Several streaks of escape light shot from the surrounding raised platforms and swiftly descended onto the highest stone stage.
The black-robed Steward of Discipline rose and stood beneath the black dragon.
He was tall, severe in expression and bearing, with chilling sword qi surrounding him.
The ten streaks of light landed and resolved into ten male and female cultivators, each distinguished in appearance.
Xu Ziqing glanced around. Most were unfamiliar, but he recognized one person: Du Zihui, the young master of the Du family who had defeated Luo Yao.
Du Zihui apparently saw Xu Ziqing as well. He snorted and turned his head away.
Xu Ziqing was initially puzzled, but after considering it he found the response understandable. Du Zihui was somewhat hot-tempered but very straightforward. Luo Yao had rejected his attempts at recruitment time after time, yet had become Xu Ziqing’s friend within a mere few days. Naturally, Du Zihui could hardly look favorably upon him.
With that in mind, Xu Ziqing would not argue with someone of such a childlike disposition. He merely thought that if Du Zihui tried recruiting Luo Yao once more, A’Yao would surely agree. Interesting things might follow, and once they had all become familiar, there would be time to tease him.
Anyone who distinguished themselves from tens of thousands of participants to reach the top ten was exceptional even among the favored children of heaven. Almost all belonged to a master’s school and received personal guidance; their aptitudes were outstanding and their wills steadfast.
Accustomed to ranking among the foremost disciples, these cultivators carried a certain nobility of bearing. Most were proud, even arrogant. They had not yet fought one another, so they took this chance to assess their rivals and had no wish to be overshadowed. Even mild-tempered Xu Ziqing had his own goals and would not willingly yield, much less the others. By the time they had exchanged glances, each understood quite a few things.
But the assessment lasted no more than a glance. Combat was too solemn a matter to allow them leisure for scheming. As soon as everyone had taken their places, the black-robed Steward of Discipline spoke.
His voice was low and authoritative. “You have placed among the top ten of the Fifth Martial Arena. You are qualified to participate in the Hundred-Person Competition.”
Everyone composed themselves and answered, “Yes.”
The black-robed steward beckoned. The black dragon immediately shrank to a few chi in length and coiled around his arm.
Then it opened its mouth and swallowed the identifying talismans held by the ten cultivators. When it spat them out again, the talismans bore a new inscription: “Hundred-Person Competition.” Every talisman was identical.
Xu Ziqing supposed they were simply proofs of eligibility. Their opponents would presumably be assigned by another method.
The Steward of Discipline continued, “The competitions in the other martial arenas have yet to conclude. Return and restore your strength. You will be informed before the Hundred-Person Competition begins.”
Everyone knew that any Steward of Discipline must be a sword cultivator at least at the Golden Core stage, surpassing them by several cultivation levels and possessing frightening offensive power and an iron sense of impartiality. Even the most unruly genius dared not challenge such authority. All listened respectfully before dispersing.
Xu Ziqing took his identification talisman and returned to the raised platform.
What he did not see was another person riding a flying sword toward the black dragon’s stage, landing directly before the black-robed steward.
The steward raised his head and recognized an old friend. “Taihe, what brings you here?”
The visitor had white hair and a youthful face. He opened his mouth to retrieve his flying sword and laughed. “The matches under my supervision have finished, so I came especially to see you. What, Brother Wings, aren’t you pleased?”
Zeng Yi had originally worn a resolute expression, but hearing that form of address left him helpless. “Don’t jest. You shouldn’t abandon your post without permission. If anyone finds out, you may be punished.”
Yuan Taihe laughed disdainfully. “We’re only responsible for supervising killings during the matches. Other matters aren’t our concern. Besides, I left my Black Dragon Token behind. It records every irregularity. If someone wants to get disqualified from the Hundred-Person Competition, let them make trouble. Anger me, and I’ll simply haul them off to the Disciplinary Hall. That ought to keep those rule-breakers entertained!”
Zeng Yi had long known his friend could be reckless, so he offered no further advice.
After saying this, Yuan Taihe suddenly asked, “I heard Yun Lie’s treasured junior brother is competing in your arena. Is that true?”
Zeng Yi nodded. “Indeed.” Without hesitation, he shifted his gaze in a particular direction.
Yuan Taihe smiled and looked over as well, then raised an eyebrow. “Sure enough, Yun Lie is here too. His junior brother entered the sect less than a year ago. What sort of ability does he have?”
A glint passed through Zeng Yi’s eyes. “Don’t underestimate Xu Ziqing. He’s already qualified for the Hundred-Person Competition.”
Yuan Taihe was astonished. “That boy only broke through to middle Foundation Establishment a few months ago, and he actually qualified?” He frowned. “He seemed so gentle by nature. How could he possess the drive to sweep through the competition?”
Zeng Yi thought for a moment. “When Xu Ziqing first entered the stage, he indeed had only middle Foundation Establishment cultivation, though his sword art showed some proficiency. Apart from that, he was probably taken to cultivate in the Sword Cavern. I found that aura rather familiar.”
Yuan Taihe’s expression grew peculiar. “The Sword Cavern… It seems Yun Lie really does treat him well.”
Zeng Yi nodded. “That’s not all. Xu Ziqing also seems to have entered the Heavenly Demon Cavern. His techniques sometimes carry traces of combat against heavenly demons. With his cultivation still insufficient, Yun Lie must have accompanied him if he went there.”
