Chapter 2012: The Promotion Conditions of the Tongchang Sword

Elder Baiye knew Zhang Xuan's true identity. Before he could report it, the sword trial was about to commence, and then all these events unfolded.

Consequently, no one present had anticipated that this super genius, who had comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods, was neither a core, inner, nor outer disciple—he wasn't even a disciple of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion!

This was certainly an awkward situation.

Someone who wasn't even a disciple had not only comprehended the founding patriarch's sword intent but had also single-handedly defeated everyone from the inner sect to the sect master!

Upon hearing this explanation, Han Jianqiu, Elder He, and the others present flushed crimson, their breathing labored, feeling an urge to simply disappear.

What a predicament this was...

If news of this got out, it would be utterly humiliating!

"You... you truly have only been at the Sword Pavilion for a single day? And you comprehended the sword intent merely by passing by the main gate?"

Elder He felt like crying.

He had stood at the main gate, attempting to comprehend for over thirty years, tirelessly through every season, yet he had grasped absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, this person simply glanced at it in passing and instantly comprehended it...

This level of disparity was truly disheartening!

"Yes, it took a few breaths, perhaps," Zhang Xuan nodded.

Elder He's vision swam.

"It appears that comprehending the Sword Intent of the Gods isn't directly proportional to the time spent," Sect Master Han Jianqiu remarked, offering comfort upon seeing Elder He's crestfallen expression. He then turned to Zhang Xuan, saying, "Comprehending the ancestral sword intent means you are destined to be the next sect master, and no one can replace you. Not being a disciple is actually ideal! From this moment on, you shall be a core elder of the sect, enjoying all elder privileges!"

As the first person in thousands of years to comprehend the ancestral sword intent, the future of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion—whether it can evolve into the Lingyun Sword God Pavilion—might well depend on him. They certainly couldn't allow him to leave.

Since he wasn't a disciple, it wouldn't be appropriate to admit him as an inner or core disciple. After all, he had single-handedly challenged the sect master, grand elder, and others; no one in the entire sect was truly qualified to teach him swordsmanship anymore!

Instead, making him an elder seemed like the most sensible option.

This way, everyone would be on equal footing, and his future succession as sect master would also be considerably smoother.

"An elder?"

Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned.

He just became an elder, just like that?

"Precisely, but... this elder status cannot be disclosed for the time being. It can only be revealed once your cultivation reaches the Immortal Lord realm," Han Jianqiu stated.

The news of someone comprehending the Sword Intent of the Gods had already leaked. The sudden appearance of such a young elder would undoubtedly raise suspicions.

For safety's sake, it was better to maintain a low profile.

"In that case... may I access the elders' scripture collection?"

Zhang Xuan paused, then asked.

Whether it was announced or not was irrelevant to him; he disliked ostentation anyway. As long as he had books to read, everything else was a minor detail.

"Of course..." Han Jianqiu nodded, then flipped his wrist, producing a token. "This is an elder's token, signifying your status. It doesn't bear your name, but it contains my unique imprint. You may access any area a core elder can, and you may utilize the sect's resources for your own benefit, though... not excessively."

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

Zhang Xuan accepted the token.

With this, he could gather cultivation manuals for the True Immortal realm and successfully achieve a breakthrough!

Once he reached the peak of the True Immortal realm, coupled with his ability to fight opponents of higher levels, he would be capable of engaging Immortal Lord realm experts. Even across the entire continent, he would be considered safe.

"Normally, every elder has their own separate residence. However... for your safety, we won't prepare one for you yet. It's best if you continue to reside in the inner sect..."

Sect Master Han Jianqiu paused, then said with a hint of awkwardness.

This was the future sect master, and his current treatment was truly difficult to justify.

"Understood!"

Zhang Xuan didn't mind in the slightest.

If he were to be given an elder's residence now, it would effectively reveal his identity, making it difficult to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

After concluding the instructions, Sect Master Han paused briefly. "Now that you are an elder, please refrain from visiting the Deification Hall in the core or inner sects..."

Zhang Xuan assented.

