Chapter 138: The Xue Ji Sword
This place was the deep underground, yet it did not seem so dark. As far as the eye could see, all kinds of treasures and glittering jewels delighted the eyes. Majority of them were flickering with all kinds of magnificent and gorgeous rays of colors, while the rest were dimly reclining in a corner. As soon as Ye Wuchen entered, he felt a sense of of confusion, there was the presence of agility, or possibly n.o.ble, possibly sharp and mighty military powers.
“Just as His Majesty had mentioned, you can only choose one item. Any item will do.” Elder Li said, who upon finished speaking, quietly stood at a corner with his head hanging low. Without another word, his breath was completely restrained, as if he had suddenly died.
Ye Wuchen reacted indifferently. He directly proceeded inside and his gaze continuously swept inside. It was worthy of being named the Treasure Storehouse, as it had existed since the beginning of Tian Long Nation. If one was to take out any item among these, it would surely be priceless. Among these treasures, the majority of them were weapons equipment of all categories. Blades, swords, bows, crossbows, spears, thorns, hatchets, shields, claws, armors… Everything that could be here was all here. Furthermore, every item was out of the ordinary. Ye Wuchen remained undisturbed on the outside, yet internally his mind was secretly amazed. This treasure storehouse had proven that the Long Family’s a.s.sets were greater than other ordinary people. Perhaps even the three protectors were not Long Yin’s most powerful defense. The monarchy of Tian Long towered for a thousand years without even collapsing; they must have some ultimate hidden trump.
The Treasure Storehouse was quite huge. Ye Wuchen walked from the start until the end, then he slowly walked back. Finally, he picked up a long sword that was of a completely dark blue color when an ice-cold sensation began to drift into his hands as its entire body was emitting cold air. Even the coldest of any ice-cold air would not be able to cause him any harm, but if this sword was held by an ordinary person, in a short time, their hand would freeze off. This sword had probably existed here for many years, yet it still had such a cold touch and would be enough to make people to exclaim in admiration.
“It is better for you not to choose this sword, or else it bring upon you the danger of being murdered.” Elder Li, who had been silent all along, suddenly started to talk.
“Why not?” Ye Wuchen startled upon hearing the words and he held the sword while carefully observing it.
“This sword’s name is Xue Ji. Together with Cang Ming’s Sword of the G.o.d of Sword, and the Wind Shattering Blade of Feng Chaoyang, they are named the World’s Three Most Amazing Weapons. That was left behind by the Snow Woman when she battled against the Cursed Woman twenty years ago. Afterwards, it was unintentionally obtained by the Long Family, who placed it inside this Treasure Storehouse. After all these years, the Snow Woman must have been painstakingly searching for this sword. If she knew that this sword is in your hands, maybe she will murder you to take back the sword.” Elder Li said in a monotone.
“If that is the case, why doesn’t His Majesty return the sword to the Snow Woman? Perhaps she will owe him a favor, or maybe, we can use this sword to invite the Snow Woman to treat the illness of His Majesty and the Empress, isn’t that a perfect plan?” Ye Wuchen said while playing with the Xue Ji sword.
“It is the business of the Long Family. I do not get involved with it.” Elder Li commented indifferently and did not elaborate further.
“Since this sword is really that dangerous, I want it.”
Holding the Xue Ji sword in his hands, Ye Wuchen did not look around further. His face full of tranquility as he walked towards the exit. The Sword of the Southern Empire must not be shown in front of any other person and its secret powers should not be fully revealed, so he really needed another weapon. Even though this Xue Ji sword and Southern Empire sword were both unsafe to possess, his intuition told him that this sword would really bring him some unexpected things.
Uncommunicative, Elder Li did not say anything further. A while ago he had deliberately tried to warn Ye Wuchen, which was already an exception for him. It was only because Ye Wuchen was the disciple of the G.o.d of Sword, or else he would not care much about his life.
Just as they were about to head outside, Ye Wuchen’s footsteps suddenly paused. His gaze inclined towards an unremarkable dark corner beside the open metal door. Within this treasure storehouse full of all sorts of gorgeous precious stones and amazing weapons, yet in that corner lay a longsword full of rust and stains with dusts across its surface. Being rusty clearly explained that this sword was just an ordinary steel sword, and its outer appearance was as ordinary as the swords he usually saw. Why would such an ordinary sword be stored in this treasure storehouse which kept the Long Family’s treasures?
“What is this sword?” Ye Wuchen paused his steps and pointed at the sword.
Elder Li took a glimpse, then shook his head and he said, “I don’t know.”
Ye Wuchen’s footsteps were attracted to it. He proceeded in front of it to pick up this dull and garish long sword, but his wrist trembled. The dust on its surface were shaken off, exposing the sword blade covered in rusts and stains. Neither bright nor magnificent, holding it in his hands did not have any special effect. Ye Wuchen’s was holding the sword with one hand on the hilt. While his other hand slowly slid across the blade, his brows violently raised up.
