Within the pitch-black sword casket, the ancient sword Dustleave stood in the center of the red spirit pool.
Around it, the Misty Rain Sword, Enlightenment Sword, and Sudden-Clarity Sword hovered in midair, slowly revolving around Dustleave.
The next moment.
Countless golden glimmers streamed in from the void, each ray carrying a hint of pressure and indescribable mystique. In an instant, they slithered like spirit serpents through the dust, linking all four swords together.
Once the four swords were gathered, the aura inside the casket surged, golden light blazing forth as if the whole space was on the verge of shattering.
Jagged black cracks burst open and then sealed themselves again, while countless streams of sword qi whirled madly inside. Each strand of sword qi was sharper than before, as if ready to split heaven and earth.
At the mid-slope of Heavenly Sword Mountain, in the Sword-Practice Field.
All disciples of the Southriver Sword Sect were quietly waiting here.
Harvey He, Selina Zhu, and the other rich heirs who had come for the sword ceremony all looked dejected.
Ever since Evan “Nine Mysteries” Lin and the Sect Master of Southriver Sword Sect ascended to the summit a few days ago, the entire sect has been under lockdown.
All Sword Masters, disciples, and Elders were forbidden to leave the Sword-Practice Field.
Even Harvey He and the other rich heirs who didn’t actually belong to the Southriver Sword Sect found themselves stuck—unable to ascend the mountain, unable to leave, all frustrated and anxious, afraid they might be cut down.
“The Sect Master of Southriver Sword Sect took Evan ‘Nine Mysteries’ Lin up the mountain days ago and there’s still no sign of them. Maybe they fought to the death and both ended up dead?” Harvey He sat on the ground, looking exhausted and bedraggled, muttering quietly.
“I think it’s possible. Southriver Sword Sect has always had such prestige—they wouldn’t just let someone bully them without fighting back, right? Evan ‘Nine Mysteries’ Lin even killed their founding patriarch. That’s a blood feud if I ever saw one. I bet the Sect Master set some kind of trap up there, just waiting to kill Evan Lin.” Someone nearby nodded, quietly agreeing.
“Selina, what do you think?”
Someone glanced over at Selina Zhu, who was still sitting there in a daze.
Normally, a proud and talented Zhu clan heiress like Selina Zhu wouldn’t have much to do with these other rich heirs.
Even among the second-generation circle, there are levels. The Zhu clan’s status in Oceanport City is hardly low, and it’s tough for an ordinary rich kid to break into their ranks.
“Me?”
Selina Zhu snapped out of her daze when she heard her name and replied, “I don’t think so. Evan Lin is way too strong…”
As she spoke, a faint trace of melancholy lingered between her brows.
Selina Zhu’s mind kept replaying the image of Evan Lin from a few days ago.
That air of absolute dominance—no matter how you looked at it, didn’t seem like something a backpack-toting teenager could possess.
Most striking of all, Evan Lin was shockingly young—almost unbelievably so.
Talents like Dragonview Apartments’ genius and little prodigy Zack Zhao were like kids in front of him—no comparison at all.
If only he could like me…
Thinking of this, Selina Zhu’s heart fluttered wildly, her thoughts scattered.
“I’m not so sure. Evan Lin’s only so strong because he’s standing at the core of the Prison-Sword Formation. If I were in his place, maybe I’d be just as powerful.”
Harvey He, seeing the flicker of emotion in Selina Zhu’s eyes as she spoke, felt a wave of discomfort.
In his eyes, Selina Zhu was his goddess—even if he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anyone else to touch her.
“If you really think you’re that strong, then go try it. If you succeed, I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Selina Zhu scoffed at his words, crossing her arms with a cold snort.
“Fine, I’ll try!”
Seeing Selina Zhu’s obvious disbelief, Harvey He suddenly felt a surge of courage. He jumped up and turned to head straight for the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground.
Just as they were talking, Harvey He, Selina Zhu, and the others suddenly heard a chorus of sharp gasps.
They turned to look and saw that the Southriver Sword Sect disciples, Sword Masters, and Elders who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground were now all craning their necks, faces full of shock, staring up at the summit of Heavenly Sword Mountain.
“What’s happening?”
One Southriver Sword Sect disciple stared blankly into the distance.
“That is... What is that thing!”
All the Southriver Sword Sect Sword Masters stood up, their expressions changing wildly.
“At the summit—is that the Heaven... the Heavenly Sword?!”
All four Southriver Sword Sect Elders trembled, staring intently. They could sense an overwhelming surge of sword intent erupting from the summit!
At the summit.
Outside the sword casket, Evan Lin slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and exhaled a long breath.
“The Four-Directions Sword Formation is complete!”
The next second, centered on Evan Lin, within a hundred meters of the courtyard, all grass, stones, tiles, and debris were sliced clean through. Explosive sword qi shot straight into the clouds, condensing into a massive transparent longsword over ten meters tall.
The giant sword pierced into the clouds, and with its appearance, wind and thunder converged, the very sky changing color.
The towering longsword stood tall among the clouds, surrounded by countless crisscrossing streams of sword qi weaving together.
The air was filled with the sound of swords crying and singing.
Dominic Ding descended from the mountain, and when he saw the colossal sword rising into the sky, he knelt before all the Southriver Sword Sect disciples, pressing his forehead to the ground in reverence.
The Southriver Sword Sect disciples, Sword Masters, and Elders who had just stood up now fell to their knees, row after row, worshipping the summit in awe.
Harvey He was stunned.
Suddenly, he heard a sound slicing through the air behind him.
He turned his head and saw, from the direction of the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground, a sweeping rain of swords rising into the sky.
Each sword, whether whole or broken, trembled in midair. Before everyone’s eyes, the blades howled as if answering the colossal sword atop the summit.
In that moment, over a hundred disciples of the Southriver Sword Sect bowed as one.
At that instant, tens of thousands of broken swords and divine weapons within the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground bowed in unison.
In that second, heaven and earth changed color. Wind and thunder rumbled, sword qi split the rainbow, pierced the clouds, and shot toward the azure sky!
Selina Zhu stared blankly at the summit, where she saw a slender figure standing atop the towering sword.
That figure stood gracefully at the tip of the transparent giant sword, as if gazing across the ages—a celestial sword immortal opening Sword Mountain for all eternity!
He stood before the sword and before the people, calm and at ease.
His face was serene as he stepped into the void, as if ascending to the gates of heaven!