Chapter 190: Three Days Until the Qingyun Sect Examination
Time passed swiftly.
One day. Two. Three. Four.
It was on the fifth day that Su Tianhao finally opened his eyes.
He massaged his temples against a dull, persistent throb and blinked the blur from his vision. A small room took shape around him—a functional bed, scanty furniture, a single window filtering the morning sunlight into soft golden rays across the wooden floor.
"Where am—"
Clarity arrived before he could finish the question.
"My sword!"
His eyes darted sideways—and the killing intent that surged from him was immediate and absolute. A pure crimson aura manifested in the small room, pressing against the air itself like a physical weight.
Master Shen Bao stepped through the doorway at that exact moment, a kind smile on his face. "Oh, you're finally awake. Good morning, young master."
The smile faltered the instant he felt the room's atmosphere.
He swallowed hard. Sweat formed at his temples. He knew he was considerably stronger than the young man in the bed—but at that moment it felt less like standing before a boy and more like standing before something ancient and deeply dangerous.
"T-there," he said quickly, pointing to the shelf beside the bed.
Dark Nether rested on it. The dark blade drank in the surrounding light like a void, and yet the crimson-gold edge caught the morning rays and reflected them—and in that reflection, Su Tianhao saw his own face looking back at him.
His mask was gone.
His expression turned cold. He touched his face slowly, confirming what he already knew.
"Who removed my mask?"
Master Shen Bao smiled wryly. "You were out for four days, young master. We were worried. I had Huo Yan bring you healing pills and fasting pills to keep your health stable."
'That explains why I'm not hungry,' Su Tianhao noted inwardly.
"Who else saw my face—besides you and Huo Yan?"
"None." Master Shen Bao shook his head slowly. "None, young master."
Only then did Su Tianhao notice the black cloth in the old craftsman's hands, folded carefully over something.
"What's that?"
"Oh, this?" Master Shen Bao's expression warmed. He removed the cloth with both hands, revealing a scabbard—deep obsidian-black in color, its surface engraved with faint interlocking dragon scale patterns that seemed to shift subtly in the light. Along its spine ran a single inlaid strip of dark crimson metal, the same hue as Dark Nether's edge, giving it a unified, deliberate look. It was neither ornate nor plain—only purposeful, built to match what it would carry.
"I made it from materials in my own inventory," Master Shen Bao said, voice low. "It's sturdy and can reflect damage. Please accept it."
He offered it with both hands.
Su Tianhao's expression filled with quiet surprise. He shifted in the bed and accepted it carefully, turning it over with genuine admiration.
"How much do I owe you?"
Master Shen Bao's expression darkened immediately. "Payment?" His voice carried offense like a craftsman whose work had just been called ordinary. "Please, young master—don't speak of such mundane things. You gave me the honor of witnessing the birth of something I'll never see again in my lifetime. That is fortune enough. My mastery of the weapon dao will advance by leaps and bounds given a few years—that is your payment to me."
"I don't like owing favors," Su Tianhao said firmly. "I insist."
"No!" Master Shen Bao's hands trembled slightly. "Collecting payment from you would be a sin. Please, young master—don't make things difficult for this old man."
Su Tianhao exhaled. "Alright."
'Senior Wei Chang was right about him after all,' he thought.
Master Shen Bao hesitated a moment, then asked: "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Su Tianhao considered. "I need you and Huo Yan to keep everything about me a secret."
Master Shen Bao's expression turned solemn. He straightened fully—and what came next, Su Tianhao hadn't anticipated.
"I swear on the Heavenly Dao—that I, Shen Bao, will carry your secrets to my grave."
A deep, rolling thunder reverberated in the sky above—clear and cloudless as it was.
The Heavenly Dao had heard. And answered.
Su Tianhao's eyes widened. A Heavenly Oath. The highest vow a cultivator could make—swearing on the Heavenly Dao itself. To break it knowingly or unknowingly was to invite the wrath of heaven, which resulted in only one thing: total annihilation. Even immortals approached such oaths with dread. Once spoken, there was no undoing it.
