Ancestor Manifestation

Xia Wuji left the Sword Pavilion's main hall and headed straight for the entrance to the Sword Pool.

The Sword Pool was a sacred ground of the Sword Pavilion.

Since news of Xia Wuji losing his status as the Sword Pavilion's Young Master had not yet spread, the guards stationed at the Sword Pool naturally did not dare stop him.

He had come to the Sword Pool because his Dantian was shattered. Though he had a way to repair it, he still needed some... energy!

Besides, even if he was leaving, he had to take the sword that belonged to him!

After passing through a corridor lined with formations, Xia Wuji arrived at the edge of the Sword Pool.

Before him lay a circular pool ninety-nine feet in diameter, filled with treasured swords embedded within it!

At the very center of the Sword Pool had originally stood a supreme-grade treasured sword called the Crimson Blood Sword. It was the Sword Pavilion's foremost sword, left behind by the Xia Family's ancestor. It was priceless, yet after the Xia Family ancestor passed away, no one had been able to wield it again.

In the first year of Xia Xuan's secluded cultivation, Madam Liu had secretly taken the Crimson Blood Sword away and sold it for resources, using them to support her son Xia Wudao's cultivation and refine pills for her daughter Xia Wuhui.

Now, the finest sword remaining in the Sword Pool was the Jinghong Sword, ancient in design and covered in countless cracks.

This sword had originally also been a supreme-grade treasured sword, but because it had been damaged, it had fallen to the level of a high-grade treasured sword.

It was the sword Xia Wuji had obtained a month ago by kneeling in the rain for three days, intending to present it as Xia Xuan's gift upon leaving seclusion.

But now...

Xia Wuji would no longer be blindly filial!

Xia Xuan did not deserve his gift!

Yet Xia Wuji did not immediately take the Jinghong Sword that belonged to him. With a thought, he circulated his cultivation art!

In an instant, Xia Wuji's entire presence underwent a drastic transformation!

Like a sharp sword suddenly drawn from its sheath, his fierce edge seemed capable of severing every shackle beneath the heavens!

This was the Eternal Sword Canon!

In his previous life, he had accidentally entered the Heaven Realm. The reason he had been able to prove the Dao through the sword within a hundred years and become one of the Heaven Realm's ten supreme sovereigns was this supreme inheritance of the sword path.

The energy surging within the Sword Pool was absorbed by Xia Wuji at an unbelievable speed. His shattered Dantian was completely restored in the blink of an eye!

Moreover, his Dantian was countless times sturdier than before!

Immediately afterward, the world's spiritual energy gathered within his Dantian, transforming into a violently spinning vortex.

Martial cultivation began with body tempering to forge one's foundation, followed by the Qi Gathering Realm, True Essence Realm, Sea of Qi Realm, Primal Energy Realm, and Core Condensation Realm.

The gathering of an energy vortex within the Dantian was the mark of the Qi Gathering Realm.

After several dozen breaths, a second energy vortex condensed in Xia Wuji's Dantian!

Second level of the Qi Gathering Realm!

In one sustained burst, he advanced by leaps and bounds, stopping only after breaking through to the fifth level of the Qi Gathering Realm.

The energy in this Sword Pool had already been devoured clean by him!

"This Sword Pool has housed a great number of treasured swords for a long time, gathering an exceptionally fierce sharpness. If I absorb that sharpness, it should be enough for me to forge a Sword Seed!" Xia Wuji muttered.

There were countless swordsmen in the world.

Yet most swordsmen could only be called martial artists who used swords. They were unworthy of the title sword cultivator!

A true sword cultivator first had to condense a Sword Seed within the Dantian, granting their own vital energy a razor-sharp edge!

The next moment, Xia Wuji once again circulated the Eternal Sword Canon, drawing in and absorbing the intangible sharpness within the Sword Pool.

This sharpness was like countless strands of sword qi, rushing into his Dantian before slowly condensing between the five energy vortices into the form of a tiny sword two fingers wide!

This was the Sword Seed!

The foundation of a sword cultivator!

From then on, by continuously strengthening the Sword Seed, one could unlock more fierce methods unique to sword cultivators!

Half an hour later.

The fierce sharpness permeating the Sword Pool had also been exhausted. Within Xia Wuji's Dantian, the Sword Seed had taken preliminary form. Though it still seemed somewhat illusory, it constantly radiated a terrifying edge.

The aura spreading from the Sword Seed affected his five energy vortices. In this way, every thread of his vital energy would also be imbued with razor-sharp intent.

This was Sword Essence, the vital energy unique to true sword cultivators!

Originally, condensing a Sword Seed was merely the first step. Transforming vital energy into Sword Essence was the second step. But with the experience of his previous life, Xia Wuji completed both steps with ease!

"My Dantian has been repaired. I have regained the strength of the fifth level of the Qi Gathering Realm and preliminarily condensed a Sword Seed. It is time for me to leave the Sword Pavilion as soon as possible!"

"I possess the memories of being a supreme sovereign of the Heaven Realm in my previous life, as well as the Eternal Sword Canon, this supreme inheritance of the sword path. But I need resources to raise my realm, and strengthening the Sword Seed also requires even fiercer sword sharpness!"

"Besides, to me, this Sword Pavilion is no different from being surrounded by a pack of wolves. It is not a suitable place for me to do anything!"

The next moment, Xia Wuji raised a hand and grabbed. The cracked Jinghong Sword flew into his palm.

Without looking back, Xia Wuji strode away.

Little did he know that after he left.

