Standing around wondering about which of the gates she should enter after she had learnt that she would only be able to enter one of them, Mui could not help focusing her attention on a slightly smaller gate located in the back of a much larger gate.
Although the gate in question was far smaller than the rest of the gates that had appeared, it was obvious that the material used in its construction was of a far higher quality compared to the rest of the gates present. At the very least, that was what Mui thought after seeing the beautiful wood that made up most of the gate along with the different mystical beasts that had been carved into it.
Even if the other gates also had their own special charm, they could still not compare to the small wooden one according to Mui!
For this reason, Mui did not bother thinking about what gate to enter. Instead starting to slowly approach the smaller wooden gate in the distance. However, the wooden gate might have looked smaller when compared to the other gates, but when she personally arrived in front of it, she realized just how large the wooden gate was...
"This... Is larger than I expected..." Mumbling this to herself as she stood in front of the more than a dozen meter tall wooden gate, Mui could not help starting to wonder how in the world she was going to push open such a large gate with her current strength.
Not to mention her current self, opening such a huge wooden gate, she doubted that even if she reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, she would still not be able to do something like this...!
Rumble-!
Just as Mui was lost in her own thoughts thinking of how she was ever going to open such a huge gate by herself, a loud rumbling sound echoed out from the gate in front of her as the large wooden gate began to open slowly, the intricate carvings of mythical beasts on its surface became more visible and almost seemed to come alive. Each of the mythical beasts being shrouded in their own unique aura, with different features and expressions, some fierce and menacing, with sharp teeth and claws, while others were more elegant and serene.
As the large gate continues to open, the room beyond is revealed to be shrouded in complete darkness. Only allowing Mui to make out the wooden floor on the other side.
Whoosh-!
As the gate reached its fully open position, a rush of cool air filled with qi flowed out through the opening. However, Mui had no time to focus on this, as the room behind the large wooden gate was now fully displayed in front of her.
Dimly lit, with flickering candles that had ignited by themselves after the gate had opened spread out all around the room. The floor made of the same mystical, yet beautiful wood that the gate had been made of. In the centre of the room, a large, raised platform, surrounded by mats and cushions, could be seen.
"A place where cultivators come to spar with each other...?" Not knowing too much about what the room in front of her was used for, Mui could only go off the small clues she could gather from the different weapons lined up along the walls of the room and what she had learnt about how cultivators would often spar with each other to hone their skills if they had the chance.
Bang!
"Ah!?" Jumping up in surprise at the sudden loud sound, Mui looked behind herself. Only to realized that she had unknowingly entered the room beyond the wooden gate. The origin of the loud sound she had just heard, was none other than the large wooden gate slamming shut behind her. Preventing her from leaving!
"Is this why the box of words said I could only enter one of the gates? Because the gate closes after I pass through it...?" Muttering this to herself as she remembered how the box of words had mentioned that she would only be able to enter one of the gates present, Mui felt herself calm down before returning to inspect the room she now found herself stuck inside of. Searching for anything that might point towards what she had to do to complete the final trial.
Whoosh~
It was at this moment, that a shadowy figure began to form on top of the raised platform in the middle of the room. The figure dark and indistinct at the moment, its form shifting and swirling like smoke in the wind, as the air around it started to crackle with energy, causing Mui to feel a shiver run down her spine at the sudden appearance of the shadowy figure.
Whoosh-!
As the still incomplete figure takes shape, Mui was left in awe, as faceless warrior, clad in black and wielding a large greatsword over twice her size appeared on top of the raised platform.
Zhing~!
Starting to swing the massive greatsword, the warrior swiftly moved around the raised platform, its movements fluid and precise, the air around it seemed to shimmer and ripple with every movement.
Not knowing what to do when she suddenly saw the shadowy warrior that had formed on top of the platform started practicing his sword techniques, Mui decided to sit down on one of the nearby mats before starting to observe the shadowy warrior. Feeling like its appearance should be the key to figuring out how to complete the final trial.
Soon, the only thing that could be heard inside the room, was the sound of the shadowy figure's sword as it cut through the air and the quiet breathing of Mui as she observed it from the side. Not daring to take her eyes off the figure in case she ended up missing something.
Swish-!
As the shadowy warrior finished displaying its sword techniques, it seemed to dissolve back into the shadows from which it had been first shaped from. The air still rippling due to a side effect of the greatsword techniques that the shadowy warrior had just used while moving around the platform.
"That's it...?" Looking towards the spot that the shadowy warrior had been standing just a second ago, Mui could not help feeling a sense of disappointment. Not understanding why, the shadowy figure had already disappeared.
Even if it was only for a short moment, she had clearly felt that the technique used by the shadowy warrior was extremely profound. If she could watch the shadowy warrior use this technique for a bit longer, she hoped that she would have a chance at comprehending this powerful and profound greatsword technique herself!
Although she was still not certain about what she had to do to complete the final trial. After watching the shadowy warrior for the past few minutes, she at the very least had an idea... And that was, learning the greatsword technique displayed by the shadowy warrior!
Given how empty the room she was currently inside of was, and the shadow warrior that had appeared to display a profound and powerful greatsword technique, Mui felt that this was a rather obvious conclusion to make.
Now, the only problem left, was the fact that the shadowy warrior had disappeared before she managed to learn anything...
"I should try and do the same that the shadowy warrior did earlier. Maybe it will help with trying to understand the greatsword technique he was using..." Knowing that she would get nowhere by just sitting on the ground hoping for the shadowy warrior to return to display his greatsword technique again, Mui stood back up before walking towards the different weapons lined up along the side of the room.
Swoosh~!
"Ah!? This- This is far heavier than I expected..." Trying to pick up a greatsword lined up along the wall, Mui ended up almost dropping it on the floor due to its weight. The weapon in question was only made from wood, but it was almost twice her size and was rather difficult to handle. Especially given the fact that Mui was only 12 years old. Even if she had reached the Third Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, it did not increase her physical strength by that much and she could only be considered at the level of a normal grown-up mortal...
"Haaa!" Not giving up because of this, Mui slowly dragged the wooden greatsword along the floor. Soon making her way up to the raised platform in the middle of the room.
Now I just need to repeat the movements that the shadow warrior did...
Swish~
Not wasting any time after reaching the middle of the platform, Mui began to move around the platform while swinging the massive greatsword like the shadowy warrior had done just a moment ago. The only difference between her and the shadowy warrior being the speed at which the different moves were executed... And the fact that Mui almost fell to the ground every time she swung the greatsword...