"What happened?" Huang Yue was completely disheveled in the wind.
So goddamn dumbfounded.
What just happened? How did it end before it even started?
Sitting beside Ye Xuan, Zhou Youwei’s pretty face was filled with a solemn expression.
She had a vague sense that an aura burst forth from Qiao Xinyu in that moment, completely scrambling Song Qilin’s momentum.
In that instant of confrontation, if it were a battle to the death, Song Qilin would have died ten thousand times over...
This girl, how terrifying!
Zhou Youwei finally understood why Meng Chan’s expression had changed so drastically upon seeing Qiao Xinyu.
Obviously, Meng Chan must know how formidable this woman named Qiao Xinyu was.
Yet, why did such a powerful person seem so obedient to her husband?
Just who exactly is her husband?
Zhou Youwei’s heart was filled with curiosity.
Including the time at the Qiankun Palace of Hengduan Mountain, she had wanted to ask Ye Xuan about his identity.
But she was well aware that if Ye Xuan hadn’t said, there must be a reason for it.
Perhaps knowing now would bring her no benefit whatsoever.
’I must work hard at my cultivation...’ Zhou Youwei silently vowed in her heart.
She knew that at the root of all this was definitely her insufficient strength for the time being.
Now with the Dual Saint Body, all she lacked was time.
Huang Yue swiftly moved to Song Qilin’s side, helped him up, and asked softly.
"No, nothing’s wrong," Song Qilin said with a pale face, unable not to give a bitter smile.
The strength of Qiao Xinyu was completely beyond their imagination.
However, if they knew that all the significant events that had happened in East Desolate these days had been caused by Qiao Xinyu, they probably wouldn’t have humiliated themselves by challenging her to a sparring match.
After this experience, Song Qilin didn’t dare to disturb Qiao Xinyu any further. Qiao Xinyu, for her part, was content with the quietude, dutifully following behind Ye Xuan.
When the ninth day arrived, the group reached the Northern Land of East Desolate.
It was only just the beginning of autumn, yet the Northern Land was already swirling with wind and snow.
Goose-feather-big snowflakes blurred one’s vision.
The bitter cold wind pierced to the marrow.
Even if a Prince were to come here, he would likely find it difficult to move a single step.
Only a Cultivator who had opened the Life Palace Realm would be able to survive here.
"The Sword Tomb is in a place ..."
Song Qilin was taken aback.
He had never imagined that the legendary Sword Tomb, once the first sacred place of Sword Dao in Daozhou, would be in such a harsh environment.
After entering the Northern Land, they could clearly feel that nature’s spiritual energy had thinned considerably and became quite violent.
In such a place, even a third-rate power in East Desolate might not take interest, let alone the legendary Sword Tomb being located here.
"This is also why the disciples of the Sword Tomb are always going to be tougher than those from your Li Mountain Sword Pavilion." Ye Xuan said with a faint smile, speaking slowly.
The wind and snow nearly drowned out their voices, but fortunately, none of them were weaklings, and it didn’t affect their communication.
"Actually, we also have many dangerous places within Li Mountain Sword Pavilion," Song Qilin said, a bit indignantly.
"Oh? Is that so?" Ye Xuan smiled and, looking ahead at the overwhelming snow, he said in a clear voice, "In that case, when we get closer, you will represent the Li Mountain Sword Pavilion and pay your respects to the mountain."
"Senior, could I go first to pay respects?" Huang Yue interjected.
"What would you pay respects to, idiot, there’s nothing in the Sword Tomb worth your reverence," Ye Xuan said indifferently.
Huang Yue shrank his head back and said nothing more.
Indeed, within this Northern Land, there aren’t any mountains to speak of, at most just a small mound of earth.
How to pay respects then?
Moreover, the way Mountain God Dao pays respect to mountains is vastly different from how ordinary forces do it.
This, in fact, everyone knows.
"This isn’t good..." Song Qilin showed a trace of difficulty.
That he had broken the shackles of his heart and had come to the Sword Tomb with Ye Xuan was already a grave act of defiance; if he were to represent Li Mountain Sword Pavilion in paying respects and were to lose, he’d likely be expelled from his sect.
Although he was very eager to pay respect to the mountain.
After all, having come all this way, if he couldn’t gain enlightenment, then it would all be meaningless.
"When you say you don’t acknowledge the Sword Tomb, you’re dissatisfied, but do you know that in the past, disciples of the Sword Tomb walked the world challenging others in the name of the Sword Tomb? They suffered more defeats than victories, but the Sword Tomb still remained Daozhou’s undisputed leading sacred land of the Sword Dao, because they feared not bearing such seemingly disgracious repute."
"Have you heard of the saying ’nurturing swords with swords’?"
Ye Xuan walked at a leisurely pace, his voice slowly reaching them.
Song Qilin listened attentively and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "I have heard a little about it."
The cultivators of the Sword Tomb are all sword cultivators; in their cultivation, they emphasize nurturing swords with swords, spending their lives speaking with their swords.
That leads to sword cultivators from the Sword Tomb being even more valiant compared to other sword cultivators.
Whether it’s a person or a sword!
"Actually, the path you’re walking aligns more with the Sword Tomb." Ye Xuan glanced askance at Song Qilin and said.
There was one thing that was quite admirable about Song Qilin—he enjoyed challenging others.
Just like the time they met at Hengduan Mountain and he asked for a challenge right away.
That was very much in the style of the Sword Tomb.
But it wasn’t absolute.
After all, the cultivation method of Li Mountain Sword Pavilion and the Sword Tomb had their differences.
Song Qilin, upon hearing this, did not dare to respond.
Such remarks cannot be made lightly.
If such words were to spread to Li Mountain Sword Pavilion, it would be a grave sin for him.
At that moment, Song Qilin hesitated and looked at Ye Xuan, asking in confusion, "Have we arrived?"
Ye Xuan had already stopped.
Ye Xuan, looking ahead at the increasingly severe snowstorm, spoke softly, "To enter the Sword Tomb, you must pass through nine trials. Did you not know this?"
"I did not know," Song Qilin shook his head and replied.
Passing through nine trials was something he had never heard of.
The Sword Tomb had been in seclusion for more than a hundred thousand years, and now there were not many who were knowledgeable about it.
All the more within Li Mountain Sword Pavilion, ’Sword Tomb’ was a taboo subject, not to be discussed carelessly.
So Song Qilin was unaware of these matters.
"Actually, there are ancient records on World Mountain detailing that when the Pavilion Master of your Li Mountain Sword Pavilion came to challenge the Sword Tomb, it was during the nine trials that he was defeated and had to retreat."
Huang Yue spoke calmly.
World Mountain is where the Mountain Gate of East Desolate Mountain God Dao is located.
Huang Yue had grown up on World Mountain since childhood, so he had read many ancient texts and knew of many secrets.
"Huang Yue, you can be reckless when eating, but you can’t be reckless with your words!" Song Qilin replied gravely.
Although he and Huang Yue had a friendship, when it came to the honor of his sect, he had an absolute stance.
"Have I ever spoken falsely?" Huang Yue said calmly.
Song Qilin fell silent.
Although uncomfortable, he knew that Huang Yue never told lies to him; since Huang Yue had said so, it meant that indeed, the Pavilion Master had faced defeat within these nine trials upon his challenge at the Sword Tomb.
"Weren’t you just somewhat unconvinced by the Sword Tomb? Now you have the chance to attempt the nine trials," Ye Xuan said, looking at Song Qilin with a half-smile.