Sweat was dripping down his forehead; this was a tough and “evenly matched” battle. As such, he had to exert all of his strength in order to gain just the slightest of advantages. However, even though this was a strenuous battle, he was still br.i.m.m.i.n.g with pride.
Only a Divine Sword like this was worthy of being his weapon!
He roared loudly, and his aura suddenly increased explosively. He was going to subdue this Divine Sword with one final tug!
Sure enough, the aura of the Divine Demon Sword continued to fall. After a while, the man possessed an overwhelming advantage over the Divine Demon Sword.
He couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. However, just as he was about to pull the Divine Sword from the ground, a burst of irresistible power suddenly erupted from the sword.
Peng!
He was instantly pushed back, heavily plonking on the ground with his rear.
‘What?!’
The man’s mouth was slightly agape, an expression of disbelief sweeping across his face.
‘How did that happen? Wasn’t I just about to succeed? How did the Divine Sword suddenly fight back?’
Ding!
The Divine Sword flew up by itself, exuding a warm divine light as it hovered in the air. This divine light wasn’t very bright, yet it was filled with a vast and formidable aura.
As if it were being guided by an invisible hand, the Divine Demon Sword slowly drifted toward the man.
This… Was the Divine Sword voluntarily recognizing its new master?
The man couldn’t help but feel fervent excitement. He had been pushed back by the Divine Demon Sword just then, and that had allowed him to realize that this Divine Sword was far more valuable than he had initially imagined. Now, however, it was actually voluntarily recognizing him as its new master! Was this not an acknowledgment of his Sword Dao?
If not, why else would it recognize him as its master?
He was pumping with excitement as he reached over, attempting to grasp the Divine Demon Sword.
Shua!
However, just as his hand was about to come into contact with the sword, the Divine Demon Sword performed a slas.h.i.+ng motion and cut a gash in his palm. It then suddenly turned around, ringing as it flew back and stopped above Ling Han’s head.
The blade of the sword trembled slightly as if it were the great dao, and as if it were an eternal existence.
The man’s face was painted with shock. Then, this expression of shock gradually transformed into an expression of bitterness.
As an elite of the Sword Dao and as a sword maniac, how could he not understand what had just happened? The Divine Sword had been toying around with him!
Moreover, a G.o.d Tool toying around with a person… What did this signify?
This signified that the Divine Sword had already developed a spirit!
He couldn’t help but feel even more delighted. However, he understood just how difficult it was to convince a sword with a spirit to acknowledge a new master. This would be impossible as long as Ling Han was still alive.
Swords were the most loyal of G.o.d Tools.
The man was filled with envy as he stared at the Divine Demon Sword.
“This is a brilliant sword,” he said.
“I know,” Ling Han replied with a slight nod.
“Treat her well, and don’t let her collect dust,” the man urged. The focus and intensity in his eyes made it seem as if the Divine Demon Sword wasn’t a sword, but rather his beloved daughter who was now marrying into a family far, far away. It was as if he were a father who was reluctant to see his daughter leave.
Ling Han felt gooseb.u.mps rising all over his body. ‘Your expression is far too creepy, okay?’
No wonder he couldn’t become a true swordsman—there was simply no way he could put so much focus and importance on his sword.
There were far too many things that he needed to worry about. There were lovers, alchemy, fist techniques, and a myriad of other secret techniques. All of this consumed an exorbitant amount of his time. Thus, only a very small portion of his time was actually spent on practicing sword techniques.
The man sighed before turning around and leaving in silence. In fact, he didn’t even reveal his name.
Ling Han shook his head. He then leaped into the sky and made his way toward the last unexplored territory of the first level. This was a palace that guarded the entrance to the second level.
If one wanted to enter the second level, they would have to pa.s.s the examination in this palace first. As for the contents of this examination, it was none other than what had been examined in the intra-clan compet.i.tion before. Regarding what exactly they would be examined on—identifying medicinal ingredients or refining pills—this was unknown and completely up to the palace.
Moreover, the supremely valuable medicine of the first level also lay inside this palace. It was just that no one had ever been able to retrieve it before.
