A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

Luo Fan steadied himself, feeling the sharpness of the air around him, which stung his skin.

Looking around, countless ancient swords lay upside down in the ground, some rusted and with dark patterns.

The wind blowing past my ears wasn't rustling through grass and trees, but rather the mournful wailing of ten thousand swords.

"Wan Jianlin"

Someone whispered.

This is the first level of the Sword Tomb.

One must sense one of the swords and receive its spiritual energy for protection in order to proceed further.

Otherwise, it will be impossible to move an inch.

In Luo Fan's eyes, this was equivalent to a pass to truly enter the secret realm.

"Scatter, search for the sword!"

Upon hearing this voice, everyone took action.

Bai Jie didn't move.

She simply stood there, sensing the natural flow of sword intent around her.

next moment.

A long sword, entirely azure blue and covered in ice crystals, flew over with a hum.

The sword spun around in front of Bai Jie and then hovered in front of her.

"Flying Snow Sword!"

"It's Grandmaster Hanyu's sword!"

Envious whispers rippled through the crowd.

Luo Fan wasn't very familiar with the name Han Yu; he had only heard it mentioned occasionally.

It is said that at his peak in life, he was a powerful cultivator at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul stage.

Bai Jie remained expressionless, simply gripping the hilt of her sword and standing to the side.

Ji Kun's side is making an even bigger commotion.

He walked up to a broad, heavy greatsword and reached out to grasp it.

The giant sword trembled violently, as if in resistance.

"snort!"

Ji Kun's spiritual power surged forth, forcefully suppressing it.

A moment later, the greatsword fell silent, and he lifted it with one hand.

The sword gleamed with spiritual light, exuding an extraordinary aura.

"The Mountain-Slaying Sword! Senior Brother Ji, what skill!"

The disciples of the Deacon Hall cheered.

Ji Kun smiled smugly and glanced at Luo Fan with a contemptuous look in his eyes.

It was much simpler for Xiong Chumo.

She carried a large sledgehammer and hopped around in the woods, tapping here and there.

"Too light!"

"Too crispy!"

"This one's alright, just a bit ugly!"

Finally, it stopped in front of a sword that was entirely black and as wide as a door panel.

"You're the one! You look like you can take a beating!"

She grabbed it, and the heavy black iron sword hummed as if in response.

Lu Qingdai and her fellow disciples from Medicine Peak also found their own swords.

Most of them are slender willow-leaf swords, with a gentle sword intent.

Most of the disciples in the forest had made some gains, but Luo Fan was still searching.

He tried dozens of swords.

Either there is no reaction at all, or the sword intent erupts and directly repels it.

"Junior Brother Luo, would you like me to fetch one for you?"

Ji Kun walked over carrying the Zhan Yue Sword. "It's embarrassing to be thrown out after only the first round."

Luo Fan ignored him.

keep going.

Ji Kun wasn't annoyed; he just crossed his arms and watched the show.

Luo Fan tried a few more, but it still didn't work.

Time passed little by little.

Some disciples, swords in hand, ventured deeper into the mist, their figures disappearing into the fog.

Bai Jie sheathed her sword, looked at Luo Fan, her brows furrowed slightly, wondering what was the reason for this.

She knew Luo Fan's abilities, both his talent in swordsmanship and his actual cultivation level...

These swords should not have responded in this way.

clang!

Xiong Chumo approached Ji Kun, and the ground shook three times when the giant hammer landed.

"Hey Ji, what do you think of my Thunderfire Hammer? Can it smash you into a meat patty?"

"Xiong Chumo, this is none of your business!"

Ji Kun's face was grim. "You'd better not meddle in other people's business, or you won't be able to bear the consequences."

"Junior Brother Luo's affairs are my affairs."

With the Thunderfire Hammer slung over his shoulder, Xiong Chumo said lightly, "Either get lost, or shut up."

Upon hearing this, Ji Kun's expression turned even more grim, and a flash of black mist appeared deep within his pupils.

Xiong Chumo snorted, no longer looking at Ji Kun, and shifted her gaze to Luo Fan.

Luo Fan arrived at the very edge of the Sword Forest, where a sword was stuck diagonally.

The sword was so rusted that its shape was almost unrecognizable, and its spiritual light was very dim.

It blended in with the pile of discarded swords and was completely inconspicuous.

Luo Fan crouched down, gripped the sword hilt, its touch icy cold, utterly silent.

"Junior Brother Luo, you have a truly unique eye."

He even had some doubts about whether Luo Fan was the person he was looking for.

In Ji Kun's memory, Luo Fan was the only alchemist on Dan Peak.

The identity of an alchemist matches up.

Not long ago, he and that woman named Bai Jie left the sect together.

That matches up again.

No matter how he looked at it, Luo Fan was unremarkable, with only the first level of Qi Refining.

With such cultivation, why would this boy indicate in Venerable Yin Bone's final message that he was the one who killed him?

Luo Fan glanced at Ji Kun, but remained silent, his gaze deep.

He brushed his fingertips across the sword, and a faint warmth flowed into his body through his fingertips.

When it came into contact with his spiritual energy, there was no conflict; instead, it merged into it.

