After clearing the level, the fairies were reborn!

Xu Ze muttered to himself, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes, "Then it's normal that these two swords are related."

He looked down at the unremarkable sword blank—it wasn't even a sword, it was just like an iron bar that had just been dug out of a mine.

But he could also sense what an astonishing essence lay hidden beneath that rough exterior!

"If I can reforge this sword blank, I will definitely be able to forge a sword that is no less than 'Qingyun'... no, it might even surpass it!"

His heart raced and his breathing became rapid.

My own materials, such as the Seven-Colored Scales, Cold Moon Jade, and even Yama, finally have a use!

buzz-

In Xu Ze's hand, the jet-black sword trembled slightly, as if in response.

Mu Qinghe watched this scene from afar. Seeing the young man holding a black sword and his eyes burning with fire, she was afraid of disturbing him, so she lowered her voice and asked cautiously:

"Brother, have we found some treasure?"

"Yes, my darling," Xu Ze replied with a smile.

He put away his old sword and explored the cave again, examining the strange, glowing plants, checking the colorful stalactites, and even diving into the bottomless pool for a while.

But apart from the "old sword bar," there seemed to be nothing else noteworthy in this cave, as if the entire space existed solely to preserve this sword.

"Let's go." Seeing that there were no other discoveries, Xu Ze waved to Mu Qinghe, "It's time to go out."

They are now directly below "Wen Dao Shan" (Seeking the Way Mountain), and all they need to do is continue digging in the same direction they started.

Xu Ze then took out a compass from his storage bag and activated it with his spiritual power.

He's a professional at digging tunnels.

"This way."

After choosing a direction, Xu Ze picked up the shovel and started digging again, with the little girl clinging to him, still having a great time.

A ball of light from a lighting spell hovered overhead, illuminating the dark tunnel.

……

at the same time.

Ask the way on the mountain.

The prodigies participating in the trial were all prostrating themselves, climbing with the utmost respect, but they were still struggling to hold on, with the finish line still a long way off.

Only Fairy Qing Shuang stepped onto the two hundredth step that Xu Ze had just reached.

How unwavering was her Dao heart? On this Dao-seeking mountain, given just a little time to adapt, she quickly mastered the rhythm.

The steps beneath her feet were the ones Xu Ze had just stood on, so she remembered them very clearly.

It was with that bit of perseverance and unwillingness to give up that Fairy Qing Shuang was able to persevere to this point.

She wanted to prove that she was completely different from those spoiled brats or good-for-nothings.

She wanted to prove that she was worthy of the title "prodigy".

"I must win first place in this round and get a token so I can communicate with him on equal footing..."

Fairy Qing Shuang kept comforting herself in her heart.

At the same time, she involuntarily experienced a slight hallucination—

I think I'm almost catching up with him!

I don't know.

Her knees had bent at some point, she didn't know.

In the eyes of others, she was an ethereal fairy, untouched by worldly affairs and aloof from the world.

At this moment, it's simply because I want to keep up with Xu Ze's pace.

They have already adopted such a humble posture.

So... where are the others?

Fairy Qing Shuang gazed into the distance.

Her beautiful eyes froze slightly.

at the foot of the mountain.

When Xu Ze and Mu Qinghe see the light of day again.

They discovered that the so-called finish line was only one step away from them.

Xu Ze looked at the finish line array that was so close at hand and went in first.

Because he was carrying the spirit tablet of an inner disciple, the magic array quickly identified him.

[Congratulations, Xu Ze, inner disciple. You have once again won first place in the second trial, 'Mountain Climbing'.]

Please participate in the...th trial.

[Buzz... Congratulations on becoming the sect leader's personal disciple.]

[You will enjoy the highest level of treatment while the sect leader is away from the sect.]

For some unknown reason, the voice stopped and then suddenly assumed that Xu Ze had won all the first places and become the personal disciple of the Xuanling Sect Master!

"What's going on? Where's the third trial?"

While Xu Ze was still in a daze.

The dark gold token in his hand suddenly flew out and hovered in mid-air.

The token shone brightly, and the dim runes lit up again, exuding an unprecedented aura of majesty.

The shape of the token also changed, gradually lengthening from its original rectangle until it finally became a three-inch-long jade plaque.

The jade plaque is pure white and smooth as jade. The front is engraved with a mysterious character "玄" (xuan), while the back features a miniature landscape pattern that, upon closer inspection, appears to depict the mountain gate of the Xuanling Sect ten thousand years ago.

After the jade pendant was formed, it slowly fell back into Xu Ze's hand.

It feels cool to the touch and has an excellent tactile feel.

"Have I really become a direct disciple?"

He couldn't believe it.

What surprised Xu Ze even more was that the jade pendant seemed to have formed some kind of connection with his soul, as if it had become a part of his body.

At the same time, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind.

That concerned the authority, responsibilities, and... privileges of the direct disciples of the Xuanling Sect.

For example, they can freely enter and exit most of the sect's forbidden areas.

For example, one can utilize some of the sect's resources and mobilize disciples.

Even when the patriarch is absent, they are entitled to exercise some of the patriarch's authority on his behalf.

"But the Xuanling Sect has already been destroyed... Where can I use these privileges now?"

Xu Ze didn't know where to begin his rant.

I became a direct disciple of an ancient sect, but this identity expired ten thousand years ago. What should I do? I need help urgently.

At the same time.

The geniuses on Mount Wen seem to have noticed it as well.

They had always been looking towards that unattainable finish line in the distance.

Two figures have already appeared.

"How is this possible?!"

"He really arrived?! I can't even climb fifty floors..."

"Can the gap between people really be that large?"

They saw Xu Ze and Mu Qinghe.

Everyone was surprised, shocked, and incredulous.

Fairy Qing Shuang was completely stunned.

That proud, aloof woman who only wanted to prove herself.

At this moment, I'm starting to lose my composure.

Her whole body trembled violently, and her Dao heart was almost shattered.

Just as Fairy Qing Shuang clutched her chest, feeling like she couldn't breathe...

next second.

An unexpected change has occurred!

"boom--!!"

The entire secret realm began to tremble violently!

It wasn't the localized tremor like when the mountain peaks rose before; the entire world was shaking!

Xu Ze's expression also changed, and he immediately raised his protective spiritual light to shield Mu Qinghe behind him.

He looked up at the sky.

In the sky, the light screen that had been suspended was now shaking violently! The originally pale golden light became flickering, and the runes flashed wildly, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

Then, under Xu Ze's gaze, the color of the light screen... changed.

It changed from light gold to dark red.

From sacred and solemn, it has become ferocious and terrifying.

Finally, the light curtain turned completely blood red, like a curtain soaked in blood, hanging in the sky.

On the blood-red light screen, several lines of distorted characters appeared, the handwriting hurried and rushed, as if hastily written under extremely dangerous circumstances:

[Warning! Warning! The sect has been invaded by an unknown force!]

[All disciples, immediately enter maximum combat readiness!]