Xu Mu took a step forward, his hunting knife slashing down. A pure black fissure instantly appeared in space.
The knife seemed to cleave through the void.
Situ Zhen's expression grew grave. His ten fingers splayed forward, transforming into ten thick tentacles like iron willows, reaching out to engulf Xu Mu. Each tentacle was covered in dense, tiny black holes.
These small holes were continuously absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Xu Mu's blade naturally fell within this absorption range. Thus, the terrifying black edge of his knife was temporarily stuck by the ten iron willow tentacles.
"What!"
Seeing his knife caught, the anger in Xu Mu's heart subsided significantly, his mind momentarily stunned.
Based on his perception, Situ Zhen, despite hiding his strength, was at most at the same realm as him, and his foundation was far less stable. Yet, his current strike, infused with the spiritual energy gained from his enlightenment, possessed immense killing power. How could it be stopped?
"Die!"
Situ Zhen roared. His ten iron fingers multiplied, firmly clamping Xu Mu and his hunting knife in their center.
Xu Mu gripped his knife with one hand, while his other hand and legs strained to maintain space, preventing himself from being fully ensnared. At the same time, he understood what was happening.
This was an illusion realm, and all of them, including their artifacts, talismans, and elixirs, were virtual items automatically replicated by the realm.
The strength and quality of these replicated items depended on the level of the illusion realm itself.
An illusion realm used as the first round of trials for the Ten Thousand Races Assembly was undoubtedly among the top-tier illusion realms on this continent. Yet, even so, it could not replicate the powerful attributes of Xu Mu's hunting knife. This was because the knife was a sacred relic, left behind by a demon god during the era of gods and demons, a shard of a horn that even the human emperor Fuxi could not shatter.
Therefore, what Xu Mu held in his hand was perhaps just a slightly tougher hunting knife.
With such a knife, no matter how great Xu Mu's strength or power, it would only be equivalent to Situ Zhen's spiritual ability. Naturally, it would be held fast.
So, what was to be done now?
Xu Mu's muscles bulged, his Dao origin attaching to his skin. A surge of thunderous momentum was instantly unleashed, coursing through the iron fingers and into Situ Zhen's body.
The lightning was fierce. Situ Zhen's body stiffened, his mind went blank, and the grip of his hands naturally loosened. Xu Mu seized the opportunity to break free from the restraint.
Xu Mu, holding his hunting knife with both hands, his face grim, channeled his spiritual energy and spun a circle of blade light in the air. As a result, Situ Zhen's ten iron fingers were severed.
"Ah!!!"
Just as Situ Zhen recovered from the shock of being electrocuted, he immediately felt the pain of his severed fingers and began to scream.
On the other side, Situ Zhen's fellow disciple, shocked by this turn of events, opened his mouth and unleashed a viper-like shadow, intending to bite off Xu Mu's head.
Xu Mu's Dao origin and blood qi surged forth. With a backhand punch, he struck the viper shadow. The dark golden Dao origin, upon contact with the shadow's body, instantly purified the viper with its burning, pure energy. This punch from Xu Mu landed squarely on the young man.
*Boom!*
As the punch landed, the youth crossed his arms to meet it, his posture stable and defensive. Yet, he was still sent staggering back more than twenty meters by the terrifying force. He crashed into the labyrinth wall behind him, leaving a shallow indentation before he finally managed to stop.
"Such strength!"
The three onlookers, all ability users, couldn't help but exclaim. They had already retreated to a far corner of the labyrinth. Situ Zhen and his disciple, who had attacked without warning, were too powerful, capable of casually killing Hai Shan. They feared being caught in the crossfire.
But no one had expected that Xu Mu, who was usually silent in their team, had also hidden his strength, and to a far greater extent than the Situ Zhen brothers. Fighting both of them, he was not at a disadvantage at all, even severing Situ Zhen's ten fingers!
Situ Zhen channeled his spiritual energy to form new fingers where the old ones were severed. He then stood shoulder to shoulder with the youth, his gaze fixed on Xu Mu with a wary expression.
"I am Fu Jing, the chief disciple of the First Kill Sect of Qianfeng Domain. This is my brother, Fu Ze."
Fu Jing, disguised as Situ Zhen, stared at Xu Mu and spoke first, cupping his fist. "May I know your name?"
Xu Mu narrowed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the urge to charge forward and cleave them both with a single blow. He replied, "My name is Mu Xu. I am from the Jiang family. I already told you when we formed the team."
