Zhang Yi looked at the blood on the ground, filled with sorrow, unconsciously, went forward. Subconsciously, he wanted to ask those Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators in green robes if Xu Heshan was in fatal danger.

Ding Ning frowned slightly. He thought back to every detail of the previous scene and then looked up at Zhang Yi, shaking his head. He said, “Do not go there, Xu Heshan will not die.”

Zhang Yi, who had always trusted his words, stopped walking.

“If this is too serious a wound, then Min Mountain Sword Sect should have healed him a long time ago and not allowed him to walk out. He was able to pass despite suffering such a serious injury… he is to be proud of, you are also to be proud of,” Xu Lianhua narrowed his eyes and said slowly.

Nangong Caishu looked down. She felt that Xu Lianhua spoke the truth but when such a thing was happening to her good friend, she still felt very cold all over.

Xie Rou also felt very cold.

Numerous Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators had entered this valley. If Xu Heshan was really the last to pass, this meant that Shen Yi and Xie Changsheng had fallen in the sea of brambles and would not appear here.

The whole valley returned to silence.

A Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator dressed in green robes walked out from the mountain path as well. Under the shining sunlight, his shadow was drawn long behind him, making it appear like a door was about to close the mountain path.

Suddenly, all the students in the valley felt something different and lifted their heads.

The figures of many cultivators appeared on the paths on the cliffs.

Through the different robes those cultivators wore, it was easy for the students to distinguish the teachers from various cultivation places and court officials.

These teachers and court officials were all going to enter the valley.

While the students did not know why these teachers and court officials were allowed into the valley to spectate at close distances, all these signs shocked the students.

The last event had truly finished… Xu Heshan became the last student to pass through the sea of brambles. Where had Lie Yinghong, the top ranked in the Book of Talents, gone?

At this moment, a young woman appeared on the cliff. Accompanied by a gust of wind, she stepped off the cliff as though she did not even think. Her green clothes swayed gently like lotus leaves, and her body passed over the cultivation teachers walking on the paths to float down into the valley.

Seeing this young woman with childlike features but great confidence and authority, most students felt great pressure, and the last thread of uncertainty in their minds disappeared.

Even in Min Mountain Sword Sect, only one young woman, among the direct disciples of Min Mountain Sword Sect, dared to ignore the feelings of other people and almost rudely passed over the teachers of other cultivation places. She had such a presence in front all these Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators who were older than her.

She could only be Jing Liuli.

Even Jing Liuli had appeared. The previous event must have finished.

Other than Ding Ning and a rare few, the other students had not seen this legendary young woman before. These students, when they saw Jing Liuli appear in front of them, evinced admiration, reverence, jealousy… Many different emotions appeared deep in their eyes.

Jing Liuli’s gaze was calm, and maintained a lofty pride even as she landed.

She had the qualifications to be proud. At least, in terms of entering Min Mountain Sword Sect to study, all the people in the valley were chasing in her footsteps for many years now.

“It is done.”

There was no opening statement, not even an introduction of herself. Jing Liuli’s gaze swept across all the students present.

She did not rouse any objections. After saying the two words, she continued without any pause.

“What will occur next is the last sword competition. In fifteen minutes, you will have a lottery and compete based on the result. During this time, you are not allowed to accept outside healing. After the competition starts, you are not allowed to talk with anyone watching.”

1

Jing Liuli described the rules of the last sword competition simply. Having said her piece, she walked towards the simple hut separating the two camps.

In the incoming twilight, her figure appeared even more ethereal, and seemed to exude an indescribable magic. Many people felt her walk towards the hut had a deeper meaning.

Xu Lianhua’s gaze passed over Jing Liuli towards the teachers entering the valley.

As these cultivators with their different cultivation methods and sword manuals entered, the primal energies of the universe in the valley seemed to grow mixed, and made him feel troubled.

His brows furrowed and he asked coldly, “What does she mean? She only said three sentences about the rules, and did not even mention a word about the one-on-one duels. But in these three sentences, the most important is the last one.”

