Chapter 619: The Determination to Cast the Sword

Tang Zhao said with an urgent yet sincere tone, "You actually don't need to consider me. Just as you said, I am willing to find my own path. In fact, from the moment I realized the 'Tiantai' Sword Technique, I knew my path was completely different from the sun of the past. I have already been thinking about how to construct a more 'ruthless' Sword Intent that points directly to my Sword Dao. Giving up the Growth Sword Intent is of no consequence to me, and I am even happy to see it go. I am very willing to strip it away and recompose the Jinwu Sword; that will only make me stronger in the future. Why not put yourself first and consider this battle?"

The Jinwu looked at him and said, "I understand what you mean. But my choice is very calm. Just as I will not over-consider you, you do not need to consider me. Both you and I are suns; there is no need to consider anything else, just shine upon all things while hanging in the sky."

Tang Zhao immediately said, "I am considering it quite calmly. Since we must fight the Wangliang, I am a Sword Hero lacking in experience, and even if I gained power, I wouldn't know how to use it well. How could that compare to you taking action yourself? I am willing to entrust this great matter to you."

The Jinwu pondered for a moment and said, "But the Jinwu Sword truly has no physical form that needs to be condensed; does it not need the Jingxing Sword as a base? Then what sword should be used?"

Tang Zhao still had idle swords in his possession, such as the Changhen Jian just seized from Gui Rong, the Treasure Sword that had been shattered and never cast, and others...

Tang Zhao asked, "What about the original Jinwu Sword? I know it shattered into two halves back then, and that small half is in my hands. If you kept the other half, it wouldn't be difficult for me to piece it together and re-cast it."

The Jinwu sighed and said, "It shattered. The Fusang Tree you see under Yunzhou grew upon the fragments of the Jinwu Sword. I have no Jinwu Sword left in my hands either, only a few remnants; even adding the fragment you have, it cannot be pieced together. Nowadays, the only proof of the Jinwu Sword remaining in the world is me."

It pointed again to the huge sphere in the sky, intertwined with gold and black, "And it."

Tang Zhao looked at the "Destruction" nearing ruin in the sky, then looked at the Jinwu, feeling only a sense of sorrow in his heart.

The Jinwu laughed and said, "The sun rises and it must set. The Jinwu Sword should have actually set a hundred years ago; it is quite good to end like this now. At the final moment, to emit a brilliant light, illuminate the world's greatest Shadow, and sweep away the stubborn haze—isn't that a very good destination?"

Tang Zhao shook his head and said, "How can the sun set? The sun is eternal and undying."

Tang Zhao's expression dimmed slightly, and the Jinwu continued, "Because there is no precedent. In the past, when an Immortal Sword, Saint Sword, or Sword Guest died, they should have faded. If they shattered themselves, there would be no trace of them left. What immortals or saints—they are all fleeting clouds. But because I exist, the Jinwu Sword has always retained some of its power and traces from back then."

The Jinwu Sword laughed and said, "Descendants have their own blessings; I won't worry about the future."

This time, the Jinwu truly began to think.

The Jinwu listened for a moment, then shook its head and said, "It cannot be done."

Tang Zhao replied, "Since that is the case, I must try. Aim high to get the middle; although I am not sure if it will be useful, I still want to cast the sword. I think that compared to using the shadow of the Jinwu Sword to deceive Destruction into coming down, letting it truly return to the Jinwu Sword would make it feel more comforted as well."

The Jinwu Sword said, "One matter should not trouble two masters; the matter of casting the sword is left to you. After the Sword Intent and Sword Essence are exhausted, the Jinwu Sword will disappear. Casting a new sword allows one to travel light, choosing the most suitable young person without considering any inheritance or carrying so many burdens. I heard Xiangyangzi entrusted you to find a new Jinwu Sword? You don't need to take it to heart; rather than holding onto the old sun and calling it back, the world can possess a brand-new sun."

Tang Zhao grinned; he did not want to be humble, as now was not the time for humility.

Even if extinguished, it should last for billions of eons. How can a sun perish together with a mere shadow?

The Jinwu said, "As long as a new sun rises, the old sun can naturally take its bow; the sky only needs one sun. It just so happens that in these days, I have seen a rising sun. Therefore, I have fewer worries when making my decision."

Tang Zhao smiled slightly, took a small jar from his space, and said, "Time will not extend just because I want it to, but it will increase because of my usual accumulation."

Tang Zhao was silent for a moment, looking at the Jinwu as if looking at that spirited Dongjun of the past, and suddenly said, "I actually feel that you worry too much. Why would you want to disperse the Jinwu Sword and let the world have one more new sword? Is it because you think there aren't enough new swords in the world? As a Sword Smith, I can tell you that I have several orders and several Sword Seeds piled up in my hands that I haven't had time to cast, and there are many Sword Smiths like me. Is it important to have one more new sword traveling light in the world?"

"If we follow the previous estimation, I would bring Destruction directly, inheriting its power or retaining it to share power with it, which would actually still exist in the form of a Sword Deity. But now, to use the original power of the Jinwu Sword to attract it in, I don't know what kind of situation will remain in the end. The remaining Jinwu Sword might retain the Sword Image, but I don't know if it will be me. Even so, do you still want to try?"

