When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 221 : The Second Trial

221: The Second Trial

On the other side of the prophetic stone wall, Jiang Yun and the others could only wait.

"Since the Sacred Ground's discovery, across countless years, over a hundred Ghost Clan warriors have had their aptitude recognized by divine miracles and been pulled into this stone wall." Having reached this point, Jiang Yun no longer concealed the secrets of the Sacred Ground's depths, telling them everything.

"Of these hundred-plus Ghost Clan warriors, almost none chose to take some consolation prize and leave. Those selected were true experts and geniuses of their generations, seasoned by battle or possessing extraordinary courage and pride. How could they possibly give up such an opportunity? The vast majority chose to brave this first trial."

Jiang Yun's gaze was heavy. "However, even the Ghost Clan's warriors throughout history underestimated this trial. The Eight Hundred Demon-Subduing Arhat Formation, each Arhat indestructible. Destruction is impossible. And most terrifyingly, raw power alone doesn't guarantee passing. These Arhats, controlled by the mysterious zone's strange formation, can adapt their strength to the test-taker. Because of this, early warriors who obtained intelligence about the Arhats' power levels suffered greatly. All Arhats transform to match the test-taker's exact cultivation realm."

"Match the test-taker's realm? But there are eight hundred of them?" Hua Yuanjing stood up, inhaling sharply.

"And they're indestructible," Lan Lianyue's voice was cold.

"Less than thirty percent pass the trial," Jiang Yun said.

"Mother, what happens to those who don't pass?"

"Once you enter the trial and fail to pass, death is certain."

At these words from Jiang Yun, Lan Lianyue and Hua Yuanjing's faces grew even paler.

"However, you needn't worry. Yuyin's aptitude is exceptional. Her chances of passing the first trial should be high. As long as she doesn't take reckless risks later, she should emerge safely and obtain great fortune." Jiang Yun's chest rose and fell slightly. She too worried for Yuyin.

"Your Majesty, how many trials are there?" Hua Yuanjing asked.

Jiang Yun shook her head. "I don't know. At least three, I believe."

"Three?" The two Senior Sisters' gazes were heavy.

"Less than thirty percent pass the first trial. Throughout history, only seven people have passed the second. Among those first three, all chose to continue to the third trial. In the end, none returned. That was long ago."

"No one has passed the third trial?" Lan Lianyue's gaze was cold.

"No," Jiang Yun answered truthfully. "The third trial of this mysterious zone, those three great Ghost Clan pioneers likely all died within. Starting from the fourth test-taker, everyone chose to give up. One of them was me."

Speaking to this point, Jiang Yun's eyes held some melancholy, some unwillingness. As a peerless expert of the Prison Abyss, to have such a great opportunity, to pass the second trial, yet choose to give up and return with only the first two trials' fortune. Though unwilling, even now she still felt her choice had been correct.

"Your Majesty, what exactly is this mysterious zone? Why does it hold such fortune and such terrifying trials?" Hua Yuanjing asked.

Jiang Yun shook her head. "We know very little about the mysterious zone."

She turned, gazing at the weathered, ancient prophetic stone wall, her eyes shimmering. "It only feels... like an immortal palace."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Boom!

Inside the cavern, Yuyin moved boldly, her sword sweeping out a fierce fan-shaped slash that sent several Demon-Subduing Arhats flying into others along the wall. Even if they couldn't be destroyed, toppling them into each other would delay them for a long time.

Yuyin had already realized: there was no need to kill a certain number of Arhats to pass. She just needed to get through.

What Jiang Yun called the Eight Hundred Demon-Subduing Arhat Formation was a Ghost Clan name. In reality, there weren't eight hundred, just a great many, two or three hundred, certainly.

Yuyin darted and weaved among the Arhats with incredible agility, dodging most attacks. But the cavern was too packed with Arhats. To advance, Yuyin couldn't completely avoid them. However, while the Arhats' defense was extreme, their attacks were only Perfection-Stage of Purple Domain Realm. Even if Yuyin took a few hits, her heavenly silk dress provided sufficient defense.

She just had to ensure she wasn't pinned down or trapped.

Yuyin was not only agile but also possessed immense strength. Ahead, eighteen Arhats had stacked into a staff formation, completely blocking the path, while large numbers of previously knocked-down Arhats attacked from left, right, and behind.

Yuyin leaped, stepping on an Arhat's head to jump again. Tears Exhausted, Sky Clear in hand, she brought it down in a powerful chop against the eighteen-Arhat staff formation.

Agility alone wasn't enough. Relying solely on evasion would eventually trap her in the Arhats' encirclement. The space was too limited.

Yuyin had the power to break through head-on.

Boom!

The long sword fell like a pillar, scattering the eighteen-Arhat staff formation. Numerous statue bodies were sent flying or tumbling down. This one strike was overwhelming.

Yuyin seized the moment, stepping across the fallen Arhats in swift steps, rushing toward the flowing-water cave ahead.

Suddenly, several more Arhats leaped from the darkness. One grabbed Yuyin's leg and pulled her down.

But Yuyin twisted her body in midair, kicking the Arhat to crash into the cavern ceiling. As she fell, the staves of seven or eight Arhats caught her.

Yuyin used the force of their staves to spring up and leap out of the Eight Hundred Demon-Subduing Arhat Formation.

She had passed.

Yuyin's body was covered in fragrant sweat. She glanced back. Once passed, the Arhats didn't pursue. They silently returned to their pedestals, resuming their original postures. Everything returned to stillness.

Yuyin observed for a moment, then turned and rushed into the flowing-water cave.

Passing through the water cave, she arrived at a chamber. At its entrance stood a stone table bearing a chest filled with crystalline Source Crystals, an ancient bamboo slip secret manual, and a jade plate holding a large red pearl.

Yuyin stepped forward. On the cave wall beside the stone bed, words were carved: "Second Trial: Sixty percent danger. Take the secret manual or Source Crystals and depart. To continue forward, hold the red pearl in your mouth."

Sixty percent danger?

Yuyin hesitated. Passing the second trial would bring greater fortune, but sixty percent danger meant more than half... was the risk too great?

Should she just take this chest of Source Crystals or the secret manual and leave? But she didn't know what the manual was. Yuyin didn't dare touch it rashly. What if it was useless?

She felt somewhat unwilling to take just a chest of Source Crystals and leave.

A thought flashed through Yuyin's mind: take both and stuff them into her Square Ring? Considering the profound power here that she couldn't resist at all, she abandoned the idea. Besides, these things weren't worth such a risk.

Yuyin's gaze fell on the red pearl.

The so-called sixty percent danger had been carved here all along—it should apply to everyone. She had just passed the first trial while holding back.

"For me, the danger probably isn't sixty percent."

Yuyin took a deep breath and picked up the pearl.

However, though it was called a pearl, it was as big as a small ball. Yuyin opened her mouth with some effort to hold it...