There were some differences between the sword holder selection and the sect selection. The former was much stricter and was divided into two stages.
The first stage was for those who wanted to participate in the sword holder trial. The main purpose of this stage was to eliminate most of the disciples, and only a small number of people would be qualified for the final trial.
There were a total of 2,793 disciples from different sects. They were the most outstanding disciples from different sects in the Ying Huang Province in the past ten years.
Only the top ten would be qualified to participate in the second stage of the Sword Bearer Trial. This was because the Sword Bearer Trial itself was very special, like a pilgrimage, and all the Sword Bearers would be there to witness it. Therefore, the tradition of ancient times did not allow too many people to participate in the trial.
The sword holder trial was held once every ten years, and the best of the best would be selected. Three of them would be official representatives, and the other two would be quasi-representatives, and they would be given the title of sword holder.
The official position of sword holder would have to go to the Sword Holding Palace in the Feng Hai County to retake the trial. This was a secondary position, and without the certification of heaven and earth, the previous sword holder elders could choose based on the performance of the participants. Before these two stages, both the comprehension of the Battle Spirit Seal and the height of the Tai Chu pillar were very important, and would be bonus points for the second stage of the trial. At this moment, the sky was blue.
The clouds were thin, and the midday sun shone on the ground, illuminating the snowfield. The light from the sky and the snow on the ground intertwined at this moment. The world was cold, and the wind was blowing from the north.
The snowflakes were rolling up, and the people's clothes were fluttering. Beside the Tai Chu pillar, along with the sound of swords ringing out from the Sword Holding Palace, there were 2,793 disciples and independent cultivators from different sects in the Ying Huang Province.
Xu Qing and the team leader were among them. They stood together and looked at the sky. Xu Qing looked calm, while the team leader looked expectant. Xu Qing was not surprised, after all, the team leader had been preparing for the trial ever since he came to the Eight Sect Alliance. What he focused on was the Daoist from the Taisi Immortal School in the distance.
The team leader said in a low voice. Xu Qing glanced at the team leader.
The team leader nodded slightly. Did you feel it too?
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed and he was about to ask, but at this moment …
Two of them were old men and one middle-aged man. All three of them were dressed in official robes. After they appeared in midair, their auras were so majestic that it seemed as if the heavens and earth were shaking. The surroundings became incomparably silent. The two old men were not ordinary. Thousands of Dao marks flowed in their eyes, shaking the heavens. The cultivator in the middle was even more terrifying. Countless illusory figures appeared behind him.
One after another, they were connected to the sky. As far as his eyes could see, half of the sky seemed to be transformed from his body. Everyone below, as well as all the cultivators of Absolute Beginning Liyou City, were under this pressure.
Their hearts trembled, and their expressions were respectful. Then, a dignified voice exploded in the minds of these 2,793 people like heavenly thunder. "In the past, there were very few deaths in the selection of the cultivators' qualifications. However, this time, the selection of the cultivators from the Emperor State was different from the past. According to the decision of the Sword Court, the place to obtain the qualifications was changed to the Ghost Cave." The dignified voice echoed. Most of the people who heard it were shocked. Their expressions were blank. It was obvious that they had never heard of the Ghost Cave.
Only a few disciples and Dao Protectors of the various sects were moved. Xu Qing was also stunned. He instinctively looked at the team leader. The team leader's pupils constricted slightly. Noticing Xu Qing's gaze, he raised his hand and pointed to the ground. Xu Qing was deep in thought. After the dignified voice finished speaking, it waited for a while before continuing.
"Some of you may have heard of it.
However, most of you probably don't know what a Ghost Cave is.
Everyone below listened attentively.
After all, this was a matter of success or failure. Xu Qing's expression was solemn.
He was very serious. You should know the origin of the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar.
The Ghost Cave was under the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar!
Everyone's minds were in turmoil. Xu Qing also narrowed his eyes. "Under the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar, there is a deep pit that leads to an unknown place. It is filled with countless deviant ghosts. Listen carefully, it is not strange, but deviant ghosts.
When the middle-aged man in the sky said this, his gaze swept across the crowd. Then, he said again, "Strange is illusory, deviant ghosts are real.
The former is evil, while the latter is ferocious. "There are many Ghost Caves on the Ancient Gazing Continent. Any one of them is mysterious and full of danger. However, as long as you don't go too deep, the danger can still be controlled."
The Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar was actually suppressing this Ghost Cave, and it had been suppressing it for too many years.
Xu Qing lowered his head and looked at the part of the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar that had sunk into the ground in the distance. He recalled that the team leader had told the descendants to analyze the weapon that the Ghost Emperor had thrown down.
There was a purpose behind it. At this moment, it seemed that this purpose was to suppress the Ghost Cave. Why did the Ghost Emperor do this?
And what exactly was inside the Ghost Cave?
Why would the Ghost Emperor use the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar to suppress it?