Tang Zhao asked again, "Your Highness, give me an answer. If I cast the sword now, can I keep you?"

As he spoke, Ju Dongjun's hand rested on Tang Zhao's sword. Tang Zhao looked up, his gaze meeting those eyes as bright as starlight, as if he had crossed a hundred years of time to look at the previous Dongjun.

That jar naturally contained time. Besides the bits and pieces Tang Zhao usually accumulated, there was also the gift Ping Jiangqiu gave him during the grand assembly when Tang Zhao became a Sword Smith. Only Ping Jiangqiu, who had spent long years in the jar, could produce a large chunk of time, which, added to Tang Zhao's own savings, amounted to about a month or so.

A moment later, it gave its answer: "I don't know either."

Tang Zhao said solemnly, "Then I must ask you. Can re-casting the Jinwu Sword allow the Jinwu Sword to remain in the world for a long time? Can it continue the Dongjun lineage, and can it allow you to cross today's death tribulation and become a long-lasting Jinwu? If you give me a definite answer, then I will cast it even if I have to risk my life."

The Jinwu shook its head and said, "I saw your sword technique earlier and thought you were a very calm person, unlike our Jinwu lineage, not disturbed by human impulsive emotions. I didn't expect you to be a hot-blooded youth, as if you had Jinwu blood flowing in you. What does whether it can be done have to do with risking your life? Some things cannot be done just because you especially want them to be. For example, time—time will not extend just because you want it to."

The Jinwu added, "Naturally, I am not saying the future rests entirely on you. Since I have just appeared and can see a good child like you, surely there are other excellent youths like you growing up in various parts of the Human World, right? Some may not be able to become the sun shining in the sky for one reason or another, but they can also become sunflowers that scatter light across the world. Thinking this way, isn't this world full of hope?"

"So, don't worry about a shattered Jinwu Sword. When the Sword Essence of the previous era is exhausted, it should end. The Sword Seed will remain; take it and cast a new sword. I remember you are a very capable Sword Smith, right?"

It was also a Jinwu Sword worthy of the name.

"What is important is the inheritance, the wealth inherited from predecessors—spiritual wealth. In my opinion, the inheritance of the Jinwu, the sun, and the Dongjun—the souls that illuminate all things generation after generation—is worth preserving. If you really want me to cast a sword, then I will cast it here, re-casting the Jinwu Sword. I want the true Jinwu Sword to appear in the world forever. The main material will be the Jinwu remnants, and I have auxiliary materials here; I have accumulated quite a few good things over the years, enough to pick from. Plus your cooperation, we will fully restore the Jinwu Sword's Sword Intent, Sword Essence, and Sword Image... replicating the exact same Jinwu Sword from back then. At that time, with you as the Sword Image, and Shine and Growth as the Sword Intent, it will naturally be able to attract the Destruction in the sky. I can temporarily wield the Jinwu Sword to pierce the Shadow, but the Jinwu Sword will have a new Dongjun in the future."

Tang Zhao retorted, "Just now you entrusted the matter of casting the sword to me, and now you say I can't do it? Do you trust me or not?"

The Jinwu said, "I meant for you to take the Sword Seed and cast a new sword, going back to cast it slowly. How is it possible to cast a sword now? There is no time. There are only four days left until the Wangliang appears. The situation of Destruction is also precarious; every moment of delay carries unpredictable risks. I know you Sword Smiths take months or even years to cast a sword. You have only cast a few swords; how can you cast one within four days?"

Casting a sword in over a month was, for Tang Zhao, certainly something he would have to risk his life for, but it was a life worth risking.

Tang Zhao did not get a definite answer, and his heart was naturally regretful, but he also knew that not every question in this world has an answer. In fact, there are certainly more unknowns than knowns in the world; should one do nothing just because it is unknown?

After all, although Destruction was polluted, it was not because it fell into depravity itself, but because it had to be tainted by the Yingyuan in order to suppress powerful darkness. It has truly made great contributions to the Human World, only it has always remained unknown.

Tang Zhao thought, even if he couldn't keep the Jinwu, it would be worth it to cleanse Destruction and let it return to the Jinwu Sword.

Re-casting the Jinwu Sword had too many reasons to be done. Tang Zhao had a chance; why not take it?

The Jinwu's gaze passed through Ju Dongjun's eyes and met Tang Zhao's, finally saying, "Good, then let's cast the sword! Even if I cannot be preserved, the Jinwu Sword is worth preserving. Are you ready? The Growth Sword Intent... is actually a good Sword Intent. You originally held two Sword Intents and were only one step away from being a Sword Immortal, surpassing most Sword Heroes in the world. Previously, your suppression of Gui Rong also had the help of the dual Sword Intents..."

Tang Zhao immediately said, "Actually, I have already selected a Sword Intent for myself; it was only because it had similarities to Growth that I suppressed it and did not realize it. Once I strip away Growth, I can replace it immediately, and it will be even more suited to my path."

The Jinwu laughed happily, a rare occurrence, and said, "Yes, why am I worrying about our little sun? You have your own ideas. Since you are ready, I will stabilize our surroundings, and you go ahead and cast the sword!"