Xiao Wuchen held the jade token bestowed upon him by the Hall Master of the Martial Saint Hall as he arrived at a hidden forbidden area behind the hall. The entrance to this area was shrouded in a faint white light and the groove in its centre was perfectly aligned with the jade token.
When he inserted the token, the light instantly opened to reveal a deep, ancient stone door.
Beyond the stone door was a vast, circular stone chamber. The walls were adorned with countless intricate runes and ancient martial arts totems, and the floor was etched with interwoven patterns forming a functioning 'Martial Intent Array'.
Xiao Wuchen entered the chamber and the stone door slowly closed behind him.
System notification: Warning! More than thirty residual intents of martial artists at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm or higher have been detected in this environment, some of which reach the level of the Half-Step Heavenly Ranking.'
System Task: Martial Intent Tempering. Remain within the Martial Intent Array for the duration of an incense stick burning.
He sat cross-legged in the centre of the array. When the array activated, the runes on the stone walls began to flicker and waves of invisible yet tangible martial arts intent surged towards him like a tide.
The first wave of impact was the "Indestructible Vajra Intent".
This extremely powerful and unyielding fist intent struck Xiao Wuchen's body and meridians like a 300-pound hammer. Carrying the belief of 'invulnerability to all laws', this intent attempted to completely crush the yin-like true energy within him.
Xiao Wuchen groaned, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He hurriedly circulated his "Life-Giving Sword Intent" to resist.
His true energy became extremely compressed and, under intense external pressure, his Meridian Building Realm true energy was repeatedly tempered. Impurities were squeezed out and the energy density increased dramatically. This process was extremely painful, akin to melting and reforging his internal force.
Immediately afterwards, the intent began to shift:
'Righteous and Righteous Intent': Su Mubai's intent was bright, open and fearless, like a dazzling sun shining on the yin-like undercurrent deep within his internal force. Xiao Wuchen's mind was affected, as if being accused of being 'heretical'. He steadfastly held fast to his principles: 'My vitality is also light!'
'Traceless Rain': Light and ethereal, leaving no trace. This artistic conception attempted to dismantle his firmly fixed state of mind, allowing him to understand the true meaning of 'change'.
'Corrosive Yin Intent': This was the most dangerous. Mimicking the corrosive intent of the Mysterious Elder, it carried extreme venom and attempted to erode his meridians once more. But this time, Xiao Wuchen's "Vitality Sword Intent" had been purified. Rather than passively defending itself, it actively devoured the 'death intent' within this artistic conception, transforming it into nourishment for its own growth.
Xiao Wuchen's consciousness nearly collapsed under the relentless onslaught of various extreme martial arts intents, yet his true energy grew wildly amidst the pain.
Through alternating cycles of 'destruction' and 'rebirth', his dantian and meridians became incredibly resilient and expansive. The Meridian Building Realm's bottleneck was shattered by the pressure of the Martial Intent Array.
System notification: The host has performed exceptionally well in Martial Intent Tempering, achieving a significant increase in true energy density and meridian resilience!
Realm Breakthrough: Peak of Early Meridian Building → Approaching Mid-Middle Meridian Building!
The time it takes to burn an incense stick has passed.
The runes of the Martial Intent Array slowly extinguished. Xiao Wuchen was drenched in sweat and his clothes were soaked through, but his true energy had reached a new level of abundance and refinement. He felt a stronger resonance with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and every movement he made was imbued with a power far exceeding his previous strength.
More importantly, his mental state had expanded tremendously. He no longer confined his sword intent to 'yin' or 'vitality', but had truly grasped the meaning of the Martial Saint Hall Master's words — 'embracing all things'.
His sword intent now possessed the resilience of the Vajra, the magnanimity of heaven, and the agility of mist and rain. It could even withstand the corrosive power of Xuan Yin. His path of 'vitality and destruction' had become a harmonious martial art that was uniquely his own.
He stood up, his eyes gleaming with a restrained yet profound light. He knew he was only one step away from the Heavenly Ranking.After emerging from the 'Martial Intent Array', Xiao Wuchen felt as if he had been reborn. Although he was only approaching the mid-stage of Meridian Building cultivation and had not yet broken through fully, the refinement of his true qi and his control over his intent had reached a level that even mid-stage Meridian Building martial artists could hardly achieve.
Xiao Wuchen arrived at the main hall to report. The Hall Master was sitting on the high platform, smiling as he looked at him.
'I sensed it. Not only did you successfully persevere, you also absorbed the essence of the formation, making your swordsmanship even more harmonious,' the Hall Master praised him.
'Thank you for your grace, Hall Master. Without this trial, my martial arts would not have improved so much," Xiao Wuchen thanked him sincerely.
The Hall Master waved his hand. 'This is your own talent and comprehension. The essence of that martial intent formation was so complex. The fact that 'annihilation' and 'vastness' coexist without conflict is a testament to your rare willpower."
He then handed Xiao Wuchen a golden Battle Token.
'The battle for the Heavenly Ranking challenge is about to begin. Eight of the top ten experts from the Earthly Ranking have come to participate in this exchange. According to the Martial Saint Hall's rules, you must select the two most qualified challengers from the upcoming sparring matches. I have high hopes for you, and I hope you won't disappoint me.'
The Hall Master's words put Xiao Wu Chen in the spotlight. He had to overwhelm all the Earthly Ranking experts with his strength in this competition.
As Xiao Wuchen stepped out of the Hall Master's room, he immediately sensed a change in the atmosphere.
The exchange conference had entered its next stage: the preliminary selection for the Heavenly Ranking Challenge.
In the plaza, the eight top experts from the Earthly Ranking top ten were gathered, their gazes fixed on Xiao Wuchen, who held a golden 'Battle Token'.
The most eye-catching of these was Su Mubai of the Vast Sword Sect. Although he had been defeated by Xiao Wuchen, his righteous energy had become purer during this period of cultivation, and his gaze was steady and determined. When he saw Xiao Wuchen, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but above all, he was filled with fighting spirit.
Another was Qin Lie, the third-ranked expert on the Earthly Ranking and known as 'Ten Thousand Jun Blade', a burly man with an imposing presence. He snorted coldly, "A mere junior in the early stages of the Foundation Establishment realm dares to obtain a challenge token directly. When did the rules of the Martial Saint Hall become so childish?'
Qin Lie's words represented the dissatisfaction of the majority. Xiao Wuchen's age and cultivation level were the focus of their doubts.
Xiao Wuchen remained calm, knowing that arguing would be pointless. He cupped his hands in a respectful greeting to Qin Lie and everyone present.
'I am Xiao Wuchen. If you seniors believe I am unworthy of this order, the sparring arena will provide the answer.'
His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, but calm and confident, honed by the 'Martial Intent Array'. This contest was a test of his strength and the first step on his journey to reach the pinnacle of the martial world.