Borrowed Sword

Chapter 66: Let’s Walk This Road Together

On the first floor of the 【Scripture Pavilion】, everyone’s gazes all converged onto this pair of young man and woman.

Earlier, when the anomaly had been triggered beneath the 【Cold Pool】, a large number of outer sect disciples had gathered outside.

After Chu Yinyin appeared, Steward Liu had even reported that three people were still inside the secret realm at the bottom of the pool.

So, the crowd of onlookers remembered those three names.

To those of the outer sect, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were strangers they had never heard of before.

But Liu Chengqi, being the son of an Outer Sect Steward, and having his Spirit Embryo damaged back then—a matter that had been a major event—was highly well-known.

It was just that, quite a few people had heard that recently, Liu Chengqi seemed to have gone somewhat mad.

Therefore, no matter how foolish people might be, they all understood that the opportunity beneath the Cold Pool had absolutely nothing to do with him!

And so, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang became the hot topic of conversation during everyone’s idle chatter.

“Did you hear? Even the Sect Master was alarmed.”

“The Tenth Elder personally appeared, but the Sect Master used a 【Soundproofing Formation】. I heard he almost spat out blood from anger.”

“Almost? I heard he really did spit blood.”

“What kind of ‘three men make a tiger’ is this! Rumors, rumors! Still… no one knows what sort of secret realm it was, to have stirred such an anomaly, making ten thousand swords tremble, yet not a single piece of news has leaked out.”

However, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang knew little about the uproar that had occurred outside the Cold Pool that day.

They did not know that so many people had gathered there, nor that Liu Tianfeng, that old fox, had even exposed their names.

But within the 【Scripture Pavilion】, the blazing gazes that locked onto them made Chu Huaixu faintly guess the truth.

“Great, overnight popularity.” He thought to himself.

The frosty Big Ice Block beside him looked even more uncomfortable.

But soon, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Because she saw Chu Huaixu step half a pace forward, blocking her figure with his own, covering half her body from sight.

Following the principle of “a bridal sedan chair needs to be carried by others,” Chu Huaixu immediately cupped his hands toward the overreacting Chen Jiye and said:

“So it’s Senior Brother Chen Jiye. I’ve long admired your name, long admired!”

This was his probe.

Sure enough, the crowd still kept staring at him; hardly anyone paid attention to the name Chen Jiye.

A group of outer sect disciples whispered curiously:

“Was it he who obtained the opportunity, or the junior sister behind him?”

“Not gonna lie, he’s quite handsome.”

“That junior sister is also truly beautiful, enough to move the heart at first sight.”

The Scripture Pavilion manager dressed in white robes gave a light cough to regain control of the scene.

This middle-aged man with a full beard glanced at the timing incense, and scolded the Enrolled Disciple still attempting the trial:

“What are you dazing around for? Why aren’t you continuing to break the formation?”

“There’s only half a stick of incense time in total, and now half of it has already passed.” He sternly reminded.

“These young disciples nowadays really are worrying, can’t even distinguish priorities? It’s fine for the crowd to spectate, but what are you—someone in the middle of the trial—doing spectating as well!”

That disciple’s face instantly turned beet red, clearly thin-skinned. Rebuked in front of so many eyes, he immediately turned his shame into strength, and with one push, broke through the second barrier, obtaining the qualification to receive a Profound-rank Cultivation Method.

The white-robed manager gave him a glance and nodded slightly.

He then turned toward Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, asking:

“You two are here to attempt the trial as well?”

“Exactly.” Chu Huaixu replied loudly, showing not the slightest timidity in front of the crowd. In fact, he appeared even more composed.

——On the grand stage, if you can act, then act.

After all, he had once been the 【Must-Eat Ranking Second Place】, someone who had experienced being extremely popular before.

The white-robed manager, hearing this, waved them over and said:

“Both of you come here, hand over your Enrolled Disciple tokens for registration, and then line up.”

“Yes.” The two obeyed.

As they were filling out the forms, whispers continued to spread around them.

More and more disciples gathered on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, none of them in a hurry to go upstairs.

Time passed quickly, and soon the timing incense burned out.

That disciple attempting the trial had stopped at Profound-rank.

This was not an outstanding performance, since within a year, hardly any disciple would only learn Yellow-rank methods; Profound was the basic bottom line.

Fortunately, the Dao Gate’s atmosphere seemed decent, as there were still senior brothers and sisters who spoke out in encouragement.

“Not bad at all, don’t be discouraged. This is only the First Level of cultivation methods, later there will be Second and Third Levels, plenty of chances ahead.”

“Profound rank isn’t bad either. About half of disciples every year are at Profound.”

This was true. By past ratios, among the four ranks—Heaven, Earth, Profound, Yellow—the distribution was roughly 1:3:5:1.

The Dao Gate was generous, unlike some sects that were stingy, hoarding Heaven and Earth methods for only a handful of disciples.

