"Unaware of the passage of time, I've long lost touch with the outside world. Yet, upon waking today, I find the Sword Garden bustling with activity, a sight that brings joy to my heart."
The speaker's words were not particularly extraordinary, but they plunged the entire hall into an eerie silence. Most of the attendees were worldly individuals, and the stranger's ability to rip through space with a mere hand gesture marked him as a highly advanced being who had attained longevity. The gap in their levels was too vast. A chilling realization filled their hearts, the stranger's cryptic words echoing in their ears:
"I have prepared some light wine and invite you all to the Manifestation Hall for a chat, to witness the rising stars of the current Cultivation World. Please, drink this cup to the full!"
Finally, other sounds filled the hall. Over a hundred cultivators in attendance raised their already prepared wine goblets and drained them in one gulp.
The next moment, over half the people in the hall turned green.
They didn't understand how they'd been manipulated. Upon hearing the stranger's command to "drink this cup to the full," they mindlessly grabbed their goblets and downed the wine as if under a nightmare's spell. Although the taste was indeed pleasant, like a line of ice washing down their insides and leaving them feeling slightly intoxicated, they had no idea what was mixed in this so-called "wine"!
However, among these hundred or so cultivators, about a dozen did not drink. They merely held their cups as the slightly greenish liquid inside evaporated into mist. Yu Ci was one of them, but he didn't make it too obvious, merely raising the cup to his lips.
The figure at the seat of honor didn't seem to exert any effort, yet his voice was soul-shaking. At this moment, those with profound cultivation levels and firm wills could be discerned. Beside Yu Ci, Incense Slave held her wine goblet like a statue, not moving at all. Yu Ci found it odd, her stiffness was unusual, she had not been like this before.
Shaking his head internally, Yu Ci realized that this was a good time to gather information. He didn't hesitate and shifted his gaze across the central aisle, catching sight of Di Tianluo and Di She. The latter was staring at him with cold eyes, while the former was examining his now-empty goblet, his elegant and clean face focused as if he were trying to glean some knowledge from the intricate patterns on it.
Di She's malice didn't bother him, and Yu Ci continued to observe nonchalantly. He wasn't alone in this, while most were regretting their carelessness, a small group had already exchanged information multiple times, gaining an understanding of each other's abilities.
"Xia Boyang is quite the loner... Ah, the Pan Emperor's Three Swords are here too. Speaking of which, what happened to the Heavy Weapon Sect?
"By the way, where are Ye Ming and the others from Half Mountain Island?"
Yu Ci had initially thought that the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave invited guests based on their understanding of talisman techniques, but it seemed he was mistaken. Among those attending the Sword Garden Grand Gathering, seven out of ten were sword cultivators, and the remaining three were undoubtedly skilled in sword techniques. Under such circumstances, especially in such a short time, it would be impossible to single out the hundred or so "talisman experts" present.
In their previous encounters, Yu Ci had not detected any significant talismanic prowess in Di She.
Multitudes of thoughts and exchanged glances occurred in mere moments. The regretful cultivators were still coming to terms with their feelings when they heard the man on the dais speak in a calm voice.
"I have been trapped in this place for a long time, and I am afraid I have nothing of worth to offer my guests. Out of desperation, I have gathered the Dragon Vein Essence from the Sword Garden, combined it with Profound Yin Energy, and formed the 'Purifying Qi Dew'. This dew, when condensed, forms a liquid; when scattered, it becomes a gas. It can cleanse the body of impurities and exorcise Yin Demons. The liquid form is the most effective. Of course, if your cultivation level is exquisite and you are immune to external demons, the dew is merely a pleasant tasting drink."
At these words, the expressions on the faces of the cultivators present shifted again, with skepticism still evident.
Unperturbed, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave rested his chin on one hand, his elbow propped on the armrest of the seat of honour. He looked down at the cultivators present, a pose he was accustomed to, revealing his true nature.
Yu Ci felt an inexplicable pressure bearing down on him. It was an unadorned, natural aura of dominance that made his heart sink and his earlier thoughts waver.
"I know why you all came to the Sword Garden, to this Sunken Sword Cave," the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave said. "You need not pretend. While the cave may lack certain things, it is not short of Superior Swords or Superior Sword Methods. They are not difficult to obtain, at least more tangible than elusive opportunities."
These words were already inscribed on the jade tablet, slightly altered. But after the recent event, the same words carried a different power.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Silence filled the hall again, but it was soon broken by a man's laughter. "Our elder has opened the door of convenience for us, the younger generation. His insights and style are unparalleled. May we ask for your name, so we can remember it in our hearts?"
The man's flattery was nauseating, but there was a deeper meaning in his words, a hint of mockery.
Yu Ci turned to see that the speaker was Bu Cuo, one of the Pan Emperor's Three Swords. His corpulent body sat on the mat, like a meat mountain, imposing in its own way. Despite being among the lowest in cultivation level within the Golden Elixir cultivators present, his audacity was extraordinary. His question hit the nail on the head, reflecting the thoughts of all the cultivators present.
Everyone here, more or less, felt compelled to come. Naturally, they were wary of the man in the seat of honour and harbored a desire to know more about him. Regardless of his plans, his power was clear: thousands of Sword Ghosts under his command, his own strength unfathomable. If a confrontation were to occur, despite the gathering of so-called "outstanding figures", only two or three could escape at best.
