LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 422: The Sword Sheath's Path to a Harem
"How could this be?"
A glint of astonishment flashed in the eyes of the somber young man.
It was not his first time entering the Sword Pool, yet he had never heard of, much less witnessed, swords offering themselves so willingly.
Even for Jian Wuxia, a true disciple with the innate sword physique, the swords in the Sword Pool would only show submission and would not actively present themselves to her.
"Could it truly be that the legendary swords choose their masters?"
He pondered in confusion and wonderment.
As a swordsmanship genius of the Sky Sword Sect, he came to the Sword Pool to command the swords and issued bold statements, only to be intercepted by a cultivator of spiritual plants!
This was something his pride could not easily accept.
"Since this sword has already fallen into Junior Brother Lu Xuan's hands, I have no choice but to give up and take my leave."
Had the sword been without a master initially, he could have used his exquisite skills to outmatch Lu Xuan and win the sword.
However, once the sword willingly went to Lu Xuan, contending for it would change its nature.
What was once a fair competition would turn into theft.
In the Sword Pool, overseen by a Core Formation True Immortal, actively stealing a sect member's treasured possession was highly unlikely to go unnoticed, and severe punishment would likely follow.
"I didn't expect you, youngster, to have such an eye for quality."
Lu Xuan pulled the third Nebula Sword from the Profound Sword Sheath, unable to help but express his admiration.
The Nebula Sword, brimming with spirit, ranked among the top in the fourth grade of flying swords. Sensing the mystical nature of the sword sheath and the identical source of energy within, it did not confront the somber youth head-on but instead voluntarily sought refuge in the ancient sword sheath.
"It turns out that fellow sect member, although seemingly of average character, did abide by the rules within the Sword Pool. Otherwise, securing this Nebula Sword would have cost me several fourth-grade sword talismans."
Lu Xuan murmured to himself, let the sword sheath lead the way, and set off in the indicated direction.
Almost an hour passed before he found the fourth Nebula Sword.
Four Nebula Swords, with streams of nebula flowing over them, were simultaneously inserted into the ancient sword sheath, bringing pain and pleasure to it.
As more Nebula Swords were found, the difficulty of the search increased.
With only half a day allowed in the Sword Pool, Lu Xuan had to conserve his spiritual consciousness and could not speed up too much. After all, fine sword energies were moving at high speeds everywhere, and if Lu Xuan increased his pace too much, he might not react in time.
Given the vast expanse and depth of the Sword Pool, finding four Nebula Swords was already quite an achievement.
Time always flies during treasure hunts, and half a day passed in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, it's time to gather," a deep voice announced. Countless sword energies surged ceaselessly in the Sword Pool, and at the very center, a colossal sword energy shot up like a beam of light into the sky, visible from any corner of the Sword Pool.
The vast sword energies in the Sword Pool slowed down significantly under the deterrence of the huge sword energy column, reducing the threat to the cultivators within.
Seeing this, Lu Xuan and the other nine cultivators used their methods to rush towards the column of light at full speed.
Upon reaching the column, Lu Xuan carefully observed his surroundings but did not see the Core Formation True Immortal who stayed in the Sword Pool.
Six fellow sect members were already waiting under the column, each displaying a mix of satisfaction, regret, and other emotions.
Lu Xuan approached Jian Wuxia, who stood quietly, and moved closer to her.
"Sister Jian Wuxia, I have a question I'd like to ask for your advice on."
Lu Xuan whispered.
"Junior Brother Lu, please ask. I'll share what I know."
The moment Jian Wuxia opened her eyes, they were as sharp as an unsheathed sword blade. Upon seeing Lu Xuan, her gaze softened.
"It's like this: I know the rules for entering the Sword Hall dictate that each disciple can only tame up to two swords."
"But I'm puzzled about something: if there's a sword formation composed of several flying swords and I find part of it, does it count as one flying sword or multiple?"
Lu Xuan briefly explained his situation without revealing specific details about the Nebula Sword Formation.
"A sword formation capable of being formed? You're quite fortunate, Junior Brother."
Jian Wuxia's crisp voice contained a hint of surprise.
"Such
cases are rare in the Sword Pool, but they have occurred."
"Many swords in the Sword Pool, like interconnected blades or yin-yang complementing swords, and the sword formation you mentioned, have all appeared."
"They only count as one complete sword if all parts are assembled. Therefore, finding parts of it, even if they are several flying swords, counts as one slot."
Jian Wuxia explained.
"Then I'm relieved. Thank you, Sister Jian Wuxia, for clarifying my doubt."
Lu Xuan sighed in relief. Had it been against the rules, being caught by a Core Formation elder on the spot would have been quite the scene.
After the ten gathered, the column of light instantly enveloped them, and amidst a blur, they appeared in the familiar grand hall of the Sword Hall.
With five flying swords in hand, Lu Xuan went outside the Sword Hall and led a plump Wind Falcon from another Sword Hall disciple.
Sitting cross-legged on the broad, pale green wings of the Wind Falcon, feeling the howling wind rush by, he felt extremely exhilarated.
Back in his Cave Dwelling, he took out five fourth-grade flying swords from his storage bag and inserted the four Nebula Swords into the Profound Sword Sheath.
"The sword sheath initially started without any specific form of the Thunderbolt Sword Beam, followed by the third-grade Purple Thunder Sword, the fourth-grade Wind and Thunder Sword, and the mysterious green small sword."
"Now, with the fourth-grade Thunderous Sword and four Nebula Swords."
"It began its journey without wanting any relationship with flying swords."
"Gradually, it switched to a single flying sword path, allowing a certain sword to be inserted for a period to gently nourish its body."
"Then, it kept changing flying swords, until now, it has a vast array of flying swords as backups, choosing whichever it wishes to insert."
"Unknowingly, the once pure sword sheath has embarked on its path to a harem."
Lu Xuan looked at the ancient sword sheath filled to the brim, filled with emotions.
Ignoring the sword sheath and its harem of swords, Lu Xuan, carrying the Thunderous Sword, went to a secluded corner of the mountain.
Passing through the distracting pink miasma, Lu Xuan arrived in front of a bizarrely shaped bamboo.
The main stem of the bamboo was as clear as jade, and at the point where it met the spiritual soil, numerous developed roots protruded from the ground, densely packed together, each root covered in fine cracks.
As soon as Lu Xuan appeared, the cracks opened one by one, and a cacophony of strange noises flooded his ears, making him feel dizzy.
Just as Lu Xuan was about to use the Purification Mantra to calm himself, a gray vine shot out from the pink miasma, its slender roots like gray tentacles, sealing all the cracks on the bamboo roots without missing any.