Chapter 437: Birth of the Third Swordmaster
When Qin Yun cracked the Demonic Servants Sword Formation, in a cave abode behind the mountain of the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion, Daoist Blackkill was also informed of the feat.
"Master, there is a mortal named Qin Yun who has come to our Dao Seeking Sword Mansion to recommend himself as our third swordmaster. He has already cracked the Demonic Servants Sword Formation." A dog demon youth bowed respectfully.
There was a black-dressed Daoist sitting cross-legged in a pavilion.
He opened his eyes, and looked deeply and curiously at the other side of the mountain. He exclaimed, "He’s really a mortal."
"This mortal named Qin Yun did not use a Dharma treasure nor did he even draw his sword. He only released a few wisps of Sword Qi to destroy the Demonic Servants Sword Formation," said the dog demon immediately.
"Oh, such strength with just a few wisps of Sword Qi?" Daoist Blackkill stood up. "I’ll go take a look."
Swoosh.
With one step, Daoist Blackkill transformed into a black wind as he rapidly flew towards the other side of the mountain.
When he landed on the massive flat ground of the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion, the rhinoceros demon, red-dressed woman, and the rest of the nine Skyimmortals and Skydemons were in the midst of opening the Door of the Swordmaster.
"Rumble~" An ancient, metallic ice-cold door gradually rose.
Qin Yun looked intently at the dark passage that was revealed with the rising of the door. By the side, the red-dressed woman introduced, "Daoist Qin, feel free to enter... Daoist Brother Blackkill?"
The surrounding Skyimmortals and Skydemons noticed Daoist Blackkill and greeted him politely, "Daoist Brother Blackkill."
"Greetings Swordmaster." The disciples of these Skyimmortals and Skydemons were extremely respectful as well.
In the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion...
The person of highest standing was no doubt the Mansion Lord, and second to him was Daoist Blackkill. These two were the only two swordmasters of the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion.
And beneath them were the ten plus Skyimmortals and Skydemons! They also had to respectfully address Blackkill as ’Daoist Brother Blackkill.’
"I came to watch." Daoist Blackkill’s eyes were cold and unfathomable like an frozen lake. He looked at Qin Yun, the corners of his mouth suffusing a smile. "Daoist Qin, feel free to enter. This swordmaster test is not life-threatening but it is very difficult. Ever since Mansion Lord invited all Sword Dao experts in the world to challenge the role of swordmaster, I am the only person that has passed the test."
"Fellow Daoist Blackkill, I’ve long heard of your reputation. This is my first time meeting you," greeted Qin Yun politely.
Since he had planned to join the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion, he naturally studied it.
The second swordmaster of the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion, Dao Seeking Sword Mansion, was a third Firmament Skyimmortal. He was adept at using sword formations to attack enemies. Over the years, he had challenged Guardians twice! However, he failed in both challenges.
Yet no one thought lowly of him.
This was because the hundred and eight Guardians typically fought ruthlessly against their challengers in order to inspire a sense of shock and awe! If they were not harsh on their challengers, it would invite many Skyimmortals and Skydemons to challenge them. Perhaps one would manage to defeat them. Since they were so ruthless, many Skyimmortals and Skydemons died in battles with Guardians.
Yellow-robed Supremacy was also happy to see this happen. This was the law of the jungle! Survival of the fittest! Demons pursued this belief to begin with and Yellow-robed Supremacy was an ancient demon after all.
Daoist Blackkill had challenged Guardians twice and, despite being defeated, he managed to escape with his life... That proved his strength! Clearly, he was already very close to the strength required of a Guardian.
"This is my first time meeting you, fellow Daoist Qin. I wish you success. After all, Mansion Lord is always with Supremacy, only coming back here occasionally. I’m quite lonely as the sole swordmaster in Dao Seeking Sword Mansion," said Dao Seeking Sword Mansion with a smile.
"Yes, every time we want Daoist Brother Blackkill to give us some pointers, he won’t even bother with us," said the rhinoceros demon helplessly.
"You rhinoceros, all you know is to use brute force. There are at least ten people in the sword mansion that can give you pointers at your level of understanding in the Sword Dao," snorted Daoist Blackkill. As the only swordmaster present, everyone wished to receive pointers from him but he too needed to focus on his cultivation... He would only occasionally give them pointers.
"The swordmaster test created by Mansion Lord is just too difficult."
"Even Sister Jun can’t pass it."
"Daoist Qin, you have to be careful."
The Skyimmortals and Skydemons spoke warmly. They were all upper echelons of the Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. They had not paid Qin Yun much attention in the beginning but when he destroyed the Demonic Servants Sword Formation with a few wisps of Sword Qi, without the use of a Dharma treasure or even drawing his sword, they no longer regarded him so superciliously. After all, with what he was capable of, it meant that his strength was in no way inferior to theirs. In addition, Qin Yun was a mortal. It made him an enigma.
Qin Yun smiled. "Everyone, I’ll be entering."
"I await the good news," said Daoist Blackkill, the rhinoceros demon, and the other Skyimmortals and Skydemons. The large group of disciples also waited in anticipation.
Qin Yun strode into the dark passageway.
"Hey, do you think this Qin Yun guy will succeed?" asked a fat man as he touched his head.
"A mortal with strength that matches that of a Skyimmortal? He naturally has an extraordinary background," said a golden-horned demon to his side. "He is probably quite confident if he dares come to our Dao Seeking Sword Mansion to recommend himself as swordmaster. However, the test created by Mansion Lord is very difficult."
"Let’s wait. We will know the results in a while."
