The black-clad figures, armed with weapons and magical artifacts, were clearly no ordinary troublemakers. As soon as they entered the inn, they began scanning the room as if searching for someone.Adrian recognized these people’s attire as identical to the Daemaxim members he had previously encountered, entirely giving away who had sent them. Adrian was impressed by how quickly Daemaxim mobilized its members. It had been only a short time since he killed those people, and they were already hunting him down.Realizing the danger, Adrian subtly used his powers to alter his appearance as the innkeeper approached the Daemaxims with a cautious smile and asked, “Esteemed guests, what brings you to our humble establishment?”The presence of the Daemaxims had clearly unsettled the inn’s patrons, but the innkeeper dared not confront them directly and only inquired tentatively.One of the Daemaxims, clearly the leader, replied, “An evil outsider immortal came here and killed more than ten of
“Indeed, it is a regretful thing,” someone said.“Regretful? As immortals, we should take it upon ourselves to exterminate evil and uphold justice. Daemaxim has been acting recklessly for too long, and it’s only natural that they face public outrage. I’m actually cheering for this young man and think he’s doing a good job!” a loud-voiced person boomed.However, his words were quickly countered by others in the inn.“A good job? If it means being outcasted, it’s best not to get involved.”“Perhaps there is a way,” a young guest sitting in another corner of the inn spoke up. “I heard that the faraway Purecastle is recruiting apprentices. They haven’t accepted new apprentices for hundreds of years, so their doors being open now must mean something. If that young man truly has the intention, seeking the protection of Purecastle could help him stand against Daemaxim.”“Purecastle…” Upon hearing this name, everyone’s eyes showed a hint of reverence. It was clear that the Purecastle was
The three figures sneered coldly. “Trying to run now? In this remote jungle, no one will come to your rescue.” They began to conjure a swirling mass of daemonic essence in their hands.Seeing their preparations for an attack, the woman slowly closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate.Suddenly, a surge of sword essence erupted from the depths of the forest. Caught off guard by the unexpected assault, the three hurriedly raised their defenses. They managed to dispel the sword essence and demanded, “Who is it? How dare you interfere? Are you seeking death?”“You said no one would come to save her. Well, here I am. Do you have anything else to say?”As these challenging words echoed through the forest, a powerful figure slowly emerged from the shadows. The man exuded an overwhelming sharpness, and wherever he moved, the daemonic essence dispersed.The woman, who had lost all hope, saw Adrian and felt a glimmer of hope rekindled.Adrian positioned himself in front of her, blocki
Boom!A thunderous sound echoed as the attack struck heavily against the barrier. Thick dust and smoke billowed, but Adrian remained unmoved. The Undersea Sovereigns felt a surge of wariness seeing this scene. The fact that Adrian could remain so calm while blocking such a terrifying attack indicated his considerable strength.Realizing the gravity of the situation, the other two Sovereigns drew their swords, joining their leader. The three blades combined in mid-air, creating thousands of sharp edges that all slashed toward Adrian.“We’ll see if you can withstand our combined attack!”With the three swords launched, the sky seemed to change color. The terrifying aura caused dark clouds to gather, turning the previously clear weather into a gloomy, overcast state. The forest was enveloped in a sudden chilling wind. This was the supreme art of the Undersea Sovereigns: the Heavenly Dark Sword Technique.The woman on the ground was horrified as the environment drastically changed. Th
This seemingly unimpressive young man was certainly extraordinary to provoke such a response from the Undersea Sovereigns. The sword rain he brought roared like a torrential downpour, turning mountains and trees to dust, but this was far from the end.Amid the fierce sword rain, Adrian's calm voice cut through, “Gaze upon true swordsmanship!”At these words, everything fell silent. The sword intent ceased its fury, and the chaotic winds and clouds calmed, as if time itself had stopped. But the eerie calm lasted only a moment before a celestial light erupted. A powerful aura of the holy sword emerged, splitting the heavens and earth like a raging sea. With a single strike, it sliced through the Heavenly Dark Sword Technique!“Damn it, retreat!” the Undersea Sovereigns shouted in shock, instantly shifting from offense to defense.The slashed sword intent transformed into countless barriers before them, trying to block Adrian’s overwhelming sword force. But Adrian striked only when ab
The woman introduced herself as Irene Moon, an apprentice from a small immortal faction that was wiped out in a battle. She had fled through the wilderness for a long time before finding a glimmer of hope. However, her journey led her to the Undersea Sovereigns, three malevolent immortals who feed on others' life essence. They targeted her due to her severe injuries, which worsened through their battles.After sharing her story, Irene said, “In any case, I must thank you. My injuries are stabilized now. Please take me to Purecastle. They can help me fully heal.”“It just so happens that I’m also heading to Purecastle. I’ll accompany you. It’s better to have someone to look out for you along the way.”They continued their journey, though their progress was slow due to Irene’s injuries. It took them three days to reach Purecastle's territory. Along the way, they passed through small towns where Adrian noticed posters from Daemaxim seeking him. To avoid trouble, he had to change his ap
After considering the request, Irene said, "If you want to join Purecastle, there might be other ways. You don’t necessarily have to participate in the trial."Adrian was surprised. "How?""Well, that's a secret. You'll find out eventually. Since you saved me, it's only fair that I help you a little," Irene replied.Just then, a group of people in white robes approached. When they reached Irene, the leader bowed and asked, "Lady Irene?"Adrian was caught off guard. 'Lady Irene? They know her?' he thought, suddenly recalling Irene's earlier words and realizing she must be connected to them.Irene nodded. "Yes, that’s me.""In that case, please come with us. Master Eiden instructed us to wait for you, and we can't neglect our duty," the leader said.The group began to escort Irene away, but she stopped them and said, "Wait a moment, Orson. I need your help with something.""Yes?" Orson Thatcher frowned.Irene recounted her recent experiences and added, "My friend here saved my l
Irene was at a loss for words at Adrian’s response. After a moment, she sighed deeply and said, "Well, fine. Be careful then."Orson added, "Please do your best, Mr. Adrian. I look forward to seeing you among the ranks of Purecastle." With that, he and his group escorted Irene into Purecastle.As Adrian watched them depart, he smiled and said, "Hm, Purecastle, huh? This should be interesting."As Orson had mentioned, Purecastle’s recruitment this time was substantial. Normally, they only took in three hundred new apprentices each year, but this time the number had been expanded to one thousand. Anyone who could pass the trials, regardless of their background, would be made an apprentice.Before the trials began, Adrian observed the other participants. He noticed several individuals with impressive strength among them, even those he couldn't completely underestimate.The trials were divided into three stages. The first stage required participants to traverse a canyon. Those who cou