How fast was a Heavenly Body Tier elite? Moreover, Ling Han was also heading directly toward his destination this time. Thus, it only took him 30 minutes to arrive before the palace. Ling Han landed and gazed at the gigantic palace before him. The words “Grand Sun Palace” were written above its doors.
These words weren’t exactly written beautifully, but they were filled with a magnanimous aura. This aura was as vast as the sea, and it was circulating with an indescribable rhythm of dao. Ling Han couldn’t help but take an extra glance at them.
At this time, many members of the four major clans had already arrived. They all entered the palace to begin their examination.
There was no time limit for how long one could remain in the first level. However, it would be a different story if one attempted the examination in the palace. If they succeeded, then all would be well. However, if they failed, a sandgla.s.s would appear above their heads. Once all of the sand flowed to the bottom, they would be booted out of the mystery realm.
In fact, a sandgla.s.s would appear above one’s head even if they successfully pa.s.sed the examination. This sandgla.s.s represented how long one could remain in the second level. The better one’s results, the longer they could remain.
What would happen once this time expired?
The answer to this was simple. Head to the palace of the second level and undertake another similar exam. There, one could win the right to enter the third level. Of course, this right would also come with a sandgla.s.s, and thus a time limit.
Hence, the better one’s results, the more time they would have to explore each level. The more time one had to explore each level, the more G.o.dly medicines they would naturally be able to harvest. In fact, it was because of this system that no one had ever entered the ninth level before. Simply put, no one had ever won enough time to reach the palace of the eighth level before!
Without even reaching the palace to undergo an examination, how could one dream of entering the ninth level?
However, Ling Han wasn’t worried. Right now, there still wasn’t any time limit hanging over his head. Thus, he remained standing before the palace, gazing at the words “Grand Sun Palace”. Before he knew it, three days and three nights had already flashed by. At this moment, the Origin Power in his body suddenly became turbulent as if it sensed something.
The only heavenly body in his dantian spun quickly, expanding with each revolution it completed. At the same time, the words “Grand Sun Palace” would also dim slightly with each revolution of his heavenly body.
The transformation of the words was extremely miniscule, so much so that even Heavenly Body Tier elites wouldn’t be able to detect it unless they carefully examined it.
Crowds of people continued to enter the palace, none of them paying any attention to the person standing outside. Everyone wanted to pa.s.s the examination of the first level and enter the second level. There, they would be able to harvest more G.o.dly medicines. Moreover, if they performed well in the examination, they might even receive pill recipes as a reward.
Peng!
Ling Han was immersed in the words when he suddenly felt his body shudder. Someone had collided into him and forcefully dragged him out from his peculiar state.
He involuntarily frowned.
After achieving a mysterious resonance with the Grand Sun Palace, his cultivation had improved significantly in just 30 minutes’ time!
If there were 100 steps between the early stage of the low extreme and the middle stage of the low extreme, then he had already traveled 50 of these steps just then! Moreover, these 50 steps had all been taken in the past 30 minutes. As for the time before that, he had only made very little progress.
Corresponding to his progress, the words “Grand Sun Palace” had also dimmed to around half of their initial brightness. Moreover, after being drawn out due to its resonance with Ling Han, the mystical power of the words was also continuing to flow away. This flow didn’t stop just because Ling Han had exited his peculiar state.
In Ling Han’s eyes, this was naturally a ma.s.sive waste.
Thus, he ignored the person who had collided with him and continued to stare at the three words. Using his divine sense as a bridge, he continued to absorb the mystical power that was flowing out from the words.
“Humph! You’ve blocked the path and collided into me, yet you still want to act as if nothing has happened?” Behind Ling Han, there stood a haughty young man who wore an angry look on his face.
He was the person who had collided into Ling Han.
Just then, he had naturally seen Ling Han standing there. However, due to his pride and haughtiness, he hadn’t changed his path to avoid Ling Han. Instead, he had continued to walk straight forward.
In his mind, it was natural that others had to make way for him. If someone dared to stand in his way, he would simply crush them into the ground!
However, Ling Han had entered a peculiar state, so he naturally couldn’t have stepped aside to avoid the man. Thus, the man had walked into him without any hesitation. He wanted to teach Ling Han a lesson. Unexpectedly, however, it was as if he had walked into an iron wall.