{Sever the stone, You may use [Sword Intent]}
"Oh? Now this…is interesting," Rahu smirked as he spoke.
He then examined the spherical object; upon closer look, it was a stone.
"Hmm, there's no way it's that simple, and those words too…"
He observed the spherical object for a few minutes, then focused on the message.
"Hm, 'You may' huh?" Rahu pondered for a few minutes, then closed his eyes; a terrifying intent burst out the moment he opened his eyes.
Shiiiing…
When he looked at the sphere, there was a faint incision exactly 90 degrees horizontal on the spherical object.
He unsheathed his blade and,
Slash
He slashed at the stone with terrifying precision. Half the stone dropped to the ground with a dull thud, and a lustrous light shone from the middle, revealing a shiny pill.
"Just as I had guessed", Rahu picked the pill, amusement evident in his eyes.
He hadn't used his [Sword Aura] nor [Sword Intent], because if he did, the pill would have burnt to ashes.
"So this is what they meant by testing [Sword Comprehension], huh? This was embarrassingly…basic"
…
Smash— A table shattered in the hall.
"What did that brat say!? Basic? Embarrassing? Only 25 per cent pass this trial each year!"
"Pff! Hahaha, well, it seems our Elder Tristan's design for the trials really is embarrassingly basic!"
"Shut up! Yueshan!"
High above in the mountains, in the grand hall of Divine Sword Sect—The Celestia Sword Peak. All the elders had gathered around the hall, exhibiting terrifying auras.
The two who spoke just now were two of the strongest elders present in the hall; the two of them bickered back and forth for a few seconds before standing down.
One was a middle-aged man with somewhat handsome features and a tall build, even a bit muscular.
He was Tristan Blade, one of the high-ranking elders of the Divine Sword Sect, also known as Elder Tristan.
Opposite to him sat one of the most beautiful women in the sect, Yueshan. Her face was smooth and flawless, she possessed soft and refined features, a straight, slender nose, a sharp jawline and high cheekbones that enhanced her beauty.
Her eyes were long and strikingly calm, though there was a hint of cunning and mischievousness.
Her hair is pure black, long and cascading past her waist, decorated with silver and gemstone ornaments.
She wore a white, elegant gown, form-fitting, and a translucent lace robe flowed over her dress, embroidered with intricate floral patterns.
Her posture was arrogant, unyielding, yet strangely elegant. A perfect sword fairy.
Usually, she would laze around her residence atop her peak, but today was different.
Not because of the Disciple selection ceremony. Today was special because a certain adorable and cute disciple of hers had finally shared her little experience.
And now she was really—really curious to see who had charmed her little disciple's heart.
She expected to be met with disappointment—but oh…her heart, the one she thought had gone silent, stirred awake today, all because of that arrogant man.
But when she heard that young man's remark, she burst into laughter; it was a melody. It was a perfect opportunity to get back at her rival, or more accurately, an annoying man.
And get back—she did, Elder Tristan's face was beet red due to embarrassment.
She then continued to observe Rahu, who was about to head into the next trial.
"What more surprises are you hiding? Boy"
…
Rahu, still looking at the shiny pill, examined it. He didn't know the purpose of it, but he planned to ask Vivianne about it later.
Pocketing the pill carefully, he strode towards the door and walked past it. There, he entered a large area, where Elder Thorne and Elder Lin were standing.
"Hmm? Oh, it seems someone already completed the first trial," Elder Thorne, who saw Rahu coming out, said in a surprised tone.
"Elder, did no one arrive yet?" Rahu asked in a casual tone, not too arrogant.
"Indeed, you are the first. Congrats. Now you have two choices: you can wait for others to complete, or you can take the next trial right away," Elder Thorne said, waiting for his decision.
"No need for the wait, Elder, I am ready for the next trial", Rahu said, no way he was gonna wait for some no-name brats.
Elder Thorne nodded and signaled Elder Lin something.
"Follow me," Elder Lin turned towards Rahu and said.
They both started walking towards the exit. After walking for a while, they finally arrived outside the cave.
There was a large staircase leading to a mountain peak. The staircase didn't look anything extraordinary—to the mortal eyes, at least.
"If you climb to the top, you'll be eligible for the next trial", said Elder Lin before vanishing.
Rahu looked around the space, seeing if there were any clues hidden somewhere. But to his disappointment, there was nothing.
He shrugged and walked towards the stairs, and with a thought, he took the first step. As soon as he did that, tremendous pressure fell onto his body, trying to bend him.
"Just the first step, and the pressure is this terrifying? Heh, now this is what I call a challenge!" Rahu laughed and took the second step.
The pressure wasn't spiritual; it merely weighed heavily on his body. Yes, one of the most primal tests of ages.
With an arrogant posture, he continued walking, the grin on his face never faded. His eyes, sharp as ever.
When he had gained [Sword Aura], his body was tempered to a terrifying degree, so much so that, if not for his physique, he would've definitely died there bursting like a balloon.
Even after the hundredth step, where the pressure had doubled, he still kept walking. Soon, he had reached halfway up the stairs.
A streak of intense [Sword Intent] flashed through the top, travelling to the bottom with a terrifying speed, before slamming into him!
His right arm flew across the ground, and the lingering intent wreaked havoc in his body.
He spat a mouthful of blood.
"Hmph, cheap tricks", Rahu snorted.