Chapter 1071: Sword Road
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Black Wind Swordsman didn’t give a moment’s thought to the opinion of the Sword Pavilion’s disciples. He went to the Sword Pavilion and stood before its gate.
“Do you want to join the Sword Pavilion?” A middle-aged male teacher with a refined bearing was standing in the middle of the courtyard. He was clad in a blue robe and possessed an outstanding aura.
“That’s right,” he replied.
“I’m the Deputy Pavilion Master, Deng Chen. Like all other academic establishments, the Sword Pavilion has its own requirements. You must pa.s.s a strict test before being allowed to join.”
After pa.s.sing the test, one would need to pay a hefty tuition fee. However, many people wanted to pay such a fee, but they couldn’t get the chance.
Upon hearing Deputy Pavilion Master’s words, the Sword Pavilion’s disciples relaxed. They were all worried that he would open the back door for the Black Wind Swordsman because he was afraid of the great master. But, since he would handle this affair fairly, they didn’t need to worry about anything.
The people who had come to observe this affair thought inwardly, “As expected of the Sword Pavilion, they can stand up to even Master Luo Cheng’s pressure.”
The reason why they put on such airs on this day was that they wanted to express the Sword Pavilion’s att.i.tude: “We would rather have nothing than have mediocre people, and we are all trying to perfect what is already outstanding.” At this moment, the words written outside of the Sword Pavilion had another charm to them.
“I’m aware of this.” Black Wind Swordsman was still as calm and composed as before.
When the Deputy Pavilion Master saw that Black Wind Swordsman hadn’t left after hearing what he had to say, he realized that he wouldn’t give up.
“Let’s start then.” They must give enough respect to the great master, and they would make an exception in allowing Black Wind Swordsman to immediately start the test.
“Everyone who wants to join our Sword Pavilion must walk down the Sword Road, and that is just the beginning,” a female teacher next to the Deputy Pavilion Master said coldly. She seemed strict and severe. Even dealing with this matter, she still wore a stern expression.
After the female teacher spoke, a flat Doctrine Road appeared before Black Wind Swordsman. It was filled with astonis.h.i.+ng sword energy.
The crowd in the vicinity were just waiting and observing this matter calmly, while the Sword Pavilion’s disciples laughed into their sleeves.
“The Sword Road examines one’s affinity with the sword, and if you aren’t qualified, you can’t walk down it regardless of how hard you struggle.” A familiar-sounding voice echoed, and Yang Jing, who wore the outfit of the Sword Pavilion’s disciples, appeared.
“One’s talent determines everything. It’s the foundation upon which you will strive hard. If you lack talent, it doesn’t matter how strong and firm your will is, you will just have to accept your fate.” Yang Jing looked at Black Wind Swordsman and spoke coldly. He wasn’t deliberately mocking him, but everyone could tell that he looked down upon him.
Since the Sundry Goods Store had shown its power, Yang Jing didn’t dare to provoke Master Luo Cheng, and he also didn’t dare to mess around with the man favored by Master Luo Cheng.
However, it was Black Wind Swordsman who wanted to join the Sword Pavilion, and as a member of the pavilion, he wasn’t willing to witness this happen.
“He will embarra.s.s himself after a short while. I wonder whether he can bear it?” The other teacher, who hadn’t spoken up until now, said in a low voice.
“It’s his own choice, and our Sword Pavilion had already given the great master enough respect,” the female teacher said with displeasure.
Deng Chen was now staring at Black Wind Swordsman. It was unclear what he was thinking about.
“Do you think that he’s a rough piece of jade with untapped potential?” Deng Chen said.
The two teachers were surprised by such words, and they started examining Black Wind Swordsman once again. They quickly furrowed their brows because they didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.
“You can’t discern anything from his outward appearance, but I have such a gut feeling,” Deng Chen said.
“Pavilion Master Deng, it’s probably just his manners which have caused you to a.s.sume this by mistake.” The female teacher shook her head, and said, “If he’s really a genius, he would have been discovered by people long ago, and he wouldn’t have needed to go to a place such as the Extreme Doctrine Martial Arts Club.”
“That is really the case.” Deng Chen nodded.
The female teacher wasn’t mistaken, Black Wind Swordsman had already pa.s.sed his early youth, and a long time had pa.s.sed. If he was really a genius, people would have noticed it long ago.
Black Wind Swordsman strode forward while facing many skeptical and mocking gazes, and he started walking down the Sword Road.
