Acclaimed by All, Named Earth...
"----It's a pity, really. If you had been able to gather popular support earlier and lead your men to openly and legitimately sweep across the land, quickly and forcefully entering the capital, then you might have had a better chance."
"But now it seems that although you have some popular support, you lack the talent to command troops. You only occupy two or three prefectures, and now you've come here alone. You're far too inadequate."
As everyone tried it one by one, these Otherworlder were almost all filled with mixed feelings of trepidation and turmoil. Some were solemn, while others were radiant with excitement, eager to "draw the sword," as if to say, "Whoever can draw this sword will be the King of England!"
But the ancient sword of Xuanyuan, standing in mid-air, showed no mercy. No matter how many people tried to touch it, no one could manage to put their hands on it. All that was left were bloodstains and wounds on their arms and hands.
Even "Little Chen" next to him, who placed his hands on the sword, only managed to get a fraction closer before being blasted away by the golden sword light!
The white-haired man beside him merely sighed softly upon seeing this.
"There is a Li Shimin in the south," perhaps we could give it a try, but unfortunately he didn't come. Especially since that guy was actually just a figurehead pushed out. "To be honest, compared to you, he's at best half as good, or even worse."
"Senior, you make it sound so easy. Why don't you try drawing this sword yourself and see for yourself?"
Among the crowd present, only the white-haired man and the White Cloud Old Zen Master, these two "white-haired octogenarians" had not yet tried to draw the Xuan-Yuan Sword.
Even Zhiqiu Yiye, who was nearly paralyzed after having her vital energy drained, disregarded the deep-seated poisoning from the pills and continued to take them, forcing herself to try again, but ultimately returned empty-handed.
At this point, it seemed there were truly no other options left.
That "Little Chen" couldn't help but say a few words that were half "refutation" and half "encouragement".
"----Me? Forget it, I'm dragging that big Buddha statue over there."
The white-haired man merely adjusted non-existent glasses and said in a worldly-wise tone, "That old demon's skill is no less than mine, and I am powerless to stop him."
He raised his hand and pointed to the other side, his expression serious. Even his monotone reading sounded somewhat truthful.
I just looked at the long dark gold flag shrouded in the sky, with all kinds of fierce ghosts roaring, chanting sutras and fighting endlessly for it. Under the heavy waves, there were thousands of arms spread out, and the Buddha statue was as tall as a mountain. There was a golden seal hanging on its head, with the word "ding" written in a dragon and snake, which was extremely eye-catching in the night!
Standing motionless in place, the old demon resembled a real golden statue.
---- Just take that with a grain of salt.
Everyone was speechless.
Since this powerful being of unknown origin clearly doesn't want to actually fight and insists that they figure out a way to deal with this great demon disguised as a golden Buddha themselves...
What else could we do but listen to him?
However, after repeated attempts, perhaps even the Ancient Gods itself began to show signs of impatience. Seeing the increasingly fierce golden sword energy flickering and disappearing, the "superhumans" who were almost killed on the spot if not for the timely intervention of White Cloud Monk, finally gave up some of their illusions.
Even the white-haired man watching from the sidelines looked somewhat troubled by their helpless expression.
"To have traveled from all directions to this point, you all must possess some degree of talent, luck, and destiny. Yet, not a single one of you has passed this sword's test and is worthy of that name—"
Even "Chen Jingqiu," whose face was covered in blood and whose hands were wounded to the bone, still relentlessly reached out towards the sword.
It's clear that, aside from the hardships he endured leading the people to survive and fighting in various places, this young man is indeed a promising and spirited individual.
If there's still a seven-point difference, then there's a seven-point difference, and no one can deny that fact.
This, however, did indeed cause trouble for the white-haired man who wanted to find a suitable person to cover for him during the "overtime" work.
With a raised hand, someone pressed down on "Little Chen," who was still trying to step forward again. After a moment's thought, someone finally sighed, looking somewhat helpless.
"Alright, there's a reason to strive for progress in everything, but ultimately, one can't force it. Since you haven't honed your skills enough and aren't yet worthy of this title, then let's settle for second best."
The sound wasn't particularly loud, yet it sounded like the deep tones of an ancient bell, causing the surrounding void to suddenly freeze in solemnity, as if a weight of ten thousand fathoms had been bestowed upon the place.
In the name of our Earth Sovereign, I hereby grant you, Chen, the man of virtue and prestige, the one who pacifies the enemy, tonight vacate the imperial throne, uphold the righteousness of Heaven, and safeguard the true path!
His words, once spoken, were as if they contained the law of heaven.
The surroundings trembled, and those around them naturally had no way of hearing the contents of this true statement. They were also suppressed by the invisible aura emanating from it, making it impossible for them to move an inch. They could only stare in disbelief.
In that instant, the white-haired figure beside him vanished like a dream.
At the same time, before the disheveled young man in the middle could react, golden lotuses suddenly sprouted beneath his feet, blooming layer by layer, with dazzling light flowing endlessly within. They then transformed into a set of real armor and clothing, covering his body!
The sheer imposing aura emanating from the armor alone was dazzling and mesmerizing, with layers of shimmering light appearing and disappearing, seemingly resonating with some kind of trace in the world!
Even the golden divine sword suspended in the air let out a long cry, its blade trembling violently as if harboring some hidden resentment, but in the end it transformed into a stream of light and peacefully fell into his palm.
In an instant, the countless tiny sword energies that had been spreading out and cutting in all directions also subsided, their sharpness completely faded, revealing their ancient and unadorned true form.
Armored with swords!
"You—you, this is—"
Having been struck in the shoulder by a sword aura, Xiahou, who was crushing a shimmering green healing pill to apply to the wound, suddenly began to stammer, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.
Especially when looking at the Xuan-Yuan Sword in the other party's hand, which had previously shone with divine light and dominated all living beings, but now showed no signs of change and had fallen silent.
Not to mention him, even Yan Chixia next to him finally recovered from his extreme shock, his face filled with undisguised envy and amazement!
Not to mention those "extraordinary people" watching from the sidelines, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets!
Only a mysterious, almost divine, feeling in their hearts clearly reminded them that the person standing before them was no ordinary person, but an emperor of high status who deserved the respect and worship of the world!
The supreme ruler of Humanity, the Earth Sovereign!
Such a difference before and after is beyond description; it's like ascending to heaven in an instant!
But this had nothing to do with those bystanders who were instantly captivated by its aura and whose minds were shaken.
Only Chen Jingqiu himself, whose demeanor and state of mind were no longer the same as before, clearly heard a faint echo in his ear, seemingly both mocking and profound. "Young man, you are willing to fight for those people's lives, and those people have also risked their lives to secure this life for you in the dead of night."
Although it's just a trial card for "a yellow dog," this chance to risk your life as an accessory to the Xuan-Yuan Sword is not so easy to come by, so you'd better take care of yourself.