Chapter 274: White Bone Peak

Xu Yang was never particularly strong in spiritual power, and this journey had pushed him to his limits. The higher he climbed the bone mountain, the more arduous each ascent became. Xu Yang vaguely sensed that the bone mountain and the sword atop it presented a rare opportunity; if he were to give up or fail even once, this chance might never appear again. Regardless of success, he had to grit his teeth and push through to the very end.

"Heh heh, little fellow, you dare to trespass on the bone mountain? You must be tired of living!""Boy, get your stinking feet off! How dare you step on my bones?"

A cacophony of chaotic spiritual thoughts surged around him. Xu Yang furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth; this was the most terrifying and arduous challenge he had faced since emerging from seclusion.

In fact, the torment Xu Yang was enduring felt like hundreds of Tribulation Realm experts continuously assaulting him in waves. As terrifying as this description sounded, it was no exaggeration. Though his physical body remained largely unharmed, the spiritual pressure was immense and unprecedented.

"Persevere! I must keep going!"

Xu Yang’s body was drenched in sweat, and his hands, clinging to the sheer bone cliff, trembled uncontrollably. He looked up; the peak, a colossal bone, was now within reach, yet he still refused to give up.

Unbeknownst to him, the soul within the massive boulder outside the valley watched his every move with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"Is he finally making his strongest push against destiny? Boy, whether you can create a miracle will be decided in this very instant!"

...

Finally!

Xu Yang did not disappoint; he reached the final, colossal bone at the mountain's summit, the most formidable part of the entire trial. If he could just cross this threshold and stand on this giant bone, he would be able to touch the sword and reach the absolute apex of the bone mountain.

Roar!!

A deafening dragon roar erupted without warning, sending a devastating spiritual shock through Xu Yang, who was already in a weakened state. Unprepared, Xu Yang’s vision blurred under the immense soul impact. His hands went limp, and he plummeted down dozens of layers. Had it not been for his unimaginable willpower, that single dragon roar would have been enough to utterly destroy Xu Yang.

"Damn it!"

The old man had despaired, believing Xu Yang would fail just as victory was within reach. But when he saw Xu Yang stabilize himself a dozen meters below, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Boy, you’ve endured so much! The final ten meters of this bone mountain are typically reserved for peak Tribulation Realm cultivators, true masters. For you to have climbed this far, still in the initial Tribulation Realm and with limited spiritual power, demonstrates a willpower that surpasses all your peers. Whether you can create a miracle and pull out that sword now depends entirely on your fortune."

Xu Yang couldn't hear the old man's self-admonishing murmurs, but he felt countless forces encouraging him, and the hazy golden light within his Dao Heart Whisk began to glow. All these forces urged Xu Yang to resume his ascent toward the true summit.

"I have always said that I, Xu Yang, will never bow to any opponent. No one can force me into submission! For I am destined to reach the pinnacle!"

"Argh!!!"

A roar erupted from the depths of his soul. Bolstered by this surge of spiritual power, Xu Yang launched himself back to the peak, gripping the upper edge of the colossal dragon bone. He slowly pulled himself up, enduring immense spiritual pressure.

"A dragon? It's not as if I haven't defeated one before. Do you truly believe you can stop me? A being reduced to a pile of bones has no right to contend with Xu Yang!"

Rumble!!

With a single palm strike, Xu Yang channeled his full power into the colossal dragon bone at the summit of the bone mountain. Simultaneously, a powerful rebound force flipped Xu Yang's body in mid-air. He completed a full turn and finally landed, his entire body resting on the bone peak.

As Xu Yang's back pressed against the colossal dragon bone at the peak, the ancient, blood-red sword lying beside him began to react. For the first time, Xu Yang genuinely sensed the independent life force emanating from a weapon. This sword possessed its own soul!

"Hey, brother, how are you?" Xu Yang panted heavily, yet his mind and body felt remarkably at ease. He tried to communicate with the ancient blood-red sword in a playful tone. "I never imagined there were weapons with their own souls in this world. You are the first I’ve encountered."

The ancient sword’s pulsations intensified, as if it was struggling to break free from the bone mountain beneath it, or perhaps responding to Xu Yang’s monologue.

"You want to come out? Hold on. Let me rest for a moment, then I'll pull you out."

A potent life force swiftly began to mend Xu Yang’s fatigue. Taotie, his sole sacrificial beast, also began to exert its influence, its powerful bloodline surging. Xu Yang felt an inexhaustible surge of power coursing through him. In less than an incense stick's burning time, all the exhaustion from climbing the bone mountain was replenished, and he returned to his peak condition.

The moment he stood up, Xu Yang realized that the view from the bone mountain's summit seemed to encompass the entirety of the Burial Mound. Standing there, he felt like a monarch surveying his dominion.

His hand gently rested on the blood-red ancient sword. As his formidable power attempted to commune with the sword's aura, a soul force far more terrifying than the dragon's soul power screamed wildly at him. Simultaneously, a deep purple, ethereal skull gradually materialized in the void above Xu Yang’s head. It was a deep abyss of desire, capable of corrupting souls, and it stared directly into his.

"Take this sword, and you will become the master of all. These bones beneath your feet belong to the world's greatest experts, all subjugated by death to this sword and your feet! Possess it, and you will possess everything! Relax, let your life merge with it! This is the only thing you should do!"

For a fleeting moment, Xu Yang experienced a strange instinct, actually envisioning himself wielding the sword and dominating the world. But then, his rationality informed his inner self that this was merely a test of desire, a baseless flaw that should not exist within his soul.

"You are wrong. I, Xu Yang, will never be controlled by power; I will be the one to wield it! You wish to control me? You are not worthy!"

With that, Xu Yang extended a finger, and a powerful golden Dao light instantly shattered the demonic thought, pregnant with greed. Tranquility returned to the world once more.