"I'll have Huo Yan do the same," Master Shen Bao added calmly, as though he hadn't just done something irreversible.
Su Tianhao was quiet for a moment. "I didn't expect this level of sincerity."
His impression of the old craftsman, already considerable, rose several degrees further.
Master Shen Bao cleared his throat. "Anything else? If not, I'll leave you to rest."
"Actually—yes." Su Tianhao's brows drew together in thought. "I need to inscribe some inscriptions into my sword. Can you have someone gather materials?"
Master Shen Bao's eyes lit up immediately. "I'll have Huo Yan run an errand to the Thousand Beast Pavilion. Just write the list."
Su Tianhao nodded. He wrote it out carefully, accounting for excess to cover any failures. The total came to three hundred spirit stones. Master Shen Bao offered to cover it himself—but Su Tianhao didn't relent this time. The old craftsman accepted defeat with a sigh and left the room with the list in hand.
Su Tianhao sat cross-legged on the bed, tapping his chin slowly.
'I slept for four days. Three days remain until the examination.'
More than enough time.
He already had two inscriptions decided before he ever struck the first hammer blow.
The first was the Soulbound Summoning Rune—a soul-binding inscription that linked the weapon to its wielder through specific runes etched into both. Once active, the sword could be summoned across a set distance—a range that would expand as his soul power grew.
The second was the Heavenly Surge Rune—an amplification inscription that doubled the output of any attack or technique channeled through the blade. When overcharged, that amplification surged to five hundred percent. Overcharging was a last resort: it burned through Qi rapidly and carried real risk of backlash. But in the right moment, it was the difference between defeat and obliteration.
---
Thirty minutes later, Master Shen Bao returned with the materials and handed back sixty spirit stones—the Thousand Beast Pavilion had extended a twenty percent discount to Huo Yan, after hearing he was sent by Master Shen Bao's guest. To Lin Ming, Su Tianhao's description was unmistakable.
The transaction was brief. Few words were exchanged.
Su Tianhao accepted the materials and watched Master Shen Bao leave. His total wealth now stood at one thousand, five hundred and twenty spirit stones. But he wasn't bothered. Everything spent had been an investment.
"Please make sure no one disturbs me for the next three days," he called after the old craftsman. "Don't even bring food."
Master Shen Bao's voice drifted back through the doorway. "Of course. No one comes near your door—you have my word."
A low-grade two fasting pill sat among the inscription materials. With his bloodline's ability to refine impurities, quality no longer mattered for something so basic. Three days without food was no challenge at all.
He turned his attention inward, activating the True Origin Eyes to begin appraising the materials.
"Time to begin."
---
Meanwhile…
Many miles away, within the heart of the Su family estate, a different scene was unfolding.
Ever since First Elder Su Qingfeng's breakthrough in alchemy, he had continued to advance rapidly in the Dao of Alchemy—gaining enlightenment under the Doctrine of Elemental Subjugation, one of the seven profound truths of alchemy, and refining his mastery of the Trinity Harmonization method. Combined with the five unique recipes Su Tianhao had left behind, the Su family had been thrust into a new era of prosperity.
In just one month, the family's reputation in Oakwood City had risen to unprecedented heights—the Ye and He families completely suppressed, recognition flowing in from great clans in neighboring cities. Su Qingfeng's name in alchemy now stood at the very peak of Oakwood City, his expertise brushing the threshold of grade three. Disciples sought him out in numbers, and so far, he had already accepted three young geniuses into the family under his personal guidance.
As prestige and wealth grew, so did the resources flowing to family disciples. Su family members now trained with their heads held high, fueled by ambition and pride.
This was especially true of the top geniuses.
On this day, Su Huiqing stood before the main residence of the family estate, warm pride evident in his brown eyes as he looked down on the assembled youngsters. Beside him, Su Qingfeng and Su Minghe wore pleased expressions.
The youngsters before them were Su Jian—Su Tianhao's adoptive brother. Su Lei—his closest friend and rival. Su Ruxue—Fourth Elder Su Yuntian's only daughter. And Su Ji and Su Gang, who stood at the bottom of the group's hierarchy.
