The Sword Holder Selection was a little different from the sect's selection. The former was stricter and divided into two stages.
The first stage was to fight for the qualifications to participate in the Sword Holder's trial.
This segment was mainly to eliminate the vast majority of disciples, allowing an extremely small number of people to obtain the qualifications for the final trial.
There were a total of 2,793 disciples from the various forces who had arrived. These were all outstanding people in the Yinghuang Province in the past ten years.
They would choose the top ten among them.
Only the ten of them were qualified to participate in the second stage of the Sword Holder's trial.
This was because the Sword Holder's trial after obtaining the qualifications was extremely special.
It was like a pilgrimage. All the Sword Holders would witness it.
As such, it was a tradition since ancient times that not many people were allowed to participate in the trial and disturb the predecessors' sleep.
The Sword Holder Assessment was held once every ten years. Every time, there would be five people chosen from the best of the best. Three of them would become official Sword Holders and two would take quasi Sword Holder positions.
Official meant that they were directly bestowed the identity of a Sword Holder, enjoyed the command sword, and received the emperor's blessing.
An official Sword Holder was the most orthodox with heaven and earth as witnesses.
Quasi meant that the person did not have the command sword, but received the blessing. They would need to head to the Sword Holding Palace in Fenghai County to undergo a new assessment.
This was a secondary position. Heaven and earth would not witness them, and the Sword Holder Elders would choose themselves based on the performance of the participants.
Before these two stages, regardless of whether it was comprehending the battle spirit marks or the height climbed on the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar, they were all very important. They would be bonus points for the second stage of the trial.
At that moment, the sky was clear with few clouds. The noon sun shone on the ground, illuminating the snowy plains.
Regardless of whether it was the light from the sky or the light reflected by the ice and snow on the ground, they intertwined with the world at this moment and gave off a feeling of coldness.
A gust of wind came from the north, stirring up snowflakes and blowing at the crowd, stirring up the sleeves of their clothes.
As sword hums rang out from the Sword Holding Court, 2,793 disciples and rogue cultivators from the various forces of the Yinghuang Province gathered together beside the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
Xu Qing and the captain were among them. The two of them stood together and looked at the sky.
Xu Qing's expression was calm and the captain's eyes were filled with anticipation.
Xu Qing wasn't surprised that the captain could meet the requirements. After all, he had been preparing for this ever since he came to the Eight Sects Alliance.
What he was paying attention to was the Dao Child of the Grand Affairs Immortal Sect in the distant crowd.
"Have you targeted him?" the captain asked in a low voice.
Xu Qing glanced at the captain and nodded slightly.
The captain chuckled.
"You sensed it too?"
Xu Qing's gaze froze. Just as he was about to ask, the sound of sword hums and metal clashing rang out from the sky again. Three vast figures descended from the end of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
Among these three figures, two were old men and one was a middle-aged man.
The three of them were wearing official uniforms. Their auras were so majestic that the world seemed to be shaking and the surroundings turned silent. The two old men were really extraordinary. Thousands of Dao marks flowed in their eyes, shaking the sky.
As for the cultivator in the center, he was even more terrifying. Countless phantoms appeared behind him, one after another, connecting to the sky. It was as though half of the sky was formed by his body.
The minds of everyone below and all the cultivators in Absolute Beginning Separation City trembled under this pressure.
After that, a dignified voice exploded in the minds of the 2,793 people like thunder.
"In the past, there were very few life-and-death situations when choosing the qualifications to participate in the trial."
"However, the qualification test for the cultivators in the Yinghuang Province this time is different from the past. According to the Sword Holding Court's decision, the place where the qualifications are obtained will be changed to the ghost cave."
A dignified voice rang out. Most of the people who heard it were shocked and dazed. Clearly, they had never heard of the ghost cave. Only a few disciples and the Dao Protectors of the various sects had different expressions.
Xu Qing was also stunned and instinctively looked at the captain.
The captain's pupils clearly narrowed slightly. Noticing Xu Qing's gaze, he pointed to the ground.
Xu Qing fell into deep thought.
After that dignified voice finished speaking, it waited for a while before continuing.
"Some of you might have heard of it, but the vast majority of you probably don't know what it is."
Everyone below focused their attention and listened. After all, this concerned success or failure.
Xu Qing's expression was also solemn.
"All of you should know the origins of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar. The ghost cave… is under the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar!"
Everyone's minds stirred. Xu Qing also narrowed his eyes.
"Under the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar, there's a deep pit that leads to an unknown place. It's filled with countless . Listen carefully. They aren't bizarre entities but deviant ghosts."
The middle-aged man in the sky swept his gaze across everyone and spoke again.
"Bizarre entities are illusory and deviant ghosts are corporeal. The former is sinister and evil, while the latter is ferocious."
"There are many ghost caves in the Wanggu Continent. Every one of them is filled with mysteries and dangers. However, as long as you don't go too deep, this danger can still be controlled."
"The Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar is actually suppressing this ghost cave. Moreover, it has been suppressing it for many ages."
Xu Qing glanced at the part of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that had sunk into the ground in the distance. He recalled that his captain had once told him that later generations analyzed that the Ghost Emperor had a motive for throwing his weapon.
