Daqin Zhentiansi

With his back to Sword Mountain, Zhang Yuan calmly swept his gaze over the crowd behind him. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "Although there are many swords here, their grades are not high, and most of them are spirit weapons."

"But swords also have spirits, and they require a connection and affinity."

"Below the realm of carefree wandering, one may go there to seek the sword."

"Those above the Free and Unfettered Realm should not rashly disturb the fortune gathered here by the sword energy."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Yang, who was at the very back of the group and barely holding on, was completely stunned, his eyes wide open.

The quality...is not high?!

Spiritual Weapon Grade!
Not much?!

Those high-grade spiritual artifacts, even legendary treasure embryos, that would be enough for disciples of small sects like them to fight tooth and nail and cause bloodshed on the wasteland, were actually described by Zhang Qingyang as "not high grade".
He felt that his worldview had been severely impacted.

As Zhang Yuan finished speaking, nearly two thousand sword cultivators in the three thousand-strong ranks gleamed with eager light in their eyes.

They bowed to Zhang Yuan and Wu Daoling, and then, like arrows released from a bow after a long period of restraint, they transformed into streaks of sword light and shot impatiently toward the majestic sword mountain forged from ten thousand swords!

"Buzz—buzz buzz buzz—!"

The immense aura of thousands of sword cultivators at the Free and Unfettered Realm suddenly surged into Sword Mountain, as if igniting a giant powder keg!

The entire Wanjian Mountain instantly "came to life"!

The mountain of ancient swords began to tremble and hum violently!
Sharp sword cries rose and fell, and countless dormant baleful auras, sharpness, and even remnants of sword intent surged wildly, stirring up the blood mist and forming a gale!
Some of the heavily corroded swords near the edge even exploded with a "bang bang bang," sending fragments flying everywhere!
Countless chaotic, violent, and ferocious sword energies erupted from the mountain, like millions of out-of-control beasts, about to tear the disciples who rushed in to pieces!

The faces of the people at the forefront turned deathly pale instantly!
at this time--

"Humph!"

A chilling snort, like a icy spring falling into a boiling oil pan!

Zhang Yuan did not make any move, but his gaze suddenly sharpened.

In the void behind him, a colossal sword phantom, extremely blurry yet imposing and awe-inspiring, instantly appeared!
This phantom was not a physical entity, and its specific form was not even visible. Only a vast and boundless sword intent, powerful enough to suppress all ages, descended with a thunderous roar!

It was as if the supreme Sword Emperor had issued an unquestionable decree!

"Om-!"

Like boiling water meeting ice, the raging Ten Thousand Swords Mountain instantly fell silent!
All the buzzing, tremors, baleful aura, and sharpness were suppressed by that supreme sword intent, as if forcibly smoothed out by an invisible hand!

The surging, chaotic sword energy, like a gentle stream, obediently retreated back into the mountain.

Just moments ago, it was like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey; now, it has transformed into a "well-behaved" and solemn forest of swords, retaining only the most primal and restrained sword intent.

The sword cultivators who rushed up Sword Mountain felt a huge weight lifted from their hearts, which was then replaced by boundless joy.

They knew that it was the Marquis of Qingyang who had used his supreme supernatural powers to create a safe and precious place for them to seek their destiny!

Without further hesitation, everyone dispersed and immersed themselves in their own journey to find the sword.

At this moment, Wanjian Mountain presents an incredibly strange and awe-inspiring scene.

A disciple of the Nine Yang Sword Sect struggled to climb the mountain, his eyes fixed on a faint, gentle blue light that occasionally flashed by.

The azure light moved nimbly like a snake, weaving through the gaps between the layers of sword hilts, making it extremely difficult to catch.

Each time it seemed about to catch up, the green light would disappear even faster.

He was exhausted and panting, but he persevered.

He felt that the aura emanating from the green light was subtly drawn to the "Green Wood Nourishing Heart Sword Technique" he was cultivating.

