Dragon Blood Sword Box

In the quiet room, Ting Lanyue, He Chengchuan, and other disciples of Elder Pu also came forward to watch. Ting Lanyue, still seriously injured, gritted her teeth and moved closer. Many of them had Soul Weapons, but they weren't of high quality, so they were very curious about the Soul Weapon Elder Pu had spent twenty days forging.

"A wooden box?"

Ting Lanyue and the others were stunned. Looking at the six-foot-tall wooden box, Zhong Yue was also a bit perplexed. The Soul Weapon Elder Pu had given him was this wooden box. The box was carved from a dark red wood, seamless, and stood exactly at his chest height.

Many patterns were carved on this wooden box. They were dragon-like markings, likely totem patterns. However, these patterns didn't look like they were carved later; they seemed to be the wood's natural grain!

"This is... Dragon Blood Wood!"

Ting Lanyue exclaimed in surprise, "It really is Dragon Blood Wood! I heard from the older Qi Refiners of my Dating Clan that there's a Dragon Blood Forest on Sword Gate Mountain. Legend has it that ten thousand years ago, a true dragon was wounded and bled in the Great Wilderness. Its blood flowed into the forest, dyeing a patch of trees on Sword Gate Mountain red! Because it was stained with dragon blood, Dragon Blood Wood naturally possesses Dragon Markings. However, Dragon Blood Wood grows slowly, taking hundreds of years to mature. Even Elders are reluctant to use Dragon Blood Wood to forge Soul Weapons!"

"Even Sword Gate Elders are reluctant to use it?" Zhong Yue's heart trembled, and he suddenly felt the wooden box immensely heavy.

He wasn't Elder Pu's disciple, yet Elder Pu had forged a Soul Weapon for him from such a precious material. This gift was too significant!

Elder Pu stroked the wooden box and chuckled, "This Dragon Blood Wood was a reward from the Sect Master for meritorious service I rendered to the Sword Gate in my early years. It has some effect on nurturing souls and Soul Weapons, and Sword Qi, but it's of little use to me, so I never forged a Soul Weapon with it. I originally planned to leave it for my disciples, but I never found any suitable ones, so it's been unused."

He showed a look of satisfaction and said with a smile, "Zhong Yue, although you are not my disciple, we are fated to meet, and you cultivate the Flood Dragon Totem, which perfectly complements this Dragon Blood Wood. Therefore, I used it to forge a Sword Box for you."

Zhong Yue was both surprised and delighted, yet also a little apprehensive. "Elder Pu, this is too valuable..."

Elder Pu laughed heartily, "Valuable? Not at all! If you hadn't taken care of Lanyue and the others, my disciples might have all died in the Demon Ruins! The disciples of other Qi Refiners all perished in the Demon Ruins, thousands of them wiped out, and only a dozen of my disciples survived. What is a mere Dragon Blood Wood compared to that merit? You are worthy of this Dragon Blood Wood Sword Box! Zhong Yue, open the Sword Box and take a look!"

Zhong Yue calmed himself and opened the Dragon Blood Wood Sword Box. With a soft click, the Sword Box opened, revealing a sword hilt with wooden grain.

He gently drew out this Soul Weapon. The sword was five feet long, with peculiar markings on its spine, likely totem patterns. It weighed about a hundred catties and felt substantial in his hand!

The blade was entirely black, yet it shimmered with a dark golden light, likely forged from a fusion of Mysterious Iron and Mysterious Gold, enhancing the Soul Weapon's hardness and sharpness.

The surface of this Soul Weapon was covered with Thunder Pattern totem markings, resembling the traces left by lightning strikes on the sword. Clearly, Elder Pu had used pure Thunder Patterns to forge this Soul Weapon!

The dragon scale-like markings were the Flood Dragon Totem, making this Soul Weapon appear covered in dragon scales, exuding a chilling aura and extraordinary sharpness. The moment it was drawn from the Sword Box, he even faintly heard what sounded like dragon blood flowing within the blade!

He offered his soul to the sword and felt his soul move through it without obstruction. Not only was there no discomfort in offering his soul, but it felt quite comfortable.

This was the difference between a high-quality Soul Weapon and an ordinary one. A soul could not remain outside the body for too long, or it would be damaged!

A good Soul Weapon was like another body; offering one's soul to it caused no discomfort, and prolonged immersion did not harm the soul.

Inferior Soul Weapons did not protect the soul as well. After a short time, the soul would be damaged and had to be withdrawn and nurtured.

Zhong Yue offered his soul to the sword, feeling as if he had entered another body, demonstrating the exceptional quality of this sword – it was indeed a top-grade Soul Weapon!

"Dragon Blood Wood nourishes the Dragon Scale Sword, making it most suitable for you," Elder Pu said slowly. "The two mutually nourish each other, and they can also mutually nourish your body, aiding your cultivation. Soul Weapons need to be frequently nurtured with one's soul. The closer the soul and spirit combine with the Soul Weapon, the greater its power and speed will be. Zhong Yue, are you satisfied with these two Soul Weapons?"

Zhong Yue withdrew his soul, overjoyed. He caressed the Dragon Scale Sword and the Dragon Blood Sword Box, repeatedly saying, "Satisfied, satisfied!"

"This Dragon Blood Sword Box can store nine Dragon Scale Swords. Currently, there is only one. You'll have to find the rest of the Dragon Scale Swords yourself," Elder Pu smiled. "However, once you cultivate into a Qi Refiner and forge Sword Qi, this Sword Box can be filled with Sword Qi. With a single thought, thousands of Sword Qi can erupt from the Sword Box, far surpassing any Soul Weapon!"

Ting Lanyue, He Chengchuan, and the others looked on with envy. Zhong Yue was also captivated, murmuring, "Sword Qi?"

