The scene before me was a haze of light, making it impossible to discern my surroundings. Instinctively, I looked down, only to see a colossal hexagram array shimmering beneath my feet, radiating a soft, silvery-white glow that enveloped everything around me.

I quickly stepped out of the light formation!

Only then could I truly take in the place.

It resembled a vast palace, its surroundings adorned with exquisitely carved relief murals, making the entire hall feel expansive, open, and brightly lit. While not opulent, it possessed an ancient dignity. Standing precisely in the center of the hall were two figures.

On the left stood a middle-aged man of imposing authority. He was powerfully built, easily topping two meters, clad in the same golden-yellow War God armor as Jidu and Luohou. A massive Frost-Condensing Greatsword was strapped to his back; his hair was fiery red, and his eyes burned—an aura of innate majesty and an imposing presence that seemed to survey the world emanated from him. I couldn't precisely define the man, but I was certain he was no ordinary person; he was clearly one accustomed to high office, holding the power of life and death. Only such an individual could exude such unconscious authority and confidence.

To the right was an elder dressed in white sacrificial robes, his hair and beard entirely white. I couldn't determine his true age. His cyan eyes held a profound clarity, an enlightenment that seemed to pierce the heavens and earth, as if all things in creation were visible to him.

These were eyes weathered by untold ages, eyes that had seen through life and transcended the mundane.

"You have finally arrived!" The white-bearded elder’s voice resonated like the striking of a morning bell and an evening drum—deep, vast, and lingering. A trace of benevolent warmth appeared in his gaze as he looked at me, gradually easing the tension that had gripped me.

"Junior Star-Essence pays respects to the two seniors." I quickly bowed deeply in deference.

"Young man." The middle-aged man's voice carried an irresistible gravity and sternness: "Remove your helmet."

"This junior was remiss." Only then did I remember I was still wearing the Daoist helm and promptly took it off!

"Ah!" The white-haired elder gasped in shock, staring at me fixedly.

"..." The middle-aged man also looked at me with a complicated expression: "Black hair, black eyes, not even the slightest difference in appearance. If not for the vastly different aura surrounding him, I would have sworn it was Shenyin."

"He truly is the spitting image," the white-haired elder exclaimed in awe. "Star-Essence! It is just as Shenyin said."

"Are you two Shenyin's relatives?" I asked, surprised.

"We will tell you that later," the middle-aged man quickly regained his composure, then stated seriously, "Since you are here, I assume you are prepared to undergo the assessment?"

"Yes!" I replied in a deep voice.

"This place is the Heavenly Demon Holy Palace of the Demonic Dragon Imperial Family. Every Heavenly Demon Warrior of the family must pass the assessment here. I am Jiuyou Zhutian, the Instructor of the Heavenly Demon Holy Palace." Jiuyou Zhutian then introduced the white-bearded elder beside him: "He is Jiuyou Minglun, the High Priest of the Heavenly Demon Holy Palace. The Instructor and the High Priest jointly assess all successive Heavenly Demon Warriors. Only after passing the assessment can one participate in the Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament."

"The assessment, the Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament." I was slightly confused. "What is the Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament?"

"Passing the assessment in the Heavenly Demon Holy Palace only proves you possess the qualifications to become a Heavenly Demon Warrior. However, the Heavenly Demon Armor is an extremely rare battle suit; not everyone who passes the assessment can possess it. To obtain one's own Heavenly Demon Armor, one must participate in and ultimately triumph in the Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament."

"I see," I murmured. "Becoming a Heavenly Demon Warrior doesn't guarantee ownership of the Heavenly Demon Armor."

"Precisely," Jiuyou Minglun confirmed. "The Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament is held once every ten years, jointly hosted by the Four Kingdoms' Royal Families and the two great churches, Shengyan and Moluo. Participants include elite disciples from the royal families of every nation, as well as young experts from all corners of the continent, all competing. The top five finishers win the Heavenly Demon Armor."

"When does the next Heavenly Demon Supremacy Tournament begin?" I asked curiously.

