**Chapter 117: Sword Sweeping the Heavenly Spirits**
Before the hall, fourteen scholars remained silent. No one withdrew.
The boy smiled and said: "Since no one is withdrawing, this test can begin. Master."
Daoist Lingyun emerged from the hall, his gaze sweeping over Qin Mu and the others. He smiled: "The previous tests examined your fundamentals, ingenuity, and heart-mind. This test examines your strength. Though you are scholars, arriving here is already extraordinary. Each of you possesses remarkable strength. As the master of Pure Yang Hall, I will personally test you."
The scholars exchanged glances. One muttered: "That's not fair..."
Daoist Lingyun's eyes flashed as he chuckled: "Naturally it's not fair. You come from primary and secondary schools and cannot compare to the Imperial Academy. But I am the Imperial Preceptor of the Academy, having studied all the Academy's scriptures. Even at the same realm, I surpass you immensely. So for this test, you only need to withstand three moves from me. If you survive three moves, you pass."
He smiled gently: "I will seal my cultivation, retaining only the Five Stars realm. You can rest assured."
Hearing this, the scholars relaxed. As long as they were competing at the same realm, they feared no one.
After all, in their respective schools, they were all exceptional warriors and martial masters. They had confidence!
Daoist Lingyun also smiled, relieved. Though it was the same realm and only three moves, there was considerable room for manipulation. Within three moves, he could easily hold back without being noticed, or eliminate other scholars in three moves!
After all, he was the Imperial Preceptor of the Academy. Even at the same realm, he might not claim invincibility, but he was still one of the few strongest under heaven!
"Ding Shan, you first."
Daoist Lingyun sealed his cultivation and said solemnly: "Boy, bring the wooden swords."
The boy brought two wooden sword cases and set them upright on the ground.
Daoist Lingyun pointed with one finger, sending a qi thread as fine as hair to unroll a wooden sword from one case: "This sword case contains thirty-six swords, perfect for the Heavenly Spirit Sword Art. You may carry the case on your back for convenience. As for me, a single sword suffices."
Ding Shan stepped forward, slung the sword case on his back, and bowed to Daoist Lingyun. With a shout, he activated the Heavenly Spirit Sword Art, and wooden swords flew from the case.
The Heavenly Spirit Sword Art was required learning for scholars everywhere. Qin Mu had seen it on the towered boat heading to the capital. The first time, he'd been shocked, marveling that Yankang's warriors were all so impressive—even an ordinary warrior could execute such refined swordsmanship.
But after seeing nearly all scholars practicing the same art, he'd realized he could take on ten of them with one hand.
Ding Shan executed the Heavenly Spirit Sword Art, thirty-six wooden swords dancing in the air with considerable power. But the moment he began, Qin Mu knew he couldn't withstand even one of Daoist Lingyun's moves, let alone three!
Swish—
Daoist Lingyun drove the sword with qi, thrusting once. The wooden sword was incredibly cunning, flashing like lightning through the thirty-six swords to pierce Ding Shan's chest. The youth was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground with a thud, unable to rise for some time.
"Your cultivation is not weak." Daoist Lingyun nodded with a smile.
The other scholars felt solemn. Daoist Lingyun's swordsmanship had reached the state of transformation—the so-called divine transformation meant reaching a realm unto itself, forming its own world.
At this level, one was no longer bound by sword techniques. Any casual movement became a technique.
More terrifying still, though Daoist Lingyun had sealed his other divine treasuries, retaining only the Spirit Embryo and Five Stars treasuries, his cultivation was still immensely profound—far exceeding Ding Shan's!
This was too frightening. Could anyone truly withstand his three moves?
Daoist Lingyun's eyes flickered: "Ding Shan, leave the sword case. You may descend the mountain. Next scholar—Qin Yu."
"Qin Yu?"
Qin Mu was stunned, looking at the youth who stepped forward. The young man was handsome and refined, with an air of quiet dignity. His face gave Qin Mu a familiar feeling.
"He looks somewhat like Qin Feiyue, the young general," Qin Mu thought.
Qin Yu stepped forward, shouldered the sword case, and bowed.
Daoist Lingyun smiled: "Though you are from the Qin family, and the Qin family holds great power in court and society, I will not hold back in this examination. Use your strongest techniques, or you'll share Ding Shan's fate."
Qin Yu agreed, drew a wooden sword from behind, and held it in his hand while thirty-five more swords flew out. Instead of forming the Heavenly Spirit Sword Formation, each sword moved like a swimming dragon—extremely agile. But this swordsmanship was different from what primary and secondary schools taught.
Even Daoist Lingyun had never seen such technique. Each wooden sword seemed like a swimming dragon, and together they formed a great dragon, combining the power of thirty-five swords into something extraordinary!
Qin Yu shouted, his qi erupting. His White Tiger qi suddenly blazed with incredible intensity, seeping into the wooden swords until they turned gold—like golden swords!
