Baili Feng and Tuoba Yue felt their bodies stiffen.
It seemed as though they had lost control of their limbs, yet they could feel their blood rushing through their limbs under the accelerated beating of their hearts, surging towards their brains, making their vision swirl and their minds lose the ability to think clearly.
They had just emerged from the Sword Pavillion.
The hundreds of Spirit Swords were lying on the ground a few hundred meters ahead of them, resounding with a clear and prolonged ring.
They watched the young man in blue robes take steps forward, never having imagined he could be so strong.
Just then, Wang Anfeng's footsteps suddenly halted, no longer moving forward; Baili Feng and Tuoba Yue were puzzled until they heard a lingering sound of sword ringing. A visible ripple of Qi burst between Wang Anfeng and Xue Qinshuang, sweeping in all directions, causing all the longswords to resonate along.
Baili Feng couldn't stop a sense of unease from arising within him, and he instinctively took a step back, widening his eyes as he exclaimed:
"The Three Fools Sword."
The hoarse voice came from behind them, and as they turned, they saw an old man in tattered and dirty clothes with a snake-skin bag at his waist and a huge gourd of wine in his hand. He was intently watching the scene before him and casually replied:
"It is also the sword at the highest point of Myriad Swords Mountain."
"The Sword Saint used it over a hundred years ago."
As his words ended, the old man was also puzzled.
The Three Fools Sword had already been activated by the young girl earlier and then rejected by the path of the Sword Saint, which should have brought everything to an end. At most, like those Spirit Swords earlier, it could have been influenced by the Qi Mechanism and have instinctively counterattacked.
Yet now, why was there such an abnormal phenomenon occurring?
In the distant sky, several figures approached rapidly. There was the cool and indifferent Gong Yu with a sword on his back, the Sect Leader with royal grace and hair bunched up like a phoenix, and the Great Elder in white robes with ink-black hair, all exuding a tranquil air.
The vigorous Qi that surged through the air stirred the invisible Sword Qi, creating a thunderous roar like a waterfall crashing down. The Three Fools Sword began to gather a faint light which then rose as if executing an ordinary sword move, stabbing straight towards Wang Anfeng.
The Sword Edge vibrated through the void.
Wang Anfeng took a step back and raised his sword to block, and the two longswords contacted each other.
The Eight-Sided Han Sword quivered slightly, its edges vibrating, emitting a prolonged hum.
Gong Yu and the others alighted beside the old man, paying their respects only to see the Great Elder focusing on the ongoing fight between Wang Anfeng and the Three Fools Sword below, his eyes showing a stark contrast of black and white, his demeanor serene.
The Hermit Jiu Zizai took a sip of his wine and also watched, observing the clashing swords. Regardless of how fierce and swift Wang Anfeng's sword moves were, the Three Fools Sword met them with plain technique, yet it managed to completely overcome them. The surrounding hundred swords sang in unison as if in praise.
After watching for a while, the Great Elder suddenly spoke in a soft voice:
"The Three Fools Sword is looking for its inheritor."
"The inheritor of its Swordsmanship."
Another clash took place below, and the seventy-two moves were broken once more, Wang Anfeng stepped back, and the Three Fools Sword, as if wielded by someone's hand, pressed forward steadily. The youth clenched his teeth while his Inner Qi surged from his Dantian, quickly spreading to every part of his body.
A clear chime of a bell sounded.
Faint golden Buddhist Scripture began to emerge on Wang Anfeng's face, imparting an aura of solemnity to the young man's features.
The sword suddenly let out a piercing shriek and slashed diagonally with force.
Wang Anfeng's hand holding the longsword was jolted to the side; the Three Fools Sword gently grazed over the youth's body, touching several key acupoints, and the fierce Sword Qi penetrated into Wang Anfeng's body, shattering the Golden Bell Shield Inner Strength that had just started surging within him, just like a snake hit at its vital spot.
The abnormal visual effects on his face dispersed, and even the Thunder Vigor dispersed into nothingness.
As the gathered Inner Strength dissipated, Wang Anfeng's steps faltered, causing the water beneath him to surge and rise in a splash but was suddenly shattered by a stroke of the Three Fools Sword, turning into a real mist that rushed towards Wang Anfeng. Within the mist, it seemed as if a divine dragon was clawing and lashing its tail, the Sword Edge fierce; Wang Anfeng gritted his teeth and held his longsword horizontally across his chest.
The Three Fools Sword touched the spine of the wooden sword.
Wang Anfeng's face turned slightly pale, and he was driven back repeatedly, stopping only after retreating more than a dozen meters.
The sword rose slightly, the Sword Edge pointing at the youth, as if a Swordsman was holding the sword and was quite dissatisfied, beckoning him to try again. Wang Anfeng exhaled, clenched his teeth, raised his sword, and stepped forward to strike once more.
The old man in the distance frowned, watching this scene and said:
"Swordsmanship? Inheritance?"
The Great Elder nodded, her eyes reflecting the scene below, and she spoke calmly:
"The Dao creates one, one creates two, two create three, three create all things."
"The Sword Saint's swordsmanship encompasses everything, forming a world of its own."
"The previous exchange was the inheritance of the path, and now it is the pure inheritance of swordsmanship, without any admixture."
The voice paused, and the woman's eyes showed a searching curiosity as if pondering over something, and then she continued:
"The previous child likely possessed the nature of the Sword Saint from years past."
