Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 90 - 89 Rewards Part 1

Chapter 90: Chapter 89 Rewards Part 1

Eight days later...

On the banks of Ming Shui River near Tingjian Valley.

The river was as placid as a mirror, reflecting the flawless blue of the sky above.

In the middle of the river, there was a circular stone platform reminiscent of a chessboard, where dozens of yellow-robed disciples, each holding a sword in one hand, stood in orderly rows, gazing across the river at a flat ledge halfway up the opposite slope.

There, jutting out like a tongue, was a grey stone cliff where three white-haired old men were seated, their hair and beards fluttering slightly in the breeze. Around them, several young boys stood in attendance.

The elders were all cultivating with their eyes closed, their white robes and beards gently swaying with the wind. The verdant pines and green mountains framed them, and a faint mist of white Qi lingered before them, giving them an ethereal air, as if they were not of this mortal world.

"Elder, all the disciples with qualifying bone shards have arrived. Please give us your instructions!"

At that moment, on the circular stone platform in the middle of the river, He Tianhe moved forward one step and called out in a loud voice.

His voice buzzed across space, clear and undiminished despite the dozens of meters it traveled.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, three figures leaped into the air from the opposite bank, somersaulting over the expanse in the blink of an eye, and lightly landed on the river’s surface in front of the stone platform.

Their toes tapped on the mirror-like surface of the water as if they were stepping on solid ground.

These three people were two men and a woman. The woman stepped forward, raising a scroll of silver-white silk in her hand.

"Now, I will announce the ranking results and the related rewards of this trial!"

Her voice was clear and resonant, reaching all those around so that no one could fail to hear.

Lin Xin was standing among the crowd of disciples, peering through a gap, and recognized that the woman was You Xuan, a friend of Elder Ji Lu. The beauty mark at the corner of her mouth was unmistakable.

"How are your injuries? Why didn’t you rest more?" To his right stood Kong Yuhui and Cheng Ruofei. Kong Yuhui gently touched his hand and asked.

Cheng Ruofei, too, looked over with a mix of concern.

The two stood side by side, their gaze fixed forward, yet their eyes intermittently drifted in his direction.

"My recovery is almost complete. Elder Qi Huang is very skilled in healing. My injury was mainly poison; the damage to my Qi-Blood was a minor issue," Lin Xin answered with a low smile.

While the voice at the front continued to recite the trial’s regulations, he found himself somewhat inattentive, taking a deep breath and feeling the pure air that seemed to clear his lungs, cool and refreshing.

"I heard that this time you were able to get out thanks to a young girl who has only reached the first layer of Postnatal. Is that so?" Kong Yuhui asked curiously.

"If only you hadn’t failed to meet up with me in time, I wouldn’t have ended up in that situation," Lin Xin replied with a glance.

"So it’s true then?" Kong Yuhui looked at Cheng Ruofei. "Where is that young girl now?"

"She’s still recovering, in the Elixir Hall under the care of Qi Huang. Xiao Lingling’s injury must be quite serious if she hasn’t come out yet. After all, it’s been over five days since we returned to the Sect, but she’s still healing," Lin Xin said, his brow furrowing with worry.

Kong Yuhui noted this and shook his head slightly at Cheng Ruofei, who seemed a bit downcast.

The two spoke no further, focusing their attention as You Xuan finished reciting the rules and began reading the names and rankings.

"First place: He Tianhe! One gold bone shard, twelve silver bone shards, fifty-six blood bone shards."

"Second place: Wu Lianda! Eight silver bone shards, ninety-nine blood bone shards."

"Third place: Gong Shouxin! Five silver bone shards, ninety-one blood bone shards."

......

The names and rankings echoed one after another.

Soon it was Lin Xin’s turn.

"Fifty-first place, Lin Xin, thirty-six blood bone shards."

"Fifty-second place, Xiao Lingling, thirty-six blood bone shards."

Lin Xin’s expression remained unchanged, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Fifty-first place, with his current level of cultivation, was not a disgrace to the Sect. It was a respectable ranking among the top hundred Innate disciples.

