Borrowed Sword

Chapter 76: Swordless Restriction

The gamble had been settled, and the Dao Gate’s high-level members began spreading out their divine sense to observe the situation on Hidden Spirit Mountain.

“Eh, he has already reached the mid-mountain region.” Li Chunsong said.

“What’s with these swords?” Nangong Yue, being a grandmaster of artifact refining, naturally cared most about the spiritual artifacts.

Chu Huaixu had now reached the four-thousandth stone step.

To his left was a stone platform, upon which rested a sword.

What was strange was that this was actually a stone sword.

Such material and design for a sword were rather rare.

Yet, regardless of the type of sword, at this moment it was trembling all the same.

“In the mid-mountain region, there were no longer any low-grade spiritual artifacts. The worst here were middle-grade ones, like the Cangsong Sword.”

Listening to the noises coming from all around, Chu Huaixu realized: “After reaching the mid-mountain, the range of influence of the Black Small Sword seemed to have shrunk somewhat.”

“But still, it suppressed all these swords completely!”

He continued climbing without attempting to touch the swords, not even casting an 【Information Probe】.

The only reason he slowed his pace now was simply because the spiritual artifacts here were so varied, and he wanted to feast his eyes on them.

Though Chu Huaixu’s ambitions did not lie here, he was still somewhat curious—he would not simply ignore them.

“To be fair, the Dao Gate really does have a complete variety of spiritual artifacts, and even plenty of strange things.”

“Why is there a teacup here?”

“What’s this funnel used for?”

“This bamboo hat actually looks pretty cool.”

Chu Huaixu kept walking without stopping his steps.

“I wonder how far Big Ice Block has gotten by now?” he thought.

Inside the grand hall at Ask-Dao Peak, the Dao Gate elders exchanged glances.

“Judging from his appearance, he hasn’t been affected by the spiritual pressure at all.” Zhao Shuqin sighed.

“When I climbed the mountain back then, by the time I reached the mid-mountain, I already felt a slight discomfort.” First Elder Lu Pan said.

Sect Master Xiang Yan also clicked his tongue in wonder: “This seems a little too easy for him. Could it be because of the sword in his Sea of Consciousness?”

“That’s possible. Moreover, the trembling of these spiritual swords is likely related to it as well.” Artifact Refining Grandmaster Nangong Yue voiced her thoughts.

The more she saw, the more she wanted to drag Chu Huaixu back to her courtyard and study him thoroughly for several days.

That stone sword just now had been forged by her own hand.

And yet, the spiritual artifact she had crafted felt fear and submission before him?

This scene was truly bizarre.

Li Chunsong still stood at the center of the hall, but he also took the time to check on Han Shuangjiang’s situation.

“Shuangjiang has clearly been affected by the spiritual pressure, but for her, the burden is not too great.” he said.

Chu Yinyin, however, had her focus completely skewed. She puffed herself up arrogantly and said: “I told you, betting on how many steps he would reach is meaningless!”

“Just look at him! As long as he wants to, he can reach the peak effortlessly!”

Li Chunsong cast her a glance, too lazy to bother with her.

In the end, he could not resist exposing her: “If I recall correctly, there was someone back then who, after reaching the summit region, vomited outright. The last stretch of the path was walked while gagging.”

At those words, everyone in the Dao Gate turned to look at the Little Junior Sister, and the hall erupted in laughter.

Chu Yinyin’s eyes widened in anger, and she leapt up wanting to smack Li Chunsong on the head.

“Forget it, I won’t bother arguing with you!” She pouted and said: “So what if I vomited? The 【Parting Joy】 I took from the mountain was a super-grade spiritual sword!”

Super-grade spiritual artifacts were exceedingly rare in the world, even the Dao Gate possessed only a few.

As for the sword at the summit… that one could not be classified among ordinary spiritual artifacts.

In the end, Sect Master Xiang Yan resumed presiding over the situation.

“Alright, enough. Chu Huaixu has already entered the summit region.”

On Hidden Spirit Mountain, Chu Huaixu stepped onto the 6,667th stone step.

Looking upward, the fog grew denser, the visibility ever lower.

Here, the spiritual pressure was undoubtedly the strongest on the entire mountain.

Yet he felt that the Black Small Sword within his Sea of Consciousness had grown slightly stronger again, not nearly as listless as before.

“This area holds only top-grade spiritual artifacts, and even a small number of super-grade ones.” Chu Huaixu grew somewhat excited.

He knew well that after 《Borrowed Sword》 entered open beta, any top-grade spiritual artifact would sell for an astronomical price!

But in the area within his sight, there was not a single artifact.

Clearly, the numbers were few, thus they were placed sparsely.

He climbed several dozen more steps before finally spotting the first top-grade spiritual artifact.

It was a black thin robe.

“Seems to be a defensive treasure.” he thought.

But he did not pay it much attention. After all, he had already resolved to walk the path of the sword cultivator.

This time, his goal was to obtain a top-grade sword, or even a super-grade one!

“If it suits me well, top-grade is enough. I can strengthen it myself later on.”

At his current realm, even if given a middle-grade artifact, he could not draw out its full power.

Strictly speaking, if it were a top-grade artifact, then in the hands of a cultivator below the Fifth Level, it would be a Pearl Covered in Dust, utterly wasted.

However, although his mind was set on obtaining a sword, Chu Huaixu still carried a trace of unease.

“I should test out a sword first.” he thought.

With that thought, he quickened his pace once more.

Passing by a jade pendant, he suddenly felt a faint, inexplicable pull of fate from it!

He instantly understood: “This jade pendant spiritual artifact has a very high compatibility with me!”

Chu Huaixu cast an 【Information Probe】 at it. Although his authority was too low to glean much, he swiftly caught the key point.

