Chapter 365: Ghost Cave

The Sword-Holder selection is somewhat different from the sect selection. The former is stricter, and it is also divided into two stages.

The first stage is the competition for qualifications for those participating in the Sword-Holder trial.

This link mainly eliminates the vast majority of disciples, allowing a very small number of people to obtain the final trial qualifications.

The disciples of various sects who came this time total two thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, all of whom are outstanding people from various sects in Yinghuang Prefecture over the past ten years.

They will select the top ten in the first stage of selection to obtain trial qualifications.

And only these ten people have the qualifications to participate in the Sword-Holder trial in the second stage.

This is because the Sword-Holder trial after obtaining trial qualifications is extremely special.

It is like a pilgrimage, and all Sword-Holders will witness it.

So the tradition throughout the ages does not allow too many people participating in the trial to disturb the sleeping sages.

And the Sword-Holder assessment is once every ten years, each time selecting five people, three of whom are formal, and two are quasi.

Formal, representing directly granting the Sword-Holder identity, enjoying the order sword, and obtaining the Great Emperor's blessing.

Formal Sword-Holders, with heaven and earth as proof, are the most orthodox.

Quasi, representing no order sword, having blessing, need to go to Fenghai Prefecture Sword-Holding Palace for re-assessment.

This is a deputy position, without heaven and earth proof, and the incumbent Sword-Holding elders can decide based on the performance of the participants.

And before these two stages, whether it is perceiving the Battle Spirit Seals or the height of the Taisi Daozi Pillar, it is very important and will be a bonus for the second stage trial.

At this moment, the sky is blue, the clouds are thin, and the noon sun falls on the earth, making the snow plains look bright.

Whether it is the light of the sky or the light of the snow on the ground, at this moment, they intersect heaven and earth, filled with coldness.

There is even wind coming from the north, rolling up snowflakes, blowing on the crowd, and lifting their clothes.

Beside this Taisi Daozi Pillar, with the sound of sword ringing from the Sword-Holding Court, disciples from various sects in Yinghuang Prefecture and rogue cultivators, two thousand seven hundred and ninety-three people, gathered together.

Xu Qing and the captain were also among them, standing together, both looking up at the sky.

Xu Qing's expression was calm, and the captain was full of expectation.

That the captain could meet the conditions for trial-takers, Xu Qing was not surprised. After all, after the other party came to the Eight Sect Alliance, he had been preparing for this.

What he focused on was the Taisi Immortal Gate Daozi in the crowd in the distance.

"Targeted him?" The captain spoke in a low voice.

Xu Qing looked at the captain and nodded slightly.

Hearing this, the captain smiled.

"You felt it too?"

Xu Qing's gaze froze, and he was about to ask, but at this moment, the sound of sword ringing and metal stone echoed again in the sky, and three vast figures descended from the end of the Taisi Daozi Pillar.

These three figures were two old men and one middle-aged man.

All three were wearing official uniforms. After appearing in mid-air, the momentum was magnificent, the heaven and earth seemed to be shaking, and all directions were silent, really because those two old men were not ordinary, with thousands of lines of Dao marks flowing in their eyes, shaking the sky.

And the middle-aged man in the center was even more terrifying, with countless phantoms appearing behind him, one after another, connected to the sky, and his gaze seemed to be transformed by his body in half the sky.

The crowd below and all the cultivators in Taisi Daozi City, all trembled in their hearts under this pressure, their expressions respectful.

Then, a majestic voice exploded in the hearts of these two thousand seven hundred and ninety-three people like heaven thunder.

"In the past, there were few deaths in the selection of trial-takers."

"But this time, the selection of Yinghuang Prefecture trial-takers is different from the past. According to the resolution of the Sword-Holding Court, the place for qualification acquisition is changed to the Ghost Cave."

The majestic voice echoed. Everyone who heard it had waves in their hearts, and their expressions revealed confusion. Clearly, they had not heard of the Ghost Cave, and only a very few disciples and the protectors of various sects had moved expressions.

Xu Qing was also stunned, instinctively looking at the captain.

The captain clearly had his pupils shrink slightly. Noticing Xu Qing's gaze, he pointed to the ground.

Xu Qing was thoughtful.

And that majestic voice, after saying the previous words, waited for a while and continued to speak.

"Some of you may have heard of it, but the vast majority should not know what the Ghost Cave is."

The crowd below listened intently, after all, this concerned success or failure.

Xu Qing also had a solemn expression, very serious.

"The origin of the Taisi Daozi Pillar, you should know, the Ghost Cave... is under the Taisi Daozi Pillar!"

Everyone had waves in their hearts, and Xu Qing also narrowed his eyes.

"Beneath the Taichu Liyou Pillar, there exists a deep pit that leads to an unknown place, filled with countless strange ghosts. Listen well, not 'weird' ghosts, but 'strange' ghosts."

The official middle-aged man in the sky, when saying this, swept his gaze over the crowd, and then transmitted words again.

"Strange is virtual, strange ghosts are real, the former is evil, the latter is fierce."

"There are many ghost caves on the Wanggu Continent, each one is mysterious and full of danger, but as long as it is not too deep, this danger is still controllable."

"The Taisi Daozi Pillar is actually suppressing this ghost cave and has suppressed it for too many years."

Xu Qing looked down at the part of the Taisi Daozi Pillar that was buried in the earth. He thought of the captain's previous information that later analysis of the Ghost Emperor throwing down weapons had its purpose.

Looking at it now, this purpose might be to suppress the ghost cave.

