Sword Sect Trial

On the official road leading from Sky Feather City to Soaring Cloud Sword Sect, Chu Mo rode a mottled horse, letting the autumn wind whip sand against his face. Tucked in his arms was the letter of recommendation specially approved by the family head, but the Broken Sword hanging at his waist concerned him more than the letter. Since the autumn trial yesterday, the runes on the sword had become increasingly active, often emitting a low hum late at night.

"Brother Chu Mo!" A clear shout came from behind. Chu Mo turned around and saw Yun Che galloping towards him on a bay horse. The strands of hair at the girl's temples were disheveled by the wind, but they couldn't hide the heroic spirit in her eyes.

"Why are you here?" Chu Mo reined in his horse and watched Yun Che dismount. She took out a paper-wrapped package from her怀中, containing still-warm Osmanthus Cake. "Those people from the Ye Family said the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect trial is dangerous. I... I was worried."

Chu Mo's heart warmed. He took the Osmanthus Cake and took a bite; the familiar sweet fragrance instantly spread. He remembered that when he was a child and bullied by the Ye Family disciples, Yun Che would always steal pastries from the kitchen to cheer him up. "Don't worry, I have this sword." He patted the Broken Sword, and Chaos Aura flowed around the hilt, grinding nearby fallen leaves into powder.

They rode side-by-side, and the official road gradually became shrouded in mist. The faint sound of clashing metal came from ahead. Turning around the mountain path, a giant bronze gate suspended above a sea of clouds appeared before them. The four characters "Soaring Cloud Sword Sect" on the lintel shimmered with sharp sword intent.

"Halt!" Two Outer Sect Disciples in gray-green tight-fitting clothes blocked their path. One of them glanced at the Broken Sword at Chu Mo's waist, his pupils contracting slightly. "New disciples must pass three trials to enter. The first trial..."

Before he finished speaking, a black shadow suddenly swooped down from the clouds. It was a giant eagle covered in burning eerie blue flames. The sword qi wrapped around its talons actually plowed three-zhang-deep furrows in the ground.

"It's a Fire Feather Eagle!" Yun Che's face turned pale. This Third-Tier Spirit Beast was notoriously violent, difficult even for ordinary Core Formation Realm cultivators to contend with.

Chu Mo, however, remained calm. The Broken Sword drew a half-arc in his palm. The moment the Chaos Sword Qi collided with the eerie blue flames, the Fire Feather Eagle let out a cry of sorrow. The flames on its wings actually began to reverse flow, surging into the Broken Sword along the sword tip.

"This... This is Devour!" The surrounding Outer Sect Disciples exclaimed in shock. They had never seen such a bizarre sword technique. The Broken Sword was like a bottomless black hole, capable of absorbing even a spirit beast's innate flames.

The Fire Feather Eagle struggled to escape, but Chu Mo pressed forward, the Broken Sword transforming into a stream of light that pierced its brow. With a tragic cry, the giant eagle plummeted to the ground. Its corpse quickly withered under the erosion of the Chaos Sword Qi, eventually leaving only a charred skeleton.

"Second trial, passed." The elder in charge of the trial swallowed hard. The second trial he had prepared was directly skipped. Being able to resolve a Third-Tier Spirit Beast so easily, the strength of the young man before him was likely far beyond the Bone Forging Realm.

Just then, a figure slowly descended from the clouds. The person wore a moon-white long robe, and the jade flute at his waist emitted a gentle luster. It was none other than the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect's Inner Sect Prodigy, Xiao Yichen. He glanced at the Fire Feather Eagle corpse at Chu Mo's feet, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Chaos Sword Body? Interesting."

Chu Mo's grip on the sword tightened slightly. He had seen this name in his memories from the Sword Tomb. Xiao Yichen was one of the culprits who participated in the ambush and killing of his mother, Chu Muxue, back then.