It took a while longer for the remaining names, with Kong Yuhui at twenty-one shards and Cheng Ruofei at twenty.

Only after the last name was called did You Xuan continue to unfurl the silk scroll.

"Now for the prize announcements for each range of rankings."

"First place, a pot of Hundred Flowers Moon Brew."

"Second place, a pair of Zhu Lian Dual Swords, ten Spirit Gathering Pills."

"Third place....."

......

"Fifty-first to fifty-fifth place, one Spirit Gathering Pill, three Qi Transforming Elixirs, ten thousand Jade Money."

Upon hearing his reward, Lin Xin’s tension eased.

He had taken Qi Transforming Elixirs before and found them fairly effective. He’d only heard about Spirit Gathering Pills from the yellow-robed disciples. They were akin to Yin Blood, a treasure pill with strong effects for Innate disciples, and beneficial for improving cultivation.

"Spirit Gathering Pill, huh... tsk tsk." Kong Yuhui beside him exclaimed, "Lin Xin, how about you sell it to me?"

"What do you have to trade?" Lin Xin glanced at him. "I’m not lacking Jade Money, and what I need are elixirs."

"Err..." Kong Yuhui knew that Lin Xin’s aptitude was not as good as rumored, and it was only through precious items like Yin Blood or fruits like the Human Face Fruit that he had barely managed to break through to Innate. He and Lin Xin were among the few friends who knew each other’s secrets.

Initially, when it came to the Yin Blood matter, he had swindled an Innate member of the Golden Jade Sect, and he was also suspected of premeditated murder of his own Sect disciples, turning them into Yin Blood. Just like Lin Xin, once this was uncovered, he too would have to face severe punishment.

Therefore, only with Lin Xin, Cheng Ruofei, and others, could he be so unrestrained.

Soon, the distribution of rewards began, with a row of beautiful young girls and boys holding jade trays, distributing rewards to each disciple in turn.

Xiao Lingling’s portion would be sent directly to her infirmary.

After the rewards, You Xuan packed up the cloth, and another young man took out a roll of black cloth.

"The reward announcements are finished. Now, I will announce the punishment list."

"Disciple to be punished: Dong Wenfeng!"

As these words were spoken, there was first silence, then a buzzing unrest emerged among the crowd of disciples. Many eyes turned towards a young disciple standing on the far left of the lineup.

The young male disciple clenched his fists tightly, his head lowered, his expression unseen, but his body slightly trembling.

"Dong Wenfeng, Innate Fifth Layer. Currently twenty-six years old, entered the Sect at twenty-two, and during this trial, was witnessed by several people as he ambushed and killed Lu Xiaoheng, Cheng Xin, Duan Ming, and three others in succession. He stole bone fragments from their bodies and destroyed the corpses, the circumstances are extremely severe."

With the announcement spreading, the young disciple’s body trembled even more. It looked like he was holding something back, about to burst.

"How is that possible? A Fifth Layer ambushing two Sixth Layers and an Eighth Layer? If you’re going to frame someone, at least make it believable."

"It’s true! I saw with my own eyes Dong Wenfeng use a small black bead to sap away a senior brother’s flesh body, the scene was simply horrifying! Luckily, I hid in a corner and went unnoticed, otherwise, I’d be dead too!"

"A black bead? Could it be the Demon Blood Bead that’s been the subject of much rumor lately?!"

"Definitely! With such cruel effects, what other treasure but the Demon Blood Bead could do that?"

Whispers spread from one to another, Lin Xin and Kong Yuhui, also looked towards the center of those discussions, the trembling young disciple.

"A Fifth Layer killing two Sixth Layers and an Eighth Layer, tsk tsk..." Kong Yuhui exclaimed in admiration. "Impressive, truly impressive."

Lin Xin also felt unease in his heart; he had almost exhausted all his cards just to kill Song Jing, who was only at the Seventh Layer. Not to mention his magic artifacts and other things, these Innate experts, each one with plenty of experience and numerous aces up their sleeves, were not easy adversaries.