"Why did the Ghost Emperor do this? And what exists in the ghost cave that would make the Ghost Emperor use the Taisi Daozi Pillar to suppress it?"

Xu Qing did not know the reason, but he felt that the Sword-Holding Court must have the answer.

At this moment, the official middle-aged man's voice still carried majesty, echoing in the hearts of the crowd.

"It is precisely because of this that the part of the Taisi Daozi Pillar buried in the ghost cave is constantly corroded by the aura of the ghost cave, inevitably appearing cracks."

"Especially in recent years, more have cracked, causing a large number of Taisi Daozi Pillar fragments to fall into this ghost cave, some falling to the infinite bottom, others scattered on the walls and corners of the ghost cave."

"In the past, Sword-Holders went down to collect them regularly and re-refined them into the Taisi Daozi Pillar. Today, you go down instead."

"Time limit is three days. The top ten who get the most fragments will obtain the second stage trial qualification."

Everyone's expression was solemn, understanding that this was the rule for qualification acquisition.

"In addition, I remind you that there is a life-and-death crisis in the ghost cave, so this is your last chance to give up. Once you participate, although everyone will be issued a specific transmission talisman, you can transmit away when encountering danger, but it is not absolute, and accidents may still occur."

Between the words, jade slips flew from the sky, falling in front of every participant here, and were received by everyone one by one.

Those who could come here to participate in the Sword-Holder selection were not people with fragile minds, so naturally, no one would quit at this moment, and some even asked questions after receiving the transmission jade slip.

"Lord, if the quantity is the same, how to choose?"

"Decided by the Taisi Daozi Pillar ranking." The official middle-aged man spoke calmly.

"Finally, I warn you, this ghost cave is not a place outside the law, it is also within the scope of the Sword-Holding Court. You can make moves, but mutual killing is strictly prohibited."

"Now, the Sword-Holder trial qualification selection, begin!"

With the echo of the words, suddenly the Taisi Daozi Pillar emanated dazzling light, constantly expanding, and this pillar shook violently.

Then it actually slowly shrank a circle, slowly rising into the sky, revealing the part of the Taisi Daozi Pillar buried in the earth.

Everyone's gaze fell on it. They could clearly see that the lowest part of the Taisi Daozi Pillar was pitch black, very mottled, full of damage, and corroded extremely seriously.

Even the lowest part, the pillar body was already riddled with holes and broken.

And with the lifting of the Taisi Daozi Pillar, a deep pit of one thousand zhang appeared on the ground. When bursts of black Qi carrying an incomparably evil intent emanated from within, there were even bursts of roars that did not sound like human voices, coming from the deep pit.

Those roars carried shrillness and wailing, containing endless pain and madness, as if... that place was connected to the underworld.

This scene caused the expressions of the people here to change one after another, and some who were originally firm in mind were deterred at this moment, appearing shaken.

"You, why don't you go down!" In the sky, the official middle-aged man's voice surpassed heaven thunder, exploding with a roar. The disciples and rogue cultivators of various sects around the deep pit gritted their teeth one after another, rushing out and heading straight for the deep pit.

Red Woman Qingqiu was also among them, being the first batch to step in. Taisi Daozi, as well as that human teenager, and other geniuses of various sects, also stepped in one after another.

Xu Qing and the captain also moved.

Soon ninety percent of the cultivators here chose to step in. For those who remained and were hesitant, a heaven-shaking loud noise came, and the lifted Taisi Daozi Pillar fell violently, turning back to one thousand zhang in thickness, directly piercing into the deep pit.

Blocking it again!

Instantly, the black Qi dissipated, the wailing shrill sound disappeared, and everything was as usual.

As for the deep pit, it was pitch black.

The moment Xu Qing stepped in, he immediately approached the surrounding edges. After touching the soil, his mind was vigilant, coldly gazing at the surroundings.

This place is weird, even if cultivation is gathered in the eyes, it is still impossible to see everything clearly for a while.

And the roars heard outside just now, at this moment, all disappeared, and there was no shrill sound coming again. Besides breathing, it was silent here.

The pitch-black darkness before one's eyes and the claustrophobic perception naturally formed a sense of oppression, giving people a feeling of mysterious terror.

Only the cold aura coming from below, carrying fishy smell and rotten taste, like countless strands of hair drifting past the surroundings, scratching on the skin, would make the hair instinctively stand up.

Until after a while, perhaps the naked eye adapted to the darkness, or perhaps the cultivation base resonated with this place, in Xu Qing's eyes, this place slowly became clear.

This is a huge deep pit. Even if he could see the surroundings, it was still pitch black below, like an abyss.

The walls all around grew some black plants, and on every leaf, there were faint ghost faces, smiling at the crowd observing while leaning against the walls at this moment.

There were two thousand four or five hundred people who arrived, and now only half were observing and guarding vigilantly on the walls all around.

The other half seemed to have rushed into the deeper part the moment they entered this place.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, turned his head to look at his side. The captain was less than three zhang away from him, also looking at him, and then pointed to the bottom.

Xu Qing nodded. The two were about to let go and leap toward the bottom of the deep pit, but just at this moment...

A shrill, long, and ethereal singing voice, as if in all directions and as if in the ears, circled continuously.

The voice was full of yin and softness, and also full of sharpness, fused together, becoming a difficult-to-describe song.

"Past life does not come, afterlife is always there, cut the lovesickness and paint the dust..."

This voice could not distinguish between male and female. Before one knew it, it seeped into the brain, making people unable to help but feel scalp numbness, and even more coldness behind the back.

It was like autumn rain, the cold falling on the face, seeping into the entire body. ===== CHAPTER 366 =====