Xiao Mengyu didn’t have the Heavenly Eye and couldn’t see the threads.
So she could think that way.
But he couldn’t.
Shen Ye steadied himself and said in a low voice,
“Let’s pick up the pace and try to find a suitable deity statue as soon as possible.”
There weren’t many people coming down yet.
He and Xiao Mengyu had plenty of time to search for the right deity statue.
An early step meant an early lead.
They still didn’t know what exactly the Wailing Tide was, so they had to hurry!
That horse head was nowhere to be seen.
After a brief discussion, the two started up the Ghostfire Motorcycle and flew off in the opposite direction of Zhao Yibing.
The only thing they didn’t need to worry about was finding deity statues.
——The mountains were littered with severed limbs and broken fragments of various statues.
The real challenge was finding the right one.
They had already questioned five statues, but each one either demanded human flesh, a temple made of gold, or the recruitment of hundreds of followers.
“I finally understand that line in the mission,” Xiao Mengyu said.
“What line?” Shen Ye asked.
“The most important part of this mission is finding a ‘suitable’ deity statue,” Xiao Mengyu replied.
That statement immediately enlightened Shen Ye.
After a moment of contemplation, he said, “That horse head said something earlier that caught my attention.”
“You mean—” Xiao Mengyu recalled as well.
“It said, ‘The girl beside you uses a sword, so she’s to my liking. As long as she remains respectful, there won’t be a problem.'”
The Ghostfire Motorcycle suddenly came to a halt in midair.
The two spoke in unison:
“Resonance level!”
That’s right!
One had to find a deity statue that matched their own affinity to be acknowledged by it!
Xiao Mengyu had the title of “Sword Saint.”
One of the effects of that title was—
A +10 increase in resonance with swords.
Though they didn’t know her original resonance level, with an additional 10 points, she should be searching for deity statues related to swords!
As for himself—
His base resonance level was 9. With the “Moonlit Divine Reflection” ocular technique, his resonance with moonlit inheritances increased by another 20.
That made it 29.
He needed to find a moonlit deity statue!
Now, there was only one question left.
——Were there any statues of sword-related or moonlit deities here?
Shen Ye closed his eyes slightly and then reopened them.
He could now see titles.
He could use the “Moonlit Divine Reflection” eye technique to search for such statues!
“I’ll scan ahead. You keep an eye on the surroundings and call me if you spot a statue holding a sword.”
Shen Ye instructed.
“Call you? What do you mean?” Xiao Mengyu asked.
“I’ll use my Heavenly Eye to check. There might be an unexpected discovery.” Shen Ye said.
“Got it!” Xiao Mengyu immediately agreed.
She pressed one hand on her sword and steadied herself with the other, standing up on the Ghostfire Motorcycle to scan the area.
Shen Ye focused ahead.
The Ghostfire Motorcycle shot through the valley, accelerating up a slanted tree, soaring over the misty mountains, and racing forward against the roaring wind.
Fragments of statues receded into the distance behind them.
——Thanks to this motorcycle, their efficiency was far superior to the other examinees.
Meanwhile,
Other examinees had also begun finding ways onto the floating island.
By the streamside mountain path, two commoner examinees discovered a deity statue’s severed head, about the size of a watermelon.
They knelt before the head and pleaded,
“Great deity, could you ease the conditions a little?”
“If we offer our arms to you, our lives will be ruined.”
The deity head responded indifferently,
“When the Wailing Tide arrives, without my protection, you will all die.”
“Right now, I am only asking for your arms, yet you still hesitate—”
Whoosh!
A Ghostfire Motorcycle suddenly sped past the two examinees and the deity statue.
But in the next second—
It came back.
Shen Ye jumped off the bike, glanced at the two, took a few running steps, and delivered a mighty kick.
Boom!!!
The deity head was sent flying, soaring over the lush mountains and vanishing into the valley.
“Demanding human limbs at every turn—let it eat shit!”
After cursing, Shen Ye jumped back onto the bike and twisted the throttle—
The motorcycle roared, then vanished into the rugged mountain road.
The two examinees were left stunned.
“H-He… actually dared to do that to a deity—”
One of them stammered.
“Strange… He did that, but he wasn’t expelled from the exam.” The other pondered.
“Eh? Oh! I think I get it now.”
…
The Ghostfire Motorcycle sped through the landscape.
“Hey, you’ve got quite the temper when it comes to these statues.”
Xiao Mengyu covered her mouth, laughing.
She kept picturing the scene of him kicking that head.
The moment his foot connected with its face, all its previous solemnity and dignity vanished, replaced by sheer terror.
Then, it tumbled away, its expression frozen in panic as it was flung into the distance.
The scene hit Xiao Mengyu’s funny bone.
“Of course I’m mad! These statues don’t act like gods at all!”
Shen Ye grumbled while driving.
“A god should act like a god!”
“What does a god act like?” Xiao Mengyu casually asked.
“You know? Back in my hometown, gods who don’t behave properly—even if they just get drunk and tease a girl—get cast down to the mortal realm as pigs and are forced to carry burdens for 108,000 life.”
Xiao Mengyu’s eyes curved into crescent moons, her lips curling into a soft smile as she chuckled again.
Pigs?
Carrying burdens for 108,000 life?
This guy is spouting absolute nonsense!
