Devour

Chapter 407 Thunder Blade

"Look...what a nice knife!" Bei Tingjun whispered, winking at Cheng Bai, indicating that he should pay attention to the difference.

This sword, while somewhat similar in shape to the Shazhudao, was double-edged, more like the Modao. Five feet seven inches long, it was exceptionally large and imposing. In the light, it shone with a strange, indistinguishable sheen, seemingly shifting with the surroundings.

Cheng Bai's eyes flashed as he discerned the material and mused, "This double-edged, long-handled sword, forged from genuine Feathered Gold, is undoubtedly the Jingtao Sect's renowned spirit weapon, the 'Jingting Blade.' The Sect Master doesn't carry it on his person, but instead enshrines it in the temple... Oh, right! This treasure was originally a burial object."

The Jingting Sword was still making slight humming sounds, as if it was sensing the approach of an uninvited guest and giving a warning.

Master Li, perplexed, observed this, "Saint Lord Wang once showed the Confucian scholar the power of the Thunder Blade. At that time, the blade remained silent. Why is it that today, the blade is making sounds of its own accord, as if facing a formidable enemy?"

Wang Hong's eyes flickered, and he forced a smile. "This sword is named 'Thunderbolt' because it can detect hostility and murderous intent, and reacts immediately like thunder. Ever since our ancestors discovered this trait, they have had the sword guard the entrance to the secret realm of the Immortal Tomb year-round. If an outside enemy rashly approaches, it will sound the alarm."

Cheng Bai asked curiously, "Is Saint Wang a sword cultivator? Why doesn't he carry the Thunder Blade?"

"I am also a sword cultivator! This sword is too ostentatious and doesn't match my demeanor. Especially at this level, I no longer need to rely on swords to kill enemies. If it weren't for the sake of showing off my prestige, I would rarely carry it with me when traveling."

Wang Hong answered casually, gazing at the Jingting Knife with a touch of regret, and continued, "Besides, it's only a knife embryo. It hasn't been awakened by the spirit-gathering and tempering treasures, so it doesn't need to recognize a master. Strictly speaking, its symbolic significance outweighs its practical use."

Bei Tingjun curled his lips and said, "What's the meaning of Beilin's number one sword? It looks a bit like a sword now that it has two blades."

Wang Hong answered the banshee's question truthfully, "Such a large weapon, primarily used for slashing and chopping, lacks the agility of sword cultivators and is undoubtedly a knife. The Jingting Blade has guarded Zhenhai Pavilion for three thousand reincarnations, and its significance is immense. Our sect has never changed."

Cheng Bai took advantage of the pause to use his spiritual eyes to observe the details of the Jingting Blade. He pondered, "The blade's craftsmanship is superb, and the runes and restrictions are excellent, but it's not inlaid with a Danling, leaving much room for improvement. It seems the Jingtao Sect hasn't realized the potential of this soul weapon."

Cheng Bai became increasingly puzzled as he pondered, and asked, "Why is the Sword Immortal's Tomb guarded by a precious sword? Logically, a precious sword would be more appropriate."

Master Li also smiled and said, "In the past, the Confucian scholars have been unable to discern the subtleties of the ancient tomb hidden under the stone niche and the sword that suppresses the corpse. I hope that Master Wang will reveal the secret."

Wang Hong couldn't refuse Cheng Bai's question. Although he felt a little strange, he said nonchalantly, "It's hard to explain the details. Personally, I think that this Sword Saint happened to have the Thunder Blade, which was suitable for the layout of the ancient tomb."

"Bullshit!" Wang Xiongwu suddenly yelled.

Cheng Bai thought he was about to make a profound statement, but Wang Xiongwu suddenly said with a critical look, "How can a mere soul weapon grade qualify you as number one in Beilin? I, the young master, will be the true leader from now on."

At this moment, Wang Xiongwu was eager to enter the Sword Immortal Tomb as soon as possible to explore its mysteries. He had no interest in weapons, so he presumptuously belittled the treasures of Jingtao Sect and asked impatiently, "Which way is the fastest to reach the tomb chamber containing the secret of immortality and aphrodisiac?"

There is a strangely carved stone door on the niche, and in front of the door there is a stone man, standing in the posture of opening the door.

"Can we go directly to the Sword Immortal's Tomb by entering through the stone gate?" Cheng Bai's perception was much sharper than what he could see, and his mind quickly circled around the stone niche.

There are four doors in total, namely the east, south, west and north doors, all decorated with stone carvings, with very different contents.

The stone figure on the east side is an image of a girl with flowing clothes and wings on her shoulders, as if welcoming guests.

The stone figure facing the south is a little boy with his hands clasped in a polite manner.