“I want this one.” Ye Wuchen fiercely tossed away the Xue Ji sword back to its original place. Holding this steel sword, he walked out of the treasure storehouse. During the short moment when his back was facing Elder Li, he made an unremarkable hand gesture.
Elder Li was obviously startled for a moment, at a loss at Ye Wuchen’s decision, yet he did not say anything and just silently walked out, closing the door of the treasure storehouse behind him. Before the door was completely shut, he faintly sensed a cool wind sweep past his ears, his awareness for crisis which had been acquired throughout the years caused him to suddenly become alert, fiercely opening his old half-closed eyes, while his alertness and vigor momentarily expanded to its peak.
“What’s going on, Elder Li?” sensing the change in him, Ye Wuchen asked with knitted brows.
The surroundings was as peaceful as before, it clearly doesn’t have anything out of ordinary, aside from Ye Wuchen and himself, the entire area doesn’t have the presence of any other person. Although Elder Li has some doubts, but a greater part of his mind has finally calmed down, he said as he shook his head, “It’s nothing.” Then he closed the main door, twisted shut the defense mechanism.
The tunnel was so long and dark and only two sources of different footsteps echoed. The whole area was fully covered by all sorts of defense mechanisms, every one of them was powerful enough to kill any person, Ye Wuchen could not help but admire the designer of these mechanisms. Just when they were about to head out of the underground, he suddenly asked, “Do you have something to tell me?”
During the silence from a moment ago, he had detected that the frequency of Elder Li’s breathing was slightly different, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.
“How’s your teacher?” Elder Li asked.
“Very well. He sits outside everyday exposing himself under the sun.” Ye Wuchen said without thinking the matter through. Such convenience teacher Chu Cangming had. He mostly spent everyday on his wooden pile, and he did so very quietly that no one knew what he was thinking about. He could be considered the first person Ye Wuchen saw in this world. The first time they met, Ye Wuchen became aware that he was an not an ordinary person and later on, he had guessed that he was indeed the G.o.d of Sword, Chu Cangming. A legendary character who had scared away the hundred thousand army from the Gale Nation with just himself and his sword.
“Where is he now? The last time we met was more than ten years ago.” Elder Li sighed. Glancing at Ye Wuchen, he said, “Don’t worry, I won’t mention it to other people.”
“Just the same with you, Elder Li, I promised my teacher that I will not mention anything about him to another person.” Ye Wuchen smiled.
Elder Li went silent and did not ask anything further.
Finally they came out to the daylight into the area that was the largest garden in the imperial palace. Ye Wuchen stored the steel sword inside the G.o.d of Sword’s ring, and said, “Elder Li, please do a favor for me and tell His Majesty that Wuchen will start off for the journey tomorrow morning. I will go and see Princess Fei Huang, please go ahead Elder Li.”
Elder Li nodded his head, then left. As he exited the back garden, he moved towards a different path thened head off.
“Which weapon did he choose?”
Inside the study, Long Yin’s brows slightly knitted together. If it was not for his promise that he would agree to whatever request Ye Wuchen made, he would never have allowed him to enter the treasure storehouse. Even Ye Nu, who had heard of it, was never allowed to enter before.
“A steel sword.” Elder Li concisely and comprehensively answered.
“Steel sword?” Long Yin’s face was puzzled, “Is there really a steel sword inside the treasure storehouse? Wait a moment… Was it that sword located in the corner beside the steel door?”
“Yes.”
Long Yin seriously pondered. Things did not add up regarding Ye Wuchen’s decision. He could not understand why, with so many amazing weapons inside the treasure storehouse, he would chose that rusty sword that was remarkably dull. Based on his skills, he could not be a person who would mistake things… Was there be some mysterious principle behind it!?
“That steel sword was left by the Great Imperial Ancestor. He had left instructions that unless the entire nation is wiped out, we absolutely cannot abandon or destroy this sword. All these years, our ancestors tried to research this sword, yet they did not find any peculiarity about the sword. It can only be regarded as the sword that founded the nation of our Great Imperial Ancestor, holding only national symbolism. The sword was stored inside the treasure storehouse, but it hasn’t been touched for many years.”
“......”
“But if it was just an ordinary sword, why would Ye Wuchen choose this sword among so many other amazing weapons? Could it mean that… Does it have hidden mysterious principles on it? Elder Li, when he took the sword, did anything strange happen?” Long Yin asked in a deep voice.
Elder Li thought for a moment, then shook his head, “He originally picked the Xue Ji Sword, but after he incidentally discovered this steel sword and observed it in details, he tossed back the Xue Ji Sword, then left with the steel sword without hesitation. There weren’t any unusual happenings.”
Long Yin went silent again, thought bitterly for quite a while before he frustratedly said, “If he didn’t intentionally choose a useless sword, then it means there’s something hidden inside it. It had been handed down in our Long Family for many hundred years without ever being discovered, yet he had detected it in an instant… When he returns, I certainly must take this sword back.”
Translated by:
Fatty_Uncle
Edited by:
seriouspotato patrick_father_of_dragons