Chapter 2020: Seizing the Sword

Compared to the twenty-one renowned swords, there are only five Divine Artifacts of Chaos.

Compared to Cheng Xie, the wielder of the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles, who is only somewhat known in ancient sword cultivation circles, Rao Yaoyao, the previous wielder of the Divine Sword Xuancang, was renowned throughout the world.

While this isn't enough to diminish the status of the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles relative to the Divine Sword Xuancang—after all, both divine swords and sleeve swords are renowned, with no inherent superiority—

Nonetheless, everyone has their own measure.

The Divine Sword Xuancang's fame is significantly greater than that of other, lower-ranked swords among the twenty-one renowned swords.

However...

"Wasn't the Divine Sword Xuancang lost after Sword Saint Rao's demise? I heard the Palace Lord searched for half a year without finding a trace."

"Rao Yaoyao never gained Xuancang's full acknowledgment throughout her life, did she? If I recall correctly, she merely held it briefly, borrowed it. But this young man..."

"Who is he? A Sword Immortal? With the demeanor of a Sword Immortal? He's too young, isn't he even sixteen? Has he obtained Xuancang? Or has he gained Xuancang's acknowledgment?"

Whispers and criticisms erupted throughout the tavern.

All eyes fell upon the young man Cheng Xie was staring at, though more intently on the longsword on his back.

"Is that... the Divine Sword Xuancang?"

The sword was wrapped in sealing ribbons, obscuring its full appearance, leaving only the hilt visible.

Few had ever had the privilege of seeing the Divine Sword Xuancang's complete form. With only the hilt visible, who could possibly recognize it?

Cheng Xie recognized it.

He had been observing the young man for a while.

After confirming with the surrounding Grand Void cultivators that the youth was neither a Half-Saint's avatar nor a master indulging in a whimsical transformation, he stepped forward.

Cheng Xie's gaze was fixed on the young man, his expression profoundly complex.

On one hand, his Cheng family had long suffered under the Holy Slaves.

Simply to protect the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles, they had to expend vast resources annually, employing three Half-Saint level combatants to cooperate with the Cheng family's Half-Saint ancestor in guarding the family.

He was acutely aware of the saying, "An innocent man is guilty only when he possesses a treasure." Emotionally and intuitively, he fully empathized with the fear of being targeted by wolves, jackals, and tigers.

But on the other hand, despite the discomfort he understood the young man opposite him must feel, Cheng Xie could not tolerate doing nothing after seeing Xuancang.

This was the Divine Sword Xuancang!

But who exactly was this young man?

Cheng Xie racked his brain, but couldn't reach a conclusion or recall any name for this person.

Many famous figures existed in the ancient sword cultivation world, but this seventeen-year-old had no place among them. Why should he be the one to obtain Xuancang?

Even Rao Yaoyao couldn't protect Xuancang, and Cheng Xie himself couldn't sleep at night when he brought the Twin Needles out. Why could this young man flaunt a divine sword openly?

Cheng Xie even searched for a long time to see if there were any Grand Void or Half-Saint guards behind the young man, but the answer was no.

Envy?

Jealousy?

Cheng Xie questioned himself, but couldn't articulate the complex emotions swirling within him. His only thought, his only realization, boiled down to two words:

"Unworthy!"

Among the five Divine Artifacts of Chaos, four swords belonged to Lord Shou, the Taicheng Sword to Mr. Si Ren, and the Emperor Sword Duzun to the Northern Sword Immortal. These were all Sword Immortal level, which was understandable and wouldn't provoke envy.

Even the Wrathful Immortal Buddhist Sword, when it last appeared, was associated with names like:

Ba Zun'an, the Resentful Buddha, and the Palace Lord.

All of them were immensely famous and renowned throughout the world!

Yet now, this unknown and weakling, with no record in the Sword Immortal battles and no notable past achievements—in fact, none at all—

How could he be worthy of wielding the Divine Sword Xuancang?

What was the difference between this and a toad eating swan meat, or a celestial fairy being defiled by a vagrant?

Any ancient sword cultivator with a shred of chivalrous spirit could not simply stand by and watch such a thing.

Cheng Xie, with his strict upbringing and excellent self-restraint, managed to suppress his indignation. He merely released a trace of sword intent, which quelled the surrounding commotion.

He did not give anyone the chance to ambush the young man and seize Xuancang amidst the chaos. He surveyed his surroundings intently, forcing back the restless individuals, before calmly cupping his hands and asking:

"Esteemed Sir, how may I address you?"

Xiao Wanfeng felt pressure surging from all directions like a tidal wave—not necessarily fear, but a sense of helplessness.

He was a quiet person by nature.

He cultivated his sword silently and traveled alone.

The last time he received so much attention was when Young Master Xu forced him onto the Tianluo Arena, where he was compelled to take first place.

