Chapter 4

It's the third watch of the night, please save it!

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The stone steps were steep and uneven, with dangerous terrain on both sides. A single misstep could lead to a fall.

After less than half a day, Wang Lin felt his legs as heavy as lead, drenched in sweat, and out of breath, making it difficult to take another step. From the foot of the mountain, the stone path didn't seem long, but walking on it felt endless, instilling a sense of despair in his heart.

In front of him, there were more than a dozen strong young men, all panting and slowly climbing. So far, none of them had given up.

Wang Lin gritted his teeth and persisted. He knew this was his last chance. The hopeful looks of his parents lingered in his mind. At this moment, a young man behind him suddenly stumbled, missed a step, and quickly fell to the side, letting out a terrified scream.

"I give up, save me!"

Everyone stopped and looked down. A dark light flashed, and a Hengyue Sect disciple appeared from somewhere, grabbing the young man in mid-air and gently landing at the foot of the mountain.

Wang Lin's face turned pale, and he remained silent, carefully continuing his climb. Time passed quickly, and two days later, the dozen or so young men in front of him were no longer in sight.

Wang Lin didn't know how many of his companions had given up. He only knew that he absolutely could not give up. Despite the blisters on his legs and feet, which caused excruciating pain, he continued to climb using his hands.

"A child's resolve is strong, but the path of the Dao is merciless. It's all in vain, all in vain..." A distant sigh echoed from the peak. A middle-aged man with a sallow complexion floated down the stone steps, quickly passing by the young men, his face filled with a sense of regret.

When he passed by Wang Lin, the middle-aged man paused. This was the sixth young man he had seen, but definitely the most wretched. His body was covered in blood, his clothes soaked in it, and his knees and toes were a bloody mess. He was using his hands to climb bit by bit. The middle-aged man sighed lightly and asked, "Child, what is your name?"

Wang Lin's expression was already blurred. He had only one thought: to die if necessary, but to reach the peak. He didn't hear the middle-aged man's question. In his eyes, there was nothing but the stone path.

The middle-aged man looked into Wang Lin's eyes, deeply moved by his resolve. He placed his hand on Wang Lin's head and then shook his head, muttering to himself, "Excellent perseverance, but his talent is too ordinary. No chance, no chance..." He gave Wang Lin a deep look and continued down the stone steps.

On the second night, Wang Lin's hands were a bloody mess, and the stone steps he had climbed were stained with a deep trail of blood. Wang Lin was no longer aware of these things. He was now driven solely by a single thought, his breath faint and on the verge of death.

At the moment of sunrise on the third day, he vaguely saw the end of the stone path. Unfortunately, at that moment, a merciless voice like thunder echoed in his heart.

"Time is up. Only three have passed the test. The rest... have failed!"

Wang Lin gave a bitter laugh, his body tilting to one side, and he fell unconscious on the stone steps.

Three days ago, the middle-aged man in black, who had tested their talents, stood at the peak, looking at Wang Lin, who was less than ten zhang away. His eyes were cold and merciless.

At this moment, several Hengyue Sect disciples quickly descended the mountain, bringing all the young men who were still persisting to the top and feeding them medicine.

"Senior Brother, out of 39 test subjects, 25 have given up. Besides the three who passed, there are 11 more," a female Hengyue Sect disciple reported coldly. She had experienced such a cruel test herself and had barely qualified through her martial arts training, becoming a named disciple. It took her nearly ten years of effort to still not become a true disciple.

The middle-aged man in black was cold and indifferent, nodding slightly. He glanced at the 11 unconscious young men and said indifferently, "The three who passed, take them to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to arrange their future work. The 25 who gave up, send them back to their families. As for these 11 who persisted to the end, once they wake up, take them to the Sword Spirit Pavilion to see if any of them have an affinity with a sword spirit. If not, send them back to their families."

After saying this, the middle-aged man didn't even look at the young men and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Three days later, in the Sword Spirit Pavilion, Wang Lin and the other 11 young men stood pale-faced. Wang Lin's injuries had healed, but the wounds in his heart were even more painful, gnawing at his body and soul.

The sword spirit test was not conducted by the middle-aged man in black but by a young man in white. However, he was equally cold, looking at them as if they were ants, with a merciless gaze.

"This is the final test. Those who can enter this room will pass," the young man said briefly, his face showing impatience.

Wang Lin saw an ordinary house, with the main door open, revealing various ancient swords of different lengths inside.

The young men went into the room one by one. The first young man, upon approaching the house from five zhang away, showed a struggling expression and was pushed back several zhang by an invisible force.

"Failed, next!" the young man said indifferently.

Wang Lin was the seventh. The previous six had all been unable to advance beyond five zhang. He gave a bitter smile, mustering the last bit of hope in his heart, and walked forward.

He easily passed the five-zhang mark, and his hope soared. His mouth was dry, and his heart raced as he took another step forward, still feeling no discomfort.

The young man said "Hmm" with a flash of interest in his eyes, his expression softening slightly. "Don't hesitate, keep going. If you can enter the house and gain the recognition of a sword spirit, even if you failed the previous two tests, you will be accepted as a true disciple!"

The other ten young men all looked envious, with deep jealousy hidden in their envy.

Wang Lin was nervous, and the hopeful looks of his parents reappeared in his mind. He took another step, now three zhang away from the door. He was hesitant and took another step.

At that moment, a massive force suddenly appeared, pushing Wang Lin back rapidly. He stopped only after being pushed back more than ten zhang.

The other young men standing to the side all looked at him with mocking expressions. To them, Wang Lin should have the same fate as them, with no chance at all.

Wang Lin gave a bitter laugh, and the wounds in his heart grew even deeper. The hopeful looks of his parents gradually faded from his mind.

The young man's expression returned to its previous coldness, and he said indifferently, "Failed, next."