Chapter 117: Sword Sweeping the Heavenly Firmaments
Before the hall, the fourteen scholars all remained silent, with no one withdrawing.
The young boy revealed a smile and said, "Since no one is withdrawing, then this trial can begin. Master."
Lingyun Daoist walked out from within the hall, his gaze sweeping across Qin Mu and the others. He chuckled, "The previous trials tested your fundamentals, ingenuity, and temperament. This trial tests your strength. Although you are scholars, the fact that you have made it here is extraordinary, and each of you possesses remarkable power. I am the master of Pure Yang Hall, and for this trial, I will personally take the field to test you all."
The scholars exchanged glances, and one of them muttered quietly, "This is unfair..."
Lingyun Daoist's eyes flickered, and he laughed heartily. "Naturally, it is unfair. You come from primary and secondary academies, incomparable to the Grand Academy, while I am a National Scholar of the Grand Academy, having perused its vast collection of scriptures. Even at the same cultivation level, I surpass you by an immeasurable margin. Therefore, for this assessment, you only need to withstand three moves from me. If you remain undefeated after three moves, you will pass."
He smiled warmly and added, "I will seal my own cultivation, retaining only the Five Luminaries realm. You can rest assured."
Hearing this, the scholars all breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it was a contest at the same cultivation level, they feared no one. After all, they were outstanding martial artists and martial masters in their respective primary and secondary academies. They had confidence in themselves!
Lingyun Daoist also smiled slightly, feeling at ease. Although it was the same cultivation level and only three moves, there was plenty of room for manipulation. Within those three moves, he could easily hold back without revealing any flaws, or he could eliminate other scholars entirely!
After all, he was a National Scholar of the Grand Academy. While he might not claim invincibility at the same cultivation level, he was still rare in the world!
"Ding Shan, you go first."
Lingyun Daoist sealed his own cultivation and said in a deep voice, "Boy, bring the wooden swords."
The young boy brought over two wooden sword cases and stood them upright on the ground.
Lingyun Daoist pointed with his finger, and a thread of Yuan Qi, as fine as a hair, flew out, wrapping around a wooden sword from one of the cases. He said, "This case contains thirty-six swords, perfect for the Heavenly Firmament Sword Technique. You can carry the case on your back for convenience. As for me, one sword is enough."
The scholar named Ding Shan stepped forward, strapped the sword case onto his back, and bowed to Lingyun Daoist. Then, with a shout, he activated the Heavenly Firmament Sword Technique, and one by one, wooden swords flew out from the case.
The Heavenly Firmament Sword Technique was a mandatory sword art for scholars everywhere. Qin Mu had already seen it on the ship flying to the capital. The first time he saw it, he was shocked, marveling at how remarkable the martial artists of Yankang Kingdom were, able to perform such exquisite sword techniques with ease.
However, when he saw that almost all the scholars practiced the same Heavenly Firmament Sword Technique, his thought changed to: "I could take on ten of these scholars with one hand."
Ding Shan executed the Heavenly Firmament Sword Technique, and the thirty-six wooden swords flew up and down, displaying considerable power. But as soon as he began, Qin Mu knew he couldn't withstand even three moves from Lingyun Daoist—not even one!
Swoosh—
Lingyun Daoist controlled his sword with his Qi, thrusting it out. The wooden sword was incredibly cunning, flashing like lightning through the thirty-six swords and striking Ding Shan in the chest. The youth was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground with a thud, unable to get up for a long time.
"Not bad cultivation," Lingyun Daoist nodded with a smile.
The other scholars felt a chill in their hearts. Lingyun Daoist's swordsmanship had reached the realm of transformation—the so-called "divine transformation," where one's skill becomes a realm unto itself, a self-contained world. At this level, one was no longer bound by sword techniques; any move became a sword technique.
Even more terrifying was that although Lingyun Daoist had sealed his other divine treasures, retaining only his Spirit Embryo and Five Luminaries divine treasures, his cultivation base was still incredibly profound, far surpassing Ding Shan's!
This was too frightening. Could anyone really withstand his three moves?
Lingyun Daoist's eyes flickered, and he said, "Ding Shan, leave the sword case behind. You may descend the mountain. Next scholar, Qin Yu."
"Qin Yu?"
Qin Mu was startled and looked at the youth stepping out from the line. The young man was exceptionally handsome, with a graceful and composed demeanor. His face gave Qin Mu a familiar feeling.
"He looks a bit like Qin Feiyue, the young General Qin," Qin Mu thought to himself.
Qin Yu stepped forward, strapped on the sword case, and bowed.
Lingyun Daoist smiled and said, "Although you are from the Qin family, which holds great power both in court and among the people, I will not hold back in this examination. Use your strongest skills, or you will end up like Ding Shan."
Qin Yu acknowledged and reached behind him to draw a sword. A wooden sword appeared in his hand, while the other thirty-five flew out. Instead of forming the Heavenly Firmament Sword Formation, each sword moved like a swimming dragon, incredibly agile. However, this sword technique was not the one taught in primary and secondary academies.
Even Lingyun Daoist had never seen this technique. He felt that each wooden sword was like a small dragon, and when combined, they formed a great dragon, gathering the power of all thirty-five swords into something extraordinary!
Qin Yu shouted, and his Yuan Qi exploded. His White Tiger Yuan Qi suddenly became incredibly vigorous, infusing the wooden swords and turning them golden, as if they were made of real gold!
