Chapter 124: The Ancient Silver Sword Sheath
By sheer luck, I forged a Raigeki Bottle.
Such plain and unadorned words sounded incredibly grating to the people of the Zhanjin Sect. Was that even something a human could say?
“This Raigeki Bottle can collect lightning?” the Sect Master of the Shangque Sect asked Ye Su, his voice full of disbelief.
“At the moment, it seems it can. It only temporarily seals the lightning inside,” Ye Su said without exaggerating. In truth, the white bottle had also been mixed with a bit of Frost Crystal Clay. That material was incredibly rare in the cultivation world, which also meant the white bottle could not be forged easily.
From the time she forged the white bottle to the moment she captured lightning inside it, Ye Su’s mind had been unusually chaotic. Her spiritual sense had been consumed too heavily; she was almost in a blank, forgetful state.
“Even so, that's enough,” said Wu Yue, Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect. “As expected of the Qianji Sect, a weapon-forging sect that has stood for ten thousand years.”
With the Hehuan Sect Master personally affirming it, the surrounding cultivators subconsciously nodded in agreement. The Qianji Sect truly had remarkable capabilities.
“Now that this Raigeki Bottle exists, Ye Su’s talent probably exceeds just being ranked first on the Hundred Green Rankings.”
“Seriously, have you ever seen a weapon refiner create something like this?”
Suddenly, someone shouted toward Ye Su:
“Are you selling that Raigeki Bottle?”
The crowd instantly fell silent, but soon more voices followed: “Are you selling it?”
“Sorry, not for sale.” Ye Su took back the Raigeki Bottle from Ming Liusha. “Half the reason this artifact succeeded was luck. Even I can’t recreate another identical Raigeki Bottle.”
This sort of rhetoric was common among artifact refiners.
Still, for such a heaven-defying artifact to be successfully created, it was no wonder the heavenly lightning had struck with such terrifying force.
“Young Friend Ye, at such a young age, your future is limitless.” Daoist Fengchen smiled warmly and stepped forward a few paces, sweeping his gaze across everyone. “With all of you outstanding young talents in today’s cultivation world, humanity will surely eradicate the demon race in the future.”
His words carried spiritual power, allowing everyone to hear Daoist Fengchen’s sincere hopes. Their emotions surged with excitement, they were the outstanding talents of the younger generation!
“Because Ye Su and Gu Liangtian advanced in cultivation, everyone’s matches were interrupted. Please wait a moment while we send people to repair the arena,” Daoist Fengchen said earnestly. “Those disciples who still need to fight should take this opportunity to rest properly.”
Ye Su was currently in excellent condition. Since she had not been struck by the final Profound Heavenly Lightning, the spiritual energy within her body was overflowing to the point she could not refine it into her own spiritual power quickly enough.
Gu Liangtian walked over from the other side. When he saw Ye Su, his pupils contracted slightly. Though he had successfully advanced, he still could not let go of the fact that he had voluntarily stepped off the arena.
Ye Su raised her brows slightly upon seeing him, saying nothing. She merely pulled out Tu Shi’s notes from her storage pouch and deliberately flipped through them in front of him.
Gu Liangtian had not fully recovered from being struck by lightning. Seeing her actions, his blood surged violently. He gripped his lotus-platform staff tightly before barely suppressing the metallic taste rising in his throat.
Kunlun’s elders and deacons were repairing the huge crater and damaged arena while everyone else rested and meditated on the spot.
“Lu Chenhan is very strong.” Ye Su turned to You Fushi. “If you face him, do you have a chance of winning?”
You Fushi held the body of the Chongming Sword and swung it in front of Ye Su.
“He can’t beat me.”
“Once you finish this match, there’ll only be one left before it all ends,” Ye Su said.
“After the match, can we go back to Qianji Sect?” You Fushi suddenly asked.
Ye Su froze.
“You want to go back?”
Only after a long while did You Fushi nod.
“…Mm.”
After the sect competition ended and before entering the Rotating Tower, there should still be some time to prepare.
“Alright. After the match, we’ll go back,” Ye Su agreed.
By the time the arena was restored, dawn had already arrived.
A new day had begun.