That had been the most ostentatious moment of his life.

However, gaining Xuancang's acknowledgment meant attracting the attention of everyone in the Five Domains, and Xiao Wanfeng had already prepared himself for this.

After a long sigh, he showed no fear. He merely cursed Xuancang under his breath, then cupped his hands in return and said calmly:

"Xiao Wanfeng of the First Pavilion in Heaven."

After the end of the God's Legacy, when he encountered the Palace Lord in Fengjia City in the Southern Domain, but was rescued by Young Master Xu and given the Apricot Realm Jade Talisman,

Xiao Wanfeng knew he couldn't avoid his connection with the First Pavilion in Heaven.

But that was fine; even continuing to serve tea and water there was better than being constantly monitored by the Palace Lord.

He didn't object to his identity being known to outsiders, as he had already gained Xuancang's acknowledgment and thus feared nothing in this world.

To his surprise, as soon as he spoke, silence fell over the surroundings.

Nine out of ten people present didn't know who Xiao Wanfeng was, and the remaining one or two simply felt it was a fabricated name.

But "First Pavilion in Heaven"—that name was truly renowned!

Cheng Xie's imposing aura involuntarily paused, and his eyebrows shot up. "First Pavilion in Heaven?"

He expressed doubt.

This was a bit too coincidental.

He had just confronted this person, looking for trouble, and the other party turned out to be associated with Lord Shou, the second-in-command of the Holy Slaves, who had established his own faction.

Was everyone who encountered danger now trying to invoke Lord Shou's name for protection, borrowing his prestige?

There was no such person associated with the First Pavilion in Heaven!

Xiao Wanfeng chuckled inwardly, realizing he had overestimated his own importance. Too lazy to explain, he cupped his hands again and replied:

"A mortal, Xiao Wanfeng."

This was truly "mortal"!

First, he mentioned the First Pavilion in Heaven, stunning everyone, then he claimed to be an unknown nobody.

This was clearly a tactic of feigning weakness to advance, forcing everyone to become wary and hesitate to act against him—the seventeen-year-old's mind was still too naive, and his methods appeared exceedingly immature.

Cheng Xie, nearly thirty and having seen much of the world within his clan, bothered less with these calculations. He simply lowered his opinion of the young man further.

He fixed his gaze on the longsword on the young man's back and asked, "After Lord Shou's battle with Sword Saint Rao, did the Divine Sword Xuancang suffer severe damage to its spiritual intelligence, entering a state of deep self-obscuration?"

His question was tactful, but anyone with a discerning mind could easily grasp Cheng Xie's underlying meaning.

Xuancang must be blind to choose you!

It must have suffered severe damage to its spiritual intelligence, unable to recognize a wielder, and by some coincidence, you, Xiao Wanfeng, obtained it, or perhaps rescued it once, and it was then forced to acknowledge you as its master, right?

Only such an explanation could somewhat alleviate the displeasure felt by seeing a divine sword from heaven stuck in earthly filth.

"Alas."

Xiao Wanfeng sighed helplessly again.

He was young, but his experience in the martial world was considerable.

As a mortal, he had wandered since childhood, traveling through the famous mountains and rivers of the Five Domains. Even with an innocent heart, he had gained an understanding of human affairs.

Human prejudice was like a mountain.

Cheng Xie wasn't asking a question; he had already firmly decided his view. Perhaps only Lord Shou's arrival could explain it?

But how could Lord Shou possibly deign to explain anything to a mere Cheng Xie?

A single sword strike would be letting Cheng Xie off easy—at least it would make him famous after death, having died by the renowned Hidden Suffering Sword.

"If that's what you choose to believe, then believe it," Xiao Wanfeng said, having nothing more to say.

Cheng Xie struggled to conceal the anger in his brows, but this time, before he could erupt, Xiao Wanfeng preempted him: "Empty words. How can you prove that the sword on my back is the Divine Sword Xuancang?"

As he spoke, he gripped Xuancang with a backhand, gesturing for it not to cause further trouble.

With the Sword Immortal decisive battle impending, he, Xiao Wanfeng, was genuinely not the protagonist of Fushang and had no need to seek attention.

The feeling of being targeted—Xiao Wanfeng only had to recall the Palace Lord's gaze to feel uncomfortable.

"Buzz!"

But no sooner had he finished speaking, and before Cheng Xie even moved, a sword's cry resounded from the west gate of Fushang City.

Snowflakes wove through the air, swirling gracefully.

When the sword's cry echoed, everything else yielded.

Xiao Wanfeng's expression changed; he cursed inwardly. Turning his head, he saw Xuancang behind him, ignoring his attempts to restrain it, rising high into the sky, instantly drawing hundreds of eyes.

"Stop it!"

Xiao Wanfeng's face turned green.

Xuancang ignored him, and its blade vibrated.

