Chapter 369: The Consequences of Provoking Xu Qing

The Sword Bearer's trial was filled with sanctity and solemnity.

This orthodox human ritual was incomparable to any sect. Their differing foundations naturally led to distinct standards for their ceremonies.

Rituals were even more crucial in tumultuous times.

The deeper the night, the harsher the winter, the more essential it was for a flame to ignite. This flame represented the torch of human legacy, the fire in their blood, and the very spirit of humanity.

The purpose of rituals was to pass on this spirit.

The more formal and sacred the ritual, the deeper the impression of this legacy, embedding it in the soul, never to fade throughout one's life.

This was the Sword Bearer's ritual, and one of humanity's many ceremonies.

High in the sky, the Sword Bearers stood solemnly in a two-winged formation. The shape of wings held a special meaning for them: guardianship.

With their own wings, they guarded humanity, and were willing to become humanity's wings, soaring for the rise of their race!

Nine Sword Bearer Elders watched with grave expressions, also part of the ritual. Four stood on each side, with one in the center, their varying heights forming a mountain and a sword.

This represented the Sword Bearers' sharp edge and their command swords.

Behind them, the sky was ablaze with radiant clouds, and an Emperor's statue, seemingly capable of supporting heaven and earth, loomed. It gazed down upon the land, safeguarding humanity's legacy.

Beneath the statue stood Xu Qing, thousands of feet in the air, holding a command sword.

His robes fluttered in the wind, and his long hair swayed, but his body remained motionless. His aura, at this moment, didn't need to be generated by breath; merely his gaze and his position allowed it to rise naturally.

This was because Xu Qing stood alone on the highest step.

Yet, the source of this aura was profound!

It was the superposition of the Emperor's statue and the weighty mission of the Sword Bearers.

Originally, the Sword Bearer's initiation ceremony shouldn't have generated such a concentrated and profound aura around a single person. This level of gravitas was typically reserved for higher-tier occasions and promotions later on.

However, this time, there was Xu Qing.

During the assessment, he reached an unprecedented height in Yinghuang Province's history. While others were still scrambling for Sword Bearer spots, he had already ascended to the highest step.

All he needed to do was pick up the command sword.

The moment he held the command sword, he seemed to transform from a participant into a witness.

Witnessing the figures rapidly charging up the steps below.

Only two command swords remained, meaning only two more people could succeed.

Xu Qing, being vindictive, did not want Zhang Siyun to succeed. The rules also didn't explicitly forbid interference, so it was likely permissible as long as it wasn't excessive.

“Everyone, be wary of Zhang Siyun. He has a spatial displacement technique that requires eye contact to activate. He used it against me in the Ghost Cavern; it’s extremely malicious.”

Xu Qing spoke calmly from the peak.

As his words rang out, expressions on the steps varied.

The Captain showed no hesitation. His entire body shimmered with blue light, blurring his form so others couldn't discern him. His speed surged, instantly propelling him a thousand feet forward, then without pause, he charged ahead again.

His target was the command sword a thousand feet to Xu Qing's left.

Zhang Siyun, on the other hand, was expressionless. Due to his losses in the Ghost Cavern, he was far behind and heavily injured, so he indeed intended to use this technique, targeting either Chen Erniu or Qing Qiu.

After all, Xu Qing had previously countered his technique and set a precedent in Yinghuang Province, even earning the Grand Elder's praise. Now, holding a command sword, Xu Qing was already a Sword Bearer, making a swap with him extremely risky.

But Xu Qing's warning came too quickly, blurting it out before his displacement technique could fully unfold. Still, Zhang Siyun remained unperturbed and continued casting the spell, aiming for Qing Qiu.

Meanwhile, with extreme speed, the Captain endured the pressure from the steps during his sprint, rapidly reaching the destination. He grabbed a command sword, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and turned to look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing also looked at the Captain.

After they exchanged smiles, Xu Qing noticed that the Sword Bearers in the sky hadn't interfered with his previous words, so he spoke out again to those below.

“Zhang Siyun, in the Ghost Cavern, you coveted the five-pointed wooden house and sought to destroy it. You also had a complete understanding of everything within the cavern. If you claim you weren't aware beforehand or went without a purpose, no one will believe you.”

“Such meticulous planning makes both your actions and intentions suspicious!”

“I, Sword Bearer Xu Qing, respectfully request the elders of our Sword Bearer Court to investigate Zhang Siyun!”

Zhang Siyun was rapidly advancing past the seven thousandth step, simultaneously casting his spell to swap positions with Qing Qiu, who was nearing the nine thousandth step. Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, his composure finally faltered. He could ignore speculative accusations like those from Li Ziliang, as they were groundless and only required his resolve to dismiss.

