Chapter 248 - Exiled Sword Immortal!
"Eternal Sword?" Yun Xiao stood behind hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators, his deep eyes peering into the distance.
In front of the gates of the Sword Ruins, there was a pitch-black altar, its surface marred with countless sword scars. Though devoid of any physical swords, sword shadows seemed to lurk everywhere.
The young ones ready to partake in the Sword Baptism Ceremony, along with their elders and masters, all held their breaths in reverence, their eyes shining with a faith-filled gleam as they gazed upon the altar.
"Here it comes!" someone's voice trembled, murmuring softly.
BOOM! Suddenly, the 999 Sword Peaks vibrated violently, shaking the rocks and trees, startling birds and beasts. A massive earthquake traveled to Yun Xiao's feet, sending numerous people staggering, nearly toppling over.
"That is..." Yun Xiao's eyes narrowed. Between the sword-shaped mountains and valleys, vibrant sword lights in every color imaginable began to soar, piercing the sky. They burst open like brilliant sword fireworks, then descended like a colorful, torrential sword rain towards one spot—the black Sword Cleansing Altar.
BUZZ! Those million sword light shadows collided and merged above the altar, quickly forming a colossal, multicolored radiant sword. Stretching over 3,000 meters long, it shone across the heavens and earth with a divine brilliance, dominating the Sword Ruins!
Its brilliance turned the faces and eyes of hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators into a kaleidoscope of colors. The whole world seemed bathed under a rainbow sun, with dazzling light stretching across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.
This was the Eternal Sword!
"Not a Sword Soul, nor a magic treasure, what exactly is this sword?" Yun Xiao, profoundly shaken, found himself tangled in a web of confusion. He couldn't help but feel a little awkward! In this realm, it seemed like everyone understood the Eternal Sword. Everyone, that was, except Yun Xiao.
Even Ling Chen got it. He stood in a corner, his gaze intense, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Eternal Sword!" Voices, fervent as if erupting from the hearts of these young Sword Cultivators, revealed their fanaticism for the Eternal Sword.
"Yun Xiao, are you curious about the Eternal Sword?" Bai Wuque seemed to notice his perplexity. There was a hint of superiority in his bones, but his upbringing kept it in check, making him appear somewhat eager to help.
"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Bai," Yun Xiao said.
"Heh," Bai Wuque chuckled dryly, looking up at the divine brilliance of the enormous Eternal Sword, he said solemnly, "The Eternal Sword is the confluence of the Sword Intent of thousands of ancestors!"
"The Sword Intent of countless ancestors?" Yun Xiao repeated, puzzled.
"It's the Sword Intent left by countless ancestors! Though we say countless, it's actually in the millions!" Bai Wuque spoke with a hint of pride, "This is the awe-inspiring creation of generations of Sword Dao masters from our Eternal Sword Prison!"
The implication was clear. Yun Xiao, not belonging to the Eternal Sword Prison, was merely a spectator.
"Sword Intent, what's that?" Yun Xiao's heart stirred. That term again! In his possession was a small black sword, a gift from a great Cosmic Immortal of the Supreme Azure Star Emperor Immortal Court. It was an embodiment of Sword Intent!
"You don't even know Sword Intent?" Bai Wuque chuckled lightly. "No wonder, your fold world has never produced a cultivator of the Dao Heart Realm, no one transcending the Eight Mortal Realms, naturally devoid of Sword Intent."
"Indeed." Yun Xiao nodded.
"Sword Intent, simply put, is a third form of power extending beyond Sword Aura and Sword Ring. But compared to Sword Aura and Sword Rings, Sword Intent is more vital, closer to the essence of Sword Soul!"
"Sword Aura and Sword Rings are superficial powers of the Sword Soul, while Sword Intent is the core willpower of a Sword Soul, linked to the Dao Heart. Possessing a Sword Heart is the key to cultivating Sword Intent!"
"Sword Intent harmonizes the Sword Soul and Dao Heart, drawing more powerfully on the laws of heaven and earth, enhancing the lethal power of us Sword Cultivators!" Longing filled Bai Wuque's eyes.