"Also, if that introduction was your last words, then I think you two can go die!"
"Wait!"
Fu Jing's facial muscles twitched violently. His expression turned ugly as he said, "Brother Mu Xu, there were many misunderstandings before. Had we known you were so strong, we wouldn't have harbored such intentions."
"My brother and I are willing to offer some compensation for what happened, and we sincerely invite you to join us. With our combined strength, passing this round would be a piece of cake!"
Fu Jing looked at Xu Mu with a smile. In his opinion, Xu Mu could not refuse his offer, as there was no substantial conflict between them.
In the face of profit, conflicts could be dismissed as mere misunderstandings.
"No."
To Fu Jing's surprise, Xu Mu refused.
He stared at the Fu brothers, killing intent surging in his eyes. He charged forward again, muttering, "Some things cannot be covered up by simple misunderstandings and compensation."
"If you hadn't killed Hai Shan, perhaps this matter could have been discussed. But now, it's impossible. I must avenge him!"
"We offered you wine, but you prefer to drink the dregs. Since you don't want things to go smoothly, my brother and I are not pushovers!" Fu Jing's face turned ugly as he once again unleashed his iron hand ability, his entire arm beginning to multiply.
"Fu Ze, you attack the left flank!"
"I don't fear you both attacking me at once!" Xu Mu's eyes were sharp. He controlled his hunting knife, finding the right angle, and directly split Fu Jing's iron hand. The chaotic and terrifying cutting intent lashed out at Fu Jing, tearing his clothes into countless strips and leaving him bloody and mangled.
Meanwhile, Fu Ze pulled two solid black and white Yama figures from the void, intending to judge Xu Mu. The spiritual energy fluctuations were terrifying.
However, at the critical moment, Xu Mu did not turn to deal with him. Instead, he used one hand to grab Fu Jing, who was trying to escape, and the other hand gripping his hunting knife, he pierced Fu Jing's heart.
*Ssssh!*
A spray of blood. The hunting knife emerged from Fu Jing's back. A look of disbelief flickered in his eyes, and he slowly collapsed.
He could not comprehend that he, the chief disciple of the First Kill Sect of Qianfeng Domain, a top genius with prospects of reaching the final battle of the Ten Thousand Races Assembly, would fall here and be killed.
Even more incomprehensible was why Xu Mu, ignoring his junior brother's abilities, insisted on killing him. Did Xu Mu not fear dying as well?
Fu Jing soon found the answer to this question.
In the last moment of his life, Xu Mu pulled out his knife, turned, and charged at Fu Ze.
Fu Ze, at this moment, was in the air, frozen in fear by a shadow, unable to move.
Xu Mu's blade descended, and Fu Ze's head fell.
*Splat!*
Fu Ze and Fu Jing, the two brothers, were dead.
Xu Mu looked at the three corpses on the ground and then called out in a hoarse voice to the three people in the corner of the labyrinth.
"Brothers, please dig a hole and bury Hai Shan's body. As for Fu Ze and Fu Jing, do whatever you please."
After speaking, Xu Mu walked towards the three men, knife in hand. They exchanged glances, their expressions tightening, but they did not flee. They knew Xu Mu was fast. If they fought together, they might have a slim chance of survival. If hunted individually, death was certain.
In the end, things did not unfold as they had imagined. After giving his instructions for digging and burying, Xu Mu walked past them without looking back, and gradually disappeared into a corner of the labyrinth.
The three men were stunned again.
"What do we do?" The support-type ability user walked up to Hai Shan's corpse, suppressing nausea, and asked the other two hesitantly.
"Let's do it. It's just digging a hole and burying someone. If that guy digs the hole, I'm afraid he'll bury all three of us."
...
Xu Mu held the light sphere and navigated the labyrinth, turning left and right. Soon, he saw the exit of the labyrinth.
He emerged from the labyrinth in just half an hour.
The reason, of course, was that the light sphere that dropped from the skeleton spirit beast he had killed was a map guiding participants out of the labyrinth.
In fact, the moment Xu Mu held the light sphere, he knew it was the map. He had also intended to share it with Situ Zhen, Hai Shan, and the others to exit the labyrinth, but then events unfolded as they did.
As for the three men who had chosen to stand by when he was being attacked, Xu Mu saw no reason to extend any favors and lead them out.
...
Emerging from the labyrinth, he entered the final area of this illusion realm. Here stood four towering gates, each describing a different trial. Only by passing these final trials could one be considered to have passed the first round.
