No One Could Pull It Free

After leaving, Lu Yiping and the other two went to Luoxue City's largest restaurant, the Golden Phoenix Restaurant, and stayed there for the night.

The next day, they continued on their journey.

Lu Yiping sat atop the War Chariot, holding a jug of Luoxue Wine. After taking a sip, he shook his head. The more he drank this Luoxue Wine, the more tasteless it became. It was far too different from the flavor it had back then.

"Do you know who the oldest ancestor of the Thunderclap Sword Sect is now?" Lu Yiping asked Lu Peng.

Lu Peng hurriedly replied, "It is Lord Yang Cheng."

"Lord Yang Cheng is not only the Thunderclap Sword Sect's number one expert, but also one of the Wuji Dynasty's four great experts. However, Lord Yang Cheng has not appeared in the world for many years."

"Recently, though, there have been rumors that Lord Yang Cheng's disciple, Lord Chen Hong, intends to take a final disciple."

So that was also why Xiao Changfeng, Princess Tai Yan, Zheng Yue, and the others had all come?

"What about Yang Dong?" Lu Yiping suddenly asked.

Yang Dong!

Lu Peng's expression changed drastically. "Young Master, are you asking about Sword God Yang Dong?!"

On the Divine Martial Continent, only three people had been honored as Sword Gods over the past hundred thousand years!

Sword God Yang Dong? Lu Yiping was surprised, then nodded.

Lu Peng took a deep breath and said, "Sword God Yang Dong disappeared forty to fifty thousand years ago!"

"Disappeared?!" Lu Yiping frowned.

Lu Peng nodded. "Sword God Yang Dong's disappearance is one of the Divine Martial Continent's mysteries. However, Lord Yang Cheng should know Sword God Yang Dong's whereabouts."

"Lord Yang Cheng is Sword God Yang Dong's son."

Yang Dong's son?

Lu Yiping fell into thought.

That brat Yang Dong had been missing for forty to fifty thousand years? In other words, less than ten thousand years after he left the Sacred Forest back then, he had disappeared?

Half a day later.

The war chariot arrived at the foot of the Thunderclap Sword Sect's mountain.

The Thunderclap Sword Sect was already packed with people.

As far as the eye could see, disciples from the various great families who had come to take the registration assessment nearly filled the mountain peak.

"Young Master, we will go register for the assessment first," Lu Peng said respectfully to Lu Yiping.

"Mm, go ahead. I'll take a walk around as well," Lu Yiping said.

Thus, Lu Peng led his son Lu Xiaoyu away toward the registration area, registering him for the Thunderclap Sword Sect's disciple assessment.

Meanwhile, Lu Yiping stored the Golden Ox Chariot inside the Qiankun Cauldron and strolled onward.

Lu Yiping had only taken a few steps when he heard a commotion from the crowd. It turned out Princess Tai Yan of the Wuji Dynasty and Zheng Yue of the Zheng Family had arrived.

As Princess Tai Yan was about to ascend the mountain amid the crowd's escort, she suddenly spotted a blue-robed figure and froze. It was him!

"Third Uncle, that is the young man!" Princess Tai Yan said to a middle-aged man beside her.

Following Princess Tai Yan's gaze, Tai Hongtao looked toward Lu Yiping in surprise. "This is the young man with the Golden Ox Chariot you mentioned yesterday?"

"Yes, Third Uncle. You possess the Azure Eyes. Take a look and see whether there is anything unusual about that young man," Princess Tai Yan said.

Green light surged within Tai Hongtao's eyes. Under the light of his Azure Eyes, Lu Yiping's meridians, dantian, blood, and bones appeared one by one.

Very quickly, he withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "He truly has neither True Essence nor inner force, much less divine power."

Princess Tai Yan felt disappointed upon hearing this.

After returning yesterday, she had always felt that this Blue-robed Youth was not simple. Yet he really did have no True Essence or inner force.

Her Third Uncle's Azure Eyes were ancient divine eyes capable of seeing through all essences. Even traces of a God Realm expert could be discerned.

It seemed she had overthought things.

Princess Tai Yan paid Lu Yiping no more attention and entered the assessment hall with the Wuji Dynasty's experts.

Lu Yiping, meanwhile, wandered over to a Sword Wall.

Countless sword moves were carved across the Sword Wall. Before it stood numerous experts from various families, all comprehending the sword moves upon it.

"Young Master." Lu Peng, who had come to find Lu Yiping after registering his son, saw Lu Yiping looking at the Sword Wall and said, "This is the Sword Wall left behind by Sword God Yang Dong back then."

"Back then, Sword God Yang Dong said that the Sword Wall could be studied by all those in the world who loved the sword. Therefore, whether they are disciples of the Thunderclap Sword Sect or disciples of other families and sects, all may study it."

"There are a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine sword moves on the Sword Wall."

"Yet over the years, those who have comprehended a hundred of them have been few and far between."

As Lu Peng explained, Lu Yiping's gaze fell upon a greatsword embedded beside the Sword Wall.

The exposed portion alone stood a meter high, and its blade was several times wider than that of an ordinary longsword.

"This is Sword God Yang Dong's Crimson Flame Sword. It has been embedded here beside the Sword Wall for tens of thousands of years. Whoever can pull the Crimson Flame Sword free may claim it as their own." Lu Peng shook his head. "However, after all these years, no one has been able to pull it free. Even Lord Yang Cheng could not do so."

The Crimson Flame Sword?

Lu Yiping looked at the familiar Crimson Flame Sword before him. Just as he was about to step forward and pull it out, a tall youth of sixteen or seventeen walked over, followed by a large group of experts.

"Young God Xiao Changfeng!" When the experts from the various families saw the tall youth, they were all greatly startled, and a fierce commotion broke out.

"Young Master Xiao Changfeng!"

"Greetings, Young God!"

The experts before the Sword Wall all hurried forward to greet him.

Xiao Changfeng smiled and nodded at everyone.

"Last year, I came here to pull out the Crimson Flame Sword but failed. This year, I have gained some insight into the sword path and wish to try again. I hope I have not disturbed you all?" Xiao Changfeng asked the crowd.

"No, no," the experts hurriedly shook their heads.

One expert said with a smile, "Last time, Young Master Xiao Changfeng nearly pulled out the Crimson Flame Sword. This time, Young Master has come with confidence. I believe you will certainly pull out the Crimson Flame Sword."

In truth, Xiao Changfeng had only pulled it out one inch last time.

He was still a hundred and eight thousand miles away from what that expert called nearly pulling it out.

Xiao Changfeng smiled at those words, then walked before the Crimson Flame Sword. His aura erupted, and streams of Divine Light burst from within his body.

"It is the Great Thousand Divine Body!"

Someone in the crowd cried out in shock.

Xiao Changfeng pushed the bloodline of his Great Thousand Divine Body to its limit and took a deep breath. His robes billowed without wind as astonishing Sword Qi spread from his body.

The weaker experts from the surrounding families all retreated in alarm.

Xiao Changfeng suddenly let out a deep shout, his voice exploding like thunder. Both hands seized the hilt of the Crimson Flame Sword, and he yanked upward.

At once, the Crimson Flame Sword flickered with light.

Divine Light blazed around Xiao Changfeng's entire body, and the Crimson Flame Sword finally began to move upward slowly.

Very soon, it was pulled out one inch.

Xiao Changfeng shouted again and pulled upward with all his strength. Finally, the Crimson Flame Sword slowly rose once more, pulled another inch higher. But after that, no matter how Xiao Changfeng drove his Great Thousand Divine Body or how fiercely his Sword Qi erupted, he could not raise it any further.