Chapter 259

Chapter 259: The Way to Pass

Hundreds of Blackiron Warhammers whirled along odd routes. Even before a hammer reached her, Li Shuang felt her soul tremble. Thankfully, she had the Soul Lotus. In the space of a breath, it steadied her mind.

[Those who cannot steady their souls will fall soon.] She sensed that falling from the altar was not fatal. From the way people spoke, it brought regret more than fear. But once you fell, your journey here ended, and the great chance before you was gone.

In her sea of consciousness, the Soul Lotus glimmered softly. Calm settled over her heart. She spread out her Sword Domain.

The domain covered her entire dais. The Blackiron Warhammers, which had seemed impossibly fast, now looked a shade slower. She tilted her body and easily dodged the first sweep.

But the hammers kept coming, one after another. Around her, screams rose and more people dropped from their altars.

Just then, a voice rang out: “Challenger You Lan has passed the first layer of the Thousand Mechanisms Hammer Array!”

Li Shuang’s eyes tightened. A moment ago, all the altars were at the same height. Now one of them rose. You Lan stood calmly upon it. Her gaze traveled over the field and locked onto Li Shuang. She gave Li Shuang a single cool glance, the corner of her mouth faint with mockery.

Since the second trial had not started yet, You Lan sat cross-legged upon the higher altar, face blank, watching Li Shuang. She wanted to see what skill this girl really had to earn the City Lord’s special regard.

Most people would feel heavy pressure under the stare of such a peerless genius. Li Shuang’s emotions were light, and she hardly noticed. She was only curious: [How did You Lan clear it so fast?]

While handling the hammers, Li Shuang began to watch others. Most were busy dodging. Yet a few looked remarkably calm.

A woman held a zither. Her feet never moved, but each time her fingers plucked, the Blackiron Warhammers seemed disturbed, swerving to avoid her.

A bare-chested man with knotted muscles didn’t dodge at all. When a hammer flew in, he punched it head on, forcing its path to bend away.

Another man held a strange compass that floated before him, covered in shining points of light. Each time a hammer neared, he nudged a light. The hammer’s path shifted to miss him.

There were many others who stood out.

[The geniuses of the Central Continent really are different,] Li Shuang thought. Just among those she could see, dozens barely moved their feet and were unaffected by the array.

Soon, voices sounded one after another: “Challenger Cang Yin has passed the first layer of the Thousand Mechanisms Hammer Array!”

The veiled zither player rose to the second level. Her eyes turned and also fixed on Li Shuang. Though her face was hidden, Li Shuang felt there was a relaxed smile behind the veil.

“Challenger Feng Yu has passed the first layer of the Thousand Mechanisms Hammer Array!”

Feng Yu wasn’t near Li Shuang, and she didn’t see his method. She only noticed a white robed man’s altar lifting into the air. Another gaze fell upon her.

“Challenger Yan Lie has passed the first layer of the Thousand Mechanisms Hammer Array!”

The body cultivator laughed loud as his altar rose. He looked at Li Shuang with interest and called out: “Hey, peerless genius personally taught by the City Lord, why are you still on the first layer? Are you going to clear it with the most basic method like everyone else?”

Li Shuang was speechless. [The City Lord’s charm really is too strong.] Because of the City Lord, these people treated her with a faint hostility.

The array ran for one shichen (about two hours). Ten people reached the second trial. After three shichen (about six hours), thirty had risen. All thirty looked, by unspoken agreement, straight at Li Shuang.

She was already used to it. Ignoring their stares, she thought back over what she’d seen. Those who rose early seemed to share a common point: they did not pass by dodging.

Every one of them stood rooted in place. They did not move their feet at all. Some used strength to meet the hammers head on. Some used secret arts to change the paths. Some used music to affect the formation. None of them were passive. They took the initiative and forced the Blackiron Warhammers to miss.

[So that’s the condition to clear early?] She could not be completely sure, but based on her observations, she was at least eighty percent confident.

[Stand still and force the Blackiron Warhammers to change course? I can do that.] Her eyes brightened as five lotus petals drifted before her.

Compared to the Central Continent’s geniuses, her methods were few. She didn’t have many strange secret arts. Her edge lay elsewhere: her soul was extraordinarily strong. With the Rebirth Art and the Azure Lotus, her spirit was so solid that even the Blackiron Warhammers could not shake it.

Without hesitation, she sent the five petals to meet the incoming hammer.

On the second level, expressions shifted as the observers watched.

Cang Yin smiled and said, “Manifesting the Azure Lotus with soul power to take the blow? Interesting.”

“She’s not afraid her soul will collapse?” a burly man rumbled.

“Someone taught by the City Lord should have something unique,” Feng Yu said with a light laugh.

They had no trials to face yet and were free to chat, their eyes locked on Li Shuang.

Li Shuang paid them no mind. The five petals wrapped around the Blackiron Warhammer. Just as the next hammer was about to smash into her, the five petals pressed together. Their power surged and lifted the hammer up and over her.

She stood still. The hammer swept over her head.

Feng Yu showed a trace of regret and said, “Looks like she’s about to clear the first layer.”

“What do you think, Sister You Lan?” Cang Yin asked with a smile.

You Lan snorted. She took her eyes off Li Shuang, sat cross-legged again, and began to cultivate.