Now these thirty-six wooden swords were stronger than metal, attacking Daoist Lingyun under his control!
Daoist Lingyun praised him: "This is not the Qin family's swordsmanship. He must have had a fortuitous encounter, comprehending dragon-form swordsmanship. Even without the Qin family's letter asking me to look after him, he qualifies to become an Imperial Scholar."
Qin Yu walked the path of both martial combat and supernatural arts. His swordsmanship was like swimming dragons—extremely sharp and formidable. The thirty-five wooden swords danced like thirty-five small dragons, occasionally merging in pairs or threes, forming larger dragons with multiplied power.
The sword in his hand was even more fierce—like an extension of his arm, striking wherever he pointed with extraordinary cunning. He employed a formidable combat technique.
Nearby, Qin Mu's heart skipped: "This Qin Yu has seen a true dragon! Of course—Qin Feiyue pulled the Dragon King of the Yong River's son from the Great Ruins, that young dragon sealed in mystic ice, and returned to Yankang! This Qin Yu's swordsmanship must have been comprehended from that young dragon. Has the dragonling been revived?"
Besides the young dragon with the pierced heart, the mystic ice also contained Guardian of the Hereditary Prince Gu Linuan.
Qin Mu couldn't help but feel uneasy. If the young dragon had been rescued, Gu Linuan would naturally be rescued too.
As a first-rank official, Gu Linuan's strength was extraordinary. Qin Mu had tricked him out of his Shao Bao Sword, and the Cripple had even stolen the scabbard. If Gu Linuan recognized him, he certainly wouldn't let it go.
He hadn't brought the Shao Bao Sword to this examination. That precious blade remained at the Listening Rain Pavilion under Fu Qingyun's watch. After all, the Shao Bao Sword was a first-rank official's blade—it had been missing for decades, but someone would surely recognize it.
"I wonder if Gu Linuan is still Guardian of the Hereditary Prince. Regardless, he's not someone I can contend with. I should find the Ancestor first!"
Qin Yu's battle with Daoist Lingyun was spectacular, though only three moves. Within those moves, the two exchanged attacks and defenses multiple times.
After three moves, Daoist Lingyun sheathed his sword and smiled: "You pass."
Qin Mu frowned slightly. Daoist Lingyun and Qin Yu had exchanged blows, appearing equally matched. But it gave Qin Mu an odd feeling—as if Daoist Lingyun hadn't used his full strength.
Qin Yu's technique was indeed exquisite, but his cultivation wasn't much higher than Ding Shan's. Daoist Lingyun could have suppressed Qin Yu with his profound cultivation, but instead matched sword against sword—using his weakness against the other's strength?
Qin Mu's cultivation was strong, and the Blind One had taught him the Nine-Layer Heaven Eye Art. Though he'd only mastered the first layer, his perception was astonishing. He could see through this.
"There's something fishy here..."
"Next, Qin Mu." Daoist Lingyun smiled.
Qin Mu stepped forward to pick up the sword case, but Daoist Lingyun asked: "Your surname is also Qin?"
Qin Mu looked up and nodded: "My surname is Qin."
Daoist Lingyun smiled: "Unfortunately, not the Qin family's Qin."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, not reaching for the sword case. He smiled sheepishly: "Teacher, I'm rather slow and prefer having more. Could I have both sword cases?"
Daoist Lingyun didn't mind: "Take them. One sword is enough for me."
Qin Mu dragged the other case over and set it at his feet. His qi erupted—an arm-thick qi thread penetrated one case, and a wooden sword flew out.
Daoist Lingyun laughed: "How did you practice that? Didn't your teacher teach you to refine qi into threads?"
Qin Mu bowed apologetically, smiling foolishly: "I never learned. Please, Teacher."
Daoist Lingyun crossed his hands behind his back, a barely perceptible qi thread guiding a wooden sword around him. He smiled: "You may begin."
Qin Mu's right hand formed the Sword-Hand Seal, his qi erupting violently. He stepped forward, thrusting the seal ahead and flicking it upward!
Swish—
The scholars' eardrums nearly burst from the wooden sword's whistle as it broke through the air. Daoist Lingyun's heart lurched. He hurriedly moved to block but hit empty air. Then Qin Mu's wooden sword lifted him, sending him flying into the air!
The Upward Flick!
Qin Mu's expression remained blank. His sword finger thrust forward. Before Daoist Lingyun could react in midair, the wooden sword pierced his chest, sending him crashing backward into the hall's entrance and vanishing from sight.
At the same time, Qin Mu stomped his foot. The two sword cases jumped three feet off the ground, their clasps popping open. Wooden swords shot out like lightning, linked end-to-end, piercing into the hall.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud—
A continuous sound of wooden swords striking wood echoed from within. In the blink of an eye, both cases were empty. Seventy-one wooden swords formed a line—the front sword pierced Daoist Lingyun's chest, and as its force spent itself, the next sword drove through, breaking through the previous one to continue piercing his chest. One after another, relentless, leaving no room to breathe!