Life and Death Trial

Returning to his residence, Chen Feng was already waiting there.

"Did Zhao Mingxuan look for you?"

"Yes." Lin Ye nodded and briefly explained the situation, omitting the warning Zhao Mingxuan had given him.

Chen Feng was silent for a moment: "Did you agree?"

"Do I have a choice?" Lin Ye countered.

"...No." Chen Feng shook his head, "Zhao Mingxuan is a deacon of the Inner Sect Deacon Hall. Being noticed by him is both an opportunity and a shackle."

"Therefore, I must become stronger as quickly as possible."

Chen Feng looked at him, "Are you confident?"

"Three months is enough."

Chen Feng glanced at him, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Lin Ye watched his retreating figure, a trace of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

Some things are safer the less you know about them.

Collecting his thoughts, Lin Ye began to cultivate.

Ten Qi Gathering Pills, plus his own stock, were enough for him to break through.

"The True Qi Realm is about drawing qi into the body after reaching the perfection of the ninth level of Body Tempering, opening the dantian, and condensing a seed of true qi."

"What will happen if I break through to the True Qi Realm after reaching the perfection of the tenth level of Body Tempering?"

A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

The bottleneck began to loosen.

Lin Ye did not rush to break through.

He was accumulating, polishing, and refining every bit of medicinal power to its limit.

At the same time, he was also practicing the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind given to him by Zhao Mingxuan.

The sword technique was exquisite, emphasizing "speed, precision, and finesse," like a breeze brushing against the face, penetrating every opening.

He wanted to comprehend it himself first and only use points to break through when he encountered a bottleneck.

This was his own form of tempering.

Just like that, a month passed.

Lin Ye's cultivation remained steadily at the peak of the eighth level of Body Tempering, only a hair's breadth away from the ninth level.

He had already mastered the first six moves of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind, which counted as entry-level.

On this day, Zhao Mingxuan sent someone to pass on a message again.

"Lin Ye, Deacon Zhao wants you to go to the Sword Testing Cliff."

The Sword Testing Cliff was a place for outer sect disciples to spar and hone their sword techniques. It was located deep in the back mountains, with a ten-thousand-foot abyss beneath the cliff, shrouded in clouds and mist all year round.

When Lin Ye arrived at the top of the cliff, Zhao Mingxuan was already waiting there.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the sea of clouds below the cliff, his moon-white robe rustling in the wind.

"You're here." Zhao Mingxuan did not turn around.

"This disciple greets Deacon Zhao." Lin Ye bowed in salute.

"How is your practice of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind coming along?"

"I have just reached the entry level."

"Show me."

Lin Ye drew the high-grade mortal sword Zhao Mingxuan had given him last time—Qingfeng.

As the sword emerged, a clear breeze arose.

The first sword, The Breeze Approaches.

The second sword, Wind Passes Without a Trace.

The third sword, Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds.

The sixth sword, Wind Rises and Clouds Surge.

The sword light flashed, tracing paths across the cliff top, merging with the mountain wind, possessing a hint of harmony between man and nature.

A trace of approval flashed in Zhao Mingxuan's eyes.

"One month, six swords mastered. Your talent is quite good." He commented, "But sword techniques are not just practiced; they are forged through killing."

He turned to look at Lin Ye: "Today, I will teach you the seventh sword—Wind and Thunder Move."

Before the words had even faded, he pressed his fingers together to form a sword and slashed through the air.

"Sshhh!"

A sword aura tore through the air. At first, it felt like a gentle breeze, but in an instant, wind and thunder converged, transforming the aura into a cyan-purple bolt of lightning that left a three-foot-deep gash in the cliff face.

Wind and Thunder Move—a strike as swift and fierce as a storm—was the most lethal move within the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind.

"Did you understand it?" Zhao Mingxuan withdrew his hand and stood tall.

"I understood seven parts of it," Lin Ye said.

"The remaining three parts must be grasped through actual combat." Zhao Mingxuan clapped his hands.

Beneath the cliff, clouds surged as three black shadows leaped onto the summit like ghosts.

They were three masked men in black, wielding long blades with ferocious auras; all of them were clearly at the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering!

