Wu Ming had actually seen today's situation coming.
Just because he was better at memorizing the Human Emperor Scroll, did that mean he could win a priceless Dharma Sword? Or snatch it from the hands of a wealthy clan's young master in full view of everyone?
A gentle cultivation world that valued civility and new customs like that only existed in immigration ads promising to make the Nine Provinces great again!
As the foremost wealthy clan in Wu Prefecture, the Liu Family had lost a Dharma Sword and then a Protector Elder. Of course, they weren't about to let the matter rest.
In fact, the Liu Family had waited a full month before coming to call at the sect. Their patience already exceeded Wu Ming's expectations.
As for their line of argument, it was nothing out of the ordinary. If you wanted to seize something by trickery and still claim the moral high ground, there were only so many excuses you could use: cutting corners, being unworthy of the position, secretly hoarding laundry detergent...
If there was anything about the whole affair that had truly surprised Wu Ming, it was his master, Gu Bai.
He had known from the very beginning.
He had known that the Taiyi Dharma Sword was of vital importance, bound up with an immense Immortal Fate, and that it was no ordinary Rogue Cultivator's place to meddle with it.
He had known that their "chance encounter" would inevitably bring the Liu Family and even all the cultivation clans of Wu Prefecture down on the master and disciple, inviting endless trouble.
And yet he had never hesitated, much less backed down.
Usually, he was a dispirited man, overflowing with negativity and steadfastly avoiding the world and its strife... But the moment his own disciple was involved, he transformed in an instant, becoming sharp-tongued and aggressive, willing to fight and grab without regard for anything else.
So it was no wonder his eldest senior sister was so devoted to this poor, remote sect.
The Gujian Sect Leader really was a little old man it was hard not to feel sorry for.
So, by this point, his master, Gu Bai, had done more than enough. From here on, it was time for him, the beneficiary at the heart of the matter, to step up.
"Everyone, how about hearing me out for a couple of words?"
Then, without waiting for anyone to object, Wu Ming swept his arm out and turned his wrist, pointing the tip of the Dharma Sword at the three uninvited guests.
In an instant, the phrase "swords drawn and bows bent" had become entirely literal. Naturally, everyone's attention was no longer on Zheng Lingxi.
Wu Ming seized the initiative with a cold laugh. "I won this Taiyi Dharma Sword with my own ability. If you want it, then win it back with yours. Only if you prove beyond a doubt that I'm not the best person to wield it will you have an explanation for the people above. Am I right, Elder Sister Zhang, the hired muscle?"
Zhang Miao, whose name had been called, jumped in fright and hurriedly shook her head. "N-no, that's not it. I didn't mean to be..."
Before she could finish, Liu Yi turned and glared at her. She shrank back in fear and didn't dare say another word.
Liu Li said, "...Very well. Since you insist on refusing our offer, don't blame us for showing no courtesy or consideration. Junior Brother, bring out the Prefecture Edict and Command Flag."
A ferocious grin spread across Liu Yi's face. He pulled a scroll of silk, ringed with golden thread, from his sleeve and handed it to Liu Li.
Liu Li composed himself, unfurled the white silk, and read aloud, "Now there is Wu Ming, a Desolate Man of Feng Prefecture, who entered the immortal path by worshipping at Gujian. His heart is cunning, his conduct base; before Dinghuang Prefecture, he hatched a deceitful scheme and stole a Dharma Sword. Having gained it without diligent cultivation, he indulges his every whim, causing his Dao cultivation to stagnate. How can the great responsibility of the Immortal Mansion be entrusted to him?"
"After joint deliberation by the Supervision Court, Zhang Miao of Wu Prefecture, a Dao Seed with an upper-grade Spirit Root and a clear Dao Heart, has been nominated as worthy of this sword. Under the rules of the Immortal Mansion, a Dharma Sword may be stripped away only through a fair contest in the Four Symbols Technique, with the Shangqing Hengxiao Flag determining the winner. May the Three Purities bring blessings; the immortal laws shine bright. Let all of Wu Prefecture obey this edict!"