"In two years," Jiuyou Minglun stated.

"Are you prepared to face the assessment?" Jiuyou Zhutian asked.

"This junior is ready to begin at any time," I replied respectfully.

"Very well," Jiuyou Minglun said. "Before you face the Instructor's assessment, you must first undergo my physical examination as the High Priest of the Heavenly Demons."

"A physical examination." I was somewhat taken aback; I hadn't expected the Mafa World to be so professional as to conduct physical testing.

"The Heavenly Demon Armor contains an exceedingly unique and potent power; not everyone can wield it. Therefore, it imposes very specific requirements on the body of a Heavenly Demon Warrior," Jiuyou Minglun explained. "In fact, many young experts with extraordinary skills have been disqualified from becoming Heavenly Demon Warriors simply because their constitutions did not meet the required standards."

"..." At this point, my heart began to pound. I desperately hoped nothing would go wrong at this final hurdle. If I failed the physical test, I wouldn't even have a place to weep.

Seemingly sensing my anxiety, both Jiuyou Minglun and Jiuyou Zhutian offered slight smiles.

"Follow me," Jiuyou Minglun said, leading me to a circular platform made of white jade. "This is the Nine Dragon Disk, a supreme treasure of our Demonic Dragon Imperial Family. One of its functions is to test an individual's constitution to determine if they meet the conditions for becoming a Heavenly Demon Warrior."

"The Nine Dragon Disk." I curiously surveyed the white jade disk before me. It was crafted from nine lifelike, writhing little dragons, all intertwined and interlocked. Each dragon was a different color—red, orange, yellow, green, gold, blue, purple, black, and white. Each dragon held a corresponding colored bead in its mouth, so vivid it looked as if they might leap from the disk at any moment, clearly indicating a rare and precious artifact.

"What must I do?" I inquired.

"Simply place your hand inside the blank white space at the center of the Nine Dragon Disk," Jiuyou Minglun instructed.

"The blank space in the center!" It was perfectly sized to accommodate the palm of a hand. I placed my palm upon it as instructed, carefully observing the changes on the disk.

Soon, I felt a strange sensation, akin to a mild electric shock. Jiuyou Minglun and Jiuyou Zhutian watched the Nine Dragon Disk with intense tension. Naturally, I was equally nervous; this was, after all, my last straw.

Suddenly, the original nine little dragons seemed to come alive, swimming back and forth within the disk! This sight stunned me, and Jiuyou Minglun and Jiuyou Zhutian also wore expressions of utter astonishment!

Next, the nine dragons emitted bright light, swimming cheerfully toward the center of the disk like nine little goldfish of different colors, then eagerly dove into my palm one after another.

Simultaneously, I felt something burrowing into my body, and my entire form erupted in dazzling, multicolored light—a spectacle similar to the Thunder Guardian skill pushed to its absolute limit.

Within my body surged an unfamiliar energy. It wasn't the surging might of Thunder Dou Qi, but rather something deep and gentle, like bathing in a warm, soft spring. A sense of inexpressible comfort washed over me, and my spirit soared.

"..." Jiuyou Minglun was dumbfounded, staring first at the disk and then at me.

"The Nine-Colored Divine Dragons have all responded," Jiuyou Zhutian exclaimed in horror. "It is the purest Divine Bestowment Body Protection!"

"Did... did I pass?" I asked, feeling slightly uneasy.

"Of course," Jiuyou Minglun murmured. "Your bloodline possesses the purest Divine Bestowment Body Protection. You are destined to become the most outstanding Heavenly Demon Warrior!"

"That's wonderful, I finally passed." The tautness in my nerves finally eased.

"The physical examination is complete. Next, it is my turn to assess your current strength," Jiuyou Zhutian stated gravely. "What you must do is fight me with every ounce of your strength."

"Every ounce of strength?"

"Indeed, use your strongest power," Jiuyou Zhutian instructed. "Only then can I accurately evaluate your abilities."

"Don't worry, with your current strength, you cannot harm the Instructor," Jiuyou Minglun chuckled lightly, perhaps sensing my apprehension.

