Greatly Stimulated

The young girl's name was Shui Qingyan, and she hailed from the Weishui Tribe, one of the three thousand tribes in the Great Wilderness. As the Weishui River was full of shoals, the Weishui Tribe was known as the Shuitu Clan, and its people often took Shui as their surname.

Zhong Yue and Shui Qingyan had known each other for a long time. Last year, when Zhong Yue returned to his hometown, he traveled alone across the Great Wilderness from the Zhongshan Tribe to the Sword Gate Holy Land, encountering Shui Qingyan along the way.

Shui Qingyan's parents held a high position within the Shuitu Clan. Over a dozen adult hunters escorted her to the Sword Gate, but unfortunately, they were attacked by a beast tide, and only Shui Qingyan survived. Just as the girl was about to die under the beasts' fangs, Zhong Yue rescued her.

The scar on Zhong Yue's left arm was from a fierce beast's bite while saving Shui Qingyan.

Zhong Yue escorted her to the Sword Gate. It was because of this experience that Shui Qingyan affectionately called Zhong Yue "Brother Yue."

"Qingyan, you've already achieved Soul Egress?"

Zhong Yue was startled, and he said in disbelief, "You've only been cultivating for a year..."

As he spoke, Zhong Yue suddenly couldn't continue, because he thought of himself. Shui Qingyan's cultivation speed was already considered extremely fast. She had only been in the Sword Gate for a year, and she could already achieve Soul Egress and enter the Azure Sky Hall for assessment. Compared to many Outer Disciples, she was practically a divine speedster!

However, in comparison, Zhong Yue had only taken a few hours to achieve Soul Egress while cultivating the Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization taught by the Kindling Child. Such speed would likely be unbelievable if spoken aloud!

Of course, Zhong Yue had already cultivated for several years before. Now, breaking through to the Soul Egress realm only placed him in the upper-middle tier of talent among tens of thousands of Outer Disciples, and wouldn't attract much attention.

The two had already walked into the Azure Sky Hall. Indeed, the Azure Sky Hall lived up to its name.

Beneath their feet was an invisible barrier, and below the barrier was a drop of ten thousand feet. Magnificent mountains stretched out in undulating waves, offering a view of almost the entire hundred thousand li of the Great Wilderness!

White clouds drifted lazily beneath their feet. Looking out, he could see the strange landscapes of the Great Wilderness: snow-capped mountains, colossal trees covering hundreds of miles, roaring rivers, and impossibly large lotuses, all incredibly majestic.

Above them, the scorching sun hung high, and the bright moon dangled, as if the sun, moon, and stars were countless times closer than before.

At this moment, there were already more than ten people in the Azure Sky Hall, gathered before a high platform. The platform was a hundred zhang in circumference, and in the center stood a Sword Gate, shaped like a sword.

The battle on the platform was fierce. A boy of fifteen or sixteen years old was fighting against a pitch-black alien demon.

The alien demon's arms were like a mantis's forelegs, and its hind legs were bent backward. It moved with extreme speed, coming and going like the wind. On the stage, it transformed into a black shadow, flitting around the boy, its arms like two scythes constantly hacking at the boy!

The boy parried and blocked, his body constantly bleeding. He was occasionally struck by the alien demon, and was in a precarious situation!

There was an invisible restraint around the high platform, sealing it off. The demonic beast could not escape, and being bloodthirsty by nature, it attacked the boy on the stage with all its might.

On the other side of the high platform, several white-robed examiners sat quietly, awaiting the outcome of the battle.

"This demon is a low-level Demonic race raised by the Sword Gate for assessment. It is fast, strong, and its arms are like blades. Close-quarters combat is a sure loss."

Below the stage, several Outer Disciples, dressed in lavish clothing, clearly from prominent clans, had a deep understanding of the Abyssal Demons and were discussing. "However, the Abyssal Demons' weakness is also significant: its soul is extremely weak! During the duel, one only needs to achieve Soul Egress, rush into the Abyssal Demon's mind and Sea of Consciousness, visualize the Sword Gate, and with a sword qi slash, its soul can be annihilated, and victory will naturally be achieved!"

"It sounds simple, but it's difficult to achieve."

Another person shook his head. "The demon's attack speed is extremely fast, and its strength is immense. Engaging it in close combat will definitely lead to a crushing defeat! But if one achieves Soul Egress, and their soul is struck by its arms, they will be instantly killed! The disciple just now, when his soul egressed, was struck by the demon's arm and his soul was scattered on the spot. Even the examiners of the Azure Sky Hall couldn't save him in time! Only by seizing a fleeting opportunity and letting the soul rush into its Sea of Consciousness to slash its soul with a sword can one win!"

"Indeed, this alien demon's speed is too fast, and its strength is far greater than that of ordinary people. It cannot be defeated by force; only by wit!"

The assessment in the Azure Sky Hall tested both Soul Egress and combat awareness; neither could be lacking!

Zhong Yue frowned slightly, a look of confusion on his face. "This alien demon's speed doesn't seem that fast, and its strength doesn't seem any stronger than mine. Why do they all say the alien demons cannot be defeated by force?"

In his eyes, the alien demon's speed was not particularly fast, and the strength of its scythe-like arms was not that heavy. He could clearly capture every movement of the alien demon, and his limbs were itching to fight, which was very strange.

