A Pleasant Surprise, an Unexpected Twist?

Though Ye Chen looked flustered, he still struck first. He unleashed every trick he had, showing Qin Luo exactly what it meant to be a Child of Destiny.

His cultivation instantly surged to the peak of the Sea-Opening Realm. A battered turtle shell appeared in his hand at once, blocking Qin Luo's killing blow.

He immediately unleashed a sword technique as well. Naturally, it was not the Four Symbols Sword Technique, but another sword art he had already cultivated to the major mastery stage.

Worthy of an Innate Sword Bone—his talent in the Sword Dao was truly formidable!

Qin Luo had cultivated for so many years and had only barely brought one martial skill to the major mastery stage. Even that had required his master's constant personal guidance.

Yet Ye Chen, after rising from being trash, had cultivated for only a few short years and was already like this. Comparing people really could make one furious enough to die!

The two exchanged a move and ended in a draw. Qin Luo looked utterly relaxed, while Ye Chen seemed to have nearly exhausted his means.

But there was an enormous gap between their realms, enough to make Ye Chen famous in a single battle.

Watching the scene below, Liu Changhe's expression turned somewhat solemn.

If Qin Luo's talent had merely been ordinary as before, and he had only possessed such a solid foundation and his current position because of his master—

Then Liu Changhe would not have wavered in the decision he had just made.

But now, Qin Luo had displayed astonishing Sword Dao talent. To comprehend and execute a sword technique at the Perfection Realm was enough to make Liu Changhe take him seriously.

An elder of the Enforcement Hall spoke up. "Sacred Lord, Qin Luo stole the Four Symbols Sword Technique from the Scripture Pavilion, causing our Taixu Sacred Land's Four Symbols Sword Technique to be lost. With both witnesses and physical evidence present, I believe Qin Luo should be imprisoned in the Great Ruins Dungeon!"

Liu Changhe frowned. Rather than responding to him, he said to Qin Luo, "Qin Luo, I know your cultivation has not come easily, and your master has made tremendous contributions to the Taixu Sacred Land. Today, I will give you an opportunity."

"Go to Reflection Cliff and reflect on your sins for three years. If you pass my test, I will permit you to join the War Affairs Hall!"

Hearing this, Qin Luo sneered inwardly. Reflection Cliff was hardly as simple as reflecting on one's sins.

Below Reflection Cliff lay gales of astral wind that were nearly impossible to endure, along with icy pools that chilled one to the bone. Forget cultivation—even mighty experts of the Cave Heaven Realm had records of dying beneath Reflection Cliff.

It was practically a waste of cultivation time. He was not going.

And the War Affairs Hall was hardly a proper hall of the Taixu Sacred Land. Its death rate was terrifyingly high, exceeding fifty percent every year.

Only disciples with no resources, mediocre talent, and a desire to take a gamble would join the War Affairs Hall.

Going from Holy Son to a combat disciple of the War Affairs Hall was far more than simply falling from the heavens into the dust.

"The Sacred Lord is actually being so merciful to Qin Luo? He's only sending him to Reflection Cliff?"

"Isn't it because of Qin Luo's talent? At eighteen, he comprehended a Heaven Tier sword technique to the Perfection Realm. That's simply monstrous!"

There were still clever people present, and someone immediately voiced the reason Liu Changhe had spoken.

Liu Ruyan had just been about to speak up for Qin Luo. She had intended to give him one final chance, but Qin Luo gave her none.

Qin Luo looked at Ye Chen and sneered. "Do you think that turtle shell before you can stop me?"

Ye Chen refused to be outdone. "Senior Brother Qin, so what if you cultivated the stolen Four Symbols Sword Technique to the Perfection Realm? You want to break my Black Tortoise Shell? Heh..."

The Black Tortoise Shell was a treasure he had obtained by chance. Below the Cave Heaven Realm, almost no one could break it.

He gave Qin Luo a provocative look, signaling for him to continue.

Qin Luo sneered. "As you wish!"

