Chapter 125: May the Youth Wield His Sword Like a Spark; Zhao Huangting’s Vengeful Strike Wipes Out the Prince’s Estate

Three peerless, top-tier swords hung above the Sword Pool Lake. Waves surged upon the water, as if a hurricane were howling past, whipping up giant crests of spray one after another. A majestic sword aura, a terrifying sword intent, and an incredibly oppressive sword pressure radiated from the three blades, weaving together into a vast net.

They resembled three great dragons emerging from the lake, their gazes locked onto the bamboo sword held in An Le’s hand in the center of the sky above the water.

This scene was quite surreal, at least to the many people on the shore, who found it incomprehensible. After all, most people in the world were unaware of the name "Qingshan," the bamboo sword; even the disciples of the Sword Pool Palace had never heard of it. Only a few master swordsmiths of the older generation understood the magnitude of the wonders contained within that tattered bamboo sword.

Yet now, the bamboo sword sought to be sharpened, and it had actually summoned three top-tier swords of the age to release their own aura to hone its edge! What kind of weapon in this world could withstand the honing of three top-tier swords?

For a sword, the "top-tier" grade was already the limit. There had never been any mention of a treasure-level sword surpassing it; even the Sword Pool Palace, with its long and storied history, had only managed to forge top-tier swords over the past few thousand years. Top-tier swords were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns throughout the entire human realm.

An Le floated above the Sword Pool Lake. The three streams of sword aura rose into the sky like three heavenly dragons, swirling the water of the lake into three tornadoes. Holding Qingshan, An Le felt an immense, crushing pressure; he lacked even the strength to move a muscle. His body, tempered through the five realms of physical refinement, felt as fragile as a stone made of packed sand under such pressure—likely to crumble into a pile of grit at the slightest touch.

Yet, An Le remained incredibly calm, his mind settled and focused, just as it had been when he first stepped into the path of cultivation and learned to enter a state of stillness. The sword aura between heaven and earth, the churning lake water, and the sword hums that chilled the blood all resonated clearly in his ears.

He looked at the tattered bamboo sword in his hand; it was the first sword he had ever owned. Qingshan held its blade high like a proud, verdant bamboo, arrogant and disdainful even when facing the three peerless top-tier treasures of the age.

Zhao Huangting had brought him to Jingguan City and the Sword Pool Palace primarily to sharpen Qingshan. This was one of Zhao Huangting’s wishes. The old prince, who had once been a man of great style and renown, had visited the Sword Pool Palace four times, only to fail in his quest to have the bamboo sword sharpened.

As the years flowed by and his time reached its end, the old man had passed this sword to the youth. Finally, the youth stood above the Sword Pool Lake, clutching the blade, waiting for it to be sharpened. This was likely the old man’s last time witnessing a sharpening for Qingshan. If it failed again, the old man would never have another chance to see the tattered bamboo sword, which had accompanied him throughout his life, reveal its world-shaking edge.

An Le exhaled a breath, and the surroundings seemed so quiet that only the sound of his own breathing remained.

To sharpen Qingshan...

Then, let us try.

An Le looked at the three top-tier swords, a flicker of firm resolve gradually emerging in his eyes. He slowly turned Qingshan, pointing the tip downward. Though every inch of his flesh and blood was under crushing pressure, as the scriptures of the *Qingshan Ancient Sutra* clung to his body, that suffocating sensation gradually vanished like a gentle breeze.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the handsome, bare-chested youth, with his black hair flying, stood suspended above the lake. His body was intertwined with golden scriptures, resembling an angry Vajra of the Buddhist faith, leaning on his bamboo sword like a god or demon. The lake water, interlaced with sword aura, rose to support the youth.

An Le, covered in ancient scriptures, gripped the bamboo sword and stomped down hard. An invisible blast of sword aura seemed to explode. He stomped again! His figure pressed downward, and the water supporting him was pushed all the way to the surface. On the third and final stomp, his figure, along with the bamboo sword, shot toward the bottom of the Sword Pool Lake like a cannonball, creating a thunderous splash that sent a circle of white waves scattering outward!

