Chapter 1299: Five Minutes

“Charge directly?” Brother Hu and several other young men pondered.

“None of us are weak. If we work together to seal his cultivation and prevent him from releasing his weapons, it shouldn't be too difficult! As long as we succeed, there’s nothing to worry about. Once we get the treasure, it will be up to each of us to seize our own opportunity. What do you think?”

Sun Qian analyzed the situation.

“This Zhang Xuan is indeed a big problem. Brother Sun is right; we must subdue him first to get the treasure, otherwise, we’ll get nothing!”

Brother Hu also nodded.

“Since we’ve agreed, let’s make a Master Teacher’s Vow. Anyone who violates it will be disgraced!” Sun Qian nodded.

“Good!”

Everyone nodded simultaneously.

Soon, the agreement was finalized, and Sun Qian and the others swiftly flew towards the direction where the treasure was emerging.

Although the formation on the island was powerful, they were all top-tier geniuses, and with strength in numbers, they quickly pinpointed the exact location and arrived before a stone wall.

Bypassing the stone wall and moving forward, a large expanse of mist appeared before them.

It was then that they discovered the remaining twenty-plus people who had come for the retest had also arrived.

“How about we secure the treasure first, and then compete?”

Sun Qian shared his previous idea.

“Alright!” Everyone agreed.

“No matter which one is real or fake… just kill them both!”

After trying to discern for a long time and failing to identify the real Zhang Xuan, Ji Lingfeng quickly shouted.

“Exactly! Please, senior, strike them down and kill these two fellows…” Ji Lingzhen cupped his fists.

Just one Zhang Xuan had already rendered him unable to retaliate and nearly killed him; now that another had appeared, he certainly couldn't resist.

“Kill both of them? That’s not impossible, but give me another weapon like the Whispering Sword…” The longsword on the stone platform said nonchalantly, as if stretching.

“This…”

Ji Lingzhen’s face twitched.

While ordinary mid-tier saint artifacts weren't hard to find in the Qianchong Empire, a weapon of the Whispering Sword’s caliber was as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, extremely difficult to find.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to help Ji Lingfeng just for one sword.

“Senior knows that artifacts of this caliber are rare, but… give me time, and I can certainly find one. However, this one before us must be killed as soon as possible, otherwise, the trouble will be immense…”

After a pause, Ji Lingzhen quickly said.

Before he could finish, the young man not far away spoke with a hint of disdain in his voice: “All this talk, and you just don’t want to hand over a saint artifact!”

After saying this, one of the young men stepped forward, his eyes filled with indignation: “Senior, do you know why these two want to kill me? It’s because they stole my ancestral saint artifact longsword! Fearing my elders would find out, they lured me here to silence me!”

“Stole a saint artifact?”

“Who stole your saint artifact? You’re the one who stole my spirit stones!”

Unexpectedly, he suddenly interjected at that moment. Ji Lingzhen and Ji Lingfeng were both stunned, so furious they felt like exploding.

Have you no shame?

When on earth did we ever steal anything from you?

“Stole your saint artifact longsword? What level?”

The longsword on the stone platform quivered, and a surge of sword qi sealed the space, causing Ji Lingzhen and his companion to stop speaking.

“Reporting, senior, it’s a half-step Domain level artifact. Although it hasn’t reached the high-grade level, it’s not far off… It was bestowed upon me by an elder of my clan to protect my life!”

Zhang Xuan, who had just spoken, said hurriedly.

“A half-step Domain level saint artifact?” The longsword on the stone platform snorted, its sword qi surging horizontally and vertically, seemingly with anger.

“Senior, don’t listen to his nonsense! When did I ever steal anything from him? Besides, as a rogue cultivator, how could he possibly possess such a powerful weapon?”

Ji Lingzhen was full of anxiety.

The spirit of weapons is generally simple, and this longsword had a particular fondness for other sword-type weapons.

That was precisely why the Whispering Sword and the Chirping Sword could entice it to help and build a good relationship.

He had believed that after hundreds of years of interaction, it had already considered them friends, never dreaming that it would be deceived by this fellow’s two sentences!

“Who said I’m a rogue cultivator? I am a genius from the Saint Clan Zhang! If senior doesn’t believe me, you can examine my blood…”

Raising an eyebrow, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and a drop of blood flew out.

“Descendants of Saint Clans possess saintly power within their bodies and can release saint qi using special methods…” The longsword on the stone platform seemed to know something and quivered slightly.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Several streams of sword qi immediately landed on the blood. A surge of saint qi instantly erupted and diffused.

“Although it’s very faint and negligible, it is indeed the bloodline of a Saint Clan…”

The longsword acknowledged.

“This…”

Ji Lingzhen’s body stiffened.

The information Ji Lingfeng gave him only mentioned that Zhang Xuan was a minor figure from the Qingyuan Empire. When did he become a member of the Saint Clan Zhang?

If he had known he was connected to a Saint Clan, he wouldn’t have dared to act even if beaten to death!

“Senior, don’t believe this fellow’s wild claims… To gain the recognition of such a powerful longsword, one must have an extremely high comprehension of sword arts. This fellow specializes in saber arts, palm arts, fist arts, and movement techniques; even if he knows some sword arts, it’s absolutely impossible for him to subdue a half-step Domain level longsword…”

Seeing the other party waver, Ji Lingfeng continued.

