Sword Qi Exam, Part 2

Su Qing was trapped alone in the Mistrack Formation.

At first, she didn’t notice anything unusual. But when the familiar path looped endlessly, she realized she’d hit a ghost wall.

As a body cultivator, she’d studied basic formation knowledge in foundational cultivation classes, but those were rudimentary—mere addition and subtraction. Breaking this formation required calculus, far beyond her grasp.

Formations were perplexing for those inside, but outsiders could crack them more easily.

Fortunately, Su Qing had her disciple jade token. She prepared to message for help.

Any other time, she might’ve patiently puzzled it out, but today was the exam.

For the sake of a female cultivator’s dignity, failing was not an option—it was a matter of principle.

But when she sent messages, the replies were identical.

Tian Ning: **I’m trapped too.**

Tang Yueling: **Which turtle grandson did this? Once I’m out, I’ll beat them to death!**

Chen Minjing: **I’m stuck too. Aren’t you in Body School’s group? I’ll pull you in—almost the whole Body School is trapped.**

Invited by Chen Minjing, Su Qing learned of a secret first-year Body School chat group. Despite her time in Sword Sect, she’d been unaware, unsurprising since she focused on training and earning spirit stones, rarely socializing. Even Tang Yueling and Tian Ning weren’t in it.

Once in, she was stunned by the group’s chatter—messages flooded the screen. She quickly pulled in Tang Yueling and Tian Ning.

The group exploded with dozens of messages.
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**Savior’s here!**
**She’s here!**
**Senior Sister Su Qing!**
**Help! I’m gonna be late for the exam! I don’t want to fail or delay graduation!**

Su Qing was flattered to find her reputation among peers was solid, likely due to her Dragon Boat Secret Realm performance.

Though her cultivation wasn’t top-tier, her stepping up to handle messes earned trust.

She didn’t yet realize that since her public battle at Red Sun Sect and her secret realm exploits, she’d become a rare dependable figure in Sword Sect. When justice was needed, she was the first name on everyone’s mind.

Despite her modest cultivation, she’d quietly become a leader among her cohort.

Sadly, she knew little about formations and had no solution for the Mistrack Formation.

First, she calmed the group: **Don’t panic. Let’s figure this out together.**

Her biggest question was: **Array School isn’t stupid. Why trap us all before the exam? Isn’t that openly admitting they did it? Senior Sister Qin Zhen will make them pay.**

There was a reason.

The group pieced it together through chatter.

**Senior Sister, it’s not strange. The secret realm task point exchange ends today.**
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Su Qing, despite being their peer, was inexplicably called “Senior Sister.” They said it naturally, as if she was born for it.

She was likely the oldest, having entered at eighteen and a half. Fair enough—she was the big sister.

**I exchanged task points at Wuya Pavilion two days ago. Body School was first, Array School second. They must want the rewards, so they trapped us to fail, lowering our contribution points!**

Su Qing recalled: in the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, Sword Sect announced a separate ranking for each school’s task contribution points. The top school would gain one-tenth of the realm’s rewards.

One-tenth was massive—unique treasures unobtainable with spirit stones. Array School, second place, coveted Body School’s lead.

They scoured sect records, student manuals, and disciplinary rules, finding an old clause: if a school’s failure rate in the Sword Trial exceeded thirty percent, their contribution points and year-end evaluation would be docked ten percent. Over fifty percent, twenty percent. Near one hundred percent, the school got nothing—no rewards, subsidies, or funds. They’d watch others feast.

This rule prevented students from neglecting sword training for secondary studies.

Array School’s trap wasn’t foolish but a calculated plot to make Body School fail, lowering their points to seize first place and the secret realm’s rewards.

Their tactics echoed second-year Array School students stealing thunder tribulation resources from Senior Sister Zhu Xu’s group—a tradition of sorts.

Their blatant move suggested they’d secured their backers.

Su Qing knew sect politics were fierce. Pill School once snatched ninth-tier earth fire rights, originally discovered by Artifact School’s elder. Artifact School could only rant about reclaiming their rights while Pill School thrived, powerless.

Unlike the outside world, the sect ran on fists and money, not fairness. No authority enforced justice.

Expect the sect leader to mediate? He’d likely pocket the one-tenth reward first. He was capable not of it!

Since Body School was trapped, they’d rely on other schools. Su Qing said, **Let’s call for help.**

But she wasn’t hopeful. Array School’s thorough planning meant this formation wasn’t easily broken.

As expected, calling Talisman School’s Xie Ying, Tang Jiu, and others from Beast, Pill, and Artifact Schools yielded nothing.

