Chapter 25

Now,起点 has launched an annual author and writer selection, and I'm also asking for votes. As for the annual work, it's fine to let it go since the new book has just started. But for this annual author... everyone, please give me one or two votes. It's on the homepage of this book, and everyone should have free votes.

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Ji Wuyu sat to one side, holding a beast-headed wine cup: "Perhaps Ji Yichuan is letting his son try early. After all, even if he fails, Ji Ning can still try again in four years."

Ji Lie nodded.

"They have two chances, but we can't afford to lose even once," Ji Lie said with a smile. "Fortunately, I adopted a foster son named 'Pi' back then."

Ji Lie then said to the servant beside him, "Have Pi come see me!"

"Yes, Master," the barefoot maid bowed and retreated.

A moment later, a tall young man dressed in golden fur strode in. This young man exuded a strong aura, with a layer of golden down on his face and eyes that faintly glowed golden. Unlike ordinary people, he also carried a black straight sword on his back.

As he strode in... at first glance, he looked like a lean, golden-furred bear. Although only thirteen years old, he was already taller than Ji Lie.

"Father," Pi called respectfully.

"Pi," Ji Lie looked at his foster son, nodding in satisfaction. "The Golden Sword Ceremony takes place every four years. I will arrange for you to register and participate in this Golden Sword Ceremony. I have only one requirement... win the Golden Sword!"

"Yes," Pi's voice was deep and resonant.

"Good," Ji Lie nodded in satisfaction. He had adopted many foster sons, but few satisfied him. Pi was one of the few who did. This time, having Pi participate in the Golden Sword Ceremony to obstruct Ji Ning, Ji Lie was very confident.

Ji Lie continued, "This time, you need to be careful of Ji Yichuan's only son, Ji Ning! Although he hasn't experienced real life-and-death battles, he is practicing the most advanced techniques and secret arts of our Ji clan. The techniques I taught you are also top-notch, but compared to his, they are slightly inferior."

Pi nodded.

He understood that he was just an adopted foster son. But Ji Ning? He was Ji Yichuan's only son and the most promising heir to the Lord of the Manor. The difference in status was huge. Ji Ning could easily obtain the most advanced techniques of the Ji clan, but an adopted foster son like him could never get the strongest secret arts of the tribe.

"Moreover, Ji Ning has just reached the realm of 'man and sword as one' this year," Ji Lie looked at his foster son. "You must not be careless."

"I will definitely win," Pi said in a deep voice.

******

The Golden Sword Ceremony began!

A large number of tribal youths fought their way up from the bottom, with many being eliminated and the stronger ones remaining. After more than a month of battles, the eight strongest youths were finally selected. To be precise... seven youths were selected through competition, and one, Ji Ning, was directly placed in the top eight without a match!

Ji Ning, the only son of Ji Yichuan, the Dripping Water Sword, and a prodigy of the Ji clan's Western Manor.

According to the Western Manor's official statement, Ji Ning was very strong and did not need to participate in the preliminary matches, thus directly securing a spot in the top eight.

Anger?

Injustice?

"Hmph, on the last day, when he faces the other seven opponents, Ji Ning will surely lose badly."

"Truly unscrupulous!"

"Shaming the Ji clan!"

Some of the tribal youths muttered in secret. As for the news that Ji Ning had reached the 'man and sword as one' realm, very few of the tribal youths knew about it.

...

"Rustle, rustle, rustle~~~" The battle flags fluttered.

The howling cold wind could not extinguish the burning passion in countless hearts, for today was the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony!

In the center of the vast training ground of the Martial Hall, there was a large battle platform. Below the platform stood eight tribal youths, one of whom was Ji Ning, dressed in animal skins. Surrounding the platform were a large number of black-armored guards, ensuring that the tens of thousands of spectators, including tribal youths and citizens of the Western Manor, did not cross the line.

"They're here."

"The innate spirits are here."

The tens of thousands of spectators gathered were all excited. The Golden Sword Ceremony lasted for many days, but there were usually not so many spectators. Only today was special! Because today was the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony, where the last eight would compete to determine the strongest and win the Golden Sword.

On the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony, many legendary innate spirits would also come to watch!

"That one riding the long-necked beast is Tianhuo Hammer."

"That one riding a white tiger is our Ji clan's Western Manor's top archer!"

"That, that is Fire God Ji Lie!"

"Look, Dripping Water Sword! The one with the white dog is Dripping Water Sword Ji Yichuan! The white dog beside him is the innate spirit, the divine beast 'Bai Shui Ze'."

"Lord of the Manor!"

"Lord of the Manor Ji Youyang has also appeared."

"How many innate spirits? Too many."

"So many innate spirits!"

...

A wave of excitement and madness.

The Golden Sword Ceremony is held every four years, and usually, only a few innate spirits would come to watch. But this time, many legendary figures, such as the always mysterious top figure of the Ji clan's Western Manor, Dripping Water Sword Ji Yichuan, and the arrogant Fire God Ji Lie, had come!

All ten executives were present, with no one absent.

