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Chapter 18

The remaining participants went to the center of the Qiang Lake, hoping for the lake to bestow them a holy sword as they pour their spiritual qi all over it. Some received a holy weapon, and some are not. After all of them was able to step to the center of the Qiang Lake to receive a holy weapon, the beautiful woman on the stage arena spoke.

Lian Ren stared down at his own holy weapon, his thick brows knitted into a slight frown. It was just a handle of the sword, but Lian Ren knew that the deep blue spiritual gem embedded on the sword handle was powerful, and it makes him bewildered even more. I never received any of this in my past life.... Is it because i didn't participated? Or maybe it's because of my foundation that stayed within my soul.... The competition is very easy to me... Isn't it just a simple spiritual qi? Maybe i released it wrong? But i know it's not a mistake so how did i get such a high quality holy weapon?

Lian Ren shifted his gaze at Xin Mei who was wearing a forced smile on her face and a hint of sympathy on her expression,

Lian Ren raised his eyes and replied,

Xin Mei bended down to stare at his holy weapon and observed it as she replied,

Lian Ren frowned at what she said, She can't sense it? I can sense the energy on this handle... Much more is that the energy is flowing out because it's too much. And yet she can't see it? Lian Ren stared at the handle of his sword and tilted his hand to see the back of the handle that was carved with symmetric designs with clouds. But what caught his attention is the carve of the dragon with glowing blue eyes that looked like gem.

The energy flowing out of the sword handle was neither spiritual qi or demonic qi, it was very complicated. It has a warm energy but also mixed with a sinister energy at the same time, as if spiritual qi and demonic qi were mixed together. However, Lian Ren knew that mixing a righteous energy and evil energy together is impossible. Because in the yin and yang, there was always a boundary splitting them apart, and mixing the two of them can lead to self destruction.... Or death.

Lian Ren frowned as he stroke the symmetrical carvings of the sword handle in a daze. Could it be that both spiritual qi and demonic qi is residing in this holy weapon but are not mixed together? Because i knew that it was possible 'cause i can do that too. What what kind of barrier is splitting them apart?

Xin Mei called out to him with a bewildered expression,

Lian Ren replied with a smile.

Xin Mei nodded repeatedly as if she is trying to convince herself with Lian Ren's words. She was about to say something when a sound of a clanking metal resonated throughout the Qiang Lake followed by the beautiful woman speaking.

After the beautiful woman announced, the silver gate automatically opened, and the participants exited one by one.

Yong Yinxi greeted with Shao Ling also greeted from behind as they bowed their heads as a sign of respect, but what Yong Yingxi received is a paper scroll smacking on his head.

The Old Palace Master yelled as he repeatedly hit Yong Yingxi with a paper scroll on his hand.

( A/N: Just in case you guys don't know, 'Er' is the pinyin for the word '兒' (simplified, '兒'), meaning 'child'. It is used to address people who are younger than you, sometimes used by elders to their grandchildren. )

Yong Yingxi exclaimed as he caressed his forehead that was slightly red.

The Old Palace Master smacked him with a paper scroll once again,

Yong Yingxi cried as he covered his forehead with his both hands to protect himself against the Old Palace Master.

The Old Palace Master raised his brows and stopped smacking Yong Yingxi with paper scroll as he walked back to his chair to sit,

Yong Yingxi said as he walked forward to the Old Palace Master's direction,

The Old Palace Master froze, his index finger tapped excessively and his brows turned into a frown.

Yong Yingxi said as he shifted his gaze to Shao Ling who simply nodded with a straight face.

The Old Palace Master massaged his temple and leaned at the back of the chair, gesturing his hand as he spoke,

Yong Yingxi frowned,

Yong Yingxi immediately replied and ran to exit the room.

The Old Palace Master sat properly on his seat and glanced at Shao Ling who was looking at him with a straight expression.

Shao Ling replied.

The Old Palace Master shifted his gaze at the balcony from the left side of the room and gazed at the bright sun,

The Old Palace Master raised his hand and stroked his long beard before continuing to speak,

Shao Ling's brows slightly knitted into a frown as he heard what the Old Palace Master said. He doesn't understand why the Old Palace Master would give such valuable treasures to random cultivators. Unless.... Shao Ling asked.

The Old Palace Master laughed loudly and replied Shao Ling gave him an exhausted expression. Is it something to laugh about?

The Old Palace Master's face immediately became serious as he looked at Shao Ling with an anxious gaze,

Shao Ling kept quiet, his hands subconsciously clenched into a fist and his lips were pressed together as he listened to the Old Palace Master,

The Old Palace Master's face was turning white to blue, worries were obviously seen from his eyes as his lips trembled while he spoke,

Shao Ling said as he bowed.

The Old Palace Master gave him a weak smile. The Old Palace Master heaved a breath and continued to speak,

Shao Ling's attention was immediately on the Old Palace Master who spoke,

The Old Palace Master gazed at Shao Ling with a bothered expression,

On the other hand, at the arena stage, the five hundred participants were able to exit the Qiang Lake and the ones who weren't able to receive a hy weapon stepped down on the arena stage with a dejected expression. The third round took a while and they took a break while the beautiful waitresses served them at the best of their ability. Lian Ren was leaning at one if the jade pillars near the arena when another silver gate filled with golden spiritual qi emerged at the center of the arena stage followed by the beautiful woman speaking.

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