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Xunuo remained seated with his eyes closed in meditation. After Jiao Nantian took his seat, he cleