Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Sword Puppet depended upon its exquisite movements to deceive the eyes of the tested disciples and prevent them from discerning whether it would come at them from the left or right side.
This matter seemed quite simple because the Sword Puppet possessed the Greatest Doctrine’s simplest principles. It seemed simple, but it was anything but simple.
Lu Ping closed his eyes. He should have been completely unable to discern the sword’s path, yet he still managed to perfectly block the next three sword strikes.
The Sword Puppet started adjusting to him and continued thrusting its sword at a high speed. Afterimages, which had never appeared before, started appearing. A rhythmic and mechanical sound echoed from the Sword Puppet
The puppet was quick and light. As they onlookers compared it with Lu Ping, they discovered that it was also the case for him. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, light, and natural. His movements were more graceful than the Sword Puppet.
When the crowd got over the shock by the fact that Lu Ping closed his eyes, 22 sword moves had already passed. Lu Ping hadn’t made a single mistake.
The Sword Puppet’s movements were becoming quicker. Its mechanical parts’ revolution speed became more intense. However, it still seemed like Lu Ping wasn’t affected by its great power. It was as if the puppet was only a cool breeze blowing over a great mountain.
Everyone already knew how high the difficulty of the Sword Puppet’s test was through observing the performance of Shi Xiao and the other students. Moreover, since its sword moves were too quick, by the time they came back to their senses, 10 more sword moves would pass.
“He almost reached the 40th sword move!” someone sharply shouted.
Lu Ping still hadn’t made a single mistake.
“Woundless-grade?”
The faces of the Sword Tower’s disciples were filled with shock. They knew what such a feat meant in the Sword Tower, especially based on Lin Xuan’s unsightly expression.
“Impossible!” Xia Yi couldn’t help but cry out.
The difficulty of the Sword Puppet’s test was constantly becoming higher. If one made the first mistake, the Sword Puppet wouldn’t lower the difficulty. Instead, it would raise the speed of its sword moves. If one didn’t make a single mistake, the Sword Puppet would raise the speed along with every sword move it made. Even the Sword Pavilion’s students, who didn’t know such a fact, could discern it through observing the Sword Puppet’s movements.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
It seemed like a huge toil was put on the Sword Puppet’s mechanical parts. A sharp sound echoed as vapor started rising from it. The blade of the sword in the hand of the Sword Puppet became red and scalding hot from the friction.
“It’s the 50th sword move!”
Lu Ping passed the test.
Many startled cries echoed in the hall. People’s reverence of Lu Ping almost surpassed their reverence of Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan couldn’t accept it. He managed to graduate out of the Sword Pavilion, and he was extremely proud of such an achievement. Now, the limelight was stolen from him.
It was the same when Lu Ping got an invitation, which had dampened his mood. This time, Lu Ping’s performance exceeded him long ago. Lin Xuan clenched his fists and teeth. Flames almost surged out of his eyes.
As for Lin Shuangyue, her pretty face was filled with adoration. She nearly started shouting that Lu Ping was her friend. However, she quickly noticed that something about her great-aunt was amiss. She couldn’t discern was what was wrong with her, but her great-aunt rarely wore such an apathetic look. Her eyes even looked empty.
The sound of the swords colliding attracted Lin Shuangyue’s attention. She quickly forgot about her doubts.
“Look over there! It started burning!” A student pointed his finger at the Sword Puppet.
The Sword Puppet’s outer shell became thoroughly red due to its high temperature. As vapor rose from it, it seemed like it was burning. Even though the puppet wasn’t burning, its sword was emitting flames. As it waved it around, it illuminated the surroundings.
When the crowd looked again at Lu Ping, they realized that their astonishment was quite ridiculous. His eyes were still closed, yet he waved his sword smoothly like flowing wind. He seemed light, confident, and at ease.
“It’s the 80th sword move!”
Thirty sword moves occurred in the blink of an eye due to their high speed, which was only becoming higher. Now, it wasn’t just the Sword Tower’s disciples who were shocked. Even Xia Yi pursed her lips as her long brows quavered.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The crowd couldn’t help but worry upon hearing the sound echoing from the Sword Puppet. It seemed like it would collapse and explode at any moment. However, this was a Sword Tower’s machine, so it was well-built.
