Chapter 149: Sword Light (First Request for Subscriptions!)

A withered figure was extraordinarily aged, and it was even difficult to sense his breathing, yet his eyes were exceptionally brilliant, resembling stars.

At this moment, Lin Fan was still unaware that he had been targeted; he was still in the midst of a bitter battle.

"This is already the fifth wave. Sixteen puppets at the initial stage of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man—they really think highly of me. If not for the energy left behind by the mysterious person, I am afraid I would have been slain long ago. Even so, it is still quite effortless now."

Lin Fan muttered to himself, his pupils blazing with divine light. He slowly pointed a finger forward.

This was his simulation of the attack where the man on the mural pierced the three-legged golden crow. For a time, the winds and clouds surged, and a golden finger tore through the sky, shattering the sixteen puppets with the mighty momentum of a thunderbolt.

Almost the exact moment the puppets shattered, the entire space collapsed. Lin Fan found himself reappearing in the grand hall, though the Murong Ancestor and Yi Ming were not present; they were likely still fighting the puppets.

"Is the entire hall enveloped by a formation?"

Lin Fan did not find it strange. After all, the puppets he encountered were relatively weak, while those two were genuine Void-Breaking realm experts; thus, the puppets they faced probably possessed combat strength at that level.

"This trial tests individual combat prowess, so I cannot offer much help. It seems both Yi Ming and Mo Liuqing have passed this trial."

Lin Fan swept his gaze around, his third eye opening between his brows as a hazy radiance shot forth.

If the trial only tested individual combat capability, bringing Lin Fan along would have been useless. Unsurprisingly, the upcoming trials were likely related to joint efforts.

Half an hour later, a figure appeared, turning out to be the Murong Ancestor, though he looked somewhat disheveled at the moment. His robes were stained with blood and his aura was chaotic, clearly having undergone a fierce battle.

"Junior brother truly possesses remarkable skill."

The Murong Ancestor cast a meaningful glance at Lin Fan before closing his eyes to recover from his injuries.

Seeing this, Lin Fan merely smiled unconcernedly and continued to study the grand hall. He had already faintly discerned some clues.

A quarter of an hour later, Yi Ming also passed the first trial. His condition was slightly better than the Murong Ancestor's, with only his aura fluctuating slightly.

"Could this be the replica divine artifact of the Nine-Sectioned Whip?!"

Lin Fan's attention fell upon an object in Yi Ming's hand, a flash of solemnity crossing his eyes.

This divine artifact was identical to the Nine-Sectioned Whip he had seen in Wangwu Mountain, except that the aura emanating from it was not as powerful. Clearly, it was a replica, and most likely crafted by the Nine-Sectioned Whip itself—something that could not be guarded against too carefully.

After resting for an hour, both the Murong Ancestor and Yi Ming had returned to their peak conditions. During this process, no anomalies occurred, and the grand formation remained completely still.

"Alright, the second trial is very simple, but both the Patriarch Yi and I were blocked by it," the Murong Ancestor said indomitably.

"Simple? Then why were we unable to make any headway in this trial?"

Lin Fan was puzzled, but he did not speak up, knowing someone would provide an explanation.

"In this trial, we encounter three attacks, escalating from the mid Void-Breaking stage to the peak Void-Breaking stage. We were stopped at the third attack," Yi Ming said, glancing at Lin Fan with deep dread in his eyes.

"So that's how it is."

Lin Fan spoke softly. This was probably the reason why Yi Ming and the Murong Ancestor had brought him along. Having one more person to share the burden in the second trial would naturally make things easier.

"Since everyone has recovered, let us proceed."

Yi Ming continued, though this time he was not the one walking at the very front. As if by tacit agreement, the Murong Ancestor took the lead because of his supreme strength, while Lin Fan walked at the very back.

Just as the group moved forward, the grand formation was activated. The stars shifted, and everyone found themselves situated in the universe, surrounded by shining stars. This was clearly another pocket space within the formation.

"The array techniques of the Yi family ancestors have reached an unfathomable realm. A tiny grand hall is actually capable of containing so many variations, along with numerous minor worlds. Truly unpredictable."

Lin Fan's Qi-observation technique had not dissipated. Furthermore, he had integrated the Bodhi seed into his third eye, allowing the entire grand formation to lay bare before his eyes without any concealment. However, recognizing the variations was one thing; with his current strength, it was impossible for him to leave this grand formation.

At that moment, brilliant colorful rays of light surged in the distance, and a figure slowly emerged.

It was a man holding a long sword. His visage was obscured by divine light, making it difficult to discern, but everyone wore solemn expressions because the aura emanating from the man was far too powerful—resembling a vast ocean, completely unfathomable.

Yi Ming and the Murong Ancestor fared slightly better since it was not their first time. Although shocked, they were accustomed to it. Lin Fan, however, was extremely astonished; he sensed not only formidable power from this man, but also a hint of lingering vitality.

"The first strike," the man said coldly.

He waved his long sword, and three sword beams swept across the vault of heaven, surging in all directions like an inverted Milky Way, slashing horizontally from afar.

"So fast!"

Lin Fan was greatly alarmed. He had not expected the man's attack to be so swift, leaving no time to react.

"Kill!"

Three terrifying auras soared into the sky as Lin Fan and his companions made their move.

The Murong Ancestor did not use any weapon, merely raising a single hand. Yi Ming did not use the replica divine artifact of the Nine-Sectioned Whip either; waving his long saber, he shattered the incoming sword beams.

Helpless, Lin Fan had also lost his weapon after the Spear of Judgment vanished, leaving him to rely solely on his bare palms to counter the enemy. Fortunately, this attack was slightly weaker than expected, and getting through it would not be too difficult.

The battle ended in a mere fraction of a second. The three sword beams shattered one by one, vanishing into nothingness.

"Haha, it truly works! Once shared among three people, the power contained in this sword beam no longer reached the mid Void-Breaking stage, but merely the initial stage."

Yi Ming laughed heartily, his fighting spirit soaring to the heavens. At this moment, he possessed a trace of confidence he lacked earlier. A hint of joy also appeared on the Murong Ancestor's face, though his deep craftiness made it difficult for outsiders to detect.

"Then the second strike should be at the mid Void-Breaking stage. While I cannot block it completely, it won't inflict heavy injuries on me either."

Enlightenment struck Lin Fan, and he already understood the situation. He would not face any grave danger until the third attack arrived.

After the span of a cup of tea, the man attacked once more. This time, the sword beams were even more blinding and brilliant.

"Indeed!"

From the very instant of collision, Lin Fan confirmed his hypothesis. He poured his all into the strike, his entire body's vital blood boiling as a monstrous fist intent surged upward, fiercely crashing directly into the sword beam.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

A massive collision erupted, shattering the heavens and splitting the earth. Lin Fan coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, feeling as though the meridians throughout his body were about to be torn apart. However, that sword beam was also shattered through sheer desperation, dissolving into a scattering rain of light. Each speck pulverized a star within the grand formation, resembling the destruction of the world—and this was merely the second attack...