The three suspended top-tier swords—Chengying, Longyuan, and Yan Guichao—emitted brilliant hums and dove into the lake as well, dragging three trailing white wakes and causing violent, explosive sounds!

On the shore, many people gasped, instinctively taking a step forward to see what was happening in the lake, but as soon as they moved, they felt the sharp sword aura sweeping toward them. Their faces flushed red, and they were forced to retreat. Lü Shisan, in his excitement, had taken a few too many steps and was immediately struck by the sword aura, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.

The sword aura of three top-tier blades was simply not something Lü Shisan could withstand without Qingshan’s protection. Having already bled after the three strikes of the Sword Bell, he coughed blood again, yet he felt no worry, only immense shock.

"This sword aura... can Brother An really hold out? Won't he be shredded to pieces?" Lü Shisan exclaimed in horror.

Lu Ziwei, the top-ranked talent on the Dali Kingdom's Star Chart, also took a step forward. She slowly raised her slender, fair palm to probe the remnants of the sword aura interlaced on the lake's surface. Her life force surged and intertwined, her spirit permeating like starlight! Yet, she was still sliced by the sword aura, and sword marks immediately appeared on her jade-white hand, with blood seeping out. She pulled her hand back instantly, her calm eyes mirroring the horror felt by Lü Shisan.

"For the time being, do not approach the Sword Pool Lake," said Wang Yansheng, the man who had forged the top-tier sword *Yan Guichao*. Now filled with satisfaction, he saw Lu Ziwei’s actions and smiled faintly. "You do not possess the unique affinity that An Le has with the sword."

"No one knows how many days the sharpening of Qingshan will last. Regardless of success or failure, with the Old Sword Saint’s protection at the bottom of the Sword Pool Lake, An Le will not come to harm. When the dust settles, he will emerge on his own."

"The sword aura and intent left behind by the top-tier swords on the lake are currently surging; it is the best time for insight. Do not miss this opportunity. If you can comprehend the sword intent from this, and use it to nurture your own blades, it will be of great benefit to your swordcraft."

Wang Yansheng chuckled. The world’s greatest swordsmith, usually known for his irritable temper, now seemed like a kind-hearted grandfather. Hearing this, the disciples of the Sword Pool Palace showed excitement. Without a hint of doubt, they unhesitatingly sat cross-legged around the lake, their swords resting on their laps, and closed their eyes to cultivate. Their spirits and primordial souls leaped forth to capture and sense the three streams of sword aura intertwined above the lake.

The geniuses of the Dali Kingdom’s Star Chart looked at one another. Those sent to the Sword Pool Palace to strike the Sword Bell were all sword practitioners from Dali. The aura on the lake was naturally beneficial to them as well. However, even Lu Ziwei hesitated; after all, the aura of these three top-tier swords was a boon belonging to the Sword Pool Palace. They could strike the Sword Bell because the Palace did not restrict the identity of the bell-ringers—even ghost cultivators or evil cultivators from the Hell Mansion were allowed to try, provided they had the courage. But the aura on the lake was a special opportunity, and they dared not comprehend it lightly.

Su Muzhe, as the Palace Master of the Sword Pool Palace, understood this as well. He looked toward Wang Yansheng, who had just forged *Yan Guichao*. Wang Yansheng’s status and prestige in the Sword Pool Palace were currently at their peak. As the first legendary swordsmith in thousands of years to forge a top-tier sword, he deserved all the respect and celebration he received. Even the status of Su Muzhe as Palace Master could not compare to Wang Yansheng at this moment.

"Go ahead and comprehend it together. The forging of *Yan Guichao* is a cause for celebration for the entire Palace. As those who witnessed the birth of the sword, this is your destiny," Wang Yansheng said with a wave of his hand, not minding the formalities.

Hearing this, Lu Ziwei was the first to sit cross-legged. Her primordial soul leaped out, starlight enveloping her, and she began to comprehend the sword aura on the lake. The other Dali practitioners followed suit, unwilling to abandon such a rare opportunity.

As for the youth who had fallen into the Sword Pool Lake, everyone could only watch and wait in secret. Of course, they also wanted to see if the youth could truly sharpen that bamboo sword—the very sword that had provoked such a surge of aura from three top-tier blades.

