Sword Forest

Sword Forest.

The sheer power of that icy chill was beyond terrifying. It didn't just freeze flesh; it could congeal blood and even disrupt the flow of astral energy within its hapless victim. If this relentless frost managed to encase his internal organs, death would be inevitable. That snowman wasn't playing games; it meant business, the business of death.

As Qin Wentian pondered this, a surge of heat coursed through his veins, his blood boiling with determination. He invoked his ancestral bloodline and unleashed the Fiend Art Transformation, causing a torrent of ominous qi to emanate from him.

"SHATTER!" He roared, and the ice crystals forming on his limbs shattered into a thousand glimmering shards. Above him, the shadow of a primordial roc briefly eclipsed the sky.

Yet, the icy onslaught persisted, its frigid embrace unyielding.

"Fiend Art Transformation!" Qin Wentian snarled again, the demonic qi intensifying. His body underwent a profound metamorphosis into a smaller but still impressive roc.

However, some parts of his body remained ensnared by the ice. He flapped his wings with fervor, sending forth razor-sharp beams of sword light. These beams converged into a colossal, regal blade that plunged deep into the earth. This was his Astral Nova. A strange, piercing melody emanated from it, its tune shattering the icy shackles.

Yet, at this very moment, a frenzied snowflake storm erupted, blanketing the great roc in a blinding white.

"Bzzz!"

The roc soared into the sky, the regal sword on the ground ascending with it. The eerie melody persisted, annihilating the encroaching snowflakes.

Qin Wentian's keen eyes scanned the area. Moments later, he transformed into a streak of light, plummeting to the ground like a comet. The Kingly Sword thrust voraciously, its slicing power sweeping through everything.

The roc acted decisively. Since he couldn't locate the snowman, he might as well obliterate all the snow in this space.

However, at this juncture, the snow on the ground surged in one direction, rapidly coalescing. Within seconds, a mammoth snow mountain emerged, growing exponentially with every heartbeat. It was as if all the snow in this world had converged on this solitary peak.

Qin Wentian's gaze fixed on this snowy mountain. In the form of the great roc, he ascended into the skies. The Kingly Sword's indomitable will radiated from his Sword Astral Nova, descending with cataclysmic force upon the snow mountain.

A terrifying vibrational energy permeated the space. Fissures marred the snowy mountain's surface, but they healed with astonishing speed. Simultaneously, a colossal ice sabre thrust upwards from the snow mountain, aimed at the great roc.

Qin Wentian hastily retreated, but the snowy mountain continued to expand. It reached colossal heights, a few thousand meters tall. It then underwent a bizarre transformation, sprouting limbs and facial features. It was the snowman he had battled earlier, but now it loomed thousands of times larger, its mere presence sending a bone-chilling shiver through Qin Wentian's very soul.

"Initially, I thought I'd have some fun with you. Who knew you'd be so dull?" The snowman's voice echoed with frostiness. With each step, the earth quaked. It extended a gigantic, snow-colored palm, reaching for the great roc.

Even before the colossal palm got close, a bone-chilling wave of icy energy descended like a vengeful blizzard. The great roc's entire body turned into an icicle, and with a furious flurry of wings, it vanished in the blink of an eye. The snowman's outstretched palm clamped on nothing, but a colossal ice crystal formed at its core.

"This world is vast, you can keep dodging—I don't mind at all. In fact, I'm having a blast. But remember, you'll be trapped here with me for eternity. I'm really looking forward to it. It's been ages since I had anyone to play with," the colossal snowman chortled mockingly, his words wiping the smile off Qin Wentian's face.

His adversary had adhered to the rules, suppressing his power to the second level of Heavenly Dipper. That's why Qin Wentian had been able to evade thus far. But even with his opponent handicapped, the snowman was enormous, thousands of meters tall, seemingly indestructible. How on earth was he going to win?

"His body's made of snow and ice. Unless I can obliterate it in one shot, I can't kill him," Qin Wentian thought in silence. His demonic blood surged, and a towering demonic qi erupted, temporarily elevating him to the next level. He now exuded an aura akin to a third-level Heavenly Dipper Sovereign.

"My bloodline's power can enhance my strength. But even at the third level, my actual cultivation remains at the second level of Heavenly Dipper," Qin Wentian explained. He stared at the snow giant, realizing that he hadn't expected to unleash his bloodline's power so early, making him uneasy about the trials that lay ahead. How much more terrifying could they be?

"Third level of Heavenly Dipper? What good will it do you?" the snow giant sneered.

In a swift motion, Qin Wentian reverted to his human form. Fearsome demonic scales encased him as the Mandate of Demons surged to its zenith. His body was shielded by layers of impervious draconic scales, and the Kingly Sword rested in his grip as he advanced.

With his current prowess, back in the outside world, he could effortlessly take down a fourth-level Heavenly Dipper Sovereign.

