Chapter 453: Seven Sword Immortals

“A defective product?” Xu Xiaoshou was immediately surprised.

He almost blurted out, "Do you even know A-Jie's combat power?" But Elder Qiao obviously knew. Perhaps he knew even more than Xu Xiaoshou himself.

“How so?” Xu Xiaoshou steadied himself.

Qiao Qianzhi sighed and said, “It's a bit too early to tell you this now. But your growth speed is too fast. It's possible you'll encounter them during your trip to the White Cave. I'll just tell you directly!” Elder Qiao looked steadily at Xu Xiaoshou and spoke gravely:

“The Heavenly Secret Golems were originally a new experiment by the Holy Spirit Palace, aiming to create a tireless combat machine, similar to ghost beasts. Their purpose was then to confront the ghost beasts. But clearly, it wasn't simple. Even someone as powerful as Hall Master Dao failed in the first batch of experiments.” Qiao Qianzhi lowered his head.

“A-Jie was the only semi-successful existence among the first batch of test subjects. It successfully developed consciousness and intelligence but was completely uncontrollable. Thus, it transformed into an entity that only knew slaughter, subsequently being sealed and destroyed. Therefore, calling it a defective product is not an exaggeration in the slightest.”

Xu Xiaoshou nodded, keenly catching a loophole in Elder Qiao's words.

“Destroyed?”

“Yes.” Qiao Qianzhi did not deny it.

“If it was destroyed, how did you manage to bring it back?” Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled.

It's impossible that after being destroyed, Dao Qiongcang still gifted this item to Elder Qiao. What kind of relationship would that imply? With such a connection, would he still be serving as an elder in this small Spirit Palace?

Qiao Qianzhi paced and said, “At that time, A-Jie was indeed destroyed, and its consciousness was directly erased. It was then cast into the Void Island.”

“The Void Island?” Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. This was another term he had never heard before.

“Yes.” A hint of apprehension flashed in Qiao Qianzhi's eyes. He didn't elaborate on “the Void Island” but shifted the topic.

“A-Jie's presence in the Tiansang Spirit Palace was indeed an accident. Let me put it this way.” He paused and added, “A-Jie was actually brought by Elder Sang. It's said that when it was discovered, it had undergone a mutation, but it definitely hadn't developed in a positive direction. However, it was still Hall Master Dao's creation, and even as a defective product, its combat power was extremely formidable. Because of my presence, old man Sang still brought it back. But!” Elder Qiao smiled helplessly. “If Hall Master Dao couldn't fully solve the problem, how could I succeed? So after A-Jie came here, at best, it merely became a test subject used to analyze the Heavenly Secret Arts. Its combat power couldn't be fully unleashed. In fact, to seal its combat power, three layers of seals were required.”

“Three layers?” Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled. “Wasn't it two?” When he found A-Jie in the Tianxuan Gate, it was indeed special, having one more layer of seal than other objects.

Elder Qiao smiled, clearly knowing Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts.

“The Tianxuan Gate was the third layer of seal. Those two seals couldn't contain it at all; sometimes, it would just run out. If it didn't run, it was probably just because it didn't want to. That's why we had to periodically reinforce those two seals.”

“I see.” Xu Xiaoshou nodded, finally unraveling the confusion in his mind.

A-Jie was indeed a product of the current Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Palace. No wonder it possessed the power of the Void. How could a combat golem designed to fight ghost beasts be low-level? One must know that once a ghost beast is born, it starts at the Sovereign level and has no upper limit!

Soon, Xu Xiaoshou linked this to something amiss.

“If that's the case, according to Elder Qiao, A-Jie was among the first batch of experimental products, which means...”

Qiao Qianzhi nodded solemnly.

“Exactly. Where there's one, there are more. And after decades of research, I must say, the Holy Spirit Palace is indeed powerful.”

“They succeeded?” Xu Xiaoshou asked in surprise.

“Yes!” Qiao Qianzhi affirmed.

