Sword Dao Law Techniques

"These black-robed cultivators are all at least at the Qi Refining Third Layer or above, and they have Law Artifacts in hand. They won't be easy to take on."

Watching helplessly as the black-robed cultivator tucked the Wind-Hiding Grass into his robes, Qi Yun clicked his tongue.

Ever since discovering that spiritual treasures like these could speed up the mysterious panel's "automatic update," his desire for them had grown like wild grass.

But desire was one thing.

If it meant facing a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator whose cultivation far surpassed his own, with a Law Artifact in hand-

That would smack rather too much of courting death.

Shaking his head lightly, Qi Yun slowly drew farther back into hiding.

Once he made it through this trial and became a formal disciple of the Sacred Sect, he would naturally have plenty of opportunities to encounter these spiritual treasures. There was no need to risk walking a blade's edge now.

Having stubbornly survived four assessments with below-average aptitude, Qi Yun, who had lived two lives, was far steadier in temperament than his peers.

Neither good nor bad, neither high nor low.

In this brutal environment, he had made it safely to this day by maintaining precisely this steady, yet not mediocre, state.

Watching the black-robed cultivator disappear into the depths of the forest, Qi Yun waited quietly in the fork of this unremarkable tree, assessing the situation calmly.

This valley is fairly large, and I'm unfamiliar with it. Running around blindly could send me straight into the line of fire.

Better to counter movement with stillness. With version 2.0 of the Clear Breeze Technique at my disposal, I can retreat at ease even if someone discovers me.

Hidden in the shadows of the branches and leaves, Qi Yun silently reined in his presence. He even slowed his breathing considerably, leaving only his watchful gaze to sweep soundlessly across the woodland below through gaps in the leaves.

Time slipped quietly past in the deathly stillness.

Before he knew it, the blazing sun had reached its zenith overhead.

It was noon.

Half the trial's allotted time had passed.

He only needed to hold out another half-day to pass.

Licking his somewhat parched lips, Qi Yun gathered his sleeves, relaxed his taut shoulders and back slightly, and tilted his head back against the trunk behind him. He slowly closed his eyes to recover his strength.

Rustle, rustle-

Before long, sudden, frantic footsteps made Qi Yun immediately open his resting eyes and look toward the sound.

Someone's coming.

Narrowing his eyes, Qi Yun curled the fingers of his right hand slightly, ready to form a Method Formula.

The moment he discovered they were coming for him, he could use the Clear Breeze Technique to escape!

"Tang Shun! You shameless bastard! Even if I die, I'll become a vengeful ghost and come for your life!"

A staggering figure drenched in blood rushed into view, fleeing for his life while hurling curses over his shoulder.

Tang Shun?!

The familiar name sharpened Qi Yun's gaze, and he strained his eyes toward the fleeing young figure.

Is that... Zhou Ling?

Recognizing the fleeing cultivator's face, Qi Yun's brows instantly knitted tight.

Zhou Ling was covered in blood, especially his legs, which had several bloody holes punched through them by some unknown sharp weapon.

Every step sent blood splashing, leaving a long, glaring trail behind him!

"Old Zhou, how are you still this childish after two years of cultivation? Those two years of yours might as well have gone straight into a dog's belly."

A level voice rang out. With one hand behind his back, Tang Shun followed unhurriedly, his steps leisurely as he watched Zhou Ling flee before him like a cat toying with a mouse.

"What are we?

"We're disciples of a demonic sect.

"Disciples of a demonic sect ought to do what a demonic sect does."

Utterly unconcerned by Zhou Ling's curses, Tang Shun smiled faintly and suddenly swept his left hand.

Hiss-

A sharp strand of pale, blood-red Sword Qi with hazy edges tore through the air with a piercing, savage shriek.

It was so fast that it left only an afterimage!

Blood blossomed once more.

Zhou Ling's left ankle was pierced at once, leaving a bloody hole clear through it.