He did not know that his spirit had become several times stronger than before. To him, the alien demons, which appeared incredibly fast and difficult to track to others, were not so astonishing, merely ordinary.

This was the marvel of a powerful spirit!

Shui Qingyan took a small Totem God Pillar from her back, her eyes sparkling, and said softly, "My Shuitu Clan has an elder in the Sword Gate who bestowed this Totem Pillar upon me, making cultivation much faster. Brother Yue, this assessment is very dangerous. Later, you can use my Totem Pillar for the assessment. Once you pass, you can return it to me, and then we can both pass."

Zhong Yue was tempted. He looked up at the alien demon on the stage again and shook his head. "No need, I want to try it myself."

On the stage, the boy was covered in wounds, but he gritted his teeth and persisted.

Suddenly, a white-robed examiner pointed his finger. The 异魔 exploded with a bang, meeting its demise. The examiner, with a blank expression, said to the boy, "You are no longer able to fight. Step down. Next, from the Junshan Tribe, Junshan Clan's Jun Shaofei."

Another young man ascended the high platform. This young man was clearly from a prominent clan. As soon as he stepped onto the stage, he planted the Totem Pillar in his hand onto the ground. Various strange patterns on the Totem Pillar gradually lit up, emitting brilliant textures outwards.

The Sword Gate on the platform rumbled open, and a black shadow shot out from it, heading straight for Jun Shaofei. Its arms were like scythes, and in the blink of an eye, it was within three feet of Jun Shaofei. The next moment, it could have severed his head, giving him no time to react!

Suddenly, the alien demon's speed slowed down dramatically. It was half a beat slower, and although still extremely fast, it was no longer too fast to be captured by the naked eye.

"The Totem Pillar is indeed wondrous."

Zhong Yue's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, filled with curiosity about the Totem Pillar. "Qi Refiners use spirits to forge Totem Pillars. I wonder how they do it?"

Although the demonic beast's speed had slowed down, it was still very fast for Jun Shaofei. The battle lasted for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Jun Shaofei finally seized an opportunity, achieved Soul Egress, shot into the demonic beast's head, and slashed its soul with a sword, finally winning!

As time passed, one young man and woman after another ascended the high platform, and demonic creatures continuously emerged from the Sword Gate. Some of these youths couldn't even last one round, their limbs directly severed by the demonic creatures, and were rescued by the examiners. Others fought a difficult battle but still couldn't hold on.

Only two youths carrying Totem Pillars managed to win, albeit barely, with the help of their Totem Pillars. As for those Outer Disciples from humble backgrounds, not a single one was able to win.

Soon, it was Zhong Yue's turn. Shui Qingyan couldn't help but show a worried expression. She took off the Totem Pillar from her back and whispered, "Brother Yue, you should still use my Totem Pillar..."

Zhong Yue's eyes grew brighter, and he shook his head. "No need!"

The battle on the stage concluded. An old man in white robes glanced at the roster, not even lifting his head. "Zhongshan Tribe, Zhongshan Clan, Zhong Yue!"

"This disciple is here!"

Zhong Yue responded and ascended the high platform. He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed intently on the Sword Gate above.

Below the stage, many Outer Disciples looked up at the stage. They saw that this young man was thin and gaunt, his clothes tattered, carrying a large medicinal basket on his back. He didn't look like he was there for an assessment, but rather like he was going to gather herbs.

Laughter erupted from below the stage. Someone whispered, "A disciple from a humble background, it's best not to go up there and make a fool of yourself..."

Before the words could even fall, with a loud rumble, the Sword Gate was activated by a white-robed examiner. A soul-stirring roar came from within the gate. A black shadow shot out like a sword, heading straight for Zhong Yue. Its two scythe-like arms flashed across the stage like whips, drawing two arcs of blade light in mid-air!

Two streaks of blade light, one after the other, slashed down at Zhong Yue!

"Dragon Coiling Technique!"

Zhong Yue roared, like spring thunder exploding. At this moment, a low dragon's roar seemed to echo from Azure Sky Hall. Someone seemed to see a ferocious, unparalleled Flood Dragon faintly appearing on Zhong Yue's body, coiling around him!

The two streaks of blade light swung by the alien demon struck down. At the same time, a light puchi sound was heard. Blood splattered, a black shadow flew high into the air, and with a hong long sound, it crashed into the invisible barrier of the high platform before falling to the ground, motionless!

On the high platform, only one figure remained standing.

Below the stage, there was dead silence.

The white-robed examiners raised their heads one by one, looking at the stage in disbelief. They saw the alien demon corpse lying on its side by the edge of the high platform, its chest ribs shattered by fists, the broken bones piercing its heart, and it had met a violent end!

He killed the alien demon with his fists, not with Soul Egress...

One examiner stared blankly and muttered, "Senior brothers, does this count as passing the assessment?"

The other examiners also looked at each other, bewildered. This was the first time they had encountered such a situation since they took charge of Azure Sky Hall!

Killing a demon, which was terrifyingly fast and incredibly strong, with bare hands was easy for a Qi Refiner, but for an Outer Disciple, it was simply an impossible feat!

And now, this demon had been killed by Zhong Yue with a single punch, driving them all to the brink of madness!

Just moments ago, they had been careless, but now their minds were incredibly stimulated. However, they had no idea how to score this assessment.