I have been bound in a forbidden place for five hundred years. Why are you crying when I am a casual

"According to the previous plan, the Sword Offering Ceremony should have started much earlier. Those who qualified to take the stage would ascend the Sword Enlightenment Platform one by one, and then compete to determine their ranking."

"However, due to the slander from the Buddhist sect, too much time has been wasted. Therefore, the battle at the Sword Enlightenment Platform is canceled. You may all go directly to the platform. As for the seating arrangement, you may negotiate among yourselves. You are allowed to fight each other, but you must not take lives."

"Now, let's begin."

As Jiang Jiansi finished speaking, the group of people who had competed earlier soared into the sky and landed on the Sword Enlightenment Platform above like sharp arrows.

Ninety-nine people are not many, but ninety-nine geniuses who refuse to submit to each other are a different story.

Almost immediately upon stepping onto the stage, a fierce battle erupted as everyone vied for the chance to seize the opportunity to enter the Sword Cleansing Pool, the most unique spot on the Sword Enlightenment Platform.

As everyone knows, the essence of the Sword Offering Ceremony is to dissipate the sword energy within the Heavenly Abyss Immortal Sword, which has accumulated sword energy for a hundred years, so as to prevent it from accumulating too much and causing damage to the Central Plains. By actively detonating it and then using various methods to transform this power into power that can be absorbed and comprehended, it can be considered as turning a bad thing into a good thing.

Since it is a burst of sword energy, there are naturally differences in strength.

The Sword Washing Pool is where the sword energy is most abundant. Combined with the Sword Saint's sermons and the comprehension of the profound sword energy, it is easier to gain insights into the path of "intention".

Meaning.

It's not purely about cultivation level, but it can directly enhance one's strength. Many people who can fight beyond their level rely on this.

This was a genuine opportunity to improve their cultivation, and it was what the geniuses who came here cared about most. Naturally, they began to fight fiercely to compete for a better position.

"Old Gu, let's go up too, otherwise the supply lines will all be taken away."

Seeing the commotion above, Lü Dongshan urged Gu Xiu to hurry up.

At this moment, Gu Xiu, dressed in black, still had his brows furrowed, ignoring Lü Dongshan's words as if he hadn't heard them at all.

"Old Gu?"

"Old Gu, stop spacing out! What's wrong with you?"

Lu Dongshan urged him a few more times, and this time Gu Xiu in black robes finally broke his silence. He began to take action, but the direction of his actions surprised him. Instead of rushing to the Sword Enlightenment Platform, Gu Xiu went straight to the old Sword Saint.

His actions attracted some attention, but no one paid it too much attention. After all, it wasn't a secret that Gu Xiu was favored by the Sword Saint, and since Gu Xiu had almost been slandered earlier, it was only right that he expressed his gratitude to the Sword Saint.

only……

After Gu Xiu in black robes arrived before the Sword Saint, he didn't come to apologize. Instead, he stared intently at the old Sword Saint, and after hesitating for a long time, he finally couldn't help but ask:

"How do you know that the Buddhist lamp can be lit?"

Earlier, when the Sword Saint urged him to accept the test, he was quite nervous, even thinking that the Sword Saint might be planning to secretly help him. But after the Buddhist divine fire was fully lit, he realized that the Sword Saint had not made a move at all, nor did he intend to.

instead.

He may have already seen through the truth and was certain that he could ignite the sacred fire of Buddhism. Thinking even deeper, he may have already seen the truth about his own existence!

really!

Just as he asked the question, the old sword saint chuckled and said, "You are not that little monkey, so naturally you cannot be unable to ignite the Buddhist divine fire. I think you should understand this by now."

"But I am him!" Gu Xiu, dressed in black, was somewhat agitated.

The Sword Saint glanced at him and asked in return, "Is that so?"

"He's just my inner demon, my most pathetic inner demon," Gu Xiu in black robes emphasized again.

Unfortunately, the old swordsman remained calm in the face of his excitement: "Is that so?"

"You...do you know what I've seen? Do you know that I am the real Gu Xiu, and he is just a coward that I created because I wanted to escape!" Gu Xiu in black robes continued to emphasize, seemingly determined to make the Sword Saint understand the truth.

only……

This time, the Sword Saint didn't even give a reply.

