Chapter 278: Testing the Sword

Chapter 278: Sword Testing

Xiao Wu sat down close to Xie Shu. Three drumbeats echoed from the testing platform, signaling the start of the Grand Tournament.

The disciples divided into groups, drawing lots to determine their order of appearance. Soon, the testing platform was split into four arenas, each hosting its own matches.

The disciples participating in the tournament were all up-and-coming talents of recent years. While their cultivation was not lacking, they were no match for Xiao Wu and Xie Chunshan. Watching their bouts felt like watching children play to Xie Shu, who quickly lost interest.

Before long, a commotion erupted in the arena. The next contestant appeared to be the top talent of the younger generation, effortlessly defeating several demonic disciples. His movements were as swift as a crane, his swordplay as continuous as mountain ranges. Cheers and applause rose from the Righteous Path disciples, while the demonic faction looked as if in mourning, crestfallen and dejected.

After several rounds, the young man bowed to each of the pavilions before retreating to the side. The elderly Lord Cangshan stroked his beard approvingly, praising, "Well done."

This was a disciple of the Shangling Sect.

Xue Sui, standing beside Xie Shu, promptly introduced, "Palace Lord, this is the top disciple of the Shangling Sect’s younger generation. He has won several minor tournaments and made a name for himself among the Righteous Path. They call him..."

At this point, he suddenly hesitated, his gaze drifting toward Xiao Wu.

Xie Shu: "What?"

Xue Sui stammered, "Y-Young Lord Pingwu."

Xiao Wu showed no reaction, while Xie Shu chuckled but did not respond. The game’s storyline began three hundred years later, and Xie Shu was certain no such figure existed.

The cultivation world was merciless—only the rarest of talents could endure the test of time.

Yet across the way, Lord Cangshan gave his whisk a flick, his expression one of satisfaction. He nodded toward Xie Shu from afar and said with a smile, "Palace Lord Xie, what do you think of this junior disciple’s swordsmanship?"

Lord Cangshan’s voice, enhanced by his cultivation, resounded through the valley. In an instant, every disciple on the platform and every spectator turned their attention to Xie Shu in the mountaintop pavilion.

Xie Shu stilled the hand that held his folding fan but did not reply. Instead, he nudged Xiao Wu beside him and leaned close to whisper in his ear, "Immortal Lord, what do you think of your ‘junior brother’s’ swordsmanship?"

The wooden chair was already small, and with Xie Shu leaning in, it looked almost like he were pressing entirely against Xiao Wu.

All eyes were fixed on them, and with his former master seated opposite, Xiao Wu—though wearing a veiled hat—shifted uneasily. He murmured in complaint, "Why are you asking me this now?"

Xie Shu lowered his voice further, using Xiao Wu’s white veil to conceal his lips. "Immortal Lord, I don’t understand."

This wasn’t an excuse. He had only learned a handful of sword techniques. While he could overpower others with sheer cultivation, critiquing this disciple’s swordsmanship would be like an amateur lecturing an expert—completely ridiculous.

At an event as significant as the Immortal-Demon Grand Tournament, he couldn't afford to break Xie Chunshan’s persona.

Xiao Wu’s ear twitched as he shot him a glance. "How could you not understand?"

Xie Shu: "Truly, I don’t."

"..."

Xiao Wu had no choice but to explain quietly, "His technique is showy but lacks inner strength—all style, no substance. He’s only grasped the surface of sword Dao, never touching its core. If I had to judge, I’d say it’s just ‘adequate.’"

Xie Shu: "Compared to you?"

Xiao Wu glanced at him again, seemingly displeased that Xie Shu would compare him to a disciple. He muttered, "Not even close."

Xie Shu felt a flicker of surprise. Lord Pingwu had always been modest and restrained—he had never seen Xiao Wu display such arrogance before. Yet seeing it now felt entirely fitting.

The man he had chosen as the foremost of the immortal path should have this edge.

Xie Shu chuckled softly as he resumed fanning himself.

Xiao Wu asked suspiciously, "What, don't you believe me?"

"Not that..."

The two of them had been whispering together for a long while. Just as Xie Shu was about to respond, the Elder of Cangshan frowned slightly and said coldly, "I wished to discuss martial arts with Palace Lord Xie, yet the Palace Lord has been silent for so long. Why is that?"

Xie Shu then closed his fan and repeated Xiao Wu's words with a smile, "In my opinion, this disciple's swordsmanship is merely passable."

He went on to use terms like "superficial" and "lacking substance."

