He truly had not come for the Winter Sword Gathering. It was simply that, once the gathering ended, tomorrow would bring the wager to test Sword Authority. He had merely taken his place here ahead of time.
Now he looked toward the figure saluting him with clasped hands and nodded calmly.
The sword platform fell utterly silent. No one had expected this scene, but no one did not want to see it.
Jiang Yiner offered a swordsman's salute and lightly pressed her lips together. Her sword flowed soundlessly from its sheath; snowflakes landed on it, then slid away in an instant.
The girl had already heard about the "Heaven-Qilin-Book of Changes" from Miss Cui.
In the preceding days, while her family friend had been working on his "Sword State" at the Sword Cultivation Academy, she had often gone over to watch and help him spar. He would even specifically ask her the day before what she wanted to eat, then bring it when he came the following day. But she had grown up in the mountains herself and knew only a handful of foods from the Divine Capital. Later, when she could think of nothing else, he would choose little snacks for her himself, saying, "Someone gave me a couple of bites. I thought it tasted good, so I bought you some." She had no idea who kept giving him snacks.
Yet she had not seen him for nearly ten days. Supposedly, on the day of the grand court assembly, the Philosopher under whom he studied had thrown himself into the water and died. The Divine Capital's atmosphere was oppressive and seething; the dispute between One Heaven and Two Heavens hung over this Son of Heaven City. Her family friend would mount this sword platform tomorrow as one side of