Borrowing a sword

Chapter 92 Xu Ziqing's Repayment

Chapter 92 Xu Ziqing's Repayment
It has to be said that Xiao Xu, who took that bronze sword from the mountain, is indeed incredibly awesome.

He not only won the East Continent Grand Competition, but also utterly crushed the first place winner from the West Continent.

Although the sword came with the Dao Ancestor's seal, the seal would only be partially released each time Xu Ziqing broke through a realm, meaning he could only develop a portion of the evil sword's power. However, it was still enough for him to sweep through opponents of the same realm.

Many players believe that the invincible one in the same realm is not Xu Ziqing, but that sword!
Players have witnessed that his strength is vastly different when he uses a bronze sword versus when he doesn't.

Even without a sword, he is still very strong, but he is probably not as strong as the other three protagonists of the world.

In addition, as mentioned before, Xu Ziqing's cultivation speed has always been slower than that of the other three world protagonists.

He is at least one level behind.

Even someone as extraordinary as Han Shuangjiang, whose progress is rapid and boundless, once fell behind by two major realms.

It seems like he was born for the first two rounds of the East-West Continental Championship.

Because in 1991 of the Xuanli era, when the East-West Continent Grand Competition of the Third Realm began, Han Shuangjiang, who had obtained the inheritance of two Dao Ancestors, had already leaped to the Fourth Realm and was striving to become a Great Cultivator, so he was not qualified to participate.

At that time, Xu Ziqing was only at the third realm of cultivation, and only at the middle stage of the third realm, not even at the great perfection!
But he managed to overcome all obstacles with that sword and win the title of the leader of the Xuanhuang Realm.

Chu Huaixu never expected that he, who had taken Xu Ziqing's script, would now be expected to achieve such high hopes.
How did it turn into me having to fight?
"But the problem is, I'm not sure if Xiao Xu, now that he's climbed Mount Cangling, will still have a chance to take that sword." He thought to himself.

“If he is destined to take it, then among my opponents in the Eastern Continent Grand Competition, there will also be Xu Ziqing, who wields the number one sword in the world!” His gaze narrowed slightly.

The story unfolded in such a bizarre and inexplicable way!

Even more absurdly, the task system seemed to have detected something on its own.

As Chu Huaixu stood in the bamboo grove, a system notification sound began to ring in his ears.

"[Ding! Detection detected that you have triggered the main storyline quest: The East-West Continent Grand Competition!]"

His heart raced slightly as he secretly checked the mission rewards.

This is clearly a phased task, and the task rewards are divided into stages, requiring players to unlock them one by one.

The first stage requires you to break into the top 500 in Dongzhou to receive an experience point reward.

Then, you can unlock the next stage.

Chu Huaixu personally speculates that the next stage should be to break into the top 100.

"In other words, if you can keep climbing up the rankings, you can keep unlocking more."

He knew very well that the rewards for main story missions were always particularly generous, including not only experience points but also special items and attribute points.

As for the ultimate reward, it's estimated to be quite terrifying.

In an instant, Chu Huaixu was filled with enthusiasm.

At this moment, the other elders, filled with earnest expectations, also said a few words of encouragement to him.

Chu Huaixu cupped his hands in a leisurely manner, without saying a word of humility. Although he was only at the early stage of the first realm, he seemed to have regained the spirit he had when he climbed Mount Cangling!

"This disciple will certainly do his utmost to fulfill his mission!"

After this matter was settled, it was Chu Yinyin who volunteered again to personally escort Chu Huaixu back to the outer sect.

On the way back, the young heiress from the Daoist sect said, "If you can become the number one in the Eastern Continent, or even the number one in both the Eastern and Western Continents, the sect will definitely reward you."

"I will be your future second master, so I will give you a reward in private."

The thought of her future disciple becoming the top cultivator in the Xuanhuang Realm filled her with joy.

This older woman started to feel smug just from imagining things.

Upon hearing this, Chu Huaixu immediately replied tactfully, "Then this disciple thanks Second Master in advance."

"Oh dear, I've already told you I'm not your second master yet. You have to work hard to enter the inner sect before you're considered one." The older girl waved her hands repeatedly, but her face was filled with an uncontrollable smile. She was practically being coaxed into becoming an embryo.

The two quickly flew back to the bamboo house outside the gate. When they parted, Chu Huaixu bid her farewell with a respectful expression.

Chu Yinyin felt secretly pleased. She stood with her hands behind her back, leaving him with her back to her, and then, with her flat chest puffed out, floated away into the air.

Today is a cloudy day; the sky is overcast and looks like it might rain at any moment.

Hearing the commotion, Han Shuangjiang, who lived next door, opened the bamboo door and saw that Chu Huaixu had returned. She couldn't help but remind him, "Don't forget, you still have to pick up Junior Brother Xu today."

"I remember, I remember!" he replied. "I don't even have a clean outer robe, how could I forget?"

Big Ice Block rolled his eyes at him in his heart.

But then she thought, "If Junior Brother Xu goes home, it seems I won't have to buy groceries or wash dishes anymore."

Thinking about this made her feel a little better.

Chu Huaixu waved to her and said, "I'll go now."

The housekeeper glanced at the gray sky, sensing that a heavy rain was imminent, and asked, "Do you have an umbrella in your storage token?"

"No need, no need, it's just a short distance, I'll be right back." He continued as he ran out, "Besides, I've already cultivated, I won't get wet."

