It's My Turn

The mirror also threw a punch.

Fists collided.

"Crack--!!!"

The mirror's fist, along with its entire arm, shattered inch by inch!

For the first time, its hollow eyes showed an emotion akin to "shock," but Qin Yuan didn't give it time to react.

The second punch landed on its chest.

The mirror exploded, turning into scattered specks of light.

From beginning to end, three breaths.

Qin Yuan retracted his fist and looked at the others—most were still struggling, only Kong Ming had just defeated his mirror and was now panting, looking at him with shock in his eyes.

The third trial eliminated another ten people.

Only the last ten remained, standing before the entrance to the fourth trial.

Seven, The Trial of Breaking Through

The fourth trial was a vast, empty hall.

In the center of the hall, a crystal, clear and translucent, floated. Within the crystal, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting in meditation.

"The fourth trial, the breakthrough trial," the ancient voice echoed for the last time. "Comprehend the crystal and break through in battle to pass. Time limit: three days."

Breakthrough in battle?

Everyone's expression changed.

Reaching the peak of the Golden Core stage, each breakthrough required long accumulation and opportunity. Three days? How was that possible!

But the crystal began to emit light, enveloping the ten people.

Qin Yuan sat down cross-legged and extended his Spiritual Sense towards the crystal.

Instantly, he seemed to see a vast world—it was the cultivation insights of the figure within the crystal, from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core, from Golden Core to Nascent Soul, and even... higher.

But insights were just insights; to break through, sufficient accumulation was still needed.

Fortunately, he had the System.

"Accumulate cultivation, strike for Nascent Soul."

Qin Yuan closed his eyes, and the System within his body began to operate.

[Cultivation Storage: 120/200 years]

He still had three days.

On the first day, Qin Yuan did not extract any cultivation, merely quietly comprehending the Nascent Soul insights within the crystal. His understanding of the Nascent Soul stage deepened, and the seed of "spirit" deep within his Golden Core began to tremble slightly.

On the second day, he extracted forty years of cultivation. The immense spiritual energy surged into his Golden Core, and the seed trembled with greater amplitude.

On the third day, he extracted the remaining eighty years of cultivation all at once!

Boom--!!!

One hundred and twenty years of cultivation, combined with three days of comprehending Nascent Soul insights, erupted within Qin Yuan's body!

His Golden Core spun madly, and the nine patterns on its surface began to merge. Deep within the Golden Core, the seed of "spirit" finally broke free, transforming into an infant-like phantom!

Nascent Soul prototype, formed!

But it wasn't enough.

Qin Yuan gritted his teeth and extracted all the cultivation stored for the last three days—another forty years!

One hundred and sixty years of cultivation, like a torrential flood, fiercely impacted the Nascent Soul prototype!

The phantom rapidly solidified, transforming into a small figure three inches tall, its features exactly like Qin Yuan's. The figure sat cross-legged on the Golden Core, emitting a faint golden glow.

Nascent Soul, formed!

The moment the Nascent Soul was formed, the aura emanating from Qin Yuan's body surged explosively!

The bottleneck of the Golden Core peak was completely broken, and a vast, sea-like pressure spread from him, enveloping the entire hall!

The other nine people all opened their eyes in shock.

Kong Ming's face turned ashen, and his prayer beads fell to the ground with a clatter.

Chu Wuyue's white pupils contracted violently.

The mist surrounding Yun Qingyao instantly dissipated.

Zi Ling's dagger slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

Everyone stared blankly at Qin Yuan, at the figure sitting cross-legged, feeling the terrifying pressure belonging to the Nascent Soul stage.

Three days... from Golden Core peak to Nascent Soul?

"Monster..." someone muttered unconsciously.

Qin Yuan slowly opened his eyes, a golden light flowing within them.

The crystal in the center of the great hall slowly opened, revealing the figure within—a pile of withered bones sitting cross-legged, holding a jade slip in its hands.

A hoarse voice echoed for the last time, filled with relief:

"Fourth trial, passed."

"Successor, you may receive my legacy."

Qin Yuan stood up and walked towards the withered bones.

Behind him were nine faces, so shocked they had gone numb.

The jade slip in the withered bones' hands turned into a stream of light the moment Qin Yuan touched it, vanishing into his brow.

The other nine people in the great hall watched this scene unfold, their expressions incredibly complex.

Envy, jealousy, shock, disbelief... a mixture of emotions.