Boom! Qin Luo's aura changed.

His entire body radiated a razor-sharp edge, making Liu Changhe, who had just been ignored and was about to reprimand Qin Luo, fall silent.

Golden Edge Splits Mountain!

This was the most offensively fierce move within the Four Symbols Sword Technique. Once unleashed, it was unstoppable, carrying terrifying penetrative force. Qin Luo was certain it could shatter Ye Chen's turtle shell.

He sent out another sword strike, carrying an indomitable momentum. Even the air let out a mournful cry.

The strike was incredibly fast. The instant its tip touched the turtle shell, cracks began spreading across it under Ye Chen's disbelieving gaze.

It was as though the cry of a turtle rang out. The shell emitted a series of cracking sounds and began to split apart.

"Impossible!" Ye Chen cried out.

A pleasant voice rang beside his ear. "Chen'er, this sword move of his has already reached the Perfection Realm, and it is the most offensively fierce metal attribute!"

"The Black Tortoise Shell cannot stop it!"

As the woman's voice fell, the turtle shell began to shatter.

On the high platform, a woman who had been indifferent to everything happening here—only showing emotion when Qin Luo used Nine Heavens Fire Dance—suddenly stood and cried out, "This is another move from the Four Symbols Sword Technique!"

"Qin Luo actually completed another move of the Four Symbols Sword Technique?"

A fiery gleam appeared in her eyes as she looked at Qin Luo. She immediately said to Liu Changhe, "Sacred Lord, Qin Luo is a Sword Dao genius with peerless talent!"

Liu Changhe was no fool. He, too, had seen Qin Luo's talent. While shocked, he was also somewhat angered.

"Good lad, to hide yourself so deeply. It seems he no longer has any sense of belonging toward the Taixu Sacred Land!"

"Elder Tu, stop this battle!"

Tu Shouyi was an elder of the Enforcement Hall, and his cultivation had long since reached the middle stage of the Cave Heaven Realm. This trial had also been initiated by him.

Once Liu Changhe gave the order, he no longer hesitated. With a leap, he flew toward Qin Luo.

As he attacked, he roared, "Qin Luo, stop at once! Otherwise, this old man will kill you on the spot!"

He had always disliked Qin Luo. This was a grudge from the previous generation—he had been suppressed by Qin Luo's master several times in their past competition, and he had long borne a grudge.

This time, he showed almost no restraint. As long as Qin Luo was left alive, what did it matter if he crippled him?

Ye Chen had just been preparing to draw one of his trump cards.

Tu Shouyi's intervention came at just the right time, and Ye Chen immediately gave up on it.

Cave Heaven Realm experts could already open up grotto-heavens within their bodies. Each grotto-heaven was like a small world. Their strength had surpassed the bounds of humanity, and in this world, they were also known as mighty experts.

Seeing Tu Shouyi rushing at him, Qin Luo did not panic in the slightest.

The female elder on the high platform saw how merciless Tu Shouyi's attack was and immediately said, "Sacred Lord, Elder Tu, he..."

Liu Changhe raised a hand and interrupted her. "Elder Tu knows his limits."

"Some disciples, no matter how extraordinary their talent, cannot be allowed to remain so arrogant and unruly. It is only right to give him a lesson."

Closer, closer—just as Tu Shouyi was about to suppress Qin Luo on the spot—

An ancient, powerful aura suddenly surged forth.

Something every member of the Taixu Sacred Land knew well appeared.

Boom! The Taixu Bell appeared!

Bang! The Taixu Bell slammed viciously into Tu Shouyi.

Ye Chen, standing before Qin Luo, widened his eyes in disbelief. "That's the Taixu Bell!"

He knew perfectly well that the Taixu Bell was currently inside his ring, in his master's hands. How could it suddenly appear outside?

And it seemed to be in Qin Luo's hands. This was simply absurd!

"Kid, surprised? Didn't see that coming?" Qin Luo's words yanked him back to reality.

A sword stabbed toward his chest.

Strike while he was sick and take his life!