However… Xu Qing's words not only revealed his true secret but also directly requested the elders to investigate him. This was no longer mere speculation; he was cornering him!

“Nonsense!”

Zhang Siyun knew this matter couldn't be explained at length, nor was it the right moment to do so. Yet, he couldn't remain silent. So he feigned composure and spoke, continuing to cast his spell, but the turmoil in his mind still slightly affected the technique.

The moment the spatial displacement began, the Red Woman, Qing Qiu, her eyes flashing, suddenly retreated rapidly backward.

There was pressure when moving forward here, naturally slowing one down, but moving backward with the flow was incredibly easy, as if blessed. And since her speed was fully unleashed, Qing Qiu's body instantly retreated to beyond the three thousandth step.

Spatial displacement!

Zhang Siyun successfully swapped from beyond the seven thousandth step to beyond the three thousandth, while Qing Qiu was moved by him to beyond the seven thousandth step.

Before the swap, they were two thousand steps apart; after the swap, they were four thousand steps apart.

Moreover, the instant the swap succeeded, a massive evil spirit emerged from Qing Qiu. It had been preparing for this, and now it opened its mouth wide towards Zhang Siyun, who was behind her, swallowing him from afar.

Zhang Siyun's body jolted, experiencing a backlash. His steps involuntarily paused, and his mind was consumed with fury. Qing Qiu's method was simple, but often the simpler something was, the more unexpected it became.

The Red Woman, Qing Qiu, seized this opportunity. Her entire body blazed with red light as she unleashed a secret technique without hesitation, creating multiple afterimages of herself. By sacrificing seven mouthfuls of blood, she achieved extreme speed.

With this ebb and flow, she ultimately rushed to the peak and seized the third command sword.

The moment she grasped the command sword, Qing Qiu again coughed up a large amount of blood, even containing fragments of internal organs. Clearly, this secret technique had inflicted a severe backlash upon her.

At this moment, she was utterly debilitated, seemingly unable to stand steadily. She could only prop herself up with her evil spirit scythe, barely remaining upright, incredibly weak, yet her eyes revealed a fierce determination.

For some reason, Xu Qing felt he had subtly seen that gaze before.

As Xu Qing searched his memory for the source of this familiarity, Zhang Siyun, seeing his own failure, was consumed by raging anger. He glared fixedly at Xu Qing, then looked up from the steps towards the Sword Bearers in the sky, speaking loudly.

“Xu Qing slandered me and interfered with my trial. This matter…”

“I'll clarify this for my junior brother, Zhang Siyun. My apologies, it seems it was all a misunderstanding. You are a good person.” The Captain winked, taking over Zhang Siyun's words, and spoke with a serious expression. After finishing, he also sent a message to the panting Qing Qiu.

“Fellow Daoist Qing Qiu, what do you think?”

Qing Qiu disliked the Mad Dog and Ghost Hand, but she knew this matter concerned her ranking, so she spoke coldly.

“I also think it was a misunderstanding, Zhang Siyun. My apologies, you are a good person.”

Despite their apologies, Zhang Siyun's anger didn't dissipate in the slightest; instead, it transformed into intense frustration. He was about to speak.

But from the left wing formation in the sky, the middle-aged man who had previously announced the names now stepped forward.

He bowed to the Grand Sword Bearer Elder. Noticing that the Grand Elder made no judgment regarding the events below, and as someone who had long served by the Grand Elder's side, he naturally understood the Grand Elder's intentions. He was the very person who had checked Xu Qing's identity before the Grand Elder's dais that day, and now he recalled the Grand Elder's gaze upon Xu Qing.

He then turned to face the steps, and a solemn voice echoed through heaven and earth.

“The Sword Bearer assessment is concluded.”

The moment the voice rang out, all figures on the nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine steps of the rainbow staircase, except for Xu Qing and the two others, instantly vanished. They were displaced by an immense force, removed from the steps, and reappeared on the ground.

Zhang Siyun was no exception.

He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot, his heart filled with intense resentment. Beside him, Ning Yan, the young disciple from a minor sect who had once attacked Xu Qing at the Primordial Nether Pillar, now looked pale, his expression full of bitterness, yet deep in his eyes, there was still a hint of yearning.

Most others were similar, their bitterness mixed with yearning, for they still had one more chance!

Regardless of their reluctance or emotional turmoil, no one paid attention to them at this moment. All eyes were fixed on the sacred steps.

There, only Xu Qing, the Captain, and the Red Woman remained.

“For this selection of Sword Bearers, three have been chosen: Xu Qing, Chen Erniu, and Qing Qiu. Congratulations to you all.”

After speaking, the middle-aged man looked at the trio, his gaze lingering longest on Xu Qing, then clasped his hands and bowed to them.

