"Alright, now that you have experienced the Seeking Dao Rope and obtained Swords of your own,"

"this third challenge is, relatively speaking, the simplest for you in your current state."

After leaving the Sword Ruins, Su Yu stood on the mountain peak and said this to everyone with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately became curious.

Aren't the challenges supposed to get harder? And now there's one that's getting simpler?

"This third challenge can be called overcoming self," Su Yu elaborated. "In our Sword Sect, there is a special place known as the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure. This unique hidden sanctuary was created long ago by predecessors of our Sect, who pooled their efforts over generations and used countless materials in its construction."

"There is a Magic Treasure in this place called the Lifeless Mirror, which can reflect your shadows, containing all your strength."

"The ultimate test of this third challenge is to defeat the version of yourself reflected by the Lifeless Mirror. In other words, you must defeat yourselves."

The crowd burst into laughter at this.

"I'm so weak, I feel like I can take myself down in just a few hits!"

"It does sound pretty simple. I'm just at the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, and I even drew a Divine Sword that looks mighty... Isn't chopping myself down just child's play?"

"Who would've thought this last challenge would be the easiest?"

"Interesting, I can't wait to take on myself."

The excitement among them was boundless. They didn't really care about the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure or the Lifeless Mirror; they were solely intrigued by the challenge itself.

I think defeating myself shouldn't be too hard, right?

Wang Mu had a certain estimate of his own strength after everything he'd been through. However, he had never experienced fighting against himself before. How strong am I really? Wang Mu didn't know.

He glanced at the people around him.

This challenge is purely a test of strength.

Some of these people were Loose Cultivators with varying levels of Qi Cultivation strength. A few, like him, had not yet begun Cultivation and were similar to Wang Mu.

"Generally speaking, the lower your strength, the easier it is to succeed in this challenge," Su Yu explained as he looked over the group, speaking slowly. "In the past, this was a special cultivation ground our disciples used to rid themselves of Heart Demons."

"From my personal experience, the higher one's level of Cultivation, the harder it is to defeat oneself."

"If you haven't cultivated much, it's actually easier because you're weaker. Just find the right moment, land one or two hits, and your reflection won't be able to take any more."

"If your level of Cultivation is high and you're more resilient, then it's much harder."

Having said this, Su Yu smiled slightly. "Don't worry, most of you are of modest strength, and some haven't even started Cultivation. For this challenge, you just need to approach it normally."

"Moreover, this is only the final test. Before that, in the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure, there will be some Fierce Beasts manifested from energy. These Fierce Beasts are not real; rather, they are transformed from Beast Talismans. You will fight these creatures with the Swords in your hands. After defeating them, they will turn into Five Element Spiritual Energy for you to absorb. Based on your respective Spirit Root attributes, you will absorb this Five Element Spiritual Energy to prepare for future Cultivation."

"At the same time, this will also be your first opportunity to harmonize with the Swords you've drawn. Most of these Swords have their sharpness hidden within and need to be nurtured over time, tempered, and forged before they can release their true brilliance. It's also best to use them frequently to break them in."

After explaining the contents of the challenge, everyone nodded in understanding.

I should be able to achieve a good result in this trial, Luo Qifang mused, raising his eyebrows.

The two Feathered People siblings exchanged glances; they seemed unfazed by this type of trial, as if combat was already routine for them and nothing extraordinary.

"Please wait a moment here," Su Yu said simply.

Then, several figures rose from a distant mountain peak, forming a special array.

In an instant, the light from the sky cast down a river-like effulgence, gathering at the mountain peak into a Light Gate.

"Let's go, follow me inside!"

With a wave of his hand, Su Yu led everyone in. "This secret treasure can only be accessed when the powerhouses of our Sword Sect personally set up the Zhou Tian Kan Li Big Formation to unlock its seal. Only then can we enter. At other times, hardly any living being can get inside."

Stepping through the Light Gate took but an instant. His vision immediately became a blinding white expanse, which then swiftly focused. Wang Mu fixed his gaze as the surrounding scenery, like countless particles, began to coalesce and take shape, startling him slightly.

If I hadn't known I was in the Immortal World, I might have suspected I was in a game.

The entire scene, as if data were being reconstructed, slowly coalesced from pure particles, eventually forming an ancient forest that bore some resemblance to the Divine Wood Forest.

At the limit of his vision, the sky was filled with dense patterns, like some kind of mysterious prohibitions, enveloping the area. It was as though they sealed away some unique Treasure...

And at the center of the ancient forest, a mirror rotated lightly in mid-air. It seemed not far off. Traveling in a direct line, he should arrive within a hundred breaths.

"In the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure, the terrain will change at any time to mislead those who attempt to stealthily take advantage."

"This time, it has transformed into an ancient Qinghe tree forest. After entering, do not leave this ancient forest. Reach the central area, a space of a hundred zhang, and the Lifeless Mirror will automatically materialize your shadow. Defeat it to proceed."

"In addition, the Fierce Beasts in the forest, although transformed from Beast Talismans, are very lifelike and possess formidable strength; do not underestimate them."

"Apart from Fierce Beasts, there might also be some Mechanism Puppets and Strange People extremely adept at beguilement. Our Sect commissioned experts from the Divine Machine Sect to craft these at considerable expense. Now that all of you have gone through the Seeking Dao Rope trial once, your Taoist Heart has been considerably fortified. I believe you will all pass through safely."

After Su Yu finished instructing, he flew up into the sky to watch over everyone.

Upon hearing this, Wang Mu thought to himself, Good heavens, the Sword Sect really puts a lot of effort into training its disciples to resist the charms of the Demonesses from the Fengyue Sect. Even the selection of mere Registered Disciples is taken so seriously!

After acknowledging, everyone began to walk into the forest.

Wang Mu hadn't walked far when a young man suddenly appeared behind him.

"Wang Mu!"

The young man suddenly spoke.

"?" Wang Mu turned around to look at the young man.

He had an impression of him. This young man hadn't come up the mountain with his group. The main reason he remembered him was because, during the second trial, this young man had drawn a Divine Sword no less impressive than Luo Qifang's. The Divine Sword was pitch-black, thick, and imposing, exuding a sense of immense weight, as if a single strike could cleave heaven and earth. At a glance, it was clearly a very rare Divine Sword.

"That... do you have some advice?" Wang Mu asked.

The young man moved his lips and said, "I know your Archery skills are exceptional, but this place is extraordinary. Be careful."

"?" Wang Mu.

What's this all about? A sudden warning like this left Wang Mu a little confused.

"Do... do we know each other?" Wang Mu asked with a sheepish smile.

"I know you," Zhong Feng said. "More than a year ago, I returned to the Sect with Senior Brother Su Yu. Our batch consisted of Registered Disciples who had not yet been formally initiated. We then encountered the Fierce Beast Xuan Gu and a Demoness from the Fengyue Sect. Later, I heard from Senior Brother Su Yu that you saved us."

Wang Mu suddenly understood.

This batch of disciples must have been pre-selected by the Sword Sect. Participating in this mountain entry assessment was just a formality, and also a sort of test.

"Thank you for the reminder. I'll be careful," Wang Mu said gratefully.

Zhong Feng gave Wang Mu another look and then walked in another direction.

He seems like a decent person, Wang Mu thought to himself. However, this kind of terrain is like a fish returning to the ocean for me... Of course, I still need to be prudent.

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