Borrowed Sword

Chapter 144: The Bronze Sword Appears in the World

On the arena stage, Xu Ziqing cast a secret technique, unlocking one of the restrictions on the sword case.

This sword case, made of Coiled Dragon Wood, looked as if it were merely a Mid-grade Spiritual Artifact, yet within it lay countless restrictions and formations.

Those things were the true key!

It had been jointly refined by Formation Grandmaster Lu Pan, Artifact Refining Grandmaster Nangong Yue, and Dao Gate’s Little Martial Uncle Jiang Zhi.

It was tailor-made for a Sword Attendant.

The entire sword case split open from the middle, forming an inverted triangle.

Inside, streak after streak of glowing lines, like electric currents, intertwined to form a net of lightning that wrapped around the Bronze Sword within. Before it was fully opened, the spectators surrounding the arena were already brimming with curiosity.

Although Xu Ziqing did not carry the same flair as Chu Huaixu, the fact that this body cultivator had endured all the way to this round was astonishing enough.

In every match, he always carried this massive wooden case on his back.

If stood upright on the ground, it was taller than the delicate young man himself!

The wooden case drew far too much attention. From the very first round, people had been speculating whether anything was inside it.

And if there was, then what exactly did it contain?

Guo Zhennan swung his enormous sword, forcing Xu Ziqing to open it.

In the youth’s heart, he had truly hoped to rely on his own strength to endure more rounds.

He wanted to fight by himself, not depend entirely on this sword.

Because he knew deep down, the moment it came to that, it would no longer be him fighting. It would be this sword fighting in his stead!

“Gentlemen use things, but are not used by things.” Xu Ziqing firmly remembered this line engraved by his Senior Brother.

Yet his Senior Brother had also told him that he hoped their family of three could sweep the top three positions of the Eastern Continent Grand Competition.

“Little Martial Uncle Ancestor even gave me a death order to seize the championship of the Eastern Continent.”

“No—more precisely, to seize the championship of the Eastern and Western Continents’ Grand Competition.”

In Xu Ziqing’s view, if he had been at the same level as his opponent—both at the First Realm Perfection—then even unarmed, he would absolutely have the strength to fight, and he was confident he could win!

Unfortunately, he was only at the Sixth Heaven of the First Realm. Even with constant reliance on pills, there was no way to catch up in such a short time.

The youth was not someone entirely ignorant of adaptation.

To be precise, during his idle chats with his Senior Brother last time, he had already tested the waters.

“If Senior Brother tells me to rely entirely on my own strength, then I’ll fight on my own.”

Obviously, compared to Jiang Zhi, he listened to Chu Huaixu’s words more.

But that day, Chu Huaixu said nothing at all. He had merely given the sword case a long, deep look.

Xu Ziqing felt he already had his answer.

Besides, if his opponent was only Guo Zhennan, then he could still barely count it as fighting on his own!

Once the sword case opened, all eyes were fixed upon it.

The audience was overwhelmed with curiosity—even Han Shuangjiang peered eagerly.

For she too had never seen the true form of this sword!

Yet as the saying went: the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Everyone wondered, just what kind of treasure could warrant a case that itself was a Mid-grade Spiritual Artifact?

Moments earlier, when Xu Ziqing had formed the hand seal with one hand and opened the case, the momentum was grand, the scene magnificent!

But…

Why was this sword so ugly!?

Han Shuangjiang remembered Chu Huaixu mentioning that the sword atop Hidden Spirit Mountain was hideous beyond belief.

But she had only thought that meant it was not as elegant as 【Zhegutian】.

After all, it was far too powerful, its legend too overwhelming. If it appeared merely ordinary, people would naturally find it ugly.

Thus, Big Ice Block, having heard Dead Fox’s words, had simply assumed: this sword must not look good.

Now, upon beholding its true form, her heart sank in disappointment.

“Indeed, it is ugly.”

Beneath the arena, the crowd erupted in discussion.

“Who would’ve thought Xu Ziqing’s wooden case held a sword?”

Many eyes turned toward Chu Huaixu, who sat among the spectators.

By now, everyone already realized that he seemed quite familiar with this delicate youth.

After each match ended, the three of them would always slip away to some quiet corner to chat. Xu Ziqing’s attitude toward Chu Huaixu was one of deep respect, even reverence and worship…

“Damn it, could it be that he’s just like Chu Huaixu, a cultivator of both sword and body?” Such thoughts welled up in countless hearts. Too similar!

Whether Dao Gate disciples or members of outer sects, since the last round, everyone had been eagerly anticipating Chu Huaixu unsheathing his sword.

Even Mei Chuxue, a major cultivator of the Eighth Realm, had indirectly fueled his momentum—she herself had declared she awaited the sight!

For a time, Chu Huaixu’s fame burned like wildfire!

Yet who would have thought—before his moment came, here appeared… a substitute version?

The legendary Dao Ancestor’s Sword, reduced to Chu Huaixu’s substitute?

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

“Truly strange—like something forged by a novice at artifact refining.”

“And it has no spiritual fluctuations at all, like a lifeless object.”

But up on the high platform, where the great cultivators gathered, the reaction was completely different!

Situ Cheng and the others were so shocked they nearly leapt from their seats!

Cultivators like Mo Tenglong of the Fifth Realm had never witnessed this legendary sword in person, and thus could not recognize it.

But as one of the wielders of the 【Four Great Divine Swords】, Situ Cheng had once gone up the mountain to challenge it—and had been utterly defeated.