If not for insufficient talent or unstable Qi-Opening Stage foundations, cultivating too powerful a method could hinder progress instead. Otherwise, the Dao Gate would wish every disciple could cultivate Heaven-rank methods.

Of course, this was also because the Dao Gate had a thousand-year heritage, its Scripture Pavilion filled with every kind of method, and its stores of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures abundant enough to provide.

The white-robed manager then told that Enrolled Disciple:

“Step aside. You may take your time selecting a method, but don’t hinder the next challengers.”

“Yes.” He replied.

At this moment, the middle-aged manager turned to Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, asking:

“Which of you will go first?”

He was also quite curious about them.

The reason was simple: he too was a sword cultivator, and that day, even his Life-bound Sword had been trembling without cease!

No matter how he soothed the sword spirit, it was of no use.

A single secret realm could stir such a grand anomaly—it clearly meant someone had obtained a tremendous opportunity.

Now, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang exchanged glances, and he said:

“Ladies first.”

Big Ice Block was already used to this fellow’s strange phrases.

She didn’t mind going first, but the Dead Fox’s next words were irritating.

“If I went first, I’d be afraid you’d feel pressured later.” He shrugged.

The cold-faced girl’s expression frosted over even more. With a cold snort, she could not be bothered with him.

She was confident she could break through to Heaven rank in one go. What pressure could there be?

The tall Han Shuangjiang walked up to the first barrier, took a deep breath, and adjusted her state.

Chu Huaixu stood far back, watching her slender silhouette, anticipating the performance of the World Protagonist.

Toward his Little Housekeeper, he felt no worry at all. If the World Protagonist could not even obtain a First Level Heaven-rank method, that would be laughable.

At this moment, he only wanted to use her performance to analyze the difficulty of each barrier.

The white-robed manager lit the timing incense. After three breaths, Han Shuangjiang moved.

She raised her right hand and unleashed the 【Eight Wastelands Wandering Dragon】 that Chu Huaixu had carefully taught her.

The Yellow-rank barrier shattered instantly, as if it never existed.

Her lips pressed together, face still expressionless, long legs striding forward swiftly without pause.

The disciple still browsing among the Profound methods couldn’t help but turn to look. He felt this junior sister was so breathtaking that his heart skipped a beat.

When she struck, he even wished the target was his face, not the barrier.

A senior brother had once told him: “Remember, when a palm comes, the fragrance always arrives first.”

And so he watched helplessly as Han Shuangjiang shattered the Profound barrier with another palm.

Without stopping, she strode past him, brushing by in a blur.

The onlookers began whispering again:

“Judging by this momentum, at least Earth-rank! She may even reach Heaven.”

“If she truly enters Heaven rank, then the one who gained the opportunity must be this junior sister.”

“She looks so relaxed. Did she fully refine the medicinal power of the Qi-Opening Pill?”

“With such talent, it won’t be long before she enters the inner sect.”

Under countless gazes, Han Shuangjiang reached the Earth-rank barrier, and with a probing palm, shattered it at once.

The outer sect disciples exchanged looks. Seeing her effortless demeanor, even the Heaven-rank barrier would not stop her.

Many secretly felt envy. Heaven-rank methods meant one’s cultivation path would start on a higher plane than others.

Big Ice Block stood before the Heaven-rank barrier, face calm as a still lake, though her heart rippled with emotion.

This was her first time formally testing her cultivation results.

Also her first time, under the gaze of so many, deeply realizing she truly was a cultivation genius.

She yearned for cultivation, yearned to control her own destiny.

Not to be sold into a brothel by her parents, and then given away to the Joyous Sect, treated like an object.

Though she appeared cold, in her heart there had always been a seed of fear—since childhood.

She knew there was no one behind her.

But ahead?

Would she become a courtesan of 【Red Sleeves Beckon】? Or a saintess of the Joyous Sect?

How could a young girl not feel fear?

“No matter how arduous this cultivation path may be, I will walk it alone!” She vowed inwardly.

“Break for me!” Han Shuangjiang raised her right hand and struck!

The Heaven-rank barrier shattered beneath her full-powered strike.

Big Ice Block took another deep breath, solemnly stepping forward into the Heaven-rank zone.

For some reason, standing here brought her a fleeting peace.

For an instant, she even felt like crying—but only for an instant.

Once she steadied herself, she slowly turned around.

Strangely, her eyes instinctively sought out Chu Huaixu’s figure.

In the sea of cheering senior brothers and sisters, she only looked for him.

At some point, Chu Huaixu had moved to the Yellow-rank barrier.

Han Shuangjiang’s gaze passed across the four barriers and locked onto him. Having endured so much together, the two simply looked into each other’s eyes.

That Dead Fox wore a genuine smile, full of approval.

Just moments ago, she had sworn in her heart to walk this difficult path alone.

But this Dead Fox was smiling at her now, saying:

“Don’t move. Wait for me there.”