It broke again.
The turmoil has finally subsided.
As expected, the wooden sword in Yun Qian's hand, after being subjected to the dual torment of the divine sword's pressure and the impact of spiritual energy, once again could not withstand the pressure and shattered completely, leaving only a bare hilt in her hand.
Yun Qian was already used to this and didn't feel much regret.
Slightly exhausted, she leaned her back against the cold wall to support her weak and trembling body. Continuously channeling immense spiritual power to withstand the heavenly lightning and then diverting her attention to protect Qin Wu, even with her Nascent Soul stage cultivation, she felt waves of uncontrollable exhaustion and emptiness.
The power of the ancient divine sword is indeed not to be underestimated.
Even when it was still in a state of being without a master, its immense power had already forced her to use almost all her methods, making it difficult for her to move freely.
If this sword were in the hands of a highly skilled master, and were fully infused with and activated by spiritual power, how astonishing would its true power be?
Yun Qian raised her eyes, her gaze falling on the ancient longsword in Qin Wu's hand, which had already lost all its brilliance and now looked somewhat tattered. Her expression was complicated.
After a long while, she sighed softly, an invisible pressure weighing heavily on her heart.
Such immense power... If even this power couldn't protect Cangmin Mountain in the original storyline, then how severe will the calamities and enemies they face in the future be? What kind of despairing darkness awaits them?
On the other side, Bai Chuan was holding Qin Wu's wrist with complete concentration. Pure and gentle spiritual energy flowed into his body like a gentle stream, and a light green healing light surrounded Qin Wu's wrist, nourishing his damaged meridians and internal organs.
Under Bai Chuan's medical treatment, Qin Wu's originally deathly pale face gradually regained some color, and his breathing became more stable. However, the impact and burden on his body from forcibly accepting the power of the divine sword was far beyond what Bai Chuan's current cultivation level could heal instantly. He would inevitably need a period of careful recuperation, and... that unavoidable, excruciatingly bitter herbal medicine.
"Senior Sister, are you alright? You look a little pale." After settling Qin Wu in, Bai Ji immediately went to Yun Qian's side, her brows furrowed, her tone full of concern.
"It's alright, it's just that my spiritual energy was a bit depleted. I'll be fine after a short rest." Yun Qian straightened up, barely suppressing the weakness in her body. She casually gathered a tiny bit of spiritual energy in her palm and turned the remaining wooden sword hilt into a handful of fine dust, which dissipated into the air.
At this moment, Qin Wu's complexion had improved, but he remained unconscious.
Yun Qian's gaze casually swept across her surroundings. Those divine artifacts, which had once shone with spiritual light, now hovered quietly in mid-air, neither too close nor too far from them, as if silently observing them. Gone was their previous eagerness to claim ownership; their silent demeanor, after the earth-shattering chaos just moments before, carried an inexplicable eeriness.
She felt a vague unease in her heart.
Today's treasure pavilion, from the moment she was forced to acknowledge the strange black sword as her master to the divine sword's inexplicable attack, exudes an unusual aura.
This place is not safe to stay for long.
"Have you two both found suitable divine artifacts?" Yun Qian composed herself and looked at Bai Chuan and Bai Ji.
"Found it, senior sister." The two answered almost simultaneously.
“Alright, let’s leave this place.” Yun Qian no longer hesitated. She quickly formed hand seals and a stream of pure spiritual energy was precisely injected into the core of the array that maintained this space, like a key.
The spiritual energy entered the void, and the array patterns glowed faintly.
Soon, not far from them, a portal made of light appeared out of thin air, and the familiar light from outside the treasure pavilion shone through the portal.
"Let's go!" Yun Qian decided immediately.
Bai Chuan and Bai Ji immediately supported the still unconscious Qin Wu on either side, and followed closely behind Yun Qian, stepping into the gate of light.
Warm sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing the four people who had just escaped the treasure pavilion. Behind them, the treasure pavilion lay silent and its doors tightly shut once more. Before them, the spotless white robes and the cold silver mask belonged to Bai Yan.
