Ancestor

"Seen me twice?"

"Carving stone?"

"He's Ancestor Linyuan!"

Yu Xiu's heart gave a sudden leap, and he recalled it in an instant.

At the Earth-Fire Abyss, he had seen the Abyss-Suppressing Sword.

That enormous stone sword had been carved by Ancestor Linyuan. Its sword intent was like the sea, and Yu Xiu had even seen a towering figure upon it.

And now, he had seen the Sword-Worshiping Stone in the Bronze Mirror. It, too, had been carved.

The Abyss-Suppressing Sword contained sword intent, while the Sword-Worshiping Stone contained sword techniques.

Both had been carved by Ancestor Linyuan. That was why the gentle, middle-aged man carving the stone had said he had seen Yu Xiu twice.

Once at the Abyss-Suppressing Sword, and now for the second time.

Yu Xiu wasn't surprised that both were the work of Ancestor Linyuan. What shocked him was how the ancestor could communicate with him.

Hadn't the Sword-Worshiping Stone and the Abyss-Suppressing Sword, carved a thousand years ago, merely preserved the ancestor's artistic conception?

Was this not an artistic conception, but a strand of the ancestor's actual will?

"Disciple Yu Xiu pays his respects to the Sword Ancestor!" Yu Xiu bowed.

Ancestor Linyuan didn't even raise his head. "Your cultivation is too low. You can't yet create many of the profound sword techniques. For now, just watch carefully."

Yu Xiu understood that the ancestor was right.

It was true that he had remarkable comprehension, but his cultivation level and strength were both still at the Five Viscera Realm, the first pass of the Four Great Passes.

So the highest-level sword techniques he could create right now were limited to the Five Viscera Realm.

He couldn't create sword techniques for the Five Elements Realm, the second pass of the Four Great Passes.

He hadn't entered the Five Elements Realm, so naturally he couldn't understand the power of the Five Elements that those in that realm wielded. Without understanding that power, he had no way to create sword techniques driven by it.

The same applied to the Five Spirits Realm, the third pass, and the Divine Heart Realm beyond it.

But he could memorize everything first. Once his cultivation advanced, he could draw on the scenes stored in his memory to create more profound sword techniques.

"Thank you, Ancestor." He bowed again, then focused his attention.

The essence of this sword carries a sense of alternating speed. It could be developed into a sword style that blends fast and slow.

This sword's essence is weighty. It could become a technique centered on momentum, with sword moves as its support. No, it could even be developed further into an overbearing sword.

In his mind, inspiration seemed boundless. As one idea surfaced, another followed close behind.

His thoughts raced as he recorded each flash of inspiration. When he had the time, he could fully develop them into one sword technique after another.

For now, however, he had no time to do so.

The sword intent in Ancestor Linyuan's carving kept changing. If Yu Xiu stopped watching to focus on creating one of the techniques, he would miss all the inspiration that followed.

Each flash of inspiration was precious, born of his comprehension and lifespan. How could he let any of it slip by?

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last. A will seemed to emanate from the world inside the Bronze Mirror, and understanding dawned on him.

This test was about to end.

The Sword-Worshiping Stone was fading, and so was Ancestor Linyuan, who had been carving it with a wooden sword. Without realizing it, Yu Xiu felt an urge to demonstrate a sword technique.

The test is starting!

It was testing how many sword moves he had comprehended from the Sword-Worshiping Stone!

A flash of insight came to him. From the more than one hundred ideas in his mind, he chose the most inconspicuous one.

Time was limited. If he chose one of the exceedingly profound ideas, he wouldn't have time to create the most suitable sword technique. This unassuming idea, however, was not too difficult, and he had enough time to create a complete set of moves.

His sword moved with him as he began to sweep it before the Sword-Worshiping Stone. He moved faster and faster. As one sword swept out, two more moves had already taken shape in his mind, followed by a third, a fourth...

The tenth move!

The fifty-sixth move!

Every move was fast, each concealing more than a dozen variations. Whatever his opponent did, there was a corresponding variation to counter it.

