Nine Radiance Sword Sect.

East Radiance Peak.

A black robed young man sat cross-legged within an abode that was enshrouded with spirit energy.

The black robed young man’s bearing was like that of a demon or devil, raging and arrogant, and his eyes were narrow and long like blades. He was the Nethercrow Clan’s genius expert that had lost at the hands of Chen Xi earlier, Du Xuan.

When he lost to Chen Xi the last time, Du Xuan was merely at the perfection-stage of the Rebirth Realm. But, now, based on the terrifying True Essence fluctuations that he emitted, he’d attained the Nether Transformation Realm long ago. Moreover, he seemed to have advanced for a period of time, and his cultivation wasn’t superficial in the slightest.

As he opened his eyes, Du Xuan’s long and narrow eyes flashed with a fierce red light.

The Nether Transformation Realm! Another 20% of the bloodline of the Nethercrow Clan in my body has been awakened. Moreover, the Blackhole World within my body is supported by seven Grand Dao profundities, causing it to be solid and powerful while my True Essence is more than three times more tremendous than before!

It isn’t just that, I’ve already attained mastery in the Profound Qi Instakill Technique I cultivated, causing my combat strength to be on a completely different level when compared to three months ago. I’ll completely crush Chen Xi in the Peak Trials this time and become a Seed Disciple in one go!

Du Xuan was an arrogant, and he who was arrogant didn’t permit any failure, not even one. Losing to Chen Xi was the greatest humiliation in his lifetime, especially when he remembered how he was actually forced to kneel down before everyone present on that day, his heart ached as if it was sliced by blades, and this sort of enormous humiliation even tortured him to the point of being on the verge of insanity.

He wanted to reclaim everything during the Peak Trials this time and wash away all the humiliation he’d suffered!

Swoosh!

A Transmission Jade Slip flew over — Du Xuan, swiftly come to the Starvault Pavilion!

Du Xuan put away the jade slip and frowned endlessly. The Peak Trials is tomorrow, so why would Master summon me now?

Swoosh!

In the next moment, Du Xuan had already left his abode. This was the first time he stepped out of his abode since losing to Chen Xi, and this time, he would reclaim everything under the gazes of everyone!

...

East Radiance Peak, in a secret realm that was filled with boundless snow tempests. Leng Qiu stood proudly amidst the snow while his clothes fluttered with the wind, and he emitted a piercingly cold aura that caused him to seem like an Emperor of Ice that reigned over the world when combined with his extremely icy cold and indifferent imposing aura.

Swoosh! Swish! Swoosh!

Numerous snow tempests swept ceaselessly through the heavens and the earth, and they gushed over from all directions to form a circular light barrier of snow that covered Leng Qiu within it, causing his long hair to flutter while tainted with snow and he emitted an oppressive aura.

After an unknown period of time, Leng Qiu suddenly opened his eyes, and then two piercingly cold bolts of lightning shot out explosively and tore the snow light barrier apart.

“Emperor Windsoul Technique!” Shapeless gales suddenly started sweeping out before Leng Qiu suddenly smashed out with his fist, causing the sound of wind to erupt in the air. It actually transformed into the figure of a crowned Emperor that had tempests surging around him, and he stepped on the world and tore through space while emitting a piercingly cold, raging, and all pervasive torrent of killing intent.

Rumble!

This expanse of snow was directly dispersed and transformed into pure snow energy that dissipated into the surroundings. Everywhere the Emperor passed, mountains shattered apart while rivers were blasted to the point of drying up and vanishing.

“As expected of a high-grade Dao Art, the Dao Art from the 8th layer of the lotus platform, the Domain of Wind’s Emperor Windsoul Technique. It really is extraordinary, and when combined with my Perfection Realm Grand Dao of Wind and Nether Transformation Realm cultivation, it’s sufficient to allow me to exert double my combat strength!” Leng Qiu’s face that usually had an indifferent expression couldn’t help but be suffused with a wisp of imperceptible joy that vanished in a flash.

