If Adrian hadn’t been strong enough, his soul would likely have been destroyed by now.Kayne hovered in midair, his robes fluttering as he calmly said, “I haven’t taken an apprentice in thirty years because I’ve been waiting for someone capable of inheriting my legacy. Adrian, you’re the most promising person I’ve encountered in these thirty years. But to inherit my full legacy, you must first pass this trial. If you’re cut down by these thousands of swords, it will simply mean you’re not up to the task.”‘What? What kind of logic is that?!’ Adrian thought. It seemed that even if Kayne took on an apprentice, a single misstep could mean their demise under his relentless attacks.Amidst the sea of swords, Adrian searched for a way to break the formation. But Kayne’s overwhelming power left no gaps, offering Adrian no chance to escape.‘No choice. Looks like I’ll have to fight head-on.’ Adrian steeled himself.Though his soul was separated from his body, he could still condense his e
Adrian followed the voice and saw Kayne approaching with a smile. The latter laughed heartily as if the recent events had not affected him at all.Adrian smiled and quickly apologized, “I’m really sorry. My skills are still lacking, and I had to resort to such a desperate move to secure a chance of survival. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”Kayne waved dismissively. “Your current level isn’t enough to harm me. No need to worry.”Kayne then took a moment to carefully assess Adrian and praised him, “There’s no need for modesty. That last move was unexpected and showed your sharp wit and extraordinary potential. I’m grateful I decided to take you as my apprentice.”Adrian was surprised by the high praise from Kayne. “Since you hold me in such high regard, I’ll train diligently and make sure not to disappoint your expectations.” He bowed respectfully.Kayne laughed even louder. “Good! Let’s not waste time then. Follow me.”He turned and walked deeper into the core of Sword Peak. Adrian fol
The molten lava harbored an almost inexhaustible, scorching power. As Adrian entered it, he instantly felt as though his very consciousness was on the brink of melting away."So powerful!" Adrian exclaimed. However, his will was incredibly strong, and he wasn’t easily defeated. He quickly focused his mind and began to circulate the Cosmic Severance. Soon, he created a barrier that kept the scorching heat at bay.As time passed, Adrian realized that the lava was affecting him less. He knew he had to delve even deeper. He sank further into the lava and as he descended, the heat intensified, with the molten lava wrapping around him like fiery dragons trying to incinerate him.Adrian burst into laughter. "Come, bring it on! Let’s see what you can do to me!"The Cosmic Severance was like a self-torture practice. The more intense the lava’s power that one could endure, the stronger their body would become.‘Kayne’s record was reaching 30,000 miles underground. I’m only about 100 miles d
Unfortunately, his body trembled violently from the impact. In an instant, his blood surged, making it difficult to resist the pressure.‘Damn it!’ Adrian cursed inwardly. He realized that he had been maintaining his technique during the confrontation. Quickly stopping, he focused on the creature."What are you, and why are you here?" he asked.The creature seemed taken aback by Adrian’s ability to withstand its attack. It didn’t dare make any rash moves and replied in a deep voice, "I am the guardian spirit of this place. Who are you to dare intrude upon this forbidden ground?""Forbidden ground? guardian spirit?" Adrian’s heart skipped a beat. Normally, such a deep underground location would not harbor any living beings, so why was there a guardian spirit here?Remaining cautious, Adrian responded, "I'm an apprentice of Purecastle, and I’m here to train. If you know what’s good for you, you'd best step aside." He pointed his sword at the guardian spirit.The guardian spirit's
Adrian felt a sudden chill through his heart. ‘If the lava beast is right, then who was the Cosmic Sword Elder I encountered?’ he thought.Meanwhile, Leland the Alchemy Elder was watching the flickering flames in the furnace before him. Just then, Amo the Arcane Arts Elder entered alongside Tyron and Jonty. Amo looked somber as if something weighed heavily on his mind. Even Tyron and Jonty looked grim.Leland looked at them and asked in puzzlement, “What is it? Is something wrong?”Amo responded, “Leland, I’m not the one who has something to tell you. These apprentices do.”Leland was puzzled, wondering what business the two apprentices could have with him. After all, Tyron and Jonty had only recently joined Purecastle. Nonetheless, he asked, “What do you need?”Tyron and Jonty exchanged glances before one of them said, "Sir, we—"Boom!Suddenly, a thunderous roar sounded. "What's happening?!"Everyone was shocked. They rushed outside to look, only to see a towering pillar of
Rumble!The half-collapsed castle crashed onto their barrier, causing a shockwave that shocked everyone. Although the barrier remained intact, debris and countless boulders pounded against it.Even the elders dared not get complacent when faced with such a relentless attack. At that moment, Darcie questioned, “What’s going on?! Where’s Kayne?!”Leland and Amo’s expressions turned grim when they heard her question, and the former replied, “I’m afraid Kayne won’t be here.”Suddenly, a voice echoed, “That’s a pretty bold statement, Leland.”A figure bathed in a red light appeared before them—it was Kayne. However, he radiated a terrifying aura that made him seem different from the person they once knew."Kayne!"His arrival shocked everyone.Amo scoffed and said, “No one would’ve expected the esteemed Cosmic Sword Elder to be a spy for the daemonic god. Your efforts to eradicate the daemonic god were just for show, weren’t they?”Kayne cackled. Then, he sneered and said, “I wante
The streams of light pursued Keegan, aiming to strike him down. However, he withdrew into the formation to avoid the deadly strike. It seemed Kayne’s power had grown far beyond what it was before. Although he was the strongest among the elders, the red light clearly amplified his strength. His brief exchange with Keegan showed that no one could defeat him now.“You have only one fate left—death!” Kayne leaped into the air. His power surged and caused the surrounding blood mist to morph into massive and grotesque faces that hurtled toward the others.Leland shouted, “Defend!”Everyone raised their hands and reinforced the formation.Then, Leland said, “Let me handle this.”He was the most powerful among the elders besides Kayne. The former waved and unsheathed two swords. Those were Leland’s most treasured weapons, Flowing Moon and Azure Mist. These were divine artifacts. The two swords resembled formidable forces that shot toward the sky when Leland drew them.Kayne looked at the
The lava beast's form flickered before transforming into a man with a head of red hair, clad in a red robe. He stood before Adrian, gazing at him with an unreadable expression.Adrian clasped his hands respectfully and said, "Sir, could you please take me to see Mr. Kayne?"The lava beast studied him for a moment before responding, "You don't seem like a bad person. Very well, follow me."With that, he tore through the surrounding void, carrying Adrian across an infinite expanse and deeper into the earth. Adrian was amazed. Despite the countless streams of lava in the underground space, none came close to him as long as the lava beast was nearby.Soon, they passed through layers of molten lava and arrived at the deepest part of the earth's core. A vast underground cavern stretched out before them. It seemed to be naturally formed, but there were clear signs of human craftsmanship.At the center of the cavern was a lone figure sat cross-legged. Though still some distance away, Adri