Ming Qi had experienced countless hails of bullets and brushes with death countless times. Each tempering penetrated deeply into his soul, constantly strengthening it, making it stronger, more flexible, and more tenacious.
At this moment, within the Coiling Dragon Blade Formation, Ming Qi's movements were methodical and orderly, and each dodge was impeccable.
"This brat!"
Prince Xu also opened his eyes in surprise, observing Ming Qi's every move.
After a long pause, Prince Xu slowly sighed, "A fifth-level Acquired Realm cultivator, capable of controlling force and speed to such a level, is truly a rare talent. It must be a blessing for him to join our Biyou Sect!"
At this moment, Ming Qi naturally had no idea that his performance had already caught the attention of the innate masters and received high praise.
Shortly after Ming Qi entered the Blade Formation, the others began to move one after another.
Some relied on the monster's formidable defenses to resist, others relied on their nimble speed to swiftly charge, and a considerable number of them drew upon precious talismans for self-defense and life-saving measures to enhance their own strength.
Those who, by some unknown means, had subdued the flying monsters fared much more smoothly. At least they didn't have to face the ferocious dragons of swords and knives on the ground, freeing themselves to focus solely on the rain of arrows and flames raining down from the sky.
Whoosh!
Ming Qi deflected a cloud of swords with his spear, then swung it vigorously, shattering a ball of flames drifting overhead.
His body was now covered in wounds, and even the murderous dire wolf was scarred.
But both man and wolf were incredibly resilient. Though battered and exhausted, they showed no sign of retreat.
"Dire wolf, charge! The last hundred meters!"
Ming Qi shouted, his spear pointed like a banner towards the other shore.
His goal was the other side. Although he didn't know if there was another level to overcome, he was determined to sprint with all his might this time.
The dire wolf seemed completely energized, charging forward recklessly.
Swish, swish, swish!
An endless dragon of swords whistled past his ears, but Ming Qi remained unfazed.
He had long since become fearless.
Finally, the dire wolf let out a long howl, carrying Ming Qi out of the sword formation and landing steadily on the other side.
As Ming Qi leaped onto the ground, the dire wolf fell to the ground, panting heavily, clearly exhausted.
A natural feeling of groundedness brought Ming Qi immense relief, like the quiet comfort of sleeping in a tent after a devastating battle.
Natural, comfortable.
Ming Qi had barely taken a few breaths when a resounding voice echoed in his ears.
"The first person to cross the Sword and Weapon Coiled Dragon Formation will be rewarded with one hundred Peiyuan Pills."
As the voice sounded, Ming Qi saw a white mist dissipate not far in front of him, revealing a ruddy, slightly plump, middle-aged man approaching.
The middle-aged man approached Ming Qi, first examining him carefully, then pulled out a fist-sized golden gourd from his sleeve.
"This is the Peiyuan Pill refined by my Biyou Sect's Alchemy Pavilion. It incorporates dozens of magical herbs and possesses the miraculous properties of strengthening the body, nourishing the vital energy, and accelerating recovery."
The middle-aged man smiled and briefly explained the Peiyuan Pill before slowly departing into the white mist.
Ming Qi opened the gourd's mouth and immediately caught a whiff of a sweet aroma, the rich aroma of medicinal herbs emanating from the gourd.
"It'll strengthen your body and accelerate your recovery. Excellent stuff! I was just worried about my slow recovery."
At the scent of the medicine, Ming Qi felt a surge of relief throughout his body. He immediately pulled out two Peiyuan Pills and popped them into his mouth, gulping them down like peas.
"It's truly a magical elixir."
After swallowing the dark red pills, Ming Qi felt a surge of warmth surge through his body. This heat was like the very source of life, rapidly healing his weary body.
Looking at the dire wolf still gasping on the ground beside him, Ming Qi didn't hesitate to pull out a handful of pills. There were about ** of them.
"Dire wolf, take them!"
Ming Qi shouted, tossing the pills over.
The dire wolf, also a sentient being, smelled the medicinal aroma in the air, its eyes lit up, and it leaped up, swallowing every one of the pills.
After swallowing the pills, the dire wolf immediately felt much more energetic.
"What a waste! What a waste! Feeding that precious Peiyuan Pill to a beast!"
Just then, another man in a green robe passed through the sword array and arrived on the other side.
Ming Qi looked up. This man was about ten or twenty years old, with brows like swords, eyes gleaming, and a lean, upright, and impeccably proportioned figure. It was obvious that this body concealed great power. However, he had reached the other side alone. It was obvious that the monster he had subdued in the first level had died in the sword array.
Roar!
Sensing the man's hostility, the dire wolf nearby bared its fangs and roared at him.
"You beast, how dare you be so arrogant!"
The man paid no attention to Ming Qi's presence and seemed ready to attack.
