The Seven Kill Sword—once drawn, it must kill!
Yue Guan unleashed his second soul skill and began communicating with the Immortal Herbs.
Dragon Duke and Snake Granny watched from the side, their hearts itching with desire. They knew those Immortal Herbs were absolute treasures.
Unfortunately, they were merely subordinates, not the Hall Master's brothers...
Xu Xiao noticed the eager looks in their eyes and turned to Dragon Duke and Snake Granny. "If you two perform well, you will receive Immortal Herb rewards too."
"As for when that will be, that depends on you."
Dragon Duke and Snake Granny were instantly overjoyed. They had thought there would be nothing for them, yet the Hall Master was actually willing to give them Immortal Herbs!
The two hurriedly pledged their loyalty. "Hall Master, our loyalty to you is unwavering!!"
"From this day on, in life we belong to the Hall Master, and in death we serve as the Hall Master's ghosts!"
Xu Xiao waved a hand. "I do not need useless trash that only looks good. The two of you should work hard yourselves."
"You can come to me for Soul Rings and resources in the future. As for everything else, that will depend on yourselves."
The two nodded repeatedly. "Hall Master, we will go train in your space right now!"
Xu Xiao did not stop them and merely nodded. The two happily rushed into the Spirit Pagoda as if they had been pumped full of adrenaline.
Xu Xiao chuckled, then turned and went to pluck the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
Dugu Bo and Gui Mei exchanged a smile and began cultivating.
The two were now waiting for a certain moment—for Xu Xiao's cooldown to end.
Their cultivation speeds were currently more or less the same, which was also an important reason Soul Bestowal could not keep up.
The appearance of the Immortal Herbs narrowed the gap between them, but it also extended the time they needed to obtain Soul Rings.
It was a drawback that hardly counted as a drawback.
Chen Xin waited quietly for Yue Guan to find the Immortal Herb best suited for him.
Yue Guan questioned them one by one. "Not you?"
"You neither?"
Suddenly, a faint voice entered Yue Guan's ears. "His sword is highly compatible with me."
Yue Guan's eyes widened. He immediately followed the voice and soon found a small emerald-green blade of grass.
"Was that you?" Yue Guan quickly asked.
The weak voice sounded again. "Yes, it was me. I can help him."
Before the other party could finish, Yue Guan directly shouted, "Big Brother, Fifth Brother, I found it!"
Chen Xin immediately walked over, while Xu Xiao approached as well after picking the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
"Big Brother, Fifth Brother, it's this little grass!"
Yue Guan pointed at the emerald-green grass and spoke excitedly.
The Blue Silver Emperor looked over as well. "Xu Xiao, I can sense that little grass's life force constantly weakening."
Xu Xiao immediately looked at Yue Guan. Yue Guan understood and continued communicating. "Little grass, are you dying?"
Xu Xiao rubbed his forehead. Great, all that teaching had been for nothing. Who started by asking someone whether they were about to die?
Though Yue Guan had asked it that way, the little grass answered seriously. "It is death, yet not quite death!"
"My name is Sword Sever Grass. I perish upon seeing a sword. His Martial Soul is a sword; the moment it appeared, I knew I had died."
"After death, I will appear again, so it is not complete death."
"I, Sword Sever Grass, perish upon seeing swords and live for swords. To die upon seeing his sword makes me the most suitable for him."
"Imperial Chrysanthemum, give me to him. If you wait any longer, it will be too late."
Sword Sever Grass spoke to Yue Guan. Yue Guan hurriedly plucked Sword Sever Grass while enveloping it in his golden light. "Fifth Brother, consume it quickly, or it will be too late."
Seeing this, Chen Xin immediately swallowed Sword Sever Grass, then asked blankly, "Third Brother, is this how I'm supposed to take it?"
Yue Guan froze. He did not know either—the other party had not said.
Yue Guan scratched his head. "P-Probably!"
Probably? Chen Xin paused. Why did it feel like I might be dying?
After Sword Sever Grass was swallowed, an incomparably terrifying sword intent erupted and wrapped around Chen Xin, continuously cutting through his body.
Even his Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul was shattered beneath that sword intent.
Watching this, Yue Guan gulped in fright. "B-Big Brother, Fifth Brother is not really going to die, is he?"
Xu Xiao burst into laughter. "Third Brother, don't worry. Fifth Brother has stumbled into a lucky chance. Just wait—his Martial Soul is about to evolve."
Only then did Yue Guan relax.
Seeing this, the Blue Silver Emperor used vines to wrap Chen Xin up, preventing his sword intent from harming the surrounding Immortal Herbs.
"Third Brother, go cultivate as well. Don't worry, Fifth Brother will be fine." Xu Xiao patted his shoulder, telling him not to worry.
Yue Guan nodded repeatedly. "Second Brother, let's go to the second floor."
Xu Xiao, meanwhile, consumed the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew beneath the Blue Silver Emperor. It was the key to whether he could obtain a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his third Soul Ring.
With the Blue Silver Emperor present, none of them needed to worry about safety. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast standing here was not merely for show.
Wrapped in vines, Chen Xin was covered in wounds, as though his life were being severed away.
After the Seven Kill Sword shattered, a stream of emerald-green energy wrapped around the fragments. Within that emerald-green energy, the Seven Kill Sword slowly began reforging itself.
Chen Xin endured immense pain. Sweat covered his brow, his teeth clenched tight, yet he did not make a sound.
No one knew how much time had passed before Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword was restored.
The already elegant Seven Kill Sword had gained an even sharper edge, but beyond that, there seemed to be no other changes.
"Seven Kills rise through the skies, Death Sentence spans three thousand miles!"
"Sword!"
"Come!!"
"Kill!!!"
A voice overflowing with killing intent erupted from within the vines.
The Blue Silver Emperor withdrew the vines. In an instant, a longsword rose into the air. The youth held the sword, killing intent surging in his eyes, and slashed out with a raised hand.
Sword qi crisscrossed, while sword intent soared into the heavens.
At that moment, the youth's sword seemed to have fused with him completely.
When the sword rose, all things fell!
Beneath the sword's light, the poisonous mist was split apart, trees burst open, and deep sword marks were left across the ground.
The youth put away the longsword in his hand, slowly descended to the ground, and gave a slight bow toward the youth beneath the Blue Silver Emperor. "Thank you, Big Brother!"
The youth beneath the Blue Silver Emperor slightly raised his eyes. "Fifth Brother, no need for formalities. It seems you have gained quite a lot!"
Chen Xin chuckled. "It was all thanks to your help, Big Brother."
"My Seven Kill Sword has evolved. It is now called the Deadly Seven Kill Sword!"
"Seven Absolutes Life-Taking, Nine Absolutes Certain Fall!"
Xu Xiao was left stunned. Why did sword users always make things sound so mystical?
"Explain it," Xu Xiao said.
"When I unleash seven swords, I will certainly kill anyone of the same rank."
"When I unleash nine swords, those above my rank will certainly fall!"
Xu Xiao inhaled sharply. "Fifth Brother, go slash your father nine times and let me see whether he falls."
"Come on, Big Brother, that is not what I mean."
"This crossing of ranks depends on the person and their strength."
Chen Xin hurriedly explained, his face reddening.
Xu Xiao laughed. "Got it, got it."
"In other words, if someone can force you to use nine swords, then either you die or he dies."
What a 'certain fall.' So that was how it worked.
One of you two had to die!