A burst of sharp inhales, the dust blinded the eyes, and a hundred swords formed. To everyone’s shock, each dust sword contained real and great power.

This kind of power was completely disproportionate to Gu Xichun’s vital energy output. Almost all the students watching felt as though Gu Xichun’s power had been magnified.

“Why would it be like this?” Xu Lianhua had frowned and spoken even before the dust swords formed.

He looked directly at Ding Ning as he spoke because he was sure that the other’s knowledge was far above most people, including the teachers of the cultivation places.

Ding Ning did not turn to look at him, and just said calmly and crisply, “True swords are easier to gather the primal energies of the universe.”

Dugu Bai frowned. “Ley Line Sword?”

Ding Ning nodded. “One kind of Ley Line Sword.”

“There really is no problem?” Xia Wan could not help but look at Nangong Caishu and ask.

The Ley Line Sword was an extremely strong skill. The sword energy would flow from the sword and move through the ground, leaving behind a path that melded with the passages where earth energy flowed. It was like inscribing seals beneath the ground… Because these seal scripts were as real as the seal scripts inscribed onto seal equipment, they would last longer than sword energy marks in the air, and would be able to gather more primal energies of the universe.

This swordsmanship skill was recorded in ancient records, but had been lost in Changling. No one had expected it to appear in Gu Xichun’s hands.

Nangong Caishu did not know what the Ley Line Sword was at all.

At this time, she could not even sense Gu Xichun’s presence and did not know where he was. She could only sense the strength of this sword, so strong that it was not something she could match at this time. But since she had promised to attack twice, and had already attacked once, she naturally had to complete this next sword move.

So, she only wanted to use the momentum of “Thousand Sail” and attack without rest.

Zzt zzt zzt zzt…

A rattle of sharp piercing sounds occurred in the air in front of her.

Dozens of sword energies blasted out of the short sword in her hand. The glowing water flow around her suddenly froze. At the same time, she sensed an unstoppable force passing to her body through her hand, and then this kind of power also came through the air.

Her feet immediately left the ground, and she uncontrollably flew backwards.

As her body started to fly, she saw white sword energies like a forest of sails as the Thousand Sail finally took form.

A shout of incomprehensible meaning sounded from the dust, accompanied by a heavy collison. The white sail-like sword energies were shattered by the swords coming out of the dust.

As Nangong Caishu flew backwards, she finally understood the use of the second attack.

“I surrender.” She crisply dropped the sword, she was filled with shock within.

Gasps of disbelief suffused the air.

Everyone finally reacted. Nangong Caishu’s second attack was used to retreat, and flee from being covered by Gu Xichun’s sword attack range.

Yet, this “Thousand Sail” was clearly an offensive move. Even most of the cultivation teachers could see that Nangong Caishu had not expected her attack to produce such a result when she attacked.

The first move, “Against the Water”, had also been an offensive move, but when the two offensive moves were connected together, it created this kind of result, the backlash of power when the second sword move started pushing Nangong Caishu far back.

If Nangong Caishu was familiar with these moves, this would not be so shocking… but the Cloud Water Palace sword manual had been learned when they had been comprehending the sword embryos. How did Nangong Caishu learn to use such unfamiliar sword forms?

It was not that all eyes turned to focus on Ding Ning.

Other than Zhang Yi and the others, no one heard what Ding Ning and Nangong Caishu had talked about. But everyone, at this moment, was certain that these two moves could only come from Ding Ning’s hand.

How long had Ding Ning studied that sword embryo?

Would there be a freak of comprehension in the world?

“Interesting.” The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator responsible for arranging the matches stilled and mumbled to himself. Then he sighed. “Extraordinary.”

Jing Liuli who was responsible for the entire trials, and the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator who was responsible for this one event, were all special existences in Min Mountain Sword Sect. Ordinary Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators could not compare to them. Yet almost all of the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators responsible for an event said that Ding Ning’s performance was “extraordinary.”

This had never occurred before in the history of the Min Mountain Sword Trials.

The dust suddenly faded.

Dust was something soft, but when Gu Xichun’s sword essence disappeared, all the dust floating in front of Nangong Caishu had fallen heavily like a curtain.

Gu Xichun’s body appeared behind the falling curtain of dust. His sword had returned to its scabbard. His clothing was as clean as they were new, and he was extremely relaxed. He had only attacked once to win this battle but his face was even darker.

Nangong Caishu’s quick surrender meant his murderousness had no place to go. It was like how a hand raised to hit could only fall back down.

Even though he had shown such astounding strength, everyone’s focus was still Ding Ning. Even that Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator had said ‘extraordinary’ when looking at Ding Ning.

“I hope that I will encounter you,” he took a deep breath and said inside as he glanced at Ding Ning. Then he silently turned around to walk back to where he had stood before.

He knew that he would either win or defeat Ding Ning in the trials. Otherwise, he could not get revenge for the humiliations he previously suffered.

**

The winning side appeared like the losing side while the losing side looked like they had won, and regained some of their presence. The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator responsible for the matches decided to make the competition more interesting.

Thus, he settled on a name and then glanced at the scroll and then casually glanced at a name at a scroll next to him. He said, “Zhang Yi …”

It suddenly became quiet.

Zhang Yi was stunned and exchanged looks with Xu Lianhua and the others. He thought he heard incorrectly, or that Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator was wrong.

However, the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator continued to speak. “Facing Xia Song.”

“Me against Zhang Yi?”

Before someone from Ding Ning’s side could voice a question, a cold voice sounded.

The speaker was a frowning youth dressed in black robes. He looked at the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator with undisguised discontent.

“Yes,” The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator who had not shown much emotions said with a glance.

The black-robed youth could not suppress his anger and said, “Zhang Yi and I have finished a round. The other people have not even fought once. Is it really fair to arrange for our battle now?”

Facing the shout of this black-robed youth, the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator responded expressionlessly. “Who stipulated that students have to finish the first round before the second round starts?”

The black-robed youth was stunned.

In ordinary competitions, this was naturally common knowledge, but this was Min Mountain Sword Trials, and the rules were set by Min Mountain Sword Sect or rather this expressionless cultivator.

“What is unfair about people that passed the first round fighting? I will remember all the rounds, and will not let you fight extra rounds.”

The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator looked at the stunned black-robed youth and continued emotionlessly. “The ending time of your battle is the closest to Zhang Yi defeating Xia Wan. Having you fight is naturally the most fair. If you want to call it unfair, I can only say that you were not as lucky as Zhang Yi to encounter an opponent who surrendered.”

“Remember the round is correct.”

The black-robed youth bowed to the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator to express his apology.

He had quickly calmed down, but the spectating students and cultivation teachers were in great shock.

“You are not doing it on purpose this time?”

Xu Lianhua’s furious voice sounded.

He glared at the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator with fire in his eyes.

This black-robed youth was naturally Zhang Yi’s opponent, Xia Song.

Xu Lianhua was furious because Xia Song was ranked eleventh on the Book of Talents.

“Could I understand your anger as you do not have confidence in your friend?”

Looking at Xu Lianhua’s angry eyes, the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator gave a rare smile and then expressionlessly responded. “I am still random. I just randomly chose among the students who have finished. Of course I did not intentionally give him a strong opponent.”