Borrowing a sword

Chapter 116 Xu Ziqing, the Sword Attendant!
Upon receiving the telepathic message, Xiang Yan and the others all showed expressions of astonishment, and then quickly flew towards Cangling Mountain.

Recently, the high-ranking members of the Taoist sect have been making frequent appearances, which has made them somewhat unaccustomed to it.

But upon closer reflection, it's clear that almost every instance is related to the Chu Huai Preface!
After he joined the sect, it seemed like there was never a moment of peace.
One by one, figures landed at the foot of Hidden Spirit Mountain.

Chu Huaixu began by bowing to each person.

"Why are the sect leader and elders all here?" He had a vague idea in his mind.

What could have alarmed them like that must be the sword!
"What kind of trouble is this bronze sword causing now?"

"They say ugly people are often troublesome, and it seems that swords are no exception," he thought to himself.

Xiang Yan and the others were even more confused than Chu Huaixu.

"What's going on? This kid is clearly the one who should take the sword according to the Dao Ancestor's admonition, so how come he brought a junior brother to climb the mountain today and also triggered that sword?"

"Furthermore, why should the sword suppress other spiritual weapons?"

"What is the purpose of such domineering behavior?"

Everyone looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.

The last time Chu Huaixu climbed the mountain, the situation had completely spiraled out of control. Forget about taking out a sword, it was like they had formed a feud.

Despite being a "sword attendant," he inscribed that sentence on the Monument to the Gentlemen.

"What? Does this sword hate him that much that it deliberately sabotages him to prevent him from getting the treasure when he brings someone up the mountain today?" Chu Yinyin, with her impulsive nature, actually thought to herself.

The evil sword truly lives up to its name!
The high-ranking members of the Taoist sect began to communicate telepathically and discuss the matter.

Chu Huaixu stood to the side, unable to hear anything.

Chu Yinyin couldn't keep anything to herself and directly revealed her guess.

"It can't be that bad," Li Chunsong thought for a moment.

Just because it failed to tame Chu Huaixu, it will keep causing trouble?

However, this philanthropic gambling tycoon did have an impression of the young Xu Ziqing.

Back then, Xiao Xu was able to become a disciple with the approval of the Sixth Elder.

After thinking about it, he informed the sect leader and others about the matter.

"You mean, this child who took the charred black wooden plaque used to be a servant in Chu Huaixu's courtyard?" Xiang Yan asked, slightly surprised.

"Yes, he seemed to have taken a liking to my talent, and I even said a few words to him." Li Chunsong was somewhat ashamed.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, then couldn't help but look at Chu Huaixu.

The young man couldn't hear their conversation and didn't know why they were suddenly looking at him. He could only smile at the group of executives.

Ultimately, it was sect leader Xiang Yan who made the final decision:

"Let's observe it further and see what this sword is meant to do."

“If the child ultimately finds nothing on the mountain, then we will make an exception and give him the jade pendant.”

"After all, it was the sword on the mountain that broke the rules of Hidden Spirit Mountain, which is not fair to him."

After pondering for a moment, Elder Lu Pan of the Law Enforcement Bureau nodded.

With the sect leader and the law enforcement elders having expressed their opinions, everyone nodded in agreement.

The group then stopped communicating telepathically and walked to Chu Huaixu's side.

The bald sect leader smiled and said, "Chu Huaixu, you don't need to worry. There have indeed been some changes on the mountain. If it affects that child, we will give him the jade pendant then."

"But remember, this matter must not be mentioned to anyone else," he instructed.

"Yes, disciple understands." Chu Huaixu immediately agreed, seeing the villainous smile on the sect leader's face.

He breathed a sigh of relief, which at least meant that Xiao Xu wouldn't come away empty-handed.

Thinking about this, he was speechless. How could he really act like an old father?

Everyone looked towards the summit of Cangling Mountain, and Xiang Yan continued, "Why don't we observe this further together?"

Chu Huaixu found it amusing, feeling as if several max-level accounts had flooded into Xu Ziqing's live stream.

The handsome young man at the summit has climbed the mountain again.

His sense of frustration intensified once again.

"Xu Ziqing, Xu Ziqing, you were just standing there agonizing over this. How ridiculous."

"Now look what's happened, they're not choosing you anymore," he thought to himself.

The mental torment inflicted by Hidden Spirit Mountain is indeed far greater than the torment caused by spiritual pressure.

The boy, unaware that the bronze sword on the mountaintop was the tamper, thought that his hesitation had caused the opportunity to slip away.

He stared blankly at the jade pendant for a few moments, but in the end, he could only continue climbing the mountain.

Only after his figure disappeared into the clouds did the jade pendant on the stone platform tremble almost imperceptibly.

They seemed to feel immense regret, yet they could only succumb to tyranny.

As Xu Ziqing climbed upwards, she began to vaguely sense a pull from the unseen world.

