"So, what is Martial Uncle Yuanyi suggesting?"
Seeing the old fox Yuanyi speak, Lin Xiao got straight to the point.
He knew this part of the plot well; he just wanted to see how Yuanyi would play it out.
"HAHAHA, Martial Nephew Lin Xiao, don't be impatient. Let finish."
Yuanyi chuckled, pointing to the massive bronze doors, dozens of zhang high, that marked the entrance to the Sword Tomb, "As you all can see, atop these bronze doors, there's a row of rings forged from millennium-old cold iron, purely for aesthetic purposes."
"However, after more than eight hundred years, they have beco quite rusty... How about this—"
Yuanyi paused, then continued, "The Five Branches will each send out their Chief Disciple. They will leap up and dismantle these door rings. Whoever uses the shortest amount of ti will earn their branch the privilege of entering the Sword Tomb first to select the choicest Spirit Iron."
"This contest will only test movent techniques. It's fair and preserves the harmony among fellow sect mbers."
"I wonder... what do the various Chairn and Elders think of this proposal?"
Upon hearing these words, the surrounding crowd buzzed with discussion.
But Lin Xiao sneered inwardly.
It turned out, according to the original novel's setting, the iron rings on the bronze doors of the Sword Tomb were no ordinary objects. They were the Seven-Star Demon Subduing Ring, forged by the founder of Qinglan himself from Jiuyi Mountain teorite Iron!
The seven rings, linked in a line, ford an incomparably powerful demon-suppressing ward!
In the novel's plot, after Yuanyi made this suggestion, the rings were eventually torn off by Ye Chen and Zhu Wanning. Consequently, various malevolent spirits and ferocious beasts sealed within the Sword Tomb broke free, and so of the internal seals within the Secret Realm also loosened.
During that challenge, a bond of mutual appreciation even ford between Ye Chen and Zhu Wanning.
It served as foreshadowing for the later "classic secret room" scene typical of harem novels, where the two fall into a perilous situation within the Secret Realm.
In fact, over the ten thousand years since its establishnt, the Qinglan Sect had been in constant struggle with the Demon Sects. After nurous upheavals, gaps had appeared in so of the sect's traditions and knowledge of taboos.
Thus, the matter of the Demon Subduing Ring had beco an obscure, little-known secret.
Yuanyi, of course, had learned of this from his master, the Sky Yin Blood Demon, who had terrorized the Central Land three thousand years prior.
As for his true aim... it was to use the mutated Sword Tomb to trap and kill all the young elites of the Qinglan Sect, thereby facilitating the invasion of the Eight Great Demon Sects and their assault on the mountain!
Unfortunately, in the original story, the protagonist Ye Chen possessed heaven-defying luck. He not only battled his way to the final level but, because the Demon Subduing Ring had been broken, he stumbled into a secret chamber and obtained his second major trump card in life—the great beauty from the Upper Realm, Moon Princess!
According to the setting, this Moon Princess was the Dao companion of the founder of Qinglan.
Not only that, but like Su i, she was also an incredibly alluring, yet innocent, married woman!
Back in his previous life, as a hot-blooded student reading "Emperor," Lin Xiao had shed many tears for both her and Su i!
Ye Chen is currently off the grid, and here I am, the villain, attending this event. Should I stop Yuanyi?
If I successfully prevent Yuanyi from breaking the Demon Subduing Ring, the subsequent trials will be smooth sailing. The Moon Princess won't break her seal, and Zhu Wanning certainly won't fall into that dangerous Secret Realm at the final stage...
But...
None of the Elders present know the secret of the Demon Subduing Ring. If I openly oppose Yuanyi, not only will it likely alert him, but others won't believe either.
I can't possibly say I've read the original plot, can I?
Lin Xiao felt sowhat conflicted.
Suddenly, he made a decision that, in a way, respected his ancestors.
Screw it, just go with the flow.
「anwhile, on the other side.」
After Yuanyi made his suggestion, the surrounding disciples might be buzzing with discussion, but the few Chairn maintained varied expressions, remaining noncommittal.
In that dream-like script, I vaguely saw so sort of calamity befalling the Sword Tomb, but I can't recall the specifics... Sigh, never mind. Xiao'er, Master believes in you! Xiao Hongling lowered her phoenix-like eyes, her expression solemn.