Once one had attained a cultivation like his, one would already know that the Dao Arts of the world were divided into four grades according to their might: the low-grade, intermediate-grade, high-grade, and peak-grade.

Low-grade Dao Arts had the weakest might and were the most ordinary. But it was only ordinary when compared with other Dao Arts. After all, no matter how low the grade of a Dao Art was, it was a Dao Art in the end, and it was absolutely not something an ordinary sect could possess.

The might of a peak-grade Dao Art was the strongest, and it was the rarest. Even if it was in the 10 great immortal sects, peak-grade Dao Arts were like existences akin to qilin horns and phoenix feathers, and all of them were ultimate inheritances of a sect.

“There’s surely a place for me in the quota for Seed Disciples of the Peak Trials!” Leng Qiu stood with his hands behind his back, and a wisp of strong confidence and arrogance gushed out from the space between his brows.

Swoosh!Right at this moment, there was similarly a Transmission Jade Slip that flew over, and its content was exactly similar to the Transmission Jade Slip sent to Du Xuan.

...

At the same time, Pang Zhou who was in closed door cultivation within another abode had received a Transmission Jade Slip as well, and he left his closed door cultivation.

These three months of closed door cultivation caused his aura to become even more formidable, and every move he made conformed to the heavens and the earth, allowing him to reveal a special aura that belonged to cultivators at the Nether Transformation Realm!

...

Starvault Pavilion.

Yue Chi sat upright on his chair as he looked at Leng Qiu, Pang Zhou, and Du Xuan that stood respectfully in the distance, and he couldn’t help but reveal an expression of satisfaction.

These were the three disciples he thought the most highly of. They possessed extraordinary natural endowments and shocking natural talent, and all three of them were ranked amongst the five great Elite Disciples that possessed widespread reputation, causing he who was their Master to feel extremely proud as well.

Especially when he saw that all their strengths had risen during these three months of time and stepped into the Nether Transformation Realm to become a great cultivator, he felt proud and gratified from their achievements, and he was filled with even more anticipation towards the Peak Trials that were about to be held tomorrow.

“The Elite Disciples of my East Radiance Peak, the South Radiance Peak, North Radiance Peak, and West Radiance Peak will participate in the Peak Trials tomorrow. At that time, some elders of the sect and the disciples of the inner and outer court will both come to observe your displays. So all of you must reveal your strongest side, and display the might of my East Radiance Peak under the gazes of everyone!” Yue Chi spoke with a low voice, and his tone carried a wisp of indescribable happiness. “Moreover, the Peak Trials this time will be presided over by me and the True Martial Peak’s Elder Lie Peng. So all of you have nothing to worry about and just have to carry on in the competition with your full strength!”

“I believe that with your current strengths, all of you’ll surely show extraordinary talent during the Peak Trials and are completely capable of being chosen as Seed Disciples!”

“Don’t worry, Master. Disciple will surely go all out and bring supreme honor to our East Radiance Peak!” Leng Qiu, Pang Zhou, and Du Xuan spoke solemnly.

“Hahaha! Very good!” Yue Chi roared with laughter, and his voice was heroic as he said with a burning gaze, “I’m not afraid to tell all of you that those who’re selected as Seed Disciples this time won’t just be able to enter the Divine Radiance Peak to cultivate. Every single disciple will be able to obtain a peak-grade Dao Art inheritance!”

A peak-grade Dao Art inheritance!

Even if it was someone was composed and indifferent as Leng Qiu, his breathing couldn’t help but quicken slightly when he heard this.

“Master, those peak-grade Dao Art inheritances wouldn’t be those 49 Dao Arts that Chen Xi contributed that day, right?” Right at this moment, Du Xuan suddenly spoke out.

The atmosphere in Starvault Pavilion strangely turned slightly silent when Chen Xi’s name was mentioned.

Yue Chi’s eyes even bluntly revealed a wisp of hate and detest, and he went silent for some time, yet didn’t know how to answer Du Xuan. Because the facts were indeed as Du Xuan had said, those peak-grade Dao Arts were from Chen Xi.