With that, Liu Li rolled up the silk. Beside him, Liu Yi reverently brought out an Apricot Yellow Banner and planted it in the ground.
The little flag unfurled without a breeze. In an instant, an irresistible ripple spread out, and everyone present felt as if they were being watched by a pair of lofty eyes, their every movement seen through and through.
By now, Liu Li felt victory was already in his grasp. He couldn't help sneering. "True Person Gu Bai, you plotted and schemed for so long. Did you ever see this coming?"
Gu Bai said, "That you could produce a Prefecture Edict that turns right and wrong upside down truly is beyond this old man's expectations... So brazen and domineering, going against the tide and disregarding the Celestial Master's will. The Liu Family must be nearing its peak, ready to decline."
Liu Li's expression darkened. "With death at your door, you still have a sharp tongue! The Hengxiao Banner has been raised. It's already too late for you to admit defeat and beg for mercy, yet you still dare to act so arrogantly! Once the winner is decided, your theft of the Dharma Sword will be deemed an obstruction of the Immortal Mansion's great work of reclamation. By then, not even a hundred deaths will atone for your crime!"
Liu Yi let out a sinister chuckle. "And there's also Senior Brother Liu Xi's death. We'll make you explain that clearly, too!"
His sneering had barely begun when a muffled thud rang out. Wu Ming had stepped into the arena with his Root Stance, facing the Apricot Yellow Banner without hesitation. He swung the Dharma Sword, its Golden Glow Sword Light pointed straight at the two Liu elders.
"On the other hand, if I win, your Prefecture Edict will be nothing but nonsense. Everyone involved in drafting it will be guilty of taking bribes and breaking the law, of showing contempt for the Three Purities! I wonder how many heads you lot have between you—and whether there'll be enough to go around?"
At his words, Liu Li and Liu Yi both started. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! If you win?!"
"These country bumpkin Desolate People really are all ignorant lowlifes. They don't even know they're about to die!"
"Gu Bai, you're a Nascent Soul, for heaven's sake! You've had him as a disciple for so long, and you couldn't even teach him the most basic common sense?!"
After laughing at him several times, Liu Li finally stopped and looked Wu Ming up and down. "Don't tell me you really think that accidentally winning first place before Dinghuang Prefecture meant you had any real ability or a bright future? Your first attempt at the Human Emperor Scroll might reflect a little of your talent, but the most important talent for a cultivator is their birth! Those born into an upper-tier clan have resources, companions, techniques, and a place to cultivate. A little talent is enough for them to achieve ten times the results. But you're nothing more than a lowborn Desolate commoner. Even if you have some odd little talent, you can only show off for a moment. It won't last!"
After a pause, the light in Liu Li's eyes slowly shifted, as if he meant to see right through Wu Ming.
A moment later, Liu Li looked furious enough to laugh. "...A fifth-grade Root Bone and an eighth-grade Spirit Root, and you still dare to be arrogant with potential like that!? It seems your brief victory in your first attempt at the Human Emperor Scroll really went to your heads! Very well, I'll let you ignorant brat die with your eyes open!"
With that, Liu Li turned to Zhang Miao, only to see her staring blankly at Wu Ming, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, as if she were imagining some beautiful scene...
"Zhang Miao!?"
Liu Yi's sharp shout brought the young woman back to her senses. Faced with the elder's fierce expression, she hurriedly offered a soft apology, then stepped forward into the light cast by the Apricot Yellow Flag.
Then she nodded to Wu Ming, looking rather shy. "Hello, I'm Zhang Miao. I saw you once before, outside Dinghuang Prefecture!"
Wu Ming asked, full of curiosity, "Actually, I thought the person coming would be Third Young Master Liu, Liu Qi. He was the one directly affected back then, after all. You're a Zhang girl, so why did the Liu Family drag you out to do something like this?"
