Unknowingly, Brian Carter became even lonelier and more silent.

Time flew by, and soon the grand day of the Sword Lecture Hall arrived.

Chapter Three: Sword Lecture Hall

The Sword Lecture Hall was established in a valley between the inner and outer residences. The building was square and simple in style, able to accommodate over a thousand people at once. Usually, a single attendant was assigned to clean and tidy the place, but when the annual Sword Lecture Hall event came around, there weren’t enough hands, so attendants from the outer residence would be dispatched to help.

The annual Sword Lecture Hall lasted three days and was of great significance. The new generation of disciples flocked in, each finding a spot to place a meditation cushion, sitting upright and quietly listening to the elders explain the profound principles of swordsmanship.

During this period, the attendants were responsible not only for cleaning but also for serving tea and water—basically, all chores fell to them. They had to come at a call and leave at a wave, serving with utmost care.

However, when the elders were lecturing, the attendants were not allowed to stay inside and listen; they had to wait outside, ready to act on orders.

……

“What is a sword?”

“A sword is the king of all weapons. It reigns over the world, dares to face armor and blades, and can reveal the heart and nature; thus it is said: when there are enemies in the world, my heart holds a sword…”

“We sword cultivators stake our lives on a single sword; we temper it with our blood, nurture it with our spirit. With utmost sincerity and refinement, it becomes as close as kin or friend. With such a companion, no place under heaven is unreachable; among thousands of techniques, a single sword can break them all…”

Within the square Sword Lecture Hall, Elder Henry Clark's vigorous voice echoed.

Elder Elder Clark was not tall, kept a short beard, and his eyes were bright and piercing, exuding authority even without anger.

Below the podium, a dense crowd of over two hundred new generation disciples sat. Each one sat upright, listening intently.

After about an hour of lecturing, Henry Clark's voice paused. His stern gaze swept over the disciples, then he flipped his right hand and took out an object.

The item was palm-sized, irregular in shape, ancient in color, with winding cracks on its surface, resembling a piece of tortoise shell.

“This Xuan-rank sword riddle has now been brought out at the Sword Lecture Hall for the fourth time. I sincerely hope that this year, a disciple can comprehend it.”

As he spoke, a look of eager anticipation flashed in his eyes.

With the passing of generations, if there is no one to carry on, the fate of the Sword Residence is obvious—it will only decline further and eventually fall apart.

Unfortunately, the talent and aptitude of the new generation of disciples are far inferior to those of the past. Otherwise, how could this Xuan-rank sword riddle have been displayed at three consecutive Sword Lecture Halls without anyone grasping its true meaning and obtaining the inheritance?

A so-called sword riddle is actually a secret manual on swordsmanship. However, the creator set unique soul-seal restrictions on the medium. To obtain the intent and inheritance within, one must unlock these restrictions.

In the martial path, there are countless techniques. But in summary, they are ranked by “Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Yellow,” each divided into upper, middle, and lower grades.

The sword riddle Elder Henry Clark brought out was of Xuan-rank, lower grade. Strictly speaking, it was not a particularly advanced sword inheritance. Yet even so, after being displayed at the Sword Lecture Hall for three sessions, no disciple had managed to unravel its mysteries. This had already spread, and other sects in the Wild Continent had heard of it, making it a laughingstock.

Once one of the top ten Sword Residences, with hundreds of new generation disciples, yet unable to obtain even a Xuan-rank lower-grade sword riddle inheritance—what a disgrace.

Therefore, the pressure on Zhongnan Sword Residence was immense. But what could be done? If the disciples lacked ability, scolding or beating them would solve nothing.

It wasn’t that all the disciples of the Sword Residence were so lacking; there were still some outstanding rising stars. However, the swordsmanship they had mastered had already surpassed the Xuan-rank lower grade, so it was no longer appropriate for them to attempt the riddle. It would be like asking a high school student to solve elementary school problems just to prove their ability—wouldn’t that be ridiculous?

Moreover, solving the sword riddle in such a way was meaningless and lost the true essence of inheritance. Not only would it fail to cultivate good seedlings, but it would also waste a sword riddle for nothing—a loss outweighing the gain.

Henry Clark raised his hand and embedded the sword riddle into a recess in the stone wall behind him, then sat on a grand chair to the side, closing his eyes to rest.

He was waiting—waiting for a disciple with insight to come forward, study it up close, and then solve the sword riddle.

The hall was silent, and the disciples all looked grave. That sword riddle had become a tough bone in their eyes, impossible to bite into.

Difficult—far too difficult.

In the face of such difficulty, no one dared to step forward lightly. Or rather, in the past three years of the Sword Lecture Hall, they had all basically tried already, but all to no avail. No matter how hard they racked their brains, they just couldn’t find the right method. Even after another year of cultivation, they still had little confidence.

It seemed disappointment was inevitable again…

A sigh rose in Henry Clark's heart.

After waiting a long hour, suddenly, among the disciples in the front row, someone stood up, cupped his fists respectfully, and said in a clear voice, “Elder Clark, I would like to try.”

Henry Clark opened his eyes and finally revealed a trace of gratified smile. “Gary Reed, come up.”

This Gary Reed was the nephew of Deacon Reed, with seventh-level strength. Two years ago, he had already become an inner disciple and was among the outstanding new generation disciples of the Sword Residence.