Clearing trials was the most common and straightforward method countless mighty experts throughout history had used to select their successors.

Countless beings from the Flying Cloud Realm stepped into the trials.

"Damn it, why is the first trial so difficult? I'm only five hundred years old and have already reached the Void Refining realm, yet I can't even pass the first checkpoint!"

"I'm a thousand-year-old Nirvana realm expert and still considered young. Why can't I pass the second talent trial?"

"What kind of nonsense is this comprehension test? A flash of light appeared, and I was kicked out immediately."

"I have unparalleled talent. I stepped onto the martial path at three, mastered ancient scriptures at ten, and comprehended a Saint's technique at fifty. Why can't I pass the fifth trial?!"

"..."

Despair filled the many participants. Not only could none of them obtain the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance, but no one had even managed to reach the sixth checkpoint.

"Look… that peerless fiendish crow is stuck at the third level!"

Some human experts even laughed loudly. "The Confucian Sword Saint is our human race's ancestor. How could his inheritance fall into the hands of another race?"

Su Chen had indeed stopped at the third checkpoint. He remained silent. His bloodline was still only eighth-grade, while the third talent checkpoint of the Confucian Sword Saint required at least saint-grade talent to begin with.

"What a rigid old man," Su Chen muttered inwardly.

He did not retreat. His body groaned under the immense pressure, bones creaking. Blood dripped from every part of him, yet he refused to kneel. Each step was slow and difficult, but he continued advancing toward the end.

This scene caused the demons' hearts to tremble and silenced the humans who had been laughing moments ago.

Was he not afraid of death?

In that moment, as they watched the distorted figure press forward, many beings suddenly understood what a true Dao heart looked like.

In the end, Su Chen took the final step. He passed the fourth checkpoint… then the fifth…

When the crowd looked again, that figure had already reached the sixth checkpoint. The sixth did not slow him in the slightest. Seventh… eighth… ninth…

Su Chen advanced through all of them without hindrance and stepped into the tenth checkpoint.

The final trial.

Every living being present was stunned into silence. Even the golden-robed boy, who had been watching everything with disdain, was shocked.

"How is this possible… how is this possible…"

As the weapon spirit of a Saint King artifact, he knew exactly how valuable it was to reach the tenth checkpoint set by that old man. Across the vast starry sky, only supreme prodigies with the potential to become Great Saints could achieve such a feat. Moreover, aside from the third checkpoint, none of the others had hindered that figure even slightly.

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Just how heaven-defying was this?

Su Chen entered the tenth checkpoint.

A melancholic voice sounded beside his ear.

"In my youth, I loved reading, so I traveled the world as a scholar. Later, I realized books could not save the world, so I took up the sword. I became the greatest scholar and the greatest swordsman of the world. In a moment of inspiration, I merged Confucianism and the sword into one path—the Confucian Sword Dao."

"In just a thousand years, I stood unrivaled in Flying Cloud Realm, crowned across the ages, then stepped onto the starry path and witnessed the brilliance of myriad races."

Before Su Chen, the projection of an elderly scholar slowly appeared. Behind him stretched an endless sea of books. Words transformed into dragons and snakes, turning into a sharp sword intent.

Su Chen looked at the projection of the Confucian Sword Saint and finally understood why a Saint King's relic existed in the Flying Cloud Realm. It turned out the owner had been a prodigy who had stepped onto the Emperor Path. After failing in his conquests, he had returned to his homeland and passed away quietly.

Such stories were common on the Emperor Path. Many who once considered themselves unrivaled had had their Dao hearts shattered because of him.

"You are a demon?" the Confucian Sword Saint's projection asked, slightly startled.

He suddenly let out a soft sigh. "Human or demon, what does it matter? Are you willing to take me as your master?"

"No," Su Chen replied.

The projection paused, then continued, "If you are willing, then…"

The Confucian Sword Saint's projection suddenly froze. He seemed unable to comprehend that someone in the Flying Cloud Realm would actually refuse his inheritance.

The air fell into complete silence.

After a long pause, the Confucian Sword Saint spoke stiffly, "You said… You are unwilling to take me as your master?"

Su Chen replied calmly, "You are human, and I am a demon. I am not suited to be your disciple."

The Confucian Sword Saint fell silent once more. After a while, he asked, "Then what do you want?"

Su Chen answered directly, "Anything except your core inheritance. Saint King artifacts, sacred herbs—anything like that would be welcome. The more the better."

As if he would fall for that.

A powerhouse of the Confucian Sword Saint's level could crush countless beings like him with a single pinch, whether in this life or any of his previous ones. There was no way he would let the old man take advantage of him.

The Confucian Sword Saint seemed to shut down for a moment. He clearly had not expected this outcome. He spoke stiffly once again, "All those things will belong to you if you accept my inheritance and take me as your master."

Su Chen still refused.

"What a greedy little fellow," the Confucian Sword Saint sighed.

"Why are you unwilling to accept me as your master? Is it truly just because you are a demon and I am human?"

Su Chen said, "I do not need to take anyone as my master. My own path is the strongest path. One day, I will break all shackles and become the strongest."

The Confucian Sword Saint was stunned.

Throughout history, countless experts had claimed to be unrivaled. Yet only after stepping onto that path did they truly understand that there were always stronger people beyond the horizon and higher heavens above.

Even a genius like himself was merely one among countless others. He had witnessed the rise and fall of many heavenly prodigies and even seen that ancient Great Emperor grow old.

His proud Dao had been shattered by a single move. In the end, he had returned to Flying Cloud Realm in obscurity and chosen to pass away, leaving behind this relic.

Yet now, he believed the demon before him. This one was destined to surpass him and crush all the geniuses of the past and present.

"Very well… Since you refuse to take me as your master, and my inheritance has already appeared, I will not wait for another being to enter this place. I will entrust the inheritance to the human race. As for everything else besides the inheritance, it shall all be yours. Interesting little demon."

The Confucian Sword Saint placed his hands behind his back. A fierce wind suddenly howled as his figure slowly disintegrated into runes, gathering into a golden scroll that floated toward the human cultivators.

"That's the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance!"

"I knew it! How could the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance possibly acknowledge a demon?"

"It's flying toward us!"

The human prodigies were overcome with excitement. The demon race felt a chill in their hearts.

In the end, the Confucian Sword Saint had not acknowledged the demons. A powerful Saint's inheritance had fallen into the hands of the human race.

A human expert who had reached the fifth checkpoint grabbed the incoming golden scroll and laughed wildly.

"The Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance is mine! With a Saint artifact in hand, I will dominate the world!"

At that moment, the golden-robed boy flew to Su Chen's side. With utmost respect, he spoke in a clear, childish voice that echoed throughout the entire relic.

"Master."