Luo Fan was somewhat surprised. He gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands and pulled hard.

hum!

The rusted sword emitted a dull hum, and rusty pieces fell off the blade in a rustling sound.

As the sword left the ground, a faint yet exceptionally resilient sword intent followed and spread out.

That aura was ancient and weathered, as if it had survived countless eons without fading away.

It was also completely different from the righteous aura emanating from other spiritual weapons in the Sword Forest.

This sword seems to be the embodiment of evil.

Until the sword was completely pulled out.

It was about three feet long, covered in rust and cracks, and looked like it would break at the slightest touch.

At the end of the sword hilt was embedded a dull, gray stone the size of a grain of rice.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"You call this a sword?"

"Luo Fan, your luck is unbelievable!"

When the others saw this, they burst into laughter.

Bai Jie frowned.

Xiong Chumo looked at the broken sword, her little face scrunched up.

Only Ji Kun narrowed his pupils, looked closely, and then a bolt from the blue struck his mind.

Why does this sword look so much like the God-Slaying Sword that their Soul-Slaying Hall lost ten thousand years ago?!

This is their most prized possession!

It is the natal spiritual treasure of Mo Chen, the Heavenly Venerable of Ten Thousand Poisons, and has the power to devour the heavens and the earth!

Ji Kun's breathing gradually became rapid.

He forcibly suppressed the urge to kill Luo Fan on the spot and seize the spiritual treasure, and stepped forward.

"Junior Brother Luo, this spiritual weapon is no longer sufficiently spiritual; it may not be able to guarantee your entry into the next level."

Ji Kun smiled amiably. "In that case, I'll exchange this sword with you."

He handed over the sword he was holding.

At this moment, not only Xiong Chumo and Lu Qingdai, but even Bai Jie couldn't figure out what Ji Kun intended to do.

Luo Fan stared at him for a moment, then grinned.

"I appreciate Senior Brother Ji's kindness, but this sword has chosen me..."

If I fail to pass the next level, it is simply my fate.

"With this divine weapon protecting him, Junior Brother Luo will surely be able to wreak havoc everywhere!"

Ji Kun turned around, gave a cold snort, and said, "Then I wish you success in passing the next stage!"

After Ji Kun left, Lu Qingdai sighed softly, "Junior Brother Luo, a sword is not about its form, but about its usability."

Luo Fan tapped the sword and snapped his fingers.

He instinctively replied, "A woman's beauty doesn't matter; she's all the more captivating when the lights are off!"

"The ears aren't big, so they just need to be able to be pulled!"

With one hand on her hip, Xiong Chumo grabbed Luo Fan's ear and walked forward with a pout.

This little rascal, do you want to hear this?

What kind of insolent and lewd words are these?

I must discipline him properly from now on!

But under what pretext?

who cares!

There's no problem that her shrewd, violent craftswoman can't solve, if there is...

Then let's continue with the violence...

Bai Jie glanced at it, and then, as if she had thought of something, her heart started racing. She quickly followed after him.

It's that Xiong Chumo; she seems to be getting a little too intimate with her Xiao Fan.

Although Bai Jie was somewhat displeased, this senior sister was ultimately trying to protect Luo Fan.

Only Lu Qingdai, her pretty face flushed, and her junior sisters following behind her remained in place.

She bit her lip and murmured, "How can this Junior Brother Luo... be so improper?"

puff...

She couldn't help but laugh. No wonder her master wanted them to follow Luo Fan in the secret realm.

This personality is indeed somewhat similar to Liu Linglong's in private.

A woman who appears gentle but is actually a fierce tiger.

One who looks serious but is actually quite unserious.

They're a perfect match.

Pooh!

What nonsense is she thinking? If her master found out, he'd beat her to death...

Besides, she and Luo Fan were disciples of the same generation; if something really happened between her and her master…

Wouldn't that directly elevate her by a generation?

From now on, when I see Luo Fan again, I won't call him Junior Brother, but Martial Uncle.

She dared to think of such crazy things; it must be the crazy habits her master had passed on to her.

"If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will also be crooked."

Lu Qingdai sighed from the bottom of her heart.

Passing through the Ten Thousand Swords Forest, there is a long stone corridor.

It is about 300 zhang long and 10 zhang wide, with sword incantation runes carved on both sides of the stone walls.

The entire passage was filled with a suffocating pressure of sword intent, which grew stronger the further one went.

This is the Sword Intent Corridor; only those who reach its end are qualified to compete for the core inheritance.

Bai Jie was the first to take a step.

Sword energy flowed automatically around her, subtly resisting the sword intent.

The pace is slow, but it is moving forward step by step.

Ten zhang, twenty zhang, thirty zhang...

Ji Kun followed closely behind, not falling much behind Bai Jie.

Some others turned pale after walking twenty or thirty feet, while others trembled all over after walking forty or fifty feet.

The sword intent's pressure doubles every ten feet, and there are also illusions that attack the mind.

Those with weaker minds collapsed immediately.

Unlike them, Luo Fan's expression changed the moment he took his first step forward.

His spiritual power clashed violently with these sword intents, and they were irreconcilable.

It seems they're determined to determine who's better!