Xu Mu arrived and browsed the trials behind the four gates. He found that, in order, they tested comprehension, soul, physique, and combat skills.
Xu Mu excelled in all four. His physique and combat skills were honed through near-death experiences. Thus, he casually chose combat.
Upon entering the fourth gate, he was first greeted by a dark, black passage.
He could sense that at the end of the passage, there were a terrifying number of demonic beasts. Perhaps a hundred, perhaps two hundred, but Xu Mu was not afraid. Instead, a hint of fervent battle intent ignited in his eyes.
Xu Mu gripped his hunting knife and quickened his pace, finally leaping forward with a roar, charging into the vast sea of beasts to begin his slaughter.
These beasts were mostly of the first and second stages. There were flying ones, ground-dwelling ones, and even aquatic ones. Their numbers were vast, and their combat power was formidable. Xu Mu could tell they were evolved from beasts that truly knew how to hunt.
Thus, he fought with some difficulty. The sheer number of beasts meant that as soon as one wave was cleared, another appeared. Even when all seemed cleared, another group would emerge from some dark corner or passage.
Xu Mu's nerves were taut. He attached his shadow ability to his back, his senses sharp in all directions. His hunting knife, combined with his blade intent, and utilizing his physical prowess and years of hunting experience to their utmost, he soon annihilated wave after wave of great beasts.
After an unknown amount of time, a new wave of great beasts surged forth. This time, their strength was greater, with ten of them at the peak of the second stage.
Xu Mu fought, killing them at the cost of moderate injuries.
Following this, many more waves of demonic beasts emerged. Xu Mu continued to fight and cut. This went on for two days and two nights, until the last wave of beasts was completely annihilated by Xu Mu.
Exhausted, Xu Mu almost thought he could rest. But just then, a familiar skeleton slowly emerged from the cave.
Its eyes flickered with a faint green ghost fire, exuding a powerful aura, and it held a bone club in its hand.
It was the third-stage skeleton spirit beast.
This was the final monster Xu Mu had to face in this round of trials. Killing it meant Xu Mu would successfully pass.
Thus, before the skeletal spirit beast could charge, Xu Mu gripped his hunting knife and swung it at him!
...
Outside, in the clouds above the Sacred City.
Countless young ability users participating in the competition sat in contemplation. Their expressions alternated between wild joy and deep sorrow, reflecting the experiences they were undergoing in the illusion realm.
As time passed, one young figure after another fell, signifying their demise. Likewise, one after another ability user crushed the jade slips in their hands and were sent out of the clouds by the light screen.
These were individuals who had not passed the first round of illusion realm trials.
"Is this trial perhaps too difficult?" kuAiδugg
On the viewing platforms, elders from numerous sects and families frowned as they observed the trials within the illusion realms, questioning whether the first round was too difficult and if anyone could possibly pass.
For fifteen days had passed since the first round began. During this time, young geniuses continuously awoke and continuously died, yet not a single person had managed to pass the trial.
"That fellow possesses formidable strength. His swordsmanship is superb. Not only did he dispatch the skeleton spirit beast with a single blow, but he also fought two opponents of hidden strength and killed them. Truly impressive."
High in the clouds, a middle-aged man with a sparse beard commented with surprise as he watched Xu Mu in the illusion realm.
Xu Mu's level of strength was among the strongest he had seen among the many individuals in the illusion realm.
Of course, the illusion realm could only project fixed scenes. Prodigies from major clans often deliberately avoided the line of sight to conceal their abilities. Thus, they rarely saw combat footage of the top-tier geniuses. Xu Mu was one of the stronger ones among those whose displays were revealed.
Another man in a yellow robe beside him said with a grave expression, "Indeed, Brother Qi. You may not know this."
"The two individuals that fellow killed were the strongest geniuses from a sect within the Qianfeng Domain of the Tao family, named Fu Jing and Fu Ze respectively."
"Their strength was considerable. They had previously joined forces outside to kill a third-stage demonic beast and were considered potential contenders for top honors for the Tao family. To think they would die here, slain by that blade."
The bearded man was even more surprised. The Tao family was one of the Hundred Clans. A major clan possessed territories spanning only five domains.
This meant that under the Hundred Clans, the strongest geniuses from each domain, combined, numbered less than five hundred people.
