I risked my life, using the butterfly effect to shatter the immortal realm.

"With knees so weak, you think you can master the art of emperors? Get out of my sight!"

A thunderous roar shattered the deathly silence of the square.

The golden giant sword, representing the "royal way," trembled violently, and the dragon shadow on its blade seemed to come alive, letting out a contemptuous roar at Ye Aotian, who was kneeling on the ground.

The oppressive force was like a mountain collapsing, directly pressing half of Ye Aotian's body into the pile of rubble.

Blood streamed down his brow bone, obscuring his eyes, but Ye Aotian gritted his teeth and trembled as he pulled a jade comb from his robes.

"I... am in a sorry state..." He coughed up blood as he stubbornly tried to straighten the few strands of hair that were disheveled in the wind, "but my hairstyle... cannot be messed up."

"Even if Mount Tai collapses before you... your expression remains unchanged; this is... the demeanor of an emperor..."

"roll!"

The golden greatsword seemed disgusted by this guy's brain circuits, its light surged, and it slammed him into the ground three inches deeper, like a nail.

The square was filled with cries of despair.

The eight stone pillars are no longer inanimate objects; they are "Dao Spirits" with ancient, remnant souls and extremely vile personalities.

Tuoba Ye's arms had been minced into a bloody pulp.

The jet-black heavy sword was frantically shredding his bones, then using the power of laws to reassemble them.

"Too weak! Is this what body cultivators are like now? Their bodies are as loose as a pile of shit!" The black sword mocked with a metallic clang.

Tuoba Ye's eyes bulged out in pain, and he let out a beast-like roar, but he bit down on the sword blade.

*Bang!* Two broken teeth flew out.

"Delicious...rusty flavor...strong enough..." Tuoba Ye's mouth was full of blood, but his eyes shone with a frightening light. "More...give me some more..."

The most tragic case was that of Bai Lian'er.

The pink rapier transformed into a mirror, hovering in front of her.

"Look at you, how ugly you are..."

The mirror did not reflect a stunningly beautiful face, but rather a skeleton covered in lividity and with sunken eye sockets.

"No!!!" Bai Lian'er's nails dug into her cheeks as she rolled around frantically. "I'm the most beautiful! Take the mirror away! Take it away!!"

On the other hand, Qian Duoduo's style is completely different, exuding a sickeningly greedy and crazy enthusiasm for money.

The ancient sword, made of countless rusted copper coins, was buzzing as it tried to snatch the golden abacus from her arms.

That was her most precious magical artifact, and also her entire fortune!

"Trying to eat my money? Dream on!"

With bloodshot eyes, Qian Duoduo disregarded his image and opened his mouth, biting down on the hilt of the sword that exuded a chilling aura.

Boom!

Two front teeth were knocked out, her mouth dripping with blood, but she remained silent, clenching her teeth tightly and refusing to let go, a low growl like that of a predatory beast emanating from her throat: "Mine...it's all mine! Whoever touches my money, I'll bite them to death!"

This was a one-sided massacre, and also a forced "pairing".

In the corner, Xiao Wufeng sat cross-legged, letting the blood-stained sword above his head cut him all over.

He caught a drop of blood falling from his eyelashes, his expression blank, and coldly calculated: "Your laws are weakening. With each curse, your sword intent weakens a little. I'm not in a hurry; I have plenty of blood."

He is using himself as bait to gradually erode the laws of the game.

……

Everyone was working their hardest, but Yu Liang was the only one who was very busy.

Busy dodging a mechanical claw.

"Junior brother... don't move..."

Mo Yuan was nailed to a stone pillar by rune chains, covered in blood, yet a chilling smile lingered on her lips.

The mechanism on her back activated by force, and a steel claw reached out, attempting to grab Yu Liang, who was passing by, into its arms.

"It's all going to break...it's all going to break..." Her eyes were unfocused as she stared intently at Yu Liang. "Only...can I keep you safe...by putting you in a cage..."

"Senior sister! You need to get treatment!"

Yu Liang dodged the ghost claw with a sliding tackle, then pulled out a handful of specially made "Awakening Pills" mixed with pig saliva and smeared them precisely on Mo Yuan's face.

"Open your mouth!"

The thunderous energy in Pig Lord's saliva exploded instantly, and Mo Yuan trembled. A sliver of clarity returned to her eyes, and she spat out the pig feed: "Junior brother... the taste... is so strange..."

"Great nourishment! See you later!"

Yu Liang picked up Pigsy and ran away.

He is now facing an extremely awkward problem—everyone in the room, even Bai Lian'er who was being tortured like a dog, has been "chosen" by Dao Ling.

He was the only one who seemed like an outsider.

"You're so particular." Yu Liang, panting, approached the stone pillar engraved with killing runes. "Hey, you over there with the red-haired sword, give me some face? I'm ruthless and merciless, I kill without blinking an eye, you're perfect for me."

hum-

The blood-red longsword trembled violently, as if it had seen something dirty, and the blade actually shifted three inches to the side.

The light dimmed instantly.

The disdain was palpable.

"Hey! You're asking for it, aren't you?"

Yu Liang, refusing to believe it, turned and charged towards the golden royal pillar. "Your Majesty! Look at me! My aura is majestic and imposing; I'm a born emperor!"

The golden giant sword didn't even bother to curse; it simply withdrew its light and disguised itself as an ordinary fire poker.