This sword technique can be called the Inconstant Sword.

Its variations were unpredictable. Its essence lay in one word: change.

At the same time.

[Self-created Five Viscera Realm sword technique Inconstant Sword: Perfected (Sword Intent +1)]

Comprehension +30

Lifespan +30

His consciousness withdrew from the Bronze Mirror.

Words of evaluation appeared on the mirror's surface.

Beneath the Sword-Worshiping Stone, comprehended fifty-six sword moves, forming a complete, high-grade sword art for the Five Viscera Realm.

Comprehension: A+

"Beneath the Sword-Worshiping Stone, he comprehended a complete, high-grade sword art for the Five Viscera Realm?!" The Wen Dao Peak steward's heart leaped.

This was incredible. Truly incredible.

Even a genius like Zhu Wenjiu had received only a B+ evaluation. The sword art he'd comprehended was still at the Life Spring Realm level, and it wasn't even complete.

With a complete, high-grade sword art for the Five Viscera Realm, Yu Xiu's comprehension couldn't possibly be rated A+!

It should be... beyond A+!

But the Bronze Mirror's highest rating was A+, so that was all Yu Xiu had received.

With comprehension like this, he belongs at Wen Dao Peak. He can create more cultivation methods and sword arts, and improve the cultivation methods and sword arts of the Sword-in-Hand branch!

"Comprehension like that..." The Tianque Peak steward's eyelids twitched wildly. He couldn't make them stop!

With talent and comprehension like his, shouldn't he join the Sect Master's branch?

Forget competing for a place among the Ten True Seeds. He even had a chance at becoming a True Disciple—or competing for the Sect Master's position!

The stewards from Jinding Peak and Powang Peak were also turning the matter over in their minds.

As for Zhang Yundu, Feng Zhiyuan, Zhu Wenjiu, and the others, they were already dumbstruck, unable to believe what they were seeing.

How could Yu Xiu, who had joined the sect at the same time as them three years ago, be so monstrously talented?

Yu Xiu paid none of it any mind. The Bronze Mirror had already extracted another strand of his consciousness.

The third test had begun.

This test measured one's character. But Yu Xiu had already cultivated a Sword Heart, and not just any Sword Heart—it was at the second level.

A test of character was useless against him.

Character: Outstanding

With that, the Bronze Mirror's test ended.

He had received A+ ratings in everything, and even his character was outstanding—its highest rating.

Yu Xiu himself didn't think much of it. He had no idea that the five stewards above had already begun scheming against one another.

The Dragon-Slaying Peak steward clearly sensed something was wrong and was about to speak when...

The Tianque Peak steward beat him to it. "In my opinion, there are still questions surrounding Yu Xiu's slaying of the Water Demon at Tantan Lake. The matter must be thoroughly investigated before he can enter the Main Sect."

The Wen Dao Peak steward immediately followed. "Exactly. The Inner Court's promotion to the Main Sect is no trivial matter."

"He hasn't even chosen a peak, and Dragon-Slaying Peak already passed on the Dragon-Slaying Evil-Purging Sword to him before he entered the Main Sect. That's a serious breach of the rules!" The Powang Peak steward tossed out an even bigger accusation.

"I think there may be a problem with that Dragon-Slaying Evil-Purging Sword, too. It would be best to have Junior Brother Yu come to my Jinding Peak and reflect for a while," the Jinding Peak steward said last.

But the moment those words left his mouth, he'd stirred up a hornet's nest.

"What do you mean, have him reflect at Jinding Peak? If he's going anywhere, it should be Tianque Peak."

"Tianque Peak belongs to the Sect Master's branch, so you might not be impartial. He should come to Wen Dao Peak!"

"What's so good about Wen Dao Peak? He should come to Powang Peak!"

The Dragon-Slaying Peak steward trembled with rage.

Is there any justice left?

Are there any sect rules left?

They're even snatching disciples right out of Dragon-Slaying Peak's bowl!

Shameless scoundrels. I'm ashamed to be associated with you.