Xuan Yuan took a seat and began stabilising his breakthrough to Tier 5 Mana control for 15 minutes before ascending to the Final level of the Tower of evaluation...
When he reached the ninth level, he saw another Saint clone of his hovering in the Hall. The clone stood suspended calmly without releasing any aura at all. It was as if he was nothing but a mere mortal without any power at all. But when Xuan Yuan looked closely, he saw traits of himself in his eyes. Calmness, Proudness, Arrogance, Overbearing... Everything was portrayed clearly in the clone's eyes.
This Saint clone didn't rush to attack Xuan Yuan at all. It just waited quietly as he scrunitized with its calm eyes.
Suddenly, the Saint raised his sword to attack. He raised the sword one second and swung it in the next second. He executed the strike without any skill, any magic array or any Mana technique. Just a simple strike was executed towards Xuan Yuan.
But when he sensed the power behind the attack, he was dumbfounded.
'Fuck what is this!!' Xuan Yuan was astonished.
The Saint only executed a simple sword strike with Mana yet the power it exuded was beyond frightening as it streaked through space towards Xuan Yuan.
Instinctively, Xuan Yuan rapidly casted the Ninefold invincible blades shield which shattered upon colliding with the Sword light. The Sword light continued its path towards Xuan Yuan without stopping as it exuded frightening power which Xuan Yuan felt his mind warning him to block at all cost.
Xuan Yuan raised his finger again and began condensing the Ninefold invincible blades shield again which shattered again upon collision.
"Impossible!!" Xuan Yuan shouted as he watched the Sword light come for him. "Is this really a Tier 5 Saint?" He'd just fought a Saint so he knew well how powerful his attacks were but then, he'd not been pushed to the point of repeating the Ninefold invincible blades shield and still fail to block a simple sword strike.
Xuan Yuan raised his sword and executed overwhelming Sword at the oncoming sword strike. The strike was successfully blocked but Xuan Yuan was forced over ten steps back before he could stabilize himself.
The Saints in the core room watched this without being surprised. They knew how much difference is between a Basic Tier 5 Saint and someone at the pinnacle of Tier 5. If Xuan Yuan could still suppress such an existence, they'd have to bow in front of him...
The Saint raised an eyebrow when he noticed that Xuan Yuan was not dead yet. He chuckled as a ripple spread from under his feet. In an instant, space began shifting and crackling sounds were heard as the scene before them changed.
"Hah!" Xuan Yuan shouted as he failed to support himself with Mana. He fell uncontrollably and crashed heavily to the ground. Xuan Yuan stood up again but this time, he couldn't control Mana again. It was as if Mana was now refusing to listen to his will.
He didn't have time to think as the Saint made a simple sword strike again but on closer inspection, this strike was more stronger than the previous.
And here was Xuan Yuan who was being suppressed to the point where he couldn't even control a single strand of Mana. He was like a Tiger that had lost its claws and fangs. Xuan Yuan despaired as he watched the strike inch closer and closer to him and he couldn't do anything to counter. This kind of power was totally irresistible...
"My lord, you should save him!" A Saint said. "If he fails this trial, he'd be transported outside instead. We will lose the chance to speak with him by then!"
"Very well" The leader said as he raised his finger. A frightening amount of Mana was condensed rapidly around it before shooting into the screen...
In the Hall, just when Xuan Yuan was going to be overwhelmed by the Sword Light. The Hall trembled as a crack appeared in space and a beam of light appeared in it colliding with the Sword light.
Before Xuan Yuan could react, another beam of light appeared before sweeping him towards the spatial crack disappearing from the Hall. When everything settled down, the Sword Saint who had lost his target disappeared leaving the Hall as quiet as it previously was
Meanwhile, after leaving the Hall, Xuan Yuan appeared in another Hall in the innermost region of the Holy temple. He stood in the middle surrounded by Eight thrones where Eight individuals with strong auras rivaling that of the Saints Xuan Yuan had fought. Some of them even had radiated areas that was comparable to that of the Saint at the ninth level.
Xuan Yuan immediately raised his guard when he saw the eight formidable figures around him but when he saw that they do not mean harm, he calmed down but still gazed at them warily.
"Relax my Friend, we saw all your feats and achievements in the Tower of evaluation" A Saint commented from behind.
"And we saved you from danger too!" Another added.
"Why am I brought here instead?" Xuan Yuan asked.
"We just wished to have a small chat with you, that's all!" A Saint asked.
"Firstly, we're the Eight Brothers but we are famous as the Eight Great Saints of the Human Temple" A Saint introduced. "This is our Leader, the First Saint, this is the Second Saint, Third Saint... I'm the Sixth Saint and those are the seventh and eighth Saint. What should we call you friend?" The Sixth Saint asked.
"Call me Sage Yuan..." He said calmly.