Chapter 2044 — Sword Emperor Qualifications' Fourth Trial

Chapter 2044: Sword Emperor Qualifications’ Fourth Trial

Every spectator watched with immense attention as the cultivation-measuring device assessed Yuan’s true cultivation.

Moments later, the device completed its assessment, and the words “Ninth Level Immortal Ascension” appeared in glowing script for all to see.

“He’s really a mortal!”

Several voices rang out across the crowd, filled with disbelief, awe, and a hint of reverence.

Though nobody there could comprehend how a mortal managed to learn Supreme Sword Aura or qualify for the Sword Emperor Qualifications, they were unable to deny the evidence before their very eyes.

“To think our son is being surpassed by a mere mortal…” Tian Yuexing’s father muttered, his face marked with bewilderment.

Even his wife, typically nonchalant and expressionless, couldn’t hide the surprise in her eyes.

“My god… where did such a genius come from? If we recruit him into our family and pair him with Tian Jinhui, the Tian Family might finally surpass the Celestial Family,” one of the elders remarked, eyes gleaming with ambition.

“…”

Though no one responded aloud, everyone was thinking the same thing.

Of course, the Tian Family wasn’t the only one thinking about recruiting Yuan into their family or sect, as nearly every influential background harbored the same intention and desire.

“H-He’s a mortal…?”

Every participant, except the Holy Sword Maiden, stared at Yuan in shock, their faces frozen with disbelief. It was a simple fact, yet none of them could fully grasp the weight of such an outrageous revelation.

They had been competing and losing against a mortal this whole time? None of them wanted to believe such a thing. They were all some of the most talented swordmasters across the Nine Heavens, but they were losing to a mere mortal? It wouldn’t make sense even in their dreams.

“Haha… someone slap me and tell me I’m dreaming…” one of the participants muttered with a dazed chuckle, his expression blank—like someone who had just suffered a mental blow.

“Was that satisfactory?” Yuan asked Senior Bai, who nodded with a warm smile on his face.

“Yes, it was. Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Then I would like to start my next trial,” Yuan continued.

“Of course…”

Without delay, Senior Bai opened the fourth door for him.

And without a word, Yuan stepped through and vanished, beginning his fourth trial and widening the gap between himself and the other participants even further.

Shortly after Yuan’s departure, a heavy atmosphere settled over the remaining participants. One by one, without saying a word, they rose and stepped through the second door, each of them feeling an immense pressure not to be outshone by a mortal.

“This guy is quite the monster,” remarked Azure after she watched the events unfold.

Xiang Biyu smiled faintly and said, “I always knew he would shake the world with his existence, but even I couldn’t have imagined how far he’d come in just a few decades. You probably won’t believe this, but he was still a Spirit King when I met him about twenty years ago.”

Meanwhile, within the fourth trial, Yuan found himself standing before a majestic mountain, its towering peak pierced by a colossal sword embedded deep into the summit. A single path spiraled upward along the mountainside, reminiscent of the famed Dragon Spiral Mountain.

Yuan quickly noticed that his cultivation had been sealed, which meant it was likely that there would be no combat for this trial. After taking a moment to survey his surroundings, he stepped onto the path and began his ascent up the mountain.

Shortly after beginning his ascent, Yuan came across rows of swords embedded in the ground on either side of the path, positioned in perfect parallel, resembling a line of guardrails guiding the way.

At first, the swords appeared to be nothing more than ordinary weapons. But as Yuan climbed higher, they began to emit Sword Aura—faint at first, then gradually intensifying with every step, growing stronger the farther he ascended.

When the swords first began to emit Sword Aura, Yuan quickly realized he couldn’t proceed any farther unless he cloaked himself in Sword Aura stronger than that radiating from the swords themselves. If he tried to advance without doing so, he’d be blocked by an invisible barrier.

Meanwhile, outside the trial grounds, Senior Bai addressed the spectators, offering a detailed explanation of the fourth trial.

“To pass the fourth trial, participants must ascend the mountain,” he said. “But to do so, they must possess a sufficient level of comprehension in Sword Aura. The higher they climb, the deeper their understanding must be, or they will be blocked.”

He continued, “That said, reaching the peak is not required to pass the fourth trial. Once a participant reaches a certain height, an exit will appear, allowing them to leave. However, if they choose to continue climbing, additional rewards will be granted based on how far they go.”

“What level of comprehension is required to reach the peak?” someone suddenly asked.

“A good question,” Senior Bai responded. “To reach the summit, one must possess a near-perfect mastery of the Supreme Sword Aura, a level reached only by experienced Sword Emperors.”

The spectators were visibly surprised by the steep requirement. After all, most participants in the Sword Emperor Qualifications had yet to master the Supreme Sword Aura—an achievement so profound it was usually attained only after one became a Sword Emperor. For many, pursuing such mastery beforehand was seen as impractical, as it demanded an immense amount of time.

A few hours later, Yuan reached the point where the swords began to emit Enhanced Sword Aura. Though he could have arrived much sooner, he had chosen to walk at a leisurely pace, treating the climb as a peaceful stroll rather than a race. In fact, he would occasionally stop just to admire the view.

A day later, the swords around him started to emit Supreme Sword Aura.

Meanwhile, Tian Yuexing and the other participants were still struggling through the second trial. For those who had only recently entered, the harsh reality of the trial’s difficulty was just beginning to sink in, and with it, their hopes for the trials ahead quickly began to wither.