Chapter 008 - Three Days (1)
Yun Xiao looked toward the source of the voice. Standing before him was the woman in the red dress, Yao Qingqian. She had already descended from her stone seat on the First Sword Peak. Her eyes flickered with a depth of indifference and a swirling anger.
Though Yun Xiao had seen many beauties in the mortal realm, he had never encountered such a cold and elegant female cultivator before. Compared to ordinary people, an aura of immense power surrounded her, giving her an air of natural grace and distinction.
"Bowing to the esteemed elders," Yun Xiao chose to disregard Yao Qingqian's fury, offering a salute to the seven elders. The elders surveyed him from head to toe, a hint of admiration hidden in their gazes. What a polite young man!
"Yun Xiao, do you recognize your wrongdoing?" Yao Qingqian's chest heaved with rage, her intent to kill evident.
"I do not." Yun Xiao stood unwavering on the Sword Inheritance Platform.
"You have acted with cruelty upon the Heavenly Path, harming others. Such a disposition is unfit for the righteous path of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect," she thundered, her immense power bearing down on him like a surging ocean, aiming to intimidate.
"Elder Yao, as far as I know, every journey on the Heavenly Path has a mortality rate of ten percent, mostly resulting from disciples slaying each other. I haven't even killed a dog. How am I cruel by nature?" Yun Xiao replied calmly.
"How dare you talk back to me?" Murderous intent gleamed even more prominently in Yao Qingqian's icy eyes.
"I'm merely stating facts," Yun Xiao's voice grew colder, "I fail to see why Elder Yao targets me, unless... perhaps you've chosen a favorite already?" He pointed to Jiang Yue, who was struggling to rise from the ground, her face smeared with blood. Yun Xiao chuckled, "Surely, it's not this sort of candidate?"
"You're asking for death!" Yao Qingqian seethed, her emotions turbulent.
But just as tension reached its peak, the portly Elder Yu from the Seventh Sword Peak intervened, positioning himself between Yun Xiao and Yao Qingqian.
"Alright, alright, let's keep it civil here, no need to make a scene," Elder Yu interjected, patting Yun Xiao on the shoulder with a hearty chuckle. "Lad, you have the looks, but you also have the gall."
"I've dreamt of joining the Azure Spirit Sword Sect for years," Yun Xiao stated earnestly, "I'm just standing up for what I believe is right."
Elder Yu shook his head, "Look at you getting all worked up! The beautiful Yao was merely jesting. You really need to lighten up."
"Yu Xuanzhou," Yao Qingqian shot him a frosty glare, "I was not joking!"
Elder Yu's jovial expression froze. "Then why on earth...? After all his trials and tribulations to get here, you want him to leave? Is this Jiang Yue a distant relative of yours?"
The other elders exchanged uneasy glances, all but the stern-faced Elder Wu Yu of the Third Sword Peak, who stood unwaveringly by Yao Qingqian's side.
"Yu Xuanzhou, perhaps if you spoke a little less, you might live a tad longer," Yao Qingqian huffed.
"Yes, you've one more mouth than me, which makes you the glibber one," Elder Yu murmured under his breath, ensuring Yao Qingqian couldn't hear him.
Yao Qingqian shot one last glare at the assembly, seemingly giving up on her vendetta against Yun Xiao. She quickly helped Jiang Yue up, taking out a jade bottle and pouring out several pill-like substances, white as ivory. She administered some to Jiang Yue and applied the rest externally. Up close, the injured girl looked like she had been mauled, each gash resembling a bloody centipede.
Yao Qingqian was livid. "If it weren't for the fact that it would get out, I would've chopped up that brat here and now!" she gritted her teeth. But face was everything, or else she would've been more ruthless.
"Elder Yao, it was my lack of skill," Jiang Yue said dejectedly.
"What lack of skill? Don't overthink it. He just has more combat experience," Yao Qingqian consoled her. "In the path of cultivation, given enough time, anyone can acquire experience, and it's hardly worth much. Talent, my dear, determines how far one can go."
"Indeed! I've only truly explored the way of the Immortals for three months. I haven't had much combat experience before," Jiang Yue lamented.
"It's alright," Yao Qingqian assured, pointing gently toward a distinct spot. "Look over there" Following the direction of her gesture, Jiang Yue's gaze landed beyond the eight stone chairs where a platform rose. On that platform rested a large, rounded stone, bearing the engraving of the Taiji, the symbol of yin and yang. A black fish on the left and its white counterpart on the right.
