The Long Journey to Immortality

The variations within a grand formation composed of so many spirit swords are naturally extremely complex.

Furthermore, when all 108 spirit swords are used in unison, they resonate with the celestial laws of heaven and earth, using magical power to summon lightning and draw upon extremely rare stellar power to defend against enemies, achieving a surprise effect.

Although the two sword formations require different numbers of spirit swords, in Han Lu's eyes, both are extremely profound, given that her cultivation level is only at the Qi Refining stage.

Let alone the one day of preparation time given by Senior Fang Lin, even if Han Lu could barely grasp the basics after a year of dedicated study, it would be considered that she has talent.

Based on Xiaoyaozi's insightful judgment, if Han Lu could also advance to the Nascent Soul realm and make a breakthrough in the path of swordsmanship, she would have the slightest chance to fully master these two sword formations within ten years.

As for mastering the technique and being able to use it at will during battles, that will take another ten years.

"Fortunately, it's just breaking formations," Han Lu thought to herself with relief after quickly glancing at the two sword formations. "The strength of the formation we'll face tomorrow will only be at the Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stage."

"Perhaps we don't need to figure out the formation; we can just use brute force to overcome the tricks and pass the level."

"If I were given a spirit sword and allowed to set up these two sword formations, I'm afraid I would surrender right now and obediently admit defeat."

Knowing that she couldn't grasp the mysteries of the two sword formations in a short time, Han Lu temporarily put the assessment aside and began to study the sword insights and sword control techniques that Senior Fang Lin had taught her.

These things range from simple to difficult; some are things Han Lu can learn and try now, while others require Han Lu to reach a higher level before she can learn them.

However, these experiences and skills are easier for Han Lu to learn and master now than those two profound sword formations.

Han Lu had a vague feeling that the key to completing the mission and passing the second test was not to understand the two sword formations, but to gain experience and insights from actual combat.

He picked out the simpler parts to study.

Han Lu sometimes entered a meditative state, imagining and simulating in her mind and heart.

Sometimes he would break free from his meditative state, take out the golden sword from his storage bag, and use the art of weapon control to experience its mysteries through practice.

Han Lu spent ten out of the twelve hours of the day studying the sword dao insights and sword control experience taught by Fang Lin.

Although the time was short, Han Lu felt that her skills in using the spirit sword, the most common magical weapon, had at least doubled compared to the day before.

At this point, if she were to use the Five Elements Sword Formation to fight against Zhongli Li again...

With Zhongli Li's strength, without activating his secret technique, he would definitely not be able to maintain a stalemate with the eighteen spirit swords within the Five Elements Sword Formation.

The battle will eventually turn into a two-pronged attack by Han Lu and Wen Erya, resulting in an easy victory.

Riding a golden sword, one can fly freely through the black space.

Han Lu savored the wonderful feeling of the spirit sword becoming one with her, and her confidence in passing the test increased from one point to three points.

Han Lu was once like a tourist standing at the foot of a mountain. When she looked up at the mountain, she could only see layers of clouds and mist. She only knew that there was a mountain there, but she did not know how high the mountain was or which road she could take to reach the summit.

Now, after Fang Lin's "**", the clouds and mist that had been obscuring the majestic mountains in front of Han Lu not only disappeared, but she also took the most crucial first step in climbing the mountain.

In addition, she can now see the scenery halfway up the mountain with her not-so-good eyesight, and even find a path that Senior Fang Lin has walked on, which will save her a lot of effort when she climbs this mountain that symbolizes the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the future.

With two hours remaining, Han Lu calmly took out a Bigu Pill from her storage bag and swallowed it before beginning a more formal study of the two sword formations.

Han Lu spent an hour on each of the two sword formations, quickly reviewing them and developing an even stronger admiration for Fang Lin, this ancient sword cultivator.

After comparing the general information and some minor changes of the two sword formations in her mind, Han Lu muttered to herself, "Both sword formations are incredibly ingenious, but now, if it's about breaking formations, perhaps I have a better chance of breaking through the Starry Sky Sword Formation."

