Chapter 7 : Tied?

Jian Zheng easily went through the second trail without breaking a sweat. Despite him having a rather weak will the first stage of the Asura Phoenix Sword art no, the Scarlet Phoenix Sword, Brimming Phoenix dispells anything that has a negative effect on his body.

But the cultivators didn't know this, thinking that the trail was broken they stepped forward only to realize that it wasn't. The pressure then entered their mind and bring out their worst nightmares.

Wails and screams could be heard from the distance that made Jian Zheng smile helplessly. He wasn't optimistic of anyone getting passed the second trail if they did not have the confidence to get through it.

Even if they had the confidence if their will wasn't strong enough to face their nightmares then they would simple succumb to the pressure that influence their minds.

Unnerved, Jian Zheng used his movement technique as he rushed to the last trail. Soon he arrived to see a small mountain that gave off an ancient aura, "The Cloud Piercing Mountain?" Jian Zheng exclaimed as he never expected the mountain to be the last trail.

While he was in the martial hall he came across a book that gave a brief description of this mountain. Apparently the sect was built around this mountain as its said that back in the ancient era this mountain managed to pierce through the clouds like a sword with a sharp tip.

It also said that any swordsman who cultivate here would find it easier to breakthrough their sword auras making it the best place for swordsmen.

Sadly after the ancient era the mountain shrieked to about 2000 meters and comprehending sword aura became far more difficult to do.

But to Jian Zheng this was like a blessing in disguise as his sword aura supposedly should've been at the spirit realm. So although its now difficult to cultivate sword aura here, he should still be able to reach halfway through the initial stage.

Jian Zheng then sat down as he released his sword aura. With his sword aura out, his sword flew out of its shealth then lay on his lap as it was under Scarlet control.

Soon his sword aura caused the surrounding to tremble as the mountain actually seem to grow a thousand meters taller.

A beam of light then shot out from the mountain and striked Jian Zheng forehead. An incense worth of time later Jian Zheng sword aura became violent as it reached the mid-initial stage.

Jian Zheng eye brows quivered like two sharp swords being removed from their shealth. His eyes that were black brighten with scarlet light as he fully release his sword aura.

When he did so the atmosphere changed as it seems like invisible swords were created from the air, ready to strike with just a word from Jian Zheng.

But this was just an illusion as these invisible swords were actually fake. At most it could only be used to intimidate others.

Jian Zheng got up and brandished his sword but the moment he did so he heard the sound of a branch being snapped in two.

Turning his head quickly he put his two hands on his sheathing sword as he secretly circulate his sword aura and Scarlet Phoenix Sword Art.

"I mean no harm my friend!" A young man in neat white clothes came out of the bushes with a harmless smile on his face, "To think someone in this desolated place would have someone who awaken their sword aura." The young man walked up to Jian Zheng with no fear in his eyes as he examined him.

"Wow! Its look like your no ordinary swordsman!" The young man exclaimed in shock as he could tell if he were to fight Jian Zheng there's a high chance he would lose in a hundred moves.

"Ah! Where's my manners, my name is Lei Yun. Lei for thunder, Yun for cloud hehe, I wouldn't even mind if you were to call me Little Thunder Cloud." Lei Yun rubbed his nose with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Jian Zheng." Jian Zheng released his grip on his sword then turned his back on Lei Yun. Since he could sense that the boy didn't wish any harm he guessed he could trust him.

But he still was rather cautious of him as he didn't dare to let his guard down. Although his hand was no longer on his sword that doesn't mean that he wouldn't be able to easily grab it and slice him in two.

"Such a vigilant guy." Lei Yun mumbled under his breath. He also didn't dare to be careless since Jian Zheng has the ability to kill him if his guard is down.

Shortly, the crowd arrived. This time only ten remained and their faces were covered in sweat. It took them great effort to get past the second trail.

"So the trash has finally arrived." Lei Yun sneered with annoyance in his eyes. He could have arrived at the third trail long ago but he stayed back to make sure that the people who aren't qualified to enter the sect doesn't manage to enter it through some crazy luck.

"You bastard!" One of the ten newcomers saw Lei Yun and burst into anger as he have suffered at the hands of Lei Yun.

He released his cultivation at the Huotian fifth stage that startled Jian Zheng. Then he raised his hand into a fist as a gust of wind blew pass wherever his fist went.

"Hmph! Trash actually dare pick a fight with me?!" But all Lei Yun did was stand still while crossing his arms together. His eyes held disdain as he looked down on the boy.

"This guy still acting arrogant even when death is so close!" One of the newcomers said while sneering. He didn't believe that Lei Yun would survive the boys fist.

Jian Zheng also looked on shocked. Although there was no technique in the newcomer attack it would still leave him half crippled with his delicate body even though it was refined into jade.