He found it hard to describe, but he could sense that the pull came from above.

A force is bewitching him!
Yes, it's seduction!
Because every high-grade spiritual artifact he encountered afterward showed no reaction, as if they didn't even notice him.

As they approached the summit, Xiao Xu grew increasingly nervous and anxious.

He was under immense psychological pressure.

"If I return empty-handed, wouldn't I be letting down my senior brother's expectations?"

"Moreover, my senior brother has done so much for me, and he looks quite haggard just from refining elixirs every day."

"Given his usual cultivation speed, he should have broken through to a higher realm by now, but his cultivation has stagnated recently because of me."

The kindness others show to us can become both pressure and motivation for people with a conscience.

For him, Chu Huaixu was a salvation in his life, but he dared not betray it.

If she really went down the mountain like that, Xu Ziqing would never have the courage to face him!

In addition, he began to recall the tragic deaths of his family members.

After that day, he fell into hell, living only for revenge!

He wanted to become stronger, strong enough that he could kill his enemy no matter who he was!

For cultivators, a top-grade natal spiritual artifact is a lifelong benefit.

Xu Ziqing knew very well that Cangling Mountain was the best opportunity.

Once I miss this opportunity, I really can't think of any other way to get another high-grade or even super-grade spiritual artifact!

Drawn by that invisible force, the details of his family's deaths kept replaying in the boy's mind.

His parents, who gave him life, lay dead in pools of blood, their bodies severed from their heads.

The grandmother, who should have been enjoying her retirement years with her children and grandchildren, had a large hole in her forehead, the source of which was unknown!
His little sister is only six years old, with pigtails, and she's so cute.

Xu Ziqing had promised her that he would buy her a candied hawthorn on the way back from his sword-fighting match at a friend's house.

When he returned home, the blood on his younger sister was redder than the candied hawthorn in his hand!

Such a lovely girl, yet she was cut in half at the waist!

Xu Ziqing walked up step by step, his eyes gradually turning red, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably!

The boy clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh.

His eyes began to fill with bloodshot veins, and tears started rolling down his cheeks.

With each magical artifact he passed by, seeing their unmoved expressions, his heart would break a little more.

—It's like a demon is growing inside you!
At the foot of Cangling Mountain, the great cultivators of the Daoist sect could sense this evil aura.

Since it is an evil sword, it naturally has the power to bewitch people's hearts.

However, it is currently sealed by the Dao Ancestor, so its effectiveness is actually not great.

If one's will is strong enough, one can resist.

What I fear most is that this young disciple may already harbor inner demons!
Xiang Yan turned to look at Chu Huaixu and asked, "Does this outer disciple harbor any obsession?"

After hesitating for a few seconds, Chu Huaixu chose to tell the truth.

Because he also sensed something was wrong and was very worried about Xiao Xu.

"Yes, his family members were all killed by evil practitioners."

"No wonder." Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood why this was the case.

Ultimately, the problem lay with him! However, everyone was puzzled as to why the bronze sword on the mountain was drawing his attention.
"Could it be that she's toying with him?" Chu Yinyin wondered, her thoughts still racing.

Everyone frowned as they watched, waiting for an answer.

On Hidden Spirit Mountain, as inner demons continued to grow, Xu Ziqing's desire for power began to amplify!

He began to crave the recognition of the spiritual artifact more and more, and he longed to take a spiritual artifact down the mountain.

He is no longer obsessed with acquiring a spirit sword.

"Anything goes!"

"Anything is fine!!!"

Xu Ziqing knew how many stone steps there were on Cangling Mountain.

He counted his way up.

This made him realize that he had less than five hundred stone steps left to climb!
"The number of spiritual artifacts in the mountaintop area has decreased sharply."

"I don't have many chances left." He began to feel a little desperate.

The boy, his eyes bloodshot, was consumed by endless regret.

"Why didn't I quit while I was ahead!"

"Why not just take that jade pendant directly!"

"Xu Ziqing, Xu Ziqing, are you starting to think too highly of yourself again? Haven't your experiences during this period taught you anything?"

"All the small achievements you've made so far are thanks to your senior brother!"

As he climbed upwards, his mind was in turmoil, as if he were torn between heaven and earth.

Soon, in the thick fog, he vaguely saw another stone platform, and on it he could see a knife.

As he approached, he felt a bloodthirsty aura emanating from him.

Xu Ziqing could sense that this sword was meant for killing!
The murderous aura was extremely strong!
And this knife seemed to sense the boundless hatred in the boy's heart.

It began to tremble slightly, emitting a whistling sound.

However, this bloodthirsty killing blade, which exuded an aura of dominance, fell silent in an instant, as if it had become an ostrich burying its head in the sand!

Xu Ziqing's hand was already halfway out.

His mindset has long since changed; now he's content as long as he has a magical artifact.

