Autumn Trial's Edge

As the bells of the Ye Family's Autumn Trial echoed over Sky Feather City, Chu Mo stood among the servant ranks on the east side of the training ground. He had changed into a brand new blue robe, its sleeves embroidered with three silver thread maple leaves—the mark of an Inner Disciple—but it was splattered and stained with ink.

"Oh, a servant dares to wear inner disciple attire?" Wang Bao, the outer sect deacon in charge of calling names, squinted at Chu Mo. He slapped the bamboo slip in his hand against Chu Mo's chest with a "bang." "You haven't even reached Bone Forging triple layer, and you think you're fit to stand in the inner disciple section?"

Low laughter rippled through the crowd. Among the more than twenty Inner Disciples, Ye Hong was playing with his newly acquired Mid-Grade Spirit Artifact, the Blazing Sun Sword. He casually dragged the sword tip across the ground, leaving scorched marks on the bluestone. He looked up, saw Chu Mo, and a cold sneer curled his lips. "Deacon Wang, I saw this trash being backlashed by Sword Qi in the back mountain yesterday. He probably doesn't even have the strength to hold a sword now."

On the high platform of the training ground, the family head, Ye Lingtian, stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze paused slightly as it swept over Chu Mo. He clearly remembered the Sword Qi anomaly in the back mountain last night. The Third Elder, Ye Minghe, had knelt outside his study this morning, saying that Chu Mo had been "invaded by the Sword Tomb's malevolent energy and wouldn't live for three days."

"The Autumn Trial begins! First match, Ye Hong versus Chu Mo!"

As the voice of the Second Elder, Ye Mingxuan, fell, a faint golden light rose from the bronze arena in the center of the training ground. Ye Hong leaped onto the stage, swirling the Blazing Sun Sword in his hand. Fire patterns spread along the blade, and the bluestones on the arena floor instantly cracked from the heat.

Chu Mo looked up, meeting Yun Che's gaze at the edge of the spectator stands. The girl's eyes held worry, but she quietly gave him a thumbs-up—it was their secret signal from when they played in the Sword Tomb as children, meaning, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

"Trash, kneel and kowtow, and I can make it less painful for you." Ye Hong's voice was impatient. He was eager to perform well in front of his father to secure a spot in the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect next month.

Chu Mo stepped onto the arena, holding the Broken Sword he had brought from the Sword Tomb. Although the black sword was still incomplete, a faint Chaos Aura flowed around it. Under the sunlight, the runes on the sword flickered in and out of sight, like living things.

"Bone Forging triple layer?" The referee elder was about to announce the start when his eyes suddenly widened. Chu Mo's aura had climbed to Bone Forging sixth layer in the blink of an eye. The Broken Sword trembled slightly, and ripples appeared on the protective light barrier at the edge of the arena.

"How is that possible!" Ye Hong's Blazing Sun Sword almost slipped from his grasp. He clearly remembered Chu Mo was only at Bone Forging second layer last night, but his aura now was even more profound than his, a Bone Forging ninth layer inner disciple genius.

"Clang—"

Sparks flew the moment the Broken Sword and the Blazing Sun Sword collided. Ye Hong felt a tremendous force, his wrist nearly shattering. Chu Mo's Broken Sword only cut three inches into the Blazing Sun Sword before being blocked by the fire patterns.

"Primordial Sword Art, First Form—Shattered Light!"

Chu Mo let out a low shout, and the Chaos Runes on the Broken Sword suddenly lit up. The fire patterns on the Blazing Sun Sword seemed to meet their nemesis, instantly extinguishing. Cracks spread across the sword's body at a visible speed until it shattered into dust with a "bang."

The entire場 fell silent.

Ye Hong stared blankly at the sword hilt in his hand, unable to believe his Mid-Grade Spirit Artifact had been cut in half just like that. Chu Mo's Broken Sword was already pressed against his throat. Chaos Sword Qi cut tiny red marks on his skin. Just half an inch closer, and it could take his life.

"Chu Mo, that's enough!" The family head, Ye Lingtian, suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible tremor. He saw the killing intent flash in Chu Mo's eyes—a sharpness only those who had experienced life and death possessed, absolutely not something a sixteen-year-old boy should have.