"That there's the Sword Inheritance Stone," Yao Qingqian informed with a hint of pride.
"I've heard Brother Ye mention it. Does it test the quality of one's Sword Soul?" Jiang Yue asked, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Indeed! He reckons your Ice Moon Sword Soul might be of the Upper Comet grade. Do you grasp the weight of that?" Yao Qingqian asked, her eyes bright with admiration.
Jiang Yue shook her head, "I confess, I don't."
"That stone tests to its very limits," Yao Qingqian began, leaning in with intensity. "Which means, my dear, that you're among the top talents of Azure Spirit. Should you make that stone shine a deep orange hue, its brilliance will illuminate the mountains, drawing the eyes of our entire sect. Why, you'd no longer need to strive for the top in the Heavenly Path, as you'd dazzle them all by just being the prodigy you are, and enter the Azure Spirit with unparalleled fame!"
A flush of determination, missing until now, raced back into Jiang Yue's previously dimmed eyes. "Splendid!"
"And should Elder Yu learn of your Upper Comet grade, he'd regret his earlier words so deep, he'd feel it in his very bones," Yao Qingqian added with a sly smirk.
"He presumed I was of a lower grade?" Jiang Yue glanced disdainfully at Elder Yu.
Yao Qingqian took her hand, her tone becoming serious, "What you must understand, dear sister, is that today's defeat to a rogue is but a trifle. He's not of your world. You're destined for greatness in Azure Spirit, while he remains a mere nobody. Don't let one setback cloud your heart."
A tearful Jiang Yue whispered, "Thank you, Elder Yao."
"Please, just call me Sister Yao," Yao Qingqian replied softly. She secretly hoped this bond would serve as a damper to Ye Guying's anger.
"Yes, Sister Yao." Jiang Yue's eyes, full of expectation, darted towards the Sword Inheritance Stone. "When do I get to take the test?"
"Patience," Yao Qingqian replied, her gaze coldly passing over Yun Xiao. "Once the ten new disciples are finalized, you'll all be tested. Then, this reckless, short-lived wretch will realize how insignificant he is compared to you."
Jiang Yue nodded. She found herself anticipating Yun Xiao's reaction. For some reason, she desperately wanted to overshadow this young man, and it wasn't just because of his earlier ruthlessness. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his name was also Yun Xiao...
About half an hour later, the ten new disciples were finalized.
"Where's Ye Guao?" Yao Qingqian genuinely hadn't expected that the braggart wouldn't even make it to the Stone Path. "He's nowhere near his brother." Resigned, Yao Qingqian started by distributing the rewards for the Heavenly Path. Then she led the ten new disciples to the Sword Inheritance Stone.
"First place, Yun Xiao." The moment Yao Qingqian presented the five-century-old demonic bone, her face twitched. It was sealed inside a cloth bag, but the fierce demonic aura seeped out, filling the air.
Yun Xiao took it, opening the bag to inspect its contents. Within lay a dark purple bone, covered in blood-red patterns, emanating an overwhelming aura of malevolence. "Five hundred years, this is a Demon King's bone," he remarked with appreciation. And the Demon King, it was known, was a significant menace in the mortal world.
In the heart of the Divine Continent, at the famed Azure Spirit Sword Sect, a potent demonic bone capable of vanquishing millions lay in the hands of Yun Xiao. Such a treasure in the hands of a novice was nothing short of a waste, or so many believed.
Jiang Yue's heart, already fragile, tore a little more at the sight. Still, she took solace in the fact that Yao Qingqian was preparing the group for the test upon the mighty Sword Inheritance Stone. Her time was approaching.
Ten fresh disciples gathered beneath the massive stone. "This…" Yao Qingqian said, her voice chilly as winter's first frost, "is the Rank Two Sword Inheritance Stone. Do you see the two fish eyes on it?"
"Sure do," a disciple called back.
"Those are the sword cavities of the stone," Yao Qingqian continued. "Pair up, and each duo will place their Sword Souls into the black and white cavities. The stone will harness the yin-yang forces of heaven and earth, channeling it into both Sword Souls. Depending on the quality of your Sword Soul, the stone will show different colors."
It was a competition, a tug of war between the forces of yin and yang. A single test would reveal the strengths of two souls.
Both the black fish and white fish would change colors. If there was a considerable gap in talent between the two, the mental pressure on the lesser talented was intense.
"Alright," a disciple murmured, anxiety evident in his voice. In fact, many of them were in the same boat. There was only one Rank Two Sword Inheritance Stone in the whole of Azure Spirit. So, none of them knew the quality of their Sword Souls.