Zhang Miao apologized. "Third Young Master refused to come fight you no matter what. When they pressured him too much, he'd rather circulate his energy until he went into cultivation deviation and then lie in bed recovering. As for me, I was the third person there that day... Besides, the Zhang Family has been asking the Liu Family for quite a lot lately, and Third Young Master and I are engaged. Madam Rong of the Liu Family ordered me to come, so I really couldn't refuse... I'm sorry."
"So you're practically a bride already?! My apologies!" Wu Ming exclaimed in surprise, then nodded. "All right. Since you're not here of your own will either, we'll just have a friendly spar later. No matter who's on which side."
Zhang Miao was delighted. "Really!? That's wonderful! Before I came, Third Young Master kept telling me from his sickbed: 'You can fight, but whatever you do, don't make an enemy of him.' Those two clan uncles don't know when to quit, and it's bad enough if they drag the family down with them. They'd better not drag you and me into it, too..."
"Zhang Miao!" Liu Yi was beside himself with rage. "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Zhang Miao explained, "I'm sorry, but Third Young Master told me I absolutely had to make this clear to Wu Ming before the fight. Even if you punish me, that's better than making a great enemy of him for us..."
"...Third Young Master really has lost his mind!" In his fury, Liu Yi forgot all about etiquette. "What's so special about this Desolate brat that makes him value him so much?!"
Liu Li shook his head and sighed. "Third Young Master may have exceptional talent, but he's always been idle and unconventional, never willing to fight for fame or power. He's always come up with ridiculous, unreasonable excuses to shirk his responsibilities. If Madam hadn't ordered him to go, he wouldn't even have wanted to attend the gathering outside Dinghuang Prefecture."
Zhang Miao said again, "B-but in the end, it was because he attended that gathering that Wu Ming snatched the sword from right under his nose, nearly making him a laughingstock in the Prefecture City..."
"Shut your mouth!" Liu Li snapped as well. "Know your place!"
Zhang Miao hurriedly ducked her head and fell silent.
Liu Li snorted. "Enough. We've wasted plenty of time on idle chatter. It's time to get down to business. According to the Immortal Mansion Heavenly Record, Four Symbols of Dharma Combat is divided into [Human Dao], [Physique], [Mana], and [Practical Skill]. So we'll start with Human Dao, and let this ignorant Desolate commoner open his eyes... Zhang Miao!"
Called by name once more, Zhang Miao could only give Wu Ming an apologetic smile. "Th-then I'll do my best."
The tall young woman's head began to glow faintly.
It was the clear, pure light of Human Dao, the vision that appeared when the intangible Human Dao Seal manifested in the mortal world.
Other than Mingren Jade, it was the clearest and most powerful proof of one's attainments.
For cultivators with a certain level of cultivation, judging someone else's attainments in the Human Emperor Scroll was almost instinctive. They didn't need the other person to manifest their Human Dao Seal.
That was why Wu Ming's first attempt at the Human Emperor Scroll before Dinghuang Prefecture had practically been broadcast to the entire crowd.
But since they were now competing in the Four Symbols of Dharma Combat, they naturally had to make the result as clear as possible. As Zhang Miao's Human Dao manifested, the Apricot Yellow Banner planted in the ground gently unfurled, as if waiting to determine the outcome.
At the same time, Wu Ming opened his eyes wide and counted the rings of light above Zhang Miao's head one by one.
"...Nine, ten, eleven! Impressive."
Zhang Miao blushed. "I used a few expedient methods. My actual ability is only just enough for ten layers."
Wu Ming said, "That's still no small feat. Even at the Sanqing Immortal Sect, unless you're an elite inner disciple, most cultivators can't form ten layers of the Human Dao Seal in just their first month of cultivation. And after the tenth layer, the difficulty doubles. Even with an expedient technique, eleven layers of the Human Dao Seal is impressive. Mm, no wonder the Liu Family certified you as a high-grade hired hand."
Zhang Miao was so flustered by the praise that she didn't know what to do. She hurriedly said, "Third Young Master said that even though this Dharma Combat wasn't our idea at all, and we're sure to lose, if I perform too poorly, you might look down on me. So I've been working hard this past month..."
