Volume 3 Chapter 118 (1/2)

This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.

Chapter 118: A l.u.s.terless Black Sword

The sun was about to set on the horizon. At the time, the clouds in the sky were so red they seemed to be lit up.

All of the students, even those with serious injuries, stood up because the last event was about to start.

Xie Rou looked at Ding Ning's profile. She noticed his eyes were lit up. The sky behind him darkened. She looked down, and saw her shadow was behind his shadow like a faint pair of wings.

She increasingly felt that she was not someone in Ding Ning's world, and at this time, she felt even if she was only a hidden pair of wings behind him, she would do all she could.

”Everyone, in their lives, would have a stage where they will protect and be unwilling to obey.”

Palace Attendant Rong walked out of her tent, and next to the yellow-robed middle-aged man who stood with his head hung low. She looked at the scarlet clouds and said coldly, ”I am just teaching them to accept fate.”

”The mountains are high and low, and so are people. The mountains that are short want to compete with taller mountains. Other than wasting effort in vain, this will displease themselves and others. Being exiled for a dog represents justice in children's eyes, but stupidity in an adult's eyes.”

The middle-aged man listened to Palace Attendant Rong without any discontent and objection in his eyes. He also felt that Palace Attendant Rong spoke the truth. He had once had a stage of unwillingness but he accepted fate now.

If people accepted fate, they would not feel much discontent, yet the hardest thing in life was to accept fate.

Among the many officials who had entered the mountain valley, Bureau Chief Sikong Lian of the Bureau of Ceremonies looked at Ding Ning and the others with bright eyes.

Yantai Guanjian appeared silently behind Jin Liuli.

”This time's sword compet.i.tion may be the most spectacular and fierce in history,” Yantai Guanjian shook his head and said emotionally as he looked at the students standing on the two sides of the hut.

Jin Liuli also nodded, expressing her agreement to his opinions. But she showed no pride. The main reason was that the youth from the poor alley and lowly cultivation place was unwilling to accept fate.

”Cheng Dong, come.”

A shout appeared abruptly in the valley.

The student who heard his name shook, and looked towards the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator who had shouted.

”Facing Zhong Kui.”

This student and the surrounding people only understood when this Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator spoke again that the final compet.i.tion had started without any opening remarks.

”This is not fair!”

In the moment of understanding, the student whose name had been mentioned first shouted, at a loss.

Many people felt the same.

This student called Cheng Dong came from Secret Stone Daoist School. In the Book of Talents, his newest ranking was forty first. His opponent, Zhong Wei, came from Jingnian Sword School, and was ranked twenty first on the Book of Talents. There was a great disparity in cultivation, especially when Cheng Dong had a serious injury on the side of his left leg. His movements were hampered and violent movements could cause serious bleeding. On the other side, Zhong Wei was only lightly injured.

”Why is this unjust?”

Hearing Cheng Dong's dazed shouted, the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator who had announced the match glanced expressionlessly at him and slowly said, ”The matches are random. The difference in cultivation is due to daily cultivation. The wounds you have were left by the previous event. Do you feel that the sword trial will only have the last event, and the previous events will not count?”

”If you feel it is unjust, you can give up,” the Min Mountain Sword Sect said emotionlessly after a pause.

Cheng Dong's face was as pale as snow. But when he heard these words, he could not muster any argument.

The other students maintained their silence.

This match had been randomly selected by this Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator. There were naturally many things worthy of being pondered and doubted here, especially when these were forty five students who had pa.s.sed. With the one-on-one matches, someone would have one less match and have a great advantage.

Yet, this was Min Mountain Sword Sect's trials, and the rules of Min Mountain Sword Sect. Just like this Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator had said, if one felt this was unjust, there was no other solution except withdrawing.

”Sun Changzhi facing Zeng Kaitian.”

”Nie Yan facing Mo Yu.”

”… …”

The Min Mountain Sword Sect announcer had no interest in observing the expressions of Cheng Dong and the others as he continued to speak.

Hearing his announcement, all the students had different reactions and expressions. Some were calm, sneering, forcing smiles, or pale. Some more attentive students realized that there were eight places marked out by the sword marks.

”Huang Jinlian facing Xie Rou.”