Chapter 1190: Who Asks the Sword?

The Seventh Prince was also pondering the identity of the mysterious powerful figure who had just inexplicably saved him.

"Seventh Brother, are you alright? You truly terrified me just now. Why did you unleash such powerful spiritual energy, causing seven ancient divine artifacts to resonate with you simultaneously? If my judgment is correct, the reason all seven swords were pointed at you just now was precisely because the spiritual energy resonance you released was so strong that the seven swords adopted a confrontational stance, flying towards you in a combative manner!"

The Seventh Prince naturally couldn't say much. He forced a smile and nodded to the Fourth Prince. "Forget it, Fourth Brother, how is this related to you? There's no need for you to blame yourself. It was all because the desire I displayed just now was too strong, leading to this situation. It seems people truly shouldn't be greedy. Perhaps this time, these ancient divine weapons in the Sword Pavilion and I are simply not fated."

After realizing the situation was far from what he had imagined, the Seventh Prince dared not linger on the high platform. Having created an excuse for both parties, he immediately soared into the air and landed steadily, returning to the outer edge of the building where the other princes and nobles were located.

"Seventh Brother, that was truly dangerous just now. From our vantage point, we could clearly see seven swords rushing towards you simultaneously, each emitting an extremely powerful aura of slaughter. It seems that if your Fourth Brother hadn't been so eager to protect you, an accident could easily have occurred." The speaker was the Second Prince, the second eldest among the seven great princes. This individual was also a deeply calculating presence. His words clearly carried a hidden meaning, repeatedly hinting to the Seventh Prince to discern the Fourth Prince's true intentions.

Little did he know, all the princes and nobles present were exceptionally shrewd individuals. They all knew perfectly well that this was essentially a trap, a 'Hongmen Banquet'. Unfortunately, at that critical moment, an unknown force intervened, helping the Seventh Prince avert danger.

After the crisis was resolved, the Fifth Prince glanced at Xu Yang, knowing full well that only Xu Yang possessed the ability to control the situation to that extent within the entire Sword Pavilion.

What the Fifth Prince didn't understand was why Xu Yang had saved the Seventh Prince at such a crucial moment. This act brought a 'Sword-Seeking' trial that was supposed to fully escalate back to a state of calm, completely disrupting their original plans.

Little did he know, Xu Yang simply maintained a calm and composed expression, smiling slightly and shaking his head gently at the Fifth Prince, seemingly conveying a message of 'don't be agitated.'

The Fifth Prince was indeed somewhat bewildered. He couldn't fathom what Xu Yang was truly planning. However, in the current situation, he could do nothing but follow Xu Yang's lead. He could only nod slightly and redirect his gaze to the Fourth Prince on the high platform, wanting to see how he would proceed with his scheme.

"Very well. Seventh Brother just narrowly escaped a crisis, but what is the situation with these ancient divine weapons beneath the Sword Pavilion? It seems that to ensure the absolute safety of the 'Sword-Seeking' process, I have decided to demonstrate it myself to all fellow daoists. What just happened was absolutely an accident."

"For thousands of years within this Sword Pavilion, countless skilled individuals have attempted to seek swords, and never has anyone experienced a situation like that. To ensure that no one harbors any doubts about the safety of the Sword Pavilion itself, I will personally seek a sword now as a demonstration for everyone."

The Fourth Prince was indeed a shrewd man, for he knew very well that only by doing this could he calm the emotions of those who had come to seek swords.

As expected, the Fourth Prince's next move was flawless. After all, the entire building was within his control. Without his disciple secretly manipulating things, the Fourth Prince faced no danger whatsoever. He smoothly drew forth an ancient divine weapon from the Sword Pavilion, one that perfectly matched his aura.

The sword was entirely blue, clearly a top-tier divine artifact. The moment the Fourth Prince successfully grasped its hilt and 'conquered' this ancient divine weapon, a chorus of enthusiastic cheers erupted from below. Little did they know, the vast majority of these people were disciples from the Sword Pavilion, deliberately helping the Fourth Prince build momentum.

It should be known that the Sword Pavilion used such methods to attract powerful cultivators and heroes from across the land to retrieve ancient divine weapons. However, in reality, all of them had to sign an unwritten agreement with the Sword Sect lineage and the Fourth Prince's forces. Should the Fourth Prince's forces require their support in the future, these heroes who had received favors from the Sword Pavilion would offer their full backing.

If the recent scheme were to affect the mood of the other princes and heroes who came to seek swords, preventing them from doing so would mean a significant loss for the Fourth Prince's lineage this time. After all, every time the Sword Pavilion opened its doors, it meant a substantial leakage of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. This spiritual energy was the most crucial resource for nurturing these ancient divine weapons. If they failed to recruit a sufficient number of influential martial artists into the Fourth Prince's faction, it would be a major loss for both the Sword Sect and the Fourth Prince's lineage. Moreover, the realm was currently in a critical period of upheaval. If he couldn't seize this opportunity to further win over powerful individuals to his team, then during the subsequent struggle among the seven great princes for dominion over the land, the Fourth Prince's secure position among the top three would be severely challenged.

"Alright, I believe everyone has clearly seen the Way of Sword-Seeking in the Sword Pavilion. There are no problems with the entire system. Next, it's time for the public 'Sword-Seeking' session. Any powerful individual below who wishes to seek a sword can do so on the high platforms in all directions. Each person only gets one chance. If you fail to seek a sword, it means you have not obtained the corresponding fortune during this opening of the Sword Pavilion. If you wish to seek a sword again, you will have to wait until the next time the Sword Pavilion opens. Therefore, I hope all fellow daoists cherish this rare opportunity!"

Upon hearing the Fourth Prince's words, the powerful individuals from various factions below, who had long been eager to try, could no longer wait. It seemed that the incident where the Seventh Prince had nearly been ensnared and killed by the strange sword formation in the Sword Pavilion had been completely forgotten.

It was evident that desire could truly make a person let down their guard in the most dangerous situations. The rhythm of the scene once again fell under the Fourth Prince's control.

As time passed, more and more ancient divine weapons were claimed by top swordsmen and powerful figures from various parts of the Central Domain Imperial Dynasty. It was clear that those qualified to enter the Sword Pavilion for 'Sword-Seeking' would, to some extent, gain something. Although the quality of the ancient divine weapons they acquired varied greatly, very few left without obtaining a single sword.