Fu Jing and Fu Ze, as part of those five hundred, even if they couldn't compete for the supreme position, could at least contend for a ranking around the top thousand among hundreds of thousands of participants. Their strength was indeed considerable.
Yet, even so, they were killed by that youth, alone, with a single blade.
Someone recognized that the youth was from the Jiang family.
After much discussion, everyone learned that Xu Mu was an adopted member of the Jiang family. During the preliminary rounds, he had displayed third-stage physical combat power, indicating great strength.
"If that's the case, then with some more dedicated cultivation, he should have no problem passing this trial," the bearded man nodded and remarked. "It's just a matter of when he will emerge and whether he will have the strength to contend for the supreme position."
The man in the yellow robe beside him was about to reply with a smile when a collective gasp arose from the crowd. They immediately followed the gazes of everyone towards the illusion realm.
In the illusion realm, Xu Mu had just emerged from the labyrinth and entered the cave trial for combat skills. Meanwhile, another handsome figure in white robes, hands behind his back, his feet treading on a gentle breeze, leisurely flew out of the cave.
He arrived before the final teleportation array, stepped onto it, and then vanished within the illusion realm.
Everyone's gaze then turned to a sitting figure in the clouds.
The next second, that figure stood up.
The light screen did not move him away but instead led him to a separate cloud, away from the others. This was because he had passed the first round of trials and was the first genius to emerge from the illusion realm.
"That is the strongest genius of the Zuo clan, Zuo Mingqiu, hailed as the number one lord of the Nine Heavens Domain. He cultivates the Dao of Following Intent and is a disciple of Mount Tian. Many consider him the strongest genius in this Ten Thousand Races Assembly, capable of contending for the supreme position. It seems their judgment was not wrong!"
Someone exclaimed, gazing into the distance at a youth standing alone on another white cloud. The youth trod on a gentle breeze, his steps unhurried and his gaze calm, showing no hint of panic whatsoever. It was clear that the first round of trials posed no threat to him.
"When he appeared from the illusion realm, I observed him closely. It seems he advanced to the third stage within the illusion realm itself. No wonder he emerged so quickly!" A domain lord from the Hundred Clans said with a grave expression. Zuo Mingqiu was monstrous enough in the outside world, but to recover his strength so quickly and cultivate to the third stage within this round was simply astonishing.
"Look, another one is about to emerge!"
After a bout of discussion, someone else exclaimed. Everyone's gaze shifted, and they saw a long-haired youth in a simple cloth shirt, a blade of grass in his mouth, and his sword at his side, slowly walking forward from the teleportation array.
"It's the Young Sword Saint of the Chen family! He's out too!"
As Chen Changkong stood up, his identity was recognized. He was the universally acclaimed Young Sword Saint of the Hundred Clans, his sword talent unparalleled. Although his realm was only at the peak of the second stage, he had slain more than one third-stage demonic beast with his own hands.
"Chen Changkong is the second person to pass. Although he was a bit slower than Zuo Mingqiu, it's hard to say who would win between them!"
Someone mused. In this round, as long as the time difference in passing was not too great, it was difficult to definitively say who was stronger. After all, everyone had different strengths.
After Zuo Mingqiu, who cultivated the natural laws of heaven and earth, and the Young Sword Saint Chen Changkong passed the trials, more and more people successfully passed.
"Zhuo Jie of the Jialan clan, the first Earth Fiend. He cultivates ghost arts. He is the third person to emerge!"
"Li Guang is out too! He possesses the heart of an array master, making the slaying of demonic beasts effortless!"
"And Xuanyuan Shennian, and Nangong Huaitian. These two strongest female geniuses of the Hundred Clans sequentially stepped onto the teleportation array, their expressions calm. Nangong Huaitian's veil did not even stir slightly. It seems this trial was child's play for them!"
As time went by, more and more geniuses emerged from the illusion realm. Soon, the number accumulated to a hundred. All of them were undoubtedly top-tier geniuses whose names were well-known in the Hundred Clans region, with only a handful being obscure reclusive cultivators.
Xu Mu, who had initially shocked them and even briefly made them question his eligibility for the supreme position, was gradually forgotten. The facts proved he was not qualified. Many had emerged before him, and with seemingly effortless ease.
But they had no idea that Xu Mu's slow progress was due to it being his first cultivation experience, thus putting him at a disadvantage in terms of realm advancement.
However, as time passed, Xu Mu also finished killing the demonic beasts and emerged from the illusion realm.
At this point, there were already over seven hundred geniuses ahead of him!
...