Chapter Seventy: The Secret of Optimus Prime

“Oh?” Long Yun chuckled and said, “In that case, why don’t we have a little competition and see who can draw forth a vision from the Sky-supporting Pillar?”

“Long Yun!” Chen Huafei tried to stop him in a low voice, shaking his head inwardly. Though Long Yun’s cultivation was formidable, he was still a young disciple—impulsive and brash. Even the likes of the Azure Sect Master dared not speak lightly of this matter; Long Yun was truly staking everything on a single throw. If Chu Huafei was truly goaded into agreeing, things could turn ugly.

But Long Yun shot Chen Huafei a knowing look, the faintest trace of confidence playing at the corner of his lips. He clearly had a plan of his own.

Elder Hua’s brow furrowed slightly as he regarded Long Yun’s self-assured bearing, his expression darkening ominously. Yet the fact that Long Yun had already become an elder of the Heart Sword branch was telling. The Jade Sword Sect had suffered such devastating losses in this catastrophe that even someone like him could now ascend to the rank of elder.

He turned back to Chu Huafei and asked, “Longyin, how about you? Are you confident?”

Hua Longyin hesitated briefly. He had indeed sensed a hint of something extraordinary within the Sky-supporting Pillar earlier, but all he could do was sense it—he was by no means sure of success. Nonetheless, with Long Yun pressing him into such a corner, he gritted his teeth and nodded.

Seeing Hua Longyin nod, Chu Huafei breathed a sigh of relief, while Elder Hua burst out laughing. “Very well! Since you’re so ignorant of your own limits, let’s compete. Hua Longyin will represent us; you may choose whomever you like.”

With Elder Hua’s agreement, Chen Huafei’s face darkened, his gaze toward Long Yun filled with reproach.

“Long Yun, you’ve been too hasty,” Chang Yi said, shaking his head. “For them to be so confident, they must have some hidden card. None of us have ever attuned ourselves to the Sky-supporting Pillar—how could we possibly win?”

Long Yun smiled calmly. “There’s no need to worry. Hua Longyin doesn’t have any certainty either. Our chances are still even; there’s nothing to fear.”

“So who do you intend to send?” Chen Huafei asked in a grave tone.

Long Yun could hear his displeasure, but replied patiently, “Let Xiaoxiao try. Only she and I are at the Seven Orifices Qi Condensation stage here, but most of my strength comes from fortuitous encounters. Xiaoxiao’s cultivation is the result of her own hard work, which means her talent surpasses mine. She’s the most suitable candidate.”

Liu Xiaoxiao narrowed her beautiful eyes at Long Yun, a faint smile curving her lips.

All eyes fell on her. Chen Huafei seemed to accept his fate, sighing. “Xiaoxiao, do you think you can do it?”

Liu Xiaoxiao laughed lightly. “Since Elder Long Yun has nominated me, wouldn’t it be a disappointment if I refused? I’ll give it a try—no one can know until they’ve made the attempt.”

Chen Huafei’s sigh was heavy; it was clear Liu Xiaoxiao had little certainty, but with things as they were, there was no other choice.

Long Yun smiled slightly. He had long harbored suspicions about Liu Xiaoxiao’s origins, suspecting she was a prodigy who had fled from some great sect. With such a gift, she could hardly be inferior to Hua Longyin.

With that, he turned to Elder Hua and said, “We’ll have Liu Xiaoxiao try.”

Liu Xiaoxiao said nothing, walking calmly toward the Sky-supporting Pillar. She was stunningly beautiful and tall, catching every eye wherever she went. Even scions like Liu Pingzhi and Wang Bing favored her, a testament to her charm.

Now, as she glided gracefully toward the pillar, the crowd gathered around it instinctively parted to make way for her.

Hua Longyin gritted his teeth and followed.

“You’re the junior, you go first,” Hua Longyin said gently as they stood by the pillar.

Liu Xiaoxiao smiled. “Elder Brother Hua, please go ahead. It’s my first time here and I have no experience. If you truly wish to yield, let me observe first so I can learn what to expect.”

Her beauty was enough to topple nations, and Hua Longyin found himself momentarily dazed before nodding, drawing a deep breath. He slowly extended his hands, pressing them to the pillar, his eyes closing as his mind entered a state of absolute calm.

To the naked eye, a faint ripple of energy began in his palms, gradually spreading until it enveloped the whole pillar.

Long Yun watched impassively. He knew Hua Longyin was using his true qi to wrap a sliver of his spirit, probing into the pillar’s interior. It was the most foolish method. If he were in Hua’s place, he would have found the barrier of the seal at once and forced his spirit through.

Of course, only he dared attempt such a thing, for his spirit was no ordinary one—it was fused with sword intent. With sword intent to shield it, his spirit was safe.

With this thought, Long Yun’s playful mood bubbled up. While everyone’s gaze was fixed on Hua Longyin, he quietly wrapped his spirit in sword intent and sent it drifting toward the pillar.

When his spirit touched Hua Longyin’s, Long Yun nearly burst out laughing. Compared to his own, Hua Longyin’s spirit was so feeble as to be laughable. Clearly, he had advanced to this level largely through external assistance, not by virtue of true talent.

The disparity was glaring. Long Yun watched as Hua Longyin’s spirit groped clumsily through every inch of the pillar.

“Fool,” Long Yun thought, locking onto his target. He sent his own spirit surging through the barrier.

The moment his spirit entered the pillar, a ferocious force came crashing down, and an utterly alien aura smashed his spirit to pieces.

Long Yun’s eyes flew wide. That energy was chilling, evil—not the righteous energy of the orthodox path, but the true qi of the demonic sects.

His spirit, suffused with sword intent, was holy, the very opposite of demonic qi. He could not have been mistaken.

If so, then the legend of the Sky-supporting Pillar must be false. The patriarch of the Azure Sect had not sealed his own inheritance within it; more likely, it had been sealed by a powerful demon sect cultivator.

At this thought, Long Yun drew a sharp breath. If this was true, the current Azure Sect Master’s identity was highly suspect. If he could see this, surely the master could as well. So why hide the truth?

The more Long Yun pondered, the more suspicious it seemed. He didn’t even register the cheers coming from the Hua Ying Sect disciples, for just as his spirit was destroyed by the demonic aura, the pillar began to emit a faint, rosy-red glow.

Though faint, it was certainly a result.

Hua Longyin withdrew his hands, a flash of confusion in his eyes. He hadn’t found a way through the seal, yet the pillar had manifested a vision all on its own.

What had happened? Hua Longyin frowned deeply.

“Junior Brother Hua, you did it!” Chu Huafei exclaimed, turning to Long Yun. “Long Yun, it’s your turn—let’s see what you can do!”

His words were mild, but the contempt on his face was plain to see.

Chen Huafei and the others looked ever more grim. If Hua Longyin had failed, they could have at least claimed a draw. Now, things had changed.

But Long Yun simply laughed and called to Liu Xiaoxiao, “They don’t think much of you, do they? Show them what you’re made of!”

Liu Xiaoxiao’s delicate brows drew together for an instant, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes before she turned toward the pillar, placing her hand gently upon it.

Long Yun didn’t see her expression. His confidence came from having already discovered the secret to triggering a vision from the pillar. If Liu Xiaoxiao failed, he could always help her.

So, as her hand touched the pillar, he prepared to send his sword intent surreptitiously to assist.

But before he could act, the pillar, quiet until now, suddenly blazed with a dazzling, enchanting red light, brilliant and unmistakable.