Wang Yansheng smiled, looking expectantly at the Sword Pool Lake, which was slightly rippling and shrouded in thick sword aura. Whether An Le could sharpen Qingshan, he did not know. Wang Yansheng had also studied Qingshan, but as the world's greatest swordsmith, he could not fathom the secrets of this blade. This sword... was too strange, too mysterious.

However, Wang Yansheng knew that if An Le failed to sharpen Qingshan this time... Chengying, Longyuan, and Yan Guichao releasing their sword aura to sharpen it—such a lineup would likely never be gathered again. *Seven-Star Longyuan* had appeared only because of the birth of *Yan Guichao*; unless someone forged another top-tier sword, this blade that suppressed the Sword Pool Palace would rarely show its true form. As for the *Chengying* sword, it was the Old Sword Saint’s personal weapon; gaining the Old Sword Saint’s recognition to have him unsheathe it was incredibly difficult.

Therefore, such a situation was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. If the sharpening still failed... Wang Yansheng would have nothing left to say.

Su Muzhe, Wang Yansheng, and the excited Wan Jieliu all left the shore of the Sword Pool Lake, while the other swordsmiths and the younger disciples of the Sword Pool Palace hungrily absorbed the sword aura on the lake. The aura of *Yan Guichao*, a newly born top-tier sword, was enough to drive these swordsmiths into a frenzy. If they could gain some insight into sword-forging from it, the improvement to their craft would be immense. Wang Yansheng and Su Muzhe were happy to see this; if a swordsmith capable of forging top-tier swords were born among them, the Sword Pool Palace’s status in the martial world would climb even higher.

...

...

The three men left the lake and returned to the ruins outside the forge. Zhao Huangting sat cross-legged on the ground. Sword aura still interlaced around him; the pain caused by the Nirvana Fire had long since vanished from his face, and his pale complexion had returned to normal.

Gradually, the sword aura around Zhao Huangting dissipated. He slowly opened his eyes; they were clear and bright, and even the sense of old age brought by the passing years seemed to have vanished. Su Muzhe felt a moment of dizziness, as if he were seeing the spirited, heroic young man in green robes, carrying a bamboo sword, who had first stepped into the Sword Pool Palace.

Zhao Huangting opened his eyes and, seeing Su Muzhe, Wang Yansheng, and Wan Jieliu, was momentarily surprised. He turned his head toward the Sword Pool Lake, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

"The tempering and sharpening was a success?" Zhao Huangting asked.

Wang Yansheng nodded proudly: "It was a success. The world has gained one more top-tier sword, *Yan Guichao*! My masterpiece!"

Zhao Huangting smiled: "That is also half thanks to my young friend An! Without him, how could you have forged *Yan Guichao*?"

There was not a trace of embarrassment on Wang Yansheng’s face; instead, he said earnestly: "Indeed, without An Le, I would have ended my life in regret. *Yan Guichao*... I could not have forged it. His affinity with the sword is truly unimaginable."

"I admit, I believe you now when you say this child will be the hope of the Sword Pool Palace," Wang Yansheng said solemnly. "I suddenly understand why the Old Sword Saint made such a promise to An Le. An Le... he deserves it."

"Do you know Li You'an's attitude? He thinks very highly of An Le... he views him as a spark that can start a prairie fire," Zhao Huangting said. "Li You'an, Ye Longsheng, and Zhong Shiji want to launch a northern expedition, but that Great Zhao Emperor in the Heavenly Mystery Palace is unwilling."

"You also know that the Celestial Master’s Mansion uses the nation's destiny to nourish the Purple Qi Golden Lotus. Although the dynasty's destiny is ethereal, it truly exists. If the three of them want to launch a northern expedition without the support of the national destiny, they will surely be defeated as soon as they cross the Canglang River."

"However, today I realized that a person's life is like *Yan Guichao*: only when one returns to their homeland can their wishes be fulfilled. Having lost the Central Plains' dragon veins, although the Great Zhao created a dreamlike prosperity after moving south, it will eventually fall apart."

