Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 263: Chapter 259: Painting Scroll, Every Plant a Soldier

Ning Jiang took a deep breath, and a torrent of Spiritual Qi surged toward his body. He could even faintly feel his Cultivation Realm improving.

The Spiritual Qi in this place was incredibly pure. It didn’t need to be refined and could be directly converted into Energy.

He was completely alone. Upon entering the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall, everyone had been automatically separated.

He now found himself in a private room. There was nothing else inside but a single painted scroll.

The painting depicted a landscape. Hazy, distant mountains were shrouded in a light mist. A mighty river roared and thundered, plunging down like a waterfall suspended in mid-air, its power echoing for miles.

The graceful mountain range snaked and coiled like a colossal dragon in deep slumber.

Without a doubt, this was the work of a great master.

Huh?

Ning Jiang let out a soft sound of surprise. A light flickered on the scroll as a kind of Power gradually awakened within it.

After he observed it quietly for a moment, the air trembled. The mountains on the scroll began to glow brightly, and then, one by one, phantom hills emerged from it and hurtled toward Ning Jiang.

’Interesting. So this is the trial of the Profound Celestial Ancient Land?’

’Sealing Power within a scroll... this is a rather interesting technique.’

BOOM!

Thunderbolt flashed. Ning Jiang threw a punch, and the immense power of his Purple Thunder shattered the incoming phantom hill.

’The Power of each mountain is comparable to a full-force blow from a first-tier Martial Artist.’

If Ning Jiang’s guess was correct, this was likely just the first trial. The subsequent trials would only get more difficult.

The very first trial was already on par with the first tier. An ordinary Martial Artist entering this place wouldn’t even be able to pass it.

The air vibrated as the scroll continued to relentlessly launch phantom hills at him.

At the same time, in other spaces, the other Martial Artists who had entered the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall were undergoing the same trial as Ning Jiang.

”The first trial is already comparable to a first-tier expert. I wonder what’s next?”

”I’ll aim to pass three trials.”

Out of the fifty participants, those who had reached the Young Giant Level naturally found the first trial relatively easy.

But those who were only at the first-tier level struggled immensely.

From the Yanyue Sect, Zi Yunfei and Xiang Yinghao were both first-tier, and the two of them felt immense pressure.

Tang Lin, having broken through to the Young Giant Level, was having an easier time.

”Shatter!”

Li Kuangba was not tall, but he was utterly berserk. His entire body radiated with surging Blood Qi, as if a great river were crashing within him. Every punch he threw effortlessly smashed a phantom hill.

Meanwhile...

”Snow Dance.”

Liu Bingxue’s white robes fluttered as she released billows of frigid air from her body. The air condensed into snowflakes, each one containing astonishing killing power as they spun and sliced forward.

”Cut.”

In other rooms, the various experts each unleashed their own techniques to combat the mountains.

「Outside the Ancient Hall.」

On the Han Baiyu Square, the Martial Artists who hadn’t been able to enter were still waiting. They had not left.

”I heard there are a total of seven trials in the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall. I wonder if anyone will be able to pass the seventh one this time.”

”The seventh trial? In the last century, it seems only that woman from the Evil Spirit Sect has succeeded. But I think Madman Tu has a good chance this time.”

”Right, I also heard that besides the seven official trials, the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall has two hidden ones, making nine in total. I wonder if that’s true.”

”I’ve heard that rumor too, but it seems no one has ever succeeded, so it’s probably false.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion, with the two hidden trials sparking a heated debate.

However, it was clear that most people didn’t believe it.

「Inside the Ancient Hall.」

The first round of trials ended quickly. All fifty people passed, and the second trial immediately followed.

On the scroll, the river began to glow.

WHOOSH!

The great river surged, and a violent torrent of water burst forth, crashing down as if to cover the sky and earth.

Water, the gentlest of substances, seems to have little destructive power. But once it turns violent, it holds the might to topple mountains and crush everything in its path.

A massive current rushed straight at him. Every single drop of water contained immense, crushing weight. A single slap from this wave was enough to pulverize a mountain.

’The Power has increased again, reaching the Half-Step Giant Level.’

Ning Jiang made his assessment, but this trial was still no match for him.

He held his fingers together like a sword and slashed downwards.

SHIING!

A Sword Aura that seemed to split the heavens and earth easily cleaved the great wave in two.

While it was easy for Ning Jiang, it was a completely different story for the others.

*PFFT!*

Zi Yunfei spat out a mouthful of blood, injured by the impact of the great wave.

Her strength was only at the first-tier level. Facing an attack of the Half-Step Giant Level, she was ultimately at a disadvantage.

’Ninth Elder said that being weaker doesn’t mean you’ll lose. Throughout history, there have been countless cases of the weak defeating the strong and turning defeat into victory. I have to learn to stay calm and use this pressure to break through!’

Zi Yunfei wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes resolute. At that moment, her Cultivation, which had been stagnant for a long time, began to loosen. The aura around her body surged as she naturally began to break through.

”Break!”

She let out a sharp, clear cry and unleashed a full-power strike.

THUD.

She was sent flying backward, slamming heavily against the wall, but she had managed to break the great wave.

