Chapter 2020: Holy Sword Temple

"Whenever you’re ready to begin the trial, activate your Sword Aura and use it to protect your body," said the Sixth Elder after Yuan stepped onto the platform. "The Blade of Tribulation won’t attack unless it senses your Sword Aura."

Yuan silently nodded in acknowledgement and took a moment to prepare himself. Then, without hesitation, he unleashed as much Enhanced Sword Aura as he could muster.

The Sixth Elder’s eyes widened with awe when she sensed Yuan’s Enhanced Sword Aura.

’No wonder she gave him her sword badge!’ The Sixth Elder finally understood what caused the Holy Sword Maiden to approve of him.

In response to Yuan’s Sword Aura, the Blade of Tribulation began to tremble—then, within moments, it unleashed its own Enhanced Sword Aura.

And then, as if heralding an execution, the blade descended from the sky, hurling itself toward Yuan with terrifying speed.

Since the trial required him to endure the attack using only his Enhanced Sword Aura, Yuan concentrated solely on that. He remained motionless, calmly awaiting the blade’s descent.

Half a second later, the blade reached Yuan, colliding with his Enhanced Sword Aura. Despite its powerful descent, the Blade of Tribulation came to an abrupt halt the moment its tip touched his aura, frozen in midair.

But it didn’t end there, and the Blade of Tribulation suddenly surged with an even greater wave of Enhanced Sword Aura, this time laced with a faint trace of Supreme Sword Aura.

Yet, Yuan remained firm, his Enhanced Sword Aura unwavering.

"How long do I have to resist this sword?" Yuan turned to look at the Sixth Elder.

"When the Blade of Tribulation stops its attack," she responded.

Even without waiting for the end results, the Sixth Elder could tell that Yuan was going to pass the trial with ease the moment she sensed his Sword Aura. His Enhanced Sword Aura was the most powerful she’d ever seen, and she’d met a lot of swordmasters, including Sword Emperors.

Sure enough, exactly thirty seconds after its descent, the Blade of Tribulation withdrew its Enhanced Sword Aura and silently returned to its place in the sky.

"Congratulations on passing the trial," said the Sixth Elder. "You are the first mortal in history to have ever succeeded—not that there were any mortals before you who’d attempted it."

Yuan calmly walked off the platform and said, "So, when can I enter the Holy Sword Temple?"

"Only one person is allowed inside the Holy Sword Temple at a time, and someone is currently training inside," she explained. "There’s also a waitlist, and..."

She stopped there and retrieved a jade slip to look at the contents inside before continuing, "You are currently 149th on the list."

Yuan’s jaw dropped after hearing this. He was never told about a waitlist, which could take years if not longer.

Noticing his expression, the Sixth Elder explained, "There’s no strict time limit, but once you step outside, your training is considered complete. Also, there’s no opportunity to rest once you’re inside, so most cultivators only remain in the temple for a few years at a time before coming out to recuperate."

"That’s too long. I don’t have the time to wait for my turn. Is there nothing that can be done?"

"Unfortunately, that’s just how the Holy Sword Temple was set up. There’s nothing we, the Holy Sword Clan, can do about it, either. However, there is one way to move up the waitlist..."

"How?" Yuan instantly inquired.

"You can try swapping places with the next person on the waitlist. It has happened before, but it’s extremely rare and often involves some sort of payment."

Yuan rubbed his eyes and muttered, "What a pain in the ass."

Since most cultivators who trained at the Holy Sword Temple were Immortals, waiting a few hundred years to enter one of the Nine Heavens’ most effective training grounds was a small price to pay. But Yuan didn’t have that kind of time.

The Sixth Elder then continued, "It just so happens that the person who is supposed to go next is already at the Holy Sword Temple. We can talk to them about a potential position swap, and if you want to increase your chances of even having a negotiation, you should make an offer."

"Who is this individual? Knowing a bit more about them would help me prepare a suitable offer," Yuan said.

"This person is the Sect Leader of the Sword Descending Pavilion. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what he wants since we don’t like prying."

"In that case, can you see if they’re willing to negotiate?"

"We can do that. Give me a few minutes."

The Sixth Elder flew away the next moment.

While she was away, Yuan pondered what he should do if the negotiations failed—if this Sect Leader even wanted to negotiate at all.

"I really don’t want to leave empty-handed after spending so much time and effort getting here, but there’s really nothing I can do if I have to wait for my turn. It’s not like I can force my way inside, either," he sighed out loud.

The Sixth Elder returned about fifteen minutes later, and before Yuan could even ask her about the negotiation, she silently shook her head.

"I see..." Yuan sighed.

Was there truly nothing he could do but wait for his turn?

After another sigh, Yuan spoke, "Do you think I can take a look at the Holy Sword Temple before I leave?"

The Sixth Elder nodded, "If it’s just looking around, there’s no harm in that. Follow me."

Yuan followed the Sixth Elder to the Holy Sword Temple, which was only a few minutes away.

Once he was standing before the majestic Holy Sword Temple, a sudden wave of nostalgia surged within Yuan.

"It’s a pity, but it seems like I am not fated to train here today."

A few moments later, Yuan turned around and began walking away.

*Rumble*

However, before he could take even two steps, the ground began to tremble, prompting Yuan to turn around—just in time to see the doors of the Holy Sword Temple slowly begin to open.