The Yan Sheng Blade was not just a spirit blade, but also a demonic blade.
After dealing with the several peak Xuan realm martial artists in the cave, Chen Jiuyang's martial cultivation reached the stage where his divine soul resided in five acupoints.
It was worth noting that he hadn't even activated the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. After the Yan Sheng Blade finished killing, a peculiar force automatically surged into his body.
The Yan Sheng Blade seemed to sense Chen Jiuyang's emotions: "Blade Master, why are you so unsettled?"
Chen Jiuyang said, "These people ultimately had no enmity with me, yet I sent them on their way like this..."
"?"
The Yan Sheng Blade: "Blade Master, how can these people have no enmity with you?"
"You are the tribulation-ender of the Heavenly Charm Physique, and these people are here to contend with you for the position of Dao companion to the Heavenly Charm Physique. They want to seize your woman. And you call that no enmity?"
"!"
The hatred of having one's wife stolen is irreconcilable!
Chen Jiuyang's expression steadied, then he frowned: "That's right, I was already in a life-or-death struggle with these people. Why would I feel pity for these demonic martial artists?"
Mercy does not lead an army, and kindness does not serve in the military.
He, Chen Jiuyang, was not previously so soft-hearted and prone to pitying the world.
The Yan Sheng Blade: "Blade Master, you might be influenced by the inheritance of the previous Blade Master..."
Going berserk, the backlash of the Heavenly Charm Physique!
Chen Jiuyang's face changed slightly. He quickly sat cross-legged, activated the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, and calmed his mind!
Half an hour later, a mouthful of dark blood spurted from Chen Jiuyang's mouth: "Pfft—"
Chen Jiuyang's expression was grim, and he felt lingering fear: "Fortunately, the Cold Spirit Sword stopped me from continuing to break through at that time. Otherwise, I would have truly suffered the backlash of the Heavenly Charm Physique and died from going berserk."
The Yan Sheng Blade: "Blade Master, your martial will is not firm enough. You have not yet walked your own path."
"You hail from the Chen family of Shu Mountain and possess the Pure Yang Physique. If you wish to kill, then invite your opponents to challenge you honorably, in a battle to the death."
"Between life and death lies great terror, and also great opportunity."
"I have observed your martial arts journey; it seems to have been too smooth, without much setback, which is why you are being influenced."
Chen Jiuyang slowly nodded: "Indeed."
When was he influenced?
Chen Jiuyang pondered for a moment and found the reason.
After obtaining the inheritance of the Yan Sheng Method, he had been affected by the backlash.
Before this, he still dared to chase down Earth realm martial artists with the Cold Spirit Sword.
Now, after obtaining the Yan Sheng Blade, he actually picked on those weaker than him, which was completely inconsistent with Chen Jiuyang's style of conduct.
Chen Jiuyang held the jade slip of the forbidden area and discovered that someone had already reached the eighth trial. With one more trial, they could win the first place in the Dao companion trial and become Qiu Yihan's Dao companion.
A cold glint flashed in Chen Jiuyang's eyes. Qiu Yihan could only be his woman.
Everyone else wanted to get close to Qiu Yihan.
Since that was the case...
Chen Jiuyang, holding the jade slip, headed towards the ninth trial of the Han family's forbidden area.
"What is Jiuyang trying to do?"
Chen Jiuyang's actions left the Chen family patriarch and Elder Han utterly bewildered.
First, they were after treasures, then suddenly they wanted to kill people. Now, they weren't going to their own trial stages, and they didn't know where they were going. Chen Jiuyang had only passed one stage so far. If this continued, even if he survived and broke through to the Earth realm, he would have no fate with Qiu Yihan.
"What exactly is this kid doing? What if someone breaks through the nine trials first..." The Chen family patriarch was becoming restless.
Elder Han smiled: "Patriarch Chen, do not worry. This Dao companion competition is not a problem. As long as young Chen can break through to the Earth realm within the forbidden area."
"What does it matter if the first place in this Dao companion trial is given to someone else? As long as young Chen breaks through to the Earth realm and kills that first-place winner, won't he be the Dao companion of our Han family's Saintess?"
The Chen family patriarch pondered: "This method... is acceptable..."
"It's just that I don't know what he's doing right now."
Soon, something astonishing happened that surprised both of them.
Without a map, Chen Jiuyang headed straight for the ninth trial.
The ninth trial was the final trial common to all martial artists.
"What is he doing?"
"How does he know where the ninth trial is?"
You had to pass the current trial to know the location of the next one.
Chen Jiuyang's encounter at the waterfall cave could be attributed to forcing the Earth realm Grandmaster to reveal it.
But how did he know the location of this ninth trial?
Suppressing their doubts, they continued to watch.
"???"
The ninth trial was a treasure basin. Participants in the trial needed to place some medicinal herbs and other valuable items they obtained in the forbidden area into the treasure basin. The treasure basin would then point the way out of the Han family's forbidden area.
Chen Jiuyang took out the Yan Sheng Blade and fiercely slashed at the treasure basin.
"Bang—"
The treasure basin was directly shattered by Chen Jiuyang.
"???"
Those in the grand hall on the mountaintop saw this scene, their eyelids twitched, and an ominous premonition arose in their hearts: "What is Chen Jiuyang up to? If he smashed the treasure basin, will anyone be able to leave the Han family's forbidden area?"
Then, Chen Jiuyang took his blade and chopped at the surrounding trees, controlling his true qi to build a martial arts arena with these trees.
At this moment, an elder from the demonic path's eyes widened, and he exclaimed in shock: "The blade in Chen Jiuyang's hand is the Yan Sheng Blade!"
As the voice rang out, it caused a stir: "The Yan Sheng Blade, one of the forty-nine blades of my Sacred Path?"
"How could the Yan Sheng Blade of my Sacred Path fall into Chen Jiuyang's hands!"
"How did Chen Jiuyang gain the recognition of the Yan Sheng Blade?! The Yan Sheng Blade is a divine spirit blade!"
The leader of the True Demon Sect's expression became enlightened: "No wonder this blade looked familiar. It's the Yan Sheng Blade."
"This is getting interesting now."
Elder Han raised his eyebrows: "The Yan Sheng Blade, young Chen's fortuitous encounter in the waterfall cave was indeed the Yan Sheng Blade. He's truly lucky."
The Chen family patriarch did not understand the Yan Sheng Blade, but seeing the reactions of the demonic cultivators, he knew that Chen Jiuyang had obtained something good.
Immediately, his brow furrowed. Since Chen Jiuyang knew the exit of the ninth trial, even if he wanted to smash the treasure basin, he should have done so after he himself had left the Han family's forbidden area. This way, even if Chen Jiuyang hadn't completed the nine trials, and only he could leave the Han family's forbidden area, the position of Dao companion to the Han family's Saintess would still be his.
But now, not only did he smash the treasure basin, but he also built his own arena. What was he trying to do?
After building the arena, Chen Jiuyang sat on it, holding the Yan Sheng Blade.
Half a day later, the first Earth realm Grandmaster martial artist who had broken through the eighth trial, guided by clues, found the location of the treasure basin, only to see Chen Jiuyang sitting on the martial arts arena.
The Earth realm Grandmaster looked at Chen Jiuyang: "Are you the trial for the ninth level?"
Chen Jiuyang's expression froze, then his brow twitched. He played along: "Indeed. You must defeat me to leave the Han family's forbidden area."
The people in the grand hall on the mountaintop: "..."
What was Chen Jiuyang up to now?