Chapter 155: Chapter 144: The Bronze Sword Emerges

On the stage, Xu Ziqing used a secret technique to unravel a restriction on the sword box.

This sword box, made of Coiled Dragon Wood, seemed to be only a middle-grade spiritual artifact, but in fact, it contained numerous restrictions and arrays.

These are the key!

It was crafted with the combined efforts of Array Grandmaster Lu Pan, Artifact Refining Grandmaster Nangong Yue, and Daoist Junior Martial Uncle Jiang Zhi.

It was tailored specifically for the Sword Attendant.

The entire sword box split from the middle, revealing a downward triangle.

Inside, there were streams of light resembling electric currents, forming an electric net that enveloped the Bronze Sword within the sword box.

Before it officially opened, the surrounding audience was filled with intense curiosity.

Although Xu Ziqing’s hype wasn’t as great as Chu Huaixu’s, the fact that this Body Cultivator managed to persist to this round was quite surprising.

In every match, he carried this large wooden box on his back.

If it were placed upright on the ground, it would definitely be taller than this delicate-looking young man by a head!

The wooden box was so eye-catching that people have been speculating since the first round whether there was anything inside.

If there was, then what could be inside?

Guo Zhennan wielded that gigantic sword, forcing Xu Ziqing to open it.

In the young man’s heart, he actually hoped to rely on his own strength to last a few more rounds.

He wanted to fight on his own, rather than relying entirely on this sword.

Because he knew in his heart that if it came to that, it would no longer be him competing; it would be the sword fighting for him!

“A gentleman uses things, he is not used by things.” Xu Ziqing remembered this line etched by his senior brother.

However, his senior brother also told him that he hoped their family of three could sweep the top three positions in the East Continent competition.

“Junior Martial Uncle Ancestor also gave me a strict order to take the first place in the East Continent.”

“No, to be precise, to take the first place in the East and West Continent competition.”

In Xu Ziqing’s view, if he were now like his opponent, both at the First Realm Great Perfection, even if unarmed, he would have a fighting chance and be confident of winning!

Unfortunately, he was only at the Sixth Heaven of the First Realm, and even with constant pill consumption, he couldn’t catch up in the short term.

He wasn’t someone completely inflexible.

To be precise, he was testing his senior brother’s thoughts during their last casual conversation.

“If the senior brother tells me to rely completely on my own strength, then I’ll fight on my own.”

Evidently, compared to Jiang Zhi, he trusted Chu Huaixu’s words more.

But that day, Chu Huaixu said nothing, merely giving a profound look at the sword box.

Xu Ziqing felt that he had already gotten the answer.

Furthermore, if the opponent was only Guo Zhennan, he could barely count it as fighting on his own!

As the sword box opened, everyone’s eyes were fixed on it.

The curiosity was overwhelming, even Han Shuangjiang was eagerly peering over.

Because she had never seen this sword’s true form with her own eyes!

Yet, there’s a saying: the higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Everyone was wondering, what kind of treasure could it be to have a box made of a middle-grade spiritual artifact?

Just now, when Xu Ziqing single-handedly formed a seal, the opening of the sword box was grand and spectacular!

But…

Why is this sword so ugly!

Han Shuangjiang had heard Chu Huaixu mention it, saying the sword on the peak of Hidden Spirit Mountain was hideous.

But she only thought that maybe this sword wasn’t as beautiful as [Zhegu Heaven].

After all, it was so powerful, so legendary, that if it was plain, it would seem ugly.

Therefore, the Big Ice Cube, hearing the Dead Fox’s words, merely assumed: this sword might not look nice.

Now, seeing it firsthand, she felt deeply disappointed.

“It is indeed ugly.”

…

…

Below the stage, the crowd was buzzing with discussion.

“Who would have thought Xu Ziqing’s wooden box contained a sword?”

Many people’s eyes involuntarily glanced at Chu Huaixu, who was among the spectators.

Now everyone knew that he seemed to be quite familiar with this delicate-looking youth.

Because after each match, the three of them would find a secluded spot to chat, and Xu Ziqing seemed extremely respectful and even showed awe and admiration towards Chu Huaixu…

“Damn it, could he be like Chu Huaixu, also practicing Sword and Body Dual Cultivation?” Such thoughts emerged in many people’s minds.

So similar! Just too similar!

Whether they were Daoist disciples or Outer Sect people, since the last round, they had been eager to see Chu Huaixu draw his sword.

Even the Great Cultivator Mei Chuxue from the Eighth Realm indirectly helped create momentum for him, indicating she was watching with great anticipation!

For a moment, Chu Huaixu was in the limelight!

Who would have thought that with no expectation from his side, there would be a… substitute version first?

The legendary Dao Ancestor Sword had one day become a substitute for Chu Huaixu’s sword.

“How could there be such an ugly Bronze Sword?”

“It’s odd, like something made by a beginner at artifact refining.”

“And it has no spiritual fluctuations whatsoever, like a dead object.”

Yet, on the grandstands where Great Cultivators gathered, many people’s reactions were quite the opposite of those below!

Situ Cheng and others were so shocked they nearly stood up from their chairs!

People like Mo Tenglong, cultivators of the Fifth Realm, had never seen this legendary sword with their own eyes, so they couldn’t recognize it.

But Situ Cheng, being one of the Four Great Divine Swords, had gone up the mountain to challenge it, only to be utterly defeated.

Mei Chuxue and Teng Lingyi had never gone to Hidden Spirit Mountain to challenge it, but as high-ranking members of the Four Great Sects, they had some understanding of this sword.