Neither he nor Ji Lingzhen were a match for him; they could only rely on this sword, the Sword Elder’s treasured blade, to change the outcome. If it were truly swayed by the opponent or believed him to be a descendant of a Saint Clan, they would certainly be the ones to die!

Previously, when he fought with this person, he was skilled in saber arts, fist arts, palm arts, and movement techniques, but he didn’t use sword arts much…

Swords are agile, while sabers are heavy. Normally, those skilled in saber arts are generally not proficient in sword arts!

As long as they seized this point and confirmed that the opponent couldn’t subdue a peak mid-tier saint artifact, it would prove that his earlier words were a lie!

Indeed, upon hearing this, the longsword on the stone platform’s voice became displeased: “You specialize in saber arts?”

Swords and sabers were always at odds, constantly competing. Naturally, it disliked this person for specializing in saber arts.

“Senior, don’t listen to his nonsense. I am a sword cultivator, and what I’m most proficient in is sword arts. My comprehension of sword arts has already reached the Upper Sword Heart realm. How could I possibly cultivate saber arts?”

Zhang Xuan pointed a finger.

Zzzzt!

A stream of sword qi tore through the air, illuminating the surroundings.

The sword intent was pure, indeed having already reached the Upper Sword Heart realm, not far from half-step True Insight.

“You…”

Ji Lingzhen and Ji Lingfeng were both stunned.

They had all seen this fellow controlling hundreds of blades to dismantle the formation earlier and thought he was using sabers… How did he turn to swords in the blink of an eye? And with such pure sword qi?

Even surpassing them?

“Clear sword intent, stable aura—one could not comprehend such a realm without a genuine passion for the Way of the Sword!” The longsword on the stone platform quivered, praising from the bottom of its heart.

“This…”

Ji Lingzhen and Ji Lingfeng both stiffened simultaneously.

Judging by the longsword’s tone, it already had some admiration for this fellow… How were they supposed to kill him now?

“I spent at least five hundred years just to get close, offering treasures and weapons worth tens of thousands of high-grade spirit stones… My own understanding of the Way of the Sword has even reached half-step True Insight, yet after all this time, I still haven’t gained its recognition… Why can this fellow, who is merely at the Upper Sword Heart realm, earn its praise?”

Ji Lingzhen couldn’t believe it.

Refining high-grade longswords was somewhat similar to taming beasts; it required the persistent effort of 'water dripping through stone' to gain its recognition.

He had expended his life’s effort just to get close to this sword, yet he hadn’t received any praise. The other party merely said a few words and was showered with compliments… Since when did this longsword become so understanding?

If it had been like this earlier, he wouldn’t have made no progress for so many years!

“This fellow used Demonic Tones and Teacher’s Encomium!”

Seeing his confusion, Ji Lingfeng quickly transmitted a message.

The opponent’s voice carried persuasion and enchantment; he clearly saw it. Otherwise, given the longsword’s nature, it would have surely struck him down long ago.

“Damn it!”

As soon as the other party said it, Ji Lingzhen understood, his eyes chilling, trembling with rage.

“Senior, don’t listen to his nonsense…”

Anxiously, he rushed forward.

“Shut up!”

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes: “Senior, the most important reason these two want to kill me is because… I have completely comprehended the character ‘Sword’ left by the Sword Elder, and my understanding of the Way of the Sword is about to break through to True Insight! They fear being surpassed by me, which is why they have always wanted to act…”

“Completely comprehended the character ‘Sword’? Is that true?”

The longsword on the stone platform trembled and hurriedly asked.

“Of course it’s true!” Zhang Xuan nodded: “Every stroke of this character contains a total of one hundred and seven sword techniques. On the whole, they are unrelated, having no connection, and many even conflict with each other. However… this is precisely the Sword Elder’s brilliance. He has actually already merged these one hundred and seven sword techniques to create a completely new set of sword arts! Senior, am I right?”

“Continue!”

The longsword urged.

“Although this set of sword arts isn’t explicitly shown within the character ‘Sword,’ I can deduce some things. It should encompass all things and command all weapons… If I’m not mistaken, the Sword Elder’s sword art should be related to a certain sword formation, and to fully activate and unleash it, senior must be at its core!”

Zhang Xuan continued. The external stone stele recorded the wisdom of countless individuals. Through the library, he had already found the most correct cultivation methods, and then, combining them with his understanding of the Way of the Sword, summarizing these points was not difficult!

“Well said…”

The longsword on the stone platform responded, looking at the young man before it once more, growing more satisfied the longer it observed.

To comprehend all this merely from a single character ‘Sword’—his talent was indeed terrifyingly powerful!

If Ji Lingzhen had comprehended these things back then, it might have already submitted and become his weapon.

“You just said you’re about to break through to True Insight of the Way of the Sword… How long will that take, I wonder? Ten years? Fifty years? Or a hundred years?”

Remembering the other party’s words, the longsword couldn’t help but ask.

With such a deep understanding of the Sword Elder’s inscribed character, and then achieving True Insight of the Way of the Sword, he would completely meet all the requirements for the latter’s legacy.

“It won’t take that long…”

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes: “Just wait a moment… five minutes!”