Sword Sovereign of the Celestial Emperor-Chapter 229, Lin Xiu

"Two more hours and we will reach the boundary between Black Dragon City and White Dragon City!"

On the back of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle, everyone’s injuries had mostly healed, but they all remained vigilant, for no one could be certain that there wouldn’t be further ambushes by masters of the Demon Dao along the way.

Chu Ming sat at the rear, his gaze cast towards the sky. The clouds on both sides began to recede, the scenery blurring as the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle flew at incredible speed.

During this half-day journey, Chu Ming did not sit idly. In his heart, he continuously pondered the Fifth Technique of the "Extreme Point Swordsmanship," but a mysterious barrier seemed to block him out. At crucial moments, errors would appear in the Sword Dao within his mind.

Two hours later, the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle carried the group to the edge of a mountain range where a Green-Light Demon Carving was also crouching, seemingly waiting for something.

"Brother Zhu, you’re late!"

On the back of the Green-Light Demon Carving, Xu Yibai looked at Zhu Qianqiu and his group, mocking them.

"We encountered some minor troubles on the way!"

Zhu Qianqiu replied calmly, lightly tapping the head of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle, directing it to land beside the Green-Light Demon Carving. The Green-Light Demon Carving let out a sharp cry, its fierce beast aura seemingly intending to scare off the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle. However, the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle showed no fear.

Chu Ming glanced at the group from White Dragon City, noticing that they were all injured and looked dispirited.

"It seems your journey wasn’t smooth either."

Zhu Qianqiu noticed this as well and commented indifferently.

"We encountered a few experts from the Blood Demon Sect but dealt with them."

Xu Yibai said.

The Blood Demon Sect is also a Demonic Organization in the Celestial Realm with power not much weaker than the Flying Corpse Sect. Every year, countless ordinary people and martial artists fall at their hands, numbering in the billions.

"Let’s set off now. Delays could bring changes!"

Zhu Qianqiu said.

"Agreed!"

In fact, Xu Yibai’s group had just arrived at the boundary.

"We will compete again when you enter the Celestial Travel Sect!"

On the back of the Green-Light Demon Carving, Bing Bufan looked at Chu Ming defiantly.

"Then you better hurry up. I have never met anyone who could catch up to me once I’ve surpassed them!"

Chu Ming frowned, feeling something odd about Bing Bufan that made him uneasy.

"Wait and see!"

Bing Bufan said coldly, and the Green-Light Demon Carving transformed into a stream of light, rushing ahead of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle.

The Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle, unwilling to be outdone, pursued, with both sides chasing each other fiercely, their sharp wings shredding the surrounding clouds.

For four or five days, they traveled without encountering anything unusual, yet they dared not relax their guard, aware that Demonic Organizations were devious and ruthless, capable of inflicting severe damage if they made the slightest mistake.

"The assessment of the Celestial Travel Sect consists of three stages, each scored out of a hundred points. Only those with a total score exceeding two hundred and fifty can successfully join the Celestial Travel Sect!"

On the back of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle, with nothing else to do, Zhu Hongxue explained the assessment details to Chu Ming.

Chu Ming listened intently, admitting that the Celestial Travel Sect’s method was quite sound. Even if a genius didn’t score high in one aspect, excelling in others could still secure their entry into the Celestial Travel Sect.

For a martial artist, breadth of skill wasn’t necessary—mastery of their strongest skills could still make them formidable. The Celestial Travel Sect’s assessment method swept up nearly all the geniuses in the Celestial Realm.

"What are the three stages of the assessment?"

Chu Ming asked curiously.

"The three stages are Enlightenment, Combat, and Endurance!"

Zhu Hongxue paused briefly before continuing in a calm tone.

Enlightenment is innate, although there exist some Spirit Treasures that can enhance a person’s Enlightenment. Such treasures are rare even in the entire Celestial Realm, so one’s Enlightenment is essentially determined at birth.

Combat and Endurance depend entirely on the martial artist’s Postnatal efforts. Enlightenment doesn’t tell the whole story; there are countless martial artists who have become supreme experts through sheer willpower. The most famous among them is the Emperor of Creation.

However, the Celestial Travel Sect’s recruitment requires that one’s Enlightenment should not be too low, or the total score would not reach two hundred and fifty points.

"The Celestial Travel Sect has a special instrument to accurately measure a genius’s Enlightenment."

"As for Combat, it likely involves a match against a disciple of equal Cultivation from the Celestial Travel Sect. Persisting for the duration of one incense stick’s burning time earns full points, with one point deducted for each breath less!"

"Endurance is the most torturous. It requires entering the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes, earning one point for each breath taken inside!"

For Chu Ming, the Combat assessment might not pose much of an issue, but for other geniuses, it could be fatal. Celestial Travel Sect disciples have mostly cultivated there for over a year, mastering top-tier Cultivation Techniques and Martial Techniques and having access to special Mental Realm Cultivation Rooms, making their overall abilities far superior.

"The Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes?"

Chu Ming noticed this term.

"Yes, the Celestial Travel Sect has three forbidden zones, one of which is the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes. It is said to have been formed by an ancestral patriarch who bred venomous snakes there. Inside, countless venomous snakes crawl and devour human flesh and bones."

Talking about the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes, Zhu Hongxue’s face turned pale. Generally, only disciples who committed serious crimes were punished by being sent there for introspection, with countless venomous snakes inducing terror just at the thought.

Chu Ming nodded slightly. Regarding Combat, he was confident of his prowess against anyone of the same Level, and Enlightenment was his strong suit as well. As for Endurance, he didn’t consider himself fearful.

"Everyone, be careful!"

At that moment, Zhu Qianqiu, at the front of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle, spoke with a grave expression, looking ahead where the Green-Light Demon Carving had also stopped.

The group on the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle immediately grew alert, casting their gazes in all directions.

"Come out!"

Though Xu Yibai was chubby, at this moment, he exuded endless Evil Qi, raging into the sky.

"Heh heh heh, we have been waiting for you here for a long time!"

A blood sea surged up from the ground, its level rising rapidly until it reached the height of the Yellow-Faced Ghost Eagle. On the surface of the blood sea stood several blood-clad martial artists. The leader was a middle-aged man with slightly crimson eyes, a gaze full of mockery.

"Blood Ghost, Lin Xiu!"

Upon seeing the person clearly, both Xu Yibai and Zhu Qianqiu’s expressions slightly changed.

The Blood Ghost Lin Xiu was a renowned strongman. Lin Xiu was his name, and Blood Ghost was his moniker.

In the Celestial Realm, many stories revolved around Blood Ghost Lin Xiu, the most widely known being that he had once slain a martial artist at the extreme limits of the Guiyuan Realm.

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