"This junior understands." I chuckled self-deprecatingly. It was true; merely being the Instructor of the Heavenly Demon Holy Palace suggested Jiuyou Zhutian possessed astonishing power—he was essentially the coach for Heavenly Demon Warriors. How could I possibly injure him?

"This junior offends."

The vast hall seemed to dissolve into nothingness. In my eyes now, only the unmoving, mountain-like figure of Jiuyou Zhutian remained. Under the effect of the Eye of Death Desire, I clearly perceived a vague band of purple light encircling him.

Although I didn't know what it was, I could feel the potent energy contained within. This made me hesitant to act rashly. My intuition warned me to observe and wait, as Jiuyou Zhutian showed not the slightest flaw.

The silence in the hall became absolute; I could even hear my own heartbeat. Jiuyou Zhutian remained perfectly still, his face devoid of emotion, his cold gaze scrutinizing me as if I were an inanimate object.

This feeling was abysmal, a crushing sense of invisible pressure and suffocation wrapping tightly around me. My heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably, and my muscles began to stiffen.

I couldn't wait any longer. In the past, I always felt that the concept of 'presence' or 'aura' was too ethereal, perhaps nonexistent. Some claimed true masters could crush opponents merely with their presence, a notion I always found exaggerated.

But standing face-to-face with Jiuyou Zhutian, I finally realized that such a thing as 'presence' truly existed. Even before any blow was struck, through the Eye of Death Desire, I clearly felt the surrounding world warp into a blurry mass of purplish-red, like a colossal beast stirring the deepest, most primal fears and tremors within the human heart.

I had only felt this sensation once before, from the Yellow Spring Sect Leader—yes, this was killing intent, an aura so potent it could destroy one's consciousness and fighting spirit.

"Roar!" I could no longer endure it. I knew if I persisted, I would be the one to collapse. The only course of action was to shatter the deadlock, to disrupt his aura. The Dragon Shadow Sword instantly sliced toward Jiuyou Zhutian's chest.

This strike channeled my strongest attack, fueled by four layers of Thunder Dou Qi. The strange, multicolored stream of light coiled like an elusive spirit snake, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment. Countless nights of arduous training, countless Demonic Dragon creatures slain by the Sword Sage, ensured that every angle, speed, and force of my sword strikes maximized my inherent strength.

"Well met," Jiuyou Zhutian uttered a soft call. He shifted his stance slightly, stepping aside, and simultaneously tapped lightly with his sword toward my abdomen. All of this occurred in the blink of an eye, but under the Eye of Death Desire, everything unfolded as if in slow motion.

It felt as though the speed of my body could never keep up with the speed of my consciousness. However, I presumed this state was the same for both of us. The thrust I launched was deftly evaded. But I immediately realized that in my current state, I had no way to dodge the counter-strike launched by Jiuyou Zhutian.

My thoughts raced, and I instantly deployed my Fencing Footwork. While stepping sideways to evade, I quickly brought my sword back to block.

Clang! A sharp ringing sound, and immense force transmitted through my sword-wielding right hand, nearly ripping the weapon from my grasp. I instinctively flicked my wrist to redirect the power, utilizing a subtle sword-handling technique learned from my past life's fencing practice—a maneuver unexpectedly effective against an opponent possessing overwhelming strength.

"Not bad, young man, you have some skill," Jiuyou Zhutian praised. "Take this next one." The massive Frost-Condensing blade trembled slightly, like a giant python coiling, driving my Dragon Shadow Sword back, effortlessly piercing my defense. The sword tip angled slightly upward—the initial flat thrust instantly morphed into an upward sweep, slashing directly toward my chest.

This transition from thrust to lift was incredibly swift, meeting no resistance, as if he had perfectly anticipated this exact move.

Even though, under the Eye of Death Desire, I could discern the trajectory of every strike Jiuyou Zhutian launched, I still felt as if I were being manipulated by his sword techniques.