This assessment was extremely blunt, almost publicly humiliating Elder Cangshan. The disciple's face also fell, barely maintaining his composure.

All young geniuses have their pride. The disciple cupped his hands from a distance toward Xie Shu, though his gaze was fixed on Xiao Wu. "I accept the Palace Lord's criticism. However, may I ask who this white-robed cultivator is?"

The disciple was no fool. Lord Wuwang had been speaking with the white-robed figure for quite some time. Though the other's face was hidden behind a veil, Xie Chunshan's lips could still be read—he had clearly been seeking the opinion of the person beside him.

The one who had evaluated him was not Xie Chunshan, but this unknown, veiled figure.

Given Lord Wuwang's cultivation and status, if such an evaluation had come from him, the disciple might have accepted it. But for some unknown, masked nobody to speak so dismissively? That was laughable.

Did this person think that just because they stood beside Lord Wuwang, they were somehow on par with him?

It was no wonder the disciple looked down on them. In these times, any cultivator of note would practically stamp their name on their forehead—who would deliberately obscure their face with white gauze? Either they were a reclusive hermit or someone engaged in shady dealings.

Given how intimately this person behaved with the Demon Sect Palace Master, they were likely just some bedwarmer.

The disciple's disdain grew. "Dare I ask, Daoist, if you would be willing to spar?"

Xiao Wu did not respond.

Instead, Xie Shu turned his head slightly. "Immortal Lord?"

His eyes held a faint trace of anticipation.

When Xie Shu had disguised himself as Song Xiaoyu and the Pharmacist, he had also sought Xiao Wu's guidance in swordsmanship. But those had been mere sparring sessions, light and restrained—Xiao Wu had never even drawn his sword in earnest. Before the plot concluded, Xie Shu was quite eager to see him fight seriously for once.

The disciple's cultivation was shallow, and Xiao Wu had no interest in humoring him. But with Lord Wuwang watching him expectantly, Xiao Wu's ears grew hot. His fingers flexed before he suddenly said, "Palace Lord, may I borrow your sword?"

Xie Chunshan's sword, named Abyss, was a pitch-black longsword, over four feet long, cold as ice.

The moment these words were spoken, the audience gasped.

To a sword cultivator, their bonded sword was as precious as life itself. Xiao Wu's request was akin to asking, "Palace Lord, may I borrow your most prized possession?"

Yet Xie Shu merely fluttered his fan and said, "Take it."

He had come to the Immortal-Demon Grand Tournament, naturally bringing the original host's bonded sword.

The audience inhaled sharply as the white-robed figure suddenly stood, reaching toward Xie Chunshan's waist. With a crisp metallic ring, the four-foot black sword unsheathed in an instant. The figure cradled the blade, wiping it briefly before leaping gracefully from the cliff. In barely two heartbeats, he stood upon the arena.

Only then did the audience realize—this person's cultivation far surpassed that of any disciple present, rivaling even the masters in the pavilions above.

When had the cultivation world gained another master who kept such a low profile? And what was their relationship with Lord Wuwang?

In the pavilion, the Elder of Cangshan furrowed his brows, his clouded eyes locked intently on the arena below, as if recalling something.

Meanwhile, the disciple realized his mistake. His cultivation was already among the top of his sect—otherwise, he wouldn't have been so bold as to issue a challenge. He took a step back. "Elder...?"

Xiao Wu replied coldly, "What realm have you reached?"

The disciple: "...Golden Core."

Xiao Wu nodded: "I will suppress my cultivation to match yours, so as not to overpower you unfairly."

As he spoke, he ran his fingers over the dark longsword in his hand: "You have yet to forge your lifebound sword (a cultivator’s bonded blade), while this one belongs to Palace Lord Xie. I can barely wield a fraction of its power. In this duel, the swords themselves will not decide the winner—only swordsmanship and technique. That should be fair enough."

The disciple paled. Xiao Wu added: "Moreover, I am slightly older than you, so I shall give you the use of one hand."

With that, he placed one hand behind his back, preparing to fight single-handedly.

At this point, the disciple stiffened but could only say: "Please."

Three drumbeats sounded from outside the arena. The disciple moved first, knowing he was outmatched and hoping to win with a risky maneuver. Fast as a blur, he leapt from the right rear, slashing downward.

Though Xiao Wu had suppressed his cultivation, his movements remained light and swift as a crane’s. With one hand behind his back, he pivoted at the waist to evade. The veiled hat he wore trailed several feet of thin gauze, and his robes—wide-sleeved and impractical for fighting—billowed as he moved. Yet, without even brushing his sleeve, he effortlessly dodged.