“By the seventh generation of experimental products, the Holy Spirit Palace had successfully developed new Heavenly Secret Golems. However, the production cost was too high, and the side effects were still unknown, so they hadn't yet been put into use at that time. When the eleventh generation of Heavenly Secret Golems appeared, everything changed.”

Qiao Qianzhi's eyes were extremely solemn as he slowly said, “The eleventh generation of Heavenly Secret Golems are also called War Machines. These are completely successful products. Each one is born for battle and possesses the combat power to instantly kill Sovereign-level ghost beasts!”

“Instantly kill?” Xu Xiaoshou was startled. “That's terrifying!”

Wouldn't every War Machine be a Void-level existence, or even... higher? Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even imagine it. If they were Half-Saint level War Machines... was that possible? Wasn't the current Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Palace only at that level?

“Can these things be mass-produced?”

Hearing this, Qiao Qianzhi chuckled wryly.

“Do you think War Machines grow on trees? As I said, the cost of producing Heavenly Secret Golems is extremely high. Currently, the total number in use across the entire continent wouldn't even exceed three digits.”

Xu Xiaoshou clicked his tongue in admiration, “Three digits, that's already a lot.”

“Not really...” Qiao Qianzhi shook his head, a look of dread flashing in his eyes. “Compared to the opening of various dimensional rifts across the continent, this number is like a drop in the ocean. But their existence certainly has significance. At the very least, the success of the War Machines gave the high-ranking officials immense confidence. If there's one success and then another, why not a third? As long as there are enough resources and the Heavenly Secret Arts develop to a higher level, it's possible that in the future, War Machines capable of instantly killing Sovereigns and even Dao-cutters could be produced.”

Qiao Qianzhi's voice was full of awe. “Hall Master Dao is too powerful. That's one of the reasons he could become the current Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Palace.”

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts, however, had completely derailed. Looking at the glowing red iron ball in his hand, he felt a strange unease.

He had thought A-Jie was unique, but he never expected there were so many of its kind in the world.

“So, A-Jie is an outdated existence now?” he sighed softly.

Facing this question, Elder Qiao shook his head with a chuckle.

“Outdated? Not at all.”

He denied, “The fundamental reason War Machines can be mass-produced lies in whether they are completely controllable. If a War Machine were to lose control during a mission, the damage it would cause...”

Qiao Qianzhi himself couldn't even imagine it. Sovereigns were already forbidden from using their full power on the continent. To engage in battle, they had to enter specific domains or special spaces. And War Machines, even more terrifying, if they lost control, the damage they could cause might instantly wipe out an entire city!

Xu Xiaoshou clearly also thought of this. With his intelligence, he naturally understood Elder Qiao's meaning immediately.

“So, to ensure complete control, all new-generation War Machines are without intelligence?”

“Not just new-generation,” Qiao Qianzhi meticulously added, “It's all of them! Any War Machine that shows even a possibility of developing intelligence must undergo immediate destruction. Otherwise, the subsequent cleanup work would definitely be far more complicated than manufacturing a single War Machine. If they can't be controlled immediately and are allowed to roam for two or three days, the world might truly plunge into a new war.”

Xu Xiaoshou's scalp tingled. Roaming for two or three days... He could hardly imagine the consequences if such terrifying War Machines were to unleash their power unchecked on the human continent for two or three days. It would likely lead to the annihilation of countless Tiansang Counties!

“Tsk, tsk...” Xu Xiaoshou had truly never heard of such secrets on the continent before.

“So, A-Jie's existence is actually still unique?” He looked at the iron ball in his hand.

The iron ball, A-Jie, seemed to sense his emotions. “Ma-ma...”

Qiao Qianzhi's body stiffened, and he quickly retreated.

He didn't give a definite answer but ambiguously said, “Perhaps. At least that sound alone completely differentiates it from the subsequent generations. A-Jie has the potential for growth, but similarly, its risks are far greater than you can imagine. Have you... ever considered what would happen if it lost control?” Elder Qiao asked in a low voice.

Xu Xiaoshou's heart tightened. “It's fine right now.”