Xie Ying: **No luck. We’ve tried outside, even Senior Sister Qin Zhen’s lightning couldn’t break it. Different fields, different rules—we talisman makers can’t crack formations.**

Tang Jiu: **This isn’t a standard first-tier Mistrack Formation. External force won’t work.**
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Some Body School students desperately contacted Array School.

**I’m not close to her, really not! Really!**

But the Array School contact was helpless. **Not everyone in Array School agreed with this. Some think it’s pointless. But they got third-year seniors to encrypt the formation. It looks like a first-tier top-grade but might be third-tier…**

It circled back to third-years.

A third-year Array School senior? Perhaps the legendary “Sect Leader’s Direct Disciple” Zhang Han’yi’s revenge? In Tianque City, Zhang Han’yi was practically a meme, rivaling the infamous Dragon Proud Sky.

Su Qing thought it likely and called third-year Senior Sister Ling Yunxiao. She squatted outside for hours, studied *Five Years of Formation Practice, Three Years of Formation Breaking*, and lost hair but couldn’t crack it.

Formations were like math problems—if you didn’t know, you didn’t know.

But if they couldn’t solve it, someone could. Ling Yunxiao tossed the book, dusted her sleeves, and reverted to her specialty. Couldn’t solve the puzzle? Beat the puzzlemaker.

**I’ll drag that dog Zhang Han’yi here to break it, or I’ll bash his brains out!**

Qin Zhen warned, **I can only swap the exam order, putting Body School last. You have two hours to break the formation, or you’ll miss the exam.**

Changing the exam time required a report, elder approvals, and likely Array School’s obstruction. It’d end with the sect leader, whose notorious nature meant he’d likely exploit the situation.

As a teaching assistant and student, Qin Zhen’s authority was limited.

Ling Yunxiao said, **I’m on it.**

The call for help was a bust, but not entirely fruitless.

—

Time passed.

Su Qing watched a lush blade of grass emerge from the bushes, gliding smoothly to her, shaking its leaves as if seeking praise.

Tentatively, she called, “…Little Grass?”

The grass shimmered, transforming into a delicate-faced boy with clear amber eyes. Jiang Xiaocao climbed up, dusted himself, and chirped, “It’s me!”

Puffing his cheeks, he said, “Why didn’t you call me?”

Su Qing was stunned. “Xiaocao, how’d you get in?”

He blinked, clueless but a bit proud. “I just wanted to come in, so I did.”

“But—did you finish the exam?” she asked. “Do you know how to get out?”

“Not done,” he shook his head. “Don’t know.”

Su Qing’s head ached. Another potential failure. “Then why’d you come?”

To add to the headache and failure count?

Jiang Xiaocao’s eyes curved, smiling. “I can’t break the formation, but I can keep you company. Books say friends share hardships, right?”

“Thanks, but sharing hardships is one thing—you need to take care of yourself first.”

She sighed. He was here; she couldn’t kick him out. Another person to worry with.

But then, the formation’s scenery shifted, revealing others. Senior Sister Qin Zhen was sternly judging the Sword Qi Exam.

To avoid damage, students aimed sword qi at the cliff.

Qin Zhen critiqued sharply. “Too weak, fail.”
“Has sword qi, no killing intent—barely pass.”
“Deformed technique, fail.”
“Three years of practice for this? Fail.”

Su Qing, holding clueless Jiang Xiaocao, exchanged looks. Confirming they were out—not in a new illusion—she released him, drew Man Qing Sword, and unleashed sword qi toward Array School’s students.

No idea how they escaped, but first, strike!

Since they itched for it, she’d give them a thrashing.

Her dantian’s spiritual energy surged, resonating with the white jade inside, releasing pure spiritual power. It raced through her meridians, flooding Man Qing Sword. The silver blade hummed, sensing her intent.

With a thrust, a earth-shaking sword qi roared forth, like a stampede of thousands, engulfing the cliff.

The strike cleaved half the cliff, sending Array School students and debris tumbling.

They panicked. “Impossible! How’d you get out?”

Before they finished, her sword qi blasted them off into the distance.

Heavy and swift, it left no time to react, its crushing force undeniable, brimming with killing intent.

Qin Zhen’s eyes lit up, her stern face softening. After so many lackluster attempts, here was one worth seeing.

“Good swordsmanship, excellent sword qi—top grade.”

She ignored the fallen and trembling Array School students. They reaped what they sowed—none would die anyway.

