86: Chapter 86 Trial of the Secret Realm

Boom! The lightning struck the Stone Armor Beast!

A charred crack was blasted into its thick scales. The Stone Armor Beast let out an angry roar, suddenly turned around, and charged toward Li Changsheng!

But its speed was too slow.

Li Changsheng ran away easily, and while running, he fished out another Thunderstrike Talisman and threw it again!

Boom! Another bolt of lightning!

The Stone Armor Beast's scales were blasted open, and its movements became increasingly sluggish.

Yet, with its thick hide and tough flesh, it still had not fallen!

Li Changsheng gritted his teeth and pulled out a third Thunderstrike Talisman.

Just as he was preparing to activate it, the Stone Armor Beast suddenly stopped.

It stood in place, let out a low whimper, and then charged with all its might toward the nearby rock wall, crashing into it and disappearing from sight.

Li Changsheng was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that it had discovered it clearly could not win and was running away.

It seemed this Stone Armor Beast had high intelligence.

Two Thunderstrike Talismans in exchange for a three-hundred-year-old golden-veined grass—it was well worth it.

While cautiously observing the surroundings, Li Changsheng walked over to the golden-veined grass, carefully dug it up, and put it away.

He stood up and looked toward the mountaintop.

This mountain was clearly a treasure trove.

If there were so many Spiritual Plants at the foot of the mountain, what could be at the top?

He took a deep breath and continued to walk upward.

When he reached the top, he was stunned.

The mountaintop was a platform about ten zhang in diameter.

There were no Spiritual Plants or Yao Beasts on the platform, only a huge stone tablet.

Carved on the stone tablet were four ancient seal characters:

"Trial Grounds."

Below it was a line of small text:

"Those who enter this gate must have Qi Refining Stage cultivation and pass three trials."

"Those who pass may enter the 'Treasury Pavilion' and choose one item."

Li Changsheng's heart hammered like thunder.

The Treasury Pavilion.

Choose one item.

This might be one of the most precious Opportunities in the Secret Realm!

But he did not rush forward.

He first carefully observed the stone tablet, and after confirming there were no hidden dangers, he slowly approached.

As he got close, the stone tablet suddenly glowed.

A light screen projected from the tablet and landed in front of him.

The light screen displayed a few lines of text:

"First Trial: Combat Power. Defeat a Puppet of the same rank."

Li Changsheng took a deep breath.

Combat power trial.

A Puppet of the same rank.

He gripped his green steel sword and stepped forward.

The light screen dissipated, and a figure walked out from the stone tablet.

It was a humanoid Puppet, cast entirely from bronze, holding a bronze sword, with the aura of Qi Refining Level 5.

It was the same rank as him.

The Puppet walked up to him, stopped, raised its bronze sword, and made a "please" gesture.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath, drew his sword, and charged to meet it!

The battle exploded in an instant!

Although the bronze Puppet's movements were stiff, its strength was immense, and every sword strike carried a whistling wind.

Li Changsheng used his Spirit Ape movement technique to dodge, counterattacking from time to time.

His green steel sword stabbed the Puppet, but could only leave a shallow scratch, unable to cause any substantial damage.

If he continued to fight like this, he would surely lose.

While dodging, he observed.

The Puppet's weakness was at its joints.

The bronze there was relatively weak; if he could strike it...

He spotted an opening, suddenly closed in, and thrust his sword into the Puppet's right shoulder joint!

Crack!

The bronze shattered, and the Puppet's right arm fell off!

The Puppet's movements clearly slowed down.

Li Changsheng pressed his advantage, delivered another sword strike, and thrust into its left knee joint!

Crack!

The Puppet collapsed with a crash and fell silent.

The light screen appeared again:

"First Trial passed."

"Continue?"

Li Changsheng took a deep breath and nodded.

The second trial: Heart-Nature.

He was transported into an illusion.

In the illusion, he saw countless Spirit Medicines and countless treasures, all within easy reach.

But whenever he reached out to take them, a voice would ring out:

"The greedy die from greed."

He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and refused to look at those illusions.

