Chapter 451: Various Sword Permissions

The field had already quieted down on its own. The three pavilion guards at the back were still carefully reading and discussing, but a result had already been handed to Duan Yu.

This was not a ranking, but an independent assessment for each person.

Clearly, some simple results that required no weighing were announced first. Duan Yu picked up a booklet: "Bai Yuan Cave, Zhang Chao. Sword-Describing Booklet assessment: Fifth Floor; Recommendation Letter assessment: Fifth Floor. With this assessment, you may learn all Clumsy Swords in the Sword Treasury Pavilion, Mind Swords assessed as 'Excellent Places,' and the Qingcheng sword arts on the sixth floor."

He unfolded the short note: "Zhang Chao of Bai Yuan Cave has a resilient temperament and a strange understanding of swords. He is a sword talent that Bai Yuan Cave hasn't produced in thirty years. I am willing to open the Qingcheng sword arts for his study, and also respectfully ask for the convenience of the various sword sects."

"Qingcheng, Sun Deyu."

This was a very thoughtful and restrained recommendation letter, and also a template for the letters obtained by many sword students. Once a high sect opened a recommendation letter, the first thing was their willingness to release their own sect's sword arts. The "respectfully ask for the convenience of the various sword sects" was naturally asking other sword sects to also take a look at this sword student and decide whether to open their sword arts to him, but the tone was moderate, and it didn't mention any price they were willing to pay. It was probably just: if you are willing, then you are willing; if you are not, then you are not.

But Zhang Chao seemed already quite excited, standing up and bowing in a salute.

"Bai Yuan Cave has no Mind Swords, only sword moves that are extremely exquisite, pressing close to Hao Bailu," Wang Shousi whispered beside him.

Seeing Pei Ye nodded slowly. It was precisely him who had just explained this ancient building to Seeing Pei Ye.

The Changan Sword Treasury Pavilion had a total of nine floors. From low to high, the four floors of sword moves were the Pavilion-Transmitted, Mountain-Transmitted, Vein-Transmitted, and Court-Transmitted swords. Seeing Pei Ye had heard of this layering from Li Weiru. As for the four floors of Mind Swords further up, this was his first time hearing of them.

The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth floors were respectively the so-called "Excellent Places," "Wonderful Wilds," "Strange Spectacles," and "Ultimate Intent Absolute Scenery."

As for the ninth floor, it was rumored to contain a Mind Sword placed by Yunlang Mountain.

However, everyone didn't know what it was called, and didn't pay much attention to it. Because even for these geniuses who had entered the Divine Capital Sword Academy, this floor was too far away. For many years, anyone who could stand on the eighth floor was the undisputed number one sword talent among the sword students.

The assessment results were still being announced. After Zhang Chao, there were several sword students with remote sword sects, or those who had no recommendation letters for other reasons. But Seeing Pei Ye saw the difference now. Those sword students from Huashan or Emei, even without recommendation letters, were assessed at the fifth floor, but those with one or two letters were at the sixth floor.

However, the sixth floor was a clear threshold. Because as it continued downwards, many sword students with three or four recommendation letters still stayed at the sixth floor. This was clearly where the sword students were most concentrated. The only difference was that some could learn sword arts from a certain sword sect on the seventh floor.

Until Duan Yu held the booklet and read: "Emei, Ning Shuhong."

The three of them tensed up at the same time.

"Sword-Describing Booklet assessment: Seventh Floor; Recommendation Letter assessment: Seventh Floor. With this assessment, you may learn all Clumsy Swords in the Sword Treasury Pavilion, Mind Swords assessed as 'Strange Spectacles,' and the Bai Lugong sword arts on the eighth floor."

Ning Shuhong's eyes lit up suddenly, and she clapped her hands together with a "slap."

Duan Yu unfolded and read the letter:

"Respectfully asking if Daoqi is well,

Junior Niece Shuhong has extremely sharp talent and a bright sword heart. Her talent for sword-sparring is also in the top ten I have seen in my life. A bright pearl covered in dust is what our Daoqi Society least wants to see. Therefore, I write this letter, willing to allow her the seventh-floor swords. If the Daoqi Society has any doubts, you may check her talent; if there are any who do not wish to open their swords, Shushan is willing to sincerely exchange for it."

"Shushan, Zhao Wanqing."

