“Alright, thank you, Senior.” Lin Yun responded immediately.
Lin Yun felt that this reward was quite impressive.
Soon after, Lin Yun noticed a shimmering image appear ahead, a figure whose features were indistinct, beginning to wield a sword.
“What a peculiar sword technique!”
Watching the figure perform, Lin Yun was struck by its profound intricacy.
The figure’s swordplay was not fast, yet its application of the sword contained boundless subtleties.
Lin Yun quickly became engrossed, utterly captivated, and even after the figure finished its dance, he remained rooted to the spot, dazed.
Observing the swordplay gave Lin Yun a sudden epiphany, as if a new door had been opened for his own sword practice.
So, a sword could be used in such a way, with such methods of wielding it.
From this figure’s sword dance, Lin Yun once again redefined his understanding of sword techniques, surpassing even his imagination.
It was akin to studying something diligently, learning and comprehending through books, only to have a master demonstrate an entirely different approach, instantly reshaping and expanding one’s perspective.
Lin Yun had always believed his mastery and application of sword techniques were formidable.
Yet the sword dance he just witnessed overturned many aspects of his previous understanding.
In that display, Lin Yun even recognised some of his own past shortcomings and errors.
Previously, Emperor Huoyun had specifically trained Lin Yun in swordsmanship, and even the Shadow Sword Art Lin Yun studied was created by Emperor Huoyun, combining various sword techniques.
Thus, Lin Yun’s application of swordsmanship was heavily influenced by Emperor Huoyun, almost mirroring the emperor’s insights into the art.
Lin Yun couldn’t imagine anyone surpassing Emperor Huoyun in sword mastery.
But in the sword dance he just observed, Lin Yun noticed that in certain aspects, the figure’s use of the sword differed entirely from Emperor Huoyun’s approach!
Lin Yun was certain of one thing: the swordsman in that display had a mastery of the sword far superior to Emperor Huoyun’s!
At that moment, his consciousness was abruptly pulled from that chaotic space.
Lin Yun opened his eyes, his face alight with joy.
The sword dance was now deeply etched in his mind.
“If that swordsman was the master of this relic, just how terrifying must his strength be…” Lin Yun murmured to himself.
At the same time, curiosity about the relic’s master grew within him. Who was this figure? How great was their strength? Why had this relic appeared so suddenly?
Numerous questions swirled in Lin Yun’s mind.
“Lin Yun.” The voice of Prime Minister Dongguo Wuji rang out.
Lin Yun turned to see that Dongguo Wuji and Mo Qing had already finished, clearly indicating that he had spent far longer watching the sword dance than they had.
Then, Lin Yun stood up.
“Senior Gong Yi, please go ahead.” Lin Yun gestured politely.
“Lin Yun, you spent much longer on that cushion than anyone else, it seems your gains were quite substantial,” Gong Yi from Xiaoyao Tower said with a smile.
As he spoke, Gong Yi and another immortal from Xiaoyao Tower walked toward the cushions ahead.
“Not bad, I suppose.”
Lin Yun replied with a smile, then returned to stand beside Mo Qing and Dongguo Wuji.
“We’ll wait here for Senior Gong Yi and the others, then set off together,” Lin Yun said.
Mo Qing and Dongguo Wuji both nodded in agreement.
Dongguo Wuji smiled and said, “Lin Yun, you must have gained something extraordinary.”
After all, Lin Yun had lingered on the cushion for quite some time.
“Perhaps a little different,” Lin Yun nodded.
“That’s what you call fate,” Dongguo Wuji sighed.
Not long after, Gong Yi and his companion finished receiving their rewards.
The five of them formed a group and headed toward the tree hollow on the left.
Upon entering the hollow, they found a long passageway. The group followed it until they reached its end, a narrow, elongated space.
Three arenas blocked their path.
Other immortals were already gathered there.
“Arenas? What’s this about?” Lin Yun stared in astonishment at the three arenas ahead.
Each arena was as large as a football field.
“Three arenas blocking the way, it seems we must pass through them to proceed,” Mo Qing said.
As soon as Mo Qing finished speaking, the voice of the tree spirit echoed, “Everyone is here. I’ll announce the rules for this round. You must cross each of the three arenas to reach the end, claim this round’s reward, and unlock the next trial.”
As the voice faded, figures suddenly appeared on the previously empty arenas.
The first arena held a burly man wielding a great axe.
The second featured a man with flowing white hair, holding a short sword, exuding elegance.
The third arena had two burly men, each wielding dual hammers.
“They… aren’t real humans!”
“Right, they have no trace of life; they’re formed by arrays!”
The gathered immortals began discussing as they observed the arenas.
Lin Yun sensed it too—the figures on the arenas merely resembled humans.
“Lin Yun, it seems the master of this relic was also highly accomplished in array formations. Strong cultivators skilled in arrays are rare,” Mo Qing said, her beautiful eyes fixed on the arenas.
Achieving mastery in arrays required immense time and effort, and most cultivators devoted their energy to advancing their own realms and mastering various techniques. Array cultivation also demanded exceptional talent.
Even among immortals, those truly proficient in arrays were few.
Lin Yun’s master, Emperor Huoyun, had studied arrays and knew some techniques, but he was far from exceptional in that field.
“Indeed, those black figures from before might also have been formed by arrays. The relic master’s array skills are undoubtedly remarkable,” Lin Yun nodded in agreement.
The tree spirit’s voice rang out again, “This round tests your individual strength. Each of you must fight on the arena alone. Now, begin.”
“Who’ll go first?” Xin Yu from the Heavenly God Palace looked at the other fourteen immortals present.
The strength of the opponents on these three arenas was unknown, so naturally, no one wanted to be the first to step forward, preferring to observe others’ fights.
After a moment of silence.
“I’ll go!” The bald immortal from the Xingwu Empire flew straight toward the first arena.