Kong Ming clasped his hands together, chanting a Buddhist name, but the slight tremor in his fingertips betrayed his inner turmoil. The Dustless Temple had a long legacy, and he considered himself exceptionally talented. Yet, in these four trials within the secret realm, he had been outshone by the grey-robed youth from the Xuan Yuan Sect at every step. He had barely managed to defeat his mirror image in the third trial with all his might, and couldn't even touch the threshold in the fourth. A breakthrough on the spot? Forming a Nascent Soul in three days? This was beyond mere talent.

Chu Wuyue's white pupils were fixed on Qin Yuan, his fighting spirit burning, yet tinged with a hint of defeat he was unwilling to admit. He was a battle maniac who believed in strength above all else. The stronger Qin Yuan was, the more he wanted to challenge him. But when the opponent truly shattered the heavens before his eyes and successfully formed his Nascent Soul, that overwhelming disparity made him think for the first time, "Perhaps I really can't catch up."

The clouds around Yun Qingyao swirled unstably. Since childhood, she had been hailed by her sect as a once-in-a-century prodigy. She reached the Golden Core stage at twenty and the peak Golden Core stage at thirty, believing herself to be the cream of the crop among her peers. But this youth from a bottom-tier sect had completed her twenty years of progress in one month, and then achieved what might have taken her another decade of hard work in just three days.

Zi Ling bit her lip, her nails digging into her palm. She remembered her mockery of the Xuan Yuan Sect when they first met, Qin Yuan's nonchalance when he casually saved her, and the overwhelming strength he had displayed along the way. Her cheeks flushed slightly with shame and a sense of powerlessness.

Han Bing and Ye Guying's faces were even paler. They had been among the top True Disciples of the Xuan Yuan Sect, believing themselves to be at the pinnacle of the younger generation. But now, the young man who had been an Outer Sect disciple just a month ago had left them far behind, so far that they couldn't even see his back.

"The fourth trial has concluded," the hoarse voice echoed in the hall. "Those who passed shall receive my inheritance. Those who failed, depart."

As the voice fell, white light illuminated the nine people simultaneously.

"Junior Brother Qin!" Chu Wuyue shouted one last time, "See you at the Hundred Sects Battle!"

Qin Yuan turned and nodded at him.

The next moment, nine figures vanished from the great hall.

Only Qin Yuan remained.

The great hall began to change.

The surrounding walls rippled like water, shedding their stone texture and transforming into a starry void. The withered bones in the center slowly stood up—no, the bones themselves stood, and two balls of eerie blue flame ignited in their empty eye sockets.

"Three thousand years..." the withered bones opened their jaws, emitting a hoarse voice, "Finally, a worthy successor has arrived."

It "walked" in front of Qin Yuan, its blue flames staring at him. "Young man, you are excellent. Nascent Soul formed in three days, powerful Spiritual Sense, solid foundation. You are qualified to inherit my Dao lineage."

Qin Yuan looked at it calmly. "May I ask who you are, senior?"

"My name is 'Venerable Xuan Gu', a cultivator at the Dao Integration stage," the withered bones said with a hint of pride. "I perished here three thousand years ago, leaving behind a wisp of my soul to await a successor. Today, you are my disciple."

It raised a hand and pointed, and three items materialized in the void.

A pitch-black ring, its surface etched with intricate runes.

An ancient jade slip, exuding an arcane aura.

A three-foot-long bone sword, its body as white as jade, yet emanating a chilling aura.

"These three items are my life's treasures," Venerable Xuan Gu said. "The 'Xuan Gu Ring' is a treasure for storage, containing a small world within that can hold mountains and rivers. The 'Xuan Gu True Scripture' records all my lifelong knowledge, leading directly to the Dao Integration stage. The 'Xuan Gu Sword' was forged from my vital bone and can sever souls."

It paused, its tone softening. "Drip your blood to recognize them as your master, and they shall be yours."

Qin Yuan looked at the three items, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He extended his right hand, forcing a drop of blood from his fingertip, and dripped it onto each item.

The moment the blood touched them, a drastic change occurred!

All three items erupted with dazzling, eerie blue light, transforming into three streams of light that shot directly into Qin Yuan's brow!

Venerable Xuan Gu's hoarse voice suddenly turned sharp and ecstatic. "Hahahaha! Three thousand years! Finally, a perfect physical body! Possessing such powerful Spiritual Sense and foundation at the Golden Core stage, and an incomparably solid Nascent Soul! This body is mine!"