Chapter 105: Overcoming Obstacles and Triumphing (Part Two)

When Tang Wei asked Zi Xuan how this sword formation could be broken, everyone began to look at him with eager anticipation. It seemed they were all worried about their own lives as well.

As expected, Zi Xuan did not disappoint them. He said confidently, “The principle behind this sword formation is the same as that of an illusion array. The only difference is that, because of the five elements, the path you must take is different. If your ancestors could leave clues on the talismans of the illusion array, then there should certainly be a method recorded on the notes for this formation as well. You might as well check first.”

Because Xuan Yuan Patriarch was more familiar with Zi Xuan, he was a little more relaxed in his presence than the others. Lowering his head to glance at the qilin seal in his hand, he took the lead and asked, “There are only the eagle-shaped pendant and the qilin seal left. May I ask which talisman you think should be used for this stage, senior?”

Zi Xuan thought for a moment and said, “It should be the eagle-shaped pendant, should it not?”

“Why do you say that, senior?” Shi Zai Tian was somewhat worried. Not daring to offend Zi Xuan, he hurriedly asked. If this stage truly required the eagle-shaped pendant, then he would likely have to go in person. But with his level of cultivation, that would be almost certain death. So in his heart, he was still hoping Zi Xuan was only guessing and had not made a final decision.

“Because the eagle is a fierce creature, and that is the perfect way to describe the danger of this stage. Besides, you only have two pendants left. You surely cannot use the qilin, which symbolizes auspiciousness, to break this one, can you?” Zi Xuan understood what Shi Zai Tian was worried about. Since Tang Wei was present, he did not blame him, but patiently explained his reasoning.

Shi Zai Tian had nothing more to say. He also did not want the other clans to look down on him, so he gathered his courage and handed the eagle-shaped pendant to Zi Xuan, asking, “Then please teach me how to pass this stage, senior.”

Zi Xuan took the pendant and examined it, then looked up and said, “At first glance, this seems very simple. It is just that your cultivation is a little too low, so I am afraid you will not pass the jumping section. If you trust me, I may as well go in and break this stage for you.”

Zi Xuan knew that the Shi family had long since decided to follow Tang Wei. Helping Shi Zai Tian now was the same as helping Tang Wei. Moreover, he believed that, given Tang Wei’s protective nature, if she knew Shi Zai Tian could not pass this stage, she would certainly volunteer to help him through it. In that case, he might as well be straightforward and clear the stage now.

Shi Zai Tian also knew his own limits. Hearing that Zi Xuan would take his place, he was both grateful and embarrassed, and said quickly, “It is my own incapacity. I thank you first, senior.”

“No need. I am only helping my senior sister.” Zi Xuan did not want Shi Zai Tian to think otherwise, so he made it very clear that he was not helping him for his sake. He was doing it only because of his senior sister, and Shi Zai Tian should not thank the wrong person.

Shi Zai Tian was an old monster who had lived for more than a hundred years. How could he not understand? At once, he properly thanked Tang Wei instead. Naturally, Tang Wei was very satisfied with this attitude.

Seeing that Shi Zai Tian was so sensible, Zi Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Turning to the sword formation, he leapt onto the fifth stone pillar, then jumped again, avoiding two more, and stood on one foot atop the eighth pillar. He dodged and weaved along the way with crisp, decisive movements, completing the entire sequence in one smooth motion. Soon he disappeared around the turn. Several minutes later, all they heard was a thunderous boom. A row of stone pillars rose from beneath the ground, linking with the original pillars to form a narrow stone path that stretched all the way to the corner and then vanished from sight.

Zi Xuan returned by the same route, and from the corner, he waved to everyone to hurry over.

Tang Wei, holding Little Snow, was the first to walk toward it. Yet she still could not fully overcome her fear of heights. Looking down on both sides into the bottomless cavern, she felt her heart could scarcely bear it as she stepped along this narrow path formed by the connected stone pillars. Her heartbeat hammered wildly in her chest. But Zi Xuan did not step forward to help her. As long as she could not overcome this fear, she would never truly learn the art of flying with a sword. Since such a good opportunity had presented itself, naturally he would use it to temper her.

Taking a few unsteady steps forward, Tang Wei already felt as if her heart might leap from her chest, wandering and straying without finding an exit. A heavy, invisible stone seemed to press on her breast, making her breath come tight and hard. Her legs trembled nonstop, yet her mind had gone blank. Slowly, even the path before her seemed to blur, and she no longer knew whether she might miss a step and fall.

Zi Xuan watched her expression from ahead and comforted her calmly again and again. “Wei Wei, do not be afraid. I am right in front of you. Look at me and reach out your hand, and you will be able to grasp me.”

Little by little, Zi Xuan’s voice became like a small boat on the ocean, rising and falling with the waves, becoming Tang Wei’s guiding light and her destination, drawing her closer and closer, step by step.

Five meters. Four meters... At last, she caught him. From the instant she took hold of Zi Xuan’s hand, Tang Wei had never felt so much at ease. It was as if, so long as Zi Xuan was there, there was nothing she needed to fear. Her mind was filled with his figure as she followed his steps all the way to the end of the abyss. Finally, the two of them embraced, sharing this thrilling moment.

The people trailing behind, however, found themselves unable to advance or retreat. Watching the passionate scene played out live before their eyes, they did not even know whether they should applaud in encouragement. They could only stand there in a daze and pretend they had seen nothing. Fortunately, the ones who had come were all old monsters; otherwise, this would clearly have been corruption of minors.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tang Wei caught the varied expressions of the people on the stone path, and at last realized that the two of them had become a source of amusement for others. She shoved Zi Xuan away at once and, blushing, began looking this way and that in a pretended casual manner, as if to tell everyone that what had just happened was only their own hallucination and that they should not take it to heart. Seeing her attempt to cover her ears while stealing a bell, everyone could only ignore it. Who told her she was the boss, with an even bigger boss backing her? In this world, a superior rank could crush others; here, perhaps just one level higher in cultivation was enough to do the same.

After everyone composed themselves, they walked through the cavern for only about two minutes before arriving at the entrance to a maze.

Why call it a maze? Because ahead of them stood nine doors, each of exactly the same size, each revealing the same scene beyond, and even the small stones at the threshold were identical.

Zi Xuan looked at them for a while, then burst into laughter, frightening everyone half to death. Had this senior gone mad? Why would he laugh for no reason at all?

Noticing that they were looking at him as if he were insane, Zi Xuan hurriedly explained, “Do not misunderstand. I am laughing at your ancestors. They were truly geniuses.”

Tang Wei, who had initially had some objections to him, quickly asked after hearing this, “What do you mean? Tell us quickly.” The others also looked at him with curiosity.

“Look at these nine caves and guess which one is the real entrance,” Zi Xuan said, speaking in deliberate mystery.