"Pah, a bunch of brats, thinking they can compete with me." Wu Xian spat out a mouthful of bloody spittle, a result of the Sect Disciples' attack just moments before.
The faces were unfamiliar, but the Spells they used were clearly not from any local Sect, but from that group of out-of-town Demon Path Sects.
He had narrowly escaped death, almost killed by these demonic brats.
Yes, he had lost; he had only managed to run faster.
Though being beaten to this state by a group of youngsters might seem humiliating, in reality, it wasn't shameful at all.
The legacy he had received was incomplete, and he lacked sufficient resources or guidance. Essentially, he was a mere amateur. His Cultivation time was also short—in fact, it had only been half a year.
Those Sect Disciples had cultivated for even less time. However, they had received superior education and training regimens, including sparring partners, making them far beyond his ability to compare.
Additionally, they possessed Magical Artifacts and Charms far superior to his. It was only natural that he lost. If he could have won, he wouldn't have needed to enter these Xuannan Cave Mansion ruins to obtain an inheritance.
They came for training; he came seeking a path forward.
True, his inheritance only extended to the Foundation Establishment Stage. There were teachings beyond that, but due to damage, only scattered phrases remained, rendering him unable to cultivate further with it.
After walking for some time, Wu Xian noticed something amiss.
"Logically, the inheritance assessment should have started by now. Why hasn't it begun?" His expression suddenly turned grim.
Something's gone wrong. The thought surfaced in his mind. Not with me, but with these Xuannan Cave Mansion ruins.
It must be those Sect Disciples!
It couldn't be anyone else. This was his first time in the Xuannan Cave Mansion ruins, true, but it wasn't the first time it had been opened. In the past, when no Sect Disciples participated, there had never been any incidents.
But an incident occurred this time. Wu Xian refused to believe it was a mere coincidence.
If worst comes to worst, I should withdraw first. Wu Xian gritted his teeth. He was injured, the inheritance was compromised, and if he lost his life here, it would be a huge loss.
Therefore, the best course of action was to escape.
This was an inheritance trial, not some kind of killing formation, so if one wished to leave, there shouldn't have been any problem.
However, when he circulated his Mana, intending to activate the exit mechanism of the Cave Mansion, he found himself still within it.
This discovery instantly magnified his unease, transforming it into panic.
This won't do. I have to hurry... He thought, preparing to retrace his steps. If he couldn't teleport out, then he would have to leave through the entrance.
But after taking a single step, his face filled with horror.
The originally unremarkable Cave Mansion had changed drastically. He found himself in an ancient-looking room, like an ordinary mortal dwelling—narrow, cramped, and covered in dust.
Is this… the assessment? No, the first stage of the assessment was nothing like this. He hurriedly reached out and touched the dust on a table, leaving a distinct handprint.
It's not an illusion; it's real... How can this be... he muttered to himself, completely bewildered by what had happened.
CREAK.
A sound came from behind. This startled Wu Xian, and he immediately spun around.
This was the disadvantage of an unorthodox background and lacking sufficient combat Experience. An Immortal Realm Cultivator would have instantly retaliated with a Spell.
However, it was fortunate he lacked such Experience; otherwise, he might have died on the spot.
He saw a skull embedded in the wall. Just moments ago, that very skull seemed to have twitched, as if struggling.
Wu Xian quickly composed himself. It's just a skull. He'd seen plenty before and had even been the one to create a few. He considered himself far more savage than this thing.
No Mana. It's neither a ghost nor a ghoul. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just his illusion—after all, it was just a skull.
On closer inspection, it wasn't just a skull embedded in the wall. An entire body was encased within, with only most of the head exposed due to the awkward angle of its embedment.
Trying to scare me? Hmph. Wu Xian snorted coldly. He formed a hand seal for his Sword Control Art, sending his Flying Sword streaking like light, ready to shatter the skull.
CLANG!
When the tip of the Flying Sword struck the skull, a loud crack resonated. The scene he had envisioned didn't materialize; instead, the tip of his Flying Sword shattered instantly.
SPURT!
"This is impossible!"
A spurt of vital blood erupted from his lips as Wu Xian stared at his damaged Flying Sword. The backlash struck him, causing him to vomit blood, and trickles of blood seeped from the seven orifices on his face.