"Kill them, or be killed by them," Zhao Mingxuan said indifferently, turning to walk toward the edge of the cliff.

The three men in black let out low growls and lunged at Lin Ye simultaneously.

Blade light flickered, filled with a chilling murderous intent.

Lin Ye's eyes narrowed as he drew his Azure Edge Sword.

He understood that this was a life-or-death trial.

"Kill!"

Sword light collided with blade light, sending sparks flying in every direction.

Facing three opponents at once, Lin Ye was instantly forced onto the defensive.

Without panicking, he unleashed the Flowing Cloud Steps, his figure moving like a ghost as he wove through the flashes of steel.

At the same time, he executed the first six strikes of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind in rapid succession, barely managing to hold his ground.

"Bang!"

A blade struck his shoulder, and blood sprayed into the air.

Lin Ye let out a muffled grunt, his expression remaining calm.

He spotted an opening and suddenly thrust out the seventh strike—Wind and Thunder Move.

At this life-or-death moment, his potential erupted, capturing eight parts of the move's true essence.

"Sshhh!"

The sword, like wind and thunder, pierced through the throat of one of the men in an instant.

Blood gushed out as the body collapsed to the ground.

The remaining two were shocked and enraged, their attacks becoming even more ferocious.

Though wounded, Lin Ye's fighting spirit only intensified.

He stopped defending and went on the full offensive.

Trading injury for injury, life for life.

"Pfft!"

Another strike pierced the heart of the second man.

The last one, seeing the situation turn dire, turned to flee.

Wind and Thunder Move.

The sword light was as fast as lightning, piercing him directly through the back.

The cliff top returned to silence.

Only the sound of the wind and the heavy scent of blood remained.

Lin Ye stood leaning on his sword, covered in blood; the wounds on his shoulder, ribs, and thigh were deep enough to reveal bone.

He watched Zhao Mingxuan's back with calm eyes.

Zhao Mingxuan turned to look at him, a flicker of complexity crossing his eyes.

"Not bad," he nodded. "Ruthless enough, and decisive enough."

He walked over to Lin Ye, raised his hand, and injected a gentle stream of true energy into Lin Ye's body to stabilize his injuries.

"Three months. Break through to the True Energy Realm. I have a mission for you."

"What mission?"

"You will know when the time comes." Zhao Mingxuan gave him a deep look. "Remember, you are my chess piece now. A chess piece's life is the least valuable thing. But if used well, it can checkmate the king."

With that, he leaped off the cliff and vanished into the sea of clouds.

Lin Ye stood where he was, staring in the direction where Zhao Mingxuan had disappeared. He remained silent for a long time before slowly sitting down to tend to his wounds.

Applying medicine, bandaging.

His movements were practiced and his face expressionless, as if the life-or-death struggle that had just occurred were nothing more than a routine drill.

After finishing his bandages, he sat cross-legged and began to circulate the Azure Origin Technique to heal his wounds.

At the same time, he was carefully reflecting on the battle that had just taken place.

Regarding the sword move Wind and Thunder Move, he had gained many new insights while at the brink of life and death.

"The swiftness of the wind, the ferocity of the thunder. When wind and thunder combine, nothing can withstand it."

"It is still not enough..."

[Points: 37]

"How many points are required to deduce the seventh sword of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind, 'Wind and Thunder Move'?"

[Deducing the seventh sword of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind (Mortal-grade High-tier) requires 30 martial arts points.]

[Do you wish to deduce?]

"Yes."

A phantom began to emerge, practicing Wind and Thunder Move.

This time, the phantom's swordsmanship was completely different from the one Zhao Mingxuan had displayed.

It was swifter and more unpredictable.

The sword struck in silence, but as it neared, wind and thunder erupted; the shifting between reality and illusion made it impossible to track.

[Deduction complete]

[The seventh sword of the Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind, "Wind and Thunder Move," has been optimized. Power increased by 50%, speed increased by 30%, and the "Paralysis" effect has been added, capable of briefly delaying an opponent's movements.]

Paralysis?

A flash of brilliance crossed the eyes of Lin Ye.

This had already exceeded the scope of a Mortal-grade High-tier sword technique.

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