"What a vicious flower-plucker!"
"Everyone, remember this: once you step onto the field with a sword in hand, there are no men or women, young or old—only opponents. And when facing an opponent, you must naturally wipe them out completely."
Director Shi's voice rang out, directly cutting off the quiet discussion among the spectators.
Most of the people watching were students. They had heard and read these principles before, but when they actually saw someone use such vicious swordsmanship against a cute girl right in front of them, they couldn't help but feel shaken.
In fact, because everyone had similar thoughts, an emotional resonance was faintly taking shape among them.
Shi Tianyi, however, noticed it in an instant and spoke up, interrupting the emotional resonance among the crowd.
It wasn't that he was worried everyone would hold a grudge against Zhao Cheng and ostracize him later.
He had made it quite clear: the Qingyuan Sword Class's creed was to seek the Great Dao through the sword alone. Opinions or exclusion were both fine—they would only help forge a divine sword through Hundred Refinements.
As swordsmen, they naturally needed the spirit to hack through brambles and slash through every obstacle.
What he feared was that after forming an emotional resonance, their swords would grow weak.
In the way of the sword, there was no rule against raising one's blade against women and children.
Not killing women and children was morality, but it wasn't the way of the sword.
The way of the sword was nothing but killing. That didn't mean killing indiscriminately, but when facing an enemy, one had to cut them down to the last.
Mercy was never meant for one's enemies.
Though Shi Tianyi was over sixty, and had weathered countless storms, he knew all too well how powerful emotional resonance could be.
People were followers by nature. A positive emotional resonance could make the weak become brave, the timid become fearless, and even make people forget life and death.
But a bad emotional resonance could also drag people into the abyss.
"Zhao Cheng, let me ask you: if Guo Nuan hadn't dodged or blocked just now, what would you have done?!"
Shi Tianyi suddenly asked.
Without a moment's hesitation, Zhao Cheng replied, "I'd bet she would dodge or block. When life and death are decided beneath the sword, where's the fun in taking no risks?!"
"If you want to win, you have to be prepared to lose."
"Excellent!"
Shi Tianyi applauded.
"It seems you've already grasped some of the essence of the sword."
"But let me tell you this: your sword isn't ruthless enough. If I were you, I'd have stabbed her straight in the eye just now."
"There's still mercy in your sword."
Shi Tianyi said solemnly.
"Director, this..."
Wu Nian wanted to speak, but Shi Tianyi glanced at him, and Wu Nian was instantly struck dumb, unable to say another word.
At Shi Tianyi's words, Zhao Cheng fell into thought.
The students outside the field also fell silent.
What Shi Tianyi said did have some merit, but was this really something a dean of discipline should say to a student?!
And with the other person involved still right here, couldn't he have taken Zhao Cheng somewhere quiet and private to say it?!
The students felt as if their entire worldview had been rocked to its foundations.
Before, they had all thought Director Shi looked kind and benevolent, like a Laughing Maitreya. But now, he seemed less like a benevolent man and more like a demon who had become a Buddha without shedding his demonic nature.
The students were still debating the matter philosophically in their minds. For the moment, they couldn't accept Shi Tianyi's words.
But the instructors were all people of considerable age and swordsmanship. What sort of storms hadn't they weathered?
They had therefore gleaned something from Shi Tianyi's words and realized that he thought very highly of Zhao Cheng—something unprecedented.
Even they found it nearly impossible to get a few words of guidance out of Shi Tianyi.
So they watched the field with great interest, eager to see how things would unfold.
Nearly a full minute passed before Zhao Cheng finally replied, unhurriedly, "Director, you're mistaken."
"There's no mercy in my sword. A sword is a vicious weapon, meant for slaughter. No matter how much you embellish it, you can't change its nature. Ever since I understood this, there's been no mercy in my sword. I wield it only to kill."
"The mercy is in my heart, not my sword!"
"I read all sorts of books, and I've only ever seen people fare well when they wield the sword. I've never seen anyone fare well by letting the sword enslave them."
Zhao Cheng didn't show the slightest stage fright.
"Hahaha!"
Shi Tianyi burst out laughing.
"What a fine thing to say: 'The mercy is in my heart.'"
"I hope you never forget what you said today."
"Alright, let the Sword Trial continue!"
On the other side, the girl who had faced Zhao Cheng earlier heard Shi Tianyi say he should have stabbed her in the eye, and all sorts of grievances surged through her at once. Tears immediately welled in her eyes.
But after hearing Zhao Cheng's words, she held back her tears and didn't let them fall.
She took a long look at Zhao Cheng without saying a word, then walked off the field.
As soon as she left, several girls gathered around her, offering every sort of comfort.
After this battle, Zhao Cheng's ranking rose to twenty-third.
One thing was certain: today was destined to be remembered by every student in the Sword Class, and they would likely still remember it decades from now.
In the third match, Zhao Cheng challenged the eighteenth-ranked student and won in seven swords.
In the fourth match, Zhao Cheng challenged the thirteenth-ranked student and won in five swords.
In the fifth match, Zhao Cheng challenged the eighth-ranked student and won in ten swords.
In the sixth match, Zhao Cheng challenged the third-ranked student and won narrowly after twenty-seven swords.
By this point, the students watching from outside the field had gone from solemn to astonished.
Though they were all young, those with swordsmanship this good at their age rarely came from poor families. They had all seen their fair share.
It wouldn't be wrong to say they'd seen just about everything.
But today, one incredible sight after another had appeared before them—things they truly had never seen before.
They felt as though they were witnessing history.
A newcomer who had just joined the Sword Class, armed with nothing but a sword, cutting his way through the entire class.
That was more than a little outrageous.
After all, he wasn't overwhelming his opponents with a higher level of swordsmanship. Rather, his practical combat ability was so strong it defied reason.
His swordsmanship level was clearly the same as theirs, or even a little lower, yet he had somehow overcome them against the odds.
This sort of thing was something you only saw in historical romances.
"Who would've thought a joke would almost come true?"
"But no matter how strong his practical combat ability is, it's hard to make up for the gap in basic attributes."
Shi Tianyi chuckled softly.
When he first spoke, he'd said that newcomers could keep challenging others, even all the way to first place.
But no one thought that was actually possible.
If someone had swordsmanship like that, they would have joined the Sword Class long ago. There was no way they'd only be discovered now.
As for Zhao Cheng, his swordsmanship was merely somewhat proficient. His practical combat ability was just so outrageous that it had created this unbelievable spectacle.
It was fair to say everyone had been shaken.
Every student wondered how they would fare if they were in Zhao Cheng's position. The answer was obvious: they wouldn't. Their swordsmanship level, by any measure, was no better than Zhao Cheng's.
They couldn't help thinking of a classic question: just how great was the gap between one person and another?
Answer: only a billionth of a hair's breadth!