Chu Mo withdrew the Broken Sword, his gaze sweeping across the arena. He could feel the Third Elder Ye Minghe's gaze, like a knife, hidden in the shadows of the spectator stands. Last night in the Sword Tomb, he had not only obtained the Primordial Sword Art but also seen the truth of his mother Chu Muxue's murder in the Broken Sword's memories—the Third Elder, in league with the outer sect deacon, had set an ambush at the Sword Tomb entrance, just to snatch the shattered jade she held.

"Second match, Ye Ling versus Chu Mo!" The Second Elder quickly announced the next match, trying to break the awkward silence.

Ye Ling was the recognized genius of the outer sect, at the peak of Bone Forging ninth layer. In her hand was the Ye Family's specially crafted Azure Mist Sword. Wind blades wrapped around the sword body, stirring up a strong wind on the arena even before it was unsheathed.

"Be careful, she cultivates the third layer of the Azure Mist Sword Art." Yun Che whispered from below the stage, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the jade pendant at her waist—it was left to her by Chu Mo's mother and could be perfectly pieced together with Chu Mo's shattered jade to form a complete sword pattern.

Chu Mo nodded, flipping the Broken Sword in his palm. The Chaos Runes on the sword body collided with the wind blades of the Azure Mist Sword, producing a crisp metallic clang. Ye Ling attacked first, the Azure Mist Sword transforming into hundreds of wind blades, raining down like a storm.

"Primordial Sword Art, Second Form—Swallow Void!"

Chu Mo suddenly opened his mouth, and Chaos Sword Qi condensed into a vortex in front of him. All the wind blades vanished the moment they approached the vortex. The Broken Sword seized the opportunity to slash out, a black sword beam tearing through the sky, leaving a deep indentation on the Azure Mist Sword's body.

"This is... Devour Law?" The Second Elder Ye Mingxuan suddenly stood up, his voice filled with ecstasy. He finally confirmed that Chu Mo had awakened the legendary Chaos Sword Body. Its greatest characteristic was the ability to devour all laws for its own use—Ye Ling's Wind Blade Law had just been directly swallowed into Chu Mo's Sword Body.

Ye Ling staggered back, her eyes full of fear. Her Azure Mist Sword was bought by her father with three low-grade spirit stones, but now it wailed like a heavily injured spirit beast, the wind patterns on the sword body almost peeling off.

"I surrender!" Ye Ling threw down her sword and ran off the arena. She didn't dare to look back because Chu Mo's gaze reminded her of the tomb-guarding sword puppets in the Sword Tomb—cold, dead, yet containing world-destroying power.

In the next three matches, Chu Mo won consecutively. Inner Disciples at Bone Forging ninth layer couldn't last three moves against him. Each swing of the Broken Sword would devour the opponent's cultivation technique law, converting it into Chaos Sword Qi. By the time he defeated his fifth opponent, the arena floor was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, and fine specks of chaotic light flowed within each fissure.

"Next match, Chu Mo versus..." The Second Elder's voice suddenly caught, because no one among the Inner Disciples dared to challenge him. The inner disciple seats, which were originally full, now only had Yun Che. The other disciples either claimed to be injured or lowered their heads, pretending not to see.

"I'll go!"

A clear shout came from the entrance of the training ground. Everyone turned around and saw a young man in a blood-red robe stride in. The token hanging from his waist was engraved with the words "Blood Demon Sect Outer Sect," gleaming with an eerie blood-red light under the sun. "People from the Blood Demon Sect?" The family head Ye Lingtian frowned. The Blood Demon Sect and the Ye Family had always kept to themselves. Now, for the other party to openly participate in the Autumn Trial, it was clear they had ill intentions.

"I am Song Li from the Blood Demon Sect. I heard that the Chaos Sword Body has appeared in the Ye Family, and I've come to spar." Song Li bowed with his hand over his chest, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes. He had received a secret letter from the Third Elder last night, saying that a useless young man in the Ye Family had awakened a rare divine body. If he brought him back to the Demon Sect, he could become an Inner Disciple.

Chu Mo looked up and noticed the blood lotus pattern embroidered on Song Li's sleeve—it was the exact shape of the bloodstain on his mother's wound ten years ago. His grip on the sword tightened abruptly, Chaos Sword Qi boiling within him. The Broken Sword deep within his Sea of Consciousness hummed, as if urging him to seek revenge.

"Peak of Bone Forging ninth layer, and protected by Blood Demon Qi..." The Second Elder reminded in a low voice, "Chu Mo, stop when you've made your point, don't..."

