There was another vibration. When many people had turned to look at the sobbing student, someone else had passed by the sword nucleus.

The person who had casually stabbed and passed was a tall and thin youth with a dark expression. His eyes seemed to be always enveloped in shadow.

Almost everyone present knew that he was Gu Xichun of the Shadow Mountain Sword Cave.

A year ago, Gu Xichun’s strength would not have ranked in the top fifty of the Book of Talents. But after the Book of Talents appeared, after the winter and the spring, the names on the ranking had changed greatly but he hadn’t. He was still ranked third.

A youth in pure white robes with his hair tied up with a white jade hoop looked at Gu Xichun’s back, his brow furrowing tighter. His gaze passed across Gu Xichun’s back and landed on Ding Ning who was in front of the second sword nucleus. He no longer hesitated and walked forward.

When he was walking towards the black sword nucleus, there had been a cold youth dressed in yellow robes already walking there and several body lengths ahead. But when he saw the youth in white robes, this cold youth immediately stopped.

This youth in white robes and hair tied up in a white jade ring was Ye Haoran.

The Ye Haoran who ranked second on the Book of Talents.

The Min Mountain Sword Trials would take the top ten who would obtain a chance to enter Min Mountain Sword Sect to study for a while. The first three would be like true disciples of Min Mountain Sword Sect and be allowed to enter some of the sect’s libraries to study and cultivate.

When one reached such a position in the Book of Talents, in a certain way, it meant that even if they could not freely enter Min Mountain Sword Sect’s libraries to study, they could at least enter Min Mountain Sword Sect to cultivate. Also, the cultivators who studied and came out of Min Mountain Sword Sect were completely different from ordinary cultivators.

Seeing Ye Haoran move forward, most students looked on with awe, and even more complicated emotions.

Even the Book of Talents clearly stated that Ye Haoran was a cultivator from Li Lingjun’s establishment.

Li Lingjun’s establishment was now a pile of rubble with the former Li Lingjun becoming the new emperor of the Chu Dynasty.

Yet, Ye Haoran was still attending the Min Mountain Sword Trials. No one knew what the meaning behind his attendance here was.

A sword light lit up on his hand. This sword light appeared slender like most Chu swords, but it was a rare sky blue color like a thread taken from the sky.

There was a bang. Ye Haoran’s body floated past the crude black sword nucleus like a white cloud.

**

Ye Haoran could sense the complicated emotional gazes behind him, but he did not care. He looked forward calmly at Ding Ning who was looking up at the second black sword nucleus.

He walked with his hands behind his back until he was to the side of Ding Ning and the others. When his gaze landed on the floating black sword nucleus, his heart involuntarily sped up.

This sword nucleus did not look very different from the previous one from afar off, but the surface of this sword nucleus had countless sword marks of various sizes and thicknesses. These marks covered the entire surface of the sword nucleus and the criss-cross of the marks formed characters. And when these characters were connected together, they formed records speaking of how to use swords!

These were sword manuals!

Ye Haoran had made some speculations beforehand, but he had never expected that the surface of the second black sword nucleus would be covered in dozens of different sword manuals!

These sword manuals were extremely organized. While the characters were composed out of sword marks and the sizes were not the same, each character was extremely clear. The start and end of each sword manual was also very distinct. It appeared like the dozens of sword manuals had been embedded directly onto this rough sword nucleus.

What shocked him the most were the swordsmanship recorded in these sword manuals were unusually refined and rare to see. He was certain, for most cultivators, if they obtained just one of these sword manuals, they would benefit greatly.

Yet, the Min Mountain Sword Sect had carved these sword manuals onto the sword nucleus, directly exposing them to the students who could reach this place. *What were their intentions?

Ye Haoran could not understand.

At this time, he sensed an unusual presence and suddenly turned around.

Just three feet from where he was, Ding Ning had stopped looking at this sword nucleus and closed his eyes.

Ding Ning once again started to cultivate and replenish his vital energy.

Ye Haoran felt an indescribable emotion. His brows furrowed deeply.

“Even if there are so many sword manuals placed here, at most a few dozen people will be able to comprehend one or two of them and understand some sword moves.”

A dark voice passed into his ears.

Ye Haoran slowly turned around and looked at Gu Xichun who was standing not far from him.

“It would not be as simple as just having people comprehend sword manuals.”

Gu Xichun did not look at him, and merely looked to the rear of the black sword nucleus quickly.

His gaze was very close and focused on the green jade mountain path mere feet from the black sword nucleus.

There seemed to be nothing there.

But Ye Haoran’ eyebrow rose slightly and his expression cooled.

“You do not have much good intentions,” he turned to glance at Gu Xichun and said.

Gu Xichun said with slight disdain, “We are opponents to start with.”

Ye Haoran did not respond, but his expression recovered and he started to walk.

He moved around the black and crude sword nucleus floating in the air and walked onto the mountain path behind it.

At this time, many people behind them had passed by the first black sword nucleus. Seeing Ye Haoran’s actions, these people were shocked. Had Ye Haoran managed to see through the illusion of the second sword nucleus and was passing ahead of the people from White Goat Cave?

Ye Haoran walked extremely steadily and smoothly.

He walked by the mountain path that Gu Xichun had gazed at. Nothing seemed to happen.

Yet, he could sense that there were dozens of energies in the air that were quietly stirred.

These dozens of energies were like the wet morning mist, growing heavier before descending on the mountain path in front of him.

In the next moment, those close to the second sword nucleus detected a change.

Faint green mist rose from the green jade mountain path under Ye Haoran’s feet.

Faint green mist also rose from the mountain path in front of him.

This mist was extremely light like gauze, but this gauze gave off a glowing jade light.

When light passed through, it blurred.

A straight shadow appeared in the light green mist.

In the next moment, the mist around this shadow trembled violently, and rippled outwards.

Bam!

These ripples were immediately torn apart into countless balls of mist, and then became straight lines of mist that sprayed outwards.

That straight shadow finally was revealed.

It was a sword.

A long green jade sword.

Behind the long green sword was a shadow. It was not a true shadow, but a piece missing from the green jade mountain path.

The missing shape was this green jade sword.

So, this green jade sword had floated out of the green jade path.

Ye Haoran’s pupils contracted and he drew his sword.

This time, his movement was extremely slow. Thus, those who were close to the second sword nucleus, other than Ding Ning whose eyes were closed, could easily see the true appearance of his sword.

His sword was about six feet long, and only two fingers wide. The spine was a rare sky blue, but the blades on the two sides were transparent. Both the spine and the blades were not made from metal, but a kind of smelted crystal stone.

This sword appeared extremely light, but as he slowly drew his sword and filled his vital energy, it became heavier. When the sword tip left the green sharkskin sword scabbard, his blade shook, and an enormous twisted shadow gradually formed in the surroundings.

In that moment, the green jade sword fell towards him like someone was swinging it.

In the air, there was a loud muffled explosion like spring thunder.

Translator Ramblings: Just follow the green brick road …