Xu Qing didn't know the reason, but he felt that the Sword Court must have an answer.
The voice still reverberated with dignity. Because the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar at the bottom of the Ghost Cave was constantly corroded by the Ghost Cave's aura, it was inevitable that it would shatter.
"Especially in recent years, it has shattered even more, causing a large number of Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar fragments to fall into this Ghost Cave. Some fell to the bottom of the Ghost Cave, while others fell on the walls and corners of the Ghost Cave." In the past, the Sword Bearers would go down to collect them regularly and refine them into the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar.
"The time limit is three days. The top ten who obtain the most fragments will qualify for the second stage of the trial. Everyone's expression turned solemn. They understood that this was the rule of the qualification battle." In addition, this seat reminds you that there is a life and death crisis in the Ghost Cave, so this is your last chance to give up. Once you participate, although everyone will be given a special teleportation talisman to teleport away in the face of danger, it is not absolute. There is still a possibility that something will happen. "
Those who could participate in the selection of the Sword Bearers were not weak-willed people.
Naturally, no one would withdraw at this moment. There were even people who received the teleportation talisman and asked, "Sir, if the number is the same, how will we choose?
“
We will decide according to the ranking of the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar, "the middle-aged man in the official's uniform said calmly.
"Finally, I want to warn you that this Ghost Cave is not a place outside the law. It is also within the territory of the Sword Bearers Court.
However, killing each other is strictly prohibited. Now, the selection of the Sword Bearers' qualification trial.
Begin!
As the words echoed, the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar emitted a dazzling light. As it continued to spread, the pillar trembled violently. Then, it slowly shrank and slowly rose into the air, revealing the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar buried in the ground. Everyone's gaze fell on it.
They could clearly see that the bottom part of the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar was pitch-black.
It was very mottled and full of damage. The corrosion was extremely serious. Even the bottom part of the pillar was completely damaged.
The pillars were riddled with holes.
As the Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar rose, a ten-thousand-foot-deep pit appeared on the ground. Waves of incomparably evil black gas spread out from the pit. There were also waves of inhuman roars coming from the deep pit. Those roars were mournful and wailing, containing endless pain and madness, as if it was connected to the Yellow Springs of the Underworld. This scene caused everyone's expressions to change.
This caused the expressions of everyone present to change, and some of the originally resolute people were so intimidated that they began to waver.
What are you waiting for?! "
The middle-aged man's voice was louder than thunder, and all the disciples and independent cultivators around the pit gritted their teeth and rushed towards the pit. Qing Qiu was among them, and she was one of the first to enter. Daoist Taisi, the young man from the human race, and the other geniuses from the other sects also entered one after another. Xu Qing and the team leader moved as well. Soon, ninety percent of the cultivators here had chosen to enter, and the rest were still hesitating. Suddenly, an earth-shattering boom was heard, and the [Taichu Separation Pillar], which had risen in the sky, suddenly fell down.
The Absolute Beginning Liyou Pillar rose into the air and became ten thousand feet thick again. It pierced into the deep pit and blocked it again!
Instantly, the black gas dissipated and the mournful wailing disappeared. Everything returned to normal.
It was pitch black. The moment Xu Qing stepped in, he immediately moved closer to the edge of the pit. After touching the soil, he became vigilant.
He coldly looked around. This place was strange.
Even if he gathered his cultivation, he still couldn't see everything clearly.
The roars that he heard outside had all disappeared. There was no more mournful wailing. Except for the sound of breathing, there was silence.
The darkness in front of his eyes and the claustrophobia of his senses naturally formed a suppression.
The only thing that gave people a mysterious and frightening feeling was the cold aura coming from below. It had a fishy and rotten smell, like countless strands of hair floating across his skin.
His hair would stand on end until a moment passed.
Perhaps his eyes had adapted to the darkness, or perhaps his cultivation had resonated with this place. In Xu Qing's eyes, this place slowly became clear.
This was a huge and deep pit. Even though he could see the surroundings clearly, the bottom was still pitch black like an abyss. Some black plants grew on the walls.
On each leaf, there was a faintly discernible ghost face.
He smiled at the people who were leaning against the walls and observing. There were a total of 2,400 people, and now the surrounding walls were vigilant.
Only half of them were there. The remaining half seemed to have rushed deeper into the pit the moment they entered.
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and turned to look at the captain beside him. He was less than ten meters away from him. Then, he raised his hand and pointed down.
Xu Qing nodded. Just as the two were about to let go and jump into the pit, a mournful, long, and ethereal singing voice sounded.
It seemed to be echoing in all directions, but also seemed to be echoing in their ears. The voice was full of femininity and sharpness, fusing together to form an indescribable song.
"The previous life does not come, the next life is often cut off the Acacia painting dust. It was impossible to tell whether the voice was male or female. Unknowingly, it seeped into one's mind, causing one's scalp to go numb.