Su Jian stood at the center, calm and disciplined. Every trace of the arrogance that had once defined him was gone. His defeat at Su Tianhao's hands had left deep marks—not just physical ones. But he had pushed through the darkness and emerged from seclusion changed. In under two months he had advanced from 6th Level Martial Disciple to Peak Level, driven forward by the Spiritual Origin Ginseng and other resources the family had invested in him, and his own unyielding need to reclaim his dignity.
Su Lei's progress was the more striking of the two. In just one month since Su Tianhao's departure, he had crossed from 7th Level Martial Disciple to 1st Level Martial Adept—fueled by the Heavenpiercing Gale Sword Scripture and the relentless obsession to close the gap between himself and his closest friend. Even his Sword Sense had reached Perfection.
Su Ruxue progress was also remarkable. She had risen from 4th Level to 7th Level Martial Disciple.
Su Ji and Su Gang had climbed from 2nd Level to 6th—just short of outer court qualification, though they intended to enter as servant disciples and work their way up from within.
"Today, we set out for Cloudrise City!" Su Huiqing's voice rang out like thunder across still water. "We will rest there for three days before setting off for the Qingyun Sect examination."
He stepped forward, crimson robes catching the morning light.
"In three days, the Qingyun Sect will open its gates. Geniuses from across the country will pour through them—prodigies with heavenly constitutions, saint sons blessed from birth, holy maidens with meridians that would shatter your imagination, descendants of Martial Lords and Grandmasters. The possibilities are endless."
His voice dropped.
"These are your competition. Don't mistake the progress you've made for arrival."
Su Ji and Su Gang exchanged a glance and swallowed hard.
Su Ruxue's expression wavered—then steadied. She tightened her fist and stood tall.
Su Jian's jaw set with quiet resolve. 'This is my chance to reclaim what I lost. Only then can I call myself the true heir of this family.'
Su Lei's expression didn't change at all. To the others, he had merely crossed into the Martial Adept Realm. But only he knew what the Heavenpiercing Gale Sword Scripture had given him—the ability to contest opponents two full levels above his own. He thought briefly of Su Tianhao, of the day the scripture had been handed to him without ceremony, and something warm moved through his chest.
'So what if they have talent, heavenly constitutions, or the backing of Grandmasters? I, Su Lei, have my own fortune.'
Su Minghe caught the look on his disciple's face and nodded once—quiet, satisfied.
Su Qingfeng stepped forward with a gentle smile. "Fear not. Whether you enter the Qingyun Sect or not will depend on your own effort and destiny. And even if you don't make it as an outer court disciple this time, servant disciple status is still a foothold. The door stays open."
Su Ji and Su Gang's expressions brightened considerably.
For the others—proud, ambitious, and unwilling to settle—servant disciple was simply not a consideration. It was outer court or nothing.
"I can do this," Su Ruxue whispered, more to herself than anyone.
A moment later, Fourth Elder Su Mei arrived—eyes soft with motherly warmth.
Through the telepathy exclusive to Martial Soul Realm cultivators and above, her voice reached Su Ruxue alone:
"Believe in yourself, Mei'er. This is your time to shine."
Su Huiqing turned toward the guards. "Prepare the chariots. We ride for Cloudrise."
---
Similar scenes unfolded across Longzhou. Third-rate forces like the Ye and He families, upper-ranked third-rate forces like the Wang Mansion—all preparing their disciples for the examination. Even unaffiliated cultivators from unrated forces gathered their resolve and set out, each one carrying the same dream: to leap through the dragon's gate and emerge on the other side transformed.
---
In a top-floor suite of Cloudrise City's finest hotel, red carpets and golden chandeliers caught the afternoon light. Every piece of furniture in the room declared wealth without apology.
A young woman sat on an ornate sofa, and she matched her surroundings in every way. Flowing silk robes. Skin like polished jade. Snow-white hair falling down her back like still water. Autumn-colored eyes carrying quiet elegance and a composed authority that suggested she had been raised to occupy exactly this kind of room.
Beside her sat an old man with a single silver braid trailing down his back like a rope. His face showed his years—but his eyes burned with the focused energy of someone whose mind had never aged.
Wang Bing and Elder Xuan.
"Bing'er," Elder Xuan said, breaking the silence. "The examination is just around the corner. This should be your stage."
He smiled slightly. "You have reached 7th Level Martial Adept Realm at your age. Reaching the top ten talent ranking shouldn't be beyond you."
Wang Bing nodded, a gleam in her eyes she didn't quite manage to suppress.
Elder Xuan's expression sharpened. "Don't get comfortable. You're stepping into the brutal world of cultivation now—not the Wang Mansion's inner gardens."
"I know." Her voice was quiet but certain. "This is what I want. I don't intend to stay pampered forever."
"Good." He nodded. "Then here's what I want you to remember when you make the top ten—don't settle for a master from the outer court. Aim for the inner court. Someone at my level, or your father's. If possible, someone who surpass us both. Someone who can benefit the clan." His eyes held hers steadily. "You are the Wang Mansion's young miss. Choose accordingly."
Wang Bing's lips twitched. "Must everything always come back to politics?"
She understood, of course. She had grown up in a prestigious clan. But she nodded anyway rather than argue.
"Hahaha! Good, good!" Elder Xuan laughed heartily.
A brief silence followed. Then—
"Uncle Xuan…" Wang Bing's voice came carefully, almost too casual to be casual. "Do you think Brother Tian Hao will be there in three days?"
Elder Xuan's eyebrow lifted slowly. "'Brother Tian Hao,' is it? Don't tell me you've developed feelings for the young man."
"What are you—that's not—!" Wang Bing's face flooded red. Both hands flew up to cover her cheeks. "We made an alliance. I just need to know if he'll be present. I'll have to rely on him until I'm strong enough to handle the outer sect on my own."
The last part came out barely above a whisper.
"He'll be there," Elder Xuan said, the amusement fading into something more genuine. "Someone like him doesn't stay in the shadows for long. A dragon among men—he'll make himself known... even if he doesn't want to."
Wang Bing lowered her hands, studying the old man with undisguised surprise. "You really do think that highly of him."
"He's anything but simple," Elder Xuan said, stroking his beard. "And it's a fine thing you've taken a liking to him. He could be a valuable addition to the Wang Mansion one day."
"Uncle Xuan!"
Her face went from pink to scarlet. In that moment she looked nothing like a 7th Level Martial Adept prodigy—just a young woman who had been teased one time too many.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Elder Xuan's laughter filled the suite and spilled out into the corridor beyond.
---
Within the depths of the Lianhua Sect, a dimly lit room breathed with the quiet scent of incense. A single golden lantern burned at the center, casting soft light over the polished floor and the young woman seated in lotus position at its heart.
Her beauty was the kind that didn't announce itself—dignified, unhurried, something you noticed slowly and then couldn't look away from. Long black hair flowed behind her like a silken stream. Her white robes shimmered with faint azure energy that moved like breath.
Beneath her, faint azure patterns had spread across the floor—the Essence Gathering Array, drawing surrounding spiritual energy inward with quiet mechanical efficiency.
Time passed unnoticed.
Then—
Whoosh!
A gust swept across the polished floor, sending her robes rippling and her hair flying outward.
BOOM!
Her aura detonated—sharp, domineering, so concentrated it carved fine lines across the walls and floor.
Her eyes opened.
Luminous, crystalline blue. The kind that seemed to see through things rather than simply at them.
"Finally." Her voice was composed—unhurried, carrying no particular excitement despite what had just happened. "1st Level Martial Core Realm."
This was Lu Ruyi—Su Tianhao's childhood friend, and the most treasured disciple of Mei Yuelan, Sect Master of the Lianhua Sect. One month ago she had asked to leave and was refused. The condition was clear: not until she reached the Martial Core Realm. She had accepted without argument.
Although she appeared calm, she was inwardly pleased and filled with joy—but her expression wouldn't show it.
A small, smug smile touched her lips now. "No one can stop me this time, not even you master..."
Her gaze turned distant. The smile softened into something more private.
"I wonder how far you've come…"
A breath of silence.
"Little Rogue."