The three of them all looked toward the Daoist crowd, and even Situ Cheng, with the worst sense of decorum, dared not speak recklessly now!

“The Dao Ancestor Sword has resurfaced in the world!”

“Someone can actually make the Dao Ancestor Sword acknowledge them as its master!?”

It’s a significant matter, who would dare to casually comment!

They initially thought that Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were the trump cards of the Daoist Sect in this competition.

But who would have thought there was another immense wave waiting!

Moreover, the shock that this matter brought was simply too enormous.

Others might not understand what this meant, but the three of them did.

The sky of the East Continent was about to change!

They couldn’t sit still, they simply couldn’t!

The Four Great Sects were like branches of the same tree when it came to resisting the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth.

“Something this big, and yet they didn’t tell us immediately?” thought Teng Lingyi and the others.

At this moment, Xiang Yan, sitting in the principal seat, met their gaze and could roughly surmise what they were thinking.

He immediately used Secret Transmission to inform the three:

“After today’s competition concludes, Junior Martial Uncle will invite the three of you to Junzi Temple for tea.”

Mei Chuxue couldn’t help but roll her eyes; within her charming peach blossom eyes was full of resentment.

She could already imagine it. This Daoist Junior Martial Uncle, who loved to be mysterious, would surely appear full of composure and holding the Wisdom Pearl in his grasp at that time.

“It seems that bringing Kuimu Quan here this time has cut off my chance to claim the top spot in the East Continent.” she thought.

Initially, she thought that the one most likely to claim the top spot might have been Chu Huaixu, who had yet to show his full potential.

Now it seemed that the young man on the arena, with the Dao Ancestor Sword in hand, was indeed invincible.

“Chu Huaixu could only become his stepping stone.” Mei Chuxue thought inwardly.

…

…

On the arena, after opening the Sword Box, Xu Ziqing didn’t rush to make a move but continued to employ [Feixuan], trying his best to evade.

Because he knew very well that he had only one chance to strike.

“Junior Martial Uncle said that it’s okay to use the sword in this round, but use it sparingly.”

During this time, Jiang Zhi had been urging Xu Ziqing to cultivate, and at the same time, racked his brain to teach him various Secret Techniques.

The development of events had taken a detour.

This Sword Attendant had not been walking on the correct path.

Even Jiang Zhi, at this moment, could not turn the tide and correct the course.

Everyone could only try all sorts of possibilities to see if there was any other way.

As a result, they indeed found some tricks.

“Body Refining also has its benefits.” The proud Sword Cultivator Jiang Zhi had such thoughts for the first time.

At this moment, he was sitting in a rattan chair at Junzi Temple, with his Divine Sense enveloping the Martial Arts Arena, observing the situation there.

He deliberately did not go, just waiting for the entire competition today to end, so that Situ Cheng and others would come to him.

Watching Xu Ziqing’s performance on the arena, Jiang Zhi merely found this kid somewhat amusing.

“Only one sword can be used.”

“And it’s hard to control.”

“Ridiculous! Could it be that you’re afraid of slicing crookedly?”

It was very apparent that the young man knew this sword was powerful, yet he still didn’t comprehend its full strength!

Finally, Xiaoxu, whose battle awareness was extremely high, found an opening.

“Now is the perfect time!”

With a wave of his hand, the Bronze Sword in the Sword Box flew out, landing in his hand.

Chu Huaixu, watching from below the arena, frowned slightly, puzzled.

“Why the left hand?”

Indeed, the sword had landed in Xu Ziqing’s left hand.

As soon as the sword entered his hand, the young man felt immensely burdened.

The Sword Spirit was still asleep, its power sealed tightly.

Only when the restriction in his right palm connected with the restriction on the sword body would the sword awaken.

It now seemed like a dead object, not like a Spiritual Artifact.

In truth, a Spiritual Artifact means: the artifact moves with the spirit!

Even though the first level of the Ninefold Restriction left behind by the Dao Ancestor had been lifted, under these circumstances, the power that could be exerted was extremely limited, even less than twenty or thirty percent.

Moreover, the key was to have the Sword Spirit control his body to enter the state of [Sword and Man Unity].

However, in doing so, the Sword Attendant becomes a part of the sword, not vice versa, smoothly usable like an arm directing a finger.

At this moment, Xu Ziqing was like a child with little strength, wielding an extremely heavy giant sword.

Even as a Body Cultivator with formidable physical strength, the burden was enormous at this moment.

Therefore, as soon as the sword entered his hand, he immediately swung forward without any hesitation.

Because he only had this instant!

This was his current limit.

The young man let out a roar, his voice hoarse almost to the point of breaking.

The skin of his left arm immediately cracked open, with fresh blood constantly seeping out, turning into a bloody mess.

The sound of bones cracking was so sharp it hurt just listening to it.

Xu Ziqing’s face turned several shades paler.

All the Spiritual Power of Shell Spirit was also instantly drained.

A blackish-blue sword light emerged, appearing somewhat eerie!

Around the sword light, black and purple airflow swirled.

Xu Ziqing simply couldn’t control the sword, causing his aim to be skewed.

But in fact, being skewed didn’t matter.

Because this horizontal slash seemed capable of obliterating everything on the arena!

The Array of the entire arena was instantly activated, otherwise, it would have injured the nearest onlookers!

The black and purple airflow revolved around the blackish-blue sword light.

It was too fast.

This was not a speed a First Realm Cultivator should be capable of reaching.

Guo Zhennan couldn’t dodge in time, nor could he defend against it.

In that brief moment, he had only a single thought, realizing…

He wasn’t about to lose; he was about to die!

…

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