At the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator’s response, Xu Lianhua sneered. “How do you prove that you were drawing at random and not intentionally? Who knows if you have any selfish intentions?”

Xu Lianhua’s questions were extremely sharp and even carried a malicious accusation. Ordinary students likely would not dare to speak like this but Xu Lianhua’s father was one of the Qin’s thirteen marquises and so he had enough status and bravery to speak like this.

Thinking of the previous events in the valley, the teachers from different cultivation places who did not recognize this cultivator from Min Mountain Sword Sect all felt cold. They watched closely to see how this Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator would respond. But the cultivator did not care at all and said coolly, “I myself am proof.”

“Yourself?”

Xu Lianhua said mockingly, “How do you prove it?”

The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator lifted his head slightly. “Because I am Lin Suixin, I do as I please. No one can influence me, not even Baili Suxue.” 1

The Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator still did not show any clear emotion, and his tone was extremely casual. However, gasps sounded when people heard his name.

These gasps were manyfold louder than when Ding Ning had defeated Zhou Wangnian.

“You are…”

Even the proud Xu Lianhua was completely stunned. His eyes were wide as he looked in amazement at this Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator. He just said one word, but he was using the honorific. 2

“In the previous events, it was people like Sect Uncle Geng Ren and Sect Uncle Qing Yaoyin. Why would people feel Sect Uncle Lin, in this last event, be more mediocre than the people from the last few events?”

Seeing the stunned students and cultivation teachers present, Jing Liuli mocked with slight scorn. She even looked at the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator with a more respectful gaze than when she did Geng Ren and the others.

“You should understand now why I am not influenced by others, or any outside factors to make things difficult for your side?” the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator said coolly as he looked at the speechless Xu Lianhua.

Xu Lianhua recovered from his daze and bowed respectfully, saying in a trembling voice, “I have no objections.”

“I had not thought he is Elder Lin Suixin.”

Dugu Bai looked at the cultivator who did not care about Xu Lianhua’s response and simply looked at the scrolls in his hand. He said softly, “In reality, for the sword trials… just being able to see these legendary people is worth it.”

Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect were the strongest cultivation sects of the world at present. Their strength did not come from one or two powerful cultivators, but many powerful and even legendary cultivators.

Among the many legendary cultivators of Min Mountain Sword Sect, Lin Suixin was the only one who could ignore Baili Suxue’s thoughts.

He had been Baili Suxue’s senior sect brother, and once the former eldest sect brother, the heir to the sect as appointed by the previous sect leader. However, due to his own nature of doing as he wished, he quickly gave the seat of sect leader to Baili Suxue.

Because he was so casual with his cultivation, he only cultivated based on his mood, and never pursued power. So, in some rumors, he had been a cultivator who could reach realm eight like Emperor Yuanwu. But because he did not pursue cultivation, only Emperor Yuanwu had managed to reach realm eight.

There were many stories about how he did as he pleased. Because of his personality, he could pursue a group of powerful bandits into the desert and kill them for an unrelated cultivator, even though the bandits were more powerful than him. Because of his randomness, he could refuse the invitations and demands of countless powerful people. He had even refused the last sect leader and Baili Suxue when they asked him.

A person’s character was not shown in one matter, but by the choices made during times of life and death in many matters. So no one would doubt that Lin Suixin would submit to other people. Everyone knew that Lin Suixin had appeared in this last stage of the trials because he was interested.

Since no one had objections, the battle between Zhang Yi and Xia Song would naturally start.

“Do not be sentimental.” Ding Ning looked at Zhang Yi, and said seriously like a teacher even though he was the junior sect brother, “You have to understand, facing an opponent like this, even if you want to kill the other, you cannot kill them.”

Thinking of how his junior sect brother had to worry about him, the senior sect brother, Zhang Yi shamefully nodded.

“When you hesitate, think of Cave Master Xue.” Ding Ning nodded and then added.

Zhang Yi stilled and then looked down.

“I know, Little Sect Brother,” he said in a low voice, and then turned around without a word.

Zhang Yi would only say the wrong appellation and call Ding Ning ‘Little Sect Brother’ when he was in turmoil.

“Zhang Yi’s sentimentality comes from being too kind and generous.” Looking at Zhang Yi’s back, Xu Lianhua turned to look at Ding Ning. He did not refrain from expressing his opinion and said in a cold voice, “Mentioning Cave Master Xue at this time is forcing him to risk his life.”

“I understand your thoughts.”

Ding Ning looked at Xu Lianhua who had a cold expression. He said calmly, “You feel that in a situation where he is losing to Xia Song, he will not easily admit defeat because I mentioned Cave Master Xue to him. This way, he would fight until he is killed. You care because you think of him as a true friend. But do not forget he is my senior sect brother. The old man is not here, he and Shen Yi are my closest people in White Goat Cave. I care more about their safety than you.”

“I understand my senior sect brother better than you,” Ding Ning turned to look at Zhang Yi who had entered the battlefield and said softly and seriously. “He is stronger than all of you can imagine.”

