At the summit of Sword Mountain, nine Saint Swords stood embedded in bluestone.
Biting sword intent enveloped an area a hundred yards around them.
Within those hundred yards, only the nine swords could stand. No other sword could enter, as though this were a domain of swords.
A hundred yards from the Saint Swords, a young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes stared at the nine blades, his gaze burning with barely restrained longing.
"Now that I've broken through to Nascent Soul Perfection, I will gain a Saint Sword's recognition today! I'll prove that I, Murong Xuan, am no less than Nangong Huang!"
Murong Xuan brimmed with ambition, looking utterly certain of success.
He stepped into the hundred-yard area shrouded in the Saint Swords' sword intent. In an instant, the surrounding sword intent bore down on him!
Even the sword intent that the Saint Swords used for their trial, which had not been fully unleashed, was beyond what ordinary cultivators could withstand.
Murong Xuan had prepared for the pressure of the sword intent. Spiritual power surged from the spirit ruins within his body and encircled him, resisting the sword intent.
Step by step...
Murong Xuan advanced toward the Saint Swords with firm strides!
The closer he drew, the more terrifying and powerful the pressure of the sword intent became!
By the time he was fifty yards from the Saint Swords, fine beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead. He felt as though a mountain pressed down on him, making every step exceptionally difficult.
High in the sky, several people were watching Murong Xuan.
There were four men and two women.
Each wore an ornate dark robe. If any Mystic Heaven Sect disciples saw them, they would surely recognize them all as the sect's Daoist Seeds!
Daoist Seeds were the most outstanding disciples of a cultivation Daoist Tradition!
This was especially true of the Daoist Seeds of a Saintly Dao Tradition like the Mystic Heaven Sect, which had a legacy spanning ten thousand years and had produced Saints. Every one of them was a supreme Heavenly Pride of the world.
Calling them Qilin Sons would not have been amiss.
"Do you think Murong Xuan will gain a Saint Sword's recognition this time?"
One Daoist Seed spoke with an amused smile.
"He's already failed nearly ten times. I reckon his chances are pretty slim this time too," another Daoist Seed said indifferently.
"Not necessarily. I heard Murong Xuan has already broken through to Nascent Soul Perfection. Perhaps he might succeed this time?"
"He does indeed have a chance."
"If he succeeds, Nangong Huang will have another rival."
They discussed it among themselves.
Below, Murong Xuan suddenly let out a long shout.
"Heaven Yang Sword Art!"
A vast amount of spiritual power gushed from Murong Xuan's body.
Blazing sword qi erupted, forming rings of fire around Murong Xuan to contend with the Saint Swords' sword intent.
Murong Xuan's body felt lighter as the pressure greatly diminished.
"The Supreme Law, Heaven Yang Sword Art!"
"Ha, it's even more powerful than before. He really has broken through to Nascent Soul Perfection. Perhaps he really will obtain a Saint Sword this time."
The Daoist Seeds in the sky clicked their tongues in wonder.
Apart from its three great Sage Laws, the Xuantian Sacred Land also possessed several Supreme Laws, which only True Disciples and Daoist Seeds could cultivate.
Forty yards... thirty yards... twenty yards...
Ten yards!
Only ten yards remained between him and the Saint Swords!
Murong Xuan's gaze locked firmly onto a crimson Saint Sword. It was the Saint Sword Crimson Refinement, the very goal of his journey!
The Saint Sword Crimson Refinement was the Saint Sword best suited to him.
Utmost yang, utmost strength! Incomparably domineering!
It complemented his Crimson Sun Dao Body and could absolutely more than double his combat strength. Then, apart from Nangong Huang, he would fear none of the Mystic Heaven Sect's nine great Daoist Seeds. Even among the younger generation of the Azure Dragon Domain, he could stride about unchallenged, save for a handful of Monsters.
Within ten yards of the Saint Swords, the pressure of the sword intent became even more terrifying.
Even Nascent Soul Realm cultivators probably could not withstand it.
But Murong Xuan was no ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivator. He was a supreme Heavenly Pride, possessed the rare Crimson Sun Dao Body, and had even cultivated a Sage Law!
His foundation and combat strength far surpassed those of cultivators at the same realm!
"Nine Suns Divine Art!"
Murong Xuan drove the spiritual power within him to its utmost.
Four masses of spiritual power actually rose into the air behind him, transforming into four dazzling, blazing suns that sent out howling waves of incomparably terrifying heat!
The Nine Suns Divine Art, one of the Mystic Heaven Sect's three great Sage Laws!
The expressions of the Daoist Seeds shifted slightly.
"The Nine Suns Divine Art, four suns in one sky. That's the fourth level, and judging by its power, he's probably close to breaking through to the fifth."
"Tsk, with his Crimson Sun Dao Body, Murong Xuan cultivates the Nine Suns Divine Art far faster than other cultivators, and it's more powerful too. If he obtains Crimson Refinement as well, he might really be able to vie with Nangong Huang!"
Having unleashed the Nine Suns Divine Art, Murong Xuan was crossing the final ten yards. Nine yards, eight yards, seven yards, six yards...
At last, he reached the Crimson Lian Sword.
Those mere ten yards had been several times harder to traverse than the distance before them, yet the smile on his face never faded. He gazed ardently at Crimson Refinement before him. "Saint Sword Crimson Refinement, submit to me!"
He abruptly reached out and seized the Crimson Lian Sword's hilt.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
The Crimson Lian Sword began to tremble, sword qi gushing forth.
Murong Xuan had anticipated this. All the spiritual power within him poured out to suppress the sword qi, and the four blazing suns behind him grew even more dazzling.
This was the final stage.
"Crimson Refinement, I possess the Crimson Sun Dao Body and cultivate the Nine Suns Divine Art. My attributes match yours. I'm the sword master best suited to you! Why resist?"
"Acknowledge me as your master, and I will surely make your name resound throughout the world!"
"Once I attain the Emperor Position someday, it may even be possible for you to be reborn and become an Emperor Weapon! So, submit!"
As Murong Xuan suppressed the sword qi, he earnestly tried to persuade Crimson Refinement. Sage Artifacts possessed spirits, and he hoped to gain its recognition this way.
As though persuaded, Crimson Refinement gradually reined in its sword qi.
Delighted at the sight, Murong Xuan pulled Crimson Refinement free in one burst of effort!
"Hahaha, Crimson Refinement, you won't regret this!"
In an instant.
Man and sword resonated, and Murong Xuan's aura surged like a rainbow!
The Daoist Seeds were all greatly shocked.
"He actually succeeded!"
"After Nangong Huang, another Daoist Seed has gained a Saint Sword's recognition!"
"Hm? Someone's coming."
Suddenly, the Daoist Seeds seemed to notice something and looked into the distance. Several hundred yards from the Saint Swords, someone was walking slowly toward them.
He wore a white, wide-sleeved Qilin Robe and a Jade Crown, his bearing ethereal. Wherever he passed, the surrounding swords hummed and trembled softly.
The swords seemed to be welcoming their king! Their god!
"Who is this man? Every movement he makes seems to contain some kind of Daoist rhyme. He's like an Exiled Immortal, far too extraordinary."
"And what's going on with those swords? Why do I feel as though they're welcoming him? Isn't that a little unbelievable?"
"I've heard of him. He's the newly appointed Chief Disciple."
"Chief Disciple? Doesn't that make him our senior brother?"
The Daoist Seeds exchanged looks, then stared fixedly at the newcomer.
Meanwhile, Murong Xuan held Crimson Refinement, his face filled with excitement.
Although Crimson Refinement had yet to fully acknowledge him as its master and he had only temporarily gained the right to wield the Saint Sword, as long as he nurtured it properly, he would surely be able to make Crimson Refinement serve him completely as his cultivation gradually advanced!
Just as Murong Xuan was imagining himself wielding Crimson Refinement and slaughtering foes on all sides in the future, the Crimson Lian Sword suddenly began trembling again.
No, it was not just Crimson Refinement.
The other Saint Swords were all trembling too.
They seemed excited, as though welcoming someone!
"What's going on?"
Murong Xuan's brows furrowed slightly. This was the first time he had ever seen such a thing. Sensing something, he turned toward Chu Kuangren, who was slowly approaching. Even he could not help revealing a trace of astonishment in his eyes.
"This man... is so handsome!"
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