“Being fine now doesn't mean it will always be so in the future.”

Qiao Qianzhi retorted, “Once a trigger point appears that could ignite its emotions, A-Jie might even lose complete control, to the point of not recognizing you. Although your ability to get along is a miracle, uncertainty is uncertainty, and 'what if' always exists.”

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent for a moment. Without a doubt, he acknowledged Elder Qiao's words.

“So, what do you intend to do about it?”

But he didn't believe that the influential figures of the Spirit Palace, who had kept A-Jie hidden for so many years, would reactivate destruction protocols just because he brought A-Jie out.

As expected, Elder Qiao's expression became awkward. These were originally words he intended to use to warn Xu Xiaoshou, even chastise him a bit. He didn't expect the guy to throw them right back.

“You clever rascal...” He chuckled, cursing lightly, then said, “The Spirit Palace naturally has no intention of destroying it; in fact, it's impossible to do so. So, if A-Jie shows any signs of losing control, your only course of action is to...”

Xu Xiaoshou leaned in, his eyes full of anticipation. “What then?”

“Run!” Elder Qiao declared unequivocally. “Don't hesitate for a second, and absolutely do not let anyone discover your connection to A-Jie, or things will get really messy.”

Xu Xiaoshou: “...” He was utterly bewildered that Elder Qiao would give such an answer in such a serious situation. But upon closer thought, it seemed there really wasn't a better answer, was there?

But abandon A-Jie? Xu Xiaoshou hesitated.

“Whack!” Qiao Qianzhi instantly slapped him on the head, but his hand bounced right off. His face darkened.

“What are you thinking? If it really comes to that, are you going to stay and wait for death instead of running? Loss of control means loss of control. There's nothing to regret. I'm telling you all this because I don't want to see you get into trouble and drag yourself down!”

“Oh.” Xu Xiaoshou could only nod.

“Right.” Qiao Qianzhi suddenly snapped to attention, his expression becoming alert.

“This is a secret of the continent; you absolutely must not speak carelessly about it. Also, within the Holy Spirit Palace, many people know about the existence of War Machines, but they are mostly high-ranking officials. Those below, even if they've heard whispers, rarely witness them. But even so, A-Jie must never appear before any of their people. Once exposed, not only will they immediately execute the destruction procedure, but even you, who are connected to A-Jie, might also be directly destroyed. Understand?”

Xu Xiaoshou's heart jolted. “Understood, understood, I get it. Don't flaunt your wealth!”

Qiao Qianzhi was still uneasy and said, “Especially the Red Clothes, and the White Clothes...”

“The White Clothes...” His voice trailed off, then stopped. His eyes showed some hesitation, but he still said, “When the White Cave opens this time, even members of the White Clothes might come. You need to be wary of one person.”

“Who?” Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. Was there a member of the White Clothes he needed to be wary of? Was he even qualified for that?

He was quite self-aware. With his mere Origin Court cultivation, if a White Clothes member even bothered to give him a second glance, it would probably only be because he looked relatively handsome.

Qiao Qianzhi paid no attention to this, but said in a muffled voice, “Gou Wuyue.”

“Who's that?”

“One of the Seven Sword Immortals, Sword Immortal Wuyue!”

Xu Xiaoshou froze for several seconds before finally reacting. The Seven Sword Immortals? The legendary Seven Sword Immortals? Weren't they the seven most formidable sword cultivators on the continent? They were god-like figures! Beings only found in textbooks. After all, even the Eighth Sword Immortal, revered by the world, couldn't achieve one of those titles and was only posthumously granted the title of 'Half Sword Immortal,' or "Eighth Sword Immortal," after his demise.

And now, Elder Qiao was saying... he needed to be wary of such an existence?

“Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

Xu Xiaoshou quickly pulled his head back and rephrased, “Elder Qiao, you must be joking, right?”

Qiao Qianzhi: “...” Received a Curse, Passive Points +1.

