Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog

The crowd in front of the Martial Temple had all their eyes on those four people, and most of the attention was focused on Chen Ku.

Some outstanding talents from Qiu Dragon Mansion, who hadn't signed up yet, were looking at Chen Ku in disbelief:

"A mud-legged person from Baojiao County, what merits does he have to be considered a major opponent by Dugu Wuer's sword?"

These outstanding talents came from various places in Qiu Dragon Mansion to participate in such a small 'local exam' in Baojiao County, hoping to earn the favor of a Grandmaster. Even if they couldn't become a disciple, getting pointers here and there from a Grandmaster was considered fortunate.

However, as more outstanding talents arrived, the saying "In literary fields, there's no top; in martial arts, there's no second" came into play. They were all young, exceptional individuals, with high ambitions, prominent figures in their hometowns and stars in the prefecture. Now gathered together, no one was willing to be inferior to others.

Some even had thoughts of challenging Dugu Wuer and Pei Qingzhi.

But before the martial competition even began, Dugu Wuer's sword made a move, effectively excluding them as opponents, essentially dismissing them.

As for the opponents recognized by Dugu Wuer's sword, Pei Qingzhi and Princess Hongluan were understandable selections to them.

After all, Pei Qingzhi was incredibly fierce. Despite his short stature, appearing frail like a sick ghost, his pair of big hammers had many old masters in Qiu Dragon Mansion beaten into submission.

And Princess Hongluan, being from a Marquis family, inherited the world-surpassing martial arts 'Dragon Subduing Refining God Sword,' which was aggressively dominant and invincible. It focused on inner cultivation of the spirit and external mastery of sword skills, representing the true essence of 'Life and Spirit Dual Cultivation.'

The Marquis of Han Shou, Guan Changsheng, once followed the Grand Ancestor Emperor with his mighty sword, subduing Rebel Kings and once cleaving apart the copper-cast iron-forged Han Shou City Wall with one strike, his sword energy extending for thirty zhang without dissipating.

Both Pei Qingzhi and Guan Hongluan were undisputed strongest of the younger generation.

But who exactly was this Chen Ku from Baojiao County?

Is it because he once killed the Fourth Realm expert Xie Qi from the Firewood Iron Shop, and joined forces with his master to kill Xie Qingfeng?

A Third Realm eliminating a Fourth Realm Xie Qi isn't a remarkable feat.

Some young talents present believed that under certain conditions, they could also achieve this; if one can't surpass levels to defeat an enemy, how can they be considered outstanding?

Is this alone enough to make the sword box of Dugu Fort wary?

Yet, some chose to remain silent, watching the four individuals approaching the stele.

Dugu Wuer, standing before the stele, made the first move. The others couldn't even see what techniques he employed. They only saw brilliant sword light suddenly shooting out from the young Sword Demon's sword box, like a radiant sun!

Clang clang clang~

At that moment.

As Dugu Wuer's sword qi was unsheathed, it caused many weapons worn by people from the Sword Martial World present to ring out involuntarily, resonating continuously in his direction, as if encountering the king among swords.

Immediately following this.

Within that radiant light, an unparalleled sword qi howled forth, infused with an imposing, peerless sword intent. Faintly discernible within that light was a humanoid sword qi charging toward the stele.

Rumble~~

Previously, many geniuses had exhausted their strength without leaving the slightest mark on the stele. Yet now, under Dugu Wuer's sword, stone powder flew everywhere.

Then, as the sword qi light before Dugu Wuer dissipated, four large bold characters were left at the top of the stele.

Dugu Wuer!

"Is that really a flying sword?"

Chen Ku looked at the swordsmanship performed by Dugu Wuer, seeing clearly that Dugu Wuer never used his hands to draw the sword; it seemed as though by a mere thought, the sword in the sword box flew out on its own:

"How mystical?"

Since he started practicing martial arts, this was the first time he had witnessed something akin to flying swords from fantasy novels within the Ji Dynasty's borders.

This slightly exceeded the common knowledge of martial artists.

In the blink of an eye, a flying sword decapitates.

This scene instantly raised Chen Ku's vigilance against Dugu Wuer to the utmost. Just by looking at the method Dugu Wuer used to carve characters just now, the speed of that sword qi was faster than a blinking eye, and such a flying sword... there seemed to be nine of them in his sword box.

The most crucial part was that, even with Chen Ku's eye power, he couldn't see the appearance of the sword that flew out through the haze of sword qi light just a moment ago.

At this point, Guan Hongluan lightly smiled while watching Dugu Wuer's technique, saying, "The swordsmanship of Dugu Fort has been inherited for a thousand years, and it focuses on six words: 'Sword Cultivation, Sword Control, Flying Sword.' Among them, the sword control layer particularly resonates well with the 'Object Control' realm of the Divine Cultivation branch. By entrusting the mind to the sword, one can control the sword to kill unseen. It is said that Brother Dugu can now simultaneously wield five swords, and I suppose, even a Five Realm expert could be slain."

Her statement surprised everyone.

The evaluation from Guan Hongluan that he could kill a Five Realm expert would not be false.

Chen Ku also looked at the four large characters of Dugu Wuer on the stele, pondering silently in his heart:

"Sword Control? Object Manipulation?"

Not long ago, during the night exploration of the City God Temple, when slaying Firewood Iron Shop's Ma Mingfeng, he had heard about the Divine Soul System, which primarily focused on Spirit cultivation, especially the Fifth Realm 'Object Manipulation,' a major threshold. Before reaching Object Manipulation, one could only deploy illusion techniques to bewilder others, but upon reaching this realm, anything from grass, wood, bamboo, and stone could become weapons with a single thought, the mind attached, and killing intent initiated instantly.