Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 347 Divine Transformation Sword Qi
Golden light spills across the Lingyang River.

sunrise.

The hustle and bustle of the banquet has faded away, leaving only the river flowing quietly.

Several figures gathered in front of a huge pavilion by the river, including Song Yan, Jiang Ming, and Xu Fengcan, who were waiting there.

Before long, three or five figures slowly walked over from a distance.

Among them was Nangong Ming, dressed in formal family head robes, and another elder of the Nangong family.

The leader was someone I had never seen before.

This man had white hair, was thin and frail, and wore a drab, coarse linen outfit.

His body was hunched over, and his aura was restrained, making him almost indistinguishable from an ordinary old man.

However, Song Yan and the others were naturally able to guess the person's identity.

He must be the senior who was supposed to protect the three of them as they comprehended sword energy; if I'm not mistaken, he should be a Golden Core cultivator.

This is why they waited here so early.

The elder from the Nangong family stood respectfully beside the old man, seemingly speaking to him.

The three of them, Song Yan and his companions, exchanged glances and then stepped forward to greet each other.

Although they were honored guests of the Nangong clan, none of them put on airs in front of a Golden Core cultivator.

The old man nodded slightly, his face kind and friendly.

Standing at the very front of the crowd, when he remained silent, even Nangong Ming dared not speak on his own.

"Hehe, I am the one who will protect you young friends this time. I am an elder of the Nangong family from outside the clan. My surname is Zhang, and I will not mention my given name."

Senior Zhang spoke very gently, unlike the aloof and imposing manner of ordinary Golden Core cultivators.

It's a bit like having an elder in the family, making you feel very warm and familiar.

"Greetings, Senior Zhang."

The old man nodded: "Alright, let's not waste any more time. Young friends, please follow me."

He walked in front, and Nangong Ming slightly raised his hand, signaling them to go first.

Senior Zhang walked down a narrow set of bluestone steps towards the bank of the Lingyang River.

Song Yan and the other two exchanged a glance and silently followed, with Nangong Ming and the elder also close behind.

The stone steps meander down among the rocks on the riverbank, eventually disappearing into a place concealed by an array.

The place where Song Yan and the others were originally waiting was called the Immortal Descending Pavilion.

Legend has it that the sword energy left behind by that senior was preserved in the Jiangxian Tower. However, for some reason, Elder Zhang did not lead them into the Jiangxian Tower.

Perhaps sensing the three men's confusion, Elder Zhang spoke up, "Have you all heard of the legend of Jiangxian Pass?"

The three nodded.

"Hehe, it is widely believed that the sword energy was sealed in the Immortal Descending Tower, but that is just a rumor to deceive people."

As Elder Zhang led the way, he slowly said in his somewhat hoarse voice, "How could we possibly control a wisp of sword energy at the Nascent Soul stage?"

"Back then, when that senior slew the great demon, the remaining sword energy sank to the bottom of the river along with the demon's corpse."

At the bottom of the river?

"Please be patient, my dear friends, you will find out soon."

As an inconspicuous stone talisman in Elder Zhang's hand glowed faintly, the restrictions on the cave entrance rippled, revealing the passage behind it.

The group followed Old Zhang into the house.

The interior of the passage was very dry, and the walls were inlaid with fluorite, emitting a soft white light.

This place was clearly carved out by human hands and has been protected by water-repelling barriers.

The group silently continued their descent.

The passage became deeper and deeper, and the slope became steeper. The roar of the river could be faintly heard through the rock walls, carrying a dull and oppressive force.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the terrain gradually leveled out, and the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The rock wall disappeared, and the river was blocked by pure spiritual energy that created a water-repelling barrier.

What a generous gesture.

Although the Lingyang River is just an ordinary river with nothing special about it, the water-avoidance restrictions are not particularly valuable.

However, for such a large river, the cost of setting up a barrier in the middle of the river is still not small.

However, this thought only lasted for a moment.

Because what is presented to everyone at this moment is a breathtaking sight.

At this moment, everyone was deep in the heart of the Lingyang River, and not far away, there was an incredibly wide and huge platform.

The underwater lighting was dim, and it was impossible to see what material this circular platform was made of.

This platform is extremely vast, with a radius of at least several tens of feet.

At the edge of the platform, countless thick chains extend from its circumference and disappear into the darkness of the surrounding riverbed.

It resembles the network of some kind of massive formation, but its destination is unknown.

The platform center has almost the only source of light on the riverbed, and it is also the destination of this trip.

There, a ray of light floated.

It is neither scorching nor dazzling, but quietly hovers in the very center of the platform.