The girl, her face cold, watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but mutter to herself:
“You won’t get sick from the rain, but if you come back soaking wet, Junior Brother Xu will have to clean up your clothes, and he’ll probably have to boil water for you to take a bath.”

At this point, Han Shuangjiang couldn't help but feel envious of those with profound cultivation.

When Li Chunsong went to the foot of Wumeng Mountain to pick them up, he deliberately showed off his skills.

Not only did the surrounding rain not get them wet, but it even temporarily stopped the raindrops in the air!

By the time Chu Huaixu reached the edge of the cold pool, the sky had become even more gloomy.

He stood by the icy pool, feeling the chill rushing towards him, and muttered to himself, "It's a good thing I came. If I had come a few days later, and the chill at the bottom of the pool had continued to increase, not only would Xiao Xu not have been able to get out, but I might not have been able to go in myself!"

"At that time, I may have to ask someone with higher cultivation to go in and fetch him."

Chu Huaixu took out the water-repelling pearl and the jade tablet fragment, and jumped down.

After entering the icy pool, he chuckled and said, "That big ice block is really forgetful. I have a water-repelling pearl, which I can use to keep out the rain."

Upon entering the secret realm, Chu Huaixu skillfully entered the seventh cave and, relying on the small sword within his sea of consciousness, broke through the illusion of the second level. After opening the stone door, he saw Xu Ziqing sitting cross-legged by the pool, practicing her martial arts with her eyes closed.

Beside him were several sheets of paper, with a calligraphy brush on top, and the brocade pouch he had given to the boy.

Chu Huaixu didn't disturb him or peek at what was written on the paper, respecting the boy's privacy. He simply sent him an "Information Detection" message.

"Six acupoints have been opened?" He gritted his teeth in envy.

He gained a lot of experience points from this level, but these experience points were definitely not enough for him to level up from level 0 to level 6.

"Although so many days have passed, it takes a very long time for a normal pseudo-spiritual embryo to open up the six orifices during body refinement."

"And it felt like he was trying to break through the seventh orifice."

"The protagonist of the world is indeed different."

Having already obtained the [Medicine Cauldron - Dao Sheng Yi], Chu Huaixu suddenly thought, "Then I'll refine more pills for him to take. With his innate medicine-making physique, wouldn't he be able to advance rapidly?"

Damn it, this is the kind of boy that alchemists love to raise!

Chu Huaixu couldn't help but suspect that Xu Ziqing's cultivation level in the game "Borrowing Swords" was probably basically achieved through drug use.

If he were to cultivate on his own, it would take forever.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the handsome young man slowly opened his eyes.

Upon seeing Chu Huaixu standing in front of him, an excited expression immediately appeared on his face.

Then, he quickly stood up and said respectfully, "Senior Brother."

Chu Huaixu looked at him calmly and said in a very indifferent tone, "Not bad, sixth aperture."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing could tell it wasn't a compliment, but she was still overjoyed.

"This at least means that although I didn't surprise my senior brother, I didn't disappoint him either?"

He knew that his cultivation aptitude was dull and that he could not compare with his senior brother and senior sister Han.

He was already satisfied with achieving this.

"Xiao Xu."

"Hey! Senior brother!"

"Is the body-tempering potion still effective for you?" Chu Huaixu asked.

“Since yesterday, it has been almost completely ineffective,” Xu Ziqing answered truthfully.

"Then my arrival is just in time," Chu Huaixu said calmly.

The pile of dirty clothes I had gathered seemed to be in accordance with divine will.

He asked with some curiosity, "What have you been doing these past few days besides cultivating?"

Xu Ziqing answered honestly, "I occasionally practice my family's sword techniques."

He added, "Senior brother, you may not know this, but I come from a family of swordsmen in the martial arts world. I learned swordsmanship from my parents from a young age."

Upon hearing this, Chu Huaixu thought to himself, "I know."

He simply nodded slightly and didn't say anything more.

After a while, he looked at the handsome young man and said, "Let's go. This secret realm is no longer of any use to you. The cold pool outside is accumulating cold air. In a few more days, you probably won't be able to get out."

"Yes, Senior Brother." Xu Ziqing replied respectfully immediately, and then began to pack his things.

In fact, even if Chu Huaixu hadn't come today, he was planning to go out tomorrow anyway.

Because of the dry rations the other party had sent him before, even if he ate them sparingly, he should have finished them by tonight.

"Perhaps my senior brother was still calculating the days in his mind and knew I had nothing to eat, so he came to pick me up today?" the boy guessed in his heart, feeling somewhat touched.

While packing, Xu Ziqing quickly spotted the few sheets of paper that had been pressed down by the calligraphy brush and the brocade pouch.

The Taoist sect provides basic living necessities, such as writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, inside the storage tokens of registered disciples.

The handsome young man squatted down and solemnly put the brocade pouch inscribed with "Flowing water does not strive to be first, but strives to flow endlessly" into his storage token.

Then, he picked up the papers, took a deep breath, and walked toward Chu Huaixu.

"Senior brother, here you go." He held the paper in both hands and handed it to the other person.

"What is this?" Chu Huaixu asked curiously as he took it.

Because the paper was facing backwards, he could only vaguely see the writing.

Chu Huaixu immediately flipped them over to look at the text above.

"Six out of vacancies?" He looked at the top four characters and found them a bit difficult to pronounce.

But he probably knew what it meant.

"Six-petaled snow is an elegant name for snow."

"Lieque is another name for lightning."

A system notification immediately rang in his ears.

"[Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained the spell - Six Horizontal Strike Points.]"

"[Type: Swordsmanship.]"