Now, these thirty-six wooden swords were even stronger than metal, and under his control, they attacked Lingyun Daoist!
Lingyun Daoist praised him inwardly, thinking, "This isn't the Qin family's sword technique. He must have had some other encounter, realizing a sword technique in the form of a swimming dragon. Even if the Qin family hadn't sent a letter asking me to look after Qin Yu, he would still be qualified to become a Grand Scholar of the Grand Academy."
Qin Yu followed a path that combined both combat techniques and divine abilities. His sword technique was like a swimming dragon, extremely sharp and fierce. The thirty-five wooden swords flew and moved like thirty-five small dragons, occasionally merging in pairs or trios, turning into larger dragons that doubled their power.
The wooden sword in his hand was even more fierce and domineering, moving like an extension of his arm, striking wherever he pointed with incredible precision. It was a formidable combat technique.
Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat as he watched. "This Qin Yu has seen a real dragon! That's right—Qin Feiyue pulled the son of the Yongjiang River Dragon King, that young dragon sealed in mystic ice, out of the Great Ruins and brought it back to Yankang! Qin Yu's sword technique must have been derived from observing that young dragon. Has the young dragon been revived?"
Besides the young dragon pierced through the heart, the mystic ice also sealed the Young Guardian Gu Linuan.
Qin Mu couldn't help but feel uneasy. Since the young dragon had been rescued, Gu Linuan would naturally be freed as well.
Gu Linuan, as a First-Rank Young Guardian, possessed extraordinary strength. Qin Mu had tricked him out of his Guardian Sword, and even the scabbard had been stolen by the Cripple. If Gu Linuan recognized him, he would certainly not let the matter rest.
He hadn't brought the Guardian Sword to this examination; it was left in the Listening Rain Pavilion under Fu Qingyun's care. After all, the Guardian Sword was the sword of a First-Rank official. Although it had disappeared for decades, someone might still recognize it.
"I wonder if Gu Linuan is still the Young Guardian. Regardless, he's not someone I can contend with. I need to find the Patriarch first!"
The battle between Qin Yu and Lingyun Daoist was extremely exciting, but unfortunately, it only lasted three moves. Within those three moves, the two exchanged offense and defense several times.
After three moves, Lingyun Daoist sheathed his sword and said with a smile, "You have passed."
Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief, retrieved his wooden swords, and put down the sword case.
Qin Mu frowned slightly. The exchange between Lingyun Daoist and Qin Yu had been spectacular, but it gave him an odd feeling, as if Lingyun Daoist hadn't used his full strength.
Qin Yu's techniques were indeed exquisite, but his cultivation wasn't much higher than Ding Shan's. Lingyun Daoist could have easily suppressed him with his profound cultivation base, yet he chose to compete in swordsmanship with one sword against thirty-six. Wasn't that using his weakness against his opponent's strength?
Qin Mu's cultivation was strong, and the Blind Man had taught him the Nine Heavens Eye-Opening Technique. Although he had only mastered the first layer, his eyesight was remarkable, allowing him to see through this.
"There's something fishy here..."
"Next, Qin Mu," Lingyun Daoist said with a smile.
Qin Mu stepped forward and was about to pick up the sword case when Lingyun Daoist said, "You're also surnamed Qin?"
Qin Mu looked up at him and nodded. "I am surnamed Qin."
Lingyun Daoist smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, it's not the Qin of the Qin family."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow but didn't pick up the sword case. With a wooden expression, he said, "Teacher, I'm a bit slow. I like having more. Could I use both sword cases?"
Lingyun Daoist didn't mind and chuckled. "Take them if you wish. One wooden sword is enough for me."
Qin Mu moved the other sword case beside his foot. His Yuan Qi surged out, and an arm-thick thread of Yuan Qi invaded one of the cases, causing a wooden sword to fly out.
Lingyun Daoist laughed. "How have you been training? Didn't your teacher teach you to refine your Yuan Qi into threads?"
Qin Mu bowed respectfully and said with a simple smile, "I haven't learned that. Teacher, please begin."
Lingyun Daoist clasped his hands behind his back, his barely perceptible Yuan Qi thread guiding the wooden sword as it swam around him. He smiled and said, "You may attack."
Qin Mu formed a sword seal with his right hand, and his Yuan Qi exploded violently. He stomped forward, thrusting his sword seal ahead, then flicked it upward!
Swoosh—
The scholars' eardrums nearly burst from the piercing sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air. Lingyun Daoist's heart leaped, and he hurriedly moved his wooden sword to block, but he caught nothing. The next moment, Qin Mu's wooden sword lifted him into the air!
Lifting Sword Strike!
Qin Mu's expression was blank as he thrust his sword finger forward. Lingyun Daoist, still airborne and unable to react, was struck in the chest by the wooden sword, sending him flying backward. He crashed into the hall's doorway and disappeared from sight.
At the same time, Qin Mu stomped his foot, causing both sword cases to bounce three feet off the ground. The clasps snapped open, and wooden swords shot out like lightning, one after another, piercing into the hall.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
A continuous series of sounds came from within the hall as wooden swords struck each other. In the blink of an eye, both cases were empty. Seventy-one wooden swords formed a single line, each one striking Lingyun Daoist's chest. As the force of the previous sword was spent, the next one pierced through it and struck again, one after another, leaving no time to breathe!