Not far from her, another stunningly beautiful Chairman, Su i, was also deep in thought.
It's a pity the script in my mind isn't very clear about this part of the process. It only vaguely records that my dear Wanning, after Dual Cultivating swordsmanship with Ye Chen, will obtain a great fortuitous opportunity from the Ziwu Forge Sky Furnace deep within the Sword Tomb and return safely...
Hmm, it seems this spot is a must-get!
"My Fengming Peak branch agrees with Senior Brother Yuanyi's proposal," Su i was the first to state her position. "Let my Chief Disciple, Zhu Wanning, contend for this spot!"
With that, she looked at the young woman beside her, "Wanning, are you confident?"
"Replying to Master, among the younger generation of the Qinglan Sect, when it cos to movent techniques, even Senior Brother Zhengqing is far inferior to ," Zhu Wanning replied confidently via Communication Secret thod.
Su i nodded in satisfaction.
"Red Cloud Peak also agrees!" The gaunt, goateed Daoist, Cangsong, also looked entirely confident. "Let my personal disciple, Wang Wu, go and secure this spot!"
"HAHAHAHA, since both Chairn have agreed, then..." Yuanyi was inwardly ecstatic and quickly looked towards the Sect Leader, True Master Ziyun, who was beside him.
True Master Ziyun said, "What Junior Brother Yuanyi just proposed is indeed fair. Dragon Head Peak will have our Chief Disciple Xu Zhengqing vie for this slot!"
"Martial Nephew makes a good point," Yuanyi chuckled. "Since Dragon Head Peak isn't contending, it's even simpler! We, the four branches, will compete in pairs!"
"Agreed," Chisong and Su i nodded simultaneously.
At this mont, all eyes focused on the "Eastern Region's First Beauty," the Chairman of Divine Phoenix Peak.
"Xiao'er, in my opinion, entering first or last doesn't make much difference."
"However... are you... willing to fight for this spot for your junior martial brothers and sisters of our peak?" Xiao Hongling said softly, striding over to her beloved disciple's side with her long legs.
Lin Xiao replied earnestly, "Master, setting aside the other inner sect junior sisters for a mont."
"Among your four Direct Disciples, only Junior Sister Yurong and I are Sword Cultivators. The last ti the Sword Tomb opened, Junior Sister Yurong was too young, and I, as Eldest Senior Brother, was too useless. As a result, neither of us obtained a Lifebound Immortal Sword, which has been a source of embarrassnt for you ever since."
At this, Lin Xiao's tone shifted, "Therefore, this ti, even if only for Junior Sister Yurong, I must win this!"
"Good! I... am truly pleased with your spirit today." Xiao Hongling smiled, her exquisitely beautiful face becoming even more captivating.
"By the way, Master, about last night... Does your promise still stand? If I, your disciple, manage to forge a Lifebound Immortal Sword, regarding... AHEM, that surprise?" Lin Xiao seized the opportunity to ask via secret sound transmission.
Ever since Master slipped his hand between her thigh and her black silk stockings last night, his Formless Sword Body had beco instantly indestructible whenever he recalled that mont.
That sensation was... simply too exquisite.
But this was far from enough!
He, Lin Xiao, not only wanted to slip his hand in there, he also wanted to insert... PAH! That was going too far!
In any case, Lin Xiao had a strong intuition...
He had a strong intuition that after erging from the Sword Tomb, his relationship with this goddess he adored would make substantial progress!
Lin Xiao stared unblinkingly at the great beauty before him, awaiting her answer.
"Ah..." Hearing this, Xiao Hongling's tall, graceful figure trembled slightly, and she was speechless for a long mont.
She once again recalled her lapse in composure the previous night, and her cheeks instantly flushed crimson!
"That... you, you, you, you... Just give it your all first! As your Master... I naturally wouldn't deceive you!" After a mont's hesitation, she turned her head aside, striving to regain her usual composure as a Chairman.
"Alright! Master, rest assured, this Sword Tomb expedition—consider it handled!" Lin Xiao declared, word by word.
「In the end.」
Fengming, Red Cloud, Dragon Head, and Divine Phoenix Peaks each sent forth their Chief Disciples to contend for the entry slots into the Sword Tomb.
