Inside the mushroom house, Jie Zilong cleared away the tables and chairs to make a large open space, then waved to Jie Yuanshao. "Come."
Across from him, Jie Yuanshao held a longsword. She first pushed the guard away from the mouth of the scabbard, then drew the sword. Not once did the blade scrape against the scabbard with a piercing shriek throughout the entire process, showing how careful and practiced she was—swift yet orderly.
Once she completed this strange sword-drawing ritual, a streak of deep blue surfaced along the blade, coating the longsword in a vicious sharpness. The deep blue even merged with Jie Yuanshao, negating the weight of her body and making all her movements more nimble.
This was the power of the Second Rank Rare Relic, Gui Cang Secret Sword.
Unlike most relics that could be used immediately after charging, Gui Cang Secret Sword required its Herald to complete a sword-drawing ritual before its power could be awakened. The drawback was obvious, but the benefit was that the more complicated, solemn, and lengthy the ritual, the more terrifying the power of Gui Cang Secret Sword became. If one held a sword-offering ceremony for three days and three nights, the power could be strengthened more than tenfold, making it even mightier than a Third Rank relic.
Although there was almost never enough time to prepare so thoroughly, the Jie Family had long since worked out the most cost-effective way to draw the sword. This was Jie Yuanshao's "silent sword draw," which took nearly two breaths and could unleash one hundred and thirty-five percent of Gui Cang Secret Sword's power.
"Careful."
The moment he spoke, Jie Yuanshao transformed into a lone white streak and swept past Jie Zilong with a single slash! Seeing her as a woman wielding such a