So everyone was both curious and anxious, fearing they could be killed at any moment. Now that Bu Cuo dared to ask the question everyone was thinking, he gained newfound respect.
Under the scrutiny of countless gazes, the one seated in the place of honor responded indifferently: "My title holds no significance to any of you because after today, our paths will never cross again. Remember me or forget me, it matters not. It's less consequential than the Sword Weapon, the Sword Method. If it's inconvenient, just call me 'Cave Master', that would suffice."
Bu Cuo was about to speak, but the gaze of the Sunken Sword Cave Master, filled with swirling mist and cloud, swept over him. Bu Cuo's plump face paled, although he quickly resumed his smile, pretending as if nothing happened. But everyone knew, he had suffered a silent setback.
The hall fell silent all at once. Everyone realized that the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was not of a pleasant temperament. If he wished to display the demeanor of a senior expert, let him do so. Even if there were troublemakers present, they wouldn't dare to act recklessly here.
Yu Ci placed the now empty Wine Goblet under his nose, lightly sniffing it to mask the changes in his facial expression. At this moment, he was increasingly confident in the strategy he had recently devised. Therefore, when he lifted the Wine Goblet, his body slightly tensed; all rebellious elements within him were suppressed, sinking down, making him appear even more serene, yet with a hint of caution and solemnity. His slightly furrowed brows perfectly conveyed a thoughtful demeanor, which was also the state of most people in the hall.
Seeing no one objecting, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave tapped his armrest with his finger. From behind the screen, Tie Lan silently emerged, holding a tray in his hand. On it was a short sword sealed within a Wooden Sheath. The blade's sharpness was not visible, thus people's gaze naturally fell on the sheath. It was engraved with complex Rune Patterns, and two places were sealed with golden-threaded Talismans. Those with some knowledge, like Yu Ci, could tell from a distance that these Talismans were used to seal the blade's sharpness completely.
However, the more concealed it was, the more people anticipated the moment when the sword's sharpness would be fully revealed.
Unfortunately, Tie Lan soon shattered people's expectations with his rarely fluctuating tone: "The Guye Immortal Sword, it's incomplete. The Sword Weapon once worn by the Guye Fairy Lady, destroyed by the Six Realms of Rebirth, its sharpness completely lost. Only the Guye Divine Radiance on the sword remains undiminished, sealed for tens of thousands of years, now all within the sheath."
Those with slower wits might still be wondering why the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave would present a broken sword. Yu Ci was only slightly better, knowing that the mystery must lie within the Guye Divine Radiance, but as for its specific function, he was utterly clueless.
Looking at Incense Slave, this time the female cultivator also had no reaction. It was unclear whether she didn't understand or simply didn't want to explain further.
Tie Lan's voice paused momentarily, then he released the tray, which obediently floated in mid-air. After that, he took out another item from the tray, a Mirage Jade Scroll. It was not unusual in itself, and Tie Lan had no intention of embellishing it:
"The fragment of the 'Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture'..."
Before he could finish, the entire room was already buzzing with discussions about sword cultivation.
"Who could attain the Upper True Nine Heavens?"
"Are there others who have reached the Upper True Nine Heavens? It must be from the Sword Competing Pavilion, no doubt!"
"How could this be? How did it spread outside?"
"Don't forget, this is the Sword Garden! Don't forget who is buried in the Sword Garden!"
Yu Ci, a man, was all ears to these conversations. In fact, his thoughts were similar: Was it the Sword Competing Pavilion, the hub of "sword sects all over the world"? The Initiator who led the Eight Thousand Sword Cultivators to storm the Western Extremity in the past? The Supreme Sword Sect that once controlled several Thunderbolt Tribulations?
The current Sword Competing Pavilion has long lost its past glory. Generally speaking, this sect is rarely mentioned by cultivators. But once mentioned, it is compared with the undivided Primordial Demon Sect, the secluded Eight Scenery Palace of Cloud Mountain, and the Super Great sects of power and influence that emerged in the Western World (Indian World). In comparison, the influence of the Lichen Sect is still limited to the Central Northern Region, far less extensive and entrenched than the former.
The "Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture" is the Supreme Sword scripture legendary in sword cultivation, relied upon for gaining longevity. It has undergone countless Thunderbolt Tribulations and has been thoroughly verified by thousands of Sword Immortals, beyond any doubt.
Seventy percent of those present were pure sword cultivators. How could they not know the value of this scripture? No one cared about its origin anymore; they only cared about the present. Even if it was a fragment, it could still be used for verification. It was a genuine, pure Flying Immortal Sword Scripture!
Tie Lan, another man, completely ignored the undercurrents stirring below. He picked up another item from the tray and held it up.
Suddenly, the hall fell silent, except for the token-like object in his hand slowly glowing, emitting Deep Purple Thunder Fire, which reverberated throughout the hall. Immediately after, an unparalleled Sword aura radiated, tearing apart the surrounding Thunder Fire, even tearing a crack in the token itself. But quickly, the area around the crack flowed like a liquid, healing it back to its original state. This scene occurred in a flash, cycling continuously, and in the blink of an eye, it had been demonstrated three to five times.
Tie Lan's tone remained steady as he said:
"Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Ukase, complete and intact."
...