"And this boy's swordsmanship has the flavor of the young Sword Saint."
Jiu Zizai's pupils contracted, as this appraisal was much higher than the one he had given earlier.
Although reaching the Upper Third Rank was difficult, the world was vast and without end. The people of Jianghu were as numerous as carp crossing a river. Every decade or so, countless youths entered the vast Jianghu, hence there were always Upper Third Rank grandmasters to be found, and even some with Divine Weapons who could match an Upper Third Rank with only a Middle Third Rank.
But this was the Sword Saint we're talking about.
The old man watched the youth in blue robes below being pushed back step by step by the Three Fools Sword and then turned his gaze to the white-robed girl who had barely managed to rise, her eyes sparkling with light, and his gaze became somewhat fixed.
Suddenly, he remembered another thought and abruptly turned to look at the Great Elder beside him. His eyes widened as he said, "Wait a moment, if the Three Fools Sword can distinguish these on its own... then, then isn't it..."
Jiu Zizai's tongue couldn't help but get a bit tied up.
The Great Elder nodded slightly and said softly:
"The Divine Weapon is hopeful."
The old man sharply inhaled a breath of cold air.
Turning back, his look towards the longsword had already become filled with solemnity.
A Divine Weapon possesses a spirit.
A true Divine Weapon can almost be treated as a Dao companion rather than just a weapon.
But could the Sword Saint really be so powerful?
The old man was filled with astonishment in his heart.
So powerful that even his own sword had the qualifications to become a Divine Weapon? Just how strong had he been in his lifetime, to suppress all the prodigies under the heavens?
His thoughts churned in his chest, but he shook his head and sighed, saying:
"If that young fellow knows he has given up a Divine Weapon, would he regret it?"
The Great Elder turned his head to glance at his old friend, seeing that although his eyes were still clear, they concealed a trace of self-mockery.
He understood that it wasn't Xue Qinshuang who regretted, but rather Jiu Zizai himself was moved.
Realizing he had become greedy, he deliberately voiced his thoughts in this manner allowing himself to directly confront his own desires, preventing them from growing and becoming tainted.
The Great Elder withdrew his gaze and said softly:
"I don't know if she will regret it, but even if she holds the hilt of the Three Fools Sword, she could only comprehend the Sword Saint's path and is unable to take this sword away."
"The Sword Saint towered above the world with only this one sword."
"And this one sword will only have the Sword Saint as its master."
The voice was calm, sounding only between the two of them, and then it was drowned out by the thunderous roar of the waterfall.
Below, Wang Anfeng felt like each step he took was a struggle. Although there was only one sword in front of him, it brought an unimaginable terrifying oppressive force.
He even felt it wasn't him wielding his sword.
It was as if the Three Fools Sword opposite him was controlling his swordplay. Each move sealed off all possible choices except for one flaw.
The way of warfare, encircle three and miss one.
The youth had a moment of enlightenment, but at this moment, he was utterly unable to break free from this distressing vortex.
With each breath, each moment, only one choice lay before him.
It should be such a way to wield the sword.
And it could only be such a way to wield the sword.
The vigorous Qi hidden beneath those plain sword moves made him feel like a puppet on strings, extremely uncomfortable, yet it also unveiled a new world of martial arts to him.
So, swordsmanship could also be .
The youth's eyes widened slightly.
Making the opponent act as if they are but a puppet on strings.
If one can't wield their sword as they wish, how can life and death possibly still be in their own hands?
Just as he was gaining insight, the Three Fools Sword suddenly trembled with a whistling hum, no longer engaging in swordplay, but rather circling in the void for a round, seemingly quite satisfied, it let out a pleased wail, and then it soared into the sky, where hundreds of Spirit Swords stuck in the ground hummed in response and leapt upward, flying towards the sky.
In an instant, it seemed as if hundreds of swordsmen were wielding their swords at once, dazzling and sharp sword lights occupying the entire sky.
The Qingfeng Edge outside Myriad Swords Mountain seemed to plunge into a sword Dao fairyland in an instant.
All those present were shocked, their eyes revealing a hint of trance.
In front of them was an indescribable brilliance and charm.
Wang Anfeng exhaled slightly, his newfound understanding faded and sank into his heart.
Although he still harbored some confusion about the matter, his actions didn't slow down. He sheathed his sword, activated his Qinggong, and hurriedly rushed toward Xue Qinshuang in front. Behind him, a spray of water was stirred up.
By the time he reached the girl's side, Wang Anfeng's right hand had already touched the needle bag at his waist, and his fingers flicked out three Silver Needles. Xue Qinshuang raised her hand to stop his action, shaking her head as she said:
"I have some medical skills, and I've taken an Elixir, so there is no serious harm."
Only now did Wang Anfeng remember the girl's nickname, The Thirteen Young Miss, indicating that medical skills were also her strength. He breathed a sigh of relief internally, retracted the Silver Needles, prepared to ask her how she had sustained such injuries, yet before he could speak, he saw Xue Qinshuang stand up with her sword, her gaze sweeping over the youth's face and falling onto the seemingly ordinary hilt of the Wooden Sword behind him.
Her eyes shone bright as stars.
"When you get the chance, have a duel with me."
The youth was momentarily stunned.
PS: The first update.