”I did it! My strength has broken through!”

Zi Yunfei was overjoyed. Just a moment ago, she had successfully stepped into the Half-Step Giant Level.

「In an adjacent room.」

”Hahaha, I broke through!” Xiang Yinghao laughed heartily toward the sky. Just like Zi Yunfei, he had used the pressure from the battle to achieve his own breakthrough.

But unlike the two of them, not every one of the fifty participants could break through when faced with such pressure.

”Damn it! I failed on the second trial.”

Some Martial Artists let out indignant roars as a Power enveloped them and transported them out of the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall.

When they reappeared, they were already outside on the square.

”Ten people failed the second trial!”

Many gazes showed astonishment. They knew the trials of the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall would be difficult, but they hadn’t expected such a high elimination rate on just the second trial.

One must remember that the fifty people who had entered were already the most outstanding individuals from Qing Province and Lei Province.

”I think reaching the seventh trial is as hard as ascending to heaven.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

As the second trial ended, the third trial began.

WHOOSH—

This time, a fierce gale blew out from the scroll. One after another, incomparably sharp Wind Blades erupted forth.

’Young Giant Level.’

The third trial reached the Young Giant Level, its might rising significantly once again.

Of course, for Ning Jiang, this was still child’s play.

The third trial couldn’t stop Ning Jiang, but for many other Martial Artists, it was incredibly difficult.

”Looks like I can’t pass this one.”

Zi Yunfei was panting heavily, a bitter smile on her face. During the second trial, she had been able to use the pressure to break through, but breaking through again in this third trial was easier said than done.

A teleportation force enveloped her and sent her out of the area.

”Yinghao, you didn’t pass either?”

As soon as she was outside, she looked up and saw her fellow sect member, Xiang Yinghao. He had a bitter smile on his face. ”I didn’t make it through. But I still gained something this time. At least my strength has improved again.”

”So many people are out.”

At that moment, the two looked around and saw Martial Artists being teleported out one after another. Fifteen in total.

Including the previous ones, twenty-five of the fifty participants had been eliminated, leaving only half still inside.

”Senior Brother Tang Lin is still inside. It looks like he passed the third trial.”

「Inside the Ancient Hall.」

Tang Lin let out a long, turbid breath. ”It took all my strength just to pass the third trial. I wonder how long I can last in the fourth?”

He knew his own limits. Although his strength had reached the Young Giant Level, his foundation was ultimately a bit shallow. The chances of passing the fourth trial were slim. He only hoped to hold on a little longer; any bit of progress was still progress.

BUZZ—

The scroll before him began to vibrate. This time, the Taiyang on the scroll lit up. As its light bloomed, a torrent of Flame burst forth.

Ten breaths later.

Outside the Ancient Hall, Tang Lin’s body appeared.

”Senior Brother Tang Lin, even you failed.” Zi Yunfei and the others gathered around him.

”The fourth trial was my limit. But I’m not important. What’s key is seeing which trial the Ninth Elder can reach.”

”I wonder if the Ninth Elder’s strength is enough to challenge the seventh trial?”

After Tang Lin, several more figures were teleported out of the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall.

At this point, fewer than fifteen people remained, all of them Young Giants from the Major Sects.

”Hmph. What use is Flame in front of me?”

Amidst the billowing Flames, Yuwen Chi sneered. He cultivated Flame Power. Although the Flame from the scroll was exceptionally tyrannical, he still passed with ease.

”Next is the fifth trial. I will definitely pass this one!” A sharp glint shone in Yuwen Chi’s eyes.

DONG.

A bell chimed. Within the scroll, an ancient golden bell hovered, wisps of light hanging from it as it vibrated with sound.

Sound waves spread out, and the sharp fluctuations permeating them were enough to crush a Young Giant.

”Attack!”

Yuwen Chi roared and attacked with his full power, fighting against the sound waves.

At first, he charged forward with momentum and managed to hold the upper hand. But as the sound waves continued to wash over him relentlessly, he gradually felt the severe drain on his Dantian.

’This is bad!’

Yuwen Chi had a bad feeling. The sound waves were like a ceaseless tide, attacking in wave after wave.

About a hundred breaths later.

*PFFT!*

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Yuwen Chi’s figure was teleported out.

In several other rooms, Li Kuangba, Liu Bingxue, and the many Young Giants from the Middle Grade Sects were all struggling to hold on under the assault of the sound waves.

As time passed, one person after another failed to hold on, failing the trial and being teleported out of the Ancient Hall.

”So many people came out at once,” the crowd outside exclaimed in surprise.

”Damn it.” Yuwen Chi’s eyes were filled with fury. He noticed that Ning Jiang had not come out, which clearly meant he had passed the fifth trial.

”As of now, there are fewer than ten people left inside: the two giants from the Evil Spirit Sect, the members from the three Upper Grade Sects, Jian Xinghe from the Star Sword Sect, and Ning Jiang from the Yanyue Sect.”

The Sixth Trial.

An incredibly sharp fluctuation spread out. Surprisingly, every blade of grass and every tree in the scroll was trembling, releasing a type of Sword Intent.

’Every plant a soldier... interesting.’ Ning Jiang’s expression grew serious.