The stone figure on the west side is a young man holding a long sword, with his body slightly leaning forward, as if about to move forward, looking lifelike.

The stone figure facing north is a woman holding a water bottle, looking shy and uneasy.

Cheng Bai examined them carefully, pondering over and over again: "Do the directions these stone carvings face symbolize the four sister peaks of the east, south, west, and north?"

Wang Hong chuckled and explained, "The four stone doors lead to different underground secret chambers, each connected to one of the four areas. Our ancestors have spent years exploring and expending countless efforts to eliminate the hidden dangers one by one and figure out the distribution pattern of the interconnected tomb passages."

Wang Xiongwu was annoyed by his nagging and urged him angrily, "Which door should I go through? Tell me quickly!"

Wang Hong remained calm and spoke slowly, "All four doors lead to the central tomb chamber, but the distance and difficulty of the gates vary."

Cheng Bai suddenly asked, "Saint Master Wang said that when an enemy approaches, the Thunder Blade will naturally ring. But we came here with the Sect Leader, so we shouldn't be considered enemies. Why does the ringing continue?"

Wang Hong glanced at Wang Xiongwu furtively and said hesitantly, "Unless an outsider takes advantage of the elders' council's inattention and breaks into the secret realm of the tomb... This shouldn't happen."

Wang Xiongwu couldn't hide his peeping behavior. He glared back at him with a squinting eye and sneered, "Hey, hey! Where do you get so much confidence, you old fool?"

Cheng Bai was surprised. "Great Saint Wang might be hiding something. But the strange thing is, under cross-examination, his answers were flawless... I didn't ask the right question."

Wang Hong frowned slightly and retorted dissatisfiedly, "The tomb is rich in the Five Elements' vitality. Over the years, our sect has developed many quiet rooms, all of which have been allocated to the Grand Elders for their own retreat and cultivation. This is equivalent to all the senior masters remaining in the secret realm to guard it. There is no safest place in the world than here."

Wang Xiongwu snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "Haha! In the past, given my low status, I would never have dared to raise the slightest objection. But now it's different! Half a month ago, I heard rumors through a talisman that those stubborn old antiques in the Council of Elders haven't shown up in a while."

Bei Tingjun interjected, "There's no point in arguing any further. Just go in and take a look, and you'll find out the truth."

Wang Hong walked around to the northern stone gate, paused, and sighed. "This door is closest to the main tomb chamber. But I must be frank. Our sect has long studied the secrets of the ancient tomb, but has yet to discover the so-called 'secret to immortality and aphrodisiac power.' Pan Zhonghan's dying words were truly despicable! He was clearly trying to sow hostility between the New Saint and the Council of Elders."

Wang Xiongwu remained unmoved and insisted, "Don't try to fool me! You'll know the truth after you finish reading this."

Cheng Bai was delighted and secretly praised: "Venerable Wang is really capable. He is rough but meticulous. It's great to have him leading the way!"

"Follow me." Wang Hong had anticipated the questioning, so he didn't argue, simply lowering his head as he stepped through the northern stone gate. When his body touched the stone carvings and murals, it was as if he was passing through air, disappearing into the stone gate without any hindrance.

Wang Xiongwu followed Wang Hong closely, fearing he would fall behind. Others followed suit.

Cheng Bai intentionally stayed at the end, and when there was no one around, he offered up the Shengjin Pagoda and hung it above his head for protection.

He then looked up at the Jingting Blade and speculated, "This blade is definitely not a simple decoration or offering. It must have something special about it, which is why the successive sect leaders have such conflicting opinions."

Cheng Bai used his internal energy to grab the sword, and it suddenly flew into his hand.

Unexpectedly, the precious sword easily escaped from the niche, and once it was taken into his hand, it stopped humming and became as quiet as still water.

Cheng Bai gripped the hilt tightly and weighed it, his mind racing. "This knife... weighs over 8,000 kilograms. There's something wrong with the weight! Although it feels heavy, it's much lighter than the high-quality Feathered True Gold. A complete blade should weigh over 10,000 kilograms—but it's actually hollow!"

He reached out his other hand, grasped the end of the hilt, and gently shook it. Using his spiritual sense to probe the unique structure, he exclaimed in surprise, "The forging technique is truly remarkable, concealing the secret of the sword within the sword. It's a shame we're only one step away..."

Suddenly, Bei Tingjun poked his upper body out from the stone gate, beckoned, and said, "Your Majesty, come and see! There's trouble."

Cheng Bai quickly put the Jingting Sword into the Shengjin Tower and quickly followed her through the short Netherworld Road on the door and into another dark space.

The breath of death was so strong that it almost suffocated me.

Several withered corpses lay scattered across the cold ground, their faces frozen in terror. They were richly dressed and well-equipped, all high-ranking members of the sect.