"The third trial will be personally assessed by me." Xiao Yichen raised his hand, placing the jade flute against his lips. As the melodious flute sound began, Chu Mo suddenly felt the space around him distort. Countless fierce beasts condensed from sword qi emerged from the void.

"Be careful, this is the Sound Sword Domain!" Yun Che anxiously warned. She could feel that these sword qi beasts contained power at least equivalent to the Core Formation Realm.

Chu Mo, however, closed his eyes. The Broken Sword deep within his sea of consciousness suddenly trembled violently. When the first Sword Qi White Tiger pounced, he swung his sword fiercely. The moment the Chaos runes lit up, all the fierce beasts actually changed direction and attacked Xiao Yichen.

"How is this possible!" Xiao Yichen's face changed drastically. He hastily put away the jade flute, and a folding fan flew out of his sleeve. The landscape painting on the fan surface suddenly came alive, transforming into a barrier that blocked the sword qi beasts.

Chu Mo seized the opportunity to close in, the Broken Sword aimed directly at Xiao Yichen's throat. The latter dodged sideways, but the landscape painting on the folding fan suddenly transformed into thousands of ink swords, raining down like a storm.

"Primordial Sword Art, Third Form - Shatter Void!"

Chaos Sword Qi surged out like a tide. The ink swords disintegrated the moment they touched the sword qi. Xiao Yichen retreated ten steps, the front of his robe on his chest cut open by the sword qi, revealing a shallow bloodstain.

The entire scene was silent. Everyone couldn't believe that a newcomer could gain the upper hand against the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect's Inner Sect Prodigy.

"Good!" The elder in charge of the assessment was the first to applaud. "From today onwards, Chu Mo and Yun Che are officially Outer Sect Disciples of the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect!"

That night, Chu Mo lay in the simple bamboo hut, the Broken Sword placed flat beside his pillow. After the battle with Xiao Yichen during the day, he could feel that the sword body had absorbed a large amount of Sword Qi Laws and was currently in a subtle state of evolution.

"Knock, knock, knock," a knocking sound came from the door. Chu Mo opened the door and saw Yun Che standing there holding a cotton quilt, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I... I was afraid you'd get cold."

Chu Mo took the quilt, his fingertips accidentally touching Yun Che's wrist. In that instant, both of them felt the power within their bodies resonate – the Chaos Sword Qi and the Heaven Suppressing Bloodline, merging perfectly at this moment.

"Brother Chu Mo, have you ever thought..." Yun Che lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum. "Our bloodlines... perhaps they really have some kind of connection?"

Chu Mo was silent for a moment, then took out half a piece of broken jade from his怀中. Under the moonlight, the broken jade and the jade pendant at Yun Che's waist emitted a faint glow again. The two beams of light intertwined in the air, actually forming a complete sword shadow.

"Wait until I find out the truth about my mother's death, wait until I become the strongest sword cultivator in the Myriad Realms." Chu Mo said softly. "By then, I will take you to find the answer."

Yun Che looked up, her eyes full of determination. "I'll go with you."

Meanwhile, in a secret chamber deep within the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect, Xiao Yichen wiped the bloodstain from the folding fan in his hand, a sinister smile playing on his lips. In the bronze mirror before him, the scene of the Third Elder Ye Minghe being imprisoned was reflected. "Chaos Sword Body... it's quite good nourishment."

On the other side of the bronze mirror, the Blood Demon Sect Master was playing with a blood-colored jade slip. The runes on the jade slip were identical to the one Song Li carried. He looked south, greed flashing in his eyes. "Chaos Sword Body, Heaven Suppressing Bloodline... Interesting, truly too interesting."

The mountain wind howled. Chu Mo held the Broken Sword and looked up at the night sky. He knew that the real challenge had just begun. The Soaring Cloud Sword Sect, the Blood Demon Sect, those enemies hidden in the dark... and that blurry figure in his memory, were all waiting for him to uncover the truth. And the Broken Sword in his hand would cut through all obstacles until he stood in the Myriad Realms.