Even though the knife in front of him seemed to have given up on him, he still refused to believe it and continued to reach out, trying to grab it, hoping it would give him another chance.

This superior-grade spiritual weapon is utterly useless compared to the bronze sword atop the mountain.

Forced by the tyrannical power emanating from the sword, it now felt utterly repulsed by Xu Ziqing's outstretched hand.

The moment the boy's right hand touched the hilt of the knife, he immediately felt a burning sensation!
It's driving him away!
However, Xu Ziqing, having been "trained" by the "Sword Refining Technique," was not afraid of pain at all.

He was like someone touching a piece of iron in a furnace, yet stubbornly holding onto it tightly!
He saw the knife's earlier trembling and clanging as his last lifeline.

The magic array surrounding the magical artifact began to take effect.

It can prevent the magical artifact from being forcibly taken away by mountaineers.

Xu Ziqing was immediately forced back three steps, her palms already scalded to a frightening degree.

The boy's heart was on the verge of collapse.

A deep sense of helplessness reminded him of that rainy night at the foot of Mount Wumeng.

He took one last look at the long sword, his body slumped slightly, but his eyes remained resolute as he continued up the mountain.

"Don't give up, don't give up, there's still a chance." He kept repeating to himself, as if he were possessed.

Unfortunately, reality is so cruel.

He soon reached the end of the stone steps.

Further up, you'll reach the summit of Cangling Mountain.

The boy turned around and looked down at the stone steps below.

He suddenly felt dizzy.

The mountain wind blew, and it swayed precariously.

Go further up, and all you'll find is the sword left behind by the Dao Ancestor.

Even a young boy can dream big dreams.

But when the sword was actually right in front of him, what he was thinking was: "Are you worthy?"

Xu Ziqing looked up at the sky with a dejected expression, and the tension in her heart suddenly snapped.

The evil sword atop the mountain continuously guided his mind.

It's like a seductive devil.

It kept pushing Xu Ziqing, pushing him to the edge of the cliff.

Then, let him fall into an abyss of helplessness.

Various images began to appear in Xu Ziqing's mind.

There were memories of Chu Huaixu's kindness to him, and memories of his family.

In addition, the scene of his entire family being slaughtered reappeared, along with the imagined look of disappointment in his senior brother's eyes.
The inner demons are constantly growing and expanding.

These images kept flashing through his mind, pounding against his heart.

The rule of Cangling Mountain is that you can only go up, not back.

The boy clearly had no way out; he could only take one more step forward. Yet, he stood there blankly, his heart filled with increasing torment.

The sense of brokenness emanating from him was almost overflowing.

At the foot of the mountain, Chu Huaixu watched this scene with a furrowed brow.

"Xiao Xu's current mindset is a big problem!" he said with some concern.

He immediately went to ask the powerful cultivators around him: "Sect Master, Elders, is Xu Ziqing alright now? Could he have suffered a qi deviation and left any hidden dangers?"

Li Chunsong waved his hand and replied first: "You should know best how tightly that sword on the mountain was sealed, otherwise, would you still be alive and kicking?"

"The role it can play is actually quite small. Its greatest power was the spiritual pressure it used against you before."

"The reason why Xu Ziqing is the way he is now is purely because his own obsession is too deep. This is a hurdle that he must overcome on his path of cultivation."

"Either overcome your inner demons or take revenge on your enemies; your mind should be clear."

“He is indeed being bewitched, but that power is not actually very strong.”

"After you go down the mountain, just take a few calming pills. You don't need to worry too much," Li Chunsong explained.

Upon hearing this, Chu Huaixu finally felt relieved.

He looked up at the mountain and thought to himself, "So, it really was all his destiny?"

"He eventually reached the end of the stone steps, and ultimately, he was destined to walk towards that sword?"

Just as he was thinking this, Xu Ziqing on the mountain suddenly moved.

He, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly raised it.

As he sank into endless despair, a guiding force came from the summit of Hidden Spirit Mountain.

There was a subtle force guiding him.

Or rather, is it a call?

It wanted to get closer to it.

How could he not know what lies atop Mount Cangling?

In your most desperate moment, the most powerful thing in the world calls to you, urging you to go and grasp it! Grasp this number one sword in the world!
Human desires can be amplified infinitely!
The entire Cangling Mountain began to tremble slightly.

However, it is different from the earthquakes that occurred before.

Previously, it was the sword that was angry.

Now, the sword is excited!
For a thousand years, a full thousand years, it remained locked on the mountain.

It finally met its destined one.

The bronze sword hovered high above, pulling on the entire mountain, making the tremors increasingly intense.

It remains as aloof and superior as ever.

It waited with a haughty air for the boy to step forward and become its own.
—The Swordsman!
(P.S.: This is a 4,000-word chapter, please vote with your monthly tickets.)
(End of this chapter)