The sealing ribbons wrapped around it shattered with a crackling sound.

At that moment, divine light descended from the heavens, and the divine sword emerged from obscurity. All ancient sword cultivators in Fushang City felt their sword intent stirred, gazing in awe and alarm; all who wore swords found their blades unsheathed, bowing in mid-air.

Sword intent stretched gracefully for thousands of miles.

Like a stone dropping into a quiet lake, ripples of recognition spread through everyone's minds.

Even from Cheng Xie's sleeves, two slender, finger-thin white miniature swords flew out, hovering above him, radiating brilliant sword light in defiance.

"Boom!"

Xuancang rose another three feet into the air.

The sword intent roared downwards, and all spirit swords, including Xiao Qixiu's, couldn't withstand the pressure and fell to the ground.

Only the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles, trembling, continued to resist, managing to rise slightly.

"Boom!"

Xuancang ascended again, seemingly with a strong obsession.

This time, the golden dragon of destiny, accumulated over millennia by the Sacred Divine Palace, coiled around its blade, unleashing its absolute renown cultivated since the Chaos Era.

"Clatter!"

The Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles finally couldn't withstand the pressure and fell back into Cheng Xie's hands.

It had been obscure for too long, its wielders inconspicuous through generations, and the renowned sword itself had been too deeply self-obscured. Even if its essence was extraordinary, in this era, it was undeniably weaker than Xuancang.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz—"

The Divine Sword Xuancang, proudly hovering in mid-air, saw no other sword in its vicinity that could compare. Its hums were continuous, reveling in unparalleled satisfaction.

Xiao Wanfeng: "..."

He probably understood the situation but was speechless.

Cheng Xie caught the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles, his face as dark as charcoal. As the dignified contemporary wielder of the Cheng family's Sleeve Swords, even with the power of the Twin Needles themselves, he couldn't withstand Xuancang!

Xuancang had even completely disregarded Xiao Wanfeng, using only the renown cultivated by its previous wielder, Rao Yaoyao, to completely overwhelm Cheng Xie and the Twin Needles!

A three-foot-long sword, white and green.

Adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, enveloped by auspicious clouds.

After shedding its restraints and unleashing its full splendor, Xuancang was the sole focus in Fushang City at that moment.

The taverns scattered around swayed precariously like small boats in a deep sea, pressed down by the sword intent.

Everyone gazed at the sword, their minds bewildered. When their eyes shifted away, they felt a sense of loss. Looking back at Xiao Wanfeng, they were at a loss for words.

Xiao Wanfeng covered his forehead with one hand; he was truly helpless now. "Alright, it is the Divine Sword Xuancang. My sword."

"Disgraceful!"

Cheng Xie cursed aloud, his entire being erupting with sword intent to counter the pressure.

He didn't know whom he was scolding—perhaps himself, perhaps the Sleeve Swords and Twin Needles. Finally, he pointed at Xiao Wanfeng, his eyes slightly bloodshot:

"What good are you? What good are you?!"

"The Divine Sword Xuancang, with its power alone, has reached this point. What use is a wielder like you?"

Xiao Wanfeng's eyes widened instantly.

What an undeserved calamity was this?

He was left dumbfounded by the scolding, asking incredulously, "Didn't Xuancang suppress you all with a single sword move without me even needing to exert any effort? Why are you scolding me?"

Xiao Wanfeng almost blurted out, "Are you angry out of embarrassment?"—but sensing the gazes of those around him, he swallowed it back abruptly.

He had provoked public anger!

He belatedly realized that his statement was no different from pointing at everyone in the tavern and yelling, "All of you present are trash."

"Xuancang!"

With this thought, Xiao Wanfeng fiercely tilted his head back, knowing who was causing trouble, and clenched his fists.

Cheng Xie was fuming.

You, a mere accessory, actually consider yourself Xuancang's master, daring to reprimand a divine sword like that?

"Hand over Xuancang and get out of Fushang City yourself. I won't kill you." Cheng Xie suppressed his fury, yet his gaze at Xuancang was ardent.

Xiao Wanfeng had a headache. Pointing at the dazzling, eye-catching sword above, he said, "It's messing with us. Don't fall for its trick. It wants to provoke your anger and make you fight me..."

"Shut up!" Cheng Xie could no longer bear it.

Fight you? Who are you? Are you worthy?!

And Xuancang is playing tricks? Is Xuancang some alluring, whining sword?

It is a divine sword!

Sacred and inviolable!

"Repeatedly blaspheming a divine sword—how can this be tolerated?" Cheng Xie pulled his hands back into his sleeves, the Sleeve Swords hidden from view, his eyes blazing with fury.

"I'm not fighting you," Xiao Wanfeng said, knowing what he was about to do. He hastily brought up Lord Shou and the Holy Slaves as a shield. "You are from the Cheng family; you should know that protecting swords isn't easy. If you are incited... incited by a sword to oppose me, how is that different from the Holy Slaves trying to seize the famous sword in your hand?"