Every one of Jiuyou Zhutian's attacks targeted my weak points, attacking where I was compelled to defend, and each strike forced me to struggle just to block. Although his force wasn't overwhelming—at least on the same level as mine—it instilled in me a sense of powerlessness, an inability to parry effectively.

This felt like facing a master chess player: you could clearly see every move he made, yet you could never find a way to break through his strategy.

Under the Eye of Death Desire, both sides appeared to be on an equal footing in terms of speed, reaction, and power. Therefore, the deciding factor was individual technique and application. Unquestionably, the situation was no different from a game of chess.

Equal strength, similar speeds—equivalent to having the same number of chess pieces. With ample time for thought, both sides could plan meticulously before acting.

Thus, the victor would be determined by their mastery of chess artistry, which, in our case, equated to swordsmanship technique.

In this regard, I was clearly not on the same level as Jiuyou Zhutian. I was currently in a checkmate situation on the board, a dead position; no matter how I tried to salvage it, defeat seemed inevitable.

Clang, clang, clang! Amidst a rapid series of sharp sounds, Jiuyou Zhutian and I exchanged over fifty moves. Yet, in those fifty-plus exchanges, I never found a single opportunity to counterattack, constantly forced onto the defensive.

Jiuyou Zhutian's enormous Frost-Condensing blade peeled away my defenses layer by layer, like extracting silk from a cocoon, finally driving straight toward the center.

In the blink of an eye, he executed 'White Rainbow Pierces the Sun'; the sharp tip of his sword instantly stabbed toward my chest. My own sword, having been blocked and missing its mark, had absolutely no time to recover its guard. This time, it was a direct checkmate.

A dead position!

I would never give up until the very end. Driven by instinct, I rolled away like a stubborn donkey, throwing myself to the ground, simultaneously unleashing the 'Everywhere Blade Light' technique from my Ground Sweep style, sweeping low toward Jiuyou Zhutian's lower legs.

"Ah!" Perhaps taken by surprise by this maneuver, Jiuyou Zhutian gasped and quickly leaped backward, retreating out of range. I seized the rare moment of reprieve gained from that relentless offensive barrage.

How could I miss such a precious opportunity to counter? As he bounded backward, I sprang back myself, creating distance while launching two Dragon Shadows like streaks of lightning toward Jiuyou Zhutian.

Just then, I had completely revised my battle plan. Since I gained no advantage in close-quarters grappling, I would maintain distance and try a different approach.

My calculation was simple: no matter how exquisite Jiuyou Zhutian's swordsmanship, he wielded only a single sword—meaning he had only one piece on the board. I, however, commanded two Dragon Shadows, plus my Dragon Shadow Sword in hand. In terms of pieces, I had more than him, meaning I could deploy greater overall force and boast more versatile tactical variations. Furthermore, the Dragon Shadows could be controlled at will, acting as two extended arms. As long as I maintained distance, I could secure an invincible position.

"Dragon Shadow Sword Art," Jiuyou Zhutian chuckled lightly. "Quite interesting."

Watching the two Dragon Shadows crisscross and dart toward him, Jiuyou Zhutian remained calm and composed. With a subtle shift of stance, he rotated his entire body like a spinning top, instantly flashing past the pincer movement of the two Dragon Shadows. Keep in mind, I was already at the peak of the Crimson Moon cultivation; under the impetus of this Dou Qi level, every attack from the Dragon Shadows carried the same force as if I had struck directly with my sword. This was because the Dragon Shadow Sword Qi hidden within the shadows relied entirely on a powerful Dou Qi cultivation base.

This meant I could now unleash the full ten-tenths of the Dragon Shadow's might—another major reason for my current confidence.

Just as Jiuyou Zhutian seemed poised to close the distance and attack, the two Dragon Shadows simultaneously executed a figure-eight arc, miraculously sweeping around to his rear. This was the terror of the Dragon Shadows; they could attack along a route completely dictated by me, operating like two intelligent, guided missiles.

