"Uh, I see, can you tell me what kind of trial it is first? And what's this Sword Washing Pool?"
"I knew you'd be interested in this," He Xiaoyu said without answering immediately. She drew her Lady Sword from behind her back, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "How do you like this sword?"
Although I knew it was the Lady Sword, I had never observed it up close. The moment I touched its blade, I found it exceptionally warm. The sword had no luster but was covered in many intricate patterns. These patterns were twisted and scattered, yet seemed to follow a peculiar logic, resembling some ancient script. If I remembered correctly, it looked like Song Dynasty calligraphy, but I wasn't entirely sure unless I consulted a historical appraiser.
Its blade was pitch black, devoid of any sheen, like a piece of dark wood. Unlike ordinary swords, it had neither a pointed tip nor a sharp edge. Its head was rounded, and its sides were blunt, somewhat resembling a thin wooden whip. Yet, it exuded an chilling aura and was incredibly sharp.
"I can't see anything special, it's just..."
"No, young master, look again carefully!"
This...
I had no choice but to hold my breath again, squint my eyes, and examine it closely. As I meticulously observed the Lady Sword once more, I suddenly blurted out, "You're not going to tell me this has something to do with the Narcissus Villa in the Valley of Unfeeling, are you?"
Hearing this, He Xiaoyu couldn't help but chuckle. "Uh, it seems young master still can't see it. Actually, this sword and my brother's Gentleman Sword are a pair, but the historical records are not entirely accurate. Originally, they might have come from here. Our ancestor, He Shenlong, once reached this place and established He Family Village, using the Sword Washing Pool as our family's training ground. You know, He Shenlong was very much like Li Bai back then, also a master swordsman. The martial arts we inherit today are all from him. Moreover, his forensic skills were also extraordinary. While the world believes forensic science originated from Song Ci, it's actually traceable to our He family ancestors."
"I see, so our ancestors practiced swordsmanship here as well?"
"He not only practiced swordsmanship here, but his wife was also a skilled swordswoman. They practiced swordplay on the lake, truly like gods fighting. That kind of life can't be described merely as happiness; it was a life where they envied neither the mandarin ducks nor the gods. Furthermore, I heard that the water from the Sword Washing Pool can make any knives and swords exceptionally sharp. My Lady Sword and my brother's Gentleman Sword became even more formidable because of it. The two swords are identical in size and length, with no difference. Their materials are completely the same, and they possess strong magnetic properties. If placed close to each other, they would automatically attract."
"Very interesting swords. If only I could have one like this..." I pondered what a remarkable person our ancestor must have been. Even though they no longer existed, looking back, I could almost see a fleeting image of them sparring on the Sword Washing Pool, like gods in combat...
As I mused internally, He Xiaoyu suddenly smiled with confidence, her beautiful lips curling slightly as she said softly, "Heh, you don't need to. Because you have me. We are enough! We are your swords."
We are your swords!
Her words struck me deeply, and I was genuinely moved. She told me not to dwell on it and to press on. Without hesitation, we walked through a passage and reached the center of the trial chamber. Before me, a massive blood pool was revealed.
Something seemed to be floating in the blood pool. As I peered intently, the old man's voice echoed from nearby. I didn't know how he managed it, but his voice was incredibly resonant. Though I couldn't see him, I felt as if he were communicating with me over a great distance using profound internal energy!
"Alright, He Sheng, do you see the flesh and blood in the pool? Now, based on the flesh and blood, how many deceased individuals can you determine? And what are their ages? You have 10 minutes. If you can't pass this test, you're not leaving here!"
Ten minutes to analyze so much data?
This seemed quite interesting. Instead of observing the flesh and blood, I closed my eyes.
Theoretically, this was impossible!
Yet, I felt an inexplicable surge of excitement. The patriarch was deliberately making things difficult, presenting a test with an impossible outcome. Heh, did he truly not want me to leave?
However, even he underestimated me.
Five minutes passed in an instant. Even He Xiaoyu watched me nervously, but I turned to her and nodded with certainty, "Don't worry!"
Those two words calmed He Xiaoyu significantly. Then, my mouth began to move rapidly, "Sir, this blood was probably drained yesterday, right? You asked me how many deceased there were? Actually, there isn't a single deceased person here. I didn't deduce this from the flesh and blood, but from the iron ring on the edge and a piece of bone. If I'm not mistaken, this is a pig's bone? No wonder I saw you slaughtering a pig in the backyard last night, and I saw you leave the house. Although I didn't follow you, connecting it to today's events, I understand. You wanted to mislead me! Since it's a pig, the method of determining age cannot be the same as for humans. Last night, I saw you take away the fattest pig from the house. Based on its appearance, it should be about 1 year old. Am I correct, sir!"
"Heh, hahahaha!! Good! Indeed, this level of test is not enough to stump you. You are truly a descendant of the Judge of Crimes!"
"You flatter me. So, I have passed this trial?"
"Correct. Go around the blood pool and proceed towards the stone door on your left. Inside, you will reach another secret chamber!"
I didn't reply. I exchanged a glance with He Xiaoyu, and then we moved forward.
In less than two minutes, we passed through the stone door and arrived at another secret chamber as the old man had instructed.
This place was different from the previous one. There was no blood pool, only walls sealed with locks. Numerous chains spanned across them, and several large iron hooks dangled from the ceiling. The floor was cracked, as if it might split open at any moment.
I was completely bewildered, unsure of what to do. At this moment, the old man's voice sounded again: "It seems you've arrived at the second trial ground. Do you see the iron hooks around you? These were trampled by our ancestor when he practiced swordplay above. He Sheng, you have 5 minutes to analyze how many sets of footprints there are and deduce our ancestor's height and weight!"