The feathered wings are clearly a notch stronger than Shi Hu’s gauntlets!

However, the impact they withstood is also even greater!

Clang!

Boom!

The wings quivered, blood light splattering everywhere.

But they steadfastly endured the blow.

At last, it was Xu Yang’s turn.

With a single thought, the Spiritual Blade manifested.

Facing the Immortal Sword head-on, Xu Yang felt a trembling from the depths of his soul.

As if, with just a command, this Immortal Sword could slay him with hardly any effort!

Swoosh!

Bang!

A terrifying shockwave came crashing forth.

The Spiritual Blade vibrated furiously; Xu Yang’s mind felt as if struck by a heavy hammer.

The Spiritual Blade wavered; he barely calmed himself, suppressing the ripples in his heart.

"At this rate, if the level increases two more times, the Spiritual Blade is bound to shatter!"

Two more levels—right to the third stage!

If there’s no fundamental change at the fourth, then it’s over.

The fifth stage, however, is where true mastery of transformation lies.

The pressure is overwhelming!

There’s no life-and-death struggle, no enemy oppressing, yet it feels even more crushing than facing death itself.

"Congratulations, in three days you will undertake the second stage!"

After that, a cluster of immortal energy appeared as a reward for passing the trial.

Of course, it can’t compare to the level of the Desolate Heaven Sword Sect’s trial, but it’s much more than the immortal energy gained daily in the first stage.

...

"I feel it’s too hard. I can at most last to the third stage!"

Shi Hu forced a wry smile.

The impact just now was still vivid in his mind.

And from now on, every time, it will only get stronger.

Blood Ming sank into thought. "Next time you forge, let me help you."

Shi Hu froze, then his face lit up with uncontrollable joy.

"Thank you, Senior Blood Ming."

Blood Ming’s strength far surpasses his own.

With Blood Ming lending his aid in this repeated tempering, the results will be manifold times better than what Shi Hu could manage alone.

Xu Yang, meanwhile, felt some worry for Blood Ming.

"Senior, do you have any way to shore up your own power?"

Blood Ming sighed, then grew solemn: "The only option now is to temper myself by burning my bloodline. As long as I survive the fourth stage, things should get better."

Burning the bloodline!

Xu Yang and Shi Hu both changed expressions slightly.

This, no doubt, would harm themselves.

But there seemed to be no other choice left.

Xu Yang had the Heaven and Earth Divine Chain and ancient Evil Qi bolstering him, yet he couldn’t help Blood Ming or Shi Hu.

Even with this aid, he himself might not have an easy time passing.

No other way!

The three shared a helpless smile, not daring to waste any more time, and continued tempering themselves.

Another three days passed; the second stage’s impact intensified!

Yet all three withstood it without any trouble.

The third stage, success once again.

At the fourth stage—dangerous, but nothing went awry!

Xu Yang saw Shi Hu, scared to the point of nearly peeing himself.

If not for the help from the Blood Ming Divine Sparrow these past days, he simply could not have borne the fourth stage’s impact.

The fourth stage ended.

The immortal energy sphere was even thicker than in the third stage.

The young Immortal, however, didn’t vanish immediately; instead, he gazed at the three: "From the fifth stage on, each of you will obtain an Immortal Technique compatible with your own spirit weapons. There are six grades in all!"

"Although you’ve braved the first four stages, for the coming six, what you have now won’t be enough."

"Here’s a reminder: only by stepping onto the Ascension Bridge and separating your spiritual intent can you achieve it, can you possess the true foundation of the Immortal Path!"

"Be prudent!"

As soon as the words fell, the youth vanished.

Xu Yang and the two sank into a long silence.

No one expected the young Immortal to give a hint. This was a stroke of luck—a road forward at least!

But this Ascension Bridge, this separating of spiritual intent, left the three baffled!

What is the Ascension Bridge?

And how can spiritual intent be separated?

For a long time, the three stared at each other with blank faces!

Even the strongest, the Blood Ming Divine Sparrow, confronted with this utterly unfamiliar Immortal Path, could only be bewildered.

"How do you step onto the Immortal Bridge? How do you separate spiritual intent?"