All the disciples whose matches had been paused resumed competing.
Yan Hao had originally held a slight advantage over Ning Qianyao. But once the match resumed, she immediately sensed that Ning Qianyao’s sword had become much stronger.
...The blood of the Xuanyin Physique.
Yan Hao’s face darkened. Ning Qianyao had clearly smeared her own blood onto the sword after stepping down earlier. Yet she could not question it—there were no rules forbidding one from feeding blood to a sword.
Not only had Ning Qianyao’s sword become stronger, but she also possessed several magical treasures that rendered Yan Hao’s illusion techniques ineffective.
“Finish this quickly and avoid any more accidents,” Ning Qianyao said as she shattered Yan Hao’s illusion with a single strike while the two passed each other.
Up above, Wu Yue, Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, twitched at the eyelids.
She had specifically stuffed Yan Hao with numerous magical treasures, and as a sect master, none of her items were inferior.
Yet every treasure Ning Qianyao casually pulled out was a rare artifact, several times stronger than Yan Hao’s.
Wu Yue absentmindedly touched her earring.
So the Spirit-Hiding Pearl from last time had merely been a minor appetizer?
Both were disciples from Qianji Sect, yet Ye Su had never displayed treasures like these. She only used artifacts she forged herself. Ning Qianyao not only possessed the Xuanyin Physique, but also had treasures far beyond what major sects possessed.
No matter how powerful Yan Hao’s illusions were, they could not withstand treasures designed specifically to counter them. After holding on for an hour, she was finally knocked off the arena by Ning Qianyao’s sword.
“…”
Yan Hao climbed up from the ground and took a deep breath, using all her strength to control her emotions.
It was over.
She had lost her chance to enter the Rotating Tower.
Ning Qianyao walked down from the arena.
“Sorry. Are you hurt?”
Yan Hao looked at her and stepped back.
“In a match, getting injured is perfectly normal.”
“I know you probably think my victory wasn’t fair, using so many magical treasures against you,” Ning Qianyao said sincerely. “I just wanted to win one more round, so Master and Sect Leader would be happier.”
“If I remember correctly, you entered this competition under the identity of the Nameless Sect.” Yan Hao opened her pink feather fan. “And using magical treasures doesn’t count as winning unfairly. If you have them, use them. Even our great sects used treasures to defeat wandering cultivators in the past.”
Ning Qianyao wanted to say more, but Yan Hao had already hurried toward the arenas where You Fushi and Lu Chenhan were fighting.
A loss was a loss.
Yan Hao could accept defeat.
Right now, the important thing was watching her two junior brothers from Qianji Sect compete.
Standing between the two arenas, Yan Hao greeted Xu Chengyu and the others, then watched You Fushi with one eye and Yi Xuan with the other.
But Yi Xuan had just advanced in cultivation; the opponents behind him were no match for him.
Meanwhile, the battle between You Fushi and Lu Chenhan had become increasingly intense.
Ye Su stood below the arena, looking up slightly.
This time, You Fushi held the Chongming Sword in his own hands. Lu Chenhan had probably learned his lesson yesterday. The moment he stepped onto the arena, he drew his sword without holding back and immediately attacked.
Kunlun’s sword intent was mysterious and unfathomable. Combined with the fierce icy intent of Lu Chenhan’s Lonely Azure Sword, even spectators outside the arena could feel the chilling killing intent when he swung it.
From the moment You Fushi gripped the sword, Ye Su’s furrowed brows never relaxed.
She had once wondered what her junior brother looked like holding a sword.
But now, she suddenly felt it was still better when the Chongming Sword fought on its own.
“Lu Chenhan’s sword intent is stronger than yesterday,” Xu Chengyu suddenly said from his chair. Since he had once been injured by the Lonely Azure Sword, he was especially sensitive to Lu Chenhan’s sword intent.
“Maybe he thinks Young Master You is difficult to deal with,” Ma Congqiu guessed. “So he’s not holding back at all.”
Xu Chengyu shook his head.
Thoughtfully, he looked toward Ning Qianyao in the distance. She was preparing to face Lü Jiu.