Gu Xiu, dressed in black, was unwilling to give up. Just then, the battle on the Sword Enlightenment Platform intensified, and someone was even knocked down and landed in front of him.

A fierce glint flashed in Gu Xiu's black-robed eyes as he stomped on the man's chest, causing the prodigy to cry out in pain. Even so, the old sword saint seemed not to see it at all, his gaze remaining calm, still carrying that look that seemed to have seen through the whole truth.

"I'm going up there right now and slaughter all those scum!"

"Let's see if you admit it or not!"

After saying this, Gu Xiu in black robes immediately transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky. But no sooner had he left than the old sword saint's voice rang out: "You are just a person with a tragic fate. Now that you have guessed the truth, why are you still unwilling to accept it?"

These words startled Gu Xiu in his black robes. He turned around and stared intently at the old sword saint, hoping the old sword saint would say he was joking.

Unfortunately not.

He was speaking from the heart.

The old swordsman even added, "As for your opinion that Gu Xiu is weak and cowardly, I don't think so. He is just more pure than many others."

These words filled the black-robed Gu Xiu with dissatisfaction, and even a surge of overwhelming malevolence emanated from him, as he did not agree with the old sword saint's words. However, just as this malevolent aura was about to reach its peak, it suddenly began to dissipate rapidly without warning.

In the blink of an eye, he was like a wilted eggplant, and the strong confidence in his heart had completely vanished.

"He did it on purpose, didn't he?"

"He wasn't fooled from the beginning. He even knew I was there from the start and deliberately let me take over his body, letting me gradually replace his identity and help him pass these messy tests?"

"From the very beginning, I was just a clown being played like a puppet?"

He stared intently at the Sword Saint, awaiting his answer, but the old Sword Saint simply shook his head: "You should ask him that question yourself."

Gu Xiu, dressed in black, smiled.

The Sword Saint's answer seemed to offer no response, but in reality, just as the old Sword Saint had said, he already had the answer in his heart.

He didn't say anything more, but walked step by step toward the location of the Sword Enlightenment Platform.

The battle on the Sword Enlightenment Platform was still ongoing, with all the prodigies displaying their true skills, hoping to advance their rankings. Sharp edges flashed and crisscrossed. If it were before, Gu Xiu in black robes would have been overjoyed by such a scene and would have been eager to join the battle.

But this time.

His heart was filled with icy coldness, but he walked resolutely toward the Sword Washing Pool.

Whether it was due to Gu Xiu's accumulated reputation or the terrifying aura emanating from him at that moment, none of the geniuses who were fighting desperately tried to stop the black-robed Gu Xiu from advancing. In fact, as the black-robed Gu Xiu arrived, even cultivators who were engaged in battle would immediately stop what they were doing and make way for Gu Xiu to pass.

As everyone gradually yielded, he moved forward in his seat until he reached the Sword Washing Pool.

There are already nine people standing here.

Each of them was a renowned figure. When they saw Gu Xiu arrive, they all narrowed their eyes slightly. Ye Wentian took the initiative and pointed to the empty seat in front of him.

This was a spot that Ye Wentian had specially reserved for him.

Judging from the fluctuations in his aura, he must have already made a move to secure this position, as no one dared to take another step forward.

To have such a prodigy give up his place would have made Gu Xiu in black robes quite proud in the past, but this time he remained calm and didn't even pay attention to Ye Wentian. He simply brushed past him and sat down cross-legged in the first position of the Sword Washing Pool.

He didn't say a word the whole time.

He glanced up at the surrounding area, and almost the instant he sat down, a terrifying spiritual light shone forth, completely enveloping the entire area of ​​the Sword Enlightenment Platform.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that Sword Saint Yin Ruozhuo had already made his move.

Not only him, but also the five supreme beings, including the Immaculate Zen Master, stood in their respective positions, began to perform hand seals, and injected their spiritual power into their bodies to assist the Sword Saint in his attack, and began to activate the Heavenly Abyss Immortal Sword, which had been dormant for a hundred years.

But Gu Xiu in black robes had no interest in observing these details closely. After a quick glance, he hastily looked away, his mind once again drawn to the small, dark room that seemed like an abyss.

"I want to talk to you."

"Gu Xiu."