“What the hell, this is a body-training divine tool!”

“As long as I wear it, it will continuously nourish my physique?”

“Though the effect isn’t astounding, the value lies in long-term accumulation.”

“What’s more, this jade pendant is also a defensive spiritual artifact.”

Did they really think body cultivators didn’t need defense?

Chu Huaixu could not help but sigh once more, gaining a deeper appreciation for the Dao Gate’s immense wealth and profound foundations.

In this world, top-grade spiritual artifacts compatible with body-tempering cultivators were extremely rare, almost unheard of.

He gave it a deep look, able to sense the artifact spirit calling out to him.

Clearly, this should have been a relic left behind by a senior.

Such a strong summons—this was the first time he had felt it on this mountain.

But he could only grit his teeth and continue climbing upward.

“This is the most tormenting part of Hidden Spirit Mountain—you must make choice after choice, never knowing if you’re right or wrong.”

“Luckily, I have a remedy for regret.” Chu Huaixu steadied his heart. After all, he held two Pass Tokens.

He raised his hand toward the jade pendant and said: “Be patient, be patient.”

It was as if he were a scumbag man, treating it as a spare, and continued climbing.

At last, he finally encountered a sword.

“Upon reaching the summit region, the number of swords decreases.”

What delighted Chu Huaixu was that this top-grade spiritual sword still trembled faintly, still suppressed by the Heart Sword!

Only, the degree of trembling was far smaller than the swords below.

Chu Huaixu took a deep breath and began testing the guesses in his heart.

He shifted to the side, then stretched out his right hand to try touching this dark bluish-black longsword.

The moment his fingertips touched it, it was flung away!

He knew very well this came from the rejection of the Heart Sword in his Sea of Consciousness.

Chu Huaixu was attuned to it, able to feel its spirit and emotions.

It remained lifeless in appearance, yet exuded rejection and—disgust!

To it, a top-grade spiritual sword that others would consider a priceless treasure was nothing more than—

“What kind of thing do you think you are!”

This made Chu Huaixu’s heart sink slightly, his eyes carrying a hint of bewilderment as he gazed up the mountain.

“Actually, you had already guessed in your heart, hadn’t you?” he muttered to himself.

Otherwise, he would not have tried to secure two Pass Tokens.

This strange scene caused the Dao Gate’s high-level members in the great hall to frown involuntarily.

“What’s going on?” Zhao Shuqin was somewhat dumbfounded, his squinting eyes opening wider.

“How could such a thing happen?” Nangong Yue also clicked her tongue in amazement.

Finished—she wanted even more to take him home for study.

Sect Master Xiang Yan pondered for a moment before saying: “The issue likely lies with that small sword in his Sea of Consciousness—it’s repulsion between sword spirits?”

“What do you mean, Sect Master? According to your words, Chu Huaixu himself is his own Life-bound Spirit Sword?” Nangong Yue voiced a somewhat convoluted thought.

“Don’t you feel it’s somewhat like that?” Xiang Yan asked.

First Elder Lu Pan was the first to nod in agreement: “I believe the Sect Master’s words hold some truth.”

Chu Yinyin’s thoughts, however, leapt elsewhere—she did not bother pondering the reasoning or logic behind this.

She simply said: “Although this top-grade spiritual sword had no sword cultivator wielding it, he could still fling it away so easily?”

“Then doesn’t that mean if a sword cultivator of equal strength fought against him, they might not even be able to hold their sword?” Chu Yinyin suddenly speculated.

The more she spoke, the more excited she became. Puffing out her flat chest, she loudly declared: “Wouldn’t that mean when he grows stronger, he himself may not be able to wield a sword, but no one else could ever use a sword before him?”

“Centered on him, as long as he willed it, he could create a… Swordless Restriction?” Chu Yinyin’s imagination ran wild.

“Wouldn’t the Sword Sect people be scared to death of him?”

“Oh no no no! It can’t be said to be truly swordless—because he forged himself into a sword! Hahaha! He still has a sword, hahaha!” She even burst out laughing, thinking herself very witty.

But as her laughter continued, she realized everyone was staring at her, and she gradually stopped.

“Don’t you all think that’s hilarious?” Chu Yinyin muttered helplessly, feeling this group was truly dull.

Only Li Chunsong took her words seriously—but this hopeless gambling addict thought instead: “My odds of winning seem to have gone up?”

In the end, Xiang Yan once again made the final call: “Everyone, don’t be impatient. Keep watching. Let’s keep watching!”

After all, what concerned them most was still the peerless sword at the summit.

That sword-spirit-like existence within Chu Huaixu’s body could repel these top-grade swords, but could it also repel that one?

Everyone calmed down again, continuing to observe him with divine sense.

Chu Huaixu stood dazed upon the stone steps for a long time.

The spiritual sword that had been flung away returned to its place under the pull of the formation, resetting itself.

It still trembled, and faintly emitted a Sword Cry.

After being repelled once, from that small contact earlier, it now seemed even more excited—eager to become his Life-bound Spirit Sword!

Yet that eagerness was laced with fear.

It still feared the Heart Sword, though less so than the middle- and low-grade swords below.

Chu Huaixu even thought: “So it both fears it, yet also wants to ‘cheat on it’?”

His eyes grew more and more bewildered.

After taking a deep breath, Chu Huaixu continued climbing.

This time, however, his steps looked somewhat heavy.

But soon, his stride grew lighter and lighter, as if he had adjusted himself.

After climbing several hundred more stone steps, Chu Huaixu stopped once again.

Because before him now stood a super-grade spiritual sword.

He recognized it.

It was named after a ci lyric title—【Zhegutian】.

In 《Borrowed Sword》, it was Han Shuangjiang’s sword.