BOOM!
The energy surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly shattering the blast of Sword Qi.
However, the Martial Arts Tree didn’t stop there. It continued to tremble, and at the same time, Lin Yan discovered this energy of unknown origin was slowly beginning to occupy his Dantian, torso, and limbs.
His right hand slowly raised the Abyssal Sword!
At the same time, a voice emerged from within the black Sword Stele.
"First Senior Brother, the sword debate is starting!"
"Mm."
As the voice faded, the crack on the Sword Stele vanished. The stele returned to its original state, as smooth as a mirror and without a single trace.
The force of will that had guided Lin Yan’s arm quietly dissipated. His arm fell, and the tip of the Abyssal Sword touched the ground, supporting his nearly collapsing body.
Silence returned to the chamber of the Sword Inquiry Stone.
Lin Yan gasped for breath, his back soaked with cold sweat. He immediately turned his senses inward with Introspection.
In his mind’s eye, the Martial Arts Tree had also returned to normal.
In his Dantian, the two Sword Pills were still there, floating quietly. The cracks had vanished.
Lin Yan stared intently at the black Sword Stele, his eyes filled with boundless rage. If not for the Martial Arts Tree, that person would have shattered his Sword Pills with a single strike just moments ago.
When a Sword Pill is destroyed, it is the Divine Soul that is wounded.
Even with the Lin Family’s resources, there was no Spirit Medicine capable of healing the Divine Soul. His path in Martial Arts would have been completely destroyed.
And that person had struck him through the Sword Stele simply because they’d detected he didn’t possess an Innate Sword Heart. They assumed he must have used some heretical method to comprehend ten streams of Perfect Level Sword Intent, and for that, they had tried to cripple him.
The casual tone, the utter contempt, the attitude of someone swatting an ant—all of it thoroughly ignited the rage in Lin Yan’s heart.
’Motherfucker!’
’First Senior Brother, is that who you are? Just you wait!’
The Sword Inquiry Stone was established by the Celestial Sword Sect, so that person must be one of its members.
He would remember this debt.
After a moment, he suppressed his anger and began to consider something else.
’What was that energy the Martial Arts Tree just mobilized, the one that surged up through the soles of my feet? That Sword Qi was already terrifying, but before this new power, it was like a single grain of sand in a raging flood—utterly insignificant.’
’Brother Shu, can you give me a sign?’
Lin Yan asked in his mind, but unfortunately, the Martial Arts Tree gave no reaction.
Lin Yan wasn’t surprised by the lack of response. In the instant that Sword Qi had threatened to shatter his Sword Pills, he had felt the Martial Arts Tree’s fury and had wondered if it might undergo some change. It seemed he had been overthinking things.
His gaze fell upon the three Sword Steles. He ignored the black one and walked toward the silver Sword Stele instead.
He swung his sword casually, leaving a mark on the silver Sword Stele that was neither too deep nor too shallow, but just right.
To prevent a repeat of what had just happened, Lin Yan held back this time, using only five streams of Perfect Sword Intent.
A light glowed from the silver Sword Stele and shot toward the domed ceiling. From the stone wall high above, a silver Sword Token dropped down.
CLACK!
Lin Yan didn’t reach out to catch it. He waited for the Sword Token to hit the floor before picking it up.
This silver Sword Token was a deeper shade than Jian Sheng’s, and on its back was the character for "Middle."
Middle Rank B aptitude!
’This will do.’
With the Sword Token in hand, Lin Yan gave the surrounding stone walls one last glance, then strode toward the exit.
"He’s out!"
"What took him so long?"
"Maybe he couldn’t accept his result and kept trying for a better aptitude, swinging his sword over and over."
"It’s pointless. The Sword Steles are extremely accurate. Your aptitude is determined by your first, all-out strike; it’ll be the same no matter how many times you try again. He was just wasting his time."
As soon as he stepped out of the entrance, Lin Yan heard the crowd’s chatter. He paid it no mind and simply walked toward He Qiaosheng and his disciple, Jian Sheng.
"Rank B?"
Seeing the color of the Sword Token in Lin Yan’s hand, He Qiaosheng couldn’t hide a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. He had thought Lin Yan had a chance at reaching Rank A, that he might have even achieved a Lower Rank A aptitude like Shen Guyun.
To think he had ended up with only a Middle Rank B was quite unexpected.
’It seems my old friend was right,’ he thought. ’If Lin Yan were to actually face Shen Guyun, he would be utterly defeated.’
"Lin Yan, how did you only get Middle Rank B?"
Jian Sheng’s eyes filled with disbelief as he saw the Sword Token in Lin Yan’s hand.
They say your greatest rival is the one who knows you best.
Having been defeated by both Lin Yan and Shen Guyun, Jian Sheng felt this most keenly. Both of their Swordsmanship had felt completely unbeatable; it made no sense that Lin Yan would rank so far below Shen Guyun.
One was Lower Rank A, the other Middle Rank B. While it seemed they were only separated by Upper Rank B, the actual difference was as vast as that between heaven and earth.
Take Shandong Dao, for example. If there were ten cultivators at Upper Rank B, there would be fifty at Middle Rank B. Across the entire Great Zhou, this ratio would be magnified to a terrifying degree.
"Perhaps your Realm is just a bit lacking. Once you reach the Blood Exchange Fourth Transformation, you can test again. There should be some improvement," He Qiaosheng said, offering a word of comfort when he saw Lin Yan’s silence, assuming he was dissatisfied with the result.
"That’s right! You’ll definitely have a shot at Rank A next time. Lin Yan, your talent in the Sword Dao is plain to see."
Jian Sheng chimed in to agree, but both master and disciple knew in their hearts that even if Lin Yan came back at the Blood Exchange Fourth Transformation, he would at most improve to Upper Rank B. Breaking through to Rank A was nearly impossible.
"Thank you, Senior He. I’m fine. I’m quite satisfied with getting Middle Rank B."
Lin Yan smiled. He had been silent because he was still thinking about that blast of Sword Qi and the mysterious energy the Martial Arts Tree had summoned from deep underground.

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