"Good move," Jiuyou Zhutian seemed slightly taken aback again. He leaned back subtly, and the two Dragon Shadows missed him entirely, flying toward me instead. I dared not pause for a moment; I swept my sword horizontally, unleashing a massive half-moon slash that whistled through the air. This move was one I had used against the Yellow Spring Sect Leader previously; back then, it was to prevent him from closing in on us. While the half-moon I cut now wasn't on the same scale as the one formed by the Thunder Array, this crescent was still three times larger than a standard half-moon blade. Unleashing this move at such close range was intended to block every possible path forward for Jiuyou Zhutian.

As the half-moon slashed out, I maneuvered the two Dragon Shadows to orbit on either side, poised for the next attack should Jiuyou Zhutian break through the half-moon sword energy blockade.

"Hmph!" Jiuyou Zhutian let out a muffled roar. His protective Dou Qi abruptly exploded outward, coupled with a direct downward slash. A dense surge of assassination sword energy instantly split my cut half-moon in half, and the astonishing energy showed no sign of stopping, howling toward me.

Following the assassination sword energy, Jiuyou Zhutian's phantom-like figure appeared—clearly intending to use the sword energy as cover to close the distance into my close combat range.

Having been fully alert, I would not let him succeed.

"Hah!" I swiftly deployed the Fencing Footwork, rapidly shifting sideways to evade the howling assassination sword energy. The two Dragon Shadows flew toward the rapidly approaching Jiuyou Zhutian with the precision of bullets fired from a sniper rifle.

The difference was that these two Dragon Shadows were no longer flying parallel like the 'Twin Swallows Soaring Together'; instead, one rushed forward while the other trailed behind, forming a linked attack aimed at Jiuyou Zhutian's chest. My calculation was simple: use the first Dragon Shadow to force a change in Jiuyou Zhutian's move, observe the flaw created by that adjustment, and then have the trailing Dragon Shadow deliver the fatal blow.

A formidable opponent, Jiuyou Zhutian! Facing the rapidly approaching Dragon Shadows, he made no adjustment or pause, charging straight through as if phasing through the interception. However, under the Eye of Death Desire, I clearly captured his movement.

If I hadn't witnessed it firsthand, I truly couldn't have imagined such exquisite movement techniques existing. Just as the Dragon Shadows were about to strike him, Jiuyou Zhutian merely swayed lightly twice, moving the absolute minimum distance required to evade the interception of the two shadows. I didn't even have time to execute the contingency move for the second shadow.

It felt like an elite boxer deftly dodging an opponent's straight punch while closing the distance with terrifying speed.

What an agile movement technique! Even I, confident in my own footwork, couldn't help but admire it. However, years of training had made my control over distance an instinctive reflex: when the enemy advances, I retreat.

No hesitation!

He rushed fast, but I retreated faster. I executed a series of electrical steps backward using the Fencing Footwork, and my retreat wasn't a rigid straight line but involved unpredictable swaying left and right, making it impossible for Jiuyou Zhutian to lock onto my form for an effective attack.

In the blink of an eye, the distance snapped open once more. My phantom Dragon Forms, which had missed their mark, were pulled and guided by my will, soaring up to strike behind Jiuyue Zhutian.

This forced Jiuyue Zhutian to snap his sword back for self-preservation.

The battle instantly returned to the rhythm I commanded.

For a time, the two Dragon Forms danced around Jiuyue Zhutian like vibrant, chasing butterflies, sweeping up, down, colliding, weaving, feinting forward and back—sometimes executing a simultaneous 'Double Swallows Soar,' other times chaining strikes with 'Front-Rear Volley.' Combined with the timely slash of my Wan Li Zhui Hun (Ten Thousand Miles Soul Chaser), this offensive not only kept Jiuyue Zhutian from closing the distance but also compelled him into a frantic defense, parrying the two Dragon Forms swirling around him while constantly deflecting the occasional bursts of sword energy I unleashed, leaving him visibly strained.

Excellent. It seems my Dragon Shadow Swordplay can finally be put to proper use. My spirits soared, filled with immense satisfaction.

Now, the real fight begins!