I was just making up techniques… how did all of you become Emperors? Chapter 615: Xiao Chen — In the Name of the Sword

During the evaluation site, the assembled youngsters eyed Er Gouzi with intricate looks, overflowing with jealousy, admiration, and envy.

The leaders and shamans from the prominent clans also directed their attention to this lad, harboring equally tangled sentiments.

The head of the Famous Sword Holy Land experienced profound ease after choosing to let a batch of servant boys join the trial. If not, the Famous Sword Holy Land might have overlooked such a prodigious youngster, though that wasn't the key issue.

The real concern lay in the fact that should Sword God later learn he hadn't included every qualified boy and then spot this servant's exceptional aptitude on his own, the fallout would be unthinkable.

Atop Sword Peak, Xiao Chen observed the nine-chi glow and the edges of his lips curved faintly. “This must be the exceptional nature of the Hongyuan Continent. Earlier, a boy displayed seven chi of golden radiance, and now this lad shows nine chi of thunderous light. Should each clan resemble the Famous Sword Holy Land with multiple such divine gifts, how could humanity not thrive? My Wendao Sect would undoubtedly dominate this realm.”

The Grand Priest snapped back first and pulled Er Gouzi to one side. “Fine, your examination is over. Starting today, you'll join my Famous Sword Holy Land, and your kin will receive the honors given to hunting fighters.”

Upon hearing that, Er Gouzi's features lit up with thrill as he bowed deeply and stated, “Thank you, Grand Priest. Er Gouzi will surely train with utmost effort.”

“From now on, you won't go by Er Gouzi anymore. Soon, I'll request Sword God to grant family names to all in my Famous Sword Holy Land. You could even get a name handed down directly by Sword God.”

While the Grand Priest uttered those words, a beam of luminescence shot from his palm and contacted Er Gouzi's pinky finger, making the cut there disappear completely.

“Thank you, Grand Priest,” Er Gouzi uttered with respect.

“The examination proceeds,” the Grand Priest announced plainly, going on to oversee the ritual of testing.

With Er Gouzi as a model, the servant boys who came after displayed eager faces, convinced that if Er Gouzi could climb from the bottom, they wouldn't lag behind him.

Yet, harsh truth struck many of them quickly. Out of over a hundred servant boys, just one third triggered the sacred orb to illuminate, which paled utterly against the Famous Sword Holy Land pupils, where over half ignited the orb.

Witnessing this outcome, the Grand Priest felt content too. At least, the Famous Sword Holy Land's boys hadn't shamed this elder.

After a full day, the Grand Priest at last wrapped up the trial. Among all the boys who arrived for the event, half activated the sacred orb, but under ten hit seven chi or higher, with most merely achieving one chi.

With a tone resounding like a mighty bell, the Grand Priest proclaimed, “The trial of today concludes here. Every boy who lit up the sacred orb must trail this elder up the peak to honor Sword God.”

“As you command,” the boys answered.

The boys trailed the Grand Priest to Sword Peak, as the others left guided by their clan heads or shamans.

As the Grand Priest guided the boys mountainward, darkness had already settled. Strangely though, the boys spotted Sword God right away in the gloom.

Catching sight of Sword God, the boys dropped to their knees on reflex and chanted together, “We honor Sword God.”

“Stand up,” Xiao Chen stated evenly.

“Gratitude, Sword God,” the boys responded while rising, not one bold enough to meet his eyes.

Xiao Chen declared, “You'll remain in these peaks tonight. At dawn tomorrow, I'll teach you cultivation arts myself.”

The boys answered with deference, “Thank you, Sword God.”

Noticing no further role for himself, the Grand Priest interjected. “Sword God, this elder will withdraw now.”

“Hmm,” Xiao Chen acknowledged coolly.

Just as the Grand Priest prepared to leave, his eyes glanced over Er Gouzi nearby. Remembering his daytime pledge to the boy, he bent in salute to Sword God again. “Sword God, with our shift from Wolf Fang Tribe to Famous Sword Holy Land, I beseech Sword God to grant us a family name.”

Xiao Chen hadn't foreseen this appeal, but thinking it over, it made sense. This realm was extremely basic, after all, and countless folks went nameless.

“Approved.”

After a short reflection, he rose steadily, drew his prized blade from the storage ring, and announced, “As I've dubbed this spot the Famous Sword Holy Land, henceforth, your family name will be Sword.”

With those words spoken, Xiao Chen slashed the prized blade he held, etching a huge Sword symbol onto the enormous sword.

That Sword symbol radiated brilliant brilliance amid the night's shadows. Suddenly, the Famous Sword Holy Land's humans stepped from their homes, staring at the shining symbol on the summit with emotions too deep for words.

At that instant, Xiao Chen perceived, from hidden realms, a hint of Sword Dao's authentic essence. That Sword Dao essence kept strengthening, as though eager to fuse with him, but he held off on absorbing this grand Dao essence, letting it mature in silence instead.

“Thank you, Sword God,” the Grand Priest expressed while eyeing the enormous Sword symbol, sensing his stalled cultivation poised for advancement.

Xiao Chen stayed silent, simply shutting his eyes and settling into meditation on the spot. At that, the Grand Priest left swiftly.

Throughout the Famous Sword Holy Land, the humans erupted in cheers, having earned a divine name from a real deity. This topped their old Wolf Fang Tribe label, since the Wolf God had never gifted them names.

The observing clans viewed the display with varied feelings. Denying envy would be a lie, but jealousy they couldn't muster, merely wondering why Sword God hadn't graced their own groups.

This night slipped by in the Famous Sword Holy Land's jubilation.

At first light the following morning, as the sun ascended, every boy on Sword Peak lined up before Xiao Chen in yesterday's sequence.

“We honor Sword God.”

“Rise.”

Xiao Chen had wrapped up his practice. He gradually parted his eyelids and announced, “Starting now, I'll pass on cultivation arts to you all. These arts split into foundational sword skills and qi training methods. Mastering the sword skills and clearing the trial in half a year lets you become my outer disciples.

Awakening a special body in three years allows you to turn into my direct disciples. Should anyone show no advancement in three years or fail the outer disciple trial, return to your original clans. Clear?”

“Understood!” the boys chorused.

With that, Xiao Chen lightly jabbed toward the heavens. A light beam soared and morphed into myriad light droplets raining down on the group, slipping into their mind seas, as his words resounded in every boy's ears.

“All of you, sit in meditation near me now, steady your thoughts, and grasp the cultivation arts and sword skills in your mind seas. In three days, commit them all to memory.”

“As commanded.”

After replying, the boys copied Sword God, folding into meditation and quieting their spirits. Soon, rows of words and diagrams surfaced in their thoughts.