With the token gifted by Master Kong, he would no longer be short on cultivation resources, and thus would naturally have no reason to trouble the core or inner sect disciples further.

"I'll take my leave..."

Having asked all his questions and had his identity confirmed, Zhang Xuan said nothing further, turned, and exited the Elder Hall.

Elder Baiye followed him out and escorted him back.

The moment he departed, silence descended upon the room.

After an indeterminate period, Elder He turned to the elder before him. "Sect Master, having comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods, it would be most beneficial for him to cultivate directly in the Sword Intent Palace for quicker progress. He now meets the qualifications, so why didn't you..."

The Sword Intent Palace was the most mysterious place in the Lingyun Sword Pavilion. After becoming sect master, one would enter it to hone their sword intent, thereby breaking through to the False God realm and significantly increasing their cultivation.

Since Zhang Xuan had comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods, his succession as sect master was inevitable and beyond dispute. To expedite his advancement, entering the Sword Intent Palace would be the optimal choice. So why had the Sect Master not even mentioned it?

"The Sword Intent Palace houses the invaluable sword intents of countless Lingyun Sword Pavilion ancestors. Successors who enter can study and draw inspiration from them, refining their own power, and indeed achieve rapid progress, but..."

Sect Master Han Jianqiu offered a wry smile. "This Zhang Xuan has already comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods, and his artistic conception surpasses that of all our ancestors. I fear that if he enters, it won't just fail to refine him; it might even destroy the entire Sword Intent Palace. After all, within a single day... he challenged and defeated everyone from the inner sect to the core, and even our Elder Hall. Let's... preserve some dignity for our ancestors!"

Elder He's eyebrows shot up.

He had a point.

This individual was quite disruptive; he had already challenged and defeated the inner and core sects. What if he were to enter the Sword Intent Palace, not to learn, but to challenge the ancestral intents, where would the dignity of their many ancestors lie?

The Sect Master's considerations were indeed more comprehensive. Otherwise... as their successors, they would be utterly disgraced.

"Elder He, Elder Qiu, I fear it may not be entirely safe within the Sword Pavilion. I must trouble both of you to take extra care and look after Zhang Xuan. He has only been with the sect for a day... and has already comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods. Perhaps our Lingyun Sword Pavilion will not only reclaim its ancestral glory but also, like the Deification Hall, rise above the other five great sects!"

Excitement shone in Han Jianqiu's eyes.

Although this Zhang Xuan seemed somewhat unreliable, his strength was undeniably formidable!

His comprehension of swordsmanship, in particular, surpassed theirs by an immeasurable degree.

As long as he cultivated to the same realm as they, the Lingyun Sword Pavilion could reclaim its former glory, become the undisputed leader among the six great sects, and perhaps even surpass the Deification Hall!

"Rest assured, Sect Master!"

Elder He and the others nodded in agreement.

For the sect, it was their undeniable duty!

Returning to Shan Xiaotian's courtyard, Zhang Xuan briefly instructed Bai Ruanqing and the others before retreating to his own room.

After setting up a series of protective enchantments around him, he flipped his wrist, and Master Kong's token appeared in his palm.

He dripped a drop of blood onto it to refine it, and swiftly understood its function.

This was not a Divine Communication Jade Talisman, nor did it grant access to the Deification Hall; rather, it was a token of immense significance.

Once refined, he could enter the external Deification Hall and acquire any amount of cultivation-enhancing treasures without any cost!

In essence, Master Kong had provided him with an unlimited gold card, allowing him to spend as he pleased!

Truly worthy of Master Kong's reputation... remarkably generous!

"I'm still within the Lingyun Sword Pavilion for now; I'll consider using it once I leave."

Reluctantly, he placed the token back into his storage ring.

While inside the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, even with a Divine Communication Jade Talisman, he would only access a "local network." To truly enter the external Deification Hall and enjoy the privilege of unlimited resources, he first needed to leave the restricted area.

After refining the token and understanding it couldn't be used immediately, Zhang Xuan flipped his palm again, and the Wutong Robe Sword, given to him by Han Jianqiu, appeared in his grasp.