Some disciples, with solemn expressions, found a relatively flat spot halfway up the mountain or even at the foot of the mountain, sat cross-legged, and held their long swords horizontally in front of their knees.

They closed their eyes and concentrated, circulating their sect's internal energy cultivation method, cautiously extending their sword intent and spiritual power into the sword mountain like tentacles.

They seemed to be listening to the whispers of Wan Jian with their very souls, waiting for that resonance and tremor from the depths of their souls.

A female cultivator, enveloped in a sword aura as cool and clear as moonlight, waited quietly.

Chen Shuo, an elite disciple of the Nine Yang Sword Sect, strolled along the gentle slope of Sword Mountain, his eyes flashing like lightning as he swept over the ancient swords of various shapes and sizes.

He would occasionally pause, his fingers carrying a refined and profound sword intent as he gently stroked the mottled spine and dull hilt of the sword.

His movements carried a unique rhythm, as if he were communicating with the silent sword spirit through his fingers.

Swords swept past his hand, some cold and lifeless, others emitting faint fluctuations.

Whether it possesses a fierce aura, a sharp edge, or a resilient nature, none of them have reached the point of convergence.

Until his slender fingers touched an ancient bronze sword stuck diagonally in the black rock!

The sword had an ancient and heavy design, with a broad blade covered in dark cloud patterns and a hilt resembling a black bird spreading its wings.

The instant Chen Shuo's fingers, imbued with the "Sword Intent of Heavy Mountains," touched the sword—

“Zheng——!!!”

A deep, clear, and resonant dragon's roar suddenly erupted from the ancient sword!

A dazzling cyan-gold light shot into the sky!

A powerful, steady, and majestic sword intent suddenly spread out, pushing away all the surrounding rubble and dust!

This sword intent perfectly resonated with Chen Shuo's own "Heavy Mountain Sword Intent," instantly merging together!

An overwhelming and powerful force surged into Ling Hao's body like a river overflowing its banks!
Chen Shuo's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he roared to the sky!
The whistling sound was filled with unbridled joy!

His aura surged like a rocket!
The bottleneck that had previously kept him stuck at the late stage of the Cave Profound Realm was instantly broken, and he naturally stepped into the Free and Unfettered Realm!
His aura was even more profound and solid, with faint mountain shadows surrounding him, and the ancient bronze sword in his hand shone even brighter, as if it had merged with him and was inseparable from him.

"This sword is named 'Xuanyue'!" The sword spirit's message flooded into Chen Shuo's mind.

The entire Sword Mountain was now shimmering with light.

As someone anxiously chased after a streak of light, they lost their footing and tripped over the hilt of a sword beside them. Their hand instinctively landed on a heavy black iron sword buried in the dust, with only a small section of the hilt showing.

As a result, a deep resentment mixed with an indomitable fighting spirit instantly backfired, causing blood to spill from his mouth and nose. But a moment later, this power strangely merged into his spiritual power, giving his sword intent a strange and fierce aura!

Clearly, this sword has a unique way of choosing its master.

For example, Zhou Yang, who was seriously injured, was exhausted from chasing the green light and was resting against the stone wall when he accidentally touched an inconspicuous dark green short sword on the stone wall with his shoulder.

The short sword trembled slightly, and the blue light that had been avoiding him gathered from all directions into a thin stream, flowing into the short sword on its own!

The warm and vibrant wood-attribute sword intent surged into Zhou Yang's body, and the wound on his shoulder stopped bleeding and healed at a speed visible to the naked eye!
His weary body seemed to be infused with warmth, and his cultivation level steadily improved without him even realizing it!

Many more sword cultivators struggled to pull out the ancient swords they felt a connection with.

Each time a sword was drawn, some were overjoyed, others frowned and examined it closely. Exclamations and the clang of swords echoed throughout the arena.

Many disciples experienced a noticeable surge in aura the moment they successfully drew their swords. Their sword intent became more refined and pure, and although the newly acquired swords in their hands shone with restrained brilliance, their sharpness was concealed, and a subtle connection had been established between them and their masters.