"Forging Soul Weapons with Mysterious Gold, Mysterious Iron, and other metals is merely a minor path. True invincibility lies in Sword Qi!" Elder Pu said with a solemn expression, earnestly teaching, "Qi Refiners refine Qi. My Sword Gate cultivates Sword Qi. Once you cultivate Spirit, you can use Spirit to gather various vital energies and forge Sword Qi, freeing yourself from these bronze and iron implements. For example, this Sword Box can only store nine Soul Weapons, but if it were to store Sword Qi, not just nine, but hundreds or even thousands could fit!"

Zhong Yue's heart was greatly shaken. "Hundreds or thousands of Sword Qi?"

He imagined pointing a finger and unleashing hundreds or thousands of Sword Qi from the Sword Box – how terrifying and spectacular would that be?

"I will not impart any more techniques to you today. Trying to learn too much at once will lead to confusion. Continue practicing the methods I've taught you before, so you can achieve good rankings in the Unrestricted Duel."

Elder Pu instructed everyone, then said to Zhong Yue, "You joined too late and have learned too few cultivation techniques. If I teach you other methods now, you might not have enough time to fully grasp them. You still need to familiarize yourself with the Dragon Blood Sword Box and the Dragon Scale Sword. Spreading your energy too thin on new techniques won't significantly improve your strength. In the Unrestricted Duel, there are many core disciples from Great Clans, all equipped with Soul Weapons, swimming in wealth. The chance of winning through techniques is extremely small. However, good Soul Weapons are immensely useful. Spend these days refining these two Soul Weapons to consolidate your previously cultivated Flood Dragon Totem and Thunderclap Sword Art, and enhance the power of these two techniques."

Zhong Yue felt a bit disappointed. He had originally hoped to learn a flight technique during the Scripture Hall's opening. However, Elder Pu's words were not wrong. With only two months left until the Unrestricted Duel, practicing other techniques would indeed be too rushed.

Furthermore, refining Soul Weapons also required time. It would be better to use this time to enhance the power of the Thunderclap Sword Art and the Flood Dragon Totem, which would increase his chances of winning.

"You also need to be careful," Elder Pu said in a low voice. "Your duel with Shui Qinghe of the Shuitu Clan was witnessed, and your strength was revealed. Be wary of someone making a move against you. If you are injured before the Unrestricted Duel, preventing you from fighting at full strength, others' chances of entering the Spirit Void Hall will increase by one."

Zhong Yue's heart grew solemn. Elder Pu continued, "With your current strength, not only can you rank in the top ten, but you pose a threat to those in the top ten. Therefore, you must be wary of someone ambushing you. Even if they don't ambush you, some experts might use you for practice!"

"Use me for practice?"

Zhong Yue thanked him and smiled, "Elder Pu, rest assured. I also want to use them for practice, to warm up for the Unrestricted Duel, and fight my way through to the Unrestricted Duel!"

Elder Pu watched his departing figure, feeling quite emotional. "Such an outstanding youth, one can't help but admire him more and more. In the past, countless people would have vied to take him as a disciple. Unfortunately, he has offended the Tian Feng Clan... Offending the Tian Feng Clan is one thing, but he has also offended the Shuitu Clan, two of the Ten Great Clans, all at once... I suspect he will soon offend a third and a fourth..."

In the Upper Court, core disciples from various Great Clans also descended from Sword Gate Mountain, preparing for the year-end Unrestricted Duel. Each Great Clan had disciples they were fully cultivating, and there were many who were no less formidable than Shui Qinghe!

Almost every clan had disciples who had cultivated their Spiritual Power to the point of transforming the virtual into the real!

"Shui Qinghe still hasn't unleashed his full power. I really want to see what he looks like when he fights with all his might."

In a quiet room of the Lishan Clan, a young girl's Spiritual Power condensed behind her, transforming the virtual into the real, manifesting a large flower spanning thirty-six feet in diameter. Within the flower, a three-faced, four-armed Demonic God slowly stood up, balanced on one leg, half-bent and half-crouched, forcing the surrounding Lishan Clan disciples to retreat.

The Lishan Clan's totem was the Lishan Demonic God Flower. During Zhong Yue's assessment in the Azure Sky Hall, when he surveyed the Great Wilderness's phenomena, he had seen a demonic lotus. That demonic lotus, covering hundreds of miles, was the Totem Spirit left behind by an ancestor of the Lishan Clan!

This Lishan Clan girl had cultivated to the point of recreating the Lishan Totem Spirit, manifesting the Demonic God Flower and the Demonic God within it. Her level was no less than Shui Qinghe's, and in terms of subtlety, she might even surpass him!

"Li Xiuniang, besides Shui Qinghe, what about that Zhongshan Clan?" a Qi Refiner of the Lishan Clan asked from the platform in the quiet room. "Is he worth paying attention to?"

Li Xiuniang took a step, and with each footfall, demonic lotuses bloomed. She said charmingly, "He's not enough to warrant my excessive attention. His strength poses a threat to me, but not a significant one. What truly interests me are the experts cultivated by Great Clans like Youyu Clan, Taolin Clan, Junshan Clan, and Leihu Clan! However, this Zhongshan Clan can be used to spar with first, to accumulate an invincible aura for my Unrestricted Duel!"

Meanwhile, in the quiet room of the Leihu Clan, a robust man with a beard manifested a god who controlled lightning behind him – the three-eyed Thunder God. He also chuckled, "The Zhongshan Clan can be used for sparring, to accumulate an invincible aura and an invincible belief. Like a hungry tiger descending the mountain, gaining speed, and then facing experts like Shui Qinghe, I can instantly kill these fellows with my invincible aura and belief!"