The clouds and mist resembled dragons, Sword Intent was overwhelming.
Under the clear sky, the atmosphere of the Xuanming Sword Sect was even more vibrant than before.
As the blazing sun illuminated the Sea of Clouds, the Star Skiff of the Jade Mountain Nine Luminaries Division finally approached the majestic and magnificent sword peak, then gradually slowed down and gently descended to the earth.
Let's go.
Once the Star Skiff came to a stop, Cao Ming let out a soft breath and was the first to step off the deck.
An aura of supreme power, unique to a Venerable One, emanated from his body, instantly instilling fear in those around him. This Prefect of the Xianjing Continent had finally revealed some of his strength.
It truly is as vast and profound as Star Sea.
Is this the Venerable One's imposing aura...?
Ye Li nodded slightly and followed closely behind, while simultaneously raising his eyes to look ahead.
At the foot of the Xuanming Sword Sect mountain, two venerable outer sect elders had been waiting for some time.
As the two arrived, the elderly man at the head of the group immediately led several disciples of the Sword Sect to greet them, speaking with a beaming smile:
"You two have come a long way, you must be tired. Please follow this old man through this special passage."
After speaking, he lightly waved his sleeves, and the Array Formation behind him activated. The clouds that had been coiled like a living dragon suddenly dispersed, and as the mountains trembled slightly, a long blue stone staircase broke through the clouds and meandered straight into the horizon.
Faintly, the resounding clang of swords could be heard echoing from within.
Even when separated by great distances, the Magic Power within one's body can be slightly aroused.
Ye Li could even feel a subtle tremor emanating from the Divine Iron deep within his brow, which surprised him greatly, as such a phenomenon had never occurred before.
The profound Sword Dao foundation of the Xuanming Sword Sect is undeniably deep.
As we traversed the long stone steps, the clouds and mist gradually dissipated.
As you ascend the towering stone steps to the end, a vast bluestone Plaza suddenly comes into view, and it is truly magnificent.
This place is paved with uniform boulders, exuding an ancient and grand atmosphere. Faint sword marks can be seen everywhere, carrying an unknown depth of Sword Intent. This place is clearly of great significance to the Sword Sect.
Eight hundred figures dressed in pure white sword robes sat cross-legged among them, eyes closed in meditation, as if waiting for the sword manual to begin.
"Those are all core disciples of the Xuanming Sword Sect." Seemingly noticing Ye Li's gaze, Cao Ming, without looking away, explained without alerting anyone else:
"Once the Sword Codex is activated, they will proceed to the first stage, [Sword Opens Heavenly Gate], at which point they will need to inject their own Magic Power into the stone tablet to activate the Heavenly Gate."
Ye Li immediately followed his gaze.
Sure enough, in front of this group of core disciples, near the center of the Plaza, stood a stone tablet over a hundred feet tall, its surface covered with dark patterns, as if it needed the infusion of Magic Power to activate.
As you get closer to the stone tablet, the number of sword marks on the ground increases significantly.
Above the towering stone tablet, the clear sky seemed empty, but in the boy's eyes, which held a divine light, a dark, all-encompassing gate to the heavens was tightly closed.
This must be what is known as the Heavenly Gate.
Looking around the Plaza, at each of Plaza four ends, there were rows of stacked stands.
There are currently nearly 10,000 people present, all wearing the unique blue sword attire of the Xuanming Sword Sect, and all of them are Inner Sect Disciple of the Sword Sect who are qualified to attend the ceremony.
Despite the excitement in their eyes, they remained seated quietly, the blue swords at their sleeves billowing in the wind, appearing almost mythical.
Further behind them, a spacious High Platform emerged.
The higher the High Platform, the more advantageous the viewing position became, and representatives from all the major Mountain Gate who came to watch the ceremony were all arranged there according to certain standards.
Under the guidance of that elder of the Sword Sect.
Ye Li naturally arrived at the stone platform at the very top and slowly sat down with Cao Ming.
During this process, countless gazes swept over him, but upon seeing his distinctive Yushan general's attire, they all withdrew their gazes with either awe or reverence.
Ye Li didn't pay attention to this phenomenon.
After the Sword Sect elders took their leave, before anyone else on this floor could approach him, he casually asked the prefect beside him:
What's the next step in the process?
"In the first stage Sword Opens Heavenly Gate,' those core disciples were just having fun. The main thing was whether Zhou Qingyan could cooperate with them to shake the Sword Gate."
Cao Ming chuckled and said, "In comparison, the Second-Tier is much more interesting."
"Mainly, representatives from various Mountain Gate will go on stage to demonstrate their martial arts and exchange a few moves with the new Sword Master of the Sword Sect, to see who is in the best position."
"Does our Nine Luminaries Division count?" Ye Li's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.
No wonder they said to let him come and broaden his horizons; there's a whole bunch of complicated emotions involved, but in the end, it all comes down to Combat Duel.
Cao Ming's lips twitched slightly.
He felt he was finally starting to understand the temperament of this deputy general of Longtan. He truly disliked beating around the bush, but his way of speaking was indeed a bit too blunt.
It's like you're absolutely certain you can beat them...
He shook his head slightly and could only patiently explain:
"The Nine Luminaries Division is not part of the Mountain Gate, so it is naturally not included in this category. After all, whether it is a deputy general or a prefect, it would not sound good if someone was injured in a local Mountain Gate."
Seeing Ye Li's visibly disappointed expression, he quickly changed the subject:
"As for this Third-Tier, it is when the new sword master inherits the Taiyuan Sword, passes the certification of the previous sword masters, and truly becomes the person in charge of the Xuanming Sword Sect."
"Is it too late to withdraw from the Nine Luminaries Division now?" Ye Li asked calmly.
"It's too late. Even for a free martial arts demonstration, prior registration is required before you can go on stage."
"... Okay then."
Ye Li withdrew his gaze, his interest waning.
Those who couldn't fight were no different from good-for-nothings in his eyes.
From today onwards, Zhou Qingyan will be number one on his Heavenly Prodigy Rankings.
I'm just idling around anyway.
He immediately summoned his own panel and began selecting Premium Martial Skill from the many techniques left behind by the Skeletal Elder, focusing on those at the Cosmic Birth Realm.
Over time.
The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth gradually surged, and the Sword Intent on the bluestone Plaza suddenly intensified!