"What sort of hint is that—it’s as good as not saying anything! Why not just explain it directly?"

Shi Hu was deeply aggrieved.

"If it was those ancient spirit weapons, they’d surely understand!" Xu Yang sighed deeply.

But unfortunately, none of those old spirit weapons are here to enlighten them.

"Xu Yang, it’s up to you."

Shi Hu felt that, if any of the three could figure it out, it had to be Xu Yang.

He asked himself honestly—he simply couldn’t manage it!

Blood Ming also gazed at Xu Yang with hope.

Xu Yang gave a bitter laugh; what do you mean it’s all on me?

I don’t have a clue either.

"I’ll do my best to try."

Xu Yang waved his hand and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes and calming his mind.

"Separating spiritual intent, stepping onto the Immortal Bridge..."

"To truly step from the Spiritual Path into the Immortal Path, embarking on the road to heavenly ascension!"

"To wield the Immortal Technique, these things are essential!"

"Where does the Immortal Bridge come from? Ascend...could it be like the breakthrough from Manifestation to True Lord?"

...

Xu Yang sifted through everything he knew, and could draw only one conclusion!

This Immortal Bridge must be illusory.

It exists within the Immortal Path!

At the same time, it’s like a kind of gateway!

For example, only by conceiving it in the mind can it be touched or crossed!

But at the moment, merely imagining it is a colossal difficulty.

"Looks like I’ll have to start with separating spiritual intent."

Xu Yang rubbed his brow, inner gaze focused on spiritual intent.

Separate—how to separate?

He tried, taking the words literally, to peel it apart.

His spiritual intent roiled; chains surfaced, twisting violently.

It was about to split apart, fierce heart palpitations arising—yet nothing else happened!

Xu Yang hastily abandoned this attempt!

This method doesn’t work!

After a long silence, Xu Yang’s mind drifted outside the Tripod of Heaven and Earth.

"Tripod of Heaven and Earth..."

Xu Yang’s mind trembled; a flash of inspiration, long absent, suddenly appeared.

"Heaven and Earth!"

"Martial Dao Heaven and Earth, Spiritual Dao Heaven and Earth, Immortal Dao Heaven and Earth..."

"The Tripod of Heaven and Earth can also be regarded as a powerful dao!"

Boom!

Xu Yang forcibly stilled his thoughts, fiercely shaking the Tripod of Heaven and Earth.

He paid no heed to the impact of the Evil Qi spilling out, but pushed his senses to the limit, dead set on perceiving the changes on the surface of the heavens and earth.

One Heaven-Locking Divine Chain after another clung tight, writhing like serpents or pythons!

Bound to the barriers of heaven and earth, inseparable, yet distinctly apart!

In this instant, Xu Yang’s heart thundered!

Back at the start of the second stage of training, when he absorbed the divine chains, he’d felt a vague inspiration, but could never grasp it.

But now, he finally understood what had arisen in that moment of insight.

"The divine chain holds intent, heaven and earth are its foundation!"

"Perfectly fused, yet perfectly separated!"

"To separate spiritual intent—spiritual intent arises from me, and I am that heaven and earth!"

"No, I can’t directly equate myself with heaven and earth here!"

Xu Yang abruptly shook his head, discarding that budding thought.

What am I?

Soul!

Willpower!

Everything in me arises from my will!

Boom!

Xu Yang’s mind trembled, falling into a stupor for dozens of breaths.

The next moment.

Xu Yang reined in all distractions, securing his spirit.

Buzz!

Spiritual intent emerged.

"Separation... Might as well try!"

Xu Yang steeled his heart; he was ready to fail.

Even if he truly failed and got eliminated, so be it!

By then, he’d just try another way!

Already at the threshold of the Immortal Path—could he really be stifled to death here?

In a single flash, Xu Yang’s will exploded, fusing entirely with his spiritual intent.

Boom!

In this moment, Minghuo grew silent, as if it had lost all spiritual essence.

Meanwhile, his soul melded wholly into the spiritual intent.

Spiritual intent, imbued with his will, harbored no rejection at all!

"Heaven-Locking Intent, get the hell out of here!"