Mei Chuxue and Teng Lingyi had never gone to Hidden Spirit Mountain to test their swords, but as high-ranking figures of the Four Great Sects, they also possessed some knowledge of this sword.

The three of them all turned simultaneously to gaze at the Dao Gate disciples. Even Situ Cheng, usually the most tactless of the lot, dared not speak recklessly now!

“The Dao Ancestor’s Sword… has reappeared in the world!”

“Someone has actually managed to make the Dao Ancestor’s Sword recognize a master!?”

Such matters were of great consequence—who dared to comment carelessly!?

Until now, they had thought Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were the trump cards that Dao Gate relied upon in this Grand Competition.

But who would have guessed — there was an even bigger move in store!

And the shock this matter brought was simply enormous.

Others did not know what that meant, but the three of them did.

The sky over the Eastern Continent was about to change!

They could not sit still — they simply could not!

The Four Great Sects were, in resisting the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth, bound together like branches of the same tree.

"Such a huge matter — why hadn’t you told us at once?" Teng Lingyi and the others thought.

At this moment, sitting in the main seat, Xiang Yan met their gazes and could roughly guess what they were thinking.

He immediately transmitted a secret message to the three of them:

"After today’s contest ends, Little Martial Uncle will invite the three of you to the Gentleman Temple for tea."

Mei Chuxue could not help but roll her eyes; her charming peach-blossom eyes were full of grievance.

She could already imagine it: this Dao Gate Little Martial Uncle who loved to put on airs would, at that moment, no doubt adopt an expression of strategic composure and smug intelligence.

"It seems that my coming here with Kui Muquan has nothing to do with the Eastern Continent championship anymore," she thought.

Originally, she had believed the most likely to seize the crown might be that one who had not yet shown his full strength, Chu Huaixu.

But now it seemed that the youth on the arena, holding the Dao Ancestor’s Sword, was invincible.

"Chu Huaixu would only end up as his stepping stone," Mei Chuxue thought inwardly.

On the arena, after Xu Ziqing opened the sword case he did not hurry to strike; he was still using Flying Profound, doing his utmost to dodge.

He was well aware that he had only one chance to strike.

"Senior Ancestor said this round may use the sword, but he also said to hold back a bit."

During this period, Jiang Zhi had continuously urged Xu Ziqing to cultivate, and at the same time had racked his brains to teach him various secret techniques.

The development of events had already veered onto a different path.

This Sword Attendant had not been following the correct trajectory.

Even Jiang Zhi was powerless now; he could not bend the path back.

Everyone could only try various approaches to see if any other possibility remained.

As it turned out, they did manage to devise some tricks.

"Body training has its own advantages," the proud sword cultivator Jiang Zhi thought to himself for the first time.

He sat in a rattan chair at the Gentleman Temple while his divine sense covered the Martial Arena, probing the situation there.

He had deliberately stayed away, waiting until today’s matches finished so that Situ Cheng and the others would come look for him.

Jiang Zhi observed Xu Ziqing’s performance on the arena and found the boy somewhat laughable.

"Only one sword may be used."

"And it’s hard to control."

"Ridiculous! Are you afraid you’ll slash crookedly?"

Obviously, the youth knew the sword was powerful, but still did not truly understand how powerful it was!

The intensely battle-aware Xu finally found a flaw.

"Now is the best moment!"

He raised his hand and summoned the Bronze Sword out of the case; it flew into his hand.

Chu Huaixu, watching from beneath the arena, furrowed his brow slightly, puzzled.

"Why was it in his left hand?"

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

The moment the sword was in hand, the youth felt an immense burden.

The sword spirit still slept; its power had been sealed tight.

Only when the restriction on the palm of his right hand connected with the restriction on the sword’s body would the sword awaken.

For now it was like a dead object, not like a spiritual artifact.

And in fact, a spiritual artifact’s essence was: the vessel moved with spirit!

Although the first of the nine heavy restrictions left by the Dao Ancestor had been unlocked, under these conditions the unleashed power was extremely limited — not even twenty or thirty percent.

Moreover, the crucial point was for the sword spirit to control his body, to enter the state of "Sword·Human as One".

Only, in doing so, the Sword Attendant would become part of the sword, rather than the sword becoming part of him, serving as an extension of his will.

At this moment Xu Ziqing resembled a small child with little strength, forcibly swinging an extraordinarily heavy greatsword.

Even though his flesh body was robust as a body cultivator, the burden was immense.

So the instant the sword entered his hand, he swung it forward without hesitation.

For he had only that instant of time!

That was his limit now.

The youth gave an angry roar, his voice hoarse and strained.

His left forearm’s skin immediately cracked open; blood continuously gushed out, flesh torn and messy.

The sounds of bone cracking were so grating they made listeners ache.

Xu Ziqing’s face grew several shades paler.

All the spiritual energy stored in his vessel-like body was drained in an instant.

A dark bluish-black sword light sprang forth, looking somewhat eerie!

Around the sword light swirled black-purple auras.

Xu Ziqing could not control the sword at all, so its angle was skewed.

But in truth, the skew did not matter.

For that forward horizontal slash of sword light seemed capable of obliterating everything on the arena!

The arena’s formations immediately activated, otherwise the blade would even have harmed the nearest watchers!

Black-purple currents circled the dark bluish-black sword light.

It moved too fast.

This speed should not have been achievable by a First Realm cultivator.

Guo Zhennan had no time to dodge; he could not possibly resist.

In that fleeting moment he had only one thought — he realized,

He was not going to lose; he was going to die!