This guy is too undisciplined! But he didn't mind Xu Xiaoshou's tone; after all, their good rapport was precisely due to Xu Xiaoshou's lack of formality, and Qiao Qianzhi's selective disregard.

“If I can say it, it's certainly not a joke.” Qiao Qianzhi rolled his eyes and said, “You need to understand, what could the White Cave possess that would attract such a figure?”

“The Four Swords?” Xu Xiaoshou blurted out.

“Exactly!” Receiving confirmation, Xu Xiaoshou's face instantly darkened.

Damn Elder Sang, he must be crazy! With such a figure coming to contend for the Four Swords, he actually told Xu Xiaoshou to go after that sword in his letter, in a dismissive, overly casual tone? Wasn't that a surefire way to seek death? “Crazy, just crazy.”

“The White Cave is so dangerous, this spot isn't worth it! Not only can A-Jie not be used there, but even the Four Swords are probably a huge trap. If a Seven Sword Immortal can appear openly, aren't there even more terrifying sword masters lurking in the shadows?”

Xu Xiaoshou didn't believe that the continent had no other sword cultivators besides those with the Seven Sword Immortals title. On the contrary, those who couldn't achieve the title of Seven Sword Immortal but were equally terrifying in strength were probably the true formidable contenders for the Four Swords. After all, they might only be one "Four Swords" away from the title of "Seven Sword Immortal"!

“Hahaha...” Qiao Qianzhi watched Xu Xiaoshou's face turn pale with panic and immediately burst into laughter.

“Xu Xiaoshou, are you crazy?! I only told you to be wary; I didn't say you'd actually confront a Seven Sword Immortal. There are restrictions on entering the White Cave. At least those at the Sovereign level and above cannot enter openly, unless they smuggle themselves in.”

Xu Xiaoshou was even more horrified. “Didn't you say there are those who smuggle themselves in? Can ordinary people withstand those 'things' that can smuggle themselves in?”

“'Things'?” Qiao Qianzhi's eyes became playful. Xu Xiaoshou, it seemed, knew quite a lot!

“Ahem, those guys...” Xu Xiaoshou's mouth twitched, and he quickly changed the subject, asking, “Only those below the Sovereign level can enter?”

“Yes.” Qiao Qianzhi confirmed, “After all, on the surface, the opening of the White Cave is merely a normal secret realm trial.”

Xu Xiaoshou felt powerless. “A normal secret realm trial, my foot.” If anyone still believed that, they must be utterly naive and stubborn.

“Has the Spirit Palace sent many people in?” Xu Xiaoshou thought of the two teams. “Could it be that everyone with potential has gone?”

“Precisely!”

“Isn't that just seeking death?” Xu Xiaoshou became anxious.

He didn't have deep feelings for the Spirit Palace, but that didn't mean he had no feelings at all. People were like that. Even sitting in the same public restroom for a long time could create an inexplicable sense of familiarity, let alone Xu Xiaoshou, who had been living in the Spirit Palace ever since he arrived.

Qiao Qianzhi nodded with a smile, seemingly pleased by Xu Xiaoshou's concern. But his words were incredibly sharp.

“Without experiencing the baptism of life and death, how can one face tomorrow after breaking through a realm?”

Xu Xiaoshou disagreed, “If everyone dies, there will be no tomorrow; that day would be the apocalypse.”

“They won't all die.” Qiao Qianzhi said with a chuckle, “Those destined to die will die, and those meant to live will always find a way to survive.”

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless. That was too cruel, openly sending people to their deaths!

“No Spirit Palace would not want to cultivate at least one talent capable of rising beyond their county.”

Qiao Qianzhi sighed softly and turned to look at the sky. He was silent for a long time before finally asking:

“Xu Xiaoshou, do you really think the White Cave is very dangerous?”

Xu Xiaoshou paused. Not dangerous? With the Four Swords and a gathering of geniuses and heroes, if this wasn't dangerous, what was?

Seeing that he didn't speak, Qiao Qianzhi smiled and slightly shook his head.

