Chapter 1897: Twenty-One

“The heavens acknowledge Ba Zun'an! Who dares to oppose him?”

Waves of comments scrolled across their vision, neat and orderly, engulfing their entire view. The live stream, watched by tens of millions, seemed utterly subdued; no one dared to speak wildly, only screen after screen of comments remained.

Matchmaker was so agitated her delicate body trembled, yet for the first time, she refused to close the comments on the live stream. Her spiritual sense swept repeatedly towards the sky, towards the sword sea, towards the famous swords, towards that blurry yet majestic figure.

“How, how powerful…”

Usually eloquent, she now found her vocabulary so impoverished that she couldn't find more elaborate words to describe the scene before her. Of course, Matchmaker wasn't the only one left speechless. At this moment, every live stream host holding a ‘palm apricot’ couldn't stop their hands from shaking. All the ‘apricot’ platforms were flooded with comments.

Across the Five Domains, the phrase “Myriad Swords Return to One” resonated like a sudden clap of thunder, leaving no one calm.

“The heavens acknowledge Ba Zun'an! Who dares to oppose him?”

Indeed, the latter half of that couplet remained largely unintelligible to the younger cultivators of recent decades, who were unacquainted with worldly affairs. But the first half? Old and young alike now understood it perfectly. That realm where he could turn his hand to conjure clouds or rain, that composure with which famous swords bowed upon his command, that imperial bearing of unmatched dominance...

How difficult was it to ascend to the heavens? For Ba Zun'an, a single word was enough!

After over ten breaths of frantic screen-flooding, when the sight of famous swords ascending upon command paused briefly, the spectators across the Five Domains finally calmed down a little. Some began counting the ascending famous swords, their fervor giving way to anxiety, feeling that the number was far from complete.

“These swords, there are too few, aren't there?”

“While Evil Sword, Blood Sword, Demonic Sword, Monster Sword, Staff Sword, and Crane Sword, the top few famous swords, ascended with great momentum, grander even than the sword sea itself, if you count them carefully, there are only six, aren't there?”

“Chase Moon and Black Curse from Sword Pavilion also came, and swords from the Sword-Burying Mound's Sword-Washing Pool, and I even saw Elder Gu's Plum Rain. But none of these are considered current famous swords, right?”

“Exactly, even if the other swords are decent, the 'Famous Swords Twenty-One' refers to precisely those twenty-one. Only six from the list ascended; isn't that too few?”

“How can you say 'decent'! Chase Moon is the saber of Sword God Feng Wuchen, you fools! Do you know what Feng Wuchen signifies? He's the foremost figure below the Sword God! How can Chase Moon not meet the famous sword threshold? It's laughable. (Not a Feng family member, just couldn't stand it).”

“And Imperial Sword Unrivaled, Profound Sword Great City, Divine Sword Profound Azure — these also ascended. How can the Five Divine Artifacts of Chaos be inferior to the 'Famous Swords Twenty-One'?”

“But a famous sword is a famous sword! Where can you find substitutes? This isn't like buying groceries, where you make do if you're short on one thing. Ba Zun'an is trying to summon the Sword God's legacy!”

“That Feng family member earlier, you're going to make me die of laughter...”

“What about the swords from Fusang City? I remember seeing someone live stream about it earlier; didn't Senior Brother Xiao take two, or was it three, famous swords?”

“Right! Xiao Kongtong!”

So everyone started flooding comments about Xiao Kongtong. The live stream hosts, quick-witted, promptly turned their cameras towards the fellow slumped on the ground behind Spirit Lake.

“The Sword Dao Senior Brother, he can't even stand up...”

Xiao Kongtong's injuries were too severe. He and Xiao Wanfeng could be called fellow sufferers; they tried to help each other up but simply couldn't.

“Hey! Look quickly!”

“It's one thing for spirit swords and famous swords to be in the sky, but what's with that sack? Why is it buzzing and trembling, as if it also wants to ascend?”

“Haha, that's a bit funny. Isn't that the tattered sack the Eighth Sword Immortal always carried? It's not just the swords; even ancient sword cultivators' personal bags have dreams?”