Ding Ning’s words contained indescribable power. Xu Lianhua calmed down and frowned slightly, saying, “You mean that he could possibly win against Xia Song?”

“In true battle, the decisive factor is not just cultivation, but many other factors, like intelligence. My senior sect brother is more intelligent than most people,” Ding Ning nodded and said.

Xu Lianhua grew silent.

He thought of how he had been seriously injured in the sea of brambles even with his cultivation yet Zhang Yi had managed to come out unharmed with him. So he felt Ding Ning spoke correctly.

On the other side of the hut, no one was optimistic about Zhang Yi.

Even if they had seen Zhang Yi’s performance in the sea of brambles, they likely would still think that Zhang Yi would undoubtedly lose.

The authors of the Book of Talents must be extremely knowledgeable, insightful and powerful cultivators with a deep understanding of cultivation. So almost all the cultivators of Changling recognized the power of the Book of Talents.

Zhang Yi did not even enter the top fifty of the Book of Talents while Xia Song ranked eleventh.

Zhang Yi had always cultivated in White Goat Cave, and White Goat Cave was a third-class cultivation sect in Changling which was why everyone had been so shocked when Xue Wangxu displayed realm seven cultivation. Xia Song was a student of Heaven Awareness Sword Field. While the sect was not as good as Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect in Changling, it was one of the powerful places right behind the two.

Xia Song had gained enlightenment at Heaven Awareness Sword Field last spring to reach realm four while Zhang Yi was stuck in realm three.

Xia Song had thought about this as well.

So when he saw Zhang Yi walking towards him with a hanging head, this powerful black robed youth raised an eyebrow and put his right hand onto his sword hilt. He nodded at Zhang Yi in greeting and said, “You can attack first.”

Zhang Yi bowed slightly and held the Zhao Sword Furnace sword that seemed to constantly burn horizontally in front of him. He said, “Brother Xia, you first.”

Xia Song stilled. “You want me to attack first?”

Zhang Yi said respectfully, “Brother Xia fought one more round than me, and I have an advantage.”

This response evoked an imperceptible disdain at the corner of Xia Song’s mouth.

In his view, from the start of the sword trials when Xue Wangxu died and Ding Ning swore he would not bow his head, the trials would be bloody for everyone from White Goat Cave. And yet,t Zhang Yi still acted like this, and was, like in the rumors, too pedantic and gentle. He naturally felt contempt towards an opponent like this.

“In that case, I will.”

He did not refuse. His right hand slowly landed on the slightly yellow sword hilt and then he drew his sword.

With a clang, a ruler straight sword energy cut forward, immediately splitting into three rays which still headed straight for Zhang Yi.

This was a simple three sword sword form. He used this move because he did not want to take advantage of Zhang Yi and also because this was a reliable move. In his view, when his cultivation was higher than his opponent, he just had to gain a steady victory.

Zhang Yi looked up.

Facing the incoming three sword energies, he chose to jump up.

Two gusts of energy charged out of his feet. He jumped high and he swung his burning longsword forward.

There was immediately wetness higher up.

Feeling the wetness, Xia Song stood motionlessly and the disdainful smile at the corners of his mouth grew more evident.

He tilted his sword upwards. As his wrist moved, a circular curtain of light spread from his sword.

One would come unscathed through a hundred battles after knowing oneself and the enemy.

He had heard of Zhang Yi’s fight in Falling Parasol, and knew that the other had comprehended a powerful sword essence in the Zhou Family Ink Garden where sharp rain would fall from the sky in a wide area.

Yet, since it was raining, he only needed an umbrella.

The Heaven Awareness Sword Field coincidentally had a powerful “Heaven Silk Umbrella” sword move.

The blurry curtain of light spread upwards like a grand umbrella.

The umbrella was prepared but the rain did not fall.

The water gathered in front of the jumping Zhang Yi gave off a sharp piercing sound. Then, a flow of water twisted like a coiling dragon in the air as Zhang Yi swung his sword and smashed towards Xia Song.

Xia Song’s eyes flashed with shock.

His breathing paused, he pressed his sword downwards.

With a large sound, the titled curtain of light and the flowing water collided together and created a large splash.

His reaction was extremely fast, but his sword move was exhausted.

Zhang Yi’s sword move had not yet finished.

His hair started to dance like snakes. He tried to control the flow of his vital energy at the edge of danger, and had it flow into the sword as fast as possible.

Enormous explosions continued to sound without stopping.

A ball of flame burst out of his blade, burning away scattered drops of water. Immediately, the water droplets turned into hot steam that slammed into Xia Song.

All the spectating students stopped breathing. Even from this far away, they could feel the oncoming wave of heat. Everyone was certain that Xia Song could not react in time to escape the range of the hot steam.

Xu Lianhua was also stunned. He had never thought that Zhang Yi would change and be able to mount such a vicious attack.

“To learn by analogy, this is my senior sect brother,” Ding Ning gazed at the burning wave of heat and said softly.

Translator Ramblings: Ding Ning is a proud younger brother.