The Sword Dynasty

Ding Ning asked in response, “You know of White Goat Cave’s spirit vein?”

Nangong Caishu nodded with even more puzzlement.

Ding Ning said, “Yesterday, the cave master allowed me to use the spirit vein to cultivate, but overnight, the situation changed. The principal of your Green Vine Sword School, Di Qingmei, has allowed us White Goat Cave students attend your sword trial festival. The top three of the sword trial festival will be allowed to use the three spirit veins to cultivate as a reward.”

Nangong Caishu’s expression suddenly turned slightly ugly.

She was a young woman with a sense of justice. So while she was a Green Vine Sword School student, she felt some sympathy for White Goat Cave’s situation.

In her view, going into White Goat Cave’s library cave to study was not very important since in the future, White Goat Cave’s students could enter Green Vine Sword School’s library hall to study. Yet the most valuable part of White Goat Cave was the spirit vein. Now, Green Vine Sword School was going to use the spirit vein of White Goat Cave as a reward while the Green Vine Sword School would not take out its most valuable item, the Green Vine Wood Sword, as a reward. The reward of the Green Vine Sword School’s sword trial festival was the green suet jade instead. The green suet jade was valuable, but not the same level as White Goat Cave’s spirit vein.

This was a clever move to steal.

“The sword trial festival is originally our Green Vine Sword School ...” She bowed her head with an ugly expression. She started to explain what the sword trial festival was and then she suddenly realized what Ding Ning’s words meant. She immediately raised her head and looked in shock at Ding Ning. “You want to attend the sword trial festival and then win?”

Ding Ning looked at her shocked eyes and said calmly, “I have this idea. Looking at your expression, this sword trial festival is very difficult?”

“Very difficult.” Because she was sure Ding Ning was a freakish genius, Nangong Caishu’s shock started to fade. She frowned, thinking about the probability as she explained softly, “Because the original reward of the Green Vine Sword School is the green suet jade.”

Ding Ning stilled. “Green suet jade?”

Nangong Caishu nodded and said, “I do not know if you heard but the green suet jade is a resin made from the green vine sap unique to the Green Vine Sword School. The Green Vine Sword School discovered this resin during its founding, and also found some unique uses for the resin ... this kind of resin has great effect when used by cultivators to reach realm four Energy Fusing from realm three Vital Energy. It can let our vital energy contain more primal energies of the universe.”

Ding Ning suddenly had a slightly disdainful expression. He could not help but whisper, “I had not expected the reward of the Green Vine Sword School’s sword trial festival would be the green suet jade.”

He knew the use of the green suet jade well.

In reality, this kind of resin was not unique to Green Vine Sword School like Nangong Caishu said. At the very least, he knew that two sects of the pasts Wei Dynasty and a sect in the present Chu Dynasty possessed treasures like this.

Also, he knew that this resin had good effects when attempting to reach realm four like a natural pill medicine to increase vital energy. This jade resin also could let a cultivator take some better lifebond items when they reached Lifesource Realm. Some might even be able to obtain some lifebond items they could not due to a treasure like this.

He was not an ordinary cultivator so the green suet jade had more meaning to him.

This sword trial festival ... he had even more reason to win.

“Originally, treasures like this are rare. By now, the Green Vine Sword School has even less green suet jade in our stores so in the view of Green Vine Sword School, a treasure like this must be given to the most accomplished disciples.” Nangong Caishu did not know Ding Ning’s true thoughts. She looked at Ding Ning and said gravely, “The rule of the sword trial festival is that any disciples who have joined the sect within ten years can attend.”

Ding Ning did not speak and motioned for her to continue.

“This is a true test of strength. The trial is located in the sword valley behind Green Vine Sword School. That valley is long and narrow and covered in the Green Vine formations unique to our school. They are hard to pass, and the path is difficult to find. Some green vines will even attack of their own accord. All disciples that attend the trial will enter separately from behind the Green Vine Sword School. The green suet jade is located at the other end of the valley. The one to first pass through the entire sword valley and obtain the green suet jade is the victor,” Nangong Caishu said with great detail. “The rules prohibits more than two people from moving together. People must move on their own. If they encounter other people, they either fight or they both flee. However, there is a time limit of three days. Each day, there is an area that one must reach by midday, and then one must rest in that area for half a day. If they cannot reach the area, they are eliminated. Because people must stay in the area for half a day, historically, many battles have occurred.”