Dao of Alchemy, Dao of Array Formations, Dao of the Five Elements...

Yu Liang, carrying a pig, moved back and forth between the eight pillars like a son-in-law selling inferior products.

Without exception, the results were all the same.

Wherever he goes, the lights go out.

It was as if he carried some kind of plague that made even the Great Dao retreat.

"Hmph."

The pig in his arms rolled its eyes and patted Yu Liang's face with its hoof.

……

Qingxuan Sect, Taiqing Hall.

A cacophony of laughter erupted before the water mirror.

"Hahahaha!" Dugu Ao, the master of Hidden Sword Peak, laughed so hard he almost fell over. "This is the 'variable' that Junior Brother Gu was looking for? It truly is a variable! A piece of trash that even Dao Ling despises—this is the first time in a thousand years!"

Tianjizi stroked his beard, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "The Dao cannot penetrate a tree without roots. This boy's mind is full of petty calculations; before the laws of nature, such petty cleverness is like snow in the sunlight—utterly laughable."

In the corner, Gu Santong slumped in a chair, clutching a greasy chicken leg, too lazy to even lift his eyelids.

"What's the rush?"

He spat out a bone, casually wiped his oily hands on his expensive Taoist robe, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

"Who says you have to be chosen to win?"

Gu Santong let out a burp, his gaze piercing through the water mirror, fixed on the most inconspicuous, rusty broken sword in the center of the square.

That was the leader of the Eight Swords.

It is also the only sword that remained completely silent from beginning to end.

But as Yu Liang passed by it, Gu Santong clearly saw a very subtle tremor flash beneath the thick rust.

That was fear.

"There are three thousand great paths, but the one this kid cultivates..." Gu Santong grinned wildly, "is the path specifically for overturning tables."

……

The core of the Tomb of Ten Thousand Swords.

Yu Liang stopped in his tracks.

It's not that I don't want to try, it's that I don't have the chance anymore.

In the center of the square, the faceless statue that had been silent all along suddenly moved.

creak- creak-

The statue slowly lowered its head, and the bronze compass it held in its hand spun wildly, the pointer fixed on Yu Liang.

A crimson pillar of light, as red as blood, instantly enveloped him.

A cold, grand, and emotionless voice exploded directly in my mind:

"Test complete."

"Those who lack morality shall be annihilated."

boom!

The statue raised its massive stone arm, and destructive black lightning coalesced in its palm.

That oppressive force was ten times more terrifying than the previous eight swords combined!

"Holy crap!"

Yu Liang felt a chill run down his spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end. "Are they serious?! Who made these ridiculous rules? You die if you're not chosen?!"

Is this also part of the "business"? It's forced buying and selling!

As the lightning was about to strike, Yu Liang caught a glimpse of Pigsy, who was watching the show in his arms.

The pig is grinning, with a smug, "Please begin your performance" expression that screams "I'm gonna punch you!"

"Exquisite".

A ruthless glint flashed in Yu Liang's eyes.

"Since I don't count, then you do it!"

Amidst the horrified gazes of everyone, Yu Liang made a decision that defied his ancestors.

He moved with perfect harmony between his waist and stance, focusing his energy in his dantian, and swung his right leg in a wide arc towards the pig-like creature in his arms—

Leave you!

"Huh?!"

Piglet only had time to let out a short scream before he was kicked hard into the statue, like a pink meatball.

"Here's the deposit!"

The pig flew through the air in a perfect parabola, heading straight for the face of the statue.

Just as they were about to collide, Pig's instincts awakened.

That was greed for high-level spiritual objects.

Its beady eyes instantly locked onto the bronze compass in the statue's hand—the flowing aura of laws on it was, in its eyes, the finest braised pork!

"roar!"

The piglet, originally the size of a palm, swelled up in the wind and instantly transformed into the phantom of a ferocious beast with menacing fangs.

Click!

It bit the edge of the bronze compass.

Broken teeth? Not at all.

Devour the Great Dao, and you can eat anything!

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The bronze compass emitted a piercing, mournful cry, and the black lightning that had been converging on Yu Liang instantly became disordered.

The statue froze.

That rigid, mechanical voice sounded again, but this time with a noticeable pause:

"Detection...detection detected...unknown...Taoist rhythm..."

"Absorbed... Incomplete... Judgment... Barely passed..."

The red light flashed a few times before turning into green, indicating that the pass had been granted.

The entire room fell silent.

Even Xiao Wufeng, who was being tortured by the sword intent, was stunned. His hand movements slowed down by half a beat, and a strand of his long hair was cut off by the sword energy.

This works? Throwing a pig through the checkpoint?

Yu Liang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, rushed forward, and clung tightly to Pig Lord's leg, flashing a standard, fake business smile at the statue:

"Um... I'm a family member."

"Buy one get one free, is that too much to ask?"

The statue fell silent.

Its underlying logic has never addressed this reverse operation of "one pig attains enlightenment, and scum ascends to heaven".

Finally, the green light spread, enveloping Yu Liang as well.

"That's meticulous." Yu Liang let out a long sigh, patting Pigsy, who was still biting the compass and refusing to let go. "Let go! Stop eating! We'll have to pay for it if you eat any more!"

Corner of the square.

The rusty, broken sword, ignored by everyone, trembled slightly in the shadows where no one noticed.

That's not fear.

It's more of an excitement of encountering someone like yourself.