"Therefore, although I was previously indifferent to Li You'an’s stance, from today on, I support him."

"Though I am of the Great Zhao royal family, I support Li You'an."

"This hope, this spark, does not aim merely at the Great Zhao, but at the entire world."

"I hope the youth holds his sword like a spark, and I hope he can bring the momentum of a prairie fire to bring clarity and peace to the human realm."

"The injustice in one’s heart can only be extinguished by wine, but the injustice in the world can only be cut down by the sword," Zhao Huangting said.

As his words fell, it was like thunder on a clear day. Wang Yansheng, Su Muzhe, and Wan Jieliu were all profoundly shocked, their hearts turbulent and their emotions surging.

"Enough, it is still too early to speak of these things. I don’t know if the boy can sharpen Qingshan... I have a premonition that if he truly sharpens it, he will come into contact with the true secret of Qingshan." Zhao Huangting’s face returned to its cheerful expression.

"I held Qingshan for five hundred years and never sharpened it; what I came into contact with... was merely the surface."

Zhao Huangting stood up and stretched, an invisible sword aura exploding from his body. The waves of sword aura blew away the dust covering the ground. The Earth Immortal Fire beneath the ruins of the forge flared up, only to be sealed back down by Wan Jieliu’s sword aura.

"Old friend, what is your current state?" Su Muzhe pushed aside the shock of Zhao Huangting’s words and asked with concern.

Wang Yansheng and Wan Jieliu stopped thinking about the previous topic; it was indeed too early to dwell on it.

"My state... is excellent!"

"My mind is clear, my heart is resolved. Although it is still difficult to touch the Tenth Realm, with the addition of the Heart Sword, the Nirvana Fire no longer affects my cultivation. I can recover and use my original strength," Zhao Huangting said with a smile. He twisted his waist, loosened his muscles, and looked at Wang Yansheng: "World’s greatest swordsmith, lend me a sword."

Wang Yansheng narrowed his eyes: "Will it be returned?"

Zhao Huangting grinned: "Does my reputation as the 'Bamboo Guest' not guarantee it?"

Wang Yansheng sneered: "Your reputation isn't worth a hammer." Then he sighed and changed his tune: "What do you need a sword for? To go hack at the Yuan Meng Emperor? That sword will surely be gone for good if I lend it to you. Fine, fine, I’ll lend it to you. Using my sword to hack at that Yuan Meng Emperor will also serve to spread the name of this old man, the world’s greatest swordsmith."

After speaking, Wang Yansheng pressed his fingers together and made a sudden hooking motion toward the ruins of the forge. Instantly, a flash of sword light rose from the dust like a dragon, whistling toward him.

"This sword is named *Shooting the Ox-Dipper*, taken from the meaning of 'sword light soaring to shoot the Ox and Dipper constellations.' It is of the top-tier grade; it’s enough for you to play with," Wang Yansheng said.

Zhao Huangting’s eyes lit up. His hand reached out from beneath his plain robes and gripped the sword. The blade was silvery-white, the spine straight and firm, with a lingering sense of frost and cold. The hilt was circular; on one side, the character "Shoot" was engraved, and on the other, the characters "Ox-Dipper." Simply gripping the sword caused sword light to burst forth, as if it wanted to soar into the blue sky and pierce the constellations!

"A fine sword!" Zhao Huangting praised, his eyes bright.

Beside him, Su Muzhe and Wan Jieliu were astonished. They knew deeply how precious and rare *Shooting the Ox-Dipper* was to Wang Yansheng. Yet today, he had actually gifted it to Zhao Huangting. On one hand, it was because Wang Yansheng had forged *Yan Guichao* and his state of mind had changed; on the other, he intended to fulfill Zhao Huangting’s wish. Wang Yansheng naturally knew that Zhao Huangting, under the influence of the Nirvana Fire, wished to go north to seek a clean end. Facing the world-leading Yuan Meng Emperor, he naturally needed a good sword to respond; anything less than a top-tier sword would be an insult to the world’s number one.

"Thanks, Old Wang." Zhao Huangting couldn't put it down, his lips curling upward.

