Slaughter all these people before me?
Even though their numbers are many, none possess any real cultivation.
They're just mortals.
Ye Qiubai couldn't fathom why the man would create such a test.
But Ye Qiubai wasn't about to sit and wait for death. Gripping the wooden sword, he charged straight into the crowd!
The wooden sword in his hand swept out relentlessly!
Sword qi erupted and spread wildly in every direction!
The mere touch of sword qi was enough to instantly shred those mortals!
For a moment, blood and flesh flew everywhere!
Yet, spiritual energy shielded Ye Qiubai, so not a drop of blood or shred of flesh could cling to him.
But—
Each time Ye Qiubai cut down those faceless men,
other faceless ones would immediately fill the gap!
Like moths to a flame, fearless, endlessly surging forward!
The wooden sword danced endlessly in Ye Qiubai's hand!
Sword qi turned into rivers, reaping lives among the faceless horde!
In that moment, Ye Qiubai seemed to become the Grim Reaper!
Soon—
Outside, half a day had already passed.
Ye Qiubai's expression had grown heavy with gravity.
He realized that the number of people had not decreased at all.
Still a sea of bodies, dark and endless, stretching as far as the eye could see!
Seeing this—
Ye Qiubai couldn't help but wonder: was this trial really to see if he could be worn down to death?
With that thought, Ye Qiubai consciously began to restrain his spiritual energy.
He also withdrew his protective aura, letting blood and flesh smear his body at will.
Doing everything he could to preserve the spiritual energy within him.
Elsewhere, unseen—
The man in white watched these events, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Too bad, that's the wrong answer...
A day passed...
Ye Qiubai was already drenched in blood.
Fresh blood pooled on him so thickly that another layer of blood scabs had formed into armor.
Even the wooden sword in his hand began to feel numb.
Swing.
Kill.
Swing again...
Kill again...
On and on, never stopping.
Just like a slaughtering machine...
Yet the faceless crowd remained as dense as ever, showing no signs of thinning.
Still surging toward Ye Qiubai like moths to a flame.
Ye Qiubai could only keep hacking away with his wooden sword.
Two days later.
The same.
Ye Qiubai's gaze had grown utterly numb.
The crowd stretched on without end.
Four days later...
Still the same.
...
By now—
Ye Qiubai had lost track of how many days had passed.
But now, sword qi circled him, brimming with murderous energy!
His formerly numb gaze had changed.
Now faint traces of frenzy—and bloodlust!—gleamed in his eyes!
No one knows how much time passed!
Ye Qiubai's movements changed.
No longer dull with apathy—
He started swinging with full strength!
The sword qi turned utterly wild, ripping apart the crowd around him!
If one watched closely,
they'd spot a twisted smile at the corner of Ye Qiubai's mouth!
That's right.
Ye Qiubai was now silently laughing maniacally!
"Kill! Kill! All of you die for me!"
Somewhere unseen—
The man in white watched, sighing deeply with disappointment, shaking his head: "The third person to get this far, and still can't pass the trial? Fine, I'll wait a bit longer."
The man was proud.
He'd created the Nine Heavenly Demon Sword technique.
In the ancient times, he was a legendary figure.
Known as the Sky Demon Sword Sage!
That's why he wouldn't entrust his legacy to anyone lacking resolve.
Besides—
Anyone lacking a steadfast will couldn't inherit his legacy anyway.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the man in white glanced toward Ye Qiubai, eyes flickering: "Seems there's something interesting."
In that moment—
The wild sword qi surrounding Ye Qiubai hadn't faded one bit.
But the bloodlust in his eyes was beginning to recede!
Clarity started to flow in instead.
It was Sword Heart Profundity!
A true swordsman must always push forward!
Return vengeance for enmity, justice for wrongs.
But never become a mindless killing machine!
Ye Qiubai remembered his Sword Dao.
Remembered the teachings of his master.
Remembered everything he'd learned along his journey about the Sword Dao!
Meanwhile—
The Primordial Sword Scripture also surged into motion!
Streams of sword qi coursed through his meridians, scrubbing away the bloodthirst!
Rumble!
His aura suddenly skyrocketed!
Ye Qiubai broke through to the Intermediate Stage of the Purple Mansion Realm!
"Sword Heart Profundity, and that mysterious cultivation technique..."
The man in white watched, mouth curling up in a smile: "Not bad, seems we've got a good seed here."
Ye Qiubai's gaze grew ever clearer.
The sword in his hand felt lighter, easier to wield than before.
Slowly, Ye Qiubai grasped the true meaning of this assessment.
The Nine Heavenly Demon Sword.
At its core, a sword technique steeped in demonic nature, forged for slaughter!
If a cultivator lacks resolute will—
Sooner or later, they'd be overtaken by the demonic nature.
Turned into a creature whose only talent is killing.
"Enough, you've passed."
As soon as these words fell—
The faceless figures around Ye Qiubai vanished in an instant.
The massive golden chain-wrapped cage appeared before Ye Qiubai again.
The man in white looked at Ye Qiubai, satisfied: "Never expected someone so young to have attained Sword Heart Profundity, and your technique is extraordinary as well."
The Primordial Sword Scripture.
Ye Qiubai still couldn't comprehend it fully.
But everything he'd achieved—was earned through the Primordial Sword Scripture.
Just who was his master?
How could he possess such a cultivation technique?
Just thinking about it, Ye Qiubai couldn't help but feel even more awed by Lu Chang'sheng.
The man in white continued, "Since you've achieved Sword Heart Profundity, you can draw out the full force of the Nine Heavenly Demon Sword—and I can finally teach you the last five moves."
Hearing this, Ye Qiubai blinked in surprise, scratching his head: "Uh... Senior, I've already learned the last five moves..."
"What?"
The man in white was dumbstruck.
"The sword manual for the last five moves has always been in my hand, and never leaked out—how could you possibly have learned them?"
Ye Qiubai's expression turned respectful, answering: "It was my master. He demonstrated the last five moves for me—and then passed them on."
"Impossible!"
The man in white cried out, "Then show me those five moves right now!"
"Senior, I don't quite have the power yet to unleash the last five moves..."
No sooner had he spoken than the man in white transformed into a wisp of black mist and dove into Ye Qiubai's brow!
Ye Qiubai shuddered, his eyes turning pitch black.
He immediately raised his wooden sword and unleashed the Nine Heavenly Demon Sword!
In an instant—
Black sword qi rent the air!
It felt as if heaven and earth might be obliterated!
Before long—
The man in white emerged from Ye Qiubai's brow.
His face showed utter shock.
"This... How is this possible?"
"Not only is it more complete than my own Nine Heavenly Demon Sword, but it's much more powerful— even the side effects are gone..."
"Honestly, your master's perfected Nine Heavenly Demon Sword is on another level—it completely surpasses mine!"
"But... ever since this world's Heavenly Dao was shattered, how could such a figure exist again?"
"Don't tell me your master is a person from the ancient times?"
Ye Qiubai scratched his head, thought for a moment: "Probably not. My master looks pretty young, and... Well, he eats every day and he's really lazy."