If it hadn’t been a surprise attack, it would have probably been difficult for him too.

But this Dong Wenfeng somehow managed to kill three in one go. Just what was the Demon Blood Bead? It was terrifying.

At that time, one of the three elders seated at a high place on the cliff slowly began to speak.

"The Demon Blood Bead, sapping people’s essential blood to supplement one’s own cultivation, harmful to others and oneself, brutal and bloody, is a magic artifact that the Demon Blood Taoist Master sacrificed eighty years to refine. Not long ago, the Demon Blood Taoist Master passed away, and the treasure was stolen. I did not expect it to end up in our Sect."

"Elder is wise. To possess such a harmful Demon Path artifact is tantamount to betraying the Sect and descending willingly into evil. According to Sect rules, one should be bound on Luo Ying Cliff, to endure the mountain eagles carving one’s flesh..."

"Enough!!"

Just then, an explosive shout erupted, as the young disciple who had been repressing himself suddenly burst out with a surge of black energy.

The black energy enveloped him, turning into a mass of black clouds that flew off into the distance.

"He can actually break through the Formation himself and thinks of escaping?" The elder who had spoken pointed a finger, and a small green sword flew out swiftly from his hand. Tracing a green line mid-air, it fiercely struck the black cloud.

Pu.

Upon contact, the green sword and the black cloud clashed fiercely. For a moment, it seemed they could not overcome each other.

The elder was taken aback, let out a soft "hmm" and pinched a Decree with his hand.

Suddenly, the small green sword flickered with a green light, the Sword Qi on the blade swelled, and with a hiss, it pierced through the black cloud.

Argh!

A scream came from the clouds, unnatural as if not from a human. It shot towards the distance at high speed.

The other two elders could no longer sit still. They flicked their sleeves, releasing their own silver Flying Swords which quickly grew larger. The two stepped onto them directly, and with two swooshing sounds, the Foundation Establishment Stage Elders personally gave chase.

The elder who had just acted called back the small green sword and glanced at the blade, seemingly noticing something amiss; his face turned somewhat unsightly.

"Dismissed!" he bellowed, turning to leave.

The three Qi Cultivation disciples on the water below looked at each other, hurriedly agreeing and instructing the Tingjian Valley disciples to disperse.

"That’s amazing!" Cheng Ruofei couldn’t hide the shock on her face. "That Innate Fifth Layer actually resisted an attack from a Foundation Establishment Elder!"

"That’s the power of a magic artifact..." Having chatted with Huang Shan and others for so long, Lin Xin had also gained some insights.

"The Elder’s Flying Sword is not as powerful in material and might as the Demon Blood Bead, and when forcibly contested, the heart and blood-refined Flying Sword was damaged, which led to his indignant departure," Lin Xin analyzed in a low voice.

"What really is the difference between our Sect’s Sword Cultivation Flying Swords and those magic artifacts refined by other Sects? It’s merely a change in form," Kong Yuhui shook his head. "Talking about how amazing the Demon Blood Bead is, it’s more appropriate to say that the Demon Blood Taoist who refined it is remarkable."

The three of them gathered and slowly followed the dispersing crowd. Some loners had already left quickly, others, just like them, were leaving in pairs or small groups, discussing the recent events with friends.

"Lin Junior Brother!" Just as Lin Xin started to walk back with Kong Yuhui, he heard someone calling him from behind.

Turning, he saw it was Huang Shan.

"Huang Senior Brother."

Lin Xin showed a hint of a smile, about to introduce Huang Shan to Kong Yuhui, but Huang Shan seemed as if he did not even see Kong Yuhui, completely ignoring him and Cheng Ruofei.

Recognizing the situation, Kong Yuhui tactfully took his leave with a bow of his hand.

Lin Xin’s heart started to vaguely understand the so-called levels and strata, and the kind of effect they truly had here.

"Lin Junior Brother, how are your injuries? They better not affect your Formation talent," he truly valued Lin Xin for his Formation talents. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)