Now, Disciples have an additional choice: they can either contract a new Spirit Sword in the Sword Pool or try their luck at the Sword Mound. Some rebellious juniors insist on challenging their ancestors' treasured swords, even if their Masters are still alive.
The two sacred sites of Zhijian Peak each hold profound mysteries: within the Sword Mound, myriad swords stand like a forest, though mostly ancient heirloom swords, they conceal spiritual charm, with no lack of Earth-tier renowned artifacts among them.
The nascent sword embryos in the Sword Pool, though unrefined, are like unpolished jade awaiting carving. These two sacred sites are like the yin and yang, causing endless debate among generations of Disciples.
Qin Yue's slender jade finger lightly touched her red lips: "I'll still choose the Sword Pool." She has always preferred to personally cultivate Spirit Swords and dislikes the lingering sword intent of others.
Before her words finished, Qing Feng had already chuckled and interjected, "Why not observe both places?"
This astonishing and unconventional suggestion caused Dao Lord Zisu's delicate brows to furrow slightly; the thousand-year regulations of Zhijian Peak were actually broken by this lazy boy.
"Bit off more than you can chew," Dao Lord Zisu said, lightly flicking her wide sleeve, the cloud patterns flowing under the moonlight.
Qing Feng, however, argued with conviction: "The Sword Mound hides dragons, the Sword Pool harbors tigers; if one could obtain both."
A cunning starlight flickered in his eyes. He had long heard that a legendary Heaven-tier divine weapon slumbered deep within the Sword Mound. If he could obtain it, a Nascent Soul slaying a Spirit Transformation would be no empty boast.
And the innate sword embryo, birthed every three thousand years in the Sword Pool, was an even more coveted treasure for countless Sword Cultivators.
The purple-robed female cultivator gazed at the pair, then suddenly smiled: "Quite similar to Martial Brother Xuanxiao back then." With a flick of her jade fingers, the cloud boat had already soared into the sky.
The majestic Zhijian Peak gradually approached; the sharp sword qi transformed into substantial astral winds. Trees, plants, and rocks all seemed like unsheathed sharp blades, and even before reaching the Sect gate, one could feel a stinging sensation on the skin.
The Disciple at the registration desk, seeing the Dao Lord's jade token, immediately presented a gilded ledger.
Qing Feng looked at the ink characters "Spirit Pet Black Dog" and burst into silent laughter. This officiating Disciple probably mistook the Howling Moon Heavenly Wolf for an ordinary dog.
After the procedures were completed, there was still no movement from the direction of the Sword Pavilion. Qing Feng's eyes darted around: "Why not try our luck at the Sword Mound?"
The Sword Mound seals the Natal Spirit Artifacts of past generations of Sword Cultivators; every Spirit Sword once accompanied its master in battles across the land, its sharpness steeped in the blood of countless powerful enemies.
Looking across the entire Cultivation World, only this place could gather over a hundred Spirit Weapons above the Profound-tier, and this sheer number alone was enough to make Qing Feng risk coming here.
The Green-Scaled Dog carried Qing Feng through the forbidden light screen, arriving at the Sword Mound entrance, guided by the officiating Disciple.
The old man guarding the gate was curled up in a wicker chair, dozing. His patched Daoist robe was covered in grass clippings, but a rusty bronze short dagger hung from his waist.
"Junior Qing Feng of Chen Ming Peak, I come to test swords under the order of Elder Zisu." Qing Feng dismounted, bowing deeply to the old man.
Among those serving in the Sect's forbidden grounds, which one wasn't a hidden old monster?
The old man didn't even lift his eyelids: "Humans can enter, but the dog stays outside." Before his words finished, the bronze short dagger suddenly vibrated, sending out half an inch of cold light, startling the Green-Scaled Dog into retreating three zhang away with its tail tucked.
The moment Qing Feng stepped into the barrier, the pores all over his body suddenly opened. Invisible sword qi, like a tide, surged through his limbs and bones, and the dormant sword seed in his Dantian suddenly trembled wildly.
The Sword Mound, silent for a thousand years, suddenly boiled. Over a hundred Spirit Swords broke through the earth, and the sound of their ringing swords shook the rocks, causing them to fall clatteringly.
At the peak of Han Ming Peak, Mu Zhengting, who was handling affairs at Bixi Hall, suddenly turned. He saw thousands of sword lights shooting straight into the sky, actually outlining a Seven Constellations star map on the dome, and the mighty sword intent pressed down on the mountain-protecting array, causing it to flicker erratically.
"Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Sect!" True Lord Xia Yu's teacup shattered with a bang.
It is common for Spirit Weapons to choose their masters, but those who can make Heaven-tier divine weapons appear number no more than five in a thousand years.
An ordinary cultivator gaining an Earth-tier magic treasure is already considered a great fortune, but the pressure emanating from deep within the Sword Mound at this moment clearly indicated that an ancient divine sword, dormant for ten thousand years, was awakening.