"Kill!"

Chu Mo's Broken Sword had already slashed out, not giving the other party a chance to speak. Chaos Sword Qi materialized into a Sword Shadow, condensing into the character "Annihilation" in the air—it was the opening move of the Primordial Chaos Sword Art, World Annihilation Scroll. Song Li hurriedly conjured a blood-red shield, but saw the shield tear like paper, the Sword Shadow directly slashing across his chest.

"Pfft—"

Song Li spat out a mouthful of blood and flew back ten feet. He was horrified to find that the Blood Demon Qi he cultivated was being devoured by Chu Mo's Sword Qi. The skin around his wound was rotting at a visible speed, exposing the bone underneath.

"The Chaos Sword Body truly lives up to its reputation." Song Li struggled to stand up, then suddenly pulled a blood-red Jade Slip from his chest. "But do you think only you have ancient inheritances?"

The moment the Jade Slip shattered, the ground of the training ground suddenly cracked open. Countless blood-red tentacles burst out of the ground, heading straight for Chu Mo. Screams erupted from the spectator stands, and Yun Che's face turned pale—these tentacles were the very Blood Demon Qi that had attacked her in the Sword Tomb back then!

"Be careful!" Yun Che instinctively rushed forward. Her Heaven Suppressing Bloodline automatically activated, and a golden Heaven Suppressing Seal phantom appeared in her palm. The blood-red tentacles shrieked the moment they touched the golden light. Chu Mo seized the opportunity to slash out with Chaos Sword Qi, shredding all the tentacles into a bloody mist.

Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, Song Li turned to flee. Chu Mo flicked the Broken Sword, a sword beam slashing across his thigh. The young man cried out and fell to the ground. The secret letter in his chest slipped out and landed right at Ye Lingtian's feet.

The family head picked up the secret letter, his face instantly turning ashen as he scanned the contents. The letter read: Third Elder Ye Minghe is willing to offer the Chaos Sword Body as a gift and invite the Blood Demon Sect to jointly divide the Southern Region.

The training ground fell into a deathly silence. The Third Elder Ye Minghe's figure emerged from the shadows, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "Family Head, this is a setup..."

"Enough." Ye Lingtian spoke coldly, his gaze turning to Chu Mo. "From today onwards, Chu Mo is promoted to Inner Chief Disciple and will take charge of the Ye Family's Sword Hall. As for the Third Elder..."

He suddenly drew the sword from his waist. A cold light flashed, and Ye Minghe's left arm fell to the ground. "Colluding with the Demon Sect, according to family rules, one arm is to be crippled and he is to be imprisoned in the Back Mountain Sword Tomb!"

Chu Mo watched as the Third Elder was dragged away, but there was no satisfaction in his heart as he had imagined. He knew this was just the beginning—the Blood Demon Sect wouldn't give up, the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect's trial was approaching, and in the memory fragments he saw in the Sword Tomb, there was an even more terrifying existence stirring in the north.

"Brother Chu Mo!" Yun Che ran onto the arena, handing him the wound medicine she carried. "You're injured..."

Chu Mo looked down and only then noticed a few bloodstains on his arm—they were burns from the Blood Demon Qi that splashed onto him when he cut the blood-red tentacles. He took the medicine bottle, his fingertips touching the warmth of Yun Che's palm. He suddenly remembered the legend in the Sword Tomb: the Chaos Sword Body and the Heaven Suppressing Bloodline were originally the yin and yang of the world when it first opened, destined to be mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, and also destined to be endlessly entangled.

"I'm going to the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect tomorrow." Chu Mo said softly. "Yun Che, when I come back, I'll take you to the depths of the Sword Tomb to see what my mother left behind."

Yun Che nodded, her gaze falling on the Broken Sword in Chu Mo's hand. She saw the shattered jade on the sword body suddenly emit a faint light, perfectly matching the pattern on her own jade pendant, as if telling a secret spanning ten years—about Chaos and Heaven Suppressing, about the Sword Body and the Bloodline, about the thorny and glorious Path of Ten Thousand Realms they were destined to embark on together.

Outside the training ground, the blood-red sunset dyed the sky. Chu Mo looked at the back mountain in the distance, the Broken Sword in his palm trembling slightly, as if responding to a distant call. He knew that the legend of the Chaos Sword Body had just begun.