Seeing Pei Ye now knew why Zhang Chao's letter earlier had a "restrained tone." This was truly clear-cut support. He thought that even recommendation letters opened by sword sects of the same level had great differences due to their attitudes.

However, Seeing Pei Ye thought that this ordinary-toned letter from Bai Lugong probably also had great merit—he only heard Duan Yu unfold another letter and read: "Ning Shuhong of Emei has sword talent exceeding others, and a clear and smooth temperament. She is truly a good talent. I am willing to open the Bai Lugong swords for her study, and also ask the fellow Daoists of the Daoqi Society to cast their eyes upon her."

Although Ning Shuhong's sitting posture was upright, she could no longer hide her excitement—this was almost the treatment for the most top-tier sword students. For a woman from Emei, the seventh-floor swords were on par with the most profound "Jieyu Booklet" of her own sect, and any sect on the eighth floor exceeded the level of the entire sect.

The sword students turned their heads one after another, many showing surprise—many had heard of this Emei true transmission, but being able to obtain such a high evaluation was unexpected.

However, the Sword Treasury Assessment being arranged on the first day was also a process for the sword students to understand each other and re-recognize one another.

Ning Shuhong eventually suppressed her expression, because the young man beside her was still frowning. She had also seen the scene where he was rejected when submitting his letter, thinking that the assessment would not be optimistic.

Next to receive the same treatment were Wang Shousi and Huashan's Wen Zheng. Among the twenty sword students already announced, the three of them were the only five standing on the seventh floor, and the only three who could occasionally enter the eighth floor.

But next were Shushan's Chu Shuiting, Tianshan's Zuoqiu Longhua, the Southern Sect's Han Xiuben, and the Lu family's Lu Xiu.

The four of them actually reached the peak of previous years' sword students at the same time, all surprisingly standing on the eighth floor.

Zuoqiu Longhua received sincere recommendations from both Bai Lugong and Long Jun Dongting. Chu Shuiting only received a recommendation letter from Bai Lugong among the top five families, but actually had a joint signature from the Daoqi Society last year—it was precisely as compensation for Shushan opening the "Silkworm Fish Sutra," allowing three people to enter the eighth floor within five years.

The Lu family's Lu Xiu was not in the martial arts world, and many people were not familiar with this woman, but she received near-full support from the Beihai Prefecture. Behind it, who knew what exchange there was, but in short, for any sword she wished to learn, the Beihai Prefecture promised to exchange for it.

And her Sword-Describing Booklet assessment was also truly on the eighth floor.

Such permissions were only one or two in previous years, but this year there were four at the same time. The sword students who had understood the Sword Academy in advance couldn't help but smile and click their tongues, joking that this year they would probably both suffer and have a feast for the eyes.

But such joking didn't last long, because everyone still remembered that the figure at the very front had not yet had their result discussed.

It seemed they had encountered some difficulties, causing many people to be somewhat baffled—what were they hesitating about? Could it be that Yang Zhenbing couldn't even get on the eighth floor?

Until the assessment for this black-clothed young man was finally sent to Duan Yu's hands, this green-robed Daoist also frowned slightly... Thus, many people realized with some disbelief.

On the platform, Duan Yu finally restrained his eyebrows, and the commotion below stopped the moment he opened his mouth.

The man read slowly and clearly: "Bai Lugong, Yang Zhenbing. Sword-Describing Booklet assessment: Ninth Floor; Recommendation Letter assessment: Eighth Floor. With this assessment, you may learn all Clumsy Swords in the Sword Treasury Pavilion and Mind Swords assessed as 'Ultimate Intent Absolute Scenery.' Additionally: The Sword Academy must propose to the Daoqi Society to write a letter to Yunlang, requesting them to open the door of the ninth floor for him."

The field was silent, and everyone realized what they had witnessed in their unpreparedness.

—The eighth floor and the ninth floor were by no means as simple as being separated by a flight of stairs.

That was the chasm between Mind Sword and Heart Sword.

Many people guessed that this young man, who bore the name 【Sword Demon】 and was a direct descendant of the top five families, probably had talent far exceeding the three people below, but no one had ever thought that the gap was enough to allow him to ascend to the ninth floor.

For any sect, a Heart Sword was too precious a wealth.

Clearly, in many cases, that floor was just a symbol.