Upon seeing their master, Yun Qian, Bai Chuan, and Bai Ji, who were now fully conscious, almost simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, as if a drifting ship had finally seen a guiding lighthouse and found its backbone.
"Master!" Bai Ji called out first, his tone filled with reporting and a hint of worry, "Junior Brother is injured!"
Bai Yan's gaze swept over Qin Wu, who was being supported, and he gave a faint "hmm" without saying anything more. He knew Bai Chuan's medical skills, and with him taking care of him, Qin Wu's injuries should be fine.
His gaze then fell on the ancient longsword that Qin Wu still gripped tightly in his hand even in his unconscious state. His eyes were calm and unwavering, showing no surprise whatsoever, as if everything had been within his expectations.
That sword was a divine artifact left behind in the mortal realm by a powerful being who ascended to immortality in ancient times, used to guard the fortune of Cangmin Mountain. Later, it was respectfully invited into the treasure pavilion by the fourth sect leader. For thousands of years, it has passed through the hands of countless disciples with extraordinary talents, yet it has never chosen a master. Now, it has chosen Qin Wu; perhaps, it is destiny itself.
Aside from Yun Qian, Bai Yan could clearly sense the aura and origins of the divine artifacts obtained by Bai Chuan, Bai Ji, and even Qin Wu, but he could never see through Yun Qian. Even though his cultivation was far superior to hers, he couldn't fathom the true depth of her realm.
Even if he cast the divination for her a hundred times, exhausting his mind and energy, he still couldn't calculate her clear and distinct destiny trajectory.
Aside from the seven consecutive days of fatal divination, he knew almost nothing about Yun Qian's past and future.
Bai Yan was already used to Yun Qian being an anomaly.
The ways of Heaven are subtle and profound, and we shall leave everything to fate to decide.
His gaze slowly swept over the four disciples before him, pausing briefly on Yun Qian before moving away. After a long while, he spoke in a deep voice, carrying a warning tone: "Divine artifacts possess spirits and are unruly and difficult to tame. Now that they have recognized a master, it is both an opportunity and a responsibility. You must treat them carefully in the future, communicate with them diligently, and refine them so that they can be used as if they were your own limbs. You must not be negligent."
"Yes, Master!" Yun Qian, Bai Chuan, and Bai Ji replied in unison, their expressions turning serious.
Yun Qian was very relieved that Qin Wu's injuries were being personally cared for by Bai Chuan, the "Iron-Faced Physician".
After all, this junior brother would never allow any patient, especially her and her junior brother, to try to get away with "self-healing".
After settling Qin Wu in with Bai Chuan and Bai Ji, Yun Qian found an excuse to return to her own Jinghe Courtyard alone.
The courtyard was quiet. She sat on a chair by the window, overlooking the familiar scenery of Cangmin Mountain. She opened her palm, and the small, jet-black sword, several times smaller than before, lay quietly in her hand, emanating a faint, unsettling chill.
The strange occurrences inside the treasure pavilion, especially the ancient divine sword's sudden and furious attack, replayed in her mind like a scene from a movie.
The reason why the divine sword suddenly malfunctioned... could it really be because of the little black sword in her hand that had an unknown origin and forcibly recognized her as its master?
She knew she was neither a wicked person nor someone burdened with evil karma, and that ancient divine sword, brimming with righteous energy, could not possibly harbor such intense hostility towards her without reason.
Moreover, she clearly remembered that when she first stepped into the ninth floor of the treasure pavilion, she had noticed the divine sword. At that time, it showed no abnormalities and its aura was peaceful.
The divine sword possesses a spirit, its perception far surpassing that of ordinary people. If its sudden outburst was truly triggered by the aura of this small black sword…
Yun Qian's fingertips gently brushed across the cold, black blade of the sword, and her heart sank little by little.
So, this black sword that stubbornly clings to her is probably not a good thing at all.
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