As the final candidate of the hour was dragged off on a stretcher, coughing up blood and muttering nonsense, the first stage of the Heaven Sword Sect’s assessment test finally came to a close.
Of the tens of thousands who entered, only a handful had passed.
And of those few, Lin Xuan stood out the most—not because he was the strongest, but because he was the most unexpected.
A nobody. A former handyman.
Yet now? He was one step away from becoming an outer disciple of one of the top sects in the Desolate Heaven Empire.
Everyone else who passed could be hailed as a genius anywhere they went, with their names already spreading like wildfire.
Of course, in the Heaven Sword Sect—where monsters walked the earth in human skin—those same geniuses barely counted for shit.
"All first-stage qualifiers, proceed to the central platform for the Combat Trial!"
A deep voice echoed from the clouds above.
It came from an elder standing atop a jade tower, his robes embroidered with the Heaven Sword Sect’s crest, fluttering in the wind.
Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes.
He could already feel the gazes shifting toward him.
Whispers spread like wildfire again.
"He passed the first stage flawlessly... will he pass the second too?"
"Tch, don’t get your hopes up. He might’ve gotten lucky in the first test, but this next one’s real combat."
"I heard they’re using spirit beasts for the test. It’s going to be brutal!"
"Who cares? I just want to see who gets eaten first."
Lin Xuan ignored all of it.
He got up calmly and followed the other qualifiers toward the central arena.
The second trial was held inside a massive coliseum-like pit surrounded by towering stone walls, layered with countless inscriptions and runes to prevent damage from spilling outside.
At the center stood several reinforced gates, each sealed shut.
From behind them, low growls echoed out. The sound of claws scratching against stone.
The kind of noise that made cultivators with weak hearts flinch.
The elder announced, stepping forward.
"You will each be facing a spirit beast suited for Rank-4. Defeat it, and you pass."
Spirit beasts were ranked similarly to human cultivators, though their system was simpler—Rank-1, Rank-2, and so on.
Rank-1 matched the Qi Refining Stage, Rank-2 with Foundation Establishment, Rank-3 for Core Formation, Rank-4 equivalent to the Core Condensation Stage, and so on.
In theory, that meant a Rank-1 Spirit Beast had the same strength as a Qi Refining cultivator.
Spirit beasts at the same cultivation level as humans were much stronger.
A beast had thicker skin, sharper claws, and a brutal instinct to kill.
Their entire lives were forged through blood and survival.
Humans—especially those pampered by clans and sects—were fragile in comparison.
Only the exceptional stood a chance to defeat a spirit beast at the same level.
"If you fail—well, if you’re lucky, you’ll only get injured."
The elder said with a faint, almost mocking smile, as if it were some kind of joke.
The mood was too heavy.
Although the Combat Trial using only spirit beasts had the highest pass rate, it was also the most dangerous—because you never knew what those beasts might do.
But that’s exactly why the sect used them. They didn’t want cowards or weaklings as disciples.
The elder continued, "These spirit beasts were captured specifically for this trial. Some are violent. Others are cunning. You will be judged not only on raw power, but on technique, awareness, and survival instincts."
"Number One! Step forward!"
The first qualifier walked up, fists trembling slightly.
The gate rumbled—and out charged a steel-furred wolf with blood-red eyes, snarling as it lunged straight at him.
It was chaos from the first second.
Blood. Screams. Dust flying.
The guy barely survived—collapsing with torn robes and claw marks across his chest.
But not everyone did.
One by one, each candidate was thrown into the pit.
Some managed to scrape through with grit and technique.
Some had to be pulled out by force before they died.
And then came the standout case.
"Number Sixty-One! Yan Xiu!"
A roar of approval came from the crowd.
"Holy shit, that’s him! The Sword Prince from the Yan Clan!"
"I heard he killed a Rank-3 beast in the wild last year!"
"His sword mastery is unmatched among this batch!"
"Finally, someone who’ll crush the test!"
Even Lin Xuan glanced over at the guy.
Tall. Dressed in crisp white robes. A cold look in his eyes and a profound-grade sword on his back.
Yan Xiu walked forward without hesitation, nodding slightly toward the elders. His movements were crisp.
The gate creaked open.
A two-headed flame bear charged out, each head roaring in unison, flames trailing behind like a storm of fire.
Yan Xiu drew his sword—and struck.
His swordlight tore through the air. Beautiful. Lethal.
But the beast didn’t dodge.
It took the hit. Roared. And smashed into him like a meteor.
A massive explosion of flame and dust.
Yan Xiu was embedded into the wall, blood dripping from his mouth, his sword snapped in two.
He slid down like a broken puppet, unconscious.
The entire crowd went quiet.
Even the elder looked slightly stunned and disappointed.
If Yan Xiu had been more cautious, he might’ve taken down the two-headed flame bear. But he was too confident—and lacked the real-world experience to back it up.
The elder finally said.
Everyone stared in silence.
A genius known across the southern territories.
Someone who walked with pride and cut down enemies like weeds.
If he couldn’t pass...
Then how the hell were they going to?
Of course, those were only the thoughts of the weaker candidates. The stronger ones weren’t shaken by Yan Xiu’s failure.
They had their own pride and saw themselves as far superior.
"Number Seventy! Lin Xuan!"
The crowd instantly came alive again.
"Finally, it is his turn. I have been waiting."
"Time to see if he’s really the real deal or just a lucky bastard about to get eaten alive."
"Hmph! Even Yan Xiu failed. What chance does a handyman have? I bet he pisses himself before passing out!"
Most people thought Lin Xuan would fail.
And honestly, that was the logical assumption.
For one, passing the first test was one thing—but the second involved real combat, and that meant you needed your body refined. That took resources.
And Lin Xuan? No background, no clan. Where would he get the resources?
Second, martial techniques.
Only powerful clans and sects had access to the good stuff.
Lin Xuan, as a handyman, could only access Yellow-Grade techniques at Heaven Sword Sect—completely useless against a Rank-4 Spirit Beast.
There was no doubt in their minds.
Lin Xuan was going to lose.
But Lin Xuan himself looked calm, his eyes filled with confidence.
No fear! No hesitation!
He got up and walked straight toward the arena.