41: Chapter 41 The Second Trial

After defeating the Guardian of the ruins, a new stone door appeared in the depths of the Trial Grounds.

A line of small characters was carved on the stone door: "Only those who have passed the first trial may enter the second."

[System Prompt: First trial complete. Do you wish to enter the second trial?]

"Enter!" Chen Ergou said without hesitation.

The stone door opened slowly, revealing a staircase leading upward. The stairs were very steep, and the walls on both sides were covered with various sword technique patterns, which were more complex and profound than the previous ones.

The two walked up the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the empty passage. The higher they went, the denser the spiritual energy became; Chen Ergou could even feel the Sword Intent within his body stirring, as if responding to something.

"The spiritual energy here…" Chen Ergou took a deep breath, "is several times denser than below."

"Hmm." Ye Liuli nodded. "It seems the trial above will be even more difficult."

"I'm not afraid, as long as you are here." Chen Ergou said with a smile.

Ye Liuli rolled her eyes at him but said nothing.

Finally, they arrived at the second trial ground.

It was a huge circular platform surrounded by a bottomless abyss filled with swirling clouds. A figure stood in the center of the platform.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in white robes, holding a long sword. His temperament was refined and transcendent, as if he had walked out of a painting. His facial features were somewhat similar to Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen, but he appeared older, with a sense of indifference to worldly affairs in his eyes.

[Sword Saint Remnant Soul]

[Level: ???]

[HP: ???]

[Skills: ???]

All the information was question marks, which meant that the opponent's strength was far beyond Chen Ergou's appraisal range.

"A Remnant Soul?" Chen Ergou said in surprise.

The white-robed man slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Chen Ergou like two sharp swords, as if he wanted to see right through him.

"Young man, you carry the aura of the Sword Saints Three Styles." His voice was calm and distant, as if it had traveled from ancient times.

Chen Ergou said respectfully: "Junior Chen Ergou, greetings, Senior. I have indeed received the inheritance from Senior Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen."

"Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen…" A flash of reminiscence passed through the Remnant Soul's eyes. "That was my disciple. When he left this place years ago, he was just a brash young man. I did not expect that he has already taken on a disciple of his own."

"What?!" Chen Ergou's eyes widened. "Senior, are you Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen's master?"

"Indeed." The Remnant Soul nodded slightly. "I am the creator of the Sword Saints Three Styles and also Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen's master. You may call me… Grandmaster."

"Grandmaster!" Chen Ergou hurriedly bowed.

The Remnant Soul smiled slightly: "No need for formalities. Your arrival here shows that you have a connection with me. I shall personally test you for this second trial."

As he spoke, he raised the sword in his hand: "Let me see how much capability the disciple taught by Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen possesses."

Chen Ergou gripped his sword tightly, feeling both nervous and excited. Being able to spar with the Sword Saint's master was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"Please enlighten me, Senior!"

"Good!" The Remnant Soul nodded, his figure flashed, and he instantly appeared in front of Chen Ergou.

So fast!

Chen Ergou's pupils shrank, and he hurriedly raised his sword to block.

"Clang!"

As the two swords clashed, Chen Ergou felt a massive force, and his entire body was shaken back several steps. His hand went numb, and he almost lost his grip on his sword.

"Your strength is decent, but your technique is too poor." The Remnant Soul said indifferently. "The Sword Saints Three Styles emphasizes breaking strength with finesse, not brute force. Your 'Sky Breaker' is powerful, but it is too rigid and lacks variation."

Chen Ergou was lost in thought. He remembered the patterns on the walls of the passage; indeed, the techniques in those patterns focused more on skill than strength.

"Again!" He shouted and took the initiative to attack.

This time, he did not use 'Sky Breaker', but instead tried to fight using technique as shown in the patterns on the walls.

A flash of appreciation appeared in the Remnant Soul's eyes: "Interesting."

The two began to spar. The Remnant Soul's swordsmanship was elegant and agile. Every strike was just right, wasting not a single ounce of energy while posing the greatest threat to his opponent. His sword was like flowing water, continuous and unending, and like a fierce wind, unpredictable.

Under his attacks, Chen Ergou was forced to retreat step by step, but he was not discouraged. Instead, he carefully observed every movement of the Remnant Soul, trying to learn from it.

"The sword is not just a weapon; it is an extension of your body." The Remnant Soul taught while attacking. "You must learn to feel the breath of the sword and become one with it. When your heart and your sword become one, you will be able to unleash power that transcends your own strength."

Chen Ergou closed his eyes and tried to feel the sword in his hand as the Remnant Soul had instructed.

Gradually, he entered a wondrous state. He seemed to be able to feel the 'heartbeat' of the sword and the power flowing within it. The feeling was subtle, as if another life was pulsing in his hand.

"Now!" He suddenly opened his eyes and thrust his sword out.

This strike did not use any skills, but it contained an indescribable charm. Where the tip of the sword pointed, the air even distorted slightly.

A flash of surprise appeared in the Remnant Soul's eyes, and he raised his sword to block.

"Clang!"

The two swords clashed, but this time, Chen Ergou was not shaken back; instead, he held his ground in a stalemate with the Remnant Soul.

"Not bad." The Remnant Soul nodded. "You have grasped the essence of the Sword Saints Three Styles."

He withdrew his sword and stepped back: "You have passed the second trial."

[System Prompt: Congratulations to player Chen Ergou for passing the second trial!]

[Obtained Experience Points: 15000]

[Level Up! Current Level: 20!]

[Obtained the training method for the second style of the Sword Saints Three Styles, "Moon Slash"!]

Chen Ergou looked at the system prompt, trembling with excitement. He was level 20! And he had obtained the training method for the second style of the Sword Saints Three Styles, "Moon Slash"!