Following suit, all the surrounding Sword Bearers, with solemn expressions, collectively bowed.

This was the welcoming bow of the Dao, irrespective of age or status, a respect bestowed upon every Sword Bearer upon their initiation.

The three, with grave expressions, returned the bow to the Sword Bearers in the sky.

“From today forward, the three of you are officially Sword Bearers,” the middle-aged man in the sky declared calmly.

“By resolution of the Sword Bearer Court, human disciple Ning Yan is granted an exceptional qualification to become a Provisional Sword Bearer. He is permitted to undergo the consecration trial at the Upper Prefecture's Sword Bearer Palace. Should he succeed, he will receive a command sword and become a formal Sword Bearer.”

“By order of the Sword Bearer Palace, human disciple Zhang Siyun is exempt from the trial and will become a Sword Bearer. However, since Yinghuang Province only has three command swords, you must proceed to Fenghai Province's Sword Bearer Palace to claim your command sword yourself.”

“Now, the two of you, step forward.”

As the words were spoken, Ning Yan's figure shot out, leaping rapidly towards the steps ahead. As he ran, his eyes gleamed intensely, his breath quickened, and his body trembled.

Commotion rippled through the crowd on the ground. As for the other trial participants, they each sighed helplessly.

They had been waiting for this exceptional opportunity, as such an exception occurred during every Sword Bearer selection.

Although not all Provisional Sword Bearers ultimately succeeded in their consecration in the Upper Prefecture, this was at least a chance.

Only Zhang Siyun still harbored deep resentment in his heart. At this moment, he strode forward, stepping onto the steps, reaching the peak height after Ning Yan, but his position was on the edge.

Xu Qing calmly turned his head and glanced at Ning Yan.

Under his gaze, Ning Yan flinched, his heart trembling. His previous ecstasy felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him, and he dared not meet Xu Qing's eyes.

Xu Qing retracted his gaze, then looked at Zhang Siyun, seeing the coldness deep in Zhang Siyun's eyes.

Xu Qing remained expressionless, his eyes devoid of any ripple. He looked away, calmly gazing at the sky, awaiting the conclusion of the ceremony.

“Now, the five of you shall proceed towards the Emperor's statue, in the presence of all Sword Bearers, to undertake the Sword Bearer's Soul-Searching Oath and receive the Emperor's blessing,” the middle-aged man's voice slowly carried, the solemnity deepening at this moment.

This segment seemed exceptionally important for Sword Bearers.

“This is the final and essential step to becoming a Sword Bearer. Under the Emperor's gaze, you must be single-minded, follow your true self, and answer the Emperor's inquiries within your spiritual consciousness.”

“Your answers will be unknown to us; only you and the Emperor will know them. The Emperor's statue will also emit a divine radiance based on your responses.”

“The height of this radiance signifies the Emperor's approval of your answers. Throughout history in Yinghuang Province, the Sword Bearer with the least radiance spread sixty feet, while the most extended to a thousand feet.”

As the middle-aged cultivator's voice spread from the sky, the Captain secretly winked at Xu Qing. Even in this solemn setting, he boldly sent a telepathic message to Xu Qing.

“Little Ah Qing, I know about this stage. They say it’s a blessing, but it’s mostly just for show.”

“Let me tell you, this stage has two purposes: one is a final check to confirm if you're truly human, and the other is like an oath. When the Emperor's statue questions us in our minds, we just boast.”

“This result doesn't affect our Sword Bearer status, nor are there any rewards. It's mostly just about reputation.”

“But you should think carefully about how to boast. Although it doesn't affect your status, I heard it will be recorded in our personal dossiers and might be somewhat useful for future promotions.”

“So you need to think it through, but I’m different.”

“I’ve prepared for this for a very long time. After coming to Yinghuang Province, I spent a fortune buying all the questions the Emperor has asked over thousands of years. I even managed to get questions from other provinces, totaling one thousand seven hundred eighty-nine common questions.”

“Back then, I, your Senior Brother, was already meticulously pondering my answers. I've memorized all the responses, and each one is absolutely perfect!”

“Hmph, you won earlier, but this time, I can declare in advance that my radiance will definitely be the highest.”

The Captain, triumphant, raised an eyebrow at Xu Qing, looking as if he had everything under control and was immensely wise.

Xu Qing ignored him.

He didn't care about the height of the radiance. Since it didn't affect his Sword Bearer status and offered no rewards, being merely a matter of reputation, he decided to answer everything according to his true self.

As Xu Qing pondered this, the solemn voice from the sky resonated through the clouds.

“You all, advance a hundred feet!”

Xu Qing looked up and stepped forward. The others followed suit, all advancing a hundred feet, drawing closer to the Emperor's statue.