155: The sword shattered the sky? The trial is over!

“Has the sword cultivation lineage of our Hidden Sword Villa been severed?”

The old man froze, somewhat disbelieving.

“How does Hidden Sword Villa cultivate swords?” Mo Fan asked, puzzled.

The old man looked deeply at Mo Fan and said, “What year is this?”

“It’s 2023,” Mo Fan replied.

“Two thousand and twenty-three?” The old man was startled, seemingly uncomprehending.

Mo Fan shook his head and explained, “In this era, tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of years, or even longer, may have passed since the era you knew.”

“This…” The old man’s eyes showed confusion, and he stared blankly, no longer speaking.

In fact, he had already guessed something.

However, now that his suspicions were confirmed, he was still somewhat at a loss.

“Besides me, have you not seen anyone else enter here?” Mo Fan asked curiously.

“Yes.”

The old man recovered his senses, nodded, and explained:

“I woke up about a thousand years ago, and in this thousand years, I’ve seen many people break in.”

“However, they never cultivated the core inheritance of my Hidden Sword Villa, the Sword Nurturing Art, so naturally, they couldn’t trigger the trial.”

As if he had thought of something, the old man shook his head and continued:

“About six hundred years ago, I did see someone practicing the Sword Nurturing Art.”

“However, he was cultivating it haphazardly, looking as frail as a dying man.”

“This old man didn’t think much of him, so I didn’t open the trial for him.”

Hearing this, Mo Fan couldn’t help but be stunned.

The person the old man spoke of was probably a Sword Immortal of a certain era, an existence that suppressed an entire age.

“Besides him, you are the second person I’ve seen cultivating the Sword Nurturing Art.”

“Of course, you cultivate the authentic Sword Nurturing Art of my Hidden Sword Villa, unlike him, so this old man naturally opened the trial for you.”

At this point, the old man’s face suddenly darkened, and he glared at Mo Fan, saying angrily:

“Hmph, now it seems you’re also cultivating it haphazardly, you don’t even cultivate the Guiyuan Sword Canon!”

Mo Fan smiled awkwardly: “There’s nothing I can do. Your era has been buried in the dust of history, and the inheritance has been severed… I was lucky enough to comprehend the complete version of the Sword Art.”

The old man: “…”

The old man was silent, sighing several times in a row, his originally straight back suddenly hunching a little.

Finally, he seemed to accept reality, his mood finally calmed down, and his face became expressionless again as he looked at Mo Fan and said:

“Tell me, how do you cultivate the sword dao and nurture swords now?”

Mo Fan nodded, pondered for a moment, then said:

“The recognized sword cultivators now are from our Sword Pavilion lineage.”

“Cultivating the sword dao requires a certain sword dao physique.”

“And the condition for judging whether one possesses a sword dao physique is to see if they can resonate with the stone tablets inscribed with sword dao formations.”

“There are five stone tablets in total. The more tablets one resonates with, the better their sword dao physique, the easier it is to nurture swords, and the simpler it is to cross the life-and-death barrier—”

Hearing this, the old man frowned and quickly interrupted:

“Are the stone tablets you mentioned the five tablets on Sword Peak inscribed with the Sword Nurturing Art?”

“Sh-should be?” Mo Fan scratched his head.

“You use those five stone tablets to judge sword dao talent?” The old man clenched his fists tightly, seemingly a little angry.

“That’s how it is, but using sword dao physique might be more accurate,” Mo Fan said.

“Nonsense!” The old man was so angry he wanted to hit someone.

After glaring at Mo Fan for a long time, the old man, puzzled, continued to ask:

“What do you mean by the life-and-death barrier?”

Mo Fan thought for a moment and explained: “Although nurturing a sword into the body is harmful, it undergoes a qualitative change when it accumulates to a certain extent.”

“When a qualitative change occurs, the sword intent within the body rages and is difficult to control.”

“If one can endure it at this time, the sword intent will undergo a qualitative change, the Sword Nurturing Art will break through, cultivation will instantly increase, and one will enter the next stage of sword nurturing.”

“If one cannot endure it, then one can only die.”

Looking at the old man, whose expression grew increasingly grim, Mo Fan continued:

“The Sword Nurturing Art has five layers, corresponding to five transformations of sword nurturing, which are ten years, twenty years, thirty years, sixty years, and one hundred years.”

