Chapter 133: The Old Man – 'You’re the Worst Generation I’ve Ever Seen!”

Chapter 133: The Old Man – “You’re the Worst Generation I’ve Ever Seen!” Silence. The entire place fell completely silent. All eyes turned simultaneously to Xiao Chen. Ye Lingxiao stepped forward to stand beside Xiao Chen, releasing his own pressure in unison. He didn’t say a word, but his action made his stance clear—he supported Xiao Chen’s proposal. Within Wendao Academy, although the two of them were rivals, in the face of formidable opponents, unity was the only way to suppress the rest. "Amitabha." A young monk holding a longsword said, "We came to the Taixu Secret Realm in pursuit of opportunity. Now that Benefactor Xiao has proposed a method to determine order without bloodshed, I, Pu Hong, naturally accept." Hearing this, the disciples from the other eight major forces also spoke up one after another: "Agreed. Let’s go with Fellow Daoist Xiao’s suggestion." Xiao Chen’s domineering presence earlier had left many of them in an awkward spot. After all, everyone here was a pride of heaven—who among them hadn’t come from a Holy Land? No one wanted to be overshadowed. Still, to start a fight over an unseen treasure would have been brainless. Even if the Sword Cottage did hold a great treasure, losing one’s life here would only mean forfeiting all chances of obtaining other inheritances within the realm. "Please." This time, Xiao Chen didn’t rush to act. Instead, he made a polite gesture of invitation. He had complete confidence in his ability to outshine them all. Soon, a cultivator from one of the Holy Lands stepped forward and slashed the Trial Sword Stone with his sword, leaving a mark. "Seven feet of sword intent!" "Only seven feet? Watch mine!" "Seven feet two inches!" ... One by one, sword cultivators stepped forward. Not long after, Ye Lingxiao took his turn, leaving behind a nine-foot sword intent, tying with the sword cultivator from the Divine Sword Holy Land. All eyes turned to Xiao Chen. With a faint smile, he raised his sword and struck. Clang!!! A streak of sword light shot forth like lightning and landed on the Trial Sword Stone. "Nine feet nine inches!!!" Once the crowd saw the mark left on the stone, they gasped in unison. Many sword cultivators looked visibly upset, but none dared question Xiao Chen’s result. That single strike from earlier had shaken many to their core. Xiao Chen smiled and said, "Fellow Daoists, I’ll take the first step, then." "Please." Pu Hong was the first to gesture politely, and though the rest of the young elites were clearly displeased, they all echoed in unison: "Please." Under everyone’s gaze, Xiao Chen strode toward the Sword Cottage like a dragon in motion. Creak— He pushed open the door, and everyone’s eyes turned toward the interior. But what lay beyond was nothing more than a plain courtyard. Xiao Chen continued toward the main room and pushed open the door. Inside, the first thing that caught his eye was a painting. Instinctively, he fixed his gaze on it. The painting depicted an old man casually swinging a longsword. He couldn’t say why, but something felt off. It was as if the old man in the painting were alive, and the sword in his hand was swinging straight at Xiao Chen. Suddenly, a terrifying wave of sword intent erupted and struck down toward him. Clang! Xiao Chen reflexively swung his sword in response. Boom!!! A thunderous sound filled the room as it was instantly engulfed in thick smoke. A beam of light shot out from the painting and enveloped Xiao Chen completely. Outside, the cultivators who heard the noise immediately tried to probe the Sword Cottage with their divine sense. But just as their senses reached the doorway, a terrifying force blocked them entirely. Silence reigned. The genius from the Divine Sword Holy Land said, "Fellow Daoist Ye, it’s our turn." "After you, Fellow Daoist Xie," Ye Lingxiao replied calmly. He and Xie Biwen stepped into the Sword Cottage together. When they entered the courtyard, they found that Xiao Chen was nowhere in sight. The two of them frowned instinctively and proceeded toward the main room. Meanwhile, Xiao Chen felt as if his body was plummeting rapidly, surrounded by utter darkness. After a long descent, he landed in a pitch-black cavern. He extended his divine sense around and soon spotted a partially collapsed great hall. Above the hall’s entrance was a sword emblem. Without hesitation, Xiao Chen headed toward the dilapidated hall. After pushing through layers of darkness, he finally reached a raised platform where a statue stood. The statue depicted a middle-aged man holding a longsword. It looked quite ordinary, yet just standing before it made Xiao Chen feel an oppressive, lingering dread. The aura it gave off inspired an instinctive reverence and a desire to kneel in submission. Just one glance, and Xiao Chen nearly dropped to his knees. Hiss... He sucked in a sharp breath. Even when facing the academy headmaster, he had never felt such crushing pressure. ‘No. I absolutely won’t kneel before a mere statue!’ With that thought, Xiao Chen unleashed his aura in full, pushing back against the oppressive will radiating from the statue. The two forces clashed in midair—neither overpowering the other. Crack... crack... A cracking sound echoed from the statue. Xiao Chen looked toward the noise and saw chunks of stone falling from the sword in the statue’s hand, revealing a sheathed longsword beneath. "Who dares disturb my slumber?" An aged, majestic, and commanding voice boomed from within the sword. Moments later, a phantom appeared atop the statue. The imposing figure demanded, "Young man, why do you not kneel upon seeing me?" Staring at the phantom, a thought flashed across Xiao Chen’s mind: ‘My master was right—I’ve really encountered some ancient monster. I wonder what surprises he has in store.’ The phantom, seeing the young man remain silent, repeated sternly, "Did you not hear what I said?" Xiao Chen clasped his hands politely and said, "Black Robe greets Senior." "???" Phantom: ‘Are you messing with me? Who the hell names themselves Black Robe? If you're going to make something up, at least try to make it believable!’ "Why do you deceive me, young man?" Xiao Chen grinned. "Senior, when have I lied? Everyone calls me Black Robe. After all, someone like me—just a deathsworn warrior—isn't worthy of a real name." "..." The phantom was speechless. ‘The younger generation of Tianxuan Continent is truly getting worse. Even deathsworn now make it into this place?’ In frustration, he sighed, "You kids are the worst batch I’ve ever seen." "Is that true, Senior?" Xiao Chen asked sincerely. "..." The phantom fell silent again, clearly exasperated. At last, he said, "Fine, fine. Since you’ve reached this place and awakened me, that means there is fate between us. I’ll give you a chance to accept my trial. If you pass, you will inherit my legacy. Are you ready?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen asked, "Senior, is it possible to skip the inheritance? I’d rather exchange it for something else." The phantom nearly leapt into the air in fury. "Brat, do you have any idea what kind of existence I am? Or what kind of opportunity you're throwing away?!" Xiao Chen shook his head calmly. "Not really." That single line instantly shattered the phantom’s composure. "You... you... you’ll be the death of me!" ==================================================================================== Get access to 20 chapters in advance and enjoy 2 daily updates by supporting the series. Available on Patreon: /Alex_Cruise or Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/anish_44