"Sword Intent is that important..." Yun Xiao seemed genuinely intrigued.
"Naturally! Each person's Sword Intent is unique. Sword Intent is the true path to the heavens for Sword Cultivators, the evolution of the Dao Heart, the core of cultivating immortality. So, it's not just about combat power but a symbol of enlightenment and innate talent.
"That's why, here in the Eternal Sword Prison, high ranks in Sword Soul mean little, nor do numerous layers of Sword Aura. Only a high level of Sword Intent marks a true Sword Immortal!"
After finishing, Bai Wuque glanced at Yun Xiao. "Your Sword Aura is indeed commendable, but that might not suffice for training in the Sword Ruins. Sword Intent is the heart; without a strong heart, Sword Aura and Sword Rings are but fleeting illusions. So, strive hard in the upcoming Sword Baptism Ceremony!"
"Thank you for the lesson." Yun Xiao bowed respectfully, his demeanor unflinching as he subtly deflated Bai Wuque's sense of superiority. He looked up at the divine radiance of the Eternal Sword and asked, "So, you're saying that even though our ancestors are gone, their Sword Intent endures, amalgamating into the Eternal Sword, bestowing blessings upon future generations?"
That's why it was named Eternal Sword!
"Exactly! In normal times, the Eternal Sword gauges the innate talent of disciples for Sword Intent, imparting teachings. But in times of crisis, it becomes the foremost weapon of the Sword Ruins, with the power to destroy heavens and obliterate earths, serving as our ultimate deterrent against the other eight hells!" Pride for the Eternal Sword was unmistakable in Bai Wuque's voice.
The Sword Cultivators had a faith! The Eternal Sword, embodying the Sword Intent of myriad clans, was their belief.
The so-called Sword Baptism Ceremony was when all eligible young Sword Cultivators in the Eternal Sword Prison bathed in the divine light of the Eternal Sword, invoking its resonance to measure their Sword Intent talent, thereby determining their status and rank.
To evoke the sword's resonance indicated a talent for Sword Intent, a sign of future cultivation of such intent. Sword Intent was the threshold of the Sword Ruins! In the Eternal Sword Prison, a Sword Cultivator without Sword Intent had no path to the heavens.
The number of times the Eternal Sword resonated determined a young Sword Cultivator's future status, position, resources, and mentorship in the Sword Ruins. One only got a single chance at the Sword Baptism Ceremony in their lifetime!
As per the age-old rules of the Sword Ruins—
One resonance meant becoming a Yellow level disciple.
Two resonances, a Black level disciple.
Three resonances, an Earth level disciple.
Four resonances, a Heaven level disciple.
Five resonances marked an astonishing talent, worthy of being apprenticed to one of the Peak Masters of the 999 Sword Peaks, becoming a True Disciple of the Sword Ruins, transcending the common bounds, starting high above others.
Six resonances indicated a heaven-shaking talent, qualifying for apprenticeship under the Supreme Adjudicators, becoming a Supreme Disciple of the Sword Ruins, a status comparable to a Sword Judge, renowned across the world!
Supreme, True, Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow—these were the six ranks of disciples in the Sword Ruins.
A single Sword Baptism Ceremony, simple yet brutal, divided everything. While there were instances of disciples surpassing their initial rank through later cultivation, those were few and far between.
"The highest is nine resonances, right?" Yun Xiao asked Bai Wuque.
"Seven, eight, nine resonances are extremely rare occurrences in a thousand, ten thousand years, not worth mentioning," Bai Wuque replied nonchalantly, seemingly uninterested in discussing such lofty matters with Yun Xiao. He had already taken a few steps forward, eyes fervently fixed on the Eternal Sword!
And at that moment, the elder in charge of affairs in the Sword Ruins announced the start of the Sword Baptism Ceremony!
Over a hundred thousand young Sword Cultivators participated, requiring at least a day and a night to complete the assessment!