“Nurturing a sword for one hundred years means cultivating the Sword Nurturing Art to perfection, where one’s combat power can rival or even crush the strongest, and from then on, it’s difficult to find an opponent in the world.”

After speaking, Mo Fan secretly glanced at the old man.

At this moment, the old man had his hands behind his back, his eyes closed in pain, not knowing what he was thinking.

Mo Fan: “…”

After an unknown amount of time, the old man finally shook his head, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at Mo Fan, saying:

“The Sword Nurturing Art is indeed the supreme inheritance of Hidden Sword Villa. Even when cultivated in your way, it can still unleash its proper power.”

“It’s just a pity that this method of cultivation exhausts one’s life potential and won’t allow for a long life…”

“Uh—” Mo Fan scratched his head.

Honestly, he also felt that the Sword Pavilion’s cultivation method was a bit off.

Regardless of talent, everyone needed to endure for a hundred years, which was clearly a test of physique and lifespan.

Was this really sword cultivation?

Of course, complaining aside, Mo Fan still said earnestly:

“The incomplete Sword Nurturing Art indeed exhausts life potential.”

“Even if one cultivates the Sword Nurturing Art to perfection, in the end, they only have about two hundred years to live. Subtracting the hundred years for sword nurturing, only one hundred years remain for enjoyment.”

“But the complete version of the Sword Nurturing Art, while nurturing the sword, also feeds back to the body, continuously strengthening the physique.”

“As long as the basic physique is good enough, it shouldn’t affect one’s lifespan, right?”

Hearing this, the old man glanced at Mo Fan and shook his head, saying:

“What you’re talking about is a situation without combat.”

“Once in combat, mobilizing the sword intent and sword force within the body will inevitably draw upon one’s vitality.”

“At that time, no matter how strong you forge your body, it will be of no avail.”

Hearing this, Mo Fan nodded seriously.

That was indeed the case.

The complete Sword Nurturing Art could resolve the lifespan consumed during cultivation.

However, it couldn’t resolve the lifespan consumed during combat.

This method of sword nurturing into the body was destined from the very beginning.

Of course, as long as you don’t make a move, your lifespan won’t be affected.

With the deterrent power of a Sword Immortal, no one would dare to act rashly.

But is a sword cultivator who doesn’t make a move still a sword cultivator?

While Mo Fan pondered, the old man continued:

“According to your cultivation method, no matter how high one’s talent, it takes a hundred years to cultivate the Sword Nurturing Art to perfection.”

“However, in my Hidden Sword Villa, there was a peerless sword dao genius who started practicing sword at five, successfully nurtured a sword at eight, slew destiny at ten, and was unrivaled in the human world at fifteen.”

“Slew destiny at ten? Unrivaled in the human world at fifteen?” Mo Fan was stunned.

That’s how abnormal it was?

How was that cultivated?

So, the question came back around, and Mo Fan asked blankly:

“So, in your era, how did you cultivate swords?”

“Is it related to the Guiyuan Sword Canon you mentioned?”

The old man glanced at Mo Fan and said indifferently, “Ten breaths.”

“What?” Mo Fan was puzzled.

“Survive ten breaths under my sword, and it means you are qualified to obtain the complete inheritance of Hidden Sword Villa.”

“The trial period is half a year. If you still cannot complete the trial after half a year.”

“I will determine that you used illegal means to obtain the Hidden Sword Villa inheritance and will give you the corresponding punishment.”

Mo Fan: “???”

“Can I give up the trial?” Mo Fan shivered with cold anger.

“Once the trial begins, it cannot be stopped,” the old man said.

“Then what is the punishment?” Mo Fan asked, settling for the next best thing.

“You will be trapped here until the end of your life,” the old man said.

“Trap me here forever?” Mo Fan seemed to ponder.

He looked up at the clear blue sky, circulated his cultivation technique to absorb spiritual energy, and carefully sensed everything.

A moment later, he discovered a clue.

As the old man said, this was an independent space, not an illusion.

This also meant that after the secret realm trial ended, he might not be able to be teleported back.

In that case, he really might be trapped here for a lifetime.

Of course, being trapped here wasn’t without benefits.

At least the spiritual energy in this space was much richer than in the city.

Mo Fan had been simultaneously absorbing the spiritual energy in the air since he entered.

