CHAPTER 312: CHAPTER 310: CHOOSE AGAIN

"Wow!" Ming Shuangli’s eyes shone with fervent golden light, resembling those of a fangirl, as she carefully approached the Holy Sword Huiyao and flicked the blade.

The hanging Holy Sword remained immobile, but she herself was shaken slightly, her whole body exhilarated: "Amazing! With this, I could definitely cut down the Platinum Tower in one slash!"

Is she really obsessed with blowing up the principal’s office? Although Leyu could understand; after all, blowing up the school was indeed every student’s dream at some point.

"I should be the first to arrive, right? I came as soon as I got the message," Ming Shuangli looked around: "Or did anyone’s other sisters run even faster than me?"

"We are the second-to-last group to arrive," Niruo said, "everyone else is watching, and not acting recklessly like you."

The very last place undoubtedly went to Leyu.

"Since everyone is willing to let me be the first, I, Shuangli, will humbly accept!"

Ming Shuangli placed her right hand against the Holy Sword Huiyao, and it suddenly gleamed with flashing golden light, shooting out streaks of golden thread towards the back of her hand. Ming Shuangli obviously flinched as if she were pricked but soon relaxed, leisurely watching the intricate pattern woven by the golden threads on her hand.

"Oh, so cute, it’s two koi fish!" Ming Shuangli said in surprise, even tapping the Holy Sword Huiyao: "How did you know I like koi patterns? Are you sentient? Why not just come home with me? Are you a boy or a girl?"

The Holy Sword Huiyao ignored her, and Ming Shuangli clicked her tongue, turning to Niruo: "Alright, your turn. All the sisters are watching you, give me some face?"

"As you wish."

Niruo knelt down on one knee before Ming Shuangli, lowering his head. Ming Shuangli pressed down on his head, cleared her throat, and asked loudly, "Do you vow here to regard me as your king for this lifetime, to safeguard my territory with your fervent blood?"

"I, Niruo, vow here."

The Holy Sword Huiyao burst again with brilliant light, casting numerous golden threads onto Niruo’s right hand, completing the pattern in just a few seconds. Ming Shuangli immediately squatted down to look at the back of Niruo’s hand: "Wow, your pattern is a storm vortex, so magnificent, much more powerful than my koi pattern."

The Sword Master reached out to receive the pattern from the Holy Sword Huiyao...

The oath ceremony between Sword Master and Scabbard...

Then, the Scabbard also received a pattern...

Leyu had a vague realization, and at this moment, Ming Shuangli stood up and said lightly: "Everyone should be here now, right? It’s okay if you don’t come out, just listen quietly."

"As you just saw, this is an oath ceremony. Only after going through the formal ceremony will the Scabbard and the Sword Seeker officially participate in the game of Sword-Seeking competition."

"The Scabbards may not know this, but we, the seven Sword Seekers, have already sensed through our bloodline that the oath ceremony first requires touching this Holy Sword replica—yes, this is a replica specifically used for the Sword-Seeking competition. Isn’t that incredible?"

Leyu touched her own Nesser’s Heart, no, I’m not surprised at all.

"It almost has no abilities, its only two purposes are letting us admire the glory of the Holy Sword Huiyao and conducting the seven oath ceremonies. You might find it strange, what’s the point of such an oath? Is it just for good-looking tattoos?"

"But according to the bloodline sense, after the oath ceremony, a master-servant contract relationship is established between the Sword Seeker and the Scabbard. I don’t know how much you know about Divine Weapons, history doesn’t mention this, but the Holy Sword Huiyao might have a certain spirit influence ability."

Leyu blinked and suddenly thought of the Veil of Strife. The Veil of Strife could evoke panic in people in darkness, which also counts as a kind of psychic attack, so it’s not unusual for a Divine Weapon to have spirit influence abilities.

Ming Shuangli continued, "I don’t know much about this master-servant contract either, as this is my first time in the Sword-Seeking competition, but at the moment I know it has two effects: First, the Scabbard will absolutely not harbor any harmful intentions towards the Sword Seeker, although good intentions gone awry are unavoidable; Second, the Scabbard has absolute command authority over the Sword Seeker once."

"You heard right, the Scabbard has absolute command authority over the Sword Seeker. As I understand, following the master-servant contract’s conclusion, it will subconsciously influence the Scabbard’s spirit, making the Scabbard absolutely loyal to the Sword Seeker. Not being able to harbor harmful intentions is just a specific manifestation."

"But sometimes Sword Seekers do foolish things, and I think I might suddenly fall in love and act foolishly, and yet the Scabbard can’t kill the Sword Seeker. In such cases, the Scabbard can use its will to exercise absolute command authority, helping the Sword Seeker avoid dangerous situations."