Many Sword Cultivators were pushing forward, while Yun Xiao and Ling Chen remained towards the back.
"Brother Yun, I happen to know what sort of commotion the Eternal Sword resonating seven, eight, or nine times can cause," Ling Chen suddenly spoke up. He was smiling, appearing relaxed as if he were a bystander rather than a participant in the ceremony.
"Oh?" Yun Xiao asked, "Please enlighten me, Brother Ling."
"Brother Yun, are you thinking of making the Eternal Sword resonate more than seven times?" Ling Chen inquired.
Yun Xiao shook his head. "Even six resonances make one a Supreme Disciple. Coming from humble beginnings, I would be satisfied with just one resonance to enter the Sword Ruins."
He thought to himself, smiling, Brother, the one truly concerned about seven, eight, and nine resonances is you... Otherwise, Ling Chen wouldn't have suddenly interjected.
Ling Chen, his gaze fixed on the Eternal Sword, began to speak with more intensity, "According to the rules of the Sword Ruins, seven resonances from the Eternal Sword can make one the Sovereign Star Child of the Sword Ruins, implying the status of a future Sword Star Emperor.
"At that point, the Sword Warden Gate descends upon the altar, and the Sword Warden of the Sword Ruins will take them as a disciple, designating them as the next heir of the Eternal Sword Prison, with the status of a Supreme Adjudicator, enjoying the highest cultivation resources of the Sword Ruins," Ling Chen said, looking down at his fingers surrounded by a halo of nine-colored light, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
"Wow, just seven resonances makes you the next heir of the Sword Ruins?" Yun Xiao sighed with amazement. The Sword Ruins really didn't mess around. He couldn't help but wonder what eight and nine resonances entailed.
"Once eight resonances thunder through the heavens, the participant becomes a Heavenly Sun Child of the Sword Ruins, symbolizing a divine sword on the path of immortality. They not only receive all the privileges of a Sovereign Star Child but also gain access to the Ancestral Sword Tomb for cultivation, assimilating the Sword Dao of a million ancestors. Such talent, if fully realized, is destined to become the supreme ruler of the Nine Hells, ushering in a golden age of the Sword Dao," Ling Chen said, his voice still calm.
"Impressive," Yun Xiao nodded, reminded of the War Princess' Nine-Tiered Bloodline talent, also touted to reach the pinnacle of the Nine Hells. Clearly, the Nine-Tier Bloodline and the eight resonances of the Heavenly Sun Child' were on par.
Finally, Yun Xiao asked Ling Chen, "If the Heavenly Sun Child is so formidable, then what about nine resonances? Isn't that transcendental?"
Ling Chen smiled wryly. "Nine resonances are but the world's wishful thinking about the Eternal Sword. Since its existence, no one has ever achieved nine resonances."
"What if such a prodigy appears today?" Yun Xiao asked with a smile.
"According to the rules of the Sword Ruins, such a person would be deemed a reincarnation of a true Immortal, a celestial being descending to the mortal realm! The Sword Ruins would bestow upon them the title of Exiled Sword Immortal, granting access to all resources of the Eternal Sword Prison, equal to the Sword Warden of the Sword Ruins, jointly governing the Eternal Sword Prison!" Ling Chen's eyes sparkled slightly as he spoke.
"Exiled Sword Immortal? A true immortal reincarnated, ascending to the heavens in one step?" Yun Xiao murmured. As a mere mortal, he was genuinely moved hearing about these possibilities.
For the reincarnation of the Divine Sky Sword Emperor, all of this seemed within reach!
Bai Wuque, Ling Chen, Yun Xiao, how many resonances could they achieve?
At this moment, all awaited with bated breath. Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators, the brilliance of the Eternal Sword randomly shone upon a young woman!
She was none other than Senior Sister Zhaoyu. Trembling, her complexion pale and her delicate body quivering with nervousness, she ascended the Sword Cleansing Altar.
"Zhaoyu, summon your Sword Soul!" A commanding voice echoed, silencing the tens of thousands gathered, awaiting in hushed anticipation.
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