"Zhang Miao!" Liu Yi rebuked her. "From now on, keep your mouth shut!"
Zhang Miao could only cast Wu Ming an apologetic, helpless look.
On the other side, Liu Li gave a derisive laugh. Without even glancing at Wu Ming, he addressed Gu Bai.
"True Person, the outcome of this Dharma Combat is already plain to see. It proves what I said earlier: the most important talent in the world is one's birth. That boy's first attempt was far better than Zhang Miao's, but over the past month, did he have a Spirit Vein Spring to breathe in spiritual energy? Pills to cleanse his marrow, or Talisman Enlightenment? Even when studying the Human Emperor Scroll, he could only teach himself, without a famous master reciting the scriptures and guiding his Dao!"
Hearing this, Gu Bai gently nodded and let out a sigh of shame.
Liu Li continued, "Studying the Human Emperor Scroll depends on one's temperament and comprehension, but also one's cultivation! Without solid cultivation in the real world to support it, even the most heaven-gifted genius is useless! A month ago, Zhang Miao had only reached four layers, two behind him. But after a month of cultivation with the Liu Family, she broke through seven hurdles in a row. Her results are among the best in the world! As for that Desolate brat, he's only reached nine layers and hasn't broken through the Thousand Character Bottleneck... By Rogue Cultivator standards, that's an excellent result, but thinking it's enough to wield this sword is sheer delusion!"
Liu Yi impatiently said, "Senior Brother, why waste your breath on them!? The Shangqing Hengxiao Flag has already been raised. A magic treasure will decide the winner... Hm?!"
As he spoke, he saw the small Apricot Yellow Banner, its flag unfurled though there was no breeze, come to a stop between Zhang Miao and Wu Ming, without leaning either way... as if the winner had yet to be decided.
Eleven layers against nine. The winner was obvious. Why couldn't the magic banner determine the outcome?
"Heh." Gu Bai only gave a helpless chuckle. "Ming'er, you came up with this idea, so why don't you explain it?"
"All right." Wu Ming cupped his hands in acknowledgment, then looked at Zhang Miao, whose face was full of curiosity. "When I first attempted the Human Emperor Scroll outside Dinghuang Prefecture, there was something I was already wondering: did the number of layers in the Human Dao Seal really have to be public?"
"Huh?" Zhang Miao was taken aback by the question. "The Heavenly Book says: 'The immortal laws shine bright, and Human Dao blazes in glory.' An achievement in the Human Emperor Scroll is the foundation of a cultivator's standing, so it's naturally public... right?"
At that, the young woman suddenly understood. She looked at Wu Ming, then at the hesitant Apricot Yellow Banner, and her eyes filled with astonishment.
"Could it be that you..."
Wu Ming said, "The Human Dao Seal is indeed the foundation of a cultivator's standing, and the core of Qiongzhou's class indoctrination. There's absolutely no way to pretend to have more layers than you do. But the other way around—pretending to have fewer—isn't nearly so absolute. After breaking through the tenth layer, I gradually mastered the trick. Now I can do it as easily as breathing..."
At this, even Liu Yi, the most hot-tempered of them all, sensed that something was wrong. Liu Li questioned him in disbelief. "You deliberately hid your Human Dao Seal? Why would you do something so outrageous?!"
"If I hadn't hidden it, would you have confidently planted your banner in front of me?"
As he spoke, the light of Human Dao manifested above Wu Ming's head as well.
As the light appeared, the Shangqing Hengxiao Flag, which had been hesitating between them, finally began to lean to one side... as if a breeze were blowing, pushing the flag little by little in Wu Ming's direction.
Liu Li's face twitched. "...What kind of joke is this? Zhang Miao is a child of an Aristocratic Clan who used Spirit Gathering Pills to force her way to the eleventh layer!"
Wu Ming replied calmly, "The person standing before you is the first person ever to reach the fifteenth layer of the Human Dao Seal."
In the next instant, brilliant radiance filled the world, and the Command Flag toppled over.
Before you continue