Chapter 34: Opportunity

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 34: Opportunity

Nangong Caishu was shocked.

The strictness of the entrance tests was related to the sect's foundation and ranking. The Green Vine Sword School and the White Goat Cave had almost the same status so the difficulty of their entrance tests was similar.

The Ten Thousand Threads of the Green Vine Sword School were similar to this stone disc. Even she had taken an entire hour to pass.

If he passed in just a few seconds… he would break the record of both the White Goat Cave and the Green Vine Sword School.

The White Goat Cave disciples shared her emotions, causing them to exclaim in shock.

Su Qin frowned. An indescribable emotion arose. Did this ordinary young man really possess extraordinary talent and was recruited specifically for this sect?

Ding Ning looked calmly at him. He did not give this second elder sect brother of the White Goat Cave a chance to speak. He stretched out his hand and opened it.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on his palm.

Then even louder exclamations sounded.

Amidst a startled gasp, Zhang Yi's pupils constricted slightly. The worry on his forehead quickly turned into pleasant surprise.

Nangong Caishu was completely frozen.

Shen Bai, who had reacted the most strongly at first and had been standing with his head bowed since learning of Nangong Caishu's birth, paled even further. His chest heaved.

Five pebbles lay quietly in Ding Ning's hand.

As these five pebbles flowed in the gray current, they looked no different from the others. However, everyone could clearly see that one pebble was slightly larger, and the other four were smaller.

It was this contrast with the slightly larger pebble that caused everyone to immediately notice that the other four were slightly smaller.

Even if all five pebbles were not correct, this Flowing Annual Ring Disc test could be passed by correctly selecting three.

In the past, the record for this test in White Goat Cave was fifteen minutes.

Everyone was shocked by Ding Ning's performance to the point where they began to suspect that Ding Ning had deliberately picked the wrong ones so they could more clearly see the difference in size.

Su Qin’s expression did not change much, but his mind was filled with immense shock.

His gaze shifted abruptly.

He did not immediately express any opinion. He quickly reached out and, as he took the five pebbles from Ding Ning's hand, his finger lightly touched Ding Ning's palm.

In that split second, Ding Ning clearly felt a faint presence flow from Su Qin's finger and rapidly circulate through his meridians.

He knew what Su Qin meant, so he remained calm, as if he had not detected it.

Su Qin’s heart sank again and grew colder.

He did not sense any unusual presence.

The absence of an unusual presence meant Ding Ning was not a cultivator with high cultivation.

“Four out of five. You've passed this test.”

He glanced at the five pebbles in his hand and then handed them to the disciple next to him. He motioned for the disciple to put the disc away. Then he pointed to the flesh-colored jade soldier statue in another wooden box and said slowly, “This is a sensing soldier statue. Perception is a kind of talent. Some people can achieve absolute calm and look within, but their internal energies never sync with the primal energies of the universe. They aren’t able to sense the existence of their own energies or the primal energies of the universe. People without this talent cannot become true cultivators.”

“This jade soldier statue is made from a kind of flesh jade which contains energies similar to our bodies. However, this jade soldier statue is easier to feel and touch.”

Su Qin looked at Ding Ning coldly and said, “The small sword the jade soldier holds is empty. If you can sense the energy of the jade soldier, and feel the flow, you can pour the energies out from the small sword like pouring water from a bottle.”

Ding Ning said, “So, pouring the energy out will be considered a pass?”

Su Qin nodded. “Exactly.”

Ding Ning smiled and said, “If I pass this, I can officially enter the sect and cultivate?”

Su Qin frowned slightly and nodded again without saying anything.

Ding Ning did not speak anymore. He stepped forward and held the jade statue in his hand.

Since he had already chosen his way to pass the previous test, he did not need to consider anything about this final test.

The world around him became silent.

This was too simple for him.

In his perception, the energy within the jade soldier was like a river flowing within a cave.