“She wants to give some people a chance to speak.” At his words, Ding Ning turned his head and said calmly, “Or rather, Min Mountain Sword Sect wants to give some people a chance to speak and see how they will perform. Not allowing the spectators to speak after the competition starts means that she will allow people to speak at this time.”

Xu Lianhua’s brows did not relax. He still did not fully understand.

“Something must have happened in Min Mountain Sword Sect.”

Ding Ning looked towards the distant cliffs and said slowly, “But we cannot see them.” Then, he couldn’t help but say sarcastically with a sneer on his lips. “Some people really know how to take advantage of time.”

Some teachers were still walking on the mountain paths, not yet fully in the valley. Yet, at this time, a middle-aged man in yellow robes passed the others, walking quickly.

Everyone’s gaze focused on this yellow-robed middle-aged man.

Everyone was certain who this middle-aged man wanted to approach.

Jing Liuli, who was standing in the crude hut with her hands behind her back, showed a hint of a smile tinged in disdain and scorn. Yet, she just looked on silently without stopping this middle-aged man.

“I do not know what else this person has to say,” Nangong Caishu said coldly as she looked at the yellow-robed middle-aged man walking quickly towards them.

Her personality was one that hated evil, and was willing to talk bluntly. She knew that this yellow-robed middle-aged man was a subordinate of Palace Attendant Rong. In her view, Xue Wangxu was already dead. Palace Attendant Rong had acted on the mountain path. So, Palace Attendant Rong had no reason to send someone to speak, and whatever was said was meaningless.

Her voice was not quiet, and the middle-aged man had higher cultivation than her, so he heard the words clearly. But his expression remained calm and even held a natural subservience.

After walking around the hut, this middle-aged man stopped and bowed respectfully in front of Ding Ning.

“I do not know your final decision.” The middle-aged man spoke calmly and clearly. “But before you make your final decision, I hope that you can consider it serious… You should know, you are not just refusing the future of some people, but also a person’s sincere friendship.”

Xu Lianhua, Zhang Yi and the others stilled slightly, and did not immediately understand the middle-aged man’s meaning.

Ding Ning lifted his head and looked towards the higher parts of the mountain.

He knew that someone up higher was watching him, but he could not see them.

With just this movement, Xu Lianhua and the others understood that the middle-aged man was speaking of Crown Prince Fu Su.

“Despicable!” Xu Lianhua suddenly grew furious and shouted.

At the side, Dugu Bai smiled scornfully.

In the hands of the truly powerful, anything could be used as tactics against the enemy. Compared to these powers, lone cultivators were minuscule.

“Maybe it is not hard for you to enter the top ten, but becoming the victor is too difficult.”

The yellow-robed middle-aged man looked at Ding Ning who had not yet responded. Then he looked towards all the students on the other side of the hut, and said in a sincere tone, “You only have a few people here and face multiple times your number. If someone on your side is defeated after a round, then you will face mostly your enemies… if you are fated to not win first, it is better to not refuse someone’s goodwill.”

Hearing the middle-aged man’s words, Ding Ning’s expression remained calm. He shook his head and said, “If one is a true friend, even after their goodwill is refused, they will still think of me as a friend.”

The yellow-robed middle-aged man did not speak more and left after bowing.

Ding Ning’s calm caused Xu Lianhua and the others to quickly calm down. They looked at the students in the distance and knew the middle-aged man’s words were not unreasonable.

Looking over, there were 37 students, four times their number.

If more people on their side were eliminated in the first round, then only two or three would be on their side in the remaining twenty students. They were low on power.

But the yellow-robed middle-aged man who was leaving suddenly stilled.

A person slowly walked out of the students ahead of him and headed towards Ding Ning’s group.

That person seemed to fear the cold and wore thicker robes than everyone else.

Xu Lianhua, Xia Wan and the others saw this, shock climbing onto their faces.

Li Xixing?

Translator Ramblings: Fu Su has good intentions, but everyone around him uses him for their own aims.