The Sword Academy would write a separate letter to Yunlang for this, requesting the opening of the ninth floor. Whether it succeeded or not, this was a matter worthy of being passed down.

No one doubted the judgment of the pavilion guards; they would only be more strict and cautious than anyone else. The sword students turned their eyes one after another toward the figure at the front bearing six swords, but that figure was as silent as ice, without the slightest reaction.

It was just that he wasn't sitting with his eyes closed, but tilting his head, his gaze still looking at the pavilion guards behind Duan Yu.

Thus, the sword students were stunned to discover again that although Yang Zhenbing's assessment had already been handed over, several old pavilion guards were still discussing it fiercely.

Or rather, it was no longer a discussion, but near a quarrel.

Fragmented voices erupted:

"It must be five! Absolutely cannot..."

"Doesn't Yang Zhenbing also..."

"Great Tang quota... no permission..."

"Who will guarantee it!"

"Either follow the lowest... there is absolutely no talk of a middle ground."

"No recommendation letter..."

The sword students watched blankly and quietly. Duan Yu also frowned and turned around, picked up the booklet on the pavilion guards' table, looked at it, and then leaned over to ask something.

But a few breaths later, someone suddenly thought of something. The sword students slowly turned their gazes, all looking at the only young man in the back row who had just been rejected for his recommendation letter.

His expression was also blank at this moment, his hands clasped together as he looked at the platform.

Wang Shousi tilted his head and asked somewhat confirmingly, "Are you still not assessed?"

"... Yes."

In fact, everyone had started to realize this point. There were only twenty-five sword students here in total, so it was too easy to count them clearly.

But the confusion on the field was even thicker than before Yang Zhenbing's assessment—what was difficult to determine about this person? Great Tang quota, no recommendation letter, wasn't it a rule to assess at the fifth floor?

But the quarrel just continued, and even Duan Yu participated in it. The vague voices only became more intense, yet it seemed there was no end.

Until suddenly, a jade light swept down from the sky.

Duan Yu turned his head back, stunned as he received it.

It was an ancient jade sword, with a neat little envelope tied to it.

He unfolded and read it, freezing after just two glances. After a few breaths, he tilted his eyes and reached out to hand this little short note into the middle of the three people who were still spitting while arguing.

The pavilion guard who saw it first also froze. He slowly took the note, leaving only two people still spitting while arguing.

Then he handed the note to the two people in front of them, just like spreading a miraculous magic. Their gazes touched, and they stopped talking too.

In the silence, a pavilion guard said angrily, "There's such a thing? Why didn't it come earlier!"

He waved his hand impatiently, and Duan Yu picked up the booklet and the note and left.

This quarrel stopped inexplicably just like that. The three of them all had expressions of having had their time wasted, yet they went to look at the young man in the back row who was still waiting blankly.

Three old faces squinted at him at the same time.

And in the front, Duan Yu finally stood on the platform again, cleared his throat, and completed the final announcement of this year's Sword Treasury Assessment.

It belonged to this young man whose handwriting was bad, whom no one cared about, and who had no one to recommend him. He was the last to finish writing the Sword-Describing Booklet, and at this moment, he was also the last to have his name read.

"Great Tang, Seeing Pei Ye. Sword-Describing Booklet assessment: Ninth Floor; Recommendation Letter assessment: Ninth Floor. With this assessment, you may learn all Clumsy Swords in the Sword Treasury Pavilion, Mind Swords assessed as 'Ultimate Intent Absolute Scenery,' and the Yunlang Heart Sword 'Butterfly'."

The field was dead silent. Duan Yu unfolded the recommendation letter, his voice still unhurried:

"Respectfully opening to the Divine Capital Sword Academy,

Suddenly hearing that Seeing Pei Ye has entered the academy, and also first learning of the assessment matter, this letter comes in a hurry, please forgive me. Seeing Pei Ye's sword talent is among the best in the world and should be a pole of the sword path. I regret his remote origin, like divine jade not yet carved, therefore I recommend him to enter your academy for study.

Writing this letter today, I specially grant him the right to learn swords: In the Sword Treasury Pavilion, all swords are permitted.

Not knowing the regulations of the Daoqi Society, I therefore request my master to sign and seal below. If there are any doubts, I quietly await a reply."

Duan Yu shook his sleeve indifferently and read out this signature:

"Yunlang, Qitian respectfully submits." ===== CHAPTER 452 =====