Sikong Jingxiao, the Sword Pavilion's chief senior disciple, was a disciple of Tu'an Li, the Heartless Sword Master, who ranked first among the five great Sword Masters.
Naturally, he was the leading figure among the Sword Pavilion's current generation of disciples, and quite possibly, one day in the future, would become master of the Sword Pavilion.
He stood barring the way before the Heaven and Earth Sword Case, having only just emerged from it.
Naturally, the Heaven and Earth Sword Case was not a place just anyone could enter. The sword scar upon the Stone Gate was itself a lock.
If one could not cleave it open, there was no need to enter this place.
And Sikong Jingxiao, of course, was qualified to serve as another lock. He also had ample reason to be wary of Jiang Wang's visit.
Jiang Wang glanced at him but said nothing more. He merely raised the sword token in his hand and walked forward. "I have come to challenge the sword."
Sikong Jingxiao remained silent. Still silent, he used the hand he had held out before Jiang Wang to push open the Stone Gate of the Heaven and Earth Sword Case.
Jiang Wang nodded his thanks and stepped through the gate.
Unlike the wondrous splendor he had imagined, the inside of the sword case was unexpectedly simple. Or rather, only this simple portion was open to those who came to challenge the sword—
A clearly visible patch of level ground, ten paces square. Darkness lay on all four sides, without the slightest trace of light. Above was a streak of Star River, seeming very distant. Its shape was faintly discernible, and like a sword as well.
It was like a floor tile cut from some unknown place, laid flat within the dark night.
Beyond