“No, brother, your information is too outdated. The one carrying the sack has always been Xiao Kongtong impersonating Ba Zun'an. Why would a real Ba Zun'an carry a sack?”

“But then again, why has Xiao Kongtong always dragged that tattered sack? Surely it can't be filled with famous swords?”

“What nonsense are you spouting? How could Senior Brother be so disrespectful to famous swords?”

There were rebuttals, but surprisingly, they were few. Soon, all the live stream hosts sensed something was amiss. On everyone's live stream screens, the comments simultaneously transformed: They were all question marks. Someone even highlighted the ‘nonsense’ comment and replied with a string of ‘?’ and ‘!’, symbols invented by Lord Shou.

“Buzz!”

The dreaming sack buzzed, wanting to ascend to the heavens too. But it was just a sack after all, with no sword spirit or wings. After two flutters, it hit the ground with a heavy thud.

“Clang, clang...”

Sounds of metal blocks colliding came from inside. Beneath the rhythmic hum of the sword sea high above, its clanging was distinctly faint, yet jarringly loud.

“The sack!”

The Five Domains erupted in excitement; that bulging sack was definitely not an ordinary one.

“Mr. Siren, I need a favor from you.”

By Spirit Lake, Xiao Kongtong struggled for a long time but couldn't get up, so he could only ask for help from Mei Siren, who was also panting nearby with a hole in his chest.

“What is it?”

As soon as Mei Siren saw all the 'palm apricot' and 'golden apricot' platforms turn to him, he knew it was important. His expression quickly returned to one of calm composure, and he elegantly fanned himself with a paper fan.

Xiao Kongtong pointed to the sack at his feet: “Kick it over here.”

“A small matter.”

Mei Siren kicked it over. The sack clanged once, moving only half a chi. His expression twitched violently, the hole in his chest bleeding profusely from the pain, and he nearly jumped up clutching his toes. But under the gaze of thousands, this simply wouldn't do! Mei Siren, enduring the pain, closed his paper fan. With his 'All Things Are Swords' technique, he gracefully pointed at the sack, displaying immense power.

“Hoo...”

Xiao Kongtong grabbed the sack, letting out a long breath, his expression slowly growing fervent. Xiao Wanfeng felt the rising heat beside him, so hot it startled him, making him turn around: “Senior Brother, what are you going to do?”

“Little Brother Xiao, watch closely...”

“What?”

“This sack will be very cool!”

“Huh?”

Xiao Wanfeng was puzzled. But then he saw Senior Brother Xiao beside him, his mouth suddenly splitting into a wide grin reaching his temples, his expression transforming from fervent to wild, finally becoming utterly ferocious. Ignoring his injuries, he forcibly stood up as if in a final burst of energy. At the same time, he formed hand seals, a profound formation diagram flashed beneath his feet, and then he slapped the tattered sack in front of him with a heavy palm.

“Hidden Character Sword, Unseal!”

He roared. A golden light flashed on the sack, and the character ‘藏’ (hidden) slowly floated into the air. After a vibrating hum, the ‘藏’ character dissolved, breaking apart into golden specks that vanished into thin air.

“This is...”

Xiao Wanfeng's pupils suddenly dilated. Because with the unsealing of the Hidden Character Sword, he could distinctly feel an immeasurable and vast sword aura suddenly surging from within the sack, appearing from nothingness. The sensation was even grander than that of the sword sea above!

It wasn't just Xiao Wanfeng. Behind him, Gou Wuyue, Feng Tingchen, Gu Qing, and others all turned their heads in unison, utterly shocked. Not just the ancient sword cultivators. Even spirit refiners like Li You from Fusang City, Lu Shiyu from Sheng Futu City, Tie Dameng, and Daoist Shangfeng could sense the anomaly.

“This sword aura...”

The Spirit Lake rippled, and looks of horror appeared on everyone's faces. Xiao Kongtong gripped the mouth of the sack and vigorously flipped it upwards. In that moment, his eyes held only the solitary, towering figure of his teacher high in the sky, and he roared hoarsely:

“EIGHTH! SWORD! IMMORTAL!”