This motive might be to suppress the ghost cave.
"Why did the Ghost Emperor do this? Also, what exactly is in the ghost cave that would make the Ghost Emperor use the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar to suppress it?"
Xu Qing didn't know the reason but he felt that the Sword Holding Court definitely had an answer.
At that moment, the middle-aged man in the official uniform in the sky continued with his dignified voice.
"It's also because of this that the portion of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that has entered the ghost cave is constantly corroded by the aura of the ghost cave. It's inevitable for there to be cracks on it."
"In recent years, more fragments have shattered, causing a large number of Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar fragments to drift into this ghost cave. Some have fallen to the bottomless pit, and some have scattered on the walls and corners of the ghost cave."
"In the past, the Sword Holders went down to collect these fragments regularly and refined them into the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar again. Today, you guys will go."
"The time limit is three days. The top ten who obtain the most fragments will obtain the qualifications to participate in the second stage of the trial."
Most of the participants' expressions turned solemn. They understood that this was the rule of the qualification battle.
"Also, let me remind you that there's a fatal danger in the ghost cave, so this is your last chance to give up. Once you participate, although everyone will be given a teleportation talisman and you can teleport away if you encounter danger, it's not guaranteed. An accident might still happen."
As he spoke, jade talismans flew over from the sky and landed in front of every participant. Everyone caught them one by one.
Those who could participate in the Sword Holder Assessment weren't people with weak minds. Naturally, no one would withdraw at this moment. There were even people who asked questions after obtaining the teleportation talisman.
"Sir, if the number is the same, how would the selection be done?"
"It's decided according to the ranking of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar," the middle-aged man in the official uniform said calmly.
"Lastly, I have to warn you. This ghost cave isn't an out-of-law place and is also within the scope of the Sword Holding Court. You can attack but it's strictly forbidden to kill each other."
"Now, the Sword Holder trial qualification selection begins!"
As his voice echoed, the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar emitted a piercing light. As it continued to spread, the pillar trembled intensely.
After that, it slowly shrunk by a size and rose into the air, revealing the part of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that was buried underground.
Everyone's gazes landed there. They could clearly see that the bottom part of the raised Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar was pitch-black. It was mottled and severely corroded.
In fact, the bottom part of the pillar was already riddled with holes.
As the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar was lifted, a deep pit appeared on the ground. Waves of evil black miasma mixed with inhuman roars spread out from it.
Those roars contained endless pain and madness. It was as though… the pit was connected to the netherworld.
This scene caused the expressions of everyone here to change one after another. Some who were originally determined were now intimidated.
"Aren't you going down?!" The middle-aged man's voice exploded. The disciples and rogue cultivators of the various forces around the deep pit gritted their teeth and rushed toward the pit.
Qing Qiu was among them. She was among the first batch of people to enter. The Grand Affairs' Dao Child, the youth from the small sect, and the heaven's chosens from the other forces also entered one after another.
Xu Qing and the captain also moved.
Very soon, 90% of the cultivators had entered. Just as the remaining cultivators were hesitating, a shocking bang rang out. The Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that rose into the air suddenly landed and became 10,000 feet thick again, piercing into the deep pit.
It blocked the pit again!
In an instant, the black miasma dissipated and the mournful cries disappeared. Everything was as usual.
As for the deep pit, it was a scene of darkness.
The instant Xu Qing stepped in, he immediately moved closer to the edges of the surroundings. After coming into contact with the soil, he coldly stared at his surroundings.
This place was strange. Even though he gathered energy in his eyes, he still couldn't see everything clearly.
As for the roars and cries he had heard from outside earlier, they had all disappeared. Other than the sound of his breathing, this place was silent.
The darkness in front of him and the enclosed space formed a sense of oppression, giving off a mysterious sense of fear.
Only the cold air coming from below carried a stench. It was as though countless strands of hair were floating past, and when they landed on his skin, his hair would instinctively stand on end.
A while later, maybe it was because his naked eyes had adapted to the darkness or maybe it was because his cultivation base had resonated with this place, Xu Qing's vision slowly became clearer.
This was a huge deep pit. Even though he could see his surroundings clearly, it was still pitch-black below, like an abyss.
There were some black plants growing on the surrounding walls. On each leaf, there was a ghost face that was faintly discernible, smiling at everyone who was leaning against the wall and observing.
A total of 2,400-2,500 people had arrived, but only half of them were on guard against the surrounding walls.
The remaining half seemed to have rushed deeper the moment they entered this place.
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and turned to the side. The captain was less than 30 feet away from him and also looked at him. After that, he pointed below.
Xu Qing nodded. Just as the two of them were about to let go and jump down the deep pit, at that moment…
A cold, drawn-out, and ethereal singing voice seemed to be echoing in every ear.
The voice was filled with gentleness and sharpness, fusing together to form an indescribable tune.
"The previous life is not here, but the afterlife is always here. I cut off the lovesickness and drew the mortal world…"
This voice's gender couldn't be differentiated. It unknowingly seeped into the disciples' minds, causing their scalps to turn numb. They also felt waves of coldness on their backs.
It was as though the coldness from the autumn rain seeped into their entire bodies.
