Six days later.
On the day of the first round of the True Martial Sword Champion Assembly.
The matches had yet to begin, but the stands surrounding the Sword Platform atop Qilin Peak on the Nine Prefectures' Taiyue Mountain were already packed with people.
"Senior Sister Linglong, what did Second Senior Brother say about challenging Cui Tiegu?"
After settling into his seat in the stands, Xu Taiping suddenly asked Zhao Linglong with some curiosity.
Although the Sword Inquiry matches for Xu Taiping's group were scheduled for the following day, the matches for Second Senior Brother Dugu Qingxiao's group were taking place today, so he had still come early to Qilin Peak's Sword Platform with Senior Sister Zhao Linglong, Fairy Lingyue, and the others to watch.
Zhao Linglong sighed somewhat helplessly and said:
"We've said everything we should. As for how much Second Senior Brother actually took to heart, we'll find out today."
Xu Taiping nodded and said:
"That's all we can do."
Just then, the mountain-guarding elder of the Nine Prefectures' Qilin Peak suddenly leaped into the air with a boom, landing directly on the Sword Platform.
Then the elder declared in a ringing voice:
"Today is the Sword Inquiry Trial, the first round of the True Martial Sword Champion Assembly. The challengers taking the stage are the thirty Heaven-tier sword cultivators selected by the Sword Chief Ranking."
"Heaven-tier sword cultivators, please take the stage!"
Immediately, streaks of sword light shot up from the competing sword cultivators' seats below the Sword Inquiry Platform with a series of whooshes, landing one after another on the Sword Platform.
Everyone seated in the stands recognized Dugu Qingxiao at a glance, standing on the eastern side of the Sword Platform.
Zhao Linglong immediately said somewhat nervously:
"Second Senior Brother, just listen to your junior