'As for this bracelet...'
Taking out the last item from his Storage Pouch—an antique, well-worn Silver Bracelet—Qi Yun turned it over and over, his fingertips carefully tracing every line of its design.
He tried infusing it with a sliver of True Qi and even squeezed out a drop of his own blood onto it.
There was no reaction.
The Silver Bracelet remained cold and inert, like an ordinary object.
'Could something kept alongside Treasure Pills, Jade Talismans, and other Spiritual Objects really be an ordinary bracelet?'
Qi Yun's brow furrowed as he unconsciously tapped his fingers against the bracelet.
But after repeated attempts proved fruitless, he had no choice but to place it back in the depths of his Storage Pouch for the time being.
「In the time that followed.」
The Qi cultivator decided to simply wait silently in the narrow, hidden cave, concealing his aura and sinking out of sight like a stone at the bottom of a deep pool.
'Let them fight to the death outside. I'll just stay put, unmoving, and wait for this trial to end.'
...
「Meanwhile, in the valley.」
His eyes were crimson, like a Demon Deity descended upon the world. Tang Shun's aura surged around him as vicious, scarlet Sword Qi pulsed between his palms. A mere glance at it was enough to make one's skin sting with pain.
Who?!
Who the hell was it!?
The loss of his Storage Pouch had sent the "smiling tiger" into a complete frenzy. He was no longer hiding his true strength, but had unleashed his ferocious, murderous nature.
Anyone who crossed his path was instantly decapitated by his tyrannical and vicious Red Night Sword Qi. They had no chance to escape, let alone fight back.
He bent down and searched the corpse before him again, checking every inch of cloth and every pocket. Finding nothing once more drove Tang Shun to the brink of madness.
He didn't care about the other lost items, but that bracelet was crucial...
"Which goddamn son of a bitch had the balls to steal from me!" Tang Shun gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
The trial was about to end. If he couldn't find the thief before then, he would most likely never get his things back.
"Well, well, if it isn't Brother Tang. You look like you're in some trouble. What's wrong? Need a hand?"
A mocking voice drifted from the shade of a nearby tree.
With a dark expression, Tang Shun turned to see a man with delicate, refined features and a pair of long, narrow phoenix eyes leaning against a tree trunk.
"Shen Fan? Don't come looking for trouble. Scram."
Tang Shun glanced at Shen Fan under the tree and impatiently dismissed him.
'If I weren't wary of that elder backing Shen Fan, the one whose Cultivation surpasses even my own uncle's...'
'This nuisance would have long since become another victim of my sword, an offering to its blade.'
"No need to be so hostile. I heard from Old Du that you'd run into some trouble, so I came looking for you, thinking I could help," Shen Fan said slowly, tilting his head, unbothered by Tang Shun's tone.
"Cut the crap. As if you'd be so kind." Being a "smiling tiger" himself, Tang Shun was naturally suspicious of others.
"Heh heh heh, I never said I'd help you for free," Shen Fan chuckled, his long, pale fingers unconsciously falling into an orchid-like pose.
"What are you playing at?"
Tang Shun tensed up, instinctively putting some distance between them, his eyes wary.
"Nothing much. I just came to forge a bond with you. Someday, I may need a favor, and you'll have to help me in return," Shen Fan explained smoothly.
His brows furrowed slowly. Sizing up the uninvited Shen Fan, Tang Shun hesitated for a moment before saying:
"If you can really help me, then we have a deal. But how exactly do you plan on doing that?"
Seeing Tang Shun agree, a slight smile touched Shen Fan's lips. With a flip of his right hand, an ancient, bronze-colored Compass appeared in his palm.
"Brother Tang's Sword Qi is unparalleled. If I didn't have a few tricks up my sleeve, why would I come here just to get told off?"
"You know divination?" Tang Shun's eyebrow shot up as he saw the Compass in Shen Fan's hand.
