「The next day.」

All Disciples at the True Essence Ninth Layer and above gathered in the grand plaza of Fengtian Peak. Led by four Elders, they were to enter a Small Secret Realm.

Ye Wushuang had heard about it before. The Small Secret Realm was one of the Ancient Spirit Sect’s most foundational resources, offering immense benefits to a Disciple’s Cultivation. It was never opened except at the most critical of times.

By opening it for the Barbarian God Battle Platform, the Sect was truly sparing no expense.

Ye Wushuang did not go with them, but he couldn’t help worrying about Ye Rou and Yang Qing’er.

Mo Wentian was a deeply calculating person, and Ye Wushuang feared he might harm the two women to blackmail him into giving up his opportunities.

Aside from specifically warning the two of them to be careful, Ye Wushuang also had a word with Dii Qingxue. With her around, he figured Mo Wentian wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks.

While everyone else was excitedly heading toward the Small Secret Realm, Nangong Liuyun led Ye Wushuang to a rocky crag to the north.

The crag was steep, with only a single narrow path snaking its way up toward the middle of the rock face.

In the center of it, there was a cave entrance.

The two followed the path and entered the cave.

The moment they stepped inside, the scene instantly shifted, and they found themselves in a mysterious space.

The space was empty, yet the air was thick with a grim, murderous intent that sent a chill down one’s spine.

Nangong Liuyun smiled. "This is your special training ground. It’s called the Slaughter Space."

"The Slaughter Space? Why isn’t there anything here?"

Ye Wushuang frowned, confused. Even though there was nothing, he could feel a murderous aura closing in from all sides.

"Don’t be hasty. You’ll find out in a moment," Nangong Liuyun’s smile grew wider. He clapped Ye Wushuang on the shoulder. "Kid, enjoy the experience. Good luck." With that, he turned and vanished.

Seeing Nangong Liuyun disappear so suddenly, Ye Wushuang opened his mouth to ask a question, but the man was already gone.

Ye Wushuang immediately extended his Divine Sense, warily scanning his surroundings. ’The less there is, the more terrifying it is!’

’The Slaughter Space?’

Ye Wushuang moved with extreme caution. After a while, nothing had happened. Aside from the grim aura hanging in the void, there was nothing at all. The atmosphere was oppressive and suffocating.

’Is this supposed to be a test of my willpower?’

Ye Wushuang muttered to himself.

VMM! VMM!

The thought had barely formed when something changed. The void began to tremble, and pairs of scarlet, beast-like eyes materialized out of thin air, looking utterly terrifying.

Startled, Ye Wushuang immediately cast out his Divine Sense.

Figure after figure, each wielding a vicious saber, stepped out from the void. Their eyes shot out bloody light as they closed in on Ye Wushuang like a pantheon of Slaughter Gods.

There was a massive number of these figures, and their Cultivation was all... at the Spiritual Spring First Layer!

An overwhelming murderous aura radiated from their bodies. Their eyes held nothing but the desire to kill, like a heartless, soulless legion of slaughter—a Divine Army with only a thirst for blood.

RUMBLE!

The instant they appeared, they charged, not even giving Ye Wushuang a chance to catch his breath. Their vicious sabers seemed to become tangible, cleaving through the void as they swung down.

Ye Wushuang’s eyes narrowed as he drew a black Battle Saber.

It was a Battle Saber of the Spirit Communication Treasure Level, its power anything but ordinary. Ye Wushuang swung his wrist, unleashing a sweeping arc of saber light to block the charging figures.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The crisp, clear sound of metal on metal rang out as dazzling sparks lit up the space.

He swept his Invincible Saber Intent across them, blocking the figures’ attacks and forcing them back.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Seizing the opening, figures from the other directions charged in as well.

SCHLICK!

There were too many of them. In a moment of carelessness, Ye Wushuang’s Treasure Body took a blow. A gash opened up, and fresh blood splattered out.

