Eternal Supreme

Chapter 44: Sharp Gold Zhu Yan

"Where is Lin Mo?" Chi Honglian's voice rose with a hint of impatience.

"He hasn't finished the trial yet," Tian Xingzi suddenly interjected.

"Hasn't finished yet..." Chi Honglian's expression changed slightly. She couldn't help but snort coldly, "He's probably hiding in some corner by now. Master, I think we should just end the trial now and bring him back. After all, there's no way he can pass the test."

"Bring him back?" Tian Xingzi chuckled softly, "Honglian, why do you have so little faith in Lin Mo? Could there be some misunderstanding between you two?"

"Misunderstanding? There's nothing like that between us," Chi Honglian averted her gaze and continued, "Master, it's not because of any misunderstanding that I'm targeting him. Lin Mo has been at the bottom of the rankings in the Outer Court for two years. For someone like him to bribe his way into our Tianxing Branch, it's disgraceful. And even if he were honest and humble, I might overlook it, but he's arrogant and ignorant..."

Pausing for a moment, Chi Honglian's expression grew more serious, "So, I believe that with Lin Mo's abilities, he cannot possibly pass the first trial. Instead of wasting resources on the teleportation array, we should end the trial now."

"I can't end the trial," Tian Xingzi shook his head.

"Master... You have the authority to end the first trial," Chi Honglian quickly insisted.

"If it were the first trial, I could end it directly. The problem is..." Tian Xingzi paused briefly before continuing, "Lin Mo is not taking the first trial; he's in the third trial."

"Even if it's the third trial..." Chi Honglian hurriedly picked up the conversation, but as the words left her mouth, she abruptly stopped. She stared at Tian Xingzi in shock, "What... What did you just say? Lin Mo... is in the third trial?"

Her voice faltered as she emphasized every word, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief, as if waiting for Tian Xingzi to confirm.

Tian Xingzi nodded slightly.

Boom!

It was as if a thunderbolt had struck her. Chi Honglian's mind went blank, staring ahead in a daze. The news that Lin Mo was participating in the third trial echoed like a curse in her head.

How could this be possible...

Chi Honglian felt her strength drain away. This revelation completely shattered her previous assumptions. How could someone who had been at the bottom of the rankings in the Outer Court for two years, someone who was arrogant and boastful, be eligible to take the third trial?

It must be noted that the third trial of the Tianxing Branch was highly special, not only carrying significant meaning but also requiring strict qualifications to participate.

In the third trial.

Boom!

A thunderous roar echoed as a young man crashed into the midst of the bronze statues like a meteor. The sharp energy he released caused cracks to spread across the statues, with some even shattering under the force.

The jade-paved ground beneath him cracked as the young man crouched low, his head bowed. The exposed skin of his body gleamed with a metallic luster, every muscle brimming with powerful physical strength, as if he were made of real iron, exuding a sense of immense weight.

More bronze statues rushed toward the young man. These statues were more solid, forged with special materials that emitted a unique sheen, making them far stronger and tougher than the previous ones.

This was the last group of bronze statues, the strongest yet, and it was also Lin Mo's final opportunity to break through to the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Overlord Body.

The suffocating sense of impending death closed in on Lin Mo, but instead of fear, a smile appeared on his face.

He raised his leg and took a step forward...

The impact of his body caused the air to explode with a sonic boom, as he transformed into a streak of light, charging into the midst of the bronze statues. This was a moment of life and death—if he failed, Lin Mo might die here, so he pushed aside all other thoughts, entering a state of mind where he was neither happy nor sad.

The shadow of the ancient beast emerged once more. This time, it was covered in golden lines, with its face still shrouded in darkness. After five consecutive life-and-death trials, the shadow of the ancient beast was close to fully materializing.

Lin Mo activated his Sharp Gold Spirit to its fullest. This was his only chance, as the bronze statues had already launched their attacks. The overwhelming barrage was enough to crush any lower-level beast with a strong physique.

The Sharp Gold Spirit, pushed to its limit, released a brilliant beam of golden light at the final moment, which injected into the head of the ancient beast's shadow, completely illuminating the previously dark area.

Hum!

A piercing sound shot up into the sky, like the birth of a divine weapon.

The ancient beast fully materialized—it was the Sharp Gold Zhu Yan. In ancient times, it was a creature comparable to the Kunpeng, ruling over all sharp metal in the world. Its appearance would herald endless slaughter.

The sharpness of its golden power was unrivaled, cutting through everything.

Slash!

Lin Mo leaped high into the air and came crashing down. The Sharp Gold Zhu Yan behind him descended like a massive blade, and the golden light engulfed the jade-paved ground, sweeping up the bronze statues and reducing them to fragments.

Once again, everything returned to silence.

Looking at the shattered remains of the bronze statues, Lin Mo felt a tinge of regret. He had come so close to breaking through to the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Overlord Body. But it wasn't all bad; the journey had brought him significant gains. Not only had he fully materialized the shadow of the ancient beast, but his cultivation had also advanced to the mid-stage of the Huayuan Realm.

At the end of the jade-paved road stood a jade platform, and Lin Mo now noticed a dark jade slip sealed on it. This jade slip looked similar to the one that contained the Star Technique he had seen before, but it was entirely different, with swirling nebulae on its surface, exuding a mysterious aura.

As Lin Mo approached the jade platform, it seemed to respond, shattering into pieces as the dark jade slip floated into his hand.

"Five hundred years... Finally, someone has come to inherit it," a faint voice echoed from within the dark jade slip.

"Who's there?" Lin Mo called out.

But there was no answer. Clearly, it was a lingering consciousness, possibly from the first headmaster of the Tianxing Branch, and the jade slip was likely something left behind by that first headmaster.

After staring at the dark jade slip for a moment, Lin Mo sent his consciousness into it.

Suddenly, a force pushed his consciousness out, accompanied by another lingering thought.

"Only after reaching the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Overlord Body can this jade slip be opened?" Lin Mo frowned. He tried to send his consciousness into it again, but the mysterious force continued to repel him, preventing him from seeing what was inside.

After several attempts with the same result, Lin Mo finally gave up. It was clear that only by reaching the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Overlord Body could he unlock the jade slip. He would have to wait until then to see what it contained.