17 Set Out

Before Wei Gaoyuan acted, Gu Qianqian first launched her strike. This time she wouldn't underestimate him, attacking with one of her ancestral sword tricks: "The Willow-Swirling Sword"; Wei Gaoyuan was defending himself with the basic sword trick of The East Mountain Sword Club.

Seven or eight rounds later, Gu Qianqian took back the sword, slightly angry, "Are you taking this competition seriously? Just using such a simple basic sword trick to defend my ancestral sword tricks?"

Wei Gaoyuan got a bitter smile in his heart. He was definitely not looking down on Gu Guqianqian, but unwilling to make her too embarrassed and depressed. Because of the huge gap between ninth level of the Mystery and Transforming Force of the Undistinguishment, even if he used the basic sword trick of his club to attack, if with all strength, she could hardly take it beyond ten rounds.

And another embarrassment for himself, apart from the basic sword trick of his club, he'd actually learnt only one pattern, the first pattern of "The Eight Clouds in Dream". As soon as this pattern was let out, sure enough, Gu Qianqian was going to be defeated immediately.

"Just use that pattern you used last time," Gu Qianqian said.

"That one… I am afraid you couldn't take it," Wei Gaoyuan shook his head.

"You'll not kill me, will you?" Gu Qianqian asked with a smile.

"No!" Wei Gaoyuan shook his head again.

"Then just let it out, you're afraid that I won't stand another failure?" with a firm look, Gu Qianqian's tone turned cold a little.

Wei Gaoyuan nodded this time and warned, "Get ready to take it!"

Gu Qianqian gathered all her attention and Internal Qi to stare at the sword in Wei Gaoyuan's hand. Then with a shaking of Wei Gaoyuan's wrist, his sword was shot out!

Still quite fast, but actually not so fast as it was last time. But in Gu Qianqian's eyes, just the same as last one, again, the figure of Wei Gaoyuan and his sword suddenly got blurred in front of her.

But different from last time in the next moment, she only saw a rainbow not far before her eyes.

A beautiful rainbow, a splendid rainbow against the dark night, a rainbow froze Gu Qianqian's whole body, and her soul…

The rainbow just disappeared as quickly as it appeared as Wei Gaoyuan slid the sword back into the scabbard.

With her mouth still opened slightly, Gu Qiqnqian blinked her eyes and then realized it was over. She looked down in frustration, "I lost… again…"

"You've done quite well!" Wei Gaoyuan greeted with a cupped fist, like a hero in the stories in the tea houses

"Well, the power of the Mystery is really worthy of the name…" Gu Qianqian sighed, "I must make greater efforts… to break through my current stage… reach the Mystery…Just wait for the next competition…"

"I'll be waiting for that day!" Wei Gaoyuan nodded seriously.

A promise between a boy and a girl, underneath the moon and the stars.

Right after they walked into the cabin, no one noticed that a pair of eyes twinkled for a while in the darkness and disappeared into night.

...

Two days later, the flying ship was flying over the sea, and five days later landed on a huge island finally.

Standing on the deck, everyone saw an immense forest without end in distance.

"Is this the Trial Island?"

Some of the students were filled with curiosity, some were almost ready to land, some looked kind of somber, and only few had smelled the danger.

More than 140 young warriors who were landing the island were assembled on the deck. Before them were four middle-aged men, one of them said, " Our warriors! Congratulations and welcome to the Trial Island! The next month will be the key periods to decide your destiny, and I believe everyone will value and take every opportunity."

Another man stepped forward, "Well, each of you will get a piece Escape Fu. Just inject your Internal Qi into it while at any the risk beyond your control, it can bring you back here safely."

The third man added, "After thirty days, everyone must gather here; anyone who returns here without Escape Fu or fails to return here will be judged as a failure in the trial."

Then he looked up at the crowd, "Am I clear?"

"Understood!" all the students answered aloud in unison.

"Perfect!" The last man came to the hatch of the ship and took out a large stack of Fu. "Everyone can get off the ship after getting a piece of Escape Fu from me."

Suddenly a voice came from the crowd, "Master, could I ask one question?"

"Yes!" four middle-aged men responded at the same time.

"I wondered whether it is allowed to take…I mean…rob someone of his Escape Fu…" asked that student.

"Yes!" said the middle-aged man holding the Escape Fu.

"Understood, thank you, master!" the student said respectfully.

What the master meant was very clear, but was it really that easy? After all, it seemed not so difficult to keep a piece of Escape Fu safe until the end of the trial such as finding a secret cave in the forest to hide for 30 days.

The middle-aged man who spoke first opened his mouth again, "In addition, there is a kind of pine tree in this Trial Island with fruits called pine crystal on it… just like this," he then raised his hand, on his palm was an irregular transparent oval sphere of grape size.

"You got it clear?" he looked up at the crowd. "At the end of the trial, the number of pine crystal you've collected will determine your ranking in the trial. Each sect will select their disciples according to the rankings…What's more, anyone with less than ten pine crystals will get no qualification for the selection. "

"Master, could I ask where the pine trees are?" asked a student.

"Ask yourself!" coldly replied one middle-aged man.

"As expected, it seems not easy to pass the trial…" Wei Gaoyuan frowned slightly and looked over the crowd into the deep and thick forest.

In such a huge primeval forest… no one dare or wanted to ask how many ruthless beasts even some unknown strong creatures had been polishing their claws and teeth to welcome their new guests…

Some students had set about forming the team, in such a trial after all, acting with a team were much safer than acting alone.

As the most shining superstar, Gu Qianqian was naturally the best option for most teams. However, she did not accept any invitation but went straight to the team of Wei Gaoyuan, " I wanna join the team of the East Mountain Sword Club… if there is still a vacancy…"

All, more than ten people in the team of the East Mountain Sword Club, never expected that Miss Gu would take the initiative to join them. So in an instant they froze then turned overjoyed. Li Xiaochun, the eldest and the leader of the team, cupped his fist immediately, "Welcome! It's the great honor of our team! "

The rest of the team also cupped the fists to greet Gu Qianqian, some of them meanwhile casting a glance at Wei Gaoyuan.

Wei Gaoyuan just stood still without any reaction, Gu Qianqian could express nothing but turned down the corner of her mouth. She also cupped her fist with a sweet smile to all the teammates, "I believe, all of us will pass the trial safely, with our great teamwork and efforts."

"Thanks for your ladyship's kind words, we will not let you down," Li Xiaochun seemed to brown nose.

Wei Gaoyuan just followed his words, "We'd better go now, or fall behind other teams."

"Yes! Let's move! Just strive to pass the trial as soon as possible!" Li Xiaochun quickly agreed.

Including Li Xiaochun, everyone in the team knew that Gu Qianqian joined in them mostly because of Wei Gaoyuan while Wei Gaoyuan was undoubtedly a well-known loner, thus after his showing no intention to leave the team to act alone, the whole team had just got relieved.

Under the hostile stare of other teams, the team of the East Mountain Sword Club, more than ten people, walked quickly toward the endless forest, and Gu Qianqian seemed to be the new head of the team.