In a short time, the scenery on Sword Mountain has changed dramatically!
More than two thousand sword cultivators under the Free and Unfettered Realm, like twinkling stars, each experienced their own "sword destiny".

Although not everyone can gain such a powerful sword intent and make rapid progress in strength as Chen Shuo, everyone has found the most suitable partner for their current level!

The overall combat capability is undergoing a silent yet earth-shattering transformation!

The team, which had been silent just moments before, was now subtly radiating a vibrant and energetic spirit!
Just as Zhang Yuan stood quietly in front, watching the sword cultivators on Yongtian Continent subtly increase their strength—

"Boom——!"

"Qiang! Qiang!"

A deafening roar suddenly erupted from a valley about a hundred miles away from Wanjian Mountain!

That was no ordinary fight, but a heavy collision sound like the booming of a giant bell, mixed with two completely different, yet extremely sharp, metallic sounds clashing!

Immediately following was the ear-piercing whistling of the violent sword energy exploding!
The terrifying shockwave, mixed with fragments of shattered sword energy, even stirred up a small blood-red storm, sweeping towards Ten Thousand Swords Mountain from afar!
Zhang Yuan waved his hand.

Beside him, an incomparably dazzling sword rainbow, as intense as the sun melting gold, soared fiercely into the sky!

The speed was unbelievable, leaving behind a long-lasting, scorching golden trail in the spot!

That direction led directly to the valley where the roaring explosions erupted!
It was none other than Wu Daoling, the sect leader of the Nine Yang Sword Sect!

Zhang Yuan's divine soul, like an invisible tide, spread out and easily covered the Sword Tomb within a thousand miles.

Despite being suppressed by the ancient malevolent energy and chaotic laws of this place, his insight still far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators at the Tongyou Realm.

In his divine vision, a fierce conflict was erupting in a region called "Blood Bone Rift Valley".

Deep in the rift valley.

A dark golden broken sword, its tip severed and its blade riddled with cracks yet brimming with an indomitable, bloodthirsty aura, was stuck atop the skeleton of a massive alien beast.

This sword exudes a fierce yet tragic spiritual energy, clearly indicating that it was once a divine weapon of the treasure level, and its remaining power far surpasses that of ordinary spiritual weapons.

Treasures, immortal weapons, and divine artifacts correspond to the Qin Dynasty's guardians of prefectures, states, and nations.

A national treasure, rarely seen in the world.

Divine artifacts like the Nine Provinces Cauldron are used to suppress the fortune of heaven and earth.

As for celestial weapons, they only exist in legends. The most that remain in the world are high-grade or top-grade treasures.

The Azure Dragon Mace in Zhang Yuan's hand is a rare and powerful weapon of the Dao.

The Autumn Chill Blade is a spirit weapon, and the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Blade can be considered a treasure.

The Yuanyue Heavy Sword is considered a top-grade treasure among magical artifacts, and it is a treasure used by the Great River Sword Sect to suppress the sect's fortune.

Zhang Yuan was the Marquis of Qingyang of the Great Qin Dynasty, a military marquis with outstanding achievements.

The Great Qin Dynasty possesses the most prosperous Yongtian Continent in the world, with countless spiritual materials and treasures.

Zhang Yuan may have plenty of treasures, but that doesn't mean other cultivators in the world don't.

Even a top genius like Xuan Chengzi on Yangtian Continent only possesses one high-grade spiritual weapon, not even a top-grade one.

At this moment, a sword that was once a treasure appeared, and who wouldn't be envious and try to seize it?
The two prodigies from Yangtian Continent were vying for this sword.

The man on the left, dressed in a robe with purple cloud patterns and surrounded by flickering lightning, is Lei Xiao, an elite disciple of the Azure Spirit Thunder Sword Sect, whose cultivation level is the second level of the Grandmaster Realm—Tongyou.

