For all the disciples of the Sword Pavilion present, there had never been any suspense about who would take first place in this assessment.
Yet, who could have expected such an unbelievable outcome?!
Even if Xu Yuexiu were to lose, it should have been after a brilliant and intense sword duel, falling only by a narrow margin at the very end.
But the result, she was defeated in a single exchange, by a puppet.
It was simply inconceivable.
Xu Yuexiu's face turned pale. She had always believed that her swordsmanship was not inferior to Zhan Xuesong's. No matter what, even if she couldn't match the elders, she should not have been defeated so easily.
But the broken sword pressed coldly against her neck made it undeniable, she had lost.
She realized she was nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well, arrogant and self-satisfied.
"I... lost."
Xu Yuexiu stepped back two paces, her face dim, and pressed her lips together before saluting respectfully.
"This disciple's understanding is shallow and unrefined. I am not yet worthy of entering the forbidden grounds to comprehend sword intent."
With Xu Yuexiu's strength, this assessment was normally a mere formality. What truly mattered was the reward given to the first place finisher,
The right to enter the forbidden grounds beneath the great hall at Ask-Sword Cliff and comprehend the sword intent contained within.
That forbidden place was said to be where the founding ancestor of the Sword Pavilion had drawn upon the underground veins of profound iron to forge the seventy-two peaks of the Sword Pavilion, leaving behind an unparalleled sword intent.
That sword intent was so vast and pure that even after thousands of years, it had not dissipated. Instead, it had condensed into a place brimming with cutting sword energy, so sharp that ordinary people could not even approach it.
Throughout history, disciples had speculated endlessly about that forbidden ground.
Some said it was forbidden simply because the sword intent within was too dangerous, and disciples were kept away for their own safety.
Others claimed that sealed within was the incorrupt corpse of the founding ancestor himself.
It was said that when the ancestor had failed to ascend to the First Grade, unable to overcome the heavenly tribulation, he had left behind a body half a step into eternity.
And that the sword intent emanating from the forbidden ground did not come from his creation, but from his very corpse.
Gu Fangchen had to admit, these inner disciples truly knew how to gossip... and they were actually right.
Perhaps some inner disciple, after entering the forbidden area long ago, had accidentally discovered the old ancestor's coffin, and that had led to the spread of this urban-legend-like tale.
"Ah, right," Gu Fangchen said suddenly.
"Speaking of which..."
As the assessment grounds erupted into chaos and chatter, Gu Fangchen blinked and turned toward the Sword Saint beside him, who had suddenly gone rigid. With a serious tone, he said,
"Uncle, would you say that I also count as a disciple of the Sword Pavilion?"
Ning Songjun's pupils tightened. His mind was still replaying the puppet's sudden reversal in that last exchange.
That move had been utterly absurd.
Who in their right mind would begin a sword battle by deliberately destroying their own sword?
For any sword cultivator, their sword was a treasured companion, something they cherished like a friend or even a part of themselves.
Gu Fangchen's technique had been bizarre beyond belief.
He treated his sword as a consumable item.
It was a way of thinking that not only broke convention, but completely overturned the mindset of a sword cultivator.
And yet... it was also undeniably brilliant.
Ning Songjun had to admit that Gu Fangchen's use of the originally forceful, frontal-assault technique "Broken String Pierces the Sun" by snapping his own blade had been ingenious.
Using Xu Yuexiu's own downward momentum against her, she had subconsciously applied more strength during their clash. As the sword broke, she failed to react in time, her weapon still driving downward.
In that brief instant, she had no opportunity to defend.
Thus, when Gu Fangchen's puppet countered with the broken blade and thrust at her throat, she could only watch helplessly, unable to turn her sword to parry.
Clean, direct, and utterly effective.
He had defeated Xu Yuexiu in a single move.
And he had done so using only the Sword Pavilion's foundational sword techniques, demonstrating that he had dissected and understood those forms to their utmost depth.
Brilliant.
Ning Songjun, having immersed himself in swordsmanship for so many years and bearing the title of Sword Saint, was not one to give praise lightly.
But even he could not help being impressed. The more he analyzed, the more he realized how profound the sword understanding of that puppet's controller was.
To react with such adaptability in battle, at minimum, that was the mark of a true sword master.
Flawless, except for one thing: his utter lack of sentiment toward the sword itself.
Of course, if the victor in this match had not been his incorrigible nephew, that would have been even better...
Gu Fangchen's victory, in theory, was a good thing.
But it also meant Ning Songjun had lost his chance to teach the brat a lesson.
And thinking about seeing that smug grin again made him feel an almost physical weariness.
He took a deep breath, scowling as he said,
"You never joined the Sword Pavilion. How can you count as a disciple?"
Gu Fangchen replied solemnly,
"That's not right. I have a master from the Sword Pavilion, how could I not be a disciple?"
Ning Songjun asked, "Who?"
Gu Fangchen blinked innocently.
"You, of course."
Ning Songjun: "..."
Gu Fangchen patted his uncle's shoulder, eyes half-squinted in a cheerful grin.
"Ah, all credit goes to your excellent teaching, Uncle. Otherwise, how could I have taken first place in the Swordsmanship Assessment under your guidance?"
Ning Songjun finally realized his nephew's true intention. He gave him a speechless look and said,
"So after all this roundabout talk, what you really want is the first-place reward?"
Gu Fangchen smiled brightly.
"Why not? I won fair and square."
Ning Songjun's mouth twitched.
He couldn't exactly say that he had given Gu Fangchen control of the puppet only because he thought the boy was bound to lose and deserved a little beating, could he?
Gu Fangchen then used his finishing move:
"You wouldn't want anyone to find out that you let an outsider secretly take part in the Sword Pavilion's internal assessment and win the championship through underhanded means, right?"
What a big hat to throw on him!
Ning Songjun chuckled helplessly.
Not that he feared such a threat, everyone in the Sword Pavilion was, after all, his own person.
Still, the boy's swordsmanship was indeed up to standard.
And hearing himself acknowledged as Gu Fangchen's master stirred an odd flicker of satisfaction in his heart.
Besides, Gu Fangchen had used the Sword Pavilion's foundational sword forms, all personally taught by him. Even the direct disciples didn't receive that kind of treatment.
So yes, it was fair to call him a Sword Pavilion disciple.
"Fine," Ning Songjun said helplessly.
"I'll speak to the elder in charge. We'll redo the assessment results, and both you and Xu Yuexiu can enter the forbidden ground together to comprehend sword intent."
He rose to his feet, then his expression suddenly changed.
He had intended to summon his sword, but in that instant, he felt his connection to it vanish.
Immediately, Ning Songjun's eyes narrowed suspiciously toward his nephew.
Gu Fangchen dusted off his clothes, blinking innocently.
"What's wrong, Uncle?"
[You have maintained physical contact with Ning Songjun for 5 minutes. Successfully stolen "Linked Stars"!]
["Not a Leaf Touches the Body," activated!]