Boom—

Brilliant silver sword aura burst forth from the sack's opening. It was like a flood, held back by a dam for decades, finally unleashed, pouring out unrestrained and wild. The sword aura, like a silver dragon, cascaded upwards to the heavens! The sudden burst of energy even pushed Xiao Kongtong backward in a surge, making the clothes and hair of those around Spirit Lake whip in the air.

Following the sword aura, came the sword hums. Spectators across the Five Domains could clearly see from various live streams that two flying swords, as slender as needles, were the first to emerge from the torrent of sword aura.

“Famous Sword Fourteen, Sleeve Sword Twin Needles!”

“The famous sword Xiao Kongtong seized from that Cheng family boy in Fusang City!”

It didn't stop. This was just the beginning. With a whoosh, another long sword, interwoven with black and white, followed the Sleeve Sword out, accompanied by the torrent of sword aura, causing Li You's expression to darken.

“Famous Sword Eight, Twin-Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow!”

“That's the Yin Ghost Sect's sword! Wasn't the Yin Ghost Sect present? Their sword was also seized? When did that happen?”

Another movement. This time, even Pill Saint Lu Shiyu couldn't remain calm.

“Famous Sword Ten, Life Sword, Great Luo Nine Heavens Profound Life Sword!”

“Three now, three! Is that tattered sack really full of famous swords?”

After the three swords, the torrent of sword aura continued. However, the famous swords inside didn't continue to ascend into the sky and arrange themselves in the sword sea as everyone had expected.

“Gone?”

Just as everyone felt disappointed. Xiao Kongtong, gripping the mouth of the sack, trembled violently. The sack then resembled a crude firework tube: it subtly puffed up after a moment of silence, then quickly deflated, and finally...

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

“Clang, clang, clang—”

Famous sword after famous sword streamed out. As if they cost nothing, swords sprayed from the sack's opening towards the sword sea in the sky, instantly igniting the fervent emotions of spectators across the Five Domains.

“A purple longsword... Famous Sword Five, Immortal Sword Purple Heaven Drunk, one of the Eighth Sword Immortal's former personal swords!”

“A tombstone! A white tombstone! The Stele of Wind City Snow from the Sword God Era, Snow Sword Tomb, renowned City Snow, seized by the Holy Slave during the night raid on Heavenly Mulberry Spirit Palace from Su Qianqian!”

Su Qianqian...

A live stream host switched the camera to the fourth elder of Sword-Burying Mound. It must be said, this young girl truly had a series of extraordinary encounters; after her Snow Sword was seized, she then acquired the Demonic Sword, Myriad Weapons Demonic Ancestor. What a pity, in the end, they were all returned to Ba Zun'an.

“There's more!”

“It can't be suppressed at all, it's still spewing!”

“Famous Sword Fifteen, Dragon Sword, Azure Scale Ridge! The Sword Immortal Wuyue's former personal sword, later given to his little red-robed disciple, but alas, the disciple was untalented, and it was also forcibly seized by Xiao Kongtong in Fusang City.”

“Primordial Water Sword! That's the sixteenth-ranked Dao Sword, I know it! When Lord Shou raided Eastern King City at night, Ba Zun'an with the sack passed by the Yao family and conveniently took the famous sword from old man Yao Ye! I was watching from next door at the time... it was really convenient for a single sword!”

“The black one, that must be Nameless, right? Death Sword, Nameless! In the Sword God Era, it was the personal sword of the Killing Sword Saint; he was also the first wielder of the Four Fierce Swords!”

One after another, sword after sword. Each famous sword was linked to more than one story or legend. Eventually, even the comments on the various ‘apricot’ platforms couldn't keep up with the speed at which the sack was spewing swords; the people of the Five Domains were left numb.

“Drunken Sword, Moon Departure in Wine... I heard Ba Zun'an also wielded this sword once, but then hid it for some unknown reason.”

“Snake Sword, Feiyi... Does everyone know about this one? I heard its sword spirit was formed from some ancient creature...”