His inheritance leaned towards the Righteous Path. Thus, he focused on nurturing his Life Flying Sword, adhering to the principles that one sword could sunder ten thousand Spells, and that so long as the sword existed, so did its master; if the sword perished, so too would its master.
This time, he had encountered a truly formidable opponent. Luckily, only the tip of his Flying Sword had broken, lessening the backlash significantly.
If his Flying Sword had shattered completely, he wouldn't just be grievously injured—he would have died along with it.
Ignoring his injuries, he hurriedly recalled his faltering Flying Sword. He had no choice, for after his attack, the skeleton had undergone some kind of change.
The entire room was writhing, and the skeleton completely broke free from the wall.
The moment he retrieved his Flying Sword, Wu Xian rushed towards the door without hesitation, desperate to escape the room.
However, just as he was about to reach it, he stopped dead in his tracks. That wasn't a door. It was clearly a gaping maw of white bone. If he rushed out, he would undoubtedly die.
CRACK...
The skeleton's foot landed on the ground with an eerie sound as it slowly advanced towards him.
Wu Xian's face paled. He instantly unleashed a Spell. He dared not use his Flying Sword again; the skeleton's body was incredibly resilient and even possessed an ability that weakened his Flying Sword. He was no match for it.
However, all the Spells that struck the skeleton had no effect whatsoever.
The skeleton simply ignored them.
As it closed in, step by step, Wu Xian's mental fortitude shattered—what was commonly known as a Dao Xin Broken.
After all, his Cultivation Technique leaned toward the Righteous Path, so the side effect wasn't Walk Fire into Demon.
The skeleton's hand gently landed on his face. Its eye sockets were empty.
Yet, Wu Xian bizarrely sensed a smile from the skeleton, as if it had found a suitable... garment?
Before Wu Xian could react, the skeleton seized his Flying Sword. In its grasp, the sword transformed inch by inch into bone.
Simultaneously, Wu Xian, whose Life Flying Sword was being corrupted, was also severely wounded.
"Get away! Get away from me!!!" The pain from the backlash seemed to dispel much of his fear, and he began to resist while shouting.
But his resistance was virtually nonexistent.
The wail of his Flying Sword, accompanied by the worsening backlash within his body, somehow fueled Wu Xian with courage from an unknown source, and he forcibly snatched his Flying Sword back from the skeleton's grasp.
Then, without hesitation, he charged towards the great, bony maw. If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well make it quick!
BANG!
The next moment, he crashed straight into a wall. When he collected himself again, a look of bewilderment on his face, he realized he was out of that White Bone House.
He was still in the Xuannan Cave Mansion ruins, undergoing the inheritance trial. The scene he had just experienced felt like a dream.
If not for the Flying Sword in his hand, now mostly bone, and the backlash he suffered from its damage, he would have certainly dismissed it all as a dream.
Then, a peculiar tattoo appeared on the back of his left hand. It was very faint, but it was gradually growing darker.
He knew that once the tattoo fully materialized, he would re-enter that terrifying White Bone House.
How he knew this, he wasn't sure; the knowledge had simply surfaced in his mind upon seeing it.
Either I die, or I'll be trapped in this living nightmare forever.
Seven days? Wu Xian's expression was grim.
What could anyone do in just seven days? It's not even enough time for me to recover.
They're pushing me into a corner.
There must be a chance of survival. As long as I can get the Magical Artifacts, Elixirs, and other items from those Sect Disciples, recovering from my injuries won't be a problem, and I'll have some security when I re-enter.
But doing so would undoubtedly offend the Sect.
"If that's the case, then they can't blame me," Wu Xian murmured under his breath.
Death is certain anyway; the method doesn't matter. Dying from the Sect's pursuit or at the hands of the White Skull—I don't care. Whichever allows me to die later, that's the one I'll choose.
Therefore, he chose to ambush and kill Sect Disciples to secure a sliver of hope for himself seven days later. As for being hunted by the Sect, that was a concern for after he survived the next seven days.
The inheritance trial in the Xuannan Cave Mansion ruins would close in a month. Being hunted down was a problem for a month from now, at the earliest.