"I really want to see how many blows your body can withstand." Qin Wentian accelerated, a frigid gust accompanying the strengthening Mandate of Ice and Snow. His body began to freeze, every cell feeling as if it had turned to solid ice.

"DIE!"

While he still could move, Qin Wentian vanished, wielding the Kingly Sword with both hands, aiming for the snow giant's head. The Kingly Sword, his Astral Nova in condensed form, pierced through, propelled by the Mandate of Force. It blew apart the massive head of the snow giant, the chilling strains of the sword's keening melody echoing as it relentlessly disintegrated the icy frame.

"Swish!" Icy palms lunged at Qin Wentian, the Kingly Sword still lodged inside the giant. He sidestepped with a twist, employing the Stellar Transposition to appear behind the colossal figure. In an instant, he summoned a Heavenly Hammer, forged from his first Astral Nova, and brought it down with colossal force onto the giant's back.

"BOOOM!" His immense strength surged, and the vibrational shockwaves from his second-level insight infused his blows. Spiderweb-like fractures formed at the point of impact. In the next breath, torrents of sword qi coalesced into a vortex, and Qin Wentian thrust with a single finger, aiming to rend the heavens with a single jab! His Heaven Breaking Finger punctured the snow giant's body before he explosively retreated. The icy intent radiating from the giant was overpowering; stopping would turn him into a living icicle.

Keeping his distance from the snow giant, Qin Wentian's expression grew solemn as he gazed ahead. The combination of his attacks caused the entire giant to quake relentlessly.

Finally, with an earth-shattering boom, the snow giant crumbled into countless drifting snowflakes. The regular-sized snowman from earlier reappeared, peering at Qin Wentian.

"Your combat skills are decent," the snowman suddenly chuckled. "Congratulations, you've earned your way to the next level. However, don't expect it to be a cakewalk. Frankly, in your current state, passing the next trial is almost impossible. You better brace yourself."

With those words, the snowman transformed into a cascade of snowflakes, vanishing into thin air. In his wake, a staircase materialized, leading to another ancient path.

Snow began to fall once more, seemingly out of nowhere. Soon, the entire landscape was blanketed in white. Qin Wentian extended his hands, allowing the delicate snowflakes to land on his palm, savoring their fleeting chill before they melted away. Then, he shifted his gaze to the staircase. According to the snowman, the trials ahead would be even more challenging.

The Vermilion Bird had assigned the path of the Tyrant Emperor to Ouyang Kuangsheng and Chu Mang, the Blood Emperor's path to Mu Feng, and the Chaotic Devil Emperor's path to Bai Qing. But what had it chosen for him? If he managed to conquer all the trials on this path, what would he gain?

Qin Wentian sat down cross-legged in the snow, allowing it to pile up around him, burying him in a chilly cocoon. After tapping into the power of his demonic blood to temporarily increase his cultivation, it was only natural to feel fatigued and in need of recuperation.

Several days passed, and Qin Wentian rose to his feet. He made his way towards the staircase without hesitation, gazing upward. The instant he emerged at the top, the staircase vanished, and he found himself in another realm—a forest of swords.

"Bzzz!" An incredibly menacing sword qi immediately locked onto him. His face turned ashen as he surveyed the surroundings. Countless sharp swords floated in the air, each exuding tremendous sword power, as if they were ready to press him into oblivion. This was no ordinary forest—it was a forest of living, sentient swords, acting as one unified entity.

"This...," Qin Wentian murmured as he stared at the hovering swords, swaying like leaves on the trees of a real forest, their tips aimed directly at him, glimmering with swordlight as if poised to strike.

"This place is known as the Sword Forest. If you choose to give up now, I'll safely escort you out," a gentle voice echoed, seemingly emanating from the void. Then, a figure emerged from the forest, moving gracefully but exuding an aura as if each step resonated with sword intent, like he was a living embodiment of the forest itself.

"How do I pass this trial?" Qin Wentian asked.

"I'll tell you, but only after you decide. Keep in mind that if you choose to give up now, you can exit unharmed. But once you accept the challenge, you'll be standing at death's door, where even the slightest mistake could cost your life," the figure replied. Qin Wentian glanced at the surrounding swords. He felt that any misstep could be fatal. But he couldn't back down now, not after choosing the most challenging path. How could he retreat in the face of danger? Was he still himself if he did that?

"How do I pass this trial?" Qin Wentian inquired again.

The figure remained composed as he spoke, "You must traverse this Sword Forest and make it to the other side to pass. Fail, and you'll meet your end here."

With those words, the figure turned and left. Simultaneously, a voice echoed in the air, "Just a friendly reminder, in your current state, if you take a single step forward, the swords will surely claim your life."

Qin Wentian clenched his fists, his heart pounding fiercely. This trial seemed insurmountable. Every angle appeared to be a dead end. A single move, and he would meet his doom!