"You're courting death!"
Ming Qi was not one to be trifled with. With a cold shout, he stood in front of the man.
This man clearly disregarded Ming Qi, and the aura he exuded was incredibly powerful. Clearly, even after passing through the sword formation, his strength hadn't been completely depleted.
"Hmph! A mere Fifth-level cultivator! I think you're courting death!"
Every cultivator is a being beyond mortal comprehension, each possessing a proud and arrogant spirit. Seeing Ming Qi show no fear at all, the young man instantly erupted in anger.
Swish!
The green-robed man's expression was cold. With a slight movement of his body, a cloud of white mist rose, revealing a circular, misty protective shield.
Ming Qi's eyes narrowed. "Eighth Level of the Acquired Realm, the Awakening of Mind!"
The Eighth Level of the Acquired Realm, the Awakening of Mind, is a powerful realm that harnesses the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. At this level, one can mobilize that energy to create a protective shield, offering incredibly formidable defenses that are impenetrable to ordinary attacks.
Upon seeing the misty protective shield, Ming Qi knew the green-robed figure had reached the eighth level of the Acquired Realm.
Strength is capital; with sufficient strength, one can be completely arrogant!
Ming Qi had long since grasped this, for it had been the same in his previous life. However, in his previous life, strength represented many other things: money, power, and so on. In today's world of cultivators, power is the sole measure of strength.
Even after seeing that the opponent was a master at the eighth level of the Acquired Realm, Ming Qi showed no sign of retreating. Instead, he stood erect, like a sharp sword, thrusting himself horizontally and motionless.
Seeing Ming Qi refusing to yield, the green-robed figure sneered, his hands instantly forming claws.
His fingers were like hooks, a chilling, intimidating air.
Just then, the voice rang out again.
"The second person to pass through the Blade and Dragon Formation will be rewarded with fifty Peiyuan Pills."
The slightly plump middle-aged man approached with a smile and handed the green-robed figure an identical golden gourd.
On seeing the middle-aged man appear, the green-robed man finally relinquished his murderous intent and respectfully took the gourd from the middle-aged man's hand. The golden gourd spun in his hand and vanished.
"Boy, I've got you."
Seeing the middle-aged man reenter the white mist, the green-robed man sneered at Ming Qi.
"Same here."
Ming Qi remained calm. He could tell this man was a perpetually arrogant individual. Seeing Ming Qi take the lead in this level, he must have been upset and had come looking for trouble, hoping to completely humiliate Ming Qi with his eighth-level acquired realm strength.
However, the middle-aged man's presence made the green-robed man seem quite wary, and he gave up.
The other shore was incredibly spacious. Ming Qi and the green-robed man occupied each side. By now, each viewed the other as an enemy, and the conflict was rapidly escalating.
Ming Qi felt a pang of frustration. How could he have run into such a villain? This guy was far superior to most people, and he would most likely pass the assessment. Then, in the Biyou Sect, he'd have another annoying obstacle.
Imagining being yanked from time to time, Ming Qi immediately felt nauseous and queasy, as if he'd swallowed a fly.
But Ming Qi didn't have time to dwell on this irritating obstacle. In the intervening time, many people had already passed through the sword formation and reached the other side.
"The third person to reach the other side will receive thirty Peiyuan Pills!"
Ming Qi realized that only the first three people to reach the other side would receive the generous Peiyuan Pill reward, while each subsequent person would receive ten Peiyuan Pills.
Ming Qi was somewhat surprised to find that the third person to reach the other side was none other than the cool and beautiful girl who had subdued the flying beast. She had already received the Peiyuan Pill and was quietly recovering in a distant corner.
Ming Qi roughly counted and found that around thirty people had already reached the other side. As for the others, some were struggling within the sword array, while the rest were lingering on the other side, still lacking the courage to jump in.
Ming Qi sighed inwardly. For those who continued to hesitate, their state of mind and strength had reached their limit.
Ming Qi naturally understood that this stage of the sword array tested not only strength but also resolve and courage. A cultivator's path was arduous and perilous. Without an extraordinary resolve and unwavering courage, one would spend their entire lives wandering in the afterlife.
Just then, a fierce wind blew above the entire sword array, instantly scattering all the long dragons of swords and the rain of flaming arrows.
The wind was so fierce that no one could even open their eyes.
When they opened their eyes again, they found that the original sword array had completely vanished. Above it, Crown Prince Xu Zheng stared at them expressionlessly.
"Your courage is broken! Get out of here!"
Prince Xu coldly addressed the group of people who hadn't dared to enter the sword formation. Then, with a wave of his hand, he unleashed a powerful wind dragon condensed from his innate energy.
As the wind dragon passed, all those who hadn't entered the sword formation were swept away without a trace, as if they had never been there.