Ding Ning smirked, “This is human nature ... they are afraid accidents will occur if their opponents are left to the end so they will take care of them early on.”

“You should know the crux is that anyone who has joined the sect within ten years can participate. Some people are much stronger than others. They want to obtain victory through battle, and not who runs the fastest.” Nangong Caishu was in a heavy mood. “The formations in the sword festival valley changes the primal energies of the universe there so the cultivators above realm three who use up their vital energy cannot get replenished. They will have to fight with realm two cultivation. But the vital energy they have at the start allows them to defeat many people, and their understanding of swordsmanship and their battle experience is much greater than others.”

Ding Ning was slightly surprised. He looked seriously at Nangong Caishu and said, “So there are limits on cultivation?”

“One’s physical energy cannot touch the primal energies of the universe, and stops at the physical energy stage. But one will only be in a situation like this after using all the vital energy in their bodies.” Nangong Caishu hesitated and then looked at Ding Ning, saying, “Even Physical Energy Realm has a great strength difference compared to you. You are in Profound Understanding, and has opened your energy sea. But at most, it makes your body slightly healthier. You saw my fight against Li Lingjun’s retainer fight at Falling Parasol. You know that a sword containing physical energy can easily throw you into the air.”

“I still have time.”

Ding Ning smiled. Nangong Caishu’s words had added much to his confidence.

He looked at the clouds above the library cave and said softly, “While your principal Di Qingmei has taken the three spirit veins as rewards for the sword trial festival, at least before that, one of the veins belongs to me and I can use it to cultivate.”

Nangong Caishu once again sank into shock. Her voice trembled, “Surpassing realm one in a month, only the two monsters of Spirit Void Sword Sect and Min Mountain Sword Sect have done it.”

“You do not say that I cannot do it, then it means you feel I can.” Ding Ning smiled. His smile grew brighter. “As long as others have done it before, it means there is a chance.”

Nangong Caishu looked dazedly at him.

Many breaths later, she said sincerely and softly, “I hope you succeed. However, time is tight, you still need to pay attention to your sword manual. If you feel it necessary, you can find me to spar. I can give you some combat experience. Also, Su Qin of White Goat Cave is a powerful swordsman. It appears if he encounters you in the trial, he will not hold back. You must be careful of him. As to Green Vine Sword School, the one you have to be cautious of is He Zhaoxi.”

After a pause, Nangong Caishu looked at Di Qingmei and said, “He Zhaoxi’s father is an expert under the command of Minister Yan. He Zhaoxi entered the sect time as me, but he has already reached realm three. He did not join our sect because he was unable to join better ones, but because Principal Di Qingmei requested him to join Green Vine Sword School as his physique is very suited to the strongest method of Green Vine Sword School, the Thriving Withering Art.”

“Even our principal Di Qingmei doesn’t cultivate the Thriving Withering Art. In the last century, only a sect uncle of our principal has cultivated this art. His sect uncle is the only grandmaster of Green Vine Sword School in the last century to reach realm seven.” Nangong Caishu was still worried after saying all this and added, “Almost no one knows the characteristics of this art. I hear that this art is difficult to cultivate, and slower to advance than other method or else He Zhaoxi would have a higher cultivation.”

Ding Ning thought for a moment and felt that he learned much of what he wanted to know.

So he asked the question he wanted to know the most, “In the trial, are you allowed to kill?”

Nangong Caishu glanced at him and said, “This is what I am worried about the most... technically, it is not allowed, but people make mistakes. Also the sect uncles sometimes cannot stop others or rescue and help in time.”

Ding Ning grew silent.

He had to obtain the green suet jade but there were countless dangers involved.