Earth-tier Spirit Swords, upon developing initial sentience, can independently choose and attach themselves to a master, but they can also change masters if forcibly suppressed by a powerful individual.
Heaven-tier divine weapons, however, are unique in the world; once a blood pact is formed, they remain together in life and death. Even if the host perishes, they can still guard the cave for a thousand years. Some ancient Heaven-tier swords can even transmit cultivation techniques through their ringing, engraving the ultimate skills of past sword masters onto the new master's soul.
At this moment, within the deliberation hall, only Sect Leader Mu Zhengting's Mu Zhengting Gang Sword radiated the brilliance of stars; this was the Beast Taming Sect's treasure, and also the token of authority for managing the Sect.
Whoever wielded this sword could contend with anyone below the Tribulation Transcending Realm. Although the other Chiefs each held Earth-tier Spirit Swords, there was ultimately a vast difference.
"Heavenly Sword Resonance, favored by the Great Dao! Was it Martial Niece Qin Yue who just entered the Sword Mound?" True Lord Yuan Feng could not hide his shock.
"Martial Brother Qin Heng has raised his daughter well," Mu Zhengting lightly stroked his long beard, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"Sect Leader exaggerates. There are still other trial Disciples in the Sword Mound at this time," Qin Heng replied, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, his knuckles turning slightly white in his sleeve.
Just as everyone was about to investigate, the myriad sword-colored light surging in the sky suddenly dissipated. The various mighty figures exchanged glances; even if the recognition of a master was complete, there should at least be nine heavens of thunder as a congratulation. Why was it so strange?
At the edge, Qing Feng quietly retracted his probing footsteps. The magnificent scene of ten thousand swords ringing in unison earlier had made his heart palpitate: he clearly had no foundation in sword cultivation, so why did he trigger a tide of sword intent? And how could this mortal body make ancient swords bow?
"Shibo, the stellar array just now..." Qin Yue, holding her newly acquired Earth-tier Spirit Sword, looked up in confusion.
"Today, besides you in the Sword Mound..." Immortal Maiden Zisu's icy eyes gazed into the void, and the Cold Moon Sword in her sleeve actually trembled slightly.
What kind of world-shaking secret was hidden within this seemingly ordinary Qing Feng?
The dome of the Sword Mound suddenly burst open with seven-colored auspicious light, and the three-hundred-zhang bluestone steps actually grew dragon scale patterns.
Zhijian Chief Dao Lord Zisu's pupils trembled slightly. Since the founding ancestor forged the Sect-protecting Sword Tablet with Nine Heavens Profound Iron, there have been only three instances in a thousand years of cultivators who could make Heaven-tier divine swords actively choose them.
Those three all shattered the void and achieved the True Immortal fruit position!
At this moment, on the outskirts of the Sword Mound, the jade talisman in the hands of the white-robed female cultivator cracked with a 'clack' sound.
Qin Yue looked at the spirit-testing jade that had shattered into dust in her palm, and suddenly realized that among the qualified Disciples present, besides herself, only that person remained.
"Could it be..." She looked towards where the sea of clouds surged, the green Daoist robe flapping wildly, stirred by sword qi.
"Qing Feng!" Dao Lord Zisu's voice transmission talisman, imbued with the power of thunder, shot directly into the young man's sea of consciousness.
The person involved, who was preparing to detour to the Pill Chamber, secretly smiled bitterly. He knew he should have listened to Master's advice last night and not come to this once-in-a-century Sword Opening Ceremony.
Upon entering the Sword Mound barrier, seventy-two gate-guarding swords suddenly rang in unison.
Amidst the clanging sound of profound iron chains breaking, golden seal script emerged in the depths of Qing Feng's sea of consciousness; it was the long-lost "Myriad Swords Returning to the Sect Art" operating autonomously.
Cracks spread across the ground like a spiderweb, and tens of thousands of Human-tier Spirit Swords, as if in pilgrimage, touched their hilts to the ground, the clashing of cold iron forming a vast sword song.
"Quenched with Nanshan Profound Flame Iron for nine hundred days and nights, supplemented by the essence of a Fire Kirin..." Dao Lord Zisu lightly waved her whisk, and a crimson sword shadow cut through the clouds, causing everyone's sleeves to instantly scorch and curl at the edges.
The inscription on the sword's spine recorded terrifying battle achievements: seventy-three Dongxuan Realm cultivators perished beneath it, and there were even twelve Return to Void mighty figures.
The Dao 紋 on Qing Feng's forehead suddenly brightened, and a golden-winged roc phantom materialized in his sea of consciousness.
Another green-edged sword broke through the earth, and where its sword qi swept, rocks turned to dust, and grooves over a zhang deep formed an ancient sword array totem.
The Zhijian Elder's breathing hitched slightly; this Wind and Thunder Sword, dormant for three hundred years, now clearly carried joy and excitement in its ringing.