Ultimate Trial

"Lu Ren, no... don't kill me!"

Tang Hao knelt on the ground, begging frantically for mercy.

Lu Ren's expression was cold as he slashed out with his sword!

Tang Hao's pupils constricted as he roared, "No!"

Whoosh!

A cold flash vanished; one sword sealed his throat!

Thud!

Tang Hao's body fell to the ground, his eyes wide open, dead with grievances unresolved!

Outside the Tuoshe Cave Mansion!

"Th-This..."

Great Elder Meng Qian had been so shocked by Lu Ren's strength that he could no longer speak.

This Scrap Bloodline disciple of their Qingyun Sect truly had strength when strength was needed, and talent when talent was needed!

His strength was simply heaven-defying!

"Damn it!"

Gu Yifan's expression was icy as he increasingly sensed Lu Ren's terror.

They had previously thought Lu Ren had been hiding behind the ornamental pillar to nurse his wounds. It seemed he had been waiting to ambush Tang Hao. Now, not only had Lu Ren killed Tang Hao, he had challenged the vast majority of the Aperture Opening Realm martial artists alone.

Especially when Lu Ren had displayed several Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills, the sight had deeply shaken them.

Lu Ren's performance had already surpassed ordinary imagination. Over all these years, no one had ever slaughtered so many Aperture Opening Realm martial artists with the strength of the Aperture Opening Realm.

"Damn it! Lu Ren is so strong—he might actually pass the ultimate trial!"

Xie Kuang's face was incomparably ugly, filled with fury and unwillingness.

"Hahaha! Elder Yun, if Lu Ren truly passes the ultimate trial, obtains the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Legacy, and changes his bloodline, then our Qingyun Sect will definitely step into the ranks of first-rate sects!"

The Great Elder was ecstatic.

Yun Qingyao gave a bitter smile. Lu Ren's current performance was indeed heaven-defying, but it was limited to the Aperture Opening Realm. If Lu Ren could not change his bloodline, he would never be able to step into the ranks of the strong.

The higher one's bloodline talent, the better the martial skills and cultivation methods one could cultivate, and the faster one's cultivation speed would be.

"No, I absolutely cannot let him obtain the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Legacy!"

Gu Yifan's eyes also revealed towering killing intent.

Boom!

His head heated up in a moment of impulse, and the true energy within him erupted as he charged straight into the cave mansion.

He absolutely could not allow Lu Ren to obtain the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Legacy.

With his seventh-level Divine Sea Realm cultivation, he wanted to force his way into the cave mansion while its energy was insufficient.

Crack!

But at that moment, streaks of rosy light surged out from the cave mansion, transforming into streams of fire that continuously bombarded him.

Rumble!

Streams of fiery radiance struck Gu Yifan's body and instantly sent him flying.

Pfft!

Gu Yifan fell to the ground, coughing up blood wildly, his eyes filled with unwillingness and fury.

"You actually dared to force your way into the Tuoshe Cave Mansion. You truly aren't afraid of death!"

Great Elder Meng Qian sneered disdainfully.

Xie Kuang hurried over and helped Gu Yifan up. "Gu Yifan, don't be impulsive. Lu Ren may not necessarily obtain the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Legacy. Even if he does, he may not be able to change his bloodline. Wait until he comes out. Rashly forcing your way into the Tuoshe Cave Mansion is not worth the loss!"

"Damn it!"

Gu Yifan gritted his teeth. Lu Ren had killed two of his junior brothers. If Lu Ren truly obtained the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Legacy, how could he explain himself to his master?

At this moment, Lu Ren had killed more than thirty martial artists in succession. After slaughtering the three powerful figures Huang Qi, Xu Fu, and Tang Hao, he stood like a god of slaughter, completely terrifying everyone else into submission.

Lu Ren ordered one martial artist to help him tally up the spoils.

