Chapter 249 - Death and Glory by the Blade

"Zhaoyu, believe in yourself!" Bai Qingxue cheered on from below.

For the Sword Baptism Ceremony, one needed more than just skill; one needed heart.

"Yes..." Zhaoyu glanced at her companions, Bai Wuque and herself, feeling a tad more relaxed. Her Sword Soul was of a high grade, her cultivation realm no joke, but as for the talent in Sword Intent, that was a whole different kettle of fish. So, it was all up to fate now!

She took a deep breath and summoned an orange Sword Soul, lifting it high above her head. At that moment, her delicate frame was completely bathed in the colorful divine radiance of the Eternal Sword.

This was the Sword Baptism Ceremony!

And then, as the divine brilliance of the Eternal Sword descended, it collided with her orange Sword Soul. It was like an ant crashing into an army!

Sword Soul and Sword Intent, in that instant, fused as one. The task of the one undergoing the ritual was to leverage the intent of a million swords with their own. To awaken the resonating hum of the Eternal Sword with a talent for world-altering insight.

"She's a descendant of two Sword Judges; she should get at least two or three resonances to enter the Sword Ruins!" whispered many in the crowd.

In the Eternal Sword Prison, even the offspring of the Sword Warden had to undergo this ritual. Without it, even if one trained in the Sword Ruins, they'd lack official status! It was a kind of fairness in the way of the sword.

"Ah!" Just as people began to murmur, the girl on the altar let out a painful scream and collapsed to the ground, her Sword Soul retracting into her body.

The Eternal Sword, meanwhile, ascended into the sky, its brilliance illuminating the heavens and the earth, but pointedly not shining upon the fallen girl.

"Zhaoyu!" Bai Wuque's face changed at this sight.

"That poor child..." Bai Qingxue bit her red lip, sighing. "From now on, you should keep your distance from her."

This scene meant one thing. Zhao Yu's talent for Sword Intent was abysmal—not even a single resonance from the Eternal Sword. It was a judgment of fate. Despite being a descendant of a Sword Judge, she couldn't even become a disciple in the Sword Ruins!

The buzz of whispers from hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators filled the air.

"What a waste, right?"

"She's brought shame to her parents."

"Her life is ruined now."

"That girl... she's always been so arrogant because of her Sword Judge parents. Now she can't even become the lowliest of disciples in the Sword Ruins. That's karma, I tell ya!" Many young cultivators secretly reveled in the downfall of someone born so high, now humbled. The Eternal Sword was a harsh reality check.

BOOM!

Zhaoyu felt as if she'd been struck by lightning. Her mind went blank, and she stood there, stupefied, gazing at the multitude of faces showing schadenfreude, disdain, and mockery.

"Senior Brother Bai..." Zhaoyu called out. Like a wooden puppet, she turned her head, searching the crowd for the man she admired. He had been kind to her, sweet-talking her into surrendering her chastity, a secret she dared not tell her parents. But at this heart-shattering moment, Bai Wuque turned his back, pretending not to know her.

"Ah... The world is so cruel..." Zhaoyu muttered, the ray of light in her life snuffed out in an instant. Trembling, she clutched her Sword Soul, tears streaming down her face.

STAB!

She plunged the sword into her heart, collapsing backward onto the altar, blood splattering everywhere. The last thing she saw was the brilliant Eternal Sword hanging in the sky, its radiance blessing miles of land and endless Sword Cultivators, but not her.

Hundreds of thousands watched her end with cold indifference.

"Remove the corpse. Next," came a calm announcement from inside the Sword Ruins.

A figure in black ascended the altar, grabbed Zhaoyu's feet, and dragged her away, leaving a trail of blood. No one bothered to clean the bloodstains. A closer look revealed the altar was already coated with layers of dried blood.

For thousands of years, countless had died here. They didn't clean it now because more were expected to end their lives here, bidding farewell to the world. Sometimes, the pressure in cultivation didn't just come from oneself, but also from family and loved ones...

A single Sword Baptism Ceremony determined the highs and lows of a lifetime. Such a brutal judgment was too much for many to bear. It wasn't about fragility. It was purely psychological!

It was quite tragic. For the poor, there was no great fall from grace, as they never soared high in the first place. But the rich, tumbling from their lofty heights, often chose death as an escape.