“Junior Brother Du Xuan, those words are mistaken. Those Dao Art inheritances that Chen Xi obtained had always belonged to my Nine Radiance Sword Sect, and it was only passed to the Sect Master through Chen Xi’s hand.” Pang Zhou shook his head and spoke from the side.

This caused Yue Chi’s mood to instantly turn for the better, and he glanced at Pang Zhou with a praising gaze.

“This couldn’t be any better. I’ll surely defeat that Chen Xi during the Peak Trials tomorrow, and I’ll make him kneel on the ground in front of everyone to wash away my shame!” Du Xuan gritted his teeth as he spoke, and his gaze of icy cold like a blade.

“Defeat Chen Xi?” Yue Chi was stunned, and he seemed to have thought of something interesting, causing him to be unable to refrain from roaring with laughter. “He’s probably unable to participate in the Peak Trials. Xuan’er, there’re always chances in the future if you want to take revenge, don’t be impatient.”

“Why is it like this...?” Du Xuan was slightly disgruntled and spoke in a low voice.

“Because it’s not just you in this entire world that want to deal with Chen Xi.” Yue Chi grinned as he spoke, and then he waved his hand. “Forget it, let’s not speak of this. All of you will understand when the time comes.”

Leng Qiu, Pang Zhou, and Du Xuan glanced at each other, and they vaguely guessed in their hearts. Master has probably made a move and already started to execute his vengeance towards Chen Xi...

It was obvious. Chen Xi had bluntly criticized their master in front of everyone three months ago, and he was simply lawless and insubordinate.

If it was them, they would surely be unable to stomach it as well.

“Of course, just in case that kid really appears during the Peak Trials tomorrow, all three of you understand what you should do?” Yue Chi glanced at them and asked indifferently.

“We understand!” Leng Qiu and the others answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Master, what if I accidentally kill him?” Du Xuan couldn’t help but ask.

Yue Chi laughed lightly before he spoke unhurriedly. “Dangers are present in every battle. Since it’s the Peak Trials, then the occurrence of some accidents can’t be avoided, right?”

“But what if the Sect Master and other elders find out?” Leng Qiu hesitated for a while before he spoke out.

“Don’t worry. Could it be that all of you have forgotten that the Peak Trials tomorrow will be presided over by me?” Yue Chi glanced at his three disciples with deep meaning within his gaze, and he just didn’t say ‘Go ahead and kill to your heart’s content. Even if you kill someone, I’ll deal with it.’

Leng Qiu and the others were completely at ease.

...

West Radiance Peak.

Huo Molei and the others were gathered before the wooden house before the Sword Purification Pool with anxious expressions, and they frequently swept the surroundings with their gazes as they seemed to be waiting for someone.

Unknowingly, it was already deep into the night.

Qing Yu couldn’t help but say. “The Peak Trials are tomorrow, yet Little Junior Brother hasn’t returned. He wouldn’t have met with a mishap, right?”

“Jinx!” Huo Molei reprimanded. “With Little Junior Brother’s cultivation, and coupled with him carrying out test assignments, how could any mishap occur?”

“Perhaps he was delayed slightly on the way. After all, Little Junior Brother took all the test assignments in one go, and it’s rather difficult for him to finish all of them in a short period of time.”

“Right, if it wasn’t for us being useless, Little Junior Brother wouldn’t have to run around and be busy over some trifling matters right before the Peak Trials and delay his own cultivating.”

“Alas, it’s we who’ve wronged Little Junior Brother.”

The others spoke out in succession as well, and their voices revealed a wisp of guilt. After all, all those test assignments were owed by them. Now, they were completed by Chen Xi alone instead, and this caused them to feel guilty.

“Don’t worry, Chen Xi will surely return!” Right at this moment, Ling Bai rode on Bai Kui’s back while flying over unsteadily and spoke with a relaxed expression, and his voice revealed an indisputable and resolute feeling.

But even though he spoke like this, up until dawn the next day, they didn’t see any trace of Chen Xi, whereas at this moment, the atmosphere in the entire Nine Radiance Sword Sect was already seething with excitement.

Because the curtains of the Peak Trials would be drawn today!