It is about the length of an arm and emits a transparent, flowing blue-purple hue.

A bit like……

That dreamlike color within the lotus of swordsmanship.

When Song Yan saw it, he felt that he had made the right decision to come back this time.

It seems that the senior Shen is the legendary old man in the straw raincoat from Jiangxian Pass.

"Back then, there were no restrictions or seals here. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would find the sword energy dazzling just by glancing at it."

Elder Zhang said, "Later, Ancestor Nangong sealed the sword energy here, which gave other cultivators a chance to get a little closer and observe it."

"I learned all of this from the clan's documents, but I don't know if it's true or false."

"Speaking of which, taking this sword energy for myself was also a bit of a selfish desire of Ancestor Nangong back then."

"I hope you young friends will keep the matter of sealing it here a secret for Nangong."

"I understand."

The sword energy hovered silently in the air about three feet above the platform, rising and falling slightly, exuding a chillingly sharp aura.

Zhang Cheng continued walking forward.

This so-called attempt to comprehend sword energy is, in reality, at best, merely a sightseeing tour.

How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator possibly comprehend the spiritual secrets of a Nascent Soul cultivator?

Even their so-called protection was merely a tactic used by the Nangong family to recruit members.

The Nangong family possesses a Nascent Soul Sword Qi and has a Golden Core Realm cultivator in charge, which at least in terms of prestige, makes them quite respectable.

As everyone followed Senior Zhang, they began to clearly feel a subtle stinging sensation on their skin, as if invisible sword energy was brushing against their skin.

However, this feeling is not too strong yet.

Old Zhang only stopped when everyone had reached the edge of the wide platform.

He took a deep breath and said, "Young friends, please come forward."

"I will stay here to protect you and reduce the impact of the overflowing sword energy on you."

"Remember, do not try to touch it with your divine sense or try to activate it with your spiritual power. Just observe its intention."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Time is limited, take care."

Xu Fengcan could no longer contain herself. She was an ambitious person, and at this moment she was even more excited.

Seeing that Song Yan and Jiang Ming did not make a move, she bowed to Elder Zhang and Nangong Ming, and then took the lead.

However, as soon as she stepped onto the platform, she felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Perhaps due to the protection of the restriction, it did not cause her any substantial harm. However, the feeling of the sword energy approaching her was instantly amplified a hundredfold.

"Hiss—" Xu Fengcan took a breath, his spiritual energy surged around him, and he quickly adjusted himself.

Just then, Elder Zhang spoke again: "This should be the first time you have come here to comprehend the sword energy of a great cultivator, so there is no need to be impatient."

"There's no need to worry too much. The restrictions here were personally set up by Ancestor Nangong back then. If you all become too aggressive and reach a point where you can't withstand it, you will be automatically sent out by the restrictions."

"At most, the soul and muscles will be somewhat weak and fatigued, but there will be no serious consequences."

After saying this, Xu Fengcan felt a little relieved and took a difficult step towards the ray of light in the center.

At this moment, Jiang Ming also stepped onto the platform.

Song Yan remained standing there, motionless, only a golden light slowly emerging in his eyes.

However, nothing was gained.

The restrictions surrounding the sword energy were originally intended to protect cultivators of lower cultivation levels, and naturally could also block detection by techniques like the pupil technique.

It was to prevent some audacious juniors from using inferior pupil techniques to investigate, only to find nothing amiss and be backfired by the overflowing sword energy, damaging their eyes and soul.

Old Zhang glanced sideways at Song Yan.

"How should I address you, young friend?"

"My name is Song Yan."

Old Zhang's face showed a look of sudden realization, perhaps he had heard this name from the Nangong family.

"Young friend Song, why don't you step forward and give it a try?"

Zhang Cheng said, "To be honest, the sword energy of the Nascent Soul Realm is something that even those of us in the Golden Core Realm, let alone those in the Foundation Establishment Realm, would find difficult to comprehend."

"However, under the pressure of that sword energy, this place is very suitable as a training ground. Going up there and trying it out can also hone your cultivation. In short, there's no harm in it."

Song Yan was surprised by the other party's frankness and straightforwardness.

Come to think of it, everyone knows that to gain something from comprehending the Divine Transformation Sword Qi is nothing short of a pipe dream.

However, they all only thought of coming to see it because they had a sliver of hope in their hearts.

Besides this, Song Yan also wanted to ascertain the relationship between Jiang Shangweng and Senior Shen.

He nodded and was about to take a step when he suddenly asked, "Senior Zhang, I have a question and hope you can enlighten me."

"But it doesn't matter."

"Has this sword energy always been here?"

