The rules were simple, and equally brutal.
Of the ninety-eight people, thirty had no resources, and sixty-seven would look upon the special grade with extreme envy.
And the special grade, besides its exceptionally high treatment, would inevitably be envied, jealous, and… harbored with hatred in the hearts of the other ninety-seven!
If there were no special grade, and only eight supreme grades, it would be fine.
But when this sole, unique title emerged, the situation would be entirely different!
Friends?
Of course, there would be some. No one refused to associate with the strong.
But who could guarantee that such a friend wasn't approaching you with ulterior motives?
Subordinates?
If one intended to nurture them, they would naturally appear. After all, with such a vast amount of resources in hand, merely letting some trickle through their fingers would be enough to cultivate a few lackeys.
Were the rogue cultivators who could enter the Guiwu Sword Sect not once considered immortals in the eyes of mortals?
Who among them was truly willing to be a lackey to a stranger?
If the opportunity arose, stabbing them in the back would be the most natural thing to do!
Yun Ze still remembered a lesson Mr. Zhang had taught him, which included a saying:
"Righteousness often comes from the dog-slayers, betrayal from the scholars!"
Those who were truly willing to go through fire and water for their brothers were mostly those who hadn't read much, who didn't understand those grand principles. They only knew what should be done and what shouldn't.
As for scholars…
They knew too much, had seen too much, and were unwilling to give up too much!
When faced with a true choice, they would often choose the side that was more advantageous to them.
This very saying, in fact, was spoken by a scholar himself!
After hearing the rules, Yun Ze scanned the crowd immediately.
He found that most people, like himself, were frowning, clearly understanding the meaning of these rules.
Only a small portion were rubbing their hands together, as if determined to seize the title of special grade!
He wondered which type the other Sword Son was.
"Don't look at me like that."
Elder Sun's eyes held a smile. "If you're afraid, I allow you to withdraw from the assessment now and be directly designated as low grade. You can then challenge for the seat you desire!
However, there's one thing I must say…"
"The sword is the emperor of weapons!"
"An emperor must uphold the king's way!"
"If you have no heart of contention, then you are not worthy to wield a sword!"
"What schemes, what petty individuals, if you cannot slay them with a single sword, then strike again!"
"If you cannot kill them, then you die!"
"This is the first lesson I will teach you upon entering the Guiwu Sword Sect!"
"Now!"
Elder Sun scanned everyone again. "Those who dare to wield a sword, step forward!"
Instantly, not a single one of the ninety-eight people retreated. All stepped forward!
Everyone, including Yun Ze, felt their blood surge, as if a bowl of chicken blood had been poured onto their hearts.
Contend!
As the saying goes, since you've come this far!
The path to the heavens was now before them. If they didn't strive, what kind of immortal path would they be pursuing?
They might as well go home and be rogue cultivators!
"Good!"
Elder Sun smiled and spoke again. "It seems this batch has no cowards. Who will go first?"
Yun Ze naturally wouldn't speak up.
He still needed to gain Ji Kun's trust. Since they had agreed that he would be the last to go, he would wait.
"I'll go!"
A young man in brocade robes stepped out from the crowd. Yun Ze glanced at him instinctively and immediately felt a sharp aura emanating from him, an aura that was unstoppable!
"Name, age, cultivation, spiritual root."
Elder Sun immediately recited the six words, his eyes showing no surprise, as this person had come from the group he led.
This was the Sword Son!
Having him go first was also his instruction, only in this way could his invincible posture be established!
"Luo Yang, 17, Qi Refining first level, Profound grade high-tier spiritual root."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd was filled with shock!
Not because of his age, but because of his cultivation!
Qi Refining first level!
One could refine Qi regardless of whether they had a spiritual root; the only difference was the amount of spiritual energy stored in their Qi sea.
An ordinary mortal, without opportunity, might only reach Qi Refining second or third level in their lifetime.
But it was different with a spiritual root.
According to the minimum standard for entering the Guiwu Sword Sect, a person with a Yellow grade mid-tier spiritual root would need ten years to go from Qi Refining first level to second level. But a Profound grade high-tier spiritual root… would only take two months at most!
He was still at Qi Refining first level, meaning he had only been exposed to the path of cultivation for at most two months!
This person… practically had the word "genius" carved onto his face!
Yun Ze couldn't help but gasp.
But what shocked him even more was yet to come!
"Luo Yang, is it."
Elder Sun waved his hand, and nine long swords appeared on the ground. "There are nine spirit swords here. Close your eyes, sense them, and draw them forth!
You have only ten breaths of time!"
"Yes."
Luo Yang replied and stood before the nine spirit swords, closing his eyes to sense them.
Yun Ze felt a sharp aura ripple through the air, followed by a sword's hum!
The first three spirit swords immediately rose into the air, followed by the fourth, the fifth…
Although he didn't know what drawing forth spirit swords represented, Yun Ze could see the expressions of the elders behind Elder Sun.
Including Ji Kun, everyone's faces were filled with disbelief and astonishment!
"Three breaths left!" Elder Sun reminded him.
Luo Yang frowned, and then a wave of sword energy erupted!
The sixth spirit sword rose into the air!