Suddenly, the Sword Puppet launched the last 20 sword strikes at an extremely ridiculous speed, all of them were delivered in less than half a second. Every sword strike was as fast as lightning. No one watching could follow it.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The wind in the hall started whistling. The wind emanated from Lu Ping’s sword. He instantly blocked all 20 sword strikes. What was even more terrifying was that when he came to a stop, his sword was pointed at the Sword Puppet’s throat.
“Oh my God!” The Sword Tower’s members couldn’t express how shocked they were.
Such a sight meant that Lu Ping had faced the hundred sword moves. Shockingly, he wasn’t just evenly matched with the Sword Puppet. He was still slightly better than it.
The Sword Puppet didn’t have a difficulty setting. All its profound principles were from the Martial Soul Stones in its eyes. Only a few people in the Sword Tower could achieve the same feat as Jiang Chen.
“He’s too amazing!”
The Sword Pavilion’s students were dumbfounded. It seemed like they already forget their awe of Lin Xuan.
Lin Shuangyue looked at the pale Xia Yi and said, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems like you didn’t even get a chance to reveal your little tricks.”
Xia Yi felt like her chest was being beaten by something. Her breathing became quite rough. She looked at Lin Xuan with a vicious gaze.
“This is…” Lin Xuan became anxious. He looked angrily at Lin Shuangyue.
If Lu Ping was set up by Xia Yi and it was exposed, it wouldn’t have mattered if Lin Xuan said anything. He could have just said that Xia Yi pressed the wrong button by mistake. Now, everything had changed. It seemed like he was exposing her faults.
Lin Xuan couldn’t bear it any longer. He loudly shouted, “Lu Ping, don’t forget our deal!”
“A deal?”
Many people didn’t know it, but there were still several people who heard the dispute that occurred outside. They could guess what it was related to it.
“Are you sure about that?” Lu Ping didn’t even spare Lin Xuan a single glance. He just slowly sheathed his sword.
He was dripping with sweat. The temperature of the Sword Puppet in front of him was quickly going down. Vapor seemed to be endlessly emanating from it.
“I’m sure about it!” Lin Xuan became even angrier since Lu Ping ignored him. “We can’t use our Realm Level in the Sword Pavilion, so don’t assume that you have really surpassed me. You are passing your whole day practicing ordinary sword moves, and it’s obvious that you can block the Sword Puppet’s attacks. But, you still don’t have a Sword Domain.”
“Brother Lin!” Lin Juan, who was next to Lin Xuan, couldn’t help but warn him in a low voice.
“An embryonic Sword Domain? Even such a thing could be considered a Sword Domain?” Lin Xuan sneered coldly and didn’t really care about it.
“Lu Ping is a four-Qi cultivator, so please don’t harm yourself,” Lin Shuangyue said.
After all, Lin Xuan was a member of her family. Regardless of how outrageous his actions were, she still didn’t want him to die. But, if he insisted on seeking death by himself, she wouldn’t interfere.
“Humph, stop uttering nonsense. You are both colluding together and speaking for him. Did you assume that it’s easy to deceive me?” Lin Xuan sneered coldly and took a step forward. “What four-Qi cultivator, and what great cultivator who just came to the secular world for cultivation? It is so fake that it can’t be any faker. If this was really the case, why did you accept the Great Master’s grace?”
Lin Xuan assumed that he just raised an infallible proof. He surely would have never imagined that Lu Ping and the Great Master were the same person.
“Let’s start then.” Lu Ping didn’t argue with him. He just raised his sword and stepped out of the hall.
Lin Xuan was taken aback by the action. He angrily followed Lu Ping. Lin Shuangyue, Xia Yi, and the others, also followed them.
The Sword Pavilion’s students became anxious. They looked at the entrance and Deputy Pavilion Master.
The Deputy Pavilion Master looked at the Sword Puppet, which still had vapor emanating from it, and waved his hand at them helplessly. “Go, just go!”
All the students shouted excitedly and rushed out.