"There is!"

Cheng Xie advanced with heavy steps, his fighting spirit surging.

Before he could speak, he saw the Divine Sword Xuancang in the sky, beckoning to him from afar, seemingly with an intention to flatter...

Xuancang, likes me?

Immediately, his arrogance and voice grew louder: "If the Holy Slaves seize my sword, I'd willingly accept it, for my skill would be inferior to theirs, because he is Ba Zun'an. But you..."

"Me?"

Xiao Wanfeng was still a human being, and humans possessed emotions. After being ignored so many times, it would be a lie to say he wasn't angry. His voice deepened, "What about me?"

Cheng Xie sneered, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, his imposing aura overwhelming, crushing people's will: "How can you even compare yourself to me?"

Then let's fight!

Even someone as composed as Xiao Wanfeng couldn't tolerate this any longer.

But in mid-air, Xuancang vibrated intensely again, humming incessantly, highly praising Cheng Xie's ancient sword cultivator's indomitable spirit, while showing utter disdain for Xiao Wanfeng's repeated retreats, even tending towards "defecting to the enemy."

Xiao Wanfeng: "..."

He couldn't hold back anymore. He reached out and grabbed, not at Cheng Xie, but at the divine sword in the sky: "Stop playing around, get down here!"

"Wuuu—"

Xuancang let out a mournful wail, falling uncontrollably, and was caught by Xiao Wanfeng.

Around the tavern, everyone's eyelids twitched at the sight, disbelief etched on their faces.

What was the difference between this and a celestial fairy falling to the mortal world and being grasped by a dirty vagrant sleeping on the street?

"You're seeking death!"

Cheng Xie's eyes were bloodshot. Seeing Xuancang, which had just shown favor to him, being gripped in such a manner, he flung both sleeves and prepared to strike.

Xiao Wanfeng, holding the Divine Sword Xuancang, casually swept its blade, pointing it from afar at Cheng Xie, who was about to step forward:

"You're the one seeking death!"

A chilling gleam swept across Fushang, making Cheng Xie feel cold all over.

All the hairs on his body stood on end; for a moment, he even felt the presence of death.

This Xiao Wanfeng... no, the Divine Sword Xuancang, just by pointing its blade, could exert such immense pressure?

What a fine sword!

How could such a magnificent sword fall into the hands of a mere Xiao Wanfeng? This was like a pearl covered in dust!

"How dare you, young scoundrel?!"

Cheng Xie was stunned; he was actually stunned, which meant the Cheng family's dignity was completely lost.

Behind him, two Grand Void Elders of the Cheng family slammed their hands on the table and rose, splinters flying, reasserting the Cheng family's dignity.

The two Grand Void cultivators shot through the air, simultaneously reaching out to launch an attack on Xiao Wanfeng.

"Old fools!"

Xiao Wanfeng was furious.

He wasn't just scolding the Cheng family's Grand Void cultivators, but also Xuancang, who, even at this moment, was still flirting with Cheng Xie, inciting the Cheng family members to act.

These outsiders had too strong a filter for the Divine Sword Xuancang; it was not sacred and inviolable at all.

If anyone had bothered to slightly understand what happened with Xuancang and You Sifei Gaogao during the night battle in the Eastern Heavenly King City, they would realize that the sword was magnificent, but also quite mischievous!

However, he couldn't explain it internally, and powerful enemies were pressing from externally.

If Xiao Wanfeng didn't act, he would truly die. Having nowhere to retreat, he decided to grant Xuancang and Cheng Xie their wishes.

"Get out!"

He roared.

The Divine Sword Xuancang slashed forward.

The golden dragon of destiny soared proudly into the sky, letting out a long roar. Dust billowed explosively, startling the two Grand Void cultivators. Wary of Xuancang's renowned might, they both halted, their faces showing caution.

"They've started?"

Everyone in the tavern retreated a bit, their expressions expectant.

As the dust gradually cleared, people could finally see that Xiao Wanfeng had not directly attacked. Instead, he had slashed the sword in front of him, creating a three-inch-deep, ten-foot-long gully between himself and the Cheng family.

"Cross this line and..."

Xiao Wanfeng's anger lasted only an instant before quickly subsiding. He wasn't Lord Shou; he couldn't utter such arrogant words.

"Wuwu..."

But Xuancang twisted in his hand, as if weeping, making it seem as if its previous slash had been forced.

Cheng Xie's eyes were bloodshot, the Grand Void cultivators looked ferocious from the insult, and the tavern crowd grew displeased at being toyed with.

Like fierce tigers, they were about to charge again.

The barely disheartened Xiao Wanfeng finally snapped completely, his entire body erupting with sword intent as he roared:

"Cross this line, and die!"