At the edge of the Sword Pool, a stone stele began to tremble.

Wisps of hazy light gradually spread across the stone stele's surface. Within that light, an illusory face slowly took shape. It was a remnant trace of the Xia Family ancestor's divine consciousness!

Meanwhile.

Within the Sword Pavilion's main hall.

Xia Xuan's face was livid, and his mood had sunk to its lowest point.

"Father, it would be one thing if Xia Wuji were useless, but he does not even respect you in the slightest. That bastard is better off gone. It truly is not worth getting angry over him!" Xia Wudao said.

Madam Liu also said, "Husband, a piece of trash like Xia Wuji truly is unworthy of being your son. Without him, you still have Wudao and Wuhui!"

"These two children are dragons and phoenixes among men. They have never disappointed you, and they will both bring glory to the Sword Pavilion in the future!"

"As for Xia Wuji... heh. Without him, the Sword Pavilion has lost its greatest stain!"

Xia Xuan looked at Xia Wudao, this martial arts prodigy, then thought of Xia Wuhui, who had become an alchemist. At last, he felt much better.

Indeed, compared with that son and daughter, Xia Wuji was simply too terrible. He was rotten mud that could not be plastered onto a wall!

At that moment, a Sword Pavilion elder stepped forward and said, "Pavilion Master, Xia Wuji was born with a rebellious bone. Since this is the case, please announce it to the entire Sword Pavilion and formally strip him of his status as Young Master!"

"That's right. It is something that must be done sooner or later, so it is better to do it early. Otherwise, Xia Wuji may continue using the name of the Sword Pavilion's Young Master to swindle and deceive others, bringing shame upon the Sword Pavilion!"

"Pavilion Master, when it is time to cut, cut cleanly!"

Xia Xuan took a deep breath, then nodded.

Immediately afterward, a resounding voice rang out from the main hall, echoing throughout the entire Sword Pavilion!

"Xia Wuji is mediocre and incompetent, unworthy of his position!"

"From this day forth!"

"His position as the Sword Pavilion's Young Master is abolished!"

The booming voice left everyone in the Sword Pavilion stunned.

This news had come far too suddenly!

Quite a few people sneered, wearing expressions that said they had expected this all along.

Yet many others wore extremely complicated expressions and sighed softly.

The proclamation stripping Xia Wuji of his status as Young Master echoed through the Sword Pavilion again and again.

And just then.

An incomparably fierce sword qi suddenly erupted, tearing apart formation after formation around the Sword Pool. Sword light swept forth, shrouding the entire Sword Pavilion!

Within the sword light, the blurred face of the Xia Family ancestor emerged and let out booming laughter.

"Hahaha!"

"Heaven blesses my Xia Family!"

"The Sword Pavilion shall rise!"

"This old man is greatly comforted! Greatly comforted indeed!"

In an instant, the hearts of everyone in the Sword Pavilion were shaken!

Just after Xia Wuji had been stripped of his status as Young Master, the ancestor had actually manifested and declared that the Sword Pavilion would rise! That the Xia Family would rise!

Inside the main hall.

"Pavilion Master, it seems stripping Xia Wuji of his status as Young Master was the most correct decision!"

"Even the ancestor must have long been unable to tolerate that bastard Xia Wuji!"

Xia Xuan's expression was excited as he immediately said, "Wudao, quickly accompany your father to pay respects to the ancestor!"

At once, figure after figure hurried toward the Sword Pool.

"The seventh-generation Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion, Xia Xuan, pays respects to the ancestor!" Xia Xuan arrived before the remnant spirit of the Xia Family ancestor and directly dropped to both knees!

Madam Liu hurriedly pulled Xia Wudao down to kneel as well.

Within the sword light, excitement showed on the blurred face of the Xia Family ancestor as he said, "This old man has lain dormant for centuries, waiting for a genius to emerge from the Xia Family. Alas, the Xia Family's descendants have grown worse with each generation."

"This old man had even believed that before this remnant spirit completely dissipated, I would not see a true Xia Family descendant capable of holding up the Sword Pavilion."

"Who could have imagined that, in this old man's despair, such a person would appear!"

"Back then, this old man specifically preserved a wisp of Innate Vital Energy to nurture the finest son of my Xia Family. Today, this wisp of Innate Vital Energy can finally serve its purpose!"

A look of immense delight immediately appeared on Xia Xuan's face. He then quickly said, "Reporting to Ancestor, my son Xia Wudao truly is a martial arts prodigy!"

A wisp of Innate Vital Energy was beyond measure in value. It could cleanse a martial artist's essence and marrow, laying down an immensely solid foundation!

"Wudao, what are you still standing there for? Hurry forward and let the ancestor have a good look at you!" Madam Liu shoved Xia Wudao.

Xia Wudao also came to his senses.

I truly am the chosen one! Blessed with peerless talent!

Even the ancestor manifested because of me!

Who could possibly compare to such glory?

And there is even a wisp of Innate Vital Energy... if I can obtain it, I will absolutely be able to break through my shackles at once and advance to the Sea of Qi Realm!

With that thought, Xia Wudao immediately rose to his feet. His back straightened, and an incomparably confident, arrogant look appeared on his face as he clasped his hands and bowed to the remnant spirit of the Xia Family ancestor.

"Xia Wudao pays respects to Ancestor!"

"Please bestow the Innate Vital Energy upon me, Ancestor. And please rest assured, I, Xia Wudao, will never disgrace the Xia Family's mighty name!"

"I, Xia Wudao, will surely restore the Sword Pavilion's former glory!"