Talented Martial Hero
Chapter 548 The Choice (Part One)

Just as Darren was slowly proceeding up the ladder, one step after the other, the middle-aged manflew up and landed right next to him.

"Hey kiddo, where did you learn to transform the state of your physical body into a virtual body?"The middle-aged man's face twitched in shock at this revelation. He was still trying hard to processwhat he had witnessed.

"Sir, with your skill and experience, I'm sure that you can figure it out yourself," Darren said smilingat him.

The middle-aged man paused for a moment and his eyes were deep in contemplation. After a while,his face broke into a happy grin as he realized the rationale behind it. He saluted Darren out ofsheer respect. "You really are a genius. I just figured out how you were able to do it. I truly admireyour skill and wit."

"Oh, come on. That was nothing. No one had thought about doing it in the past, which was why youcouldn't think of it right away. It's actually pretty simple.” Darren smiled. His tone was as serene ashis face was.

"Yes, you're right!" The middle-aged man chuckled. "You deliberately let me catch you, so that youcould figure out this technique by watching me transform between the two states. Moreover, yourunderstanding of this skill is so profound that even I could not catch you, which is indeed veryimpressive.

I had never thought that you were gifted in learning and understanding the rules with such ease.Congratulations, kiddo! You have made it! You can move on to the next floor!” The middle-agedman was excited and marveled at the ingenuity Darren had demonstrated when he made it throughthis test.

However, the reason why Darren could easily understand the technique of the middle-aged manwas because of his own strong Spirit Power and silvery eyes to perceive the threads of rules. If itwere anyone else who weren't gifted with such powers, they would have definitely failed this test.

"I guess I just got lucky. Well, if there is nothing else, I'll leave for the sixth floor now." Darrenreturned the courtesy and saluted back at the middle-aged man.

"Of course. I sincerely wish that you can make it all the way to the top!" The middle-aged mansmiled.

"By the way, this technique can only be used on the fifth floor. Once you leave here and enteranother space, you will not be able to use it again. Keep this in mind and make sure you don't use itin the upcoming battles against your new opponents,” the middle-aged man warned Darren aboutthe limitation of the trick.

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you. I was glad that I had mastered a legendary martial skill. It's ashame that it can't be used again.” Darren felt slightly disappointed from the bottom of his heart.With that being said, Darren resumed his ascending up the ladder right away.

'This young man is truly remarkable. I have not seen anyone like him for a long time. I hope that hesucceeds.’ The middle-aged man nodded as he was deep in thoughts.

'I have finally made it to the sixth floor. When I get through this test, I'll get to replace out about thesecret on the top floor, * Darren thought.

When he reached the sixth floor, Darren found that he was surrounded by black walls that had noroof. The place was flooded with darkness and emptiness. The place was quiet and depressing."Where is the guardian of this floor?" Darren said aloud. Darren waited for a long time, but hecouldn't see any guardian coming out to challenge him

"Damn, what the hell is that?"

Darren mumbled as he saw a small pond filled with rocks of different colors as he flew around insearch of the clues.

"Ah!"

Darren winced as he was in pain and immediately flinched away from the pond.

When he unleashed his spiritual sense to check on the pond, he immediately sensed an aura of puresword intent and blade intent that pierced Darren's spiritual sense, causing intense pain.

The power of the blade and sword intents of this level was strong and truly magnificent.

After a moment, Darren regained his composure and stared at the rocks in the pond, lost in histhoughts. Soon he realized what these rocks were. "These are blade cores and sword cores.” Darrengasped in shock.

Darren's jaw dropped in shock. The pond was filled with innumerable blade cores and sword cores,all of which were oozing power constantly. Some of the blade and sword cores were purple thatwere a rare kind and unique in this world.

The level of the sword core or blade core was ranked according to its color: red, orange, yellow,green, cyan, blue and purple. Purple was the highest level of all. Once the blade and sword cores ofthis level were acquired and condensed, one could activate the extreme sword intent or extremeblade intent even without cultivating it.

It was extremely difficult to condense a purple blade core or a purple sword core. There weremillions of geniuses of sword cultivation, but only very few were capable of condensing a purplecore.

Even Darren being the genius he was, could only condense green blade and sword cores, at thisstage. Green cores were inferior to purple cores.

"What would be the task on this floor?"

Darren said aloud, after regaining his composure. That was the most important question to beanswered before he could take a step further. He felt that the test on this floor would require him todo a task with the blade and sword cores.

"It is simple. You pick a pair of blade and sword cores for me to fit into this body. And then youshould fight against this body in a battle. If you win this battle, you will pass this test and enter thenext one,”

a shadow that had appeared next to Darren boomed loudly.