Chapter 2477: Chapter 2467: Believe in Your Sword

Here’s the translation of the text:

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Zhang Si, seeing the mercenary beside him, decided not to advance. He threw the dart from his hand at Long Yan’s leg. The emerald poison dart flew across everyone’s eyes, simultaneously conjuring two words in their minds.

It’s over!

It’s estimated that Long Yan, this rising mercenary, will be defeated here. Even if he passes the assessment after being hit by the poison dart, it won’t matter much. For those who have been crawling and rolling in the woods for years, they know that emerald thing isn’t something good. Even if it’s not lethal, this assessment would be considered a failure.

Everyone knows the impact of being hit by hidden weapons on the leg during this assessment. Long Yan certainly heard the mercenary’s warning and had to admit Zhang Si had some insight. Mainly, the iron balls usually flew towards the upper body, which was where Long Yan’s swordsmanship was focused.

Zhang Si’s surprise attack on Long Yan’s lower body was precisely where Long Yan couldn’t focus. However, Long Yan didn’t hesitate; he leapt into the air, after all, he couldn’t sacrifice his leg just for a trial or Zhang Si’s arm.

Long Yan spun around in the air, surrounded by sword light like a storm. The originally dark scene was illuminated like daylight by the sword light, enveloping Long Yan in a storm of Sword Qi.

In an instant, Long Yan felt himself entering an inexplicable Ethereal State, not thinking about anything, not wanting to do anything, just maintaining his body to dodge all attacks.

To the mercenaries watching, Long Yan’s move seemed like forfeiting the assessment. The iron balls in mid-air were already abundant. By leaping into the air, it was a gamble to see how much his sword in hand could defend against. If the iron balls exceeded twenty in number, that would mean failure.

But if Long Yan was lucky, and the iron balls hitting his body were fewer than twenty, then Long Yan would count as successful.

Among the crowd watching were curious old mercenaries who weren’t too interested in Long Yan’s attempt to establish a mercenary group but were intrigued by Long Yan himself, wondering how far he could go.

At this moment, several iron balls had already slipped through the sword light’s gaps and hit Long Yan’s body, instantly exploding into a red mist, leaving clear marks on Long Yan.

Long Yan seemed not to care at all, continuing his swordplay while the sword lights slashed around him, iron balls exploding in the air, scattering red mist everywhere.

At this very moment, trust only the weapon in your hand.

Old Madman’s voice reached Long Yan’s ears, instantly pulling back his wavering consciousness. His hand seemed as if someone was lifting it, as his originally skewed sword moves enveloped his body again.

Long Yan closed his eyes; it appeared that Old Madman had left his divine thought in Long Yan’s body. Old Madman understood deeply that growth only happens in adversity and thus transformed his insights into divine thought, appearing only at Long Yan’s critical moments. Such teaching had been deeply ingrained in Long Yan’s mind.

“Trust your sword!”

Long Yan murmured to himself, and in an instant, as if something was unlocked, Long Yan’s momentum exploded. His whole being was like a sharp sword unsheathed, with iron balls exploding into flowers in the air before they could approach Long Yan.

This is a crude method of using True Qi. Although it might not ascend the grand hall, it was Long Yan’s self-developed True Qi method, similar to Sword Qi, with Long Yan himself as the sword.

“Did he actually achieve a breakthrough during battle??”

At this moment, the cloaked elder who wanted to pause the assessment due to the surprise attack, seeing Long Yan achieving a breakthrough at this critical moment, widened his mouth. Though it was a gamble, Long Yan clearly was more likely to lose than win. The elder didn’t expect Long Yan to achieve such a breakthrough.

This invisible Sword Intent won Long Yan enough time. When Long Yan’s feet touched the ground again, all the mercenaries were silent as this man was just a young apprentice mercenary.

Until Long Yan landed, recovering from that strange state, he looked at his hands in disbelief. Had his Martial Path advanced?

Previously, it was said that Dao Cultivation and Martial Cultivation are two different methods. Martial Cultivation focuses on close combat despite having cultivation base, while Dao Cultivation is primarily remote but knows some close combat. Long Yan had always been Dao Cultivation, so his close combat was only entry level.

This advancement seemed to solve many martial arts problems for Long Yan, enabling him to see the flaws in his moves instantly.

This was an unexpected delight. Long Yan had Zhang Si to thank, for without him, his martial arts wouldn’t advance further.

Zhang Si now looked pale. Even if faced with Mercenary Guild’s sanctions, he wanted Long Yan to fail. Who could have thought the result was Long Yan’s achievement, reaching proficiency in martial arts.

The elder casually waved his hand, now believing Long Yan wasn’t from that force, or else their skill would have long been using True Qi. This young man was truly the Mercenary Guild’s blessing.

Thinking of this, the elder stroked his beard, looking at Long Yan smugly. In his eyes, Long Yan was an uncarved jade awaiting future refinement, unlike those so-called martial geniuses outside.

Seeing the elder’s smile, all in the room, though initially tense, breathed a sigh of relief. On the surface, just a frail old man, but with one word, he could decide everyone’s fate. He was undoubtedly the highest echelon of the Mercenary Guild.

“Have the kid meet me; I’m waiting in the study.”

With the elder’s words, everyone almost bit their tongues. Did they hear right? Long Yan was invited into his study?

In the Holy Domain, the Hall is where guests are received. Only those with a very good relationship could enter one’s study. How could such a figure want to meet an Earth-level Mercenary in his study?

Many Heavenly-level Mercenaries had sought to enter the elder’s study, and yet this small Earth-level Mercenary easily gained access?

After today, all Mercenary Guild staff would befriend the young man below; failing to befriend him wouldn’t mean making enemies either.

Long Yan stepped down from the grounds, though the outcome was irrelevant now. Long Yan had only a red mark on his chest from an iron ball touching him while his sword moves dispersed. Passing under the twenty marks meant success, needing no further words.

In an instant, Zhang Si’s face turned ashen.