Soul Emperor Awakening

"Master, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Why do we have to duel?" Lin Xuan was very confused. It seemed meaningless. Qing Piaoyun’s Cultivation was so high he could kill him instantly. ’What’s the point of a duel like this?’

"As I just said, I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past six months. I knew you went missing in the Demon Cloud Sea, but I didn’t go looking for you. If you could make it back alive, that would be a testament to your ability. If you couldn’t, it would mean your trials were not yet enough!"

Qing Piaoyun looked at him and said, "Now that you’ve returned, it proves you have immense survival skills. However, I must test whether you can handle a certain trial. Therefore, we, master and disciple, must duel so I can examine your skill and see just what level you’ve reached!"

"A trial? What trial?" Lin Xuan asked, puzzled.

"If you want to know, I’ll tell you after our duel, once the outcome is decided. If you can’t withstand my assault, you will lose the right to take this trial!" Without giving Lin Xuan any more time to think, Qing Piaoyun prepared to attack. He suppressed his Cultivation to the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage, the same as Lin Xuan’s, but he still possessed the Control Power of the Spirit Pill Stage, which gave him a significant advantage.

"Then I am willing to accept this trial!"

Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious. He didn’t know what Qing Piaoyun was planning, but he was confident his master wouldn’t harm him.

The moment he finished speaking, Qing Piaoyun took a step and vanished in a wisp of green smoke. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Lin Xuan, his hand chopping horizontally toward his disciple’s neck. It was a vicious and nearly fatal attack.

Lin Xuan stood perfectly still, as if he hadn’t noticed anything. He made no move whatsoever, but a bright light had already flashed in his eyes.

"Martial Intent!"

A surge of Spiritual Power erupted, and a solid layer of Martial Intent enveloped him. BAM! Qing Piaoyun’s chop landed squarely on the Martial Intent. Not only did it fail to harm Lin Xuan, but the force actually knocked Qing Piaoyun back slightly!

Qing Piaoyun drifted back several steps before he managed to dissipate the rebound force. Of course, this was only because he was using the Cultivation of the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage. Had he used his full Spirit Pill Stage Cultivation, even two layers of this Martial Intent would have been useless, let alone a single one.

"This... this is Martial Intent!" Being experienced and knowledgeable, Qing Piaoyun immediately recognized the ability. He had been to the Demon Cloud Sea himself, so of course he knew of its existence.

It wasn’t just Qing Piaoyun; Qing Yiyi was also stunned. The ability seemed absolutely incredible.

"Yes. It’s something I cultivated in the Demon Cloud Sea. Master, am I qualified to take that trial now?" Lin Xuan had unleashed his strongest Ultimate Skill from the start. Martial Intent was arguably the greatest prize one could obtain from the Demon Cloud Sea.

He knew the trial Qing Piaoyun mentioned wouldn’t be simple, so he had to display overwhelming power, or his master would surely deem him unqualified. Besides, there was no need for him to hide it. He still had plenty of aces up his sleeve, so he wasn’t afraid to display his Martial Intent in front of the other Core Disciples.

Martial Intent was only one of his abilities; revealing it was nothing.

"Haha! Truly a once-in-a-generation talent! You even managed to learn one of the Ultimate Skills of the Demon Cloud Sea. Your trip there was truly not in vain. You are more than qualified!" Qing Piaoyun burst out laughing, his voice echoing through the mountains. It was a cathartic, unrestrained sound, as if he were venting.

The duel between master and disciple was over in the blink of an eye. There was no fierce battle, only a simple probing of his abilities. Once he understood the extent of Lin Xuan’s strength, Qing Piaoyun saw no reason to continue. It was now meaningless; the power of Martial Intent alone was enough to overwhelm the vast majority of disciples.

"Master, can you finally tell me what this trial is?" Lin Xuan asked.

Qing Piaoyun sighed and said, "The matter is quite simple. It concerns the Core Hall duel. You should be somewhat familiar with it."

"Yes. Isn’t that the duel every disciple has to participate in?" Lin Xuan inquired.

"Yes and no. The Core Hall duel is nothing like those in the Inner Hall. It is a contest for the position of Elder candidate! Anyone who places in the top five has a chance to become one of the next Elders of Qingcheng Mansion, so this competition is extremely important!" Qing Piaoyun explained.

Lin Xuan nodded. He knew this much already—not because someone had told him, but because Qing Liuyun had participated in it before. The Core Hall competition was incredibly important, as it selected the next Elder candidates. Of course, ’candidate’ was the key word; whether they ultimately succeeded depended on their future performance.

Although an Elder candidate was not guaranteed to become an Elder, at least there was hope! As for those who failed to become candidates, they had no chance at all.

"Furthermore, participants in the Core Hall duel are typically the disciples of various Elders. Of course, non-disciples can also participate, but they must be recommended by an Elder. Regardless of whether they are a disciple or a recommended candidate, all must pass a test. If their strength is insufficient, they are not allowed to participate in the Core Hall duel. Not even an Elder’s own disciple is exempt."

Qing Piaoyun looked at Lin Xuan and said, "The Core Hall’s trial is not so simple. You must first pass through the Life and Death Cave before you can even proceed to the final duels. And the fights are terrifying, especially against extremely powerful opponents. If your strength were insufficient, I would not have let you participate. As it stands, you are qualified... but just barely. At the very least, you’ve secured a spot for the duels."

"So your duel with me was to test the progress I’ve made all this time." Lin Xuan finally understood Qing Piaoyun’s intention.

"Yes. I’ll say no more on the matter. You have not disappointed me. The most important thing is that you returned safely..." Qing Piaoyun turned his back to gaze at the distant sky. In a deep voice, he said, "I was standing here when I sent Qing Liuyun to participate in this Core Hall duel. He became the first person in history to become a Grand Elder, joining us old-timers, without waiting for one of us to retire. This is the second time I’m sending a disciple to the Core Hall duel..."

"I will not let you down, Master. I will take first place!" Lin Xuan declared, brimming with confidence. No matter the task, he always strove to be the best!

"Confidence is a good thing, but your opponents this time will be powerful. Martial Intent is strong, but this world is vast, and the fortuitous encounters others have had might be no less significant than your own..." Qing Piaoyun sighed. "I should be getting back. I have many matters to attend to... But it truly is wonderful that you’ve returned."

After saying this, Qing Piaoyun departed, leaving the two of them alone on the mountain peak.