After the Flying Wooden Tiger was completely broken down, only the head remained whole, and the Giant Strength Design was unaffected. As long as more wooden blocks were assembled, this Flying Wooden Tiger could be rebuilt anew.
Wu Yu stowed his Demon Subduing Staff and readied himself to move to the second level by the stairs.
Pa!
Suddenly, a bronze mirror landed before Wu Yu and shattered. When he looked up, he saw the girl who had been applying makeup stare at him with a completely shocked expression.
She had probably not thought that Wu Yu was the kind of person who could finish off the Flying Wooden Tiger with one hit. Otherwise, she would not have been so calm.
"You, you are Wu Yu?"
The girl floated down from above, her skirt purposely billowing, allowing Wu Yu to see the charming scenery underneath.
"Yes?" Wu Yu asked.
"Nothing, I just want to get to know you. I'm called..." The girl disciple batted an eyelash and coyly introduced herself. It was clear that she wanted to get close to him. As she spoke, her eyes conveyed volumes of meaning.
In the Heavenly Sword Sect, Wu Yu's status as a personal disciple was a symbol of status.
"Next time. I'm going to the second level."
Wu Yu straightened up and pattered his way onwards, leaving the girl disciple staring regretfully at the scattered wooden blocks. She was frantic. "It was Wu Yu! He must be angry that I ignored him just now. I'm really... If I had realized it was him earlier and treated him warmly, he would probably think kindly of me now...."
Now she could only look at his departing figure with regret.
To Wu Yu, this female disciple was just an intermission.
After he reached the second level, he saw a small room, where a black-clothed male disciple sat. He lifted his head and looked at Wu Yu as he entered. "Oh, it's you. There's no one on the second level. You may challenge."
Wu Yu remembered him. Back during the entrance exam, on the Immortal's Path, it was this black-robed disciple who had brought Wu Yu to the Immortal's Path.
This black-robed disciple was a proud guy, so he did not purposely curry favor with Wu Yu because of his status.
Wu Yu's supernatural improvement was well known, and that black-robed disciple had already been surprised enough when he witnessed Wu Yu defeat Situ Minglang.
Wu Yu was just about to enter the ajar bronze doors.
"It's the Iron Giant inside. Be careful," the black-robed disciple warned him.
"Many thanks."
The so-called Iron Giant was also a mechanism, but it was not made out of wood. Instead, it used sturdier materials like bronze and iron, and even some precious metals, such as the Redheart Gold that had built the Demon Subduing Staff.
After Wu Yu entered, the black-robed disciple triggered a mechanism that released the Iron Giant.
The Iron Giant was 20 feet tall, and Wu Yu only reached its knees.
The material of the Iron Giant's body looked the same as the Dao Querying Pagoda itself. A dull green that bore many scars inflicted by the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect. It wielded a huge blade that looked like it could cleave the Flying Wooden Tiger with one chop.
Between its eyebrows was a Mechanism Spirit Design called Frost Gush. When this spirit design was activated, the giant's body would be encased in ice. As the ice spread, even the ground would become extremely cold.
The Iron Giant could use dao techniques!
Those at the second tier of Qi Condensation Realm might not normally be able to defeat this Iron Giant.
However, a fight of this level was no real hardship for Wu Yu. His Demon Subduing Staff concluded the battle in two or three strokes, beating the Iron Giant until it could not function.
"Impressive."
The black-robed disciple walked in. He was responsible for picking the Iron Giant back up and bringing it to a secret room for repairs.
Wu Yu exchanged a smile with him. Although he was only at the second tier of the Qi Condensation Realm, but he wanted to challenge the fourth level and enter the Scripture Holding Depository's fourth level to seek a dao technique.
"You're still going up?" the black-robed disciple asked curiously.
"Yes."
"Impressive. There are two Flying Metal Dragons for the third stage. It would be suicide for me. But I heard that after the Flying Metal Dragons got destroyed last time, they're yet to be repaired. The Lonely Elder found a disciple of the third tier of the Qi Condensation Realm to hold the floor. If you beat him, you're considered to have passed the third level. And it seems like the same goes for the fourth level as well - a disciple is waiting there.
The Lonely Elder was probably the old dao warrior who Wu Yu had met just now.
"The Flying Metal Dragons are not yet repaired?"
This was out of Wu Yu's expectations. He had searched up information on the third and fourth levels and made preparations against the Flying Metal Dragons and the Five Affinities Giant Bear on the fourth floor. He had not expected that both would have been replaced, and now he would have to fight other core disciples.
"Honestly, it's harder to defeat a person compared to a mechanism. If you come back in a few days, the Flying Metal Dragons might be repaired." The black-robed disciple was thinking of him.
"No matter."
Actually, Wu Yu only wanted to test out the Flying Metal Dragon and Five Affinities Giant Bear. But his real goal was still to obtain a dao technique. It was no great matter who his opponent was.
He bid farewell to the black-robed disciple. He did not enter the Scripture Holding Depository on the second level, but instead continued upwards to the third level.
At the third level, there was yet another small room, also with a cushion. On it sat a white-robed disciple, an immortal treasure longsword resting on his legs. The sword qi was dense. He was the standard for a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
The white-robed disciple opened his eyes and spoke condescendingly, "Wu Yu, you are at the second tier of the Qi Condensation Realm. What are you doing here?"