The moment the longsword materialized, cracks instantly appeared in the surrounding space, as if unable to withstand the immense power radiating from the blade, threatening to tear apart at any moment.

Truly worthy of being an Immortal Lord peak-level weapon; its power was astonishing.

"Listen, kid, I'm here under orders to stay by your side. If you think you can refine me... your current strength is nowhere near enough! I advise you not to waste your effort. Also, it's best not to take me out without good reason, otherwise, I might not be able to control myself and end up beating you thoroughly!"

The Wutong Robe Sword twisted slightly and scoffed.

As an Immortal Lord peak-level weapon, acknowledging a mere Void Immortal realm youth as its master was nothing short of a profound humiliation.

"Beat me?" Zhang Xuan chuckled, lightly tracing his finger along the sword's edge. "If I'm not mistaken, you were forged by Ouyang Qingfeng, the continent's third-ranked sword smith, correct?"

"Indeed!" The Wutong Robe Sword subtly swayed.

Ouyang Qingfeng was a renowned sword smith on the continent, immensely famous for forging a total of seven Immortal Lord realm longswords during his lifetime, becoming a legend of his generation.

Precisely for this reason, the sword had always been incredibly proud of its origins.

"Master Ouyang Qingfeng's sword-forging technique is indeed formidable. He utilized two precious materials, Xuanyang Iron and Deep Sea Profound Crystal, combined with sophisticated forging methods. Your grade could have advanced further, yet you are only at the peak of the Immortal Lord realm... Do you know why?"

Zhang Xuan looked at it pointedly.

The materials used for the longsword before him were rare and exceptionally precious on the continent, and its forging technique was highly sophisticated. Under normal circumstances, with good fortune, it would have had the potential to advance to the False God realm. For it to remain merely at the peak of the Immortal Lord realm was, without a doubt, a great pity.

"Advance further? There are only a handful of False God realm weapons across the entire continent; how incredibly difficult is it to achieve that? Don't try to sway me with such empty words..."

The Wutong Robe Sword swayed slightly, adding, "If you're hoping to make me submit with just a few sentences, don't bother..."

A weapon of its caliber would not easily acknowledge a master.

Even its previous master had invested an immense amount of effort to successfully gain its recognition and ultimately refine it.

"Sway you? You're overthinking it. I'm merely stating a fact! Given your materials and the refining technique used, under normal circumstances, your chance of advancing to the False God realm is only one-tenth! And that would require the blessing of special power..."

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, then looked at the sword. "However... with me, if I so choose, I can ensure you reach the False God realm with 100% certainty!"

"Oh? And why do you possess such confidence? Do elaborate!"

The Wutong Robe Sword appeared entirely unimpressed and utterly disbelieving.

If False God realm weapons were so easy to attain, there wouldn't be so few of them on the continent!

Even Han Jianqiu couldn't achieve it, so it refused to believe a mere Void Immortal realm youngster could.

"It's quite simple..."

Without further preamble, Zhang Xuan formed his fingers into a sword and, with a light tap, released a surge of sword intent that instantly permeated the air.

It was none other than the Sword Intent of the Gods he had previously comprehended!

Feeling the vast and majestic sword intent, as if wielded by a deity, imbued with endless profound mysteries, the Wutong Robe Sword froze. "You comprehended... the Sword Intent of the Gods?"

"Precisely. You should understand that the Sword Intent of the Gods can only be wielded by true deities. If I use this very sword intent to nourish you, how great do you think your chances of advancing to the False God realm will be?"

Zhang Xuan stated.

For an Immortal Lord realm longsword to advance to a higher realm, nourishment by sword intent was the optimal method. And his Sword Intent of the Gods was undoubtedly the very best for this purpose; there was no other choice.

"The probability is high, yes, but your current cultivation is simply too low. I still won't submit to you..."

After a slight pause, the Wutong Robe Sword bluntly refused.

Just then, a gourd abruptly appeared before it. With a gentle sway, it swallowed the longsword whole.

"Why waste so many words on it? If it refuses to submit, simply swallow it..."

The gourd's voice resounded.