Chapter 118: Seizing the Sword

The entire emerald pond emitted a faint green luminescence, casting a hazy glow over the surrounding darkness.

At this moment, no figures were present around the pond, yet a vast space centered on it was shrouded in an invisible true qi.

This meant that anyone lacking sufficient martial cultivation could not approach it even slightly.

Bu Chengyang scanned the surroundings and, finding no other exits, fixed his gaze on the deep pond before him.

He was about to speak, but Li Musheng had already headed toward the pond's waters with Cang Cang Yin Yue.

The surrounding true qi posed no obstacle to the two; in the blink of an eye, they sank into the pond and vanished.

Seeing this, Bu Chengyang shook his head, then grabbed A Bin beside him and rushed after them.

"Master Uncle, please be gentle—don't take out your anger on me."

A Bin, battered by the powerful true qi leaking from the other's body, muttered in pain.

At this, Bu Chengyang glared at him and said in a low voice:

"You'd better have some sense. Stay quiet later and don't cause trouble, or I won't save you."

A Bin's eyes shifted toward the deep pond; seeing Li Musheng and the others gone, he quickly lowered his voice:

"Master Uncle, aren't we going after the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword?"

Bu Chengyang narrowed his eyes and sneered:

"If you want it, go take it yourself—don't drag me into anything."

"Huh?"

A Bin froze, thinking inwardly: Is Master Bu really this spineless now?

A Heaven-and-Mortal Realm expert refuses to act, yet orders me to steal the sword—how can someone still breathing speak so coldly?

Still, A Bin immediately fell silent.

If Bu Chengyang dared not act, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to walk into death.

After entering the deep pond, Bu Chengyang dragged A Bin along, holding their breath, heading toward the dim blue-green glow beneath the water.

Near the bottom, Li Musheng and Cang Cang Yin Yue floated in the water, their gazes fixed ahead.

There lay a bronze foundation coated in verdigris, connected by nine colossal bronze chains, each as thick as a man's thigh, coiling around the hilt and blade of a three-zhang-tall bronze greatsword, locking it immovably to the pond floor.

Around the bronze greatsword, eleven highly skilled martial cultivators were locked in combat.

Two eunuchs, their hair disheveled and clad in python robes, stood back-to-back beneath the greatsword, each raising a true qi barrier spanning several zhang wide, holding back the other nine.

Among the nine, their martial realms varied: three were Heaven-and-Mortal Realm practitioners, while the other six were Grand Masters or half-step Heaven-and-Mortal Realm cultivators.

Yet at this moment, both sides were locked in a tense stalemate; the remnants of Da Qi had yet to overcome the two Dai defenders.

As Li Musheng's group arrived, the warriors below the pond immediately noticed them.

Among the Da Qi remnants, an old man in purple robes struck at the true qi barrier before him while studying Li Musheng's party.

He could discern Cang Cang Yin Yue's and A Bin's martial realms at a glance; from the aura radiating from Bu Chengyang, he could roughly confirm the man was a Heaven-and-Mortal Realm cultivator.

Only Li Musheng gave off no true qi fluctuation—he couldn't read him at all.

Yet he did not grow careless; instead, he projected his voice through true qi across the water:

"I assume you've come here for the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword as well—only one step remains to break through this barrier."

"Why not assist us? Once we eliminate these two eunuchs, we can each vie for the sword by our own means."

The two eunuchs beneath the bronze greatsword glanced at Li Musheng's group but said nothing.

Their arrival clearly meant they sought the sword; they were natural enemies, with no possibility of alliance.

Meanwhile, facing the purple-robed elder's words, Li Musheng and Cang Cang Yin Yue remained silent; Bu Chengyang shook his head and replied via true qi:

"We're in no hurry. Let them wear each other down first—then we strike and claim the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword."

At this moment, Bu Chengyang sensed that among the three Heaven-and-Mortal Realm cultivators from Qingshan Tower, this purple-robed elder was the strongest—even slightly surpassing him.

He knew Li Musheng was powerful, but if they truly moved to seize the sword, they'd face five Heaven-and-Mortal Realm cultivators in unison.

For safety's sake, letting the others exhaust each other while they waited to reap the benefits was clearly the wisest choice.

Yet Li Musheng had no hesitation about whether to act; his only dilemma was something else.

"So this is the legendary Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword? It's this huge? Three or four stories tall—is this even usable by a normal person?"

Li Musheng projected his thoughts via true qi to Bu Chengyang.

The Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword was too large—too conspicuous. He was considering how to carry it away.

Hearing this, Bu Chengyang frowned, staring at the bronze greatsword rising from the foundation, and shook his head:

"To be honest, I've never seen the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword myself—but logically, it shouldn't be this large."

Li Musheng's expression turned thoughtful.

Legends said the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword was forged from meteoric iron, yet this blade was entirely bronze—something didn't match.

Still, since he couldn't figure it out, he let it go.

No matter the size of the Dragon-Subduing Divine Sword, first securing it, then seizing the Azure Dragon's true qi—that was the priority.

Besides, he had no use for the sword; there was no need to consider dragging it around.

With this thought, he raised an eyebrow and raised his hand, pointing remotely at the bronze greatsword entwined in chains.

Instantly, the bronze greatsword, once embedded in the pond floor, seemed gripped by an invisible hand and yanked upward.

The nine colossal bronze chains binding its blade were torn apart by an overwhelming force, snapping with a deep, thunderous crash.

The flying fragments of the shattered chains shot outward in all directions, stirring violent waves in the water, striking everyone around the greatsword indiscriminately.

Instantly, the two eunuchs and the Qingshan Tower group all changed expression.

The two eunuchs stared in disbelief at the rising bronze greatsword, unable to fathom what force could bypass their true qi barrier and seize the sword outright.

The Qingshan Tower members, meanwhile, were both furious and stunned—someone had stolen the sword right under their noses, and they hadn't noticed a thing!

(End of Chapter)