The sword flashed through the air, pointing and gesturing at a tree trunk three zhang away. In just a moment, the sword’s light flickered and then returned to its sheath.

The entire process took only a few breaths. Among the onlooking disciples, those with slightly weaker cultivation—and even the elders—couldn’t make out what the sword in his hand had even looked like.

Then, all eyes turned to the tree trunk, where seven large characters had been clearly carved: Zhongnan Sword Manor Henry Clark!

These were the characters that Henry Clark had just pierced into the trunk from three zhang away with his sword.

Such swordsmanship had already surpassed the realm of sword techniques; this was what was called “sword qi.”

Sword qi is formless, yet substantial, elusive like a goat’s horn hanging from a branch, impossible to grasp, yet able to wound and defeat an enemy in the blink of an eye.

“Did you see that? That’s sword qi!”

“Elder Clark is at the eighth level of the Qi Path, right? That’s incredible…”

“Incredible? This isn’t even the elder’s true skill—he deliberately held back so everyone could see more clearly.”

“That’s right, Elder Clark’s renowned sword qi is called ‘Mountain Light Setting in the West,’ mysterious beyond compare. How could we ever truly comprehend it?”

“Sigh, if I could have even half the elder’s cultivation, I’d be perfectly content…”

Exclamations of awe and discussion rose and fell in waves.

Henry Clark, hands clasped behind his back, was just about to begin his explanation when he suddenly saw someone rushing toward the entrance of the sword demonstration grounds. It was the disciple Adam Bennett, whom he had sent to the Sword Lecture Hall to retrieve the sword challenge.

Today was the last day of the Sword Lecture Hall. If all went as expected, after demonstrating sword qi and giving an explanation, it would be about over.

Henry Clark had other matters to attend to and had changed his plans at the last minute, deciding not to return to the Sword Lecture Hall for a summary. So he ordered Adam Bennett to go and take down the sword challenge left on the stone wall and bring it over.

“Elder Clark, Elder Clark, something’s wrong!”

Adam Bennett was running so hard that he was out of breath as he shouted.

Henry Clark frowned. This disciple was usually calm and steady—why was he so flustered now? He barked, “Speak slowly if there’s something to say! Don’t make a fuss—what kind of behavior is that?”

Adam Bennett immediately fell silent.

“Well, speak. What happened?”

Once the disciple had calmed down, Henry Clark asked in an unhurried manner. His cultivation in self-control had long reached a certain level; even if a powerful enemy invaded at this moment, he would not lose his composure.

Adam Bennett gulped and reported, “Elder Clark, your sword challenge has been solved again.”

“What?”

The usually composed Elder Clark suddenly reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, nearly jumping up. “Nonsense! Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

He spun around nimbly, used his superior lightness skill, and dashed toward the lecture hall, leaving a crowd of disciples looking at each other, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

Especially Adam Bennett, who was scolded for no reason and felt most aggrieved: You told me to speak slowly if something happened…

…

Inside the Sword Lecture Hall, facing the sword challenge jade slip that had already been reduced to powder, Henry Clark’s expression shifted several times—at times grave, at times ecstatic, at times lost in thought.

The disciples had all hurried back as well, but no one dared to make a sound and interrupt the elder’s train of thought. They just gathered outside, craning their necks curiously to look in.

From the solution of the lower-grade Xuan-level sword challenge to the solution of the mid-grade Xuan-level sword challenge, only a day had passed, yet the solver remained as elusive as a dragon, their identity still unknown.

From start to finish, the whole affair was shrouded in an indescribable air of mystery.

“Since all the new generation disciples were at the sword demonstration grounds earlier, it definitely wasn’t any of them. Could it really be a core disciple, or perhaps a member of the guard, who dared to sneak in and solve the sword challenge? But that doesn’t make sense…”

As high-level disciples, they enjoyed excellent benefits and privileges. Many of the Sword Manor’s resources were freely available to them. If they wanted to solve a sword challenge, they could simply apply—there was no need to sneak around.

“No, this matter must be thoroughly investigated.”

Henry Clark gritted his teeth. There was no time to lose; he immediately met with the manor head and the other three elders to discuss the matter.

When the higher-ups heard about this strange incident at this year’s Sword Lecture Hall, they were all a bit surprised. They immediately ordered all the core disciples and guard members on the mountain to be summoned and questioned.

After a round of investigation, by evening, the results were in: none of these disciples were suspects.

Faced with this result, Henry Clark was nearly driven mad: If no one is a suspect, could it be a ghost?

Unwilling to give up, he continued the investigation through the night, narrowing the search to those who had entered the Sword Lecture Hall during this period, checking them one by one, and finally concluded that the most likely suspects were a group of menial workers.

Henry Clark was dumbfounded on the spot.

Menial workers were the lowest rung in the Sword Manor, considered outsiders or not even truly part of the manor—no one ever paid them any attention.

How could it be possible?

Menial workers generally had no martial arts skills. If they did, who would be willing to sweep floors and serve others?

So, without any martial arts foundation, could they solve a sword challenge? That was simply against all reason.

Could it be that they were spies sent by the Tiandu Sect…? That was unlikely too. If they were spies, why would they recklessly reveal themselves by solving the sword challenge? Wouldn’t that be exposing themselves?