Yuan Taihe’s expression became more serious. “Even that would not be enough to enter the top ten.”
Zeng Yi replied, “When Xu Ziqing fought Du Linglong of Flying Immortal Peak, he faced her Linglong Seven-Killing Fists and actually imitated Yun Lie’s sword Dao to temper a divine ability.” He knitted his brows, hesitated, then added, “Though it might not be a divine ability. He refined a green needle from his own flesh and blood, gathering his insights and will within it. One could equally call it a magical artifact.”
Only then did Yuan Taihe truly grow solemn.
If it was a magical artifact refined from his own flesh and blood, it was likely comparable to a life-bound artifact. Setting that aside, if it was a divine ability, the implications were astonishing.
A divine ability was formed when a cultivator fused and refined their understanding of the many techniques they had learned. It could be taught by an elder or comprehended independently. Those comprehended independently suited the cultivator’s own practice more closely and possessed exceptional power. As the very essence of magical techniques, divine abilities held a place among spells comparable to sword intent among sword cultivators.
Many divine abilities were weaker than sword intent, and attaining divine abilities was easier than comprehending sword intent, but that distinction was only relative. First, “easier” did not mean easy. Second, not every divine ability was inferior to every manifestation of sword intent. Sword intent differed in level, and so did divine abilities. Many began only as rudimentary forms, becoming more complete and powerful as their cultivators advanced. It was hardly unusual for the latter eventually to surpass the former. Third, even if a flash of inspiration allowed someone to condense a divine ability, it did not follow that they could control it completely. Using one could be extremely difficult.
For this reason, cultivators normally had to reach Golden Core before they could condense a divine ability. If Xu Ziqing had truly managed it at his present level, how could anyone fail to be shocked?
But Yuan Taihe still could not decide whether the green needle functioned as a magical artifact or was the embryonic form of a divine ability. He asked, “Brother Wings, what do you think?”
Zeng Yi considered it. “Neither a magical artifact nor a divine ability. I think it falls somewhere between them.”
Yuan Taihe paused, then smiled. “You have a point.”
Zeng Yi nodded. “Xu Ziqing has also used battle to nurture his cultivation and broken through again. He is now at late Foundation Establishment.”
Yuan Taihe sighed. “I see. Then it isn’t so strange.”
He could not help looking in that direction again.
Earlier, he had only been searching for Yun Lie. Now he was genuinely studying Xu Ziqing. The young man was barely twenty, gentle and mild. Could he truly possess such extraordinary talent?
Yuan Taihe was genuinely curious now.
Having returned to his platform, Xu Ziqing naturally sat down cross-legged and began meditating again.
He had seen the other nine on the black dragon’s stage. Men and women alike possessed exceptional bearing. If he wanted a place in the Hundred-Person Competition, he would inevitably encounter some of them, to say nothing of the experts from the other nine arenas. More hard battles awaited him.
The Wuling Immortal Sect had over a million inner disciples, most of them at Foundation Establishment. This stage of the tournament lasted the longest. Anyone who stood out among hundreds of thousands of Foundation Establishment disciples must possess extraordinary talent, and who knew how many concealed techniques such people held in reserve!
Xu Ziqing dared not depend on luck and would certainly not let down his guard.
But as he circulated his cultivation method, he suddenly sensed something.
He felt that someone was watching him. A sweep of spiritual sense brushed past. Though it carried no malice, it still made his skin crawl and left him deeply uncomfortable.
He knew this was because his cultivation had improved and his senses had grown sharper. Yet he could not help feeling curious, so he looked toward the source.
He froze.
That spiritual sense clearly came from the black dragon’s stage. Besides the black-robed Steward of Discipline, a youthful-looking cultivator with white hair was now standing there. The spiritual sense came not from the steward but from this visitor.
Only…
Xu Ziqing searched his memory carefully but could not recall meeting the man. Naturally, he also had no idea the man had examined him once before, when he broke through to middle Foundation Establishment.
After thinking briefly, Xu Ziqing turned to Yun Lie. “Senior Brother, do you know those two?”
If the visitor was someone he did not recognize yet had taken an interest in him, the matter most likely had something to do with his senior brother.
As a Golden Core cultivator, Yun Lie had naturally noticed the pair long ago. But unless someone harbored ill will or killing intent, he had no interest in them and simply ignored their existence.
Now that Xu Ziqing had asked, he answered, “Sixth-Seat Steward of Discipline Zeng Yi. Ninth-Seat Steward of Discipline Yuan Taihe.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “If Senior Brother remembers both their names, their strength must be extraordinary.”
After knowing Yun Lie for so many years, he understood him to some extent.
Yun Lie would never remember the name of someone he considered beneath his notice.
Yun Lie gave a faint nod. “If those two advance another step, they may have a fifty-percent chance of comprehending sword intent.”
Xu Ziqing immediately understood and smiled. “Since they haven’t comprehended sword intent yet, they certainly can’t defeat Senior Brother.”
No wonder Yun Lie remembered them. Sword cultivators with even a fifty-percent prospect of attaining sword intent had enormous potential. Once they truly comprehended it, perhaps Yun Lie might consider them opponents. Before Yun Lie had formed his Golden Core, the difference in cultivation might have prevented his sword intent from overcoming them. But he had now broken through. At the same cultivation level, Yun Lie would undoubtedly sweep all before him. Even if those two advanced further in the future, they probably would not catch up with his attainments.
The thought filled Xu Ziqing with pride on his senior brother’s behalf.