Zhaoyu's death was met with indifference by all. But with it came an even greater tension! The hearts of every young Sword Cultivator raced with fear. Who could be sure they wouldn't be the next one lying on the ground, dragged away?

"Mother..." Bai Wuque clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot.

"It's okay," Bai Qingxue soothed, gently holding his arm. "Believe in yourself!"

"Yes!" Bai Wuque nodded.

"Forget her."

"Yes!" Bai Wuque closed his eyes slowly, and when he reopened them, they burned with determination.

One after another, young Sword Cultivators stepped forward. Some walked away, others took their own lives. Some triggered the resonating hum of the Eternal Sword, overwhelmed with joy, kneeling on the ground, tears and snot flowing freely.

Life forked paths here, some filled with joy, others with sorrow. And behind them, their families and clans either rose to glory or fell into decline, all because of this divergence.

This was the Eternal Sword Prison!

A cold world belonging to the way of the sword!

A world forged by the sword, created by those obsessed with it!

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In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands had undergone the Sword Baptism Ceremony.

So far, ninety percent of the young Sword Cultivators had been eliminated, forever barred from setting foot in the Sword Ruins.

The remaining ten percent, mostly with less than four resonances of the Eternal Sword, became disciples of either the Yellow, Black, Earth, or Heaven level—potentially rising to become future Sword Judges, the backbone of the Sword Ruin's combat force.

Out of ten thousand, those who could evoke five resonances of the sword, becoming True Disciples of the 999 Peak Masters, were incredibly rare.

Only eighteen had achieved this so far! As soon as they triggered five resonances, they were whisked away to the Sword Ruins, directly initiated into the fold.

True Disciples, these were the future elites of the Eternal Sword Prison, destined to be the upper echelons of the Sword Ruins. As for six hums? That was still unseen.

"Bai Wuque!" When the spotlight hit the young man in white, it signaled his turn.

Countless scrutinizing eyes were upon him.

"He's the grandson of Bai Xiaofeng, one of the Peak Masters of the Sword Ruins!"

Among all the participants, this was an exceptionally high status.

"Wuque, may you soar to the heavens," Bai Qingxue said, praying for the success of her son.

"Yes!" Bai Wuque, teeth clenched, took a few steps and mounted the blood-stained altar. Better a short pain than a long one! He closed his eyes and offered his Sword Soul to the heavens.

"Ancestors, please inspect!" Under the watchful eyes of the multitude, the Eternal Sword descended, mingling with his Sword Soul in a dance of light!

DONG!

The first tremble of the Eternal Sword sounded a cold resonance. Hearing this first hum, Bai Wuque's heart relaxed slightly; it meant he wouldn't die!

DONG DONG DONG DONG!

Four more resonances followed in quick succession. Bai Wuque's eyes snapped open, red with intensity. Five resonances in total—he was destined to be a True Disciple. Among his clan, this was the highest of talents!

Below, Bai Qingxue covered her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes. Her son had survived this ordeal! The Sword Baptism Ceremony, in many eyes, was a trial of life and death!

"Is it over?" Bai Wuque wondered, a wild thought blossoming in his heart. Just then, amidst the sea of contenders, a momentous event unfolded!

DONG!

For the first time after ten thousand participants, the Eternal Sword erupted with six resonances.

"Six resonances of the sword, opening the path to the supreme!" chorused the hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators, their eyes shimmering with awe and envy.

"I'm a Supreme Disciple?" Bai Wuque was momentarily stunned, then delirious with joy. Following this, the Eternal Sword ascended, marking the end of the Sword Baptism Ceremony.

"Mother!" Bai Wuque rushed down from the altar, embracing the woman who looked more like his big sister.

"Wuque, well done! Well done!" Bai Qingxue cried tears of joy, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Mother, what does this mean?" Bai Wuque asked excitedly.

"It means you'll surpass your grandfather! It means you'll lead our Bai Family to a new echelon. One day, you could become a Supreme Adjudicator of the Sword Ruins!" Bai Qingxue said, her voice trembling with emotion.

It was a true triumph! Inside and outside the Sword Ruins, countless eyes watched them with envy.

BOOM!

From the direction of the Sword Ruins, a sword light shot forth. A middle-aged man in a violet robe and luxurious attire appeared before them. Eyebrows sharp as swords and hair black as ink, he radiated an overwhelming sword aura. He was the most powerful person Yun Xiao had ever seen, even more intimidating than Old Bai.