Selection

Xie Jinghan intended to personally cultivate the first batch of core members for the Xie Household.

That way, he would no longer need to handle everything himself and could devote more energy to cultivation.

Once this group of descendants had grown up, they would be able to guard the family, resolve crises from all sides, deter petty villains, and handle worldly disputes.

They would hold up the Xie Household's name.

The next morning, dawn light spilled over the training grounds on the western side of the Xie Residence.

This training ground covered a vast area, paved with bluestone and broad and imposing. It could accommodate several hundred people training at once and had been the place where generations of Xie descendants practiced martial arts.

More than a hundred youths stood neatly arranged in the field. Nearly all the younger descendants of the clan had arrived. Most were in their teens, with none older than twenty—at the prime age of youthful vigor, when their bodies were fully forming and cultivation was most effective.

The youths were bright-eyed and brimming with vitality. Every one of them raised their heads toward the front, their eyes filled with curiosity and reverence.

At the front, Xie Jinghan stood tall and straight, calmly watching the group of youths.

The news that Xie Jinghan would personally select clan descendants and spare no effort in nurturing them had shaken the entire Xie Household.

The clansmen were all filled with anticipation and sent every suitably aged youth from their families into the training grounds.

They also warned them to perform well.

The edges of the training grounds were packed with Xie clansmen. Their gazes burned with expectation as they all longed for their own sons and daughters to stand out from the crowd.

Xie Jinghan raised a hand and pressed down lightly. A faint pressure spread out, and the noisy training grounds instantly fell silent.

His gaze swept across all the youths as he said solemnly:

"Starting today, the Xie Household Sword Guards are officially established."

"The Sword Guards have three major duties. First, guard the Xie clan and protect the family's safety, resisting all external enemies; second, enforce clan law and rules, handle internal affairs according to the regulations, and settle disputes; third, fight enemies in battle, venture out for experience, expand the family's reach, gather resources, strengthen the family, and hold it up."

"Those selected will be personally taught by me and enjoy the family's finest resources."

"Today, I will mainly look at three things."

"First, you must be loyal to the Xie Household and never betray it in this lifetime; second, you must obey orders without question and absolutely follow my commands; third, your hearts must be resolute—you must not fear hardship or danger."

"Next, I will give you a test."

"All of you will fall into the Void Illusion Realm. You must do everything in your power to break free through your own will and conviction."

"The few who escape in the shortest amount of time will be the Sword Guards I choose."

As his words fell, a clear sword cry suddenly rang throughout the training grounds!

"Biiing~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Then, a streak of sword light shot into the heavens, cleaving across sky and earth.

The entire training grounds were shrouded in sword intent, and the youths felt their minds quake. When they came back to themselves, they had already fallen into a boundless illusion. There was nothing around them. Wherever they looked, there was only endless emptiness, with no end in sight.

All the youths in the field stood frozen in place.

Xie Jinghan's eyes remained calm as he scanned the entire field, silently observing every youth's performance.

"Hah!"

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and he gave a soft shout.

All the youths gradually came to their senses and opened their eyes one after another.

After observing them, Xie Jinghan had indeed discovered several promising youths with exceptionally resolute hearts among the hundred or so present.

He raised his hand and pointed at several youths in the field.

"You, you, you, and the rest of you—stay!"

The remaining youths all revealed disappointed expressions upon hearing this.

Xie Jinghan spoke again, his tone mild.

"Today is only for selecting the first batch of Sword Guards for the Xie Household. Those who were not selected need not be discouraged. Continue working hard. The family will hold a round of selections every year from now on. As long as you diligently cultivate and temper yourselves, everyone will have an opportunity."

"You may withdraw for now."

The other youths gathered their emotions, bowed, and withdrew.

In an instant, only eight upright youths remained on the vast training grounds.

"State your names." Xie Jinghan looked calmly at the eight youths before him.

"Xie Ku!"

"Xie Que!"

"Xie Po!"

"Xie Hai!"

"Xie Bufan!"

"Xie Baimei!"

"Xie Qianhuan!"

"Xie Jingming!"

The eight bowed in turn, their voices clear and bright.

Xie Jinghan looked at Xie Ku and said approvingly, "Just now, you were the first to awaken in the entire field. Your will is exceptionally outstanding."

Xie Ku was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

He then looked at a pair of youths with similar features and asked softly, "Are you two siblings?"

The graceful Xie Baimei nodded first and replied, "In reply to Young Master, Qianhuan and I are blood siblings. I am the elder sister in the family."

She was also the only girl among the eight.

Lastly, Xie Jinghan's gaze fell upon the youth standing at the end.

This person was his third younger brother, Xie Jingming.

His father, Xie Huaijin, had specifically reminded him early that morning to include him in the group.

His third brother had happened to reached the best age for martial practice, so Xie Jinghan had specially added one more spot.

He would personally teach him.

After all, he was his own third younger brother!

Xie Jinghan instructed the eight people before him:

"From today onward, gather at the training grounds on time every afternoon and cultivate with me for two hours."

"You must not be late or absent without reason. If there is an urgent matter, report it in advance and request leave."

"Next, I will personally teach you the orthodox Postnatal Breath Circulation Art, helping you lay a solid foundation and cleanse and temper your meridians."

"Besides that, I will also teach you an exclusive sword art—the Seven-Star Sword Art."

"This sword art may be used by one person alone or formed into a sword formation. Its uses are inexhaustible."

"You must devote yourselves to cultivating this sword art. Do not slack off."

"I will demonstrate it once first. Watch carefully."

"Celestial Pivot Ignites Radiance!"

"Dipper Handle Across the Sky!"

"Lone Star Straight Thrust!"

"Seven Stars Return to Their Places!"

"Seven Swords Unite!"

In the days that followed, Xie Jinghan resumed his former grueling cultivation.

He withdrew into silence once more, shut his doors to visitors, and never stepped outside. He focused solely on increasing his cultivation while setting aside fixed hours each day to go to the family training grounds and personally instruct the eight youths in martial arts and sword techniques.

He specifically instructed his father, Xie Huaijin, and explicitly ordered the entire Xie Household to keep a low profile. They were not to make a show of their power, bully others by relying on their influence, or use the fame from the battle at Wangjiang Terrace to stir up trouble outside.

He had always felt a sense of urgency. Gong Feiyu's heavy defeat this time had only temporarily calmed the storm.

The other side would certainly harbor resentment after their defeat. Beneath the surface, undercurrents were likely already surging, and an even greater storm might be brewing.

As for Gong Feiyu's promise that their grudges were settled, it was nothing more than empty words spoken in public. Xie Jinghan had never taken it seriously.

Just as Xie Jinghan was intensively cultivating the Xie Household's core members, in a study within the Gong Clan of Shuntian Prefecture, Jingzhou, the atmosphere was deathly still and so oppressive it was suffocating.

The gray-robed elder knelt prostrate on the floor, filled with terror and not daring to look directly at the person seated above.

Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man in black. He radiated the intimidating aura of someone long accustomed to authority. He was the Gong Clan's ruler—Gong Peng.