Step by step up the mountain, step by step a challenge.

For Wang Junze, on this Sword Mountain, every step forward requires facing a challenge. Although the difficulty is not too high, the continuous battles still consume a significant amount of True Qi.

Luckily, when he plucked the Divine Sword earlier, his strength surged, and his meridians were widened. Otherwise, just this level of consumption would be unbearable.

Yet even so, the pressure keeps increasing.

After all, with every step, the disciple from the Yijian Sect he faces is slightly stronger, and to compete with Luo Qingxuan in speed, Wang Junze dares not stop to rest.

In the midst of endless challenges, Wang Junze has almost lost track of time.

After more than a hundred battles, Wang Junze suddenly discovers that the opponent he faces now has abruptly advanced to the Refining God Realm!

This realization shocks Wang Junze!

Refining Spirit!

He himself is only at Condensing Truth, how could opponents from the Refining God Realm appear? Could it be that the challenge on Sword Mountain still requires a tier-leap challenge?

Looking up, he sees that he is about one-third of the way from reaching the summit of Sword Mountain.

If the next challenges all involve facing Refining God Powerhouses, the pressure would be too great.

On the other side, Luo Qingxuan's speed in ascending is similar to Wang Junze's.

However, upon reaching here, Luo Qingxuan has only defeated seven opponents, and now the eighth appears.

But, the opponent's aura also surges upward, directly advancing to the Void Realm!

"So it really requires a tier-leap challenge?"

With a hint of a cold smile on her lips, Luo Qingxuan softly murmurs to herself.

Compared to Wang Junze, Luo Qingxuan seems to have foreseen this situation.

This is determined by her background!

Even in the Profound Moon Sword Sect, True Disciples are not just required to be invincible at the same level, but must defeat opponents who are a level higher to advance as a True Inheritor, especially someone with her status like a Saintess.

Since this is the final test, and what they face are the Sword Intents left by the disciples from the Yijian Sect, there is no doubt that the real challenge lies in tier-leap challenges!

Of course, the higher your own Realm, the greater the pressure faced in tier-leap challenges, and that's undoubtedly true.

However, for Luo Qingxuan, the real advantage is that regardless of how agile and lifelike these disciples formed by the Sword Intents appear, they ultimately aren't real.

Thus, wanting to defeat them is naturally much easier.

With no hesitation, moon-white Sword Qi bursts forth once again, and Luo Qingxuan takes the initiative, charging towards the opponent!

...

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

While Wang Junze and Luo Qingxuan are ascending Sword Mountain, Jing Yuan has already returned to the entrance of the Ice Cave.

With a glance at the entrance of the Ice Cave, Jing Yuan's lips curl with a mocking expression as he softly speaks: "Elder Li, please accompany me down, we should meet these humans."

"???"

Looking at Jing Yuan, Nini can't help but be a bit dumbfounded: "Brother Jing Yuan, you're talking about adding fuel to the fire, by coming back here? You wouldn't want to kill all these humans, right?"

Previously, Jing Yuan laid traps here, luring Wang Junze and the others into the Ice Cave, which Nini naturally knew about. Moreover, seeing only Wang Junze enter the palace, it wasn't hard to deduce that the other humans were likely trapped here.

However, these humans are at most Refining Spirit level, and for this journey to the relic, they can hardly influence the overall situation.

Even if all these humans were killed, at most, it would be venting anger, unable to change any outcome.

Could Jing Yuan really be planning to vent his anger from failing onto these people?

"What are you thinking!"

With a smile, Jing Yuan shakes his head and says: "Killing them is obviously meaningless; leaving them behind will make the situation more interesting."

"Nini, guess how many of these humans, facing the pressure of death, can withstand the fear of death and remain unyielding?"

"???"

Hearing this, Nini becomes more puzzled, could Jing Yuan want to force these people to betray their own race?

Regardless of how many can be turned, even if successful, what is the point?

But Jing Yuan did not elaborate further, instead, he jumped into the Ice Cave with Elder Li.

Thinking for a moment, Nini couldn't resist her curiosity and followed with Ah-Man.

After all, with Elder Li, a Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse, there shouldn't be any danger facing these humans.

"Someone's coming, is it Wang Junze returning?"

Almost simultaneously, the people within the Ice Cave detect anomalies above, and excitement rises.

They have been trapped here for a long time, and although there are plenty of Ice Crystals ensuring safety, this complete isolation from the outside world, leaving their fate to luck, has indeed made every person agitated.

At this moment, noticing someone arriving, naturally, they are extremely excited!

However, to everyone's surprise, the person they've been waiting for is not Wang Junze, Su Yuwei, or Luo Qingxuan, but... Deserters!

"Jing Yuan?!!!"

As soon as they recognize the newcomers, everyone's heart sinks, they instinctively gather together and watch the others cautiously.

In contrast with these humans, Jing Yuan seems very relaxed.

With a slight smile, he leisurely begins: "It's good that you all recognize me, so I won't waste more time... To ensure we have a better atmosphere, let me first introduce you to Elder Li, my Guardian and a Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse in the Divine Court."

"..."

Actually, many do remember Elder Li, though they don't know his name. His confrontation with Su Yuwei leaves a deep impression as a Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse.

Now, Jing Yuan explicitly points out the opponent's identity as a Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse, which inevitably fosters a sense of despair among these people!

A Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse, regardless of their being trapped here with nowhere to escape, even outside, who could escape a Heaven-Stepping Powerhouse's pursuit?

"Jing Yuan, what exactly do you want to do?"

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Lin Tong speaks solemnly.

"Don't be nervous, I naturally come to rescue you... of course, as a price, you all have to give me a little return, right?" Shrugging, Jing Yuan smiles.

Naturally, no one believes that Jing Yuan would act so kindly, yet in this situation, it's unfortunately a case of being at the mercy of others, without any ability to resist.

"Lord Jing Yuan, we're willing to hand over all resources we obtained previously, as long as you spare our lives!"

With a hint of fear in his eyes, Wang Zhao can't resist being the first to speak.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.