Han Lu's analysis makes some sense.

After all, her subsequent actions to break the formation relied more on her own "strength" than on her understanding of the sword formation or her comprehension of the sword.

Han Lu had gained a deeper understanding of the power of the True Spirit during her previous battle with herself.

She felt that the sword formation composed of nine spiritual swords containing true spiritual power must be difficult to deal with.

The Starry Sky Sword Formation, with its numerous spirit swords but inferior quality compared to the Nine Spirit Sword Formation, is easier for Han Lu to break through using brute force.

With this idea in mind, and after pondering the "Starry Sky Sword Formation" for a while, Han Lu was thinking about when to start the test when Fang Lin's voice rang out not far away.

"Time's up, get ready... The sword formation you need to challenge is..."

Han Lu silently chanted in her heart, "Come on, Starry Sky Sword Formation."

Fortunately, Fang Lin, as Han Lu had hoped, said, "A Starry Sky Sword Formation at the mid-Foundation Establishment level."

"Break through the formation, or endure within the sword formation for the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea, and you will pass."

As soon as she finished speaking, a full 108 spirit swords appeared out of thin air, surrounding Han Lu completely.

Chapter 243 Breaking the Formation

One hundred and eight spirit swords moved slowly in the air according to a certain pattern, forming a sword formation.

Whether it was to allow Han Lu to carefully observe the setup techniques of the "Starry Sky Sword Formation" or to simulate the state of someone with only a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation level casting a sword formation, the sword formation unfolded very slowly.

Sticking out her tongue to lick her dry lips, Han Lu tilted her head back, carefully observing the sword formation unfolding around her.

Seeing is believing.

For Han Lu, who is currently only at the Qi Refining stage, the insights she can gain from firsthand experience are far more effective than studying the various messages left behind by Senior Fang Lin in her mind.

Noticing a slight imbalance in the operation of the 108 spirit swords when the sword formation was deployed, Han Lu mentally increased her chances of passing the test to 55%, thinking to herself.

"Indeed, it is extremely difficult to perform such a sword formation with the Foundation Establishment cultivation level. Just perfectly controlling one hundred and eight spirit swords at the same time is not an easy task."

"Not to mention setting up the sword formation completely and unleashing all its variations."

"I'm afraid that the 'Starry Sky Sword Formation,' which is known for its versatility, will only be able to unleash one ten-thousandth of its power and perform a few of its simpler variations later on."

"To withstand the attack for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea or to break through the sword formation is not an impossible task."

While Han Lu was pondering, the 108 spirit swords, under the control of the "mysterious man" with mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, were finally arranged in place within twenty breaths.

Without exchanging any greetings with Han Lu, a star, resembling a signal flare, suddenly appeared in the dark sky, flashing fiercely at Han Lu. The Starry Sword Formation finally began to operate, launching an attack on Han Lu, who was at the center of the formation.

Just as Han Lu had expected, the "Starry Sky Sword Formation" cast by the hypothetical mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator could not unleash its full power.

At the outset, only five spirit swords, trailing their sword light, attacked Han Lu in a single formation, following the fixed changes within the sword array.

Seeing the five spirit swords, Han Lu sneered inwardly and said dismissively, "That's it? If that's all, this level is much easier than the first one."

Without hesitation, she patted her storage bag and summoned her eighteen spirit swords.

The eighteen spirit swords fought independently, attacking the five spirit swords from both sides.

In an instant, twenty-three spirit swords clashed fiercely in the air, making a series of clanging sounds.

Relying on the ingenious variations within the "Starry Sky Sword Formation," the five spirit swords actually managed to fight to a standstill against the eighteen spirit swords controlled by Han Lu.

Unfortunately, maintaining this sword formation composed of 108 spirit swords seems to have consumed 90% of the "mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator's" energy.

The two groups of spirit swords fought for half a minute. Apart from replacing one of the five spirit swords that had been damaged, the mysterious person did not make any other unnecessary moves.