Boom! The fist landed on Lei Yun body which caused a shockwave but instead of Lei Yun laying on the ground in pain the boy held his hand that has blood coming out of it, "H-how?!" He became bewildered while looking at his broken hand.

"Not bad your physique shouldn't be too bad." Lei Yun patted the boys shoulder which caused him to shiver in fright.

"Since you managed to hit me without your whole arm becoming mangled you now have the qualifications to go through this test." When the boy heard this he sighed in relief as he thought Lei Yun would cripple him.

"As for the rest of you." Lei Yun eyes then turned cold as he stare at the other newcomers with killing intent in his eyes, "Why are you still here shouldn't you be getting the fuck out?" Lei Yun saw that the newcomers weren't moving and released his killing intent which scared them away, "We-we will leave!" They turned around unwillingly as they were just a step away from entering the Asura Cloud Sect.

"Such dense killing intent." Jian Zheng mumbled, he could tell that Lei Yun has probably killed a dozen cultivators along his path.

"His body refining technique is also great." Jian Zheng said to himself. He could tell that when the fist landed on Lei Yun chest some force turned 75% of the attack into some energy that was absorbed into his body. As for the 25% it landed on his chest yet he still managed to endure the attack.

This gained Jian Zheng admiration for cultivating a body technique would cause the user immense pain the stronger it is. Jian Zheng couldn't imagine the pain Lei Yun felt when cultivating this technique.

But since he now witnessed his strength he wasn't confident in defeating Lei Yun with one sword strike so he was now far more cautious of him.

Now it was only three of them left at the third trail. About a thousand came with the will to enter the Asura Cloud Sect but before reaching the second trail about 800 was already eliminated.

This made Jian Zheng curious about how strong the people of the outer sect truly were after entering the sect.

"Congrats on reaching the third trail." A elder manifested in front of them that made the three jump. The elder seeing this couldn't help but smiled in amusement.

"And congratulations on entering the Asura Cloud Sect." When Jian Zheng and the others heard this they raised their eyebrows in confusion, "Elder don't we need to pass the third trail to enter the sect?" The guy at the fifth stage asked as he was wondering what was going on.

"The third trail is made to pick the first place person to get the ten low grade spiritual stones reward." The elder shake his head in disappointment, "You were all tricked by that Elder Lu letting us lose so many potential candidates to enter the sect."

"As for you." The elder eyes then turned cold as he stared at Lei Yun, "You've been quite a trouble maker haven't you? You made us lost nine potential candidates for the outer sect."

"Hehe, Elder it was all a mistake." Lei Yun scratched his head in embarrassment as he never expected the elder to have his eyes on those people he considered trash.

"Hmph! Just know that you can't act so arrogant once you enter the outer sect or who knows how you'll die." The elder sighed at Lei Yun as he was currently predicting how he would end up in the outer sect.

"As for you, to be able to comprehend the sword aura at such a young age can only mean your a rare genius that's only found every hundred years." The elder then smiled at Jian Zheng as if he was looking at a gem.

"Will you serve me as your master? I'm one of the strongest elders in the inner sect just ranked one level below Elder Lu and the Sect Master so what you say?" When Jian Zheng heard this he became shocked and so this Lei Yun and the youth.

Lei Yun was looking at him with a smirk as he laughed but the youth was staring at him with jealousy in his eyes.

Jian Zheng saw this but didn't pay any attention on it, "I'm sorry elder but I must decline." When the elder heard this he became disappointed as he never expected to be rejected.

"Ah.. that's okay with your talent it should at least take you five years to reach my heights." The elder sighed as he never expected Jian Zheng to be ambitious.

The youth also stared at Jian Zheng as if he was looking at an alien. He couldn't believe he actually denied the elder request. The youth though of Jian Zheng as someone foolish as he began looking at him with disdain.

"Alright if your interested in first place then you can start climbing the mountain. If not then step behind me." The elder no longer bothered with Jian Zheng as he signaled the start of the third trail.

The youth who was looking down on Jian Zheng walked behind the elder as he was already satisfied that he became a outer sect disciple. He was also not confident in defeating Lei Yun so to avoid a beating he choose to quit.

But when he saw that Jian Zheng wish to compete with Lei Yun he became furious as he thought of this as a provocation of Jian Zheng looking down on him.

"Begin!" At the elder shout the two used their movement technique to climb the mountain. In two incense worth of time they reached the peak of the mountain shocking the elder as the third trail was all about testing a person endurance yet Jian Zheng and Lei Yun some how bypassed the pressure that was suppose to force them onto their knees.

The elder became silent for a second as he recalled what happened and came to realize that they both stepped on the peak of the mountain at the same time, "This.... a tie?" The elder became speechless as this was the first time something like this occurred since the start of the sect.