When William Harper took the longsword from Sarah Bennett and once again performed the Condensing Mountain Sword Technique, the entire set of moves flowed seamlessly from start to finish.

Having fully mastered the Condensing Mountain Sword Technique, what comes next depends on his swordsmanship—how far he can take his cultivation!

Sarah Bennett nodded in satisfaction and said, “William Harper, you have completely graduated from this sword technique. From now on, practice on your own. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can always come to me. When you’ve cultivated this sword technique to perfection and still wish to learn more, you can come to me again!”

William Harper nodded slightly, cupped his fists to Sarah Bennett, and performed the disciple’s salute: “Thank you, Mentor! This disciple takes his leave!”

As he was leaving, William Harper walked a few steps, then stopped, turned around, and said, “There’s one more thing I’d like to report to you, Mentor!”

Sarah Bennett spread her hands. “Speak.”

William Harper looked solemn and said, “Mentor, I want to issue a life-and-death challenge to three people! The time is set for three days from now!”

A life-and-death challenge is a type of duel among disciples of the Ancient Sword Sect. As the name suggests, it is different from an ordinary challenge—a life-and-death challenge... is a battle to the death, where lives are at stake.

Since lives are involved, a life-and-death challenge cannot be issued lightly. There are strict conditions, much harsher than for ordinary challenges.

William Harper just happens to meet these strict conditions!

Chapter 14: Fifth Level of Condensing Origin

The first condition for a life-and-death challenge: the challenger’s cultivation must be lower than that of the challenged.

The second condition: there must be intense hatred or conflict between the challenger and the challenged.

The third condition: the challenger must report to a sect elder, and only with the elder’s approval can the challenge take effect.

William Harper is currently only at the fourth level of the Condensing Origin Realm, while all his intended opponents have higher cultivation than him, and there is intense hatred between them, so he is eligible to issue a life-and-death challenge.

As long as he gets the approval of a sect elder, the challenge becomes effective, and the challenged disciples must accept and fight to the death on the Life-and-Death Platform.

Because the Ancient Sword Sect encourages competition among disciples, fighting among them is commonplace.

The original intent of the life-and-death challenge is to restrain disciples with higher cultivation, preventing them from bullying those with lower cultivation too severely. Thus, lower-level disciples are given the right to issue life-and-death challenges as a deterrent.

If a higher-level disciple bullies a lower-level one too much, they must face the threat of a life-and-death challenge. So... this naturally restrains the stronger disciples.

William Harper himself once suffered extreme bullying. Now that he has the means for revenge, he will of course use the life-and-death challenge to pay them back!

The words “life-and-death challenge” reached Sarah Bennett’s ears, and she was slightly taken aback.

A life-and-death challenge means dueling on the Life-and-Death Platform, where only one survives. Once you step onto that platform, it’s either you die or I perish.

Sarah Bennett knew that William Harper had suffered excessive bullying, and she also knew that now that his cultivation had improved, revenge was inevitable. The outer sect of the Ancient Sword Sect was about to be swept by a bloody storm.

But she hadn’t expected William Harper’s revenge to come so quickly—and that he would issue life-and-death challenges to three people at once!

Sarah Bennett took a deep breath to calm herself and said, “Who do you want to challenge?”

There were many who had bullied William Harper, but only three were worthy of a life-and-death challenge.

William Harper said, “Seventh Peak disciple, Henry Clark! Fourth Peak disciple, James Morgan! First Peak disciple, Frank Scott!”

When Sarah Bennett heard the three names, she immediately shook her head and said, “No. Henry Clark is a seventh-level Condensing Origin disciple, and that Frank Scott is also at the seventh level, right? The gap between your cultivation and theirs is too great. I do not agree to you issuing a life-and-death challenge!”

But William Harper’s expression was resolute. “Mentor, I have mastered the Sword Origin Art and can project my energy outward. I have thoroughly cultivated the Gale Sword Technique and comprehended the true essence of Gale. In three days, I should also have fully mastered the Condensing Mountain Sword Technique and grasped its true essence. I have mastered the Sword Origin Art, and my physique far surpasses other disciples. I can handle those at the seventh level of Condensing Origin!”

Sarah Bennett looked surprised. “In just three days, you cultivated the Gale Sword Technique to the point of comprehending its true essence?”

William Harper nodded. “Yes!”

Sarah Bennett took a deep breath. She knew just how terrifying this speed was.

In fact, it was not just a matter of speed, but whether it was even possible.

For someone at the Condensing Origin Realm, to comprehend the true essence of a sword technique was nearly impossible—extremely rare.

William Harper was only at the fourth level of Condensing Origin, yet he had already cultivated the Gale Sword Technique to the point of grasping its true essence. It was simply unbelievable.

Sarah Bennett looked at William Harper, her gaze somewhat unfamiliar, as if she was seeing him for the first time.

Strictly speaking, this was indeed the first time Sarah Bennett truly knew William Harper, because it was the first time she realized William Harper’s potential... was far more than just perfect talent in swordsmanship.

Sarah Bennett had a feeling that William Harper’s future... would surely surprise countless people. Perhaps... the Ancient Sword Sect was too small a pond for such a big fish. Sooner or later... William Harper would head to a broader world, to compete with the favored sons of even greater powers.

“Mentor?” Seeing Sarah Bennett fall silent, William Harper called out.