Su Qing narrowed her eyes, sword pointing at Array School. “Aim there!”

By now, Jiang Xiaocao had freed Tian Ning and Tang Yueling. Both were like demon stars, charging Array School, grinding them into the dirt.

Tang Yueling sneered, drawing her sword, unleashing pure fire spirit sword qi. “Nice try, Array School—courting death!”

Tian Ning, ruthless and silent, struck fast. Snowflakes fell from the sky, her Foundation Establishment Late Stage pressure crushing Array School.

Fire and ice qi exploded, sword qi whistling, underscored by Array School’s screams.

Qin Zhen turned a blind eye, calling, “Top grade.”
“Top grade.”

Chen Minjing drew her book sword, focusing, slashing three sword qi waves, toppling defenders and their formations off the cliff.

Qin Zhen nodded. “Top grade.”

Freed Body School students rushed to other Mistrack Formations, rescuing peers. Once out, they followed Su Qing’s lead, unleashing sword qi at the cliff.

Trapped frustration, fear of missing the exam, and rage at Array School fueled them. Sword qi surged.

Many who barely grasped sword qi suddenly understood its essence.

Part of sword qi came from killing intent!

*Kill, kill, kill these dogs!*

Qin Zhen nodded, grading, “Good, high grade.”
“Mid-grade.”
“High grade.”
“Pass.”

She raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Body School wasn’t known for sword excellence, with average sword qi awakening. Array School’s scheme backfired, sparking anger that boosted Body School’s insights and pass rate.

They’d shot themselves in the foot.

Serves them right—thinking introverts were easy targets.

Qin Zhen told the huddled Array School survivors, “Go tell them: if they’re not here in half an hour, they skip the exam and fail.”

When Ling Yunxiao arrived, dragging Zhang Han’yi, rushing to the cliff, Body School was already out. They guarded Su Qing, who was meditating, her aura chaotic—she was advancing.

Her earlier sword qi, so natural and exhilarating, had stirred her spiritual energy, activating the white jade in her dantian, releasing pure power.

She still didn’t know what it was, but a seventh-tier artifact master’s legacy was extraordinary.

It flooded her meridians with energy, her gold-thread wood-enhanced roots drinking it greedily.

Ling Yunxiao released the battered, unrecognizable Zhang Han’yi, sighing. “How’d you figure out the formation? Does Body School have a brainiac?”

No one knew how they escaped, but they were out. Who cared? Beat Array School first.

Now, with Array School dealt with and adrenaline fading, they wondered, “Yeah, how’d we get out?”

“It just… happened.”

Jiang Xiaocao stood prouder, though he didn’t know how he did it.

It was probably his doing.

Ling Yunxiao kicked Zhang Han’yi, feigning death, snapping two ribs. “I’m asking you. Speak, or I’ll hang you on Wuya Pavilion’s top floor for lightning strikes.”

Lightning was a reward for body cultivators but a social and physical death for Array School.

Zhang Han’yi spat blood. No point hiding it—Body School was out. “The way to break it… *cough*… someone had to willingly enter the trap.”

With everyone rushing to the exam, no one would. He banked on that.

He didn’t expect Jiang Xiaocao, reckless of danger or grades, to dive in for Su Qing, accidentally breaking the formation.

Ling Yunxiao got it, kicking him again. “What a black heart. Bet you have no friends.”

Beatings, he could take—Array School was used to Body School’s fists. But no friends? That broke him.

Because… he really had none.

“You’re ruthless,” Zhang Han’yi grumbled. “Just wait, *cough*, revenge comes in ten years.”

Ling Yunxiao tsked, waving to her juniors. “Never learns. You guys carry on—I’m taking him to bleed a bit, give him some body cultivation.”

Dragging him by his sleeve, Zhang Han’yi trailed like a rag, no trace of his former grace. Array School students climbing back up hugged themselves, terrified.

High-tier body cultivators were horrifying.

When Su Qing opened her eyes two weeks later, she’d reached Qi Refining Layer Eight, jumping two layers. Her half-year of diligence paid off.

She was surrounded by flowers, their scent triggering a sneeze, petals fluttering onto her.

“What’s this?”

Jiang Xiaocao, shy but serious, said, “Gifts from everyone, congratulating your breakthrough.”

“I see.” Su Qing nodded, looking at him. “So, you didn’t fail, right?”

She’d entered meditation too fast to see his sword qi, unsure if he passed. Not failing was a student’s basic pride.

Jiang Xiaocao’s faint shyness vanished. He turned away, quiet, then whispered, “No one’s praising me.”
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