Thud-

With a muffled groan, Zhou Ling collapsed, his left foot crippled. Having lost too much blood, he barely had the strength left to scream. He could only twitch futilely, his breaths rasping like broken bellows.

That's... a Sword Dao Law Technique!

At the sight of the pale-red Sword Qi Tang Shun had unleashed, Qi Yun trembled slightly, his expression shifting several times.

Tang Shun... how could he know a Sword Dao Law Technique?

As reserve recruits for the demonic sect, they needed to possess Qi Refining First Layer cultivation and master at least one Law Technique to qualify for this entrance trial.

But these reserve recruits were all orphans and beggars the demonic sect had scooped up from various places.

How could they possibly have been taught advanced Law Techniques?

Thus, the Law Techniques they could actually choose to study and cultivate-

Had only ever numbered five!

They were the fire-element Law Technique Crimson Silk, the water-element Law Technique Sweet Rain Descends, the wood-element Law Technique Clear Breeze Technique, the metal-element Law Technique Thousand Scales, and the earth-element Law Technique Mountain Shadow.

And while Qi Yun was puzzling over why Tang Shun could use a Sword Dao Law Technique-

The young cultivator, who clearly harbored certain secrets, had already strolled up beside Zhou Ling as he struggled to crawl forward across the ground.

"What an admirable will to live."

Planting a foot on Zhou Ling's back, Tang Shun wore a look of reluctance.

"If circumstances hadn't forced my hand, perhaps we really could have become friends.

"Unfortunately, my Red Night Sword Qi needs a blood sacrifice before it can gain its edge..."

Knowing there was no hope of survival, Zhou Ling mustered the last of his strength to spit a mouthful of bloody saliva toward Tang Shun, then laughed miserably in a hoarse voice.

"Stop fucking pretending. Your posturing makes me sick.

"Tang Shun... cough, cough... don't get too pleased with yourself...

"Your glabella is dark and dull, red threads run through your pupils, and a bluish-red cast floats over your face. Danger is clearly upon you-a portent of bloodshed.

"I'll go ahead and wait for you. Sooner or later, you'll have to come down... aaah!"

"You're courting death!"

The false smile instantly vanished from Tang Shun's face, replaced by malice and murderous intent. His gaze turned cold, and he pressed the fingers of his left hand together like a sword. That pale-red Sword Qi flashed again, ruthlessly piercing the back of Zhou Ling's head with deadly precision!

"You think you can curse me?"

After killing Zhou Ling, Tang Shun immediately formed a Method Formula, muttering under his breath.

Wisps of thick, scarlet blood mist rose from the several horrific wounds on Zhou Ling's corpse as though drawn by some force, streaming strand by strand into Tang Shun's left palm.

As the blood mist entered his hand, a look of pleasure surfaced on Tang Shun's face.

"Good, good, good. Zhou Ling might have had a stubborn mouth, but his cultivation was the highest.

"Now that I've taken his Blood Qi and vital essence, my Red Night Sword Qi is only one step away from maturity."

Nodding in satisfaction, Tang Shun walked back the way he had come without so much as looking at the corpse on the ground, ready to seek his next target to perfect his Red Night Sword Qi.

Standing silently in the tree, Qi Yun watched Tang Shun's departing figure, then glanced at Zhou Ling's corpse on the ground. His eyes lowered, a cold gleam faintly visible within them.

All his questions had fallen into place!

So that's how it is.

Reserve recruits? A fair trial?

Human resources would always be human resources.

And disciples had already been disciples from the very beginning...

Having seen this naked truth clearly, Qi Yun's gaze grew grave, thoughts racing through his mind.

If that's really the case, then the supposed condition of passing the trial simply by surviving a day probably needs a question mark too.

A demonic sect ought to do what a demonic sect does... The words Tang Shun had just spoken flashed through Qi Yun's mind. He unconsciously narrowed his eyes and looked up at Tang Shun's retreating figure. After a brief hesitation-

He transformed into a clear breeze and followed.