Chapter 1581: The Name of the Sword Saint Xing

"Pfft!"

The mouthful of water he had just drunk spurted out, and Zhang Xuan almost burst into tears on the spot.

Zhang Diaofei... Diaofei? Truly soaring? Is that even a human name? Are you serious about such a casual name, Father?

"It's awful, isn't it? Because of that name, we didn't speak for days..." At this, Sword Saint Meng was still indignant.

"You know his situation. The uglier the name, the easier he is to raise... I was just hoping for good luck, wasn't I? Besides, it's just a nickname. We can still choose a nicer formal name, right?" Sword Saint Xing offered an awkward laugh.

It was common practice to give unpleasant names to children born with poor health or other issues, such as Gou Dan (Dog Guts), Gou Sheng (Dog Remnant), Mao Dan (Hairy Egg), or Er Pi (Second Skin). The belief was that the uglier the name, the easier the child would be to raise. Although his son's situation appeared illustrious to outsiders, they knew the true circumstances very well. They felt they had to choose an inauspicious-sounding name to suppress any ill fortune. Moreover, it was only a nickname; once their luck turned, they could switch to a proper formal name, and others would simply forget the old one.

"How dare you even mention a formal name! Go on, tell our son what formal name you chose!" Sword Saint Meng scoffed.

"Uh..." Sword Saint Xing scratched his head, unable to speak.

"What is it called?" Zhang Xuan looked over again.

"It's called... Anbang!" said Sword Saint Xing. "Zhang Anbang!"

"Pfft!"

Zhang Xuan spat out another mouthful of water, nearly choking. Although the name wasn't as bad as Diaofei, it was incredibly common and uninspired.

"It's really not bad! I'm Zhenxing, you're Anbang, how fitting!" Sword Saint Xing nodded.

"Zhenxing? Zhang Zhenxing?" Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched.

He had always heard of Sword Saint Xingmeng, believing it was a combination of a character from each of their names. He had imagined his father would have a grand, imposing name, but it turned out to be... Zhang Zhenxing. Oh well! Even more commonplace! He clutched his forehead, his face etched with a look of deep exasperation.

It was a good thing he had gone missing as a child. Otherwise, imagine this: during a grand battle, he would leap forward and announce, "I am Zhang Anbang!" Then, a formidable opponent across from him might declare, "I am Li Dingguo!" How utterly awkward that would be!

"I think Zhang Xuan sounds quite nice, actually..." Shaking his head, unwilling to use the name his father had chosen, Zhang Xuan looked at him again. "Given that my birth was accompanied by so many extraordinary phenomena, and my bloodline is naturally powerful, I should have been thoroughly protected. Why then..."

"Come with me, I'll show you something!" Seeing his continued questions and not knowing how to answer, after a moment, Sword Saint Xing stood up: "Ah Meng, Master Yang, please don't follow. This is something Xuan'er and I should discuss privately."

"Mhm!" Master Yang and Sword Saint Meng both nodded simultaneously.

"Let's go!" Sword Saint Xing led the way, and the two walked one after another for a while until they reached a grand hall. The hall was dark and silent, without any light. Special seals surrounded it. Upon arriving, Sword Saint Xing gently pressed his palm against the wall. Whoosh! Flames ignited inside the hall, illuminating it brightly.

Zhang Xuan looked inside. What appeared before him was not a main hall but a narrow passage, its walls carved with countless bas-reliefs. Stepping into the passage, Sword Saint Xing stopped before one of the carvings.

It depicted a white-bearded elder locked in a brutal battle with the Otherworldly Demons. The combat was fierce, with various forces converging, seemingly tearing apart heaven and earth. Behind the elder stood a group of ordinary people with no cultivation, appearing as if they would face slaughter and massacre if the elder fell.

"This is our Zhang Clan's first ancestor, also the first clan head. His cultivation was unparalleled throughout history, reaching the Ancient Sage level. He fought thirty-seven battles for humanity in his lifetime, each one draining his life force, bringing him to the brink of death! Without him, the Zhang Clan would not have survived, and at least half of humanity would have perished. It can be said that he is an indispensable hero in the entire history of humanity!" Sword Saint Xing explained, his eyes filled with respect.

Zhang Xuan nodded. Throughout human history, there have been countless heroic figures worthy of praise; without them, there would be no current peace and prosperity. He had heard rumors about this first ancestor of the Zhang Clan before; he was indeed an unparalleled genius, though still far behind Master Kong. Nevertheless, he was a renowned figure on the continent.

Alone with his sword, he infiltrated the Otherworldly Demon main camp twice, slaying countless emperors and saving no fewer than twenty nine-star Master Teachers! On one occasion, when the Otherworldly Demon army attacked, he single-handedly held them off for three full days, thus preserving billions of human lives—a feat that became a legend.

"This is the second clan head, who also reached the Ancient Sage level. He fought against the Otherworldly Demons in over a hundred battles, large and small, sustaining seventy-seven severe injuries throughout his body. When his life reached its end, a fragment of an Otherworldly Demon's hand bone was still lodged in his chest, unremoved..."

"This is the third clan head. He ventured deep into the catacombs, and during a battle, his hand was severed. He then replaced it with the hoof of a Saint Beast and cultivated unique martial arts..."

"This is the fourth clan head..."

"This is the ninth clan head..."

They slowly proceeded along the passage, each carving a monumental record of an era.

"For tens of thousands of years after Master Kong left the continent, the Otherworldly Demons launched countless invasions, yet they were always repelled. It wasn't just the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Combat Master Hall, nor countless other powerful individuals, who sacrificed their lives; our Zhang Clan also accumulated immense merits! Truly, the Zhang Clan earned its status as the leading clan through bloodshed and countless lives, not by merely flaunting its power to gain recognition!" Sword Saint Xing declared.

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Knowing the history of the past and seeing the reliefs before him, he could grasp the brutality of those times. These ancestors had shed their blood and given their lives for the prosperity of humanity; their sacrifices were immense.

Previously, Zhang Xuan had harbored a slight resentment, feeling that the Zhang Clan, relying on its status as the foremost family, often compelled others to do things against their will. However, seeing these depictions, he now understood that their enduring prominence on the continent was indeed built upon sacrifices far greater than those of others.

"More than ten thousand years ago, the world underwent a great upheaval, and no one could break through to the Ancient Sage realm anymore... Humanity reached a true period of life and death!" Sword Saint Xing's expression grew solemn: "To resist the Otherworldly Demons and allow future generations to live in peace and prosperity, a group of Ancient Sages who were still alive at the time made an agreement: they would enter a special slumber and be awakened only when war broke out! After battling and repelling the enemy, they would return to their slumber... Although this was no different from being dead, they were willing to do it for humanity!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan's mouth opened, remaining agape for a long time. Although he had previously heard Master Yang mention that some Ancient Sages on the continent survived by secret techniques, and he knew their reasons for doing so, he couldn't help but feel profound admiration. Those who could break through to the Ancient Sage level were all astonishingly talented top figures. Such individuals, if they lived, would undoubtedly enjoy the best treatment and most abundant resources. Yet, they desired none of it. To protect humanity, they directly entered slumber, allowing their continued existence solely for battle... This kind of virtue was truly admirable.