Xie Chenkun, upon hearing their discussion, originally had some concerns about Dao Wuming challenging Mu Jinyu's prowess, but he suppressed those worries and said with a smile:
"This Sword Mountain Fiery Sea isn't designed to make things intentionally difficult for everyone—it's actually passable!"
"Hmm?!"
Yun Ge and the others, hearing Xie Chenkun's words, noticed that the Sect Leader and the Elders had returned. They all stood up, saluted them, and then asked, "Sect Leader, did you just say that someone has passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea?"
Yun Ge frowned and said, "But I remember that in all the years since the Blood Sword Sect's rise, no one has ever successfully passed it?"
"Could it be..." He suddenly seemed to realize something and asked hesitantly, "Could someone from this Four Sects Martial Meeting have passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea?"
"Who?"
Yun Ge's question sent the crowd into a frenzy.
After all, they had just thought that passing the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea was impossible, and now the Sect Leader was telling them it was indeed passable.
Xie Chenkun wouldn't give them false information, so it was evidently true.
They began speculating on who might have passed it. Some guessed Dao Wuming, others speculated it was Di Shitian from the Liuyun Sect, and a few thought it was Mu Jinyu.
Their voices were chaotic yet filled with excitement.
Finally, Yun Ge, noticing Mu Jinyu had returned with the Sect Leader and connecting it with the Sect Leader's smile while sharing the news, deduced that the one who passed was likely Mu Jinyu.
He asked, uncertainly, "Sect Leader, was it Junior Brother Mu?"
As soon as Yun Ge made his guess, the noisy crowd fell silent.
Everyone looked at Xie Chenkun with curious eyes, wanting to know if it was indeed Mu Jinyu.
Wei Ziping's heart sank. If it was Mu Jinyu who passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea, the gap between them would only grow wider.
He felt reluctant to accept this reality and hoped that the one who passed was Dao Wuming or even Di Shitian.
Unfortunately...
No matter how much he prayed, Xie Chenkun nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, it was!"
Xie Chenkun's face beamed with uncontrollable joy, "Mu Jinyu has become the first person in Blood Sword Sect's history to pass the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea! Haha, you have no idea how green Zhou Taiping and the others' faces were at that moment!"
"Hahaha..."
Yun Ge and the others couldn't help but laugh out loud, imagining the faces of Zhou Taiping and the other high-ranking members of the Blood Sword Sect after Mu Jinyu passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea.
Wei Ziping didn't join in the laughter; his face also turned a bit pale and green.
Clenching his fists, he suddenly thought of something. His breathing became rapid, and he couldn't help but ask, "Sect Leader, how long did it take him to pass the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea?"
Wei Ziping suddenly remembered that it was only ten minutes ago that he had failed in the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea and was taken out by the Blood Sword Sect members.
At that time, using his Self Realm insight, he barely made it past the second test of the Sword Mountain, only to be burned to death shortly after entering the Sea of Fire.
Since Mu Jinyu had passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea, the time it took should have been longer, right?
How did he return with the Sect Leader and the others just ten minutes later?
Unless Mu Jinyu's clearance time and his failure time were about the same?
Wei Ziping found it hard to accept.
Xie Chenkun glanced at Wei Ziping and answered, "Around an hour, why?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Ziping's mind felt like it exploded, his face instantly turning pale.
Seeing Wei Ziping's stunned and somewhat foolish expression, Xie Chenkun knew that Wei Ziping, who was always competitive, must have been severely impacted by Mu Jinyu's achievement and chose not to say more.
Yun Ge and the others couldn't help but exclaim, "What! Passed the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea in just an hour?"
"My God, an hour? I was still stuck at the first level of the Sword Mountain!"
"Isn't that too quick?"
Someone couldn't resist asking Xie Chenkun for the specific clearance times for each test that Mu Jinyu passed, hoping to understand just how vast the difference was between them and him.
Others, always curious about how many tests the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea entailed, asked about it as well.
Xie Chenkun explained, "The Sword Mountain Fiery Sea has a total of five tests: two in the Sword Mountain and three in the Sea of Fire. Mu Jinyu took about fifteen minutes for the first two Sword Mountain tests and another fifteen minutes for the three tests in the Sea of Fire, totaling an hour for the entire course."
After hearing the specific times, the crowd was even more impressed with Mu Jinyu. Clearing the two Sword Mountain tests in just fifteen minutes? They were still struggling at the first level at that time.
Then some ambitious ones asked the Sect Leader about the final test of the Sea of Fire.
The Blood Sword Sect's Sword Mountain Fiery Sea had long been explored enough for the first two Sword Mountain tests and the first two Sea of Fire tests to be well-known.
But no one had ever passed the second Sea of Fire test, which was notoriously sinister; many hadn't even realized they had entered the second test and continued running, only to be burned to death.
Even those aware of the second Sea of Fire test's rules found it extremely difficult to discern whether they were in the first or second test. If they were still in the first test but erroneously thought they had reached the second and stopped, they would self-immolate, leading to their doom.
Thus, many had wondered over the years whether the second test was the end or if there was a third test beyond it. If there was, what kind of challenge would it hold?
Xie Chenkun's expression turned a bit awkward upon hearing these questions. He then rubbed his nose and replied, "There is a third test in the Sea of Fire, but I am not sure what it entails..."
"Why?"
The crowd was puzzled.
They knew the Sect Leader and the others could watch the challengers in the Sword Mountain Fiery Sea via the Profound Light Mirror in the meeting room.
Why would they know there was a third test but not its details?
Xie Chenkun explained awkwardly, "Because after the second test in the Sea of Fire ended, Mu Jinyu sat there without moving. Flames began to emerge from within him. We guessed that this might be the third test, but the specifics are unclear. I suspect it involves a test of the State of Mind."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Mu Jinyu and said, "If you want to know the content of the second Sea of Fire test, you should ask your Senior Brother Mu."