But after all this time, he hadn’t perceived any decrease in the spiritual energy of this space.

“Is the spiritual energy here inexhaustible?” Mo Fan couldn’t help but ask.

“No,” the old man shook his head, “At your rate of absorbing spiritual energy, it would last you at most a hundred or eighty years.”

Mo Fan’s eyes lit up: “There’s such a good thing?”

The old man: “?”

What nonsense are you talking about?

“Come on, let’s continue the trial!” Mo Fan said with an expectant face.

The old man: “…”

The old man was a bit confused, somewhat unable to understand Mo Fan’s thoughts.

To be trapped in this space forever, and he could still smile? Even look expectant?

Was this person a masochist?

"Come on, let's continue the trial!" Mo Fan said again.

"Since that's the case, as you wish!" The old man no longer held back, raising a finger slightly, and a sword light flew out.

The sword light flashed and vanished.

There was a clang.

Mo Fan's skull fell with a thud, red and white splattering everywhere.

Despite this, Mo Fan remained full of fighting spirit, quickly saying, "Help me recover, and let's continue!"

Seeing this, the old man was speechless.

Was he really a masochist?

Or was he a madman?

Shaking his head, the old man stopped talking nonsense, directly helped Mo Fan recover his body, and struck again with his sword.

Being alone in this space was actually quite boring.

It wasn't easy to have a living person arrive.

Did it matter if he was a masochist or a madman?

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Streaks of sword light flew out.

Mo Fan's skull was sent flying again and again.

"Senior, can't you hit other places?" Mo Fan said, exasperated.

"I can." The old man nodded, instantly restoring Mo Fan's incomplete body, then with a flick of his finger, a chilling sword light flew out again.

This time, half of Mo Fan's head was gone.

Yes, half a head. His body below the neck was perfectly intact, but above the neck, vertically, only half a head remained.

And the cut was perfectly clean, not a single hair's breadth off. Mo Fan didn't know how the other party managed to do it.

"You call this hitting other places?" Mo Fan wanted to punch him.

The old man didn't waste words, directly repairing Mo Fan's missing head and continuing to unleash sword lights from different angles and postures.

What was miraculous was that no matter what angle or posture he used to unleash the sword light,

it would always strike Mo Fan's head, and the cut would be in precisely the same spot every time.

Despite the pain, Mo Fan enjoyed it, challenging himself again and again.

There was no other way; the elemental energy here was too enticing, enough to sustain his absorption for a hundred or eighty years!

However, why would it take a hundred or eighty years?

At his cultivation speed,

he would probably be invincible in another seven or eight years!

By then, would he still be afraid of not being able to leave?

So, the trial was fake; freeloading on elemental energy was the real goal!

Of course, in the process of having his skull repeatedly sent flying, Mo Fan gradually grasped some patterns.

Mo Fan couldn't fully comprehend these patterns for a while, but he was sure they were very important... His head flew off again and again.

Two hours later, Mo Fan felt he had somewhat understood something.

This time, he barely managed to interfere with the old man's sword light, causing its trajectory to deviate slightly, making his head, which should have been split in half, shift just a tiny bit.

One day later.

A chilling sword light almost grazed Mo Fan's hair and then swiftly cut into the grass behind him.

With a whoosh, soil churned, sand and stones flew, and a terrifying gash appeared behind Mo Fan.

"That was close." Mo Fan felt a lingering fear.

This time, he successfully dodged the sword light and saved his head.

Watching this scene, the old man was utterly stunned, his somewhat cloudy eyes wide open.

He never expected Mo Fan to be able to dodge his sword light so quickly!

How much time had passed?

Just one day!

It was unbelievable!

"Hmph!" The old man snorted, calming himself, and struck with his sword again.

This time, he was even more serious.

The sword light flew out with a whoosh, and there was a clang.

Half of Mo Fan's head once again rolled to the ground.

Despite this, Mo Fan felt exhilarated: "Good, again!"

He felt himself getting stronger.

At least his life-saving ability had improved significantly!

Besides that, by observing the old man's moves repeatedly, Mo Fan also vaguely felt that he had gained some understanding of the sword dao.

At this rate, he would probably pass the trial in no time.

Thinking of this, Mo Fan couldn't help but feel a little worried, and he couldn't resist asking, "If I pass the trial, can I still stay here?"