He did not know how long had passed before the illusion dissipated.

The light screen appeared:

"Second Trial passed."

"Continue?"

Li Changsheng did not hesitate: "Continue."

The third trial: Comprehension Ability.

He was transported into a secret chamber.

On the walls of the secret chamber, a set of sword techniques was carved.

The sword technique was incredibly profound, consisting of only seven forms, but each form contained infinite variations.

He had to comprehend the first three forms within the allotted time.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath and began to meditate.

The first form, he studied for a long time before finally understanding.

It was a sword technique that used clumsiness to overcome skill; the simplest thrust contained the essence of all sword techniques.

The second form was "Concealment."

The Sword Intent was restrained, revealing no sharp edge, waiting only for the right moment.

The third form was "Break."

Once the sword was drawn, there was no turning back, seeking life through death.

He did not know how long he had been meditating.

Perhaps it was a day, perhaps only an hour. Finally, he opened his eyes and slowly thrust his sword.

This strike had no Spiritual Qi, no Sword Qi, just the simplest of thrusts.

But the moment the sword was thrust, the secret chamber suddenly lit up.

The light screen appeared:

"Third Trial passed."

"Congratulations, you have completed all trials. You may enter the Treasury Pavilion and choose one item."

Li Changsheng sheathed his sword and let out a long breath.

The three trials, he had passed them.

He looked up at the door that was slowly opening.

A wave of dense Spiritual Qi rushed toward his face.

Li Changsheng stood at the doorway, looking at the scene behind the door, and was momentarily stunned.

It was a great hall covering dozens of zhang, about three zhang high, with countless fist-sized night-luminescent pearls embedded in the four walls, illuminating the entire hall as bright as day.

In the center of the hall was a straight passageway, and on both sides of the passageway, dozens of stone platforms were neatly arranged.

On every stone platform hovered a treasure, shrouded in faint Spiritual Qi, emitting halos of various colors.

There were weapons—long swords, short blades, long spears, soft whips, flying needles... Each item gleamed with a chilling cold light; one could tell at a glance they were not ordinary items.

There was armor—soft armor, heart protectors, arm guards, leg guards... of various textures; some as light and thin as cicada wings, others as heavy as mountains.

There were Cultivation Technique Jade Slips—neatly stacked on the stone platforms, each one emitting faint Spiritual Qi, some even with characters faintly flowing across them.

There were Medicinal Pill jade bottles—big and small, tall and short; labels were attached to the bottles, writing the name and efficacy of the Medicinal Pill.

There were Talismans—neatly stacked, each one shimmering with Spiritual Qi, countless times stronger than those he had bought from the market.

There were also various strange things—a fist-sized stone, entirely fiery red, emitting a scorching aura; a piece of withered wood with a single emerald green leaf growing on it; a palm-sized token with complex runes carved on it; a palm-sized compass with its needle slowly rotating...

The Treasury Pavilion.

This was the Treasury Pavilion.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The floor beneath his feet was paved with cyan jade bricks; stepping on them felt as warm and smooth as jade, and every step felt as if he were walking on clouds.

He walked slowly along the passageway, his gaze sweeping over the stone platforms, silently noting the appearance of each treasure in his mind.

The first thing that caught his attention was the weapon section.

A long sword hovered above a stone platform; the blade was slender, entirely silver-white, with cloud patterns faintly flowing along the edge.

Embedded in the hilt was a pale cyan gemstone, emitting a faint, eerie Spiritual Qi.

On the jade plaque beside the stone platform, a few lines of small text were carved:

"Azure Cloud Sword, Low Grade Magical Artifact, forged from thousand-year cold iron, the blade is light and nimble, incomparably sharp, capable of piercing Qi Refining Stage protective Spiritual Qi. Injecting Spiritual Qi can trigger a three-foot sword radiance."

Low Grade Magical Artifact.

Li Changsheng's heart stirred.

His current green steel sword was only a mundane weapon, not even counting as a Magical Artifact.

If he could obtain this Azure Cloud Sword, his combat power would increase by at least thirty percent.

But he did not reach out to take it.

He continued to walk forward.