Xiao Wu’s tone remained calm and composed: "Risky moves can win fights, but your shifts are too rushed, leaving openings. You might wish to take note."

Gritting his teeth, the disciple attacked again.

His sword afterimages filled the entire dueling platform, his movements blindingly fast. Yet Xiao Wu never shifted his position. With a poised flick of his wrist, he parried effortlessly. The crisp clang of blades colliding sent dust swirling thirty feet into the air.

He commented: "Fakes work, but too many feints only make your real attacks seem weaker."

With every strike the disciple launched, Xiao Wu offered critique. He only defended, never attacking, still standing with one hand behind his back. Amid the storm of sword energy, he advanced and retreated with ease. Over a hundred exchanges passed, yet he remained as composed and cool as mountain bamboo, serene and untroubled.

Behind Xie Chunshan, one of Xue Sui’s subordinates whispered: "Lord Xue, why is he instructing that disciple?"

This was supposed to be a duel, but the gap between them was so vast it had become a lesson.

The subordinate didn’t recognize Xiao Wu. Seeing someone accompanying Palace Lord Xie yet guiding a Righteous Path disciple left him puzzled.

Xue Sui replied oddly: "You think that’s instruction?"

With Pingwu’s skill, in a life-or-death duel, a single thrust would suffice to press his blade against the disciple’s throat. One more inch, and the Righteous Path disciple would be decapitated on the spot. But such a duel wouldn’t be as… pretty to watch as this.

The subordinate blinked: "It isn’t?"

Wu Buke, standing nearby, shook his head: "That’s because our Palace Lord is sitting here."

Subordinate: "Huh?"

Wu Buke: "You’ll understand when you fall for a girl."

Subordinate: "...What?"

Xue Sui and Wu Buke ignored him after that.

As the duel neared its midpoint, a draw would be declared if no victor emerged. Then, with a single thrust, Xiao Wu’s spiritual energy swelled like a tide. His seemingly weightless sword carried the force of a thousand jun. A sudden gale howled through the mountains, scattering even the distant clouds. The disciple, horrified, lost grip of his sword—it flew backward, embedding itself three inches into the ground. In the next instant, the dark blade rested against his throat, its edge colder than deep ice. Xiao Wu, one hand still behind his back, glanced down. The steel edge of the sword reflected a face twisted in fear.

Three drumbeats sounded outside. The arbiter announced: "Victory is decided."

Xiao Wu paid the disciple no further mind. With a flick of his wrist, he sheathed the sword and returned to Xie Shu’s side in a few effortless leaps. The blade slid home with a clear chime.

Xiao Wu sat back down beside Xie Shu.

After a long silence without praise, he tilted his head slightly and asked softly: "So?"

Xie Shu said nothing. He closed his fan and clapped three times.

Xiao Wu sat back down with satisfaction.

Behind him, Wu Buke secretly rejoiced, "Good thing I never gave him a hard time."

Xue Sui nodded in agreement.

The demonic faction brimmed with camaraderie, but Daoist Cangshan on the opposite side grew increasingly grim. Staring at Xiao Wu's pure white veiled hat, as if recalling something, he suddenly flicked his horsetail whisk halfway through the tournament and interrupted, "I have pressing matters at my sect—I’ll take my leave now."

With that, he straightened up as if about to transform into a streak of light and depart.

Xie Chunshan waved his folding fan and said, "Daoist, hold on."

He rose leisurely as well, smiling, "Daoist Cangshan, since this is a sword trial and Dao discussion, having only these junior disciples compete would be dull, wouldn't you agree?"

Daoist Cangshan paused. His expression turned icy when unsmiling. His hawkish gaze swept over them, unnervingly cold. "What do you propose?"

Xie Chunshan met his gaze calmly, fanning himself, "On my way to Shangling Sect, I stopped at several major mortal cities. The crowds argued endlessly about who is the foremost cultivator of our time—you or me—remains unresolved. Since we're both here, perhaps we can settle once and for all who leads the righteous and demonic paths, don't you think?"

As he spoke, crushing spiritual pressure surged outward like tidal waves, echoing through the mountains. Dark clouds rolled over Shangling Sect's gates, the sky turning ink-black. The clear sky had darkened, thick with the threat of storm.

Xie Chunshan took a step forward, hovering effortlessly at the peak, then casually cupped his hands and declared, "Xie Chunshan of Wuwang Palace challenges Daoist Cangshan to a duel!"