“Look quickly! Wounding Sword, Great Sorrow Tearless Sword! One of Ba Zun'an's personal swords, and a famous sword forged by Kuileihan!”

Familiar ones, unfamiliar ones. Ones they had heard of, ones they hadn't. As Xiao Kongtong opened the sack, the horizons of everyone in the Five Domains expanded significantly, especially for the ancient sword cultivators by Spirit Lake. Rumors paled in comparison to seeing with one's own eyes, and seeing only a part was nothing compared to witnessing the whole.

What the coming battle would entail remained unknown, but merely witnessing this moment of famous swords being gathered was worth it.

“That's it?”

Even when the Wounding Sword, ranked twenty-one, reappeared, and the sack in Xiao Kongtong's hand completely deflated, people still felt it wasn't enough.

“So the Holy Slave's talk of 'gathering swords' really meant collecting all the famous swords of the Five Domains. Ba Zun'an wasn't joking at all.”

“And Xiao Kongtong... The 'Famous Swords Twenty-One' are cherished as treasures by their wielders through generations, who would even risk their entire families' lives to protect them. Did he really just put famous swords in a sack? That's too disrespectful!”

“No, why didn't we realize famous swords were in that sack before? If I'd known, I would've tested the strength of Senior Brother of Canyue Immortal City myself.”

“Wait! It's not complete yet, is it? Count carefully!”

There was discussion, and some who had been meticulously counting the number of famous swords realized that even after Xiao Kongtong stopped, a few were still missing. Just then, a light laugh echoed from afar:

“Hehe, what a lively scene.”

“Well then, I'll join the fun too!”

The live stream camera timely shifted. They saw two graceful figures approaching from the north, one tall and one short, one in a seductive high-slit red dress, the other in a tight suit the color of wind and snow.

“This is...”

When they clearly saw the one who had giggled, everyone's expressions changed drastically:

“Damn, it's a man?”

“Darn it, you made me excited for a moment.”

“Red dress, slit so high, he's the Holy Slave's Storyteller, right?”

The Storyteller, leading Luo Leilei, was actually nervous inside and dared not waste any more words. As soon as he appeared, he pulled out the Yin-Yang Life-Death Book. With a flick of his orchid finger, golden characters emerged from the ancient book, commanding swords to appear:

“Brother, I'm here to lend you a hand too, go!”

Responding to the call, a surge of spatial fluctuation erupted from the Yin-Yang Life-Death Book, and several more swords shot out, led by three green whirlwinds.

“Spirit Sword Clear Wind?”

“This must be Famous Sword Six, right? It really looks like three small whirlwinds. The Storyteller has a famous sword too?”

Screech—

A sharp screech rose, and a medium-length famous sword flew out, accompanied by the ethereal image of a bird spirit.

“Beast Sword, Mad Eagle Sword!”

“I know this one! Mad Eagle lived near White Cave. It seems the Holy Slave leader passed by and conveniently took it, no wonder it wasn't in Xiao Kongtong's sack.”

Everyone waited a little longer. The Storyteller scratched his head apologetically, sticking out his tongue: “That's all.”

The Five Domains instantly erupted in curses, once again 'stung'. But pressing matters took precedence. After counting carefully, there were indeed many famous swords in the sword sea, but factoring in the Ghost Hunter, which couldn't be seized from Hua Changdeng's hands yet...

“Still one sword short!”

“Twenty famous swords are all here, but the third-ranked Fiery Python is still missing!”

“Who has the Fiery Python? With the Eighth Sword Immortal present, if you're sensible, shouldn't you come out quickly to face death and present the sword?”

Funnily enough, for a moment, no one could recall where the Fire Sword Fiery Python was. It wasn't until Xiao Wanfeng frowned and spoke thoughtfully:

“Fiery Python, hasn't it always been with Lord Shou?”

Only then did everyone recall something, with no doubt, only confusion remaining.

Ah, Lord Shou. Where did Lord Shou go? It's one thing for him to be missing, but he wouldn't let things go wrong at such a critical moment, would he?