"In my view, this oath ceremony is very necessary. Although I already knew Niruo before, I cannot guarantee he is completely loyal to me. Even if he is loyal now, what if in the future a female Swordsman with highland heritage defeats him and turns him against me, wouldn’t I have no tears to cry? Relying on human nature isn’t reliable."

"Conversely, whether I can become an empress in the future entirely depends on his efforts. Even if he loses, he can escape, but if I lose, I can’t run. Of course, I am extremely concerned."

"With this contract, I can trust him wholeheartedly, and even when facing the Imperial Court, I would have a reliable enforcer to depend on."

"For me, who has set my sights on seizing the brilliant throne, I wish this oath ceremony could happen a hundred more times."

"But here’s the problem—"

Ming Shuangli glanced around, seemingly searching for other hidden sheathes and Sword Seekers:

"Can you, as the sheathes, accept this contract that influences your own will?"

"Niruo pledged his loyalty to me on his own will, he got on my ride long ago, and the oath ceremony is just locking the car door so he can’t get off, ensuring he’s with me through thick and thin from now on."

"And what about you? Do you have feelings for your Sword Seekers? Are you truly willing to pledge loyalty to them?"

"Moreover, if I guess correctly, some sheathes might not even know who their Sword Seeker is at this point, right?"

Lexie held the Nesser Heart, bombarding messages explosively in Jun’s seat.

"You might think this is to protect the sheathes, preventing the Sword Seekers from leaking your information." Ming Shuangli spread his hands, "Though that’s true, it’s not just that."

"The Imperial Court is quite displeased with the Sword Seeking for the throne. Though I find it intriguing, this selection ceremony, entirely dependent on the Sword Holder’s decision, inadvertently shames those esteemed ministers as if rendering them a bunch of rubbish to be swept aside."

"We seven Sword Seekers are all distant relatives of the Imperial Family. Though we live well-off, we hold no power in the court, so the court uses us as pawns in a game, and each of us has different supporters."

"Though our supporters differ, their interests are the same—they need an emperor they can control. But the Sword Seeking for the throne puts them in a crisis: we have to study in the Imperial Academy for six months, during which the old principal Cha Huan, the students, and the Sword Holder can influence us."

"They have realized that even if their supported Sword Seeker wins, the one returning is unlikely to be the ’wise king’ they can control."

"But it’s too late for them to regret it; the new emperor must be chosen through the Sword Seeking competition. However, they still have some leeway, such as..."

Ming Shuangli tapped the Holy Sword Glorious, "Quickly end the Sword Seeking for the throne."

"Though they have prepared sheathes for the Sword Seekers, seemingly all supporting them in the competition, this is just casual gambling, a safe insurance. Once an opportunity arises that can conclude the Sword Seeking, they’re willing to temporarily shelve disputes and collectively support a single choice."

"By now, you may already understand."

"The oath ceremony is a step that swiftly ends the Sword Seeking."

"And I am the predetermined new emperor by the Imperial Court."

Ming Shuangli paused, then suddenly smiled: "Doesn’t this sound like bluffing you? Of course, I never expected a mere sentence to make you surrender. Anyone daring to partake in this throne struggle should be prepared either to succeed or sacrifice."

"But as I said at the inauguration ceremony," she placed a hand on her chest, "the emperor doesn’t mind choosing the wrong sheath. Besides, you have no choice."

"My sisters don’t either."

"We’re all forced onto this battlefield, slaughtering one another for the glorious throne—even lacking the chance to surrender. The Sword Seeking for the throne is simply a brutal game, setting us against each other with our shared lineage, rendering us who were once pure, now shadowy, birthing just another emotionless new emperor for the Glorious Imperial Family."

"You might think I am merely finding reasons to persuade surrender, but this is truly my genuine thought." Ming Shuangli stood next to Holy Sword Glorious, seemingly bathed in holy light: "You abandon the oath ceremony, directly ending the Sword Seeking."

"I bear all the honors and shames of the Glorious Imperial Family, and I am willing to ensure the six Sword Seekers live happily and calmly afterward."

"Despite the people behind the sheathes, they, considering the new emperor’s stature, will surely not act against you. If you’ve entered the Sword Seeking for ideals or riches, I welcome your loyalty, granting you trust second only to Niruo; if you have other requests, I’ll also try to fulfill them."

"My sisters, you needn’t wager your lives against each other; you can continue the lives you wish."

"And sheathes, you needn’t risk having your will distorted in this ruthless game; instead, you can safely become the new emperor’s close ministers, collectively changing the world."

Ming Shuangli gently clapped her hands: "Sometimes, it’s not that we chose wrongly, but we didn’t realize there was a better choice when we made our decisions."

"Now, you finally have the chance to choose again."