Chapter 2357 — A Change to the Trial

"He shouldn't know him, but I have a feeling this was Wei Zhao's idea!" Zhao Qibing said. "Last time, outside the cinema, I crashed into his car, and he asked me about Zhao Qitan then."

"I see... so it seems Wei Zhao suspects we've taken some measure against Zhao Qitan." Old Master Zhao nodded. He recalled that Zhao Qibing had mentioned this before, though at the time he had not paid it much mind. But now, with Han Xiaopo asking again, Old Master Zhao found himself in a difficult position.

"Exactly. If I tell him the truth, what if Wei Zhao just demands we hand him over?" Zhao Qibing said, a trace of worry in his voice.

"Here's the thing—Han Xiaopo came asking you about the Xuandan Sect trial, didn't he? That means Wei Zhao has an interest in the Xuandan Sect trial!" Old Master Zhao, seasoned with age and cunning, quickly hit upon a solution that would satisfy both sides. "So here's what you do: tell him the truth—that Zhao Qitan is preparing to represent our hidden Zhao family in the Xuandan Sect trial, and that's why he's in seclusion for now and out of contact with the outside world!"

"Oh?" Zhao Qibing was briefly taken aback, then grasped his grandfather's meaning. "So once Wei Zhao hears that Zhao Qitan is also entering the Xuandan Sect trial, it will only harden his resolve to take part himself—and that trial is essentially a one-way trip. Wei Zhao will be as good as buried there, and we will have achieved our goal of borrowing a knife to kill!"

"Precisely. Qibing, you've grown quite sharp!" Old Master Zhao nodded with satisfaction. "That's also why, after hearing what you said, I told you without a second thought to go see Han Xiaopo! Wei Zhao wants to know about the Xuandan Sect trial—so tell him plenty. Best if he goes and dies there, and then everything is quiet."

"I understand, Grandfather! I'll talk up the benefits of the trial as much as I can!" Zhao Qibing said hurriedly, once the point had dawned on him.

"That won't do either. Han Xiaopo is no fool. The hidden Han family may never have entered the Xuandan Sect trial before, but they've heard of its dangers. You can't just sing its praises—while you praise it, you must also lay out the dangers objectively! Of course, you may put particular emphasis on the rewards the Xuandan Sect trial offers!" Old Master Zhao instructed with careful guidance.

"Yes, Grandfather. I know what to do now." Zhao Qibing understood at once.

He hung up and returned to the room, where he found Han Xiaopo helping himself to coffee. Only when Zhao Qibing came in did Han Xiaopo speak. "How did it go, Young Master Bing? What does your family say?"

"My grandfather didn't want to hide it from you—but the truth is, the matter of Zhao Qitan and the Xuandan Sect trial you're asking about are essentially one and the same!" Zhao Qibing said.

"One and the same? What do you mean?" Han Xiaopo did not quite follow.

"My grandfather has already spoken with Qitan. He will represent our hidden Zhao family in the Xuandan Sect trial and is currently in seclusion, so it's only natural you can't reach him," Zhao Qibing said. "As for the matter of the candidate—if my grandfather hadn't given the nod, I couldn't just say it freely. I ask Young Master Po's understanding."

"Zhao Qitan? Entering the Xuandan Sect trial?" Han Xiaopo was stunned—he had not expected that to be the answer! It left him somewhat puzzled, yet from the look of things, it was most likely true.

"Indeed. If Young Master Po hadn't asked, we wouldn't have planned to speak of it at all—after all, each family's choice of candidate is that family's own affair," Zhao Qibing said. "As for the Xuandan Sect trial, the situation is this: the contents of the trial summons I won't go into—everyone knows those! What I mean to say is that this Xuandan Sect trial is an extremely dangerous one. But precisely how dangerous, the few trial-goers who were lucky enough to finish have all been sworn to silence, and they dare not speak of it at will. Our hidden Zhao family has gathered little information, though we do have some clues!"

"Go on, please!" Han Xiaopo said at once.

"It's said that the trial involves gathering certain items in some particular place. Once enough of these items are collected, one may leave and exchange them with the Xuandan Sect for rewards!" Zhao Qibing said. "The rules are clear: during the trial, no killing one another, no seizing what another has collected. Should word get out that someone has broken the rules, that person's results are voided, and he will face the retaliation of the entire Xuandan Sect!"

"Oh?" Han Xiaopo had not expected the trial's content to be like this. Since they couldn't kill one another, it ought to be fairly simple—so why did so many never return? At this thought, Han Xiaopo asked, "Then what if someone strikes in secret and no word gets back?"

"The identities of the trial-goers are not public; only the Xuandan Sect knows them. So in every round, the Xuandan Sect plants its own people among the trial-goers. If they see something... heh, then the family and sect of the offender are doomed!" Zhao Qibing said. "So that possibility practically doesn't exist! And I've also heard that the danger there comes from the environment and the spiritual beasts. Once you're there, everyone is too busy saving themselves—who has the energy for infighting? Besides, I hear the items to be gathered aren't especially hard to find, so there's no need for conflicts of interest!"

"I see. Thank you for clearing that up, Young Master Bing!" Han Xiaopo nodded, his understanding of the Xuandan Sect trial deepened by another step. But one thing puzzled him. "Still, if that's the case, why doesn't the Xuandan Sect just gather the items themselves? Send a few Heaven-rank experts and wouldn't the success rate be higher—and without paying such an exorbitant price?"

"That I don't know. In past trials, the qualification was Mystic rank and above but below Earth rank—Earth rank excluded," Zhao Qibing said. "But this round, the rules have been changed: any cultivator at Mystic rank or above qualifies. There is no longer a restriction to below Earth rank."

"Oh? There was such a restriction before?" Han Xiaopo had never studied the matter carefully—he had only skimmed through it—so naturally he had not compared the finer details. "Then if Heaven-rank experts went, wouldn't they have a better chance of completing the task? Why doesn't your hidden Zhao family send someone stronger?"

"Heaven-rank experts are simply too conspicuous—and this is the first round with altered details. So we'd best follow the old rules. What if, when the time comes, they announce that the trial summons was misprinted and that no one above Earth rank is wanted? Then it would have been a wasted trip," Zhao Qibing said, shaking his head as he explained to Han Xiaopo.

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