Chapter 13
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Chapter 13: Trial
Ye Yun sat quietly, utterly lost in meditation.
Time blurred as he felt trapped among golden-armored warriors, engulfed by surging golden flames.
Suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared before him—indescribable. Crystal-clear, like a bottomless deep pool, yet pure as a newborn’s gaze, free of any imperfection.
Ye Yun’s heart jolted.
In an instant, two beams—one black, one white—erupted from those eyes, merging into a swirling orb of light. With a hiss, the orb pierced through the crown of his head.
Boom!
His body shuddered as an immense power flooded him, drowning all senses.
The vision vanished as swiftly as it came. Ye Yun snapped his eyes open, finding himself still seated in the small hut.
The dream had returned, clearer than ever. Those eyes—he knew he’d remember them for a thousand lifetimes.
Ye Yun exhaled slowly, focusing inward.
Within his dantian, a faint flicker of black and white light pulsed faintly.
For the first time, the black and white light revealed itself clearly in his spirit perception.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding?” Elation surged through him. Days of searching for its secrets, and now it showed itself.
The light coalesced into a tiny orb, throbbing like a heartbeat.
But as Ye Yun tried to examine it, the orb plunged back into his dantian and disappeared.
“What’s going on?” He searched meticulously but found nothing. Yet its brief emergence proved it lingered within him.
Those eyes… Ye Yun frowned deeply. The black and white light’s mystery felt intertwined with that haunting gaze.
“Senior Brother?”
A timid voice snapped him back. Ye Yun turned, startled.
“You’ve refined both middle-grade spirit stones already?”
“Monstrous! Shen Mo, your talent is monstrous!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Bell sounds reverberated across the mountain peaks.
“What’s happening?”
“That’s the trial summoning bell! The grand trial wasn’t due for another ten days!”
Still reeling from Shen Mo’s display, Ye Yun stared out the window, bewildered.
…
The Heavenly Sword Sect’s outer disciple assessment occurred every three years. Any servant disciple reaching the body refinement stage’s first layer could participate.
Ye Yun and Shen Mo stood in a vast square, surrounded by thousands of servant disciples.
The Heavenly Sword Sect had four main peaks: Shadowless, Absolute Sword, Moon Catching, and Star Plucking.
Each peak governed over ten subsidiary peaks with different responsibilities. Ye Yun and Shen Mo currently stood at Tian Zhu Peak, which fell under Shadowless Peak’s jurisdiction. Tian Zhu Peak specialized in gathering spirit herbs and refining low-level pills for daily sect needs, functioning like a small alchemical division.
This peak oversaw more than a dozen herbal valleys, spirit fields, and collection valleys.
In the square where Ye Yun and Shen Mo stood, around four to five thousand servant disciples from these valleys and fields had gathered.
Though puzzled by the trial’s abrupt commencement, none dared even breathe loudly.
A hundred zhang above them, an obsidian Divine Sword flickered intermittently. With each pulse, sharp sword lights radiated outward before converging toward Shadowless Peak’s distant glow.
Shadowless Peak’s sword light appeared connected to the Heavenly Sword Sect’s main peak – where a gargantuan Divine Sword shone across thousand miles, their auras subtly intertwined.
Ye Yun had previously only glimpsed Tian Zhu Peak’s cloud-veiled structures from afar, swearing countless times to become its official disciple.
Yet now, witnessing this dazzling sword light, rebellious feelings stirred within him.
Where he once wished to prostrate himself before such radiance as disciple, he now sought immortality cultivation methods through this trial – to ride upon such sword light along the endless immortal path.
All surrounding servant disciples trembled under the obsidian sword’s pressure, their breaths ragged and bodies frozen. Yet when Ye Yun inhaled deeply, the oppression vanished.
Squinting against the glare, he studied the sword. Beyond its immense power, he sensed heavenly principles within. Comprehending these could propel him past body refinement stage into Qi refining stage effortlessly.
Ye Yun closed his eyes, attempting to perceive these principles. Even partial understanding would benefit future cultivation.
Suddenly, the long-absent black and white light flashed within him. His senses sharpened, mind clearing instantly.
Though eyes remained shut, the sword seemed nearer. Wispy tendrils of strange energy drifted into him.
As the energy entered, purest clarity pooled in his mind – coalescing briefly before dispersing.
Clang…
A bell’s pure note reverberated through heaven and earth.
Ye Yun snapped back to reality. The sword had returned to its hundred-zhang height, calmly emitting sword light.
"Hmm? Refining Organs stage four? Not bad."
A surprised voice came from his left.
Ye Yun turned sharply. A brocade-clad youth fanned himself casually.
"Reaching this cultivation level so young shows remarkable potential. Serve me henceforth. Remember – I’m Duan Chenfeng of the Capital’s Duan family." The fan snapped shut, pointing at Ye Yun.
Ye Yun blinked. Had someone like Qin Qianhan spoken thus, he’d endure. But this trial participant’s arrogance ignited cold fury.
"Duan family? Never heard of it."
His wolfish grin flashed white teeth.
Duan Chenfeng stared – eighteen years unaccustomed to such disrespect.
"Impudent!"
Three body refinement stage four warriors behind him stepped forward, murderous intent thickening.
"Fighting here?"
Ye Yun’s mocking laughter rang out. Such recklessness proved their ignorance of sect rules.
Duan Chenfeng waved restraining hands, eyeing Ye Yun curiously. "You’ll regret this. Might beg to follow me later."
Fan fluttering, he departed.
Ye Yun frowned. Only fools prized mortal nobility here. In this sect, cultivation ruled supreme.
