Jiang Yun and the others are currently in a spacious stone hall, surrounded by mountain walls, with only a giant stone door in front of them.
In the center of the stone door stands a majestic sword, blocking the path directly in front of the door. Jiang Yun almost thought it was the same stone sword he had just released, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was not. His stone sword had many inscriptions on its blade, while this one did not.
Elder Qin cautiously approached the sword step by step, and it seemed that the sword sensed his presence. Two invisible sword auras emanated from the sword's blade, moving at an incredible speed that even Elder Qin, with his True Martial Realm speed, couldn't dodge.
"Boom! Boom!"
The sword auras struck Elder Qin's body but were blocked by his protective spiritual energy, creating a clash of forces.
Elder Qin continued moving forward, and the invisible sword auras became even more frenzied, relentlessly attacking Elder Qin's protective energy. He grunted in pain, clearly sustaining some injuries.
Five steps, Elder Qin's spiritual energy surged, blocking the invisible sword auras.
Four steps, the stone sword trembled incessantly, seemingly panicking as it sensed Elder Qin getting closer. The invisible sword auras relentlessly assaulted Elder Qin's protective energy.
Three steps, the stone sword emitted a dazzling radiance, which swiftly flew towards Elder Qin.
Elder Qin's pupils contracted, his heart filled with great shock. This radiance possessed the power equivalent to a full-force strike from someone at the third level of the True Martial Realm. His hands moved rapidly as he unleashed the full power of his seventh-level True Martial Realm, creating a barrier entirely composed of spiritual energy in front of him.
"Tear!"
The barrier of spiritual energy momentarily resisted the radiance, but eventually, the radiance tore through a gap. After all, the barrier was hastily formed by Elder Qin, and he was not fully prepared. It was understandable that it was pierced by the radiance.
Within a mere three steps, Elder Qin could control the stone sword. Reluctantly, he retreated beyond the sword's striking range, with a visible sword scar measuring a foot in length on his chest.
Wang Qinian quickly approached Elder Qin and took out a healing ointment from his pocket, applying it carefully to Elder Qin's wound before bandaging it.
Jiang Yun moved through the crowd and arrived in front of the ancient sword, wearing a peculiar expression as he gazed at it. The closer he got to the stone sword, the faster the Nine Li Divine Technique circulated within him.
Since the appearance of the sword aura, Jiang Yun had sensed the Nine Li Divine Technique spontaneously activating for the second time.
Jiang Yun hesitated as he paced back and forth in front of the stone sword, quickly attracting the attention of the others.
"What an idiot. Does he really want to get close to that sword?" Wang Qinian's disdainful voice sounded. "Hmph, he's an arrogant fool. Even my master was forced to retreat in the end, and he still wants to get closer?"
Just as Wang Qinian finished speaking, he saw a resolute expression flash in Jiang Yun's eyes, followed by a step forward, entering the sword's attack range.
Jiang Yun, of course, was not lacking self-awareness. He believed that there was something strange about the Nine Li Divine Technique activating automatically in the presence of the sword aura. He thought it was better to personally test it and seek fortune amidst danger. How could he understand the peculiarity of the Nine Li Divine Technique without trying it himself?
Upon seeing Jiang Yun step into the stone sword's attack range, Wang Qinian felt a sense of delight. He believed that even with the strength of his master Qin Li, who was at the fifth level of the True Martial Realm, he had ultimately suffered severe injuries. So he thought that Jiang Yun entering would be nothing short of seeking his own death.
"Hmph, I bet this guy can't even take three steps. Some people won't turn back until they hit a wall. Ah, young people are just too impulsive," Wang Qinian's voice grew louder, and the mocking tone in his words could be heard by almost everyone in the hall.
"Don't talk big if you can't back it up. If you have the guts, why don't you go yourself? Brother Li Tao at least has the courage to approach the ancient sword. You don't even dare to go near it. Compared to him, you're nothing but a coward."
Wang Qinian's mockery became too much for Lin Feier to bear. Her cheeks puffed up, and she angrily retorted, raising her voice at Wang Qinian.
"If he's a coward, then let him be a coward. When he comes out later with serious injuries, you'll see that a coward is still better than a fool."
Wang Qinian responded with an indifferent expression. "Hmph, I believe Brother Li Tao won't be limited to just taking three steps, as you said."
"Then let's wait and see," sneered Wang Qinian.
As Jiang Yun stepped into the stone sword's attack range, he immediately sensed a torrent of sword intent locking onto him, as if it were ready to strike him at any moment.
With the first step, an invisible sword aura passed through Jiang Yun's body with a piercing sound, causing him to stagger and spew a mouthful of blood.
At the moment the sword aura penetrated Jiang Yun's body, Elder Qin, who had been in a meditative state, opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Yun in astonishment.
"Haha, I told you he was overestimating himself. He can barely handle one step. It seems I gave him too much credit. At this rate, he won't be able to withstand another step," Wang Qinian's triumphant voice was somewhat grating.
As the sword aura pierced through Jiang Yun's body, he felt as if his flesh was being torn apart. The sword aura then penetrated into his body and began to rampage within him.
As the sword aura entered his body, Jiang Yun didn't feel worried. Instead, a look of joy appeared on his face because the Nine Li Divine Art had automatically started running as soon as the sword aura entered his body. After a moment, it had actually refined the sword aura into nourishment for his physical body. The Nine Li Divine Art, which had been stuck at the seventh level, took another step forward after assimilating the sword aura.
If he absorbed two more sword auras, he would probably be able to break through to the eighth level. Jiang Yun suppressed the wild joy in his heart and calculated the results after the sword aura had been assimilated.
Amid Lin Feier's worried expression, her lips tightly pressed together, Jiang Yun took the second step. As expected, the sword aura struck him, causing Lin Feier's body to sway along with his, her silver teeth clenched.
"Don't fall, don't fall, Brother Li Tao."
Lin Feier muttered to herself, continuously cheering Jiang Yun on, although she knew he couldn't possibly hear her.
"Look at how he's staggering. There's no way he can take the third step," Wang Qinian said before Jiang Yun had completed his second step.
However, just as Wang Qinian's words trailed off, Jiang Yun swayed a few more times before steadying himself and took the third step, then the fourth step, two consecutive steps forward. He had already exceeded the three steps Wang Qinian had mentioned.
Lin Feier's eyes lit up, and she turned her head to Wang Qinian, saying, "Brother Li Tao has already taken more than three steps."
Wang Qinian seemed as if his throat had been choked. He struggled to say something but could only manage, "If he takes two steps in a row like that, he'll definitely face more powerful sword aura. I bet he'll rush out like a frightened rat."
In fact, Wang Qinian was partially correct. Jiang Yun had indeed been hit by at least three sword auras while taking two steps, but Jiang Yun wasn't alarmed; instead, he was pleased. He operated the Nine Li Divine Art, absorbing the sword auras to prepare for a breakthrough to the eighth level.
"What if Brother Li Tao doesn't turn out as you described?" Lin Feier's confidence in Jiang Yun was growing. Through her careful observation, she noticed that after the first step, Jiang Yun's body swayed five times and he spat out blood. With the second step, his body only swayed three times, although the magnitude was greater, at least he didn't spit out blood. As for the third and fourth steps, Jiang Yun only staggered momentarily before regaining his balance.
Lin Feier turned her head and taunted Wang Qinian, pointing out that he had just mentioned how young people were impulsive, yet he himself couldn't escape from impulsiveness. Provoked by Lin Feier's words, Wang Qinian blurted out, "If he doesn't come out after the next step, then I'll swallow this bottle of wound-healing medicine, pills and all."