"I have little talent for other forms of Magic, but I do have a bit of a knack for Divination Skills."
Stepping in front of Tang Shun, Shen Fan brought two fingers together and gently plucked at his shoulder.
An extremely faint, almost invisible wisp of silver thread was drawn out from Tang Shun's aura.
"The item Brother Tang lost must still carry a trace of your aura. I can use this wisp of aura from you as a focus and use the [Qingluo Algorithm] to find the thief."
"You can do that?!"
A glint flashed in his eyes. Tang Shun immediately said:
"Fine! If this works, consider it a favor I owe you."
"Then it's a deal."
With a charming smile, Shen Fan fed the Silver Thread—the manifestation of Tang Shun's aura—into the Compass. He began to chant a Spell under his breath and manipulate the device.
Instantly, countless characters of light and shadow flickered and rearranged themselves across the Compass's face, finally coalescing into a gust of golden wind that drifted into the distance.
"Brother Tang, follow that golden wind. It will lead you to the thief," Shen Fan said, pointing at the drifting gust. He looked somewhat fatigued.
"Right!"
Giving Shen Fan a quick cupped-fist salute, Tang Shun wasted no more time. He shot off like an arrow from a bow, doggedly pursuing the golden wind until he vanished deep into the forest.
Once Tang Shun's aura had completely faded into the distance, the shadows in the forest stirred once more.
A slightly chubby figure with his hands clasped behind his back ambled out from the side. His head was completely bald, and he wore a smile reminiscent of the Maitreya Buddha.
"Did you get it?" Du Yunian asked with a grin, looking in the direction Tang Shun had gone.
"Of course. It's a good thing that thief stole Tang Shun's belongings and sent him into a panic. Otherwise, with his usual disposition, he never would have been fooled so easily."
Shen Fan opened his palm, revealing half of the Silver Thread lying quietly within.
With a flick of his sleeve, Du Yunian guided the half-strand of Silver Thread, and it floated gently into his hand.
"News came from the sect a few days ago. The lost [Peach Garden] has been recovered by the True Monarchs and might be opened soon.
After this trial, our group of Disciples will most likely be the first ones sent into the [Peach Garden].
The competition there will be a hundred times more brutal than what we've seen today.
Tang Shun's general aptitude is only average, but his talent for the Sword Dao is exceptional.
Otherwise, how could someone from a minor branch of the clan receive such an honor?
With his talent, once he formally enters the sect and receives guidance from a master, his combat strength will surely place him at the top of our generation.
Taking a wisp of his aura today gives us leverage. When we meet in the [Peach Garden], we can use it to keep him in check." He weighed the Silver Thread in his hand. His smile remained gentle, but his eyes were utterly devoid of warmth.
"Still, compared to Tang Shun, I'm more interested in the person who managed to steal something right from under his nose," Shen Fan said, his long phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.
"A pity. Tang Shun has already mastered the [Red Night Sword Qi]. Even you and I are no match for him.
That person is as good as dead."
...
「In the cave.」
Seated cross-legged, Qi Yun was quietly reviewing the principles of the [Basic Sword Qi] in his mind.
Cultivating Magic wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.
It required talent, comprehension, and wisdom.
Compared to the [Clear Wind Technique], the [Basic Sword Qi] was also a common form of Magic.
However, it was significantly more difficult to cultivate.
'Fortunately, this [Basic Sword Qi] manual is filled with annotations. They explain nearly all the key points and core principles, which drastically reduces the difficulty.' He immersed himself in the exquisite Power Transfer Methods and Spiritual Power circulation paths, trying to grasp that sliver of sharp "intent."
BOOM!
The next instant!
A blast of scarlet Sword Qi violently tore open the entrance to the cave. Shattered rock and dirt flew everywhere, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
A sinister figure with a face as cold as still water blocked the only exit, his eyes brimming with killing intent as they slowly scanned the cave's interior.
"You little bastard! Let's see you try to run now!"
...