Everyone had meditated outside the arena last night, and Xu Chengyu had noticed that Ning Qianyao and Lu Chenhan had both disappeared.
He guessed Lu Chenhan had smeared the blood of the Xuanyin Physique onto his sword.
Otherwise, his sword intent could not possibly become this powerful overnight.
Yesterday’s half-match between You Fushi and Lu Chenhan had shown clearly that Lu Chenhan had not held back. Yet You Fushi, merely at the peak late Nascent Soul stage, had not fallen behind.
Xu Chengyu’s face remained pale, but a trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes.
Disappointment in Lu Chenhan.
And disappointment in himself.
The blood of the Xuanyin Physique was indeed a good thing.
But the moment Lu Chenhan used it, his sword heart had wavered.
Losing to someone like that disappointed Xu Chengyu in himself as well.
At the same time, fighting spirit reignited within him.
He no longer wanted to lose to someone whose sword heart had faltered.
“!”
Ma Congqiu turned around and nearly jumped in fright.
His senior brother had suddenly closed his eyes and entered a state of enlightenment.
Among the spectators, a sect elder could not help complaining:
“What’s with this generation of disciples casually advancing and attaining enlightenment all the time?”
Compared to them, the older generation might as well die of shame.
On the arena, You Fushi shifted slightly with a unique rhythm, avoiding Lu Chenhan’s sword intent.
Holding the Chongming Sword, he flicked his wrist gently, and the sword suddenly seemed to come alive.
With a light tap of his foot, he leapt forward.
The sword tip aimed directly at Lu Chenhan’s throat.
He did not use sword intent.
He merely closed the distance and thrust with the Chongming Sword.
But that gave Lu Chenhan an opportunity.
He slashed to the right, striking the Chongming Sword’s blade. Simultaneously, he twisted his body and pushed the Lonely Azure Sword forward along the Chongming Sword until it reached the hilt.
The two were now extremely close.
Lu Chenhan had originally held the Lonely Azure Sword with both hands, but suddenly released one hand.
Spiritual power of the Soul Formation stage condensed in his palm as he struck toward You Fushi’s chest.
Ye Su unconsciously stepped forward.
She had never shown emotional fluctuations during her own fights, but seeing this scene, she could not suppress her worry.
Her junior brother usually reacted sluggishly.
He might not dodge an attack from a Soul Formation cultivator—even if You Fushi was supposedly the reincarnation of some great expert.
At that moment, You Fushi suddenly bent backward at the waist, avoiding Lu Chenhan’s palm strike.
Then he raised his leg and heavily kicked Lu Chenhan in the back before widening the distance between them.
Lu Chenhan only felt numbness spread through the back of his left arm.
His spiritual energy stagnated.
He had actually been kicked by a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
The handsome expression on his face instantly turned icy.
Spiritual power exploded around him.
Gripping the Lonely Azure Sword, he swung backward in a slash infused with an incomparably cold and murderous sword intent toward You Fushi.
This strike already faintly displayed the future might of Lu Chenhan’s sword capable of splitting all things.
At that moment, You Fushi was looking down at the Chongming Sword.
He seemed suddenly distracted and had not noticed the incoming sword intent.
Ye Su’s heart pounded violently.
She knew her junior brother’s habits too well.
When he drifted off, he drifted off. When he wanted to sleep, he slept.
She immediately leapt toward the arena, intending to pull You Fushi away.
Losing one match didn’t matter.
No matter what, he had already secured a chance to enter the Rotating Tower.
Lu Chenhan’s sword strike was dazzling and shocking.
Even Xin Shenzi nearby involuntarily felt his fighting spirit stirred.
The others around unconsciously held their breath, waiting for the outcome.
Ye Su had already reached the arena when she suddenly stopped.
She looked up at You Fushi.
A smile appeared in her eyes.
He wasn’t distracted.
All of this happened in a single instant.
Just when everyone thought You Fushi was about to lose, he suddenly moved.
With his right hand, You Fushi grasped the hilt of the Chongming Sword.
With his left, he seized the blade and pulled hard.
The ancient silver unexpectedly separated—
revealing the Chongming Sword’s true form.
—That ancient silver had actually been a sword sheath, not the Chongming Sword itself!