"It's done." Ma Yuanwu wiped the sweat from his forehead, a trace of satisfaction showing on his face.
This time, he felt like his speed had been even faster than usual.
But how much time had passed by now?
The challenge rankings should be out, right?
Ma Yuanwu left the Sword Dao Space in a hurry, casting a glance up at the sky. He had spent over a dozen hours clearing the sixth trial. Two days had passed.
Today marked the third day.
He looked at the leaderboard.
As expected, he was in first place.
[Ma Yuanwu: Sixth Trial – Cleared]
Scrolling further down, Ma Yuanwu showed a hint of surprise. He had pegged Feng Linglong as his biggest competition, yet she was only in third place?
Second place… was that useless member of the Yu family.
Yu Songnian.
Ma Yuanwu mentally repeated the name, but didn't take it to heart. He'd heard the stories about this so-called failure. Even with decent talent in the Sword Dao, if your cultivation couldn't progress, what was the point?
And Yu Songnian supposedly had a petrification illness. If that flared up mid-trial… now that would be something worth watching.
Aside from those two, fourth place was…
Ma Yuanwu frowned, his gaze landing on Yun Jin, who was seated not far away in meditation.
This woman had also reached the sixth trial?
Not bad, he admitted.
But the Sword Tomb's trials became exponentially harder the further you went.
Sure, he had cleared the first six trials in under two days, but the final three were each as difficult as crossing a chasm.
Last time, he had missed the final treasure by just a sliver of time.
After leaving, he had reviewed his approach thoroughly, adjusted his strategies, and trained to shorten the time spent on the earlier stages.
This time, he wouldn't fall short again.
Ma Yuanwu cast a disdainful glance at Yun Jin.
As for her…
She'd probably be stuck on the sixth trial forever.
Ma Yuanwu had no opponents. His only competition was himself.
With a self-assured smile, he lifted his foot and prepared to leave.
Then—
A sound echoed behind him.
Ma Yuanwu froze.
He turned.
Yun Jin stood stretching and mumbling to herself, rising to her feet at a lazy pace.
Ma Yuanwu's pupils shrank.
She had exited the Sword Dao Space without being forcibly ejected.
What did that mean?
She—
She had passed the sixth trial?
"Impossible!" Ma Yuanwu and Mu Lan outside the field spoke almost simultaneously.
Master and disciple stared at Yun Jin in disbelief.
Yun Jin had entered the sixth trial several hours after Ma Yuanwu.
Yet she cleared it at almost exactly the same time?
Wasn't the whole point that each subsequent trial was harder and more time-consuming?
Qin Ping chuckled quietly from the side.
Yun Jin really wasn't ordinary.
Once again, fate had pointed him in the right direction.
Could this young cultivator in the Golden Core stage truly alter the course of the Imperial's fate and help carve a new path forward?
Qin Ping still found the notion a bit far-fetched, but he couldn't help feeling more and more hopeful.
"Senior Brother Ma, hello there." Yun Jin greeted him with a cheerful smile, as if completely unaware of Ma Yuanwu's stunned expression.
Ma Yuanwu stared at her. "You passed the sixth trial?"
Yun Jin looked genuinely puzzled. "What else would've happened?"
"Impossible! There are only two ways to clear that trial. One is to endure the crashing waves nonstop for twenty-four hours—that method takes a full day to complete. The other is to find the one island hidden in the vast sea that isn't struck by the waves. That island appears in a different location each time the trial resets. Finding it while being attacked by waves is even harder than enduring them, but it saves some time… but you!"
Ma Yuanwu's gaze was intense. "There's no way you used the endurance method with how quickly you finished. Did you actually find the island that fast?"
Yun Jin blinked.
Oh. So there were multiple 'normal' ways to pass.
Good to know.
She smiled slightly. "Maybe I just got lucky."
Luck?
Ma Yuanwu stared at her.
If anything, that trial did have an element of luck to it.
Maybe she stumbled upon the island by accident?
That was the only explanation that made sense.
Ma Yuanwu's expression flattened. "Junior Sister Yun, it seems your Luck is quite impressive. I wonder if it will hold out in the next trial."
Yun Jin pulled a troubled face. "I guess we'll see."
She sighed, playing the part of someone with no confidence at all.
Ma Yuanwu steadied himself.
It was just a matter of chance. He couldn't let it shake his focus.
The next three trials were where the real battle began.
Without another word, Ma Yuanwu stepped into the seventh trial.
Yun Jin smiled faintly and strolled in behind him.
This trial had helped her combine her water-attribute techniques into the foundation of an entirely new Sword Dao path.
She had to admit, this Vast Sword space was a real treasure trove. Its enhancement to water-attribute sword techniques was far beyond what the first Ice Jade Sword space had offered.
But these swords were getting more stingy the further she progressed. Every time she completed a task, they would eject her the moment it ended, as if afraid she'd overstay her welcome.
As expected, she received the second fragment from this trial. She still didn't know what these fragments were for, but she stored it carefully.
"Ice Jade Sword, I misjudged you back then. You weren't so stingy after all." Yun Jin murmured.
Within the Sword Dao Space, the Ice Jade Sword trembled with emotion.
"She said she wronged me… I'm so touched…" it whimpered.
The Sword Complaints Alliance all turned to stare at Ice Jade Sword.
Had they just lost one of their own?
Ice Jade Sword felt their collective stare and stiffened. In a righteous tone, it said, "But I will never forgive her! I stand with all of you, always!"
The other swords finally nodded in satisfaction.
Yun Jin hadn't even reached the seventh trial yet, but the swords were already looking toward the blade guarding it.
It was entirely green in color, vines wrapped faintly around its blade.
A high-grade Earth-tier wood-element sword—
Qingmu Sword.
Among the blades, Qingmu Sword was known for being especially calm and composed. When he noticed the others watching him, he simply gave a polite nod.
"Qingmu, want to join our group early?" Lieyang Sword asked enthusiastically.
Qingmu Sword shook his head with steady restraint. "No need."
He was older than most of the other swords here. He had no intention of indulging in their antics.
In his view, Yun Jin hadn't done anything that extraordinary. The reactions of the other swords were clearly exaggerated.
He, Qingmu Sword, would not be so easily impressed.
The Giant Sword, observing silently, nodded in approval.
Among all the swords, Qingmu was the one who gave him the least trouble.
The seventh trial—
Ma Yuanwu wasted no time and plunged into the Sword Dao Space.
Yun Jin wasn't in a rush. She took her time reading the inscription on the tombstone before glancing up at the leaderboard.
Once she entered the space for the seventh trial, the final list of three challengers would likely be locked in before she came out.
Right now—
Ma Yuanwu remained in first place.
Yun Jin in second.
Yu Songnian in third.
If nothing changed, Feng Linglong was about to be eliminated.
Yun Jin couldn't help feeling a pang of worry.
Third Senior Brother's petrification illness had been flaring up more frequently.
It had been half a month since the last episode. That meant the next one could strike at any moment.