She didn't even seem to intend to command the other spirit swords to attack Han Lu.

The mysterious man had done his best, but Han Lu still had considerable strength left to use and attempt to break the formation with her magical artifacts.

Compared to the Spirit Sword, Han Lu possesses two magical treasures that are more suitable for breaking through sword formations.

The timing was perfect, and she took out the two magical treasures without hesitation.

A silver snake-shaped scissor flew out of Han Lu's storage bag, baring its fangs and claws as it attacked the spirit swords forming the outer edge of the sword formation.

The Silver Snake Scissors, a second-grade magical implement, displayed its might amidst the sword formation.

The two scissors kept twisting and turning as they charged and fought within the sword formation.

The seven entries and exits destroyed a total of seven spirit swords, exposing even greater flaws in the already malfunctioning sword formation.

As Han Lu directed the Silver Serpent Scissors to move swiftly and powerfully, another magical artifact used to counter the sword formation, the Bone-Corroding White Jade Bottle, also appeared in her hands.

Although Han Lu used up all the acid she had accumulated over the past month when she faced the Three Heroes of the Western Regions last time.

But today, half a month later, the small bottle has barely filled halfway with acid again.

This wondrous object, adept at defiling magical artifacts and temporarily neutralizing their powers, is undoubtedly one of the most effective magical artifacts for dealing with sword formations.

He aimed the bottle's opening at the weakest point in Han Lu's sword formation.

He channeled his magic power and activated the magic weapon, and a stream of water, not too thick, shot out in the direction Han Lu was aiming.

The acid sprayed from the treasure bottle stained the nearly twenty spirit swords that formed the sword formation.

These spirit swords, which shimmered with starlight, dimmed in an instant.

A few spirit swords even stopped obeying commands, flying wildly within the sword formation, unleashing lightning and sword light, as if they had gone mad.

The sword formation, which was already somewhat malfunctioning, was on the verge of collapse after suffering two consecutive setbacks. It seemed that if Han Lu exerted just a little more effort, she could break the sword formation that she had painstakingly set up.

Feeling the pressure from the eighteen spirit swords suddenly decrease and that they were about to gain the upper hand, Han Lu was overjoyed and did not give the complex "Starry Sky Sword Formation" a chance to adjust and ease.

She infused the Silver Serpent Scissors, which had just exhausted its spiritual power after circling in the air a few times, with spiritual power again and used it to control the weapon.

Immediately afterwards, Han Lu activated the "True Phoenix Manual" within her body and began to unleash her true spiritual powers in human form.

The eerie blue light in Han Lu's eyes stood out conspicuously in this dark world where only one beam of light existed.

When the Ice-Freezing Across a Thousand Miles Divine Power was unleashed, freezing more than thirty spirit swords completely, the sword formation, which was already as fragile as a candle in the wind, collapsed entirely.

As the sword formation dissipated, the more than sixty spirit swords that had been barely maintaining the formation all fell to the ground. A moment later, they vanished into the black space, just like the imposters from before.

Looking at the fading stars in the distance, Han Lu, who had already broken the sword formation, found this somewhat unbelievable.

"They broke the sword formation so easily?"

"This second level was ten times easier than I expected."

……

Upon closer reflection, Han Lu realized that it wasn't that this level was easy, but rather that the first level had become too difficult because of her personal circumstances.

If it were any other cultivator, Han Lu felt that even Wen Erya would find it difficult to so easily parry the first wave of attacks launched by the sword formation, let alone use the appropriate magic weapon to launch a counterattack against the weaknesses of the sword formation.

"Looks like I'm still too amazing," Han Lu thought to herself shamelessly.

About ten seconds after Han Lu broke the sword formation, Fang Lin's voice rang out again in the black space.

Fang Lin said, "Very good, the Starry Sword Formation set up by the Foundation Establishment cultivator was broken in just one hundred breaths."

"You've passed the second hurdle."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the scene repeated itself, just like when he passed the first level.

This time, Han Lu was well-prepared.

But unfortunately, there's just too much information being fed into the brain.