Hearing this, the old man almost fumed with anger, saying irritably:

"If you can pass the trial, you can stay here as long as you like!"

Only then did Mo Fan relax.

"Again!"

... The third day.

Another sword light missed, tearing open the grass behind Mo Fan.

The second sword light!

He actually dodged the second sword light?

The old man's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

How much time had passed?

This junior, who could have been instantly killed and was as weak as an ant, could now dodge two of his sword lights?

Was he even human?

How did he do it?

"Again!" Mo Fan said.

After three days of trials, he felt he had become much stronger!

At least in terms of self-preservation, he was much stronger than before!

His Wind Control Movement Technique had been mastered, and his movements were like instantaneous teleportation.

The current Mo Fan's attainments in movement techniques already surpassed Gu Shuiyue, who had received the Flowing Light Peak's inheritance.

This sparring partner was even more professional than the red-clothed female ghost!

Thinking of this, Mo Fan inexplicably missed the red-clothed female ghost.

He hadn't slept in three days... "No, now is not the time to think about the red-clothed female ghost or sleep!

"I need to continue cultivating, continue getting stronger!"

Mo Fan was full of fighting spirit: "Again, continue!"

Seeing this, the old man trembled with anger.

"This kid is too arrogant!"

He suddenly regretted letting this kid undergo the trial... A month passed in a flash.

During this month, Mo Fan trained day and night, and his strength progressed rapidly.

Whoosh!

A cold light struck, Mo Fan slightly shifted his body, directly dodging it, the cold light grazing his cheek.

Whoosh, whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, two sword lights struck simultaneously, piercing Mo Fan's glabella as if to tear him apart.

Unfortunately, as the sword lights fell, Mo Fan's figure also turned ethereal, disappearing in an instant.

Afterimage!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

In a blink, three more sword lights flew over.

From different angles, they approached Mo Fan in a pincer movement.

Mo Fan remained calm and composed, responding with ease.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

In just a few breaths, the space where the two were located was filled with gashes and deep pits, looking scarred and ravaged, like a cake gnawed by a dog.

"Again, again, only one breath left!" In a flash, nine breaths passed, and Mo Fan trembled with excitement.

After a month of trials, he had finally reached the last step.

As long as he dodged this last sword, the trial would be complete!

"As you wish!" The old man's face was frosty, and a giant, pitch-black sword instantly condensed in his hand.

"This sword will surely kill you!"

He held the giant sword and slashed forward fiercely, the blinding white sword light dazzling to the extreme, as if countless scorching suns were exploding.

Endless elemental energy instantly converged, forming a colossal sword that reached the heavens and pierced the earth, seemingly intending to tear this world apart.

"Holy crap! What are you doing?!" Mo Fan was startled.

This sword was too terrifying; the entire space shook violently, as if it could collapse at any moment.

"Slash!"

Boom!

With one slash, the void exploded, the ground rapidly sank, creating a vast black rift valley, the sword light connected heaven and earth, stars were extinguished, and the sky instantly cracked.

From Mo Fan's perspective, the entire space shook violently, the ground sank, volcanoes erupted, and the sky was covered in cracks like a shattered mirror.

Then, his vision blurred, his body was torn into countless pieces, floating in the air like dust, leaving only a milky white glow enveloped by mysterious energy.

Mo Fan's consciousness was contained within that milky white glow.

It was dark.

The ground collapsed.

All he saw was void.

Mo Fan's "face darkened."

Could any human possibly withstand this sword?

Mo Fan estimated that even Liu Xiyan at her peak might not be able to block it!

To survive such a terrifying sword light, one probably needed to be promoted to a supreme powerhouse!

"What a sin, this last sword is too terrifying!"

Mo Fan was resigned to his fate.

"Do I really have to wait until I'm invincible to pass the trial here?

"Isn't that a bit too difficult?"

... After an unknown period, Mo Fan felt a gentle energy enveloping his consciousness.

Then, he watched with his own eyes as his body gradually condensed.

After a dozen breaths, Mo Fan's body returned to normal.

Mo Fan moved his limbs and nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad, it's as good as new."

Just then, an elderly figure with white hair and beard slowly emerged.

"Congratulations, you have passed the trial."

Mo Fan: "???"

(PS: It seems early, I'll go write some more...)