Chapter 0015

Chapter 15: The One Who Could Do It Has Already Been Driven Away

Radiant clouds shot into the sky and hung there, outlining a peerless figure. Mo Liu Su stood in midair, white hair streaming, a treasured sword in her hand, holy power rolling off her.

She moved in a flash, fingers forming a sword seal as she cut at the heavens. With a thunderous boom, the layered clouds split apart to reveal a thousand miles of clear blue.

She spoke in a soft, ringing voice: “Sword Formation, rise. Dao, be summoned.” Lights flared across the Jade Purity Sect. Eighty one arrays lit up, each one matched to a disciple on the platform.

Seeing this, Zhou Tong finally relaxed. As he had guessed, they had reused the old Array Arts.

The eighty one disciples felt it too. They began to move their swords, each using a different sword art, smooth and practiced, as if they had drilled this a hundred times.

Then Mo Liu Su slashed once more. A greater Sword Formation appeared beneath the platform’s bottom level, opening like a vast net and taking everything within it.

Elders from other sects stared, breath ragged: “So this is the ceremony that draws the Heavenly Dao’s gaze. It’s so grand that I can hardly breathe.” No doubt this connected to the Sword Dao. If the Heavenly Dao’s gaze descended, Tang Qi’s Sword Dao would make a breakthrough.

There was no time to settle. Countless rare treasures rose up and burst in midair, turning into pure spiritual energy that streamed to Tang Qi. People sucked in cold breaths. Each treasure was worth a fortune, yet the Jade Purity Sect used them without a second thought. How much did they value this disciple?

Ge Hong Qiu tried to get under Zhou Tong’s skin and snapped: “Look close, trash. This is what our junior brother deserves. You will never measure up to him!” The little demoness answered with one word: “Scram,” and, without even turning her head, slapped Ge Hong Qiu flying.

Ge Hong Qiu spat blood, eyes full of hate. No one spared her a look.

On the platform, Tang Qi opened his eyes and slowly stood. He looked down, swept the crowd, and found where Zhou Tong sat. His lip curled as he murmured: “As insignificant as an ant.” Feeling proud and fierce, he was sure he would leave Zhou Tong far behind from today on.

He shouted with high spirit: “Bridge heaven and earth, draw out the Dao, sword come!” A golden long sword broke through the air and dropped into his palm. It was the Heavenly Dao Sword, a ritual weapon that could still reign among swords. When Tang Qi wielded it and brought out his Sword Dao, light blazed around him.

A strange ripple rolled across the sky. People held their breath as a huge vertical eye opened above, like the eye of Heaven itself, its gaze locking onto Tang Qi.

Voices wavered with awe: “It worked. It really worked. Tang Qi is about to defy the heavens and claim first among the young.” Tang Qi laughed, drunk on the power: “Hahaha, this feels amazing.” Waves of Sword Dao poured into him through that gaze, and his aura sharpened like a blade drawn from its sheath.

Mo Liu Su and Chen Ling’er both glanced toward Zhou Tong. He stayed the same as ever, clinking cups with the little demoness and drinking at ease.

Chen Ling’er sneered: “Still pretending at a time like this. Pathetic. A petty clown.” Mo Liu Su bent down to ask gently: “Little Qi, how do you feel?” Tang Qi answered with excitement: “Master, my understanding of the Sword Dao has grown several times, and this is only the start. Once I digest everything, among my peers, no one will take even a single exchange from me.” Mo Liu Su nodded with meaning: “Good. Do not fail my hopes. Do not be like someone ungrateful, burning bridges and earning the contempt of Heaven’s servants.” Tang Qi pledged: “Don’t worry, Master. I am not like him. I will not let you down.”

The little demoness nudged Zhou Tong with a grin: “Look, their acting is pretty good.” Zhou Tong chuckled: “Don’t rush. The best part is coming.”

His words had barely fallen when a blast exploded around the platform. All eighty one disciples coughed blood at once, their auras collapsing. The master array and the eighty one sub arrays shook violently, giving off eerie light. Fine cracks crawled across them like spiderwebs.

“What’s happening?” Gasps spread. A cutting cold drilled into everyone’s bones.

They looked up. The Heavenly Dao’s eye had changed. It was no longer calm. It burned with anger now, its gaze wrapped in killing intent as it fell on the platform.

Tang Qi’s face twisted in terror. His skin split open, blood pouring out until he barely looked human. He screamed again and again: “Master, save me! Master! Master!”

Mo Liu Su roared, fury breaking through her poise: “What is going on? Where are the disciples of the Array Arts Hall? Get out here and speak!” Chen Ling’er’s face turned ugly. Ge Hong Qiu and Jiang Yu Yao shrieked threats on and on.

They howled at the Array Arts Hall: “This is your mess. If junior brother is hurt, you will pay with your lives!”

Under the stare of these madwomen, the first disciple of the Array Arts Hall stumbled out, shaking: “Reporting to Immortal Mo, the accident was too sudden. All the arrays have cracked…” Mo Liu Su cut him off coldly: “Spare me the useless talk. If they cracked, then fix them. Now.”

Bitter dread crossed his face. He bowed and said, voice small: “Immortal, we cannot fix them.” Mo Liu Su snapped even harsher: “Nonsense. This great Jade Purity Sect with its famed Array Arts Hall, and you cannot repair a few little arrays?”

The first disciple lowered his head and forced himself to speak truth: “Immortal, I would not dare lie. These arrays cannot be repaired by us. In fact, not just in the Jade Purity Sect, but in all the world, the number of people who both can repair them and dare to try is, in my memory, only one.”

The words struck like lightning. Not only Mo Liu Su, but everyone nearby straightened to listen. For nearly a hundred years, only the Jade Purity Sect had succeeded in drawing the Heavenly Dao’s gaze. Many sects had tried to learn the secret since then and found nothing. Now it seemed the key lay with a single person.

“Who is that person? Bring him here, and he won’t lack for rewards,” someone urged. The first disciple trembled, his expression complicated: “Immortal… that person was once a disciple of our sect, but you expelled him. He is here at the ceremony now, except…”

That was as good as naming him. Faces froze. Mo Liu Su’s expression twisted with emotions she could not hide. Chen Ling’er went pale with shock. She remembered at last: back then, it had been Zhou Tong who carved the Array Arts for her ceremony. She just hadn’t cared. Hearing it brought up again now, a wave of shock swept through her like never before.