"Clang, Clang."
The sounds of metal colliding echoed in the dark space inside Zhao Luo's mental World.
Even after confirming the improvements inside his body Zhao Luo never stopped.
He had his apparitions on rotation.
The rotation was between two groups.
The fighting group while the task group.
When Zhao Luo would defeat the three apparitions he was fighting, the next three apparitions would take their place while the defeated apparitions would be recuperating.
The defeated apparitions will start doing the task while Zhao Luo would defeat the current apparitions.
This way he would increase his fighting experience while honing his already learned skills.
While fighting his apparitions Zhao Luo had increased his handling of the techniques from the three sword arts that he had learned while fighting the puppets.
"Multiple Burst Slash."
Zhao Luo shouted the name of his technique as he started spinning.
Zhao Luo had combined two techniques to come up with this one.
The 'judgment' he had used while fighting the sand lions and the 'Burst Slash' that he had used uncountable times against the puppets.
By spinning, he could indeed easily use the movements of the Burst Slash again and again while eliminating the possible weaknesses in the two techniques.
'Clang.'
As Zhao Luo started using his multiple burst slash, the apparitions blocked it once.
'Clang.'
They blocked it twice but it wasn't easy for them as they were pushed back.
Zhao Luo looked like an evil black and crimson tornado from hell.
The third one.
'Clang, Slash.'
The apparitions brought their swords in the way of Zhao Luo's swords but that didn't help them as big gashes were left in their bodies by Zhao Luo's Ifrit and Blackey.
"That will be it for tonight."
Zhao Luo said right after he stopped spinning.
His head was spinning after using Multiple Burst Slashes.
'I guess every technique has a downside.'
Zhao Luo thought with an unhappy look on his face.
Zhao Luo also knew that these techniques of his were way better than what he thought swordsmanship was about.
This way of using the swords was way satisfactory than sword styles where one would use his mouth to swing the sword.
But this was just the start so Zhao Luo had to use these techniques for now as he couldn't even call himself a real swordsman.
"Come."
Zhao Luo looked at his apparitions and ordered them.
All the apparitions gathered around him.
"It's time to absorb them back in my body."
Zhao Luo thought.
Once the assimilation was over, Zhao Luo felt that he would become a real swordsman.
His proficiency with the sword would have increased by a lot too while his techniques would be polished.
"Assimilate."
Zhao Luo spoke a word as the apparitions turned into smoke and one after another got absorbed by Zhao Luo.
Zhao Luo sat on the black floor of the dark space as he assimilated the improved apparitions inside his body.
Before Zhao Luo had defeated the Second Sword Warrior puppet but he wasn't as good as that puppet.
He was just stronger than the puppet but not in the way of swords but now as the assimilation process ended Zhao Luo could say that he was not any less than a Second Sword Warrior puppet.
Zhao Luo had closed his eyes as the assimilation process ended.
The next instant he opened his eyes, he was looking at the ceiling of the hut.
'Chirp.'
'Chirp.'
Zhao Luo could hear a bird noise from outside his room.
"This is a new feeling. I like it."
Zhao Luo said as he was feeling happy being so close to nature.
Zhao Luo got ready and left his room just to come to a halt right when he opened the door of his hut.
"You were waiting for me?"
Zhao Luo questioned as his eyes fell on a familiar face.
Just like the previous day, Wu Yang was once again standing outside of his hut.
But this time he wasn't alone.
"Tutu?"
Zhao Luo pointed at the bird that was chilling on Wu Yang's shoulder and inquired.
Wu Yang smiled and opened his mouth.
"Chirp."
The bird made its noise before Wu Yang could answer.
It was like the bird could understand Zhao Luo and agreed with his guess.
'Cute.'
Zhao Luo thought while looking at the bird.
"The bird's better than its master. Amazing."
Zhao Luo made fun of Wu Yang as he was still trying to get back at Wu Yang for making a fool out of him last night.
"And the master is better than his friend."
Wu Yang continued Zhao Luo's dialogue with a grin on his face.
"Chirp."
The bird added.
"Hahaha."