Not every core disciple was impressed by Wu Yu's status as a personal disciple. For example, this guy.
"To challenge the third level." Seeing the door ajar, Wu Yu was prepared to enter.
"Wait."
The white-robed disciple stood up suddenly and hefted that powerful longsword. He was tall and handsome, with an air of nobility to him. He hefted his longsword and emanated a conqueror's aura.
"You don't have the right to stop me." After all, there was no one on the third level, so Wu Yu had no idea why he was being held up.
"I'm not here to stop you looking for trouble. I'm your opponent." The white-robed disciple shot him a cold look, then preceded him into the third level.
Because the Flying Metal Dragons were not around, there was clearly no need for any mechanism to be activated.
"I see."
The white-robed disciple led the way and then suddenly turned back. His immortal treasure longsword was already out of the scabbard. It was a longsword that looked to be made of white jade, and was covered in clouds. Wu Yu could tell that his dao technique was related to the clouds.
The dao techniques of the Heavenly Sword Sect all favored melee and sword techniques. They were very different from the Zhongyuan Dao Sect's techniques. For example, Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian's Fire Tornado Skill would not be found here.
This white-robed disciple's Chest Meridian, Heaven's Hall Meridian, and Heaven's Gate Meridians on both hands were already activated. He was of the third tier of the Qi Condensation Realm.
"Wu Yu, do your worst!"
The white-robed disciple brandished his sword, and the sword qi flared. His sword technique was like a cloud, creating a sort of illusion that shrouded him in the clouds.
"Ke, I won't hold back then."
Back then, it was very difficult to defeat Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian. But things were different now!
Whoosh!
Wu Yu's leg stomped down on the bronze floor and he shot forward like an arrow towards his opponent. A beam of golden light pierced the clouds, like sunlight shining through!
"Misty Sword!" The white-robed disciple slashed out with killing intent.
"Break!"
Wu Yu had no technique to speak of. Using his spiritual power to augment his physical powers, he locked onto the position of his opponent's longsword. The pattern of his spiritual power was obvious and could not be hidden!
Tang!
The longsword clashed against the Demon Subduing Staff!
Ting!
With a loud sound, the longsword was torn from his hands, flying a thousand feet away. Wu Yu whirled and jabbed the Demon Subduing Staff at the white-robed disciple's chest. He was sent flying a hundred feet and rolled on the floor.
"Brother, I give."
Wu Yu stowed the Demon Subduing Staff and smiled mirthlessly at the white-robed disciple. He gingerly stood up, his eyes wide. He looked at Wu Yu with disbelief. "I did not think that your physical abilities were so powerful. No wonder you could kill Minglang even before you condensed your qi!"
His eyes were filled with defeat.
That he had addressed Situ Minglang that way seemed to indicate some sort of relationship with Situ Minglang.
"Now you can already defeat someone at the third tier of the Qi Condensation Realm like myself. You will go far!" The white-robed disciple was still reeling and found it difficult to calm himself. A fear of Wu Yu began to grow in him.
Wu Yu did not speak but walked directly past him, retrieving his longsword back for him.
"You defeated me, and you're qualified to enter the third level of the Scripture Holding Depository!" the white-robed disciple said grudgingly.
But what shocked him was that Wu Yu looped past the Scripture Holding Depository and ascended the stairs.
"Wu Yu, what do you think you are doing?"
The white-robed disciple blurted in surprise. But Wu Yu was already gone by the time he was done speaking. But his manner made it clear that he intended to challenge the fourth level.
The fourth level was Wu Yu's true goal!
On the stairs, he could hear the sound of carefree chatter from above, both male and female voices. They were in high spirits.
"Now our Heavenly Sword Sect is so dense with spiritual qi. The five of us will definitely grow stronger from now on, and even achieve Jindan!"
"Our Heavenly Sword Sect is about to rise!"
It looked like they were extremely excited.
"What do we care if it rises? The five of us have reached this level with our abilities alone. Without the guidance of a mentor. From the start, everyone said that the five of us were not good enough."
"Wasn't it us who cultivated as hard as we could, heedless to the taunts, to reach where we are today? Our path of dao has been too hard. But some people, with their masters coddling them, can easily surpass us."
"We will definitely make our names. We will show all the people who looked down on us that they were blind!"
"Rightly said. This spiritual qi that is three times the usual is our chance. Brothers and sisters, let's fight on!"
"We will surpass Mo Shishu! We will surpass Su Yanli! We will pass Lan Shuiyue, Zhao Changtian, Yi Qingfeng!"
"Alright, that's enough. Shut up now, lest others overhear us."
At the end, perhaps hearing Wu Yu ascending, someone broke up their conversation.
By the time Wu Yu reached the small room on the fourth level, five disciples stood to face him. Three guys and two girls looked at Wu Yu with unfriendly faces.
"Looks like our first challenger has arrived."
"Who is it?"
They pushed past each other to see.
Seeing that it was Wu Yu, they fell silent.
"It's him. The youngest personal disciple of the Sect Leader. It's said that he just returned and was given a mountain."
Wu Yu faced the five of them.
It seemed like all five were at the third tier of the Qi Condensation Realm.
And they were here in lieu of the Five Affinities Giant Bear to guard the fourth level.
"Wu Yu, enter."
The guy in the lead said emotionlessly. He led his group into the fourth level.
An epic battle was about to begin.