This was a very simple question, and Zhang Cheng didn't know why he was asking it.

However, the person in front of him was the young man that the younger generation of the Nangong family paid the most attention to, and he was very patient.

He immediately replied, "Of course, after all, it is the sword energy left behind by a great cultivator. Even the many Golden Core cultivators of the Chu Kingdom back then could not seize it."

"That's why we let it stay here."

Zhang Cheng seemed to see a hint of worry in Song Yan's eyes, and assumed that it was because he was worried about the sudden surge of sword energy that he asked the question.

I never expected that this person, despite being extremely young, would act so cautiously.

"Hahaha, don't worry, young friend Song. This sword energy hasn't moved for a thousand years, and with the restrictions left by Ancestor Nangong, there's absolutely no danger."

"Unless that senior who reached the Nascent Soul stage himself comes, it will not react."

Song Yan nodded.

He wasn't worried about that, but looking at the chains around him, he had a vague feeling in his heart.

Did the old patriarch of the Nangong family back then consider this sword energy as the most treasured possession of the Nangong family?

When a powerful enemy attacks, should we directly use the formation to unleash the Divine Transformation Sword Qi and fight to the death?
It's not impossible.

With his thoughts in turmoil, Song Yan took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform.

Om-!
The moment I stepped onto the platform, an immense, chilling sense of oppression suddenly washed over me.

"!"

Although nothing actually happened, Song Yan still felt as if his flesh and blood body had been scraped by countless sword energies.

His body suddenly froze, trembling slightly, and he almost knelt down.

"What's going on?"

This pressure is too great. Song Yan believes that he is no weaker than his peers in Chu in terms of spiritual sense and physical body.

Judging from Xu Fengcan and Jiang Ming's previous reactions, although there was pressure, it was far from reaching this level.

...Am I really that weak?
Song Yan was originally thinking that since he was a sword cultivator, he might have an easier time than fellow Daoists Jiang and Xu.

Unbeknownst to him, the moment he stepped onto the platform, the oppressive feeling emanating from the sword energy suddenly intensified.

Xu Fengcan and Jiang Ming's already difficult situation was made even worse.

Before long, the two of them had reached their limit.

bang——

bang——

With a sound, Xu Fengcan and Jiang Ming were ejected from the platform one by one.

With a casual gesture, Elder Zhang gently lifted the two down, then passed on a wisp of spiritual energy to each of them to help them recover.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Zhang."

Jiang Ming and Xu Fengcan looked up to thank their senior, only to find him staring intently at Song Yan with a look of surprise and uncertainty.

Strange, why has the pressure from the sword here suddenly increased?

He sensed something was wrong and instinctively wanted to bring Song Yan back as well.

However, the fact that he wasn't ejected by the restriction meant that it wasn't his limit yet.

Considering that the restrictions have not yet caused any problems, everything is still under control.

He was also afraid that if he took action himself, something unexpected might happen.

Let's just wait until Song Yan is banned and ejected before making any further moves.

"Young friend, please be careful. If you feel you can't continue, you may come out on your own."

"..."

Song Yan did not respond, because he had not heard it at all.

The clang of sword energy echoed in his ears, drowning out all other sounds.

He stared at the wisp of sword energy in the very center of the platform, his mind somewhat dazed, and he didn't even notice that Jiang Ming and Xu Fengcan had disappeared.

At the same time, the lotus flower in the Sword Palace slowly opened and closed its petals, and a dreamlike sword aura emerged from it.

The sword energy slowly seeped out of the body, turning into mist and drifting forward.

It was as if it was guiding Song Yan forward.

In the darkness, that wisp of sword energy also attracted him.

The overwhelming pressure of the sword energy made it difficult for him to move, but the source of all this was calling him closer.

Fortunately, the sword lotus shone brightly, operating at full power to resist the pressure and support Song Yan as he moved forward.

The group looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened.

Only Zhang Cheng stared blankly at the ray of light in front of Song Yan, lost in thought.

Everyone watched as Song Yan walked forward step by step, each step seemingly precarious, as if he would be ejected from the restraints at any moment.

However, this never happened.

"Fellow Daoist Song is indeed formidable..." Xu Fengcan said with some envy.

Under such pressure, let alone moving forward, she and Jiang Ming could only hold on for ten breaths.

However, as time passed, everyone's expressions became increasingly strange.

On this platform, the closer you get to the center, the stronger the sword energy becomes.

This Song Yan, who seemed to be struggling when he first stepped into the room, has still not been sent out by the restriction.

just now.

He was already almost in front of that wisp of sword energy.

(End of this chapter)