The scent of blood filled his nostrils, making Ye Wushuang truly realize the danger he was in. This was a lethal threat; one careless mistake, and he would die here.

’So this is the special training?’

A golden light exploded in Ye Wushuang’s eyes. Spurred on by the sight of his own blood, his killing intent flared, burning with a feverish intensity!

BOOM!

He activated his Treasure Body. Wrapped in a treasured radiance and wielding his black Battle Saber, he charged forward like a storm, wildly hacking at the figures.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG...

The clash of saber light sent shockwaves pulsing through the air. Ye Wushuang mobilized all the Dragon Spirit True Essence in his body, his Saber Qi extending dozens of feet. With a ferocious chop, he instantly cleaved several figures in two.

Their bodies dissolved into motes of light.

The attacks from these figures felt real, but they weren’t living beings. They were some kind of Illusion Spirit.

And though they possessed the power of the Spiritual Spring First Layer, their actual combat prowess was a step weaker.

For Ye Wushuang, fighting with his full strength, they were no match. In the heat of battle, he annihilated one figure after another.

However.

After he destroyed them, more figures stepped out of the void, their numbers multiplying.

Huh?

Ye Wushuang let out a soft cry of surprise when he noticed this phenomenon. Not only had their numbers changed, but their strength also seemed to be increasing.

’Do they multiply and get stronger the more I kill them? If this keeps up and I can’t replenish my energy, I’m afraid I’ll meet my end here.’

A heavy feeling settled over Ye Wushuang.

"Kid, from the moment you stepped into the Slaughter Space, you must do nothing but kill."

"In here, you are the enemy of the Slaughter Spirits. They will not be destroyed until you are dead. After each wave is annihilated, their numbers and Cultivation will only grow stronger."

"What you must do is keep killing... for one full month."

It was Nangong Liuyun’s voice.

「Elsewhere, beside a mysterious stone platform.」 Nangong Liuyun gazed at the Star Elder next to him. "We shouldn’t have opened the Slaughter Space to him. It’s too dangerous. There’s nothing but endless slaughter. Most who enter end up failing and dying. And you... you scheduled him for a month? How can he possibly survive?"

The Slaughter Space was a special training ground of the Ancient Spirit Sect.

Ordinary Disciples never had a chance to access it; only a few powerful ones dared to take on the challenge.

Before undertaking the challenge, a time limit would be set. Once inside the Slaughter Space, one could only emerge after that time had passed.

Otherwise, if they couldn’t hold on, they would be obliterated inside.

Nangong Liuyun recalled that over a decade ago, the strongest Disciple of his generation had entered, setting a ten-day time limit. He had only lasted eight days before meeting a gruesome end inside.

And now, the Star Elder had set the timer for Ye Wushuang to a full month. Nangong Liuyun was terrified. A seed of worry was growing in his heart. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The Star Elder said nothing. His eyes were fixed on Ye Wushuang, whom he watched through a ripple in the space below the stone platform. He simply uttered a few words, "This is the kind of place that suits him."

Hearing this, Nangong Liuyun frowned, his anxiety not diminishing in the slightest. ’A month... Even the strongest Disciple might not be able to last that long. Can Ye Wushuang do it?’

He continued to watch.

At that moment, Ye Wushuang was brandishing his Saber Qi with wild abandon. He would occasionally draw his Ancient Sword, its Sword Qi crisscrossing the space, as he honed and refined all of his Combat Skills.

Ye Wushuang was exhilarated. He desperately needed to fight—to face countless battles.

Only through battle could he grow stronger.

Even if they were impossible to finish off, impossible to completely slaughter, he felt no fear—only excitement.

He wasn’t worried about his True Essence being depleted, either. Besides his eighty-one Qi Vortexes, he still had plenty of Treasure Medicine on him, enough to support his torrential True Essence consumption.

One after another, the figures were cut down, only for more to continuously emerge.

THWACK! THWACK!

As the number of figures grew, their overwhelming attacks began to land on Ye Wushuang. One wound after another appeared on his body.