Because this was not just the Golden Sword Ceremony, but more importantly, it was the test for the Lord of the Manor's successor! If Ji Ning won the Golden Sword, he would become the next Lord of the Manor. Such a significant matter involving the succession of the Lord of the Manor naturally drew the presence of most of the innate spirits of the Ji clan's Western Manor.

"Today is the final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony," a cold voice said. A long-haired woman with a blue glow stood on the battle platform. "Now, please have the eight youths come up to the battle platform."

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

Eight figures leaped onto the battle platform one after another.

Ji Ning glanced around and noticed that the other seven opponents were all looking at him. Clearly, as the only one in the top eight who did not participate in the preliminary matches and was directly placed, he had earned the resentment of these seven opponents.

"Do you think I wanted to?" Ji Ning pouted. Being directly placed in the top eight was entirely decided by Lord of the Manor Ji Youyang. "But these seven guys are all really tall. Even the girls, the shortest one is about 1.7 meters. They're all taller than me... uh, that clumsy giant is probably 2.3 meters."

Though they were all youths, each had achieved some level of cultivation, mostly around sixteen years old. Only Ji Ning was ten, naturally the smallest and shortest.

"You eight will face each other one by one. The losers will step down, and the winners will remain. The top four will be decided. Then the top two, and finally, the strongest will be determined," the long-haired woman said.

Ji Ning and the other seven youths listened.

Suddenly—

"Stop!" a cold voice rang out.

The tens of thousands of spectators, including tribal youths and citizens of the Western Manor, all looked in the direction of the voice. Even the long-haired woman frowned and looked back. She was, after all, an innate spirit of the Ji clan's Western Manor, only present to oversee the final day. Who was interrupting at this moment? When she turned around... the speaker was a cold man dressed in white animal skins.

The long-haired woman trembled.

"It's Dripping Water Sword Ji Yichuan."

"Dripping Water Sword."

"Dripping Water Sword standing there is like a huge iceberg, making me feel cold to the core." Many of the tens of thousands of spectators had excited looks in their eyes. Each innate spirit was like a god or demon, and Ji Yichuan was the most dazzling figure in this vast land, a legendary existence.

Ji Yichuan sat there, coldly saying, "The final day of the Golden Sword Ceremony is to determine the strongest from these eight, to win the Golden Sword. In my opinion... let Ji Ning fight all seven of them at once!"

"One against seven?" the long-haired woman was stunned. "This, this..."

"What!"

"One against seven? The other seven are all the most talented youths."

"This!"

A wave of shock.

Even Lord of the Manor Ji Youyang, sitting beside Ji Yichuan, was slightly taken aback, while the old man Ji Lie, sitting on the other side of Ji Youyang, laughed heartily: "Good, one against seven. Ji Ning is a very talented youth in our Ji clan's Western Manor. Even if he fails, it will be a form of training. But Yichuan... if your son fights seven and loses, what then?"

"If he loses, he will admit defeat and have no chance at the Golden Sword," Ji Yichuan said calmly.

"Good," Ji Lie nodded.

Ji Youyang looked at Ji Yichuan with confusion and then said, "As Yichuan said."

"Yes, Lord of the Manor," the long-haired woman nodded. With the two major factions of the Ji clan's Western Manor agreeing, she naturally would not say more, only secretly sighing at how arrogant Dripping Water Sword Ji Yichuan was.

"You eight."

The long-haired woman looked at the eight youths. "Choose your weapons from here. After selecting your weapons... follow my command. When I give the order, Ji Ning will fight the seven of you. If Ji Ning loses, or if all seven of you lose... the battle will be over."

"Swish." The long-haired woman waved her hand, and a large pile of weapons appeared on the battle platform, of all kinds, but none were sharpened.

"Choose," the long-haired woman said.

The eight youths, including Ji Ning, stepped forward and quickly selected their weapons. Ji Ning chose a black long sword, about fifty pounds in weight, made of tough material.

The tens of thousands of spectators gathered below were discussing heatedly. Many of them were seeing Dripping Water Sword Ji Yichuan for the first time and felt that Ji Yichuan was like a ten-thousand-year-old iceberg, making them feel cold to the core: "Ji Yichuan is too arrogant, even to his son. One against seven? Even if Ji Ning is stronger than the other seven, how can he possibly win against seven at once?"

"Truly crazy."

"That Ji Ning is only ten years old, and his father ordered him to participate in the Golden Sword Ceremony, even one against seven. How pitiful."

Many spectators began to feel sympathy for Ji Ning. After all, among the eight youths on the battle platform, Ji Ning was the smallest and youngest, with a delicate appearance... a small, delicate youth, and a father with a cold and strict reputation, easily imagining how strictly the youth was treated by his father.

"Have you chosen?" the long-haired woman looked at the eight youths.

The seven youths stood on one side of the battle platform, some using curved swords, some using spears, some using straight swords, and some using sharp swords, all staring at Ji Ning.

On the other side of the battle platform stood Ji Ning alone.

Ji Ning held his sword, calmly looking at the opposite side.

"Since you have all chosen," the long-haired woman waved her hand, collecting the pile of unsharpened weapons, and said, "Let's begin."

As soon as she finished speaking,

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The seven figures on one side of the battle platform quickly rushed out, all pouncing on Ji Ning on the other side.