His hands automatically moved, changing the direction of the flow. These rivers flowed over the curved cliff toward the only opening where there was light.

With a soft sound, the water gushed over the cliff and became a waterfall.

In his hand, the sword blade of the jade soldier formed a beautiful rainbow of multicolored energies.

Everyone near the gate completely stopped breathing.

Even Zhang Yi, who had gained some confidence in Ding Ning, was completely shocked. He had thought Ding Ning would probably pass the test quickly, but he had not expected it to be like this.

Beside Ding Ning, Nangong Caishu stared at Ding Ning's calm expression in a daze, as if trying to gain something from him.

 

Even the two old people sitting in front of the highest temple of the White Goat Cave were shocked. Du Qingjiao took a deep breath, turned to Xue Wangxu, and slowly said, “I knew this young man was somewhat extraordinary, but not to this extent.”

Xue Wangxu hesitated and said, “Could he have cultivated before?”

“Impossible.” Du Qingjiao shook his head. “I spent a few hours with him. I didn't even notice any abnormalities. Unless he's a grandmaster like Fourth Mister Zhao and Bai Shanshui.”

Xue Wangxu shook his head. He naturally knew that was Impossible.

“But he has health problems.” Du Qingjiao looked at him and said.

Xue Wangxu paused and instinctively asked, “What problem?”

Du Qingjiao said, “He has a body with too much yang and will die early; his energies are too strong.”

Xue Wangxu's hands froze slightly. “Then…”

He had an idea at first, but now he had no idea at all.

“Then what?” Du Qingjiao seemed to have seen through the thoughts of this sect master and his younger sect brother. He said with a hint of pride, “Just arrange for him to cultivate with Zhang Yi and Su Qin.”

Xue Wangxu also knew his senior sect brother well. They could see each other’s minds with just a glance, but right now, he did not understand. “But…”

“His talent is worthy of the White Goat Cave's use. Are you afraid it will be wasted on him?” Du Qingjiao sneered and shook his head. “Even if it's wasted on him, it's better than following someone else, and then everything will end up in someone else's hands. As for Su Qin… I know that with your personality, you don't like him. I don't like him either. But his talents are good, and our master once told us in the past that when one wants to improve quickly, you need someone to pressure you. Su Qin is a good choice.”

Xue Wangxu thought for a moment and nodded. He looked at Du Qingjiao seriously, his eyes filled with indescribable gratitude. “Eldest Sect Brother, although my cultivation has been stronger than yours all these years, your spirit is something I can't match.”

“But what's the point? In the end, we couldn't protect the White Goat Cave.”

Du Qingjiao laughed at himself. The pride in his eyes disappeared and was replaced by emotion. “I'm leaving. You'll be burdened. But you'll be able to endure more than I. Those who endure and don't compete will go further. The White Goat Cave is gone, so it's good to leave behind some seeds.”

Xue Wangxu looked into Du Qingjiao's eyes and remembered the storm his eldest sect brother and himself had experienced at the White Goat Cave. When he thought about the other person's departure, he had no words.

“His life wasn’t good, but he encountered us at this time, We have shared karma. If there's something to give, give some more. It’s better than benefiting that woman.” Du Qingjiao turned his head and looked at the gate in the distance.

 

The gate was completely silent.

Even Su Qin's face paled slightly.

He and Zhang Yi were the top disciples of the White Goat Cave in the past few decades. But when he joined the sect, he only sensed the energy within the jade soldier after half an hour.

This jade soldier was unique to the White Goat Cave. There would be no way to train for this test.

Miraculously, Ding Ning sensed the energy within it in just a few minutes, and the sword the soldier held glowed.

“Elder Sect Brother, Elder Sect Sister, could you please let me in to pay my respects to the masters?”

Ding Ning smiled calmly amidst everyone's shock and bowed to Su Qin, Zhang Yi, and the others, speaking lightly.

Zhang Yi also smiled. He returned the bow and said solemnly and warmly, “Youngest Sect Brother, please.”

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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