Yao Qingqian continued, "For Meteor grade Sword Souls, there are three tiers—light red, red, and deep red. For Comet grade, there are also three—light orange, orange, and deep orange."
Perhaps with the intent to humble Yun Xiao, Yao Qingqian paired him with Jiang Yue. She wanted the stone to glow deep orange for Jiang Yue, indicating Upper quality, not just light orange.
The testing began. As expected, the initial groups displayed Meteor grade Sword Souls, with the stone glowing various shades of red. The most talented among them had their Sword Soul shine a brilliant deep red, drawing praises from the elders.
The moment came for Yun Xiao and Jiang Yue. "Yun Xiao," Jiang Yue said, her voice as cold as winter's edge. "Today's humiliation will be returned tenfold."
"Do you think you're up to it?" Yun Xiao sneered in response, his contempt palpable.
"Enough!" Yao Qingqian interrupted, anticipation gleaming in her eyes. "Yun Xiao, Jiang Yue, step forward."
The duo took their positions, with all eyes upon them. The desire for unparalleled excellence burned in Jiang Yue's eyes. Compared to the Heavenly Path, this stone was her real chance at proving herself.
"Summon your Sword Souls," Yao Qingqian directed, her gaze lingering coldly on Yun Xiao before softening slightly towards Jiang Yue.
From their palms, their Sword Souls soared. Jiang Yue's Sword Soul, radiant like an icy moon, rotated with three layers of Sword Aura. It gleamed coldly, the sword's keen cry piercing the air. A soul of unparalleled quality.
Yun Xiao's, on the other hand, was a faint shade of blue, rotating with just a single layer. It looked extremely ordinary! To any keen observer, the disparity between their Sword Souls was palpable. It was akin to comparing a modest village hut to a grand castle.
"The Divine Pillar…" Yao Qingqian turned gracefully towards the distance, her posture solemn. She murmured a chant under her breath, "Oh revered Sword Ancestor, today your disciples Jiang Yue and Yun Xiao are here before the Sword Inheritance Stone, seeking entry into the Azure Spirit Sword Sect." This ritual not only measured the quality of their Sword Souls but also marked their formal initiation.
"The Divine Pillar…?" Yun Xiao's eyes danced with a curious glint. He had heard that all Sword Cultivators in the land paid their respects to this very pillar. Legend held that the pillar was where Sword Souls originated, often referred to as the Sword Ancestor. Its majestic form resembled a sword piercing the heavens, becoming an emblem of faith for Sword Cultivators everywhere.
Though the Divine Pillar had vanished, Yao Qingqian performed the ceremony undeterred.
"You're facing the wrong direction," Yun Xiao remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice, watching her elegant retreating figure.
"What did you say?" Jiang Yue shot him a fleeting glance.
"I said, my Sword Soul is the Divine Pillar of the Divine Continent," Yun Xiao replied with a light chuckle.
Jiang Yue shook her head, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I guess you drank too much seawater from the Eastern Sea."
At this, Yao Qingqian turned back and instructed, "Jiang Yue, Yun Xiao, place your Sword Souls into the cavities of the Sword Inheritance Stone!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Yue advanced and gently placed her Sword Soul into the black fish cavity of the stone. Yun Xiao, on the other hand, chose the white fish. The black and white fish, reminiscent of the Yin and Yang, activated their force, drawing in the energies of the world, focusing it upon the Sword Souls. A challenge was set. Which Sword would reign supreme?
"Can this Sword Inheritance Stone handle my Heaven Burial Sword Soul?" Yun Xiao mused. A resonating hum vibrated through the air as the world's Yin and Yang energies began to envelop and unravel Yun Xiao's Heaven Burial Sword Soul.
"It has to be deep orange!" Yao Qingqian whispered, leaning over expectantly, her gaze fixed on the black fish part of the stone.
"Is it almost done?" Yun Xiao noted the slight disturbance in his Sword Soul and quickly turned his attention. Suddenly, a tremor passed through the Heaven Burial Sword Soul. The energies encasing it retracted in alarm, scuttling back to the stone, leaving behind a trail of blue mist that swiftly fused with the Sword Inheritance Stone.
"Did something go wrong?" Panic flashed across Yun Xiao's face. Upon the blue mist's entrance, the Sword Inheritance Stone began to shudder violently.
"What's happening?!" Yao Qingqian exclaimed, alarm evident in her voice.
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