Suddenly.
“Wait—look over there!”
Xiao Mengyu called out.
Shen Ye snapped back to focus and turned the motorcycle in that direction.
Before long—
The two stopped in front of a clay statue wielding a sword.
The statue was already incomplete, missing its head and left arm, and covered in moss and dirt.
Its right hand gripped a large sword, its blade mottled with verdigris, blending with streaks of bright white and yellow.
“Will this work?” Xiao Mengyu asked uncertainly.
Shen Ye glanced at it.
Above the statue, two small inscriptions were visible:
“Dragon-Headed Gilded Bronze Guardian Spirit Sword.”
“Sword Spirit Attached.”
Shen Ye examined the sword carefully and found that its hilt was indeed carved into the shape of a dragon’s head.
—A sword spirit?
That’s not a deity.
Would it work?
Wait a moment!
Why was the evaluation description on this statue referring to the sword?
“Give it a try,” Shen Ye said.
Xiao Mengyu stepped forward, raised her head, and respectfully bowed to the statue.
“I am Xiao Mengyu. I humbly ask for your protection—for both myself and my friend—to survive the approaching Tide of Wailing.”
“If you require any offering, please tell me directly.”
The statue remained motionless.
“No response,” Xiao Mengyu said, disappointed.
“You’re praying to the wrong target. Direct your plea to that,” Shen Ye pointed at the large sword.
“The sword? Are you sure?”
“Try it.”
Since he insisted, Xiao Mengyu repeated her prayer, this time facing the sword.
A breath passed.
Still no response.
Xiao Mengyu sighed and was about to speak when she saw the heavy sword tremble slightly, shaking off layers of dust before floating into the air.
“It moved!”
Both of them exclaimed at the same time.
The sword paid them no mind and instead flew to a nearby tree, where it swiftly carved out several large characters:
“Swing me ten times, thrust ten times, dance ten times.”
Xiao Mengyu hesitated and then asked,
“Is that all? Nothing else?”
“Nothing else.” the sword said.
Xiao Mengyu and Shen Ye exchanged glances.
Could it be that when the resonance was sufficient, the requirements would be this simple?
“It’s huge and heavy. It might be difficult to wield,” Shen Ye said hesitantly.
“Well… I’ll try first,” Xiao Mengyu said.
She stepped forward carefully and took hold of the large sword.
The sword remained still.
It allowed her to grasp it firmly with both hands, steadying her stance in the open clearing of the forest.
“Here I go!”
Xiao Mengyu took a deep breath.
The sword let out a faint hum, as if responding to her.
Xiao Mengyu swung it with all her strength, executing a slashing sword technique.
A powerful sword wind stirred up a pale mist, dispersing far into the distance.
After delivering the first strike, Xiao Mengyu seemed momentarily stunned.
“What is it?”
Shen Ye asked, tense.
That sword had a spirit.
He just hoped nothing unexpected would happen.
Xiao Mengyu stood still for a few breaths, then suddenly smiled at him.
“I understand now.”
“It has endured countless years, suffering through endless solitude. Now that it sees me, it remembers the past.”
“—It wants to be wielded as a sword again.”
As she spoke, Xiao Mengyu resumed swinging the blade.
Swift slashes!
Thrusts driven with full force!
She spun the sword’s spine, weaving flowers of steel through the desolate island.
Ten slashes, ten thrusts, ten dances—
Completed!
The sword let out a clear, resounding cry, stirring a fierce gale, as if reliving its days of war.
Xiao Mengyu couldn’t bear to put it down. She raised it high, channeling her sword techniques with all her might, unleashing waves of sword energy.
One person, one sword, moving in harmony once more!
Sword aura surged, its radiance blazing.
Even the light of a burning candle seemed dim in comparison.
Hummmm—
The great sword slipped from Xiao Mengyu’s hands, soaring into the sky like a dragon, roaming freely. It rang out with a triumphant, high-pitched sound as it streaked across the clouds.
Xiao Mengyu laughed aloud, rapidly forming sword seals, her voice clear as pearls striking jade.
“I have one more sword technique that reaches the heavens—let’s use it as well!”
The moment her words fell—
The great sword accelerated through the sky, executing dazzling sword moves before suddenly diving down, stopping to hover before Xiao Mengyu.
Like a person, it tilted its hilt forward slightly—
As if bowing to her.
“No need, really, no need for that!”
Xiao Mengyu quickly returned the bow with equal seriousness.
Shen Ye watched, and a sudden realization dawned upon him.
—At this moment, Xiao Mengyu’s resonance with the sword had undoubtedly surpassed a critical threshold. The sword would now willingly follow her through any hardship, battle alongside her to the ends of the world!
Because Xiao Mengyu understood it.
And it had recognized her as a true swordswoman!
—No.
She was now a Sword Saint.
So that’s how it was.
This trial had been meticulously crafted.
Everything was designed to make the challengers comprehend the essence of resonance.
“What an incredible lesson,” Shen Ye murmured in admiration.
Meanwhile, Xiao Mengyu, having finished her bow, had shed her usual calm and composed demeanor. Her brows curved in joy, and she looked like a genuine fifteen-year-old girl, happily carrying the great sword back to Shen Ye.
“It’s willing to help us,” she said, her eyes shining.