He cultivated the "Purple Heaven Thunder Control True Technique," and when he drew his sword, it was like a sudden thunderclap, drawing upon the power of the Nine Heavens Thunder to attach to his sword aura.

The attack was fierce and swift, turning half of the rift valley purple and white, and the air was filled with the smell of burning.

The one on the right is Li Jue, the young master of the Nine Clouds Talisman Sect, who is also at the Tongyou Realm.

He did not hold a sword; with a wave of his hands, countless golden runes formed chains, sharp arrows, and phantom mountain images.

His "Ten Thousand Calamities Evolution Heavenly Talisman Scripture" has already revealed the key to "talismanic transformation of all methods", combining offense and defense, and being ingenious and unpredictable.

Golden runic light and purple lightning clashed fiercely in the rift valley.

Each clash caused the earth to tremble, space to ripple, and rocks and clouds to collapse.

The rampant sword energy and the aftershocks of the runes easily carved out trenches dozens of feet deep in the black rock, which was harder than steel.

"The Azure Spirit Thunder Sword Sect's 'Purple Heaven Thunder Sword' and the Nine Clouds Talisman Sect's 'Heavenly Talisman Saint Hand'... truly live up to their reputations!"

On a distant cliff, several prodigies from other sects watched the battle intently, their faces filled with astonishment.

"It is truly rare for someone at the Tongyou Realm to possess such power. I believe that the 'Overlord Blood' is destined to fall into the hands of one of these two today."

A disciple of Lingyun Sword Palace spoke with certainty.

"Though the bloodline of the Overlord is waning, its ferocity remains. Whoever obtains it will surely reach a new level of strength!"

Some people's eyes revealed envy and apprehension.

"boom--"

The valley trembled, and the clouds tore apart.

Just as Lei Xiao unleashed several bolts of Purple Heaven Divine Lightning as thick as buckets towards Li Jue, Li Jue also condensed nine layers of thick, mountain-like golden talisman shields to defend himself.

The two are about to engage in a fierce battle.

"call out--!"

A dazzling sword rainbow, as bright as the sun illuminating the entire dark rift valley, tore through space without warning.

The sword light arrived faster than expected, striking with unparalleled precision the dark gold broken sword "Overlord Blood" stuck in the skeleton!
The speed of the sword rainbow surpassed that of lightning!

Its power was so great that Lei Xiao and Li Jue, who were in the midst of fierce battle, felt a stinging pain in their souls and instantly stopped their attacks, looking on in horror!
The sword light swept across "Overlord Blood," and with a flick of its blade, the deadly weapon that the two had fought so desperately for fell into the hands of a white-clad figure who suddenly appeared on the skeleton, standing with his hands behind his back.

It was none other than Wu Daoling, the Nine Yang Sword Immortal!
His white robes fluttered in the aftershocks of the raging energy, yet remained spotless.

Wu Daoling didn't even glance at the two prodigies below, but simply lowered his head and casually weighed the dark gold broken sword "Overlord Blood" in his hand, which was emitting a buzzing mournful sound.

“The sword energy is mixed, the baleful energy is intertwined, the spirituality is about to be extinguished, and the weapon is on the verge of destruction…” Wu Daoling’s voice was calm and even, but it clearly echoed throughout the rift valley, carrying a condescending scrutiny. “The Sword Tomb hides weapons? Nothing more than that, it’s all talk and no action. It’s rather disappointing to me.”

He shook his head slightly, his tone revealing no concealment of the disappointment stemming from the sheer power he faced.

This understated comment was like a thunderclap in the ears of the onlookers!

Everyone stared at him in disbelief, dumbfounded.

The "Overlord's Blood" weapon that had driven two geniuses of the Tongyou Realm to a life-or-death struggle was described by this suddenly arriving white-robed expert as "nothing special" and "merely a name without substance."
His acquisition of the sword was incredibly fast, as if the two prodigies were nothing! (End of Chapter)