Chapter 77: Dragon Bird of Great Xia

Chapter 77: Dragon Bird of Great Xia

The supposed information they required from Zhao Changhe and Cui Yuanyang seemed like it would indeed be of no use here. It was no wonder no one had come to ask the two of them for the details of their journey. The crux of the case no longer had anything to do with them. Nothing would come out of more detailed questioning.

Now the most simple method for solving the case was to bring out the Qinghe Sword. Whoever’s heart was most fiendish, the Qinghe Sword would desire to cut down. Would not the matter be settled?

Cui Wenjing, who had not said anything so far, slowly said, “I agree that we should use the Qinghe Sword. However, I must first point out a problem.”

Everyone bowed. “Please enlighten us, master.”

Cui Wenjing looked around and said coldly, “All of the suspicion has now been placed on Yuanyong and Yuancheng, as if this absolves the other brothers and elders of the clan of their suspicion. I don’t see why that would be the case. Just who planted this notion in your heads and misled you idiots?”

Everyone was taken aback. There were quite a few people flushed with anger.

Of course, there were many people who had done this intentionally, both publicly and privately. If the two eldest sons of the main family were suspects, did this not mean that other people had a chance?

With so many of these voices controlling the rhythm of the discussion, a lot of people had been misled into thinking that no one else could be suspicious.

Cui Wenjing said coldly, “This was a good plan. Just how many people in the world dare to claim that they’ve never done anything wrong? That their hearts have never harbored treachery? If only Yuanyong and Yuancheng undergo the divine sword’s test, the sword will not say anything; it will only choose to kill one of them. As for why the sword actually killed him, who will ever know? My son would die in vain, and even in death, he’d still be wrongly accused!”

The elder who explained the current situation just now nodded. “Wenjing is right. Not even I thought of that.”

Cui Wenjing said, “That’s why we can take out the Qinghe Sword. But everyone must undergo the test. Whoever’s heart is most treacherous will be the culprit!”

Cui Wenjue could not help but say, “Brother, is this really appropriate... As you’ve said just now, the Qinghe Sword may not judge one’s benevolence or treachery based on this incident...”

Cui Wenjing cast him a sidelong glance. Seeing that he looked like he was sitting on pins and needles, Cui Wenjing laughed. “Right now, the greatest treachery in the culprit’s heart is with regard to this incident; it’ll be most apparent to the divine sword. If it can only pick between Yuanyong and Yuancheng, the blade will kill the one it considers more evil even if both of them are innocent—it’d be pointless. Only if everyone is tested will everything be uncovered. You govern the commandery. Can you not even recognize this?”

Cui Wenjue could only reply, “You’re right, brother. But the copper pavilion is too small. We can only conduct the tests in batches. How are we supposed to find out who’s the culprit like this?

“I can control the sword myself. I’ll unleash it after everyone has touched it.” Cui Wenjing could not be bothered saying anything else. He looked around and said indifferently, “Is everyone willing to be tested?”

Cui Yuanyong and Cui Yuancheng both shouted, “Yes!”

The others present could only agree. Right now, who could say they were unwilling? Would this not make it evident that they had ulterior motives to hide?

“Alright.” Cui Wenjing grinned and stood up. “Right now, most of the nephews aren’t present. All of you can return and bring them here. Gather outside the copper pavilion. Yuanyang, Changhe, you two follow me. You are the victims here and you must be able to see how things happen from the inside.”

After saying this, Cui Wenjing left the Cui Clan Ancestral Hall without a word. Cui Yuanyang and Zhao Changhe looked at each other and followed along.

The copper pavilion was indeed small, about the size of a regular room. It would be crowded with only a few dozen people. After all, it was made of pure copper. For a building this size to be made out of pure copper, the Cui Clan had to fork out who knew how much money, and not even a behemoth like them could treat their gold like it was mud.

It was completely dark inside, but everyone had the ability to see in the dark to some extent and could clearly see that there were two pedestals, one on the left and one on the right, holding a saber and a sword respectively.

Before they could even register what they were looking at, both Zhao Changhe and Cui Yuanyang felt a shiver at the same time. They felt an extremely fierce killing intent envelop them. It was grand and imposing—immeasurable.

The divine sword of Qinghe was indeed not any regular sword. It was no wonder it had to be kept guarded in a copper pavilion. Anywhere else and that ever-present killing intent would seep out. Finnd new stories at novelhall.com

Initially, he had been rejected, and he felt the saber transmitting him a kind of shock. The next moment, he found himself holding the saber with his internal force. As it came into contact with the hilt, the saber suddenly cheered up, as if it was an ecstatic bird in flight.

This was not some saber spirit at work, but the intent of a divine weapon that had its own intelligence, a thirst for blood, and desire to go to the battlefield. It was not willing to remain enshrined within this small pavilion where no light reached and where weapons were not needed.

That being the case, not just anyone was qualified to wield it.

Ordinary mortals dare to touch Us?! [1]

The brilliant one is the emperor. The vast mountain and rivers are his to command; where his saber points, thousands charge to battle.

The dragon is the Azure Dragon. As it rises in the east, its heart shines like the sun; the trees and grasses grow in spring, and midsummer arrives.

The bird is the Vermillion Bird. It suppresses the far south as raging flames consume the sky; the nine heavens are incinerated and life conceals itself within the destruction.

The Azure Dragon is the master of life; the Vermillion Bird watches over death. Life and death secretly take each others’ place like the sun and moon.

Thus, yin and yang converge, forging the great Xia.

This was the Dragon Bird of the Great Xia!

Zhao Changhe suddenly felt that the killing intent they had experienced just now was not from the Qinghe Sword, but from Dragon Bird... Could it be that there’s actually nothing special about the Qinghe Sword?

If there was absolutely nothing special about the Qinghe Sword, then was his father-in-law’s test actually a bluff? Was he trying to hide the fact that there was a problem with the Qinghe Sword from clever people?

As he thought this, he felt a hint of killing intent directed his way. Consequently, the Azure Dragon reared its head, and the Vermillion Bird focused its gaze.

Scoundrel, from whence do you come... You dare confront the might of heaven?

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes and cast a sidelong glance. There was a youth from the Cui Clan he did not recognize. He was currently being tested by the Qinghe Sword. However, his eyes gazed in Zhao Changhe’s direction. There was killing intent hidden within them that quickly vanished.

Dragon Bird suddenly shook violently. Who dares show Us irreverence? Not even nine deaths shall be enough to atone for this crime!

Everyone present looked over in shock. The youth, overwhelmed with horror, also retreated half a step.

The saber in Zhao Changhe’s hand kept trembling as he fixed his gaze upon the young man and sneered. “Are you mad that I stopped your plans to harm Yangyang? Is that why you have killing intent toward me?”

The young man continued retreating. “What are you blathering on about?!”

A dragon roared and a vermillion bird shrieked as the saber clamored.

Zhao Changhe did not answer him. With the broad saber in hand, he had already burst forth. He crossed the small space between them and slashed at his head!

Zhao Changhe did not care if the Qinghe Blade was of any use. In any case, Dragon Bird had judged the man’s killing intent. Did a man like Zhao Changhe need any more evidence? Since you want to kill me, I’ll kill you first! Am I supposed to wait for your father to swoop in and protect you!?

1. The sword uses the first-person pronoun 朕 here, which is more or less the royal “we/me/I.” ☜