At this moment, everyone remained silent.
When Black Wind Swordsman’s foot stepped onto the Sword Road, sword energy erupted and rose to the sky.
The people in the vicinity moved back subconsciously. Once they recovered their senses, they realized that it wouldn’t harm them and moved forward once again. They were quite embarra.s.sed!
Black Wind Swordsman was on the Sword Road and was withstanding a great force. All of the Sword Pavilion’s disciples present were aware of how terrifying it was.
The Sword Road was just twenty-meter-long, and he would have pa.s.sed the test if he managed to walk past the tenth meter. However, most people would fail before crossing the first five meters.
The Sword Pavilion’s disciples bet that Black Wind Swordsman wouldn’t make it past the first three meters. They could clearly see that Black Wind Swordsman’s expression changed, becoming quite grave. Every step he took was strenuous for him.
Yang Jing revealed a mocking smile, and said, “An academic establishment and a martial art clubs aren’t similar to each other.” His voice echoed.
Black Wind Swordsman took a step forward and, before many startled gazes, he took several steps forward and crossed three meters.
Surprise appeared on the faces of the Sword Pavilion’s disciples. But, when they noticed that Black Wind Swordsman’s pace slowed down once again, they felt relieved once more.
Black Wind Swordsman was still far from the tenth meter, and they clearly knew what awaited him if he exhausted his power here.
Black Wind Swordsman stopped in the same place for several seconds, and just when the others were a.s.suming that he couldn’t continue, he strode forward once again.
Even though he was walking laboriously, he was still advancing forward. The distance he crossed went from three meters, to five meters, then to six meters. When he neared seven meters, the Sword Pavilion’s disciples became nervous.
Yang Jing didn’t dare to clamor now, and he lowered his arms which he crossed in front of his chest. He opened his eyes widely.
The female teacher was greatly surprised by what she saw, while Deng Chen’s interest was apparent in his eyes.
After a short while pa.s.sed, Black Wind Swordsman crossed the ninth meter, and just the last step was left for him. He was greatly exhausted, but his eyes still shone brightly as before.
“He succeeded!”
In the end, he took the last step, and a commotion arose among the crowd.
However, it seemed like the test hadn’t come to an end because Black Wind Swordsman’s gaze was still looking forward.
“Is it possible that he…”
The crowd looked at the ten meters left and started discussing this matter.
“What is the best achievement?”
“It’s nineteen meters.”
“That’s right, it’s nineteen meters, and it was made by the Sword Venerable.”
“Don’t hold too much hope out for him. At most, he will walk another two or three meters.”
There were some people looking forward to his performance, while others ridiculed him, and mocked him.
On the other side, Yang Jing became nervous because fifteen meters was his current achievement.
“It’s impossible for this guy to achieve it,” Yang Jing muttered, even though it was obvious from his tone that he wasn’t sure about this.
At first, he had a.s.sumed that Black Wind Swordsman couldn’t cross even three meters, but now he had already crossed ten meters.
Since he reached the fourth meter, he seemed like he would collapse at any moment. Yet, he didn’t collapse at all.
“It seems like I have good acting talent.” Jiang Chen observed the crowd’s reaction out of the corner of his eyes. He found it quite funny!
He mustn’t display an outstanding performance, and he should just present a reasonable performance, while, his way of walking down while staggering along would be a great encouragement to others.
It was only when Jiang Chen reached the fifteenth meter that he started finding it strenuous, but it was still quite easy for him. However, when he reached the seventeenth meter, he felt like he was bearing a great pressure.
Jiang Chen seemed like someone who was lost in a desert, and who had walked around in it for several days and nights and now on the verge of collapse.
“What is going on with him? Why hasn’t he fallen down yet?”
The Sword Pavilion’s disciples almost went crazy, while Yang Jing’s face turned pale.
The reaction of the people in the vicinity was quite calm. They were staring at Black Wind Swordsman’s feet, while silently counting the number of meters crossed by him. It was now nineteen, the same as the best record.
Deng Chen and the two elders strode forward by several steps with their faces filled with shock.
When Black Wind Swordsman’s swaying foot landed on the ground once again, cheering echoed down the whole street.
“He broke it! He broke the record!”
The Sword Pavilion’s disciples looked at each other in dismay. It was difficult for them to believe what they had just witnessed.
But, that tall and upright silhouette was genuine and real, and none could disregard him.