Yun Ze began to count silently in his heart.
As the ten breaths ended, the seventh spirit sword slightly lifted, but immediately the first six spirit swords fell!
"Good child, you may step down now."
"Yes, Elder." Luo Yang's face was pale. For someone at Qi Refining first level, using sword energy was still too strenuous.
Elder Sun's face was filled with joy as he looked at the crowd. "These nine spirit swords are not weapons of slaughter, but a set of sword tools crafted by a master artifact refiner at the request of a senior of the Guiwu Sword Sect, used to test sword aptitude.
Those who can summon three swords can enter the Way, those who can summon six can reach Condensing the Way, and those who can summon nine can reach Accomplishing the Way!
To this day, only one senior could summon nine spirit swords without using spiritual energy.
Luo Yang, who just summoned six, shows the potential to Condense the Way. In the Guiwu Sword Sect's thousands of years of inheritance, those who have summoned six or more can be counted on less than a hundred fingers!"
Elder Sun deliberately paused for a few breaths, his gaze sweeping across the faces, waiting for everyone to digest this news.
Seeing that the situation was about right, he spoke again.
"Who will go next?"
A silence fell upon the crowd.
After hearing Elder Sun's explanation, they all understood what it meant to summon six spirit swords!
In the Guiwu Sword Sect's thousand-year inheritance, there were only a little over a hundred such individuals!
How could they possibly compare!
And… wasn't that sword energy just now?
To be able to summon sword energy at Qi Refining first level, wasn't this the legendary Sword Son?
There was no point in competing!
"Hmm?"
Elder Sun frowned. "No one is coming forward? Do you all want to be low grade?"
As soon as he said this, everyone understood the seriousness of the situation and could only step forward with trepidation.
Two swords.
One sword.
Three swords…
More than half the people had already gone. Excluding Luo Yang, the person who had summoned the most spirit swords had only managed four!
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems that the special grade potential of this batch will once again be taken under Elder Sun's wing!"
Seeing that the situation was about right, Ji Kun said with a smile.
"Elder Ji, what? Envious?"
Elder Sun glanced at Ji Kun. Without even using his ears, he could detect the mockery in his words, so he retorted in the same tone, "It's useless for Elder Ji to be envious. It's all fate! Three consecutive batches of special grade potential have been mine, what can you do?"
Ji Kun secretly rolled his eyes in his heart. Knowing that he couldn't win in a verbal sparring match with Sun Ming, he decided to use this as an excuse to escalate. "Three consecutive batches? Elder Sun, isn't it too early to say that?
More than half the people haven't finished their tests yet. How about… we make a bet?"
"Hmm?"
Sun Ming's interest was piqued upon hearing this. He turned to look at Ji Kun. "What? Elder Ji went to the mortal world to pick up spirit stones again recently?"
Ji Kun's face darkened. "I'm just asking if you'll bet!"
"Bet…"
Ji Kun's face lit up with joy, and just as he was about to agree, he heard Sun Ming speak again. "That depends on how we bet!"
"...Simple!"
Ji Kun was speechless for a moment. He raised his hand and pointed at the crowd ahead. "There are still over forty disciples here. Let's bet that among these disciples, there will be one with the potential to summon six swords!"
"Only six swords? That won't take away Luo Yang's special grade potential!" another elder said from the side.
Clearly, he was on Elder Sun's side.
"That's right!"
Sun Ming smiled and continued, "Elder Ji might not have seen clearly just now. Although Sun Ming had the potential to summon six swords, he also drew forth the seventh spirit sword before his sword energy was exhausted. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say six and a half."
"...Then seven swords!"
Ji Kun was cornered and had no choice but to add, "I bet there's a disciple with the potential to summon seven swords among the remaining ones!
If there is, I want the piece of Phoenix Blood Meteorite you just acquired!"
As soon as he said this, the surrounding elders dared not speak.
One reason was Ji Kun's audacity!
The number of people who could summon seven spirit swords in the entire Guiwu Sword Sect was no more than fifty!
The second was the stake he was proposing!
Sun Ming turned to look at Ji Kun, his eyes narrowed as if he hadn't heard clearly, and asked again.
"What did you just say?"
Ji Kun stepped forward, a smile on his lips. "Phoenix Blood Meteorite, the one your dao companion exchanged her life for!"
Boom!
A wave of sword intent instantly erupted!
The surrounding disciples were all pushed back several steps, more than half of them were seriously injured, and even the elders took a step back.
As for Yun Ze…
For some reason, the sword intent vanished as it reached him, as if it had been absorbed by something. He was not injured at all.
"Ji Kun!"
The elder who had spoken earlier frowned and reprimanded, "What do you mean by this!"
"What do I mean? Don't you understand yet?"
Ji Kun sneered. "I've been an elder for one hundred and sixty years! You've been targeting me for one hundred and sixty years! Even a cornered rabbit will bite, am I not allowed to resist!
Sun Ming, don't get angry!
A bet requires fairness. State what you want in return, and speak up!"
"Heh, you said it yourself."
Sun Ming, like a drawn divine weapon, a cold smile on his lips. "Ji Kun, if you lose, I want your life!"
"Do you dare to accept?"