The next moment, he narrowed his eyes. His aura rose step by step, and an extremely sharp sword intent surged from his body. The *Shooting the Ox-Dipper* in his hand immediately emitted a sword hum that echoed through the surroundings.

"I still remember in Jiangling Prefecture, that little Taoist from the Celestial Master’s Mansion shot a peach-wood sword at me. I was suffering from the Nirvana Fire back then and had to let him be arrogant!"

"Now... I must let him know what kind of bird-thing he is!"

A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, but Zhao Huangting preferred his revenge to be settled from morning to evening.

As his words fell, sword light surged beneath Zhao Huangting’s feet, dragging his figure into the air. Like a giant roc spreading its wings, he rose to the highest point before diving toward the outside of the Sword Pool Palace! Majestic sword aura and intent permeated the entire Jingguan City!

...

...

In Jingguan City, within the luxurious garden of the Prince of Jiangling’s residence, there was silence in the pavilion. The plum rain fell, pitter-pattering onto the black tiles.

"Did it succeed?" The Second Prince, Zhao Pei, had a cultivation level of only the Fifth Realm and could not sense it clearly; he could only look toward the Prince of Jiangling and the Daoist Li from the Celestial Master’s Mansion.

Daoist Li took a deep breath, an incomparable shock in his eyes.

"It... it succeeded! The world has gained one more top-tier sword!"

"This Wang Yansheng of the Sword Pool Palace... his status will rise another level! He is the absolute limit of the swordsmiths of this age!" Li Qingchuan exclaimed.

"Prosperity leads to decline; such fame... is by no means a good thing for the Sword Pool Palace," the Prince of Jiangling said faintly. He narrowed his eyes and drank the scarlet wine in his cup, which had been cooled by the plum rain. As he swallowed, his heart felt a mixture of shock and burning desire.

"The Sword Pool Palace... truly is the world’s number one place for forging weapons. If one could control the Sword Pool Palace, it would be equivalent to owning an arsenal capable of providing high-quality weapons!" The Prince of Jiangling licked the wine from his lips and muttered.

However, with the Old Sword Saint guarding the Sword Pool Palace, all nations dared not make a move. Even the Yuan Meng Empire only harbored such thoughts but had not taken action.

Exhaling a breath, the Prince of Jiangling suppressed the burning desire in his heart. The water of the Sword Pool Lake was indeed a holy land for forging; taking control of it had extraordinary strategic significance.

"It’s a pity that the top-tier sword is in the Sword Pool Palace... they will never hand it over easily. If such a peerless blade could fall into my hands, my power would certainly be even greater. What would Zhao Shenyan have to compete with me?" The Second Prince, Zhao Pei, drained his wine, his eyes burning with fanaticism.

Suddenly, his fanaticism stiffened. He looked toward the direction of the Sword Pool Palace. He saw a sun of sword light, brilliant to the extreme, hanging in the sky, dazzling beyond measure! A deafening roar of laughter echoed through the entire Jingguan City.

Within that sun of sword light, an old man in plain robes stood with his sword, looking down on the world with a sidelong glance.

"Little Taoist from the Celestial Master’s Mansion, weren't you very tough in Jiangling?"

"Eat this sword, practiced by this old man!"

"Dreams pass between heaven and earth, what of sorrow as spring comes and autumn goes!"

"A sword of the *Zhuzhi Ge* lyrics!"

Inside the pavilion, the Prince of Jiangling’s eyes suddenly constricted. Without hesitation, he grabbed the Second Prince, Zhao Pei, and a burst of blood energy surged from his body. The air seemed to warp, and as if teleporting, he left the residence and traveled a hundred miles away in an instant.

At the same time, inside the residence, the Daoist Li Qingchuan from the Celestial Master’s Mansion had his eyes split with rage. From the wide sleeves of his Daoist robe, one yellow talisman after another poured out like a torrent!

BOOM!!!

Bamboo shadows swayed, and sword aura ran rampant! Sword aura sprouted from the ground, and the entire vast and luxurious mansion was instantly covered by a bamboo forest of sword aura... It was wiped from Jingguan City entirely!