"Although I wish to see our Dao Seeking Sword Mansion produce another swordmaster, only Blackkill has succeeded to this day ever since Mansion Lord set the test."
These Skyimmortals and Skydemons discussed and waited.
...
Walking down the passageway, Qin Yun entered a hidden hall.
There were black columns in it.
"Oh?" Qin Yun walked into the hall and surveyed the surroundings.
"Whoosh."
A phantom appeared.
It was a lanky man with a sword on his back. Even though it was a phantom, Qin Yun could sense the inundating sword might that the man released! His eyes seemed like two swords that were as sharp as the deadliest blade. He was definitely an expert with a superior Sword Dao than Daoist Blackkill.
"Is this a phantom left behind by Dao Seeking Sword Mansion Lord, Chufu?" thought Qin Yun.
"Fellow Daoist, I, Chufu, am very grateful that you are willing to come to my Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. This post of swordmaster... is the highest in my Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. It cannot be easily taken. According to the rules I set, swordmasters must have high attainments in the Sword Dao to be a master; therefore, I set this test. It tests one’s attainments in the Sword Dao," Chufu’s phantom said with a smile. "Here are eight sword columns. In a while, they will produce the Eight Gates Sword Formation! Fellow Daoist, you are not to use any Dharmic powers. You have to use your sword arts through your Dao domain alone. If you can crack my Eight Gates Sword Formation, you will become a swordmaster of my Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. If you can’t, or if you use your Dharmic powers, you will be teleported out and fail instantly."
"Fellow Daoist, be careful."
With that said, Chufu’s phantom dissipated.
Following that, the eight black columns were activated, condensing Sword Qi in the process.
"Dharmic powers are not to be used?" thought Qin Yun. "That’s actually beneficial for me. Although I can’t use my Intrinsic Flying Sword, I can also avoid my weakness of having weak Dharmic powers. Sword masters must have high attainments in the Sword Dao to be a master? That’s right."
Qin Yun had a good impression of Chufu although he had not really met him.
From this test, he could tell that...
Chufu was a person who devoted himself to the sword!
He sought swordmasters only based on their attainments in the Sword Dao.
"Whoosh!" Many Sword Qi condensed amid the Eight Gates Sword Formation. The eight gates transformed, forming a Sword Qi world.
This Sword Qi world appeared as a blur but Qin Yun could sense the Sword Qi coming at him.
"Interesting." Qin Yun smiled as his mind whirled.
He condensed wisps of Sword Qi with his Dao domain!
Three hundred and sixty Sword Qi formed around him, naturally producing the Cyclic Sword Flash! The Cyclic Sword Flash formed by three hundred and sixty Sword Qi was perfectly complete. Instantly, the massive number of Sword Qi hiding in the aether surged over, striking the Cyclic Sword Flash. But all of them were blocked.
Puah! Puah! Puah!
The Sword Qi dissipated upon impact but condensed once again.
"Stars Like Rain." Qin Yun’s heart stirred.
More than half of the three hundred and sixty wisps of Sword Qi flew out like a dazzling meteor, surging around like a meteor shower! They swept past every spot, grinding apart all the Sword Qi that hid amid the aether.
"Boom!" The eight black columns that powered the Eight Gates Sword Formation appeared for a moment before vanishing.
The sword formation underwent another change.
This time, countless Sword Qi surrounded him in a dense formation. They no longer hid but fully revealed themselves, like troops in battle formation.
...
The Eight Gates Sword Formation had a total of eight transformations.
Each transformation had different attacks. However, Qin Yun was a sword immortal who devoted himself to the Sword Dao. Just his attainments when he first created the Dreamlike Sword were enough to crack the Eight Gates Sword Formation. Besides, after obtaining the Blue Clouds Immortal Dharma and the three Sword Dao manuals, his Sword Dao had improved tremendously. This test had ignored the aspects of Dharma treasures and Dharmic powers. All it tested was one’s attainments in Sword Dao.
Just ten minutes later, the Eight Gates Sword Formation’s eight transformations were all defeated by Qin Yun!
******
There were more and more disciples gathered on the massive flatland where Dao Seeking Sword Mansion stood.
Daoist Blackkill stood there with the nine Skyimmortals and Skydemons beside him. All of them were staring intently at the dark passageway inside the ice-cold door.
"Oh?" Daoist Blackkill’s brows suddenly picked up as he could not hide the shock in his eyes.
"He succeeded?" The other nine Skyimmortals and Skydemons also sensed it.
"How is he faster than Blackkill? I remember that he took more than half a day to crack the formation."
"How long has it been? About ten minutes, right?"
The Skyimmortals and Skydemons were astounded.
The speed at which one cracked the formation was also evidence of one’s Sword Dao attainment.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard coming from deep within the passageway. Daoist Blackkill and the nine Skyimmortals and Skydemons looked carefully and saw a figure walking over. He was none other than Qin Yun.
"Congratulations Daoist Qin, you have become the third swordmaster of our Dao Seeking Sword Mansion," said Dao Seeking Sword Mansion. Although his voice sounded aloof, it resounded through the area.
"Congratulations, Swordmaster Qin." The nine Skyimmortals and Skydemons were beaming with joy.
"Greetings, Swordmaster."
The large group of sword apprentices shouted in unison! Anyone would wish for their own sect to grow stronger. Furthermore, having an additional swordmaster also meant that they had another powerful Sword Dao expert to guide them.
From that moment forth, Dao Seeking Sword Mansion had three swordmasters—Chufu, Daoist Blackkill and Qin Yun!