As for Tiandang Peak, Chairman Yuanyi remained silent for a while.
"Chairman Yuanyi, since your eldest disciple, Ye Chen, is incapacitated, why not have the forr Chief Disciple, Chen Feng, take his place?" Su i asked with a hint of mockery.
"HAHAHA, Chairman Su, you're overthinking things."
"Everyone, watch closely!" Yuanyi clapped his hands. "Where is my disciple, Ye Chen!"
"Tiandang Peak's Chief Disciple, Ye Chen, is here!"
Just then, a young man's voice, like a clap of thunder, rang out.
Everyone present was startled and looked over.
They saw a black-robed young man, carrying a massive black sword in one hand, walking towards them with a stern expression and a domineering aura!
It was none other than... Ye Chen, the Chief Disciple of Tiandang Peak, whose left arm had been severed by Lin Xiao during the Five Branches Martial Competition, leaving him grievously injured and his fate unknown!
"My heavens, this... is this really Chief Ye? How is he completely unscathed?!"
"Unbelievable! I clearly saw Chief Lin pierce his vital point with a sword! Has he fully recovered already?"
"A fortuitous encounter! He must have had another heaven-defying fortuitous encounter! Don't forget! Chief Ye reached the Dharma Appearance Realm in a single month and comprehended the Five Elents Sword Intent!"
"Gosh, Chief Ye often proclaims himself the Son of Destiny. I didn't believe it before, but now I'm starting to!"
...
As the black-robed young man approached, a wave of astonishnt swept through the crowd.
Lin Xiao also couldn't help but be shocked.
No way! I distinctly rember my sword shattering his Golden Core. How could he be revived through Reincarnation of Rotten Earth? That Elder Ring is too ridiculously powerful!
No, this boy absolutely cannot be allowed to live! I must eliminate him here in the Sword Tomb! Lin Xiao vowed silently.
Ye Chen had already strode up beside him.
It was only then that Lin Xiao was surprised to find that Ye Chen's cultivation had not only returned to its peak Dharma Appearance Realm, but the purity of his aura was even more consolidated than before!
"Lin Xiao, you're surprised, aren't you?" Ye Chen stared at his nesis with bloodshot eyes, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Keep wearing that pathetic expression like a beaten cur. Next, I, the Princely Heir, will drive you to even greater despair!"
"Do you know? Within this Sword Tomb lies a great opportunity, a gift from a benefactor, ant solely for , the Princely Heir! An insignificant ant like you can never dream of touching it!"
"Just you watch, trash! The gap between you and , the Princely Heir, will only continue to widen!"
"KEKEKEKEKEKE..."
At the end of his tirade, the vengeful youth from Great Zhou even deactivated his secret sound transmission and began to cackle maniacally in front of everyone!
Damn, even his laugh has beco 'Soul-ified.' Has he truly degenerated into a villain? Lin Xiao found it amusing.
Just then, an ancient voice, seemingly from another dinsion, intermittently reached his mind:
"Chief Lin, Ye Chen has willingly degenerated, fallen to Demons, and completely lost his true nature! You must stop him! I finally understand now... you..."
"...are the one true 'Son of the World' in this realm!"
"You must... you absolutely must find that benefactor from the Upper Realm within the Sword Tomb and beco her disciple! You cannot allow Ye Chen to obtain this fortuitous opportunity! Rember this! Rember!"
The voice was filled with urgency. Then, as if suppressed by so powerful force, it grew fainter and fainter until it vanished completely.
Huh? Who was that?! Who's speaking?
Lin Xiao frowned, sensing that things were not as simple as they seed.
In the next instant, his peripheral vision inadvertently caught sight of the Soul Ring on Ye Chen's hand.
The very mont his gaze fell upon it, the Soul Ring reflected the spectral image of a white-haired old man.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao's pupils dilated, and an eyebrow twitched.
Old... Old Shi?!
This old man was Ye Chen's greatest cheat in the original novel! He was supposed to team up with Ye Chen later to conquer the Upper Realm and restore the Shi Clan's glory!
So... what did he an by that? Is this... abandoning the darkness for the light? No, that's not right. Is he abandoning the darkness for... an even darker path? Has he defected?
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