In the end, Lu Ren obtained five hundred thousand copper coins, more than fifty Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills—though some were duplicates—over a dozen Human Tier Mid-grade and High-grade Martial Skills, and two Yellow Tier Low Grade martial skills.

There was also a spirit herb, though Lu Ren did not know what kind of spirit herb it was.

However, he had only obtained twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones, which disappointed Lu Ren somewhat. Still, spirit stones were consumables. Twenty was already quite a lot, enough for Lu Ren to cultivate in the Nameless Treasure Pagoda for forty years.

At this moment, apart from Lu Ren, Tuoshe Plaza was empty. Everyone else had fled the Tuoshe Cave Mansion.

Lu Ren sat down cross-legged and entered the Pagoda Space.

"Forty years... I wonder whether I can fuse all seven Spiritual Apertures together!"

Lu Ren pondered silently.

Lu Ren did not know what kind of trial awaited him next, so he could only do his utmost to raise his strength to its peak.

Lu Ren sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and continued cultivating.

Lu Ren gathered the spiritual energy from six Spiritual Apertures and condensed another enormous vortex. Then, he activated the spiritual energy from the seventh Spiritual Aperture and merged it into the vortex.

But the instant it merged, the vortex trembled slightly and shattered at once.

"Again!"

Lu Ren tried over and over again.

Time gradually passed!

Another year went by.

At this moment, Lu Ren's expression was solemn, and pain showed on his face.

The fusion of the spiritual energy from the seventh Spiritual Aperture had reached its most critical moment.

When the spiritual energy merged into the vortex once more, the vortex shook continuously, yet it did not collapse again. A powerful impact burst forth from within Lu Ren's body and flooded through his entire being.

He could not help trembling. His flesh, blood, tendons, and bones all felt as though they were being torn apart.

Only then did Lu Ren realize that fusing the seventh Spiritual Aperture was actually making his body somewhat unable to endure it.

"Now that I've come this far, I must succeed no matter what!"

Lu Ren hardened his heart, his eyes brimming with intense fighting spirit. He had to fuse in the seventh Spiritual Aperture, and he had to complete the ultimate trial!

He endured bitterly. A day later, the vortex finally fused successfully.

At this moment, the vortex condensed from seven Spiritual Apertures had reached the size of one and a half fists. It spun rapidly, its momentum soaring into the heavens.

"My strength has now reached fourteen thousand jin. It's time to proceed with the ultimate trial!"

Lu Ren stood up and stepped into the light gate.

The blinding light blurred Lu Ren's vision.

When he could see clearly again, he found himself inside a palace.

The hall was luxurious and resplendent.

Yet it was completely empty, with nothing inside.

Suddenly, an aged voice echoed out.

"Young man, I never expected someone so young as you to make it here!"

The voice made Lu Ren instinctively vigilant, and the Fire Spirit Sword was already in his hand.

Perhaps this was the ultimate trial.

"You needn't be nervous. Your performance in Tuoshe Plaza just now means there is no need for you to undergo any further trials!"

As the voice faded, an illusory figure gathered before Lu Ren.

The figure wore coarse hemp robes and had a tall build, thick brows, and large eyes. Firelight flickered within his pupils, and his aura was unfathomable.

"No more trials?"

Lu Ren was slightly startled, but he still did not relax his guard. Perhaps the scene before him was another trial as well. If he failed it, all his previous efforts would go down the drain.

"That's right!"

The hemp-robed man waved his hand, and light gathered. A table actually appeared before Lu Ren, with ten secret manuals placed upon it.

Some of the manuals even flickered with flowing light, looking extraordinary at a glance.

"Young man, you are quite impressive. The eight trials I set were fraught with danger, yet you passed them relying only on Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills. There are ten cultivation methods here. You may choose whichever one suits you, but remember—you may only choose one!"

The hemp-robed man spoke calmly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ren turned his gaze toward the ten cultivation manuals before him.

Now that he had entered the Tuoshe Cave Mansion, it was time for him to cultivate a cultivation method and advance to the Spirit Stream Realm!