Both Zhao Luo and Wu Yang laughed as Wu Yang's bird had impeccable timing.
After the small exchange between the three, Zhao Luo and Wu Yang turned to walk out of the Hut Zone.
"Today is the day when I will have one less challenge left."
Zhao Luo told Wu Yang as he was showing his confidence that he could easily clear the third challenge too.
"Hopefully you can."
Wu Yang prayed too.
"Seniors."
Mo Lee shouted as he was waiting for them with Yan and Wei Bin.
Yan had a smile on her face as she looked at Zhao Luo.
She clasped her hands in front of Zhao Luo as she greeted him then nodded her head towards Wu Yang.
Wei Bin also followed Yan's lead.
One wasn't enough now two of the new trainee disciples were treating Wu Yang like this.
"Why do I get the different treatment?"
Wu Yang mumbled as he wanted to complain.
Even though Yan and Wei Bin didn't hear it, Zhao Luo did.
Zhao Luo barely held himself back from laughing at Wu Yang's whimpering face.
They continued and entered the area where the female disciples stayed at.
After walking through there for a while, Feng Mei and Su Shi who was waiting for Zhao Luo were stunned after seeing everyone already walking with him.
"Brother Zhao Luo."
Feng Mei said as she grabbed Zhao Luo's hand.
While Zhao Luo was having a fun time, the other trainee disciples were rushing towards the training area.
Zhao Luo and the others first left the hut zone and went to the dining hall.
"Good day Senior."
Zhao Luo said.
At the dining hall, Zhao Luo was joined by none other than Mite.
But it was Zhao Luo invading on Mite while Mite was enjoying his breakfast.
"Mhmm."
Mite hummed while feeling like he was keeping a personal choker with him.
Zhao Luo smirked as though he could read Mite's thoughts.
He looked around and realized something.
The dining hall looked empty when compared to the previous times when Zhao Luo was here.
'They must be at the training area.'
Zhao Luo thought about the disciples in the trainee hall.
There weren't even a hundred disciples in the dining hall.
"Are you going to participate in today's challenge too?"
Mite asked Zhao Luo an obvious question.
"Yes. I will not only challenge it but also clear it too."
Zhao Luo announced with a confident tone.
There was no other way for him.
'I have to complete today's challenge too.'
Zhao Luo thought as they were done eating.
After spending some comforting time in the dining hall, Zhao Luo left the dining hall with the others.
Senior Mite also tagged along. He wanted to know the result of Zhao Luo's confidence.
A little while later Zhao Luo and the others reached the training area just to find the training area somewhat empty.
Around a few hundred disciples were standing in a line in front of a ring.
"That's the ring where the last challenge is?"
Zhao Luo said while looking at that ring which was surrounded by the disciples.
Zhao Luo, as he moved towards that ring platform, his steps slowed down till he finally came to a halt.
The others didn't notice that Zhao Luo had stopped as they came to stand in the line that was moving quite fast.
"That is my capsule."
Zhao Luo said as he looked at the single tool which was in the middle of the ring.
The device looked way similar to the capsule that Zhao Luo was in for a century.
"What is he going in it for?"
Zhao Luo mumbled as he could see a disciple going in the capsule.
The next moment the disciple who had gone in the capsule vanished.
'What's going on?'
Zhao Luo questioned.
Wu Yang who had noticed that Zhao Luo was standing still in the back moved towards him.
"What happened?"
Wu Yang asked Zhao Luo who was just staring at the capsule on the ring.
"Is that capsule the tool you were talking about?"
Zhao Luo asked Wu Yang as this was an unbelievable situation for him.
"Yes, it's a relic from Earth."
Wu Yang said with respect dropping from his eyes.
"Relic from Earth?"
Zhao Luo was lost in his thought.
He never imagined that his third challenge would be including something similar to his past.
Zhao Luo walked closer while focusing on the capsule.
He realized that the capsule was indeed different than the one he was in.
Also, the strange sorcery that was making the trainee disciple disappear wasn't a thing from Earth.
"Strange but interesting."
Zhao Luo commented as he also got in the line.