“You think the White Cave is dangerous because you've only ever stood on the ground here.” He pointed to the ground. “The land of Tiansang County has restricted the horizons of many people. For every Spirit Cultivator, pursuit is actually the most important thing.”

Qiao Qianzhi turned his head and said meaningfully, “Always having higher aspirations is the capital that allows a Spirit Cultivator to continuously break through to higher realms.”

Xu Xiaoshou was slightly dazed. He understood the principle, but what did it have to do with the White Cave?

Seeing that he still didn't understand, Qiao Qianzhi immediately chuckled. Xu Xiaoshou was very intelligent. But some things genuinely required a broader perspective to be seen.

“The White Cave is indeed very dangerous. But that's only relative to the various trial secret realms in Tiansang County. If it weren't for the Four Swords, the White Cave would at most be just another Tianxuan Gate, albeit a bit more difficult. And even with the addition of the Four Swords, some things are still beyond the reach of you young ones who are merely participating in the trials.”

Seeing Xu Xiaoshou's stunned expression, Qiao Qianzhi continued his lecture.

“Compared to other terrifying dimensional spaces in the world, or legendary forbidden lands like the 'Seven Severed Restrictions,' even with the addition of the Four Swords, I can only say its difficulty is moderate!”

Xu Xiaoshou's mind wavered. He then realized that, unconsciously, due to pressures from various sides, he had developed a pre-battle apprehension towards the White Cave.

“Moderate difficulty?” he murmured unconsciously.

“Exactly.” Qiao Qianzhi's eyes held a hint of reminiscence. “After leaving the Tiansang Spirit Palace, and even Tiansang County, and truly seeing the true landscape of this continent... Only then will you understand that one White Cave is nothing; a single Four Swords is equally insignificant!”

Xu Xiaoshou was dazed again, seemingly impacted by these words. After a long pause, he finally said, “If the Four Swords are nothing, then why would one of the Seven Sword Immortals come here?”

Qiao Qianzhi was momentarily speechless. Received a Curse, Passive Points +1.

“The Four Swords have absolutely nothing to do with you, so why are you overthinking it?” Elder Qiao snapped, bristling with anger. “Didn't your master tell you to take it easy?! Once you enter the White Cave, just dutifully look for resources, find your 'Emberlight Grand Fire Seed,' and the rest has nothing to do with you!”

“Oh.” Xu Xiaoshou understood. So Elder Sang's requirements for him were truly unknown to everyone else! Even Elder Qiao probably thought he was just like any other trial participant? How ignorant!

“Alright, I understand. Thank you for the lesson.” Xu Xiaoshou gave a slight bow.

Qiao Qianzhi looked at the young man's casual, indifferent posture before him and couldn't help but feel annoyed. This kid... was just asking for a beating.

“I'm lecturing you, and that's your attitude? How do you treat an elder?” He sighed. “Ah, never mind, never mind. Just be careful yourself. I won't say any more.” Qiao Qianzhi felt like he needed to leave; he couldn't stay any longer.

“Oh, right. The person I just mentioned you should be wary of, I wasn't joking about him. If you enter the White Cave and encounter him, steer clear.”

“Why?” Xu Xiaoshou didn't understand. He didn't think he could spark any trouble with a legendary Seven Sword Immortal.

Qiao Qianzhi then chuckled. “No particular reason, just that your master has a grudge against him!”

Xu Xiaoshou: “...” That old scoundrel, he set me up! He ran off, and told me to go get a sword! He told me to get a sword, but didn't warn me of the dangers! And if the dangers weren't enough, he even attracted a former enemy?!

That's a Seven Sword Immortal! A Seven Sword Immortal... “Huh?” Xu Xiaoshou was suddenly startled. That old geezer, could he be an opponent of a Seven Sword Immortal? No. It should be: could he have been an opponent of a former Seven Sword Immortal?

“Elder Sang, is he that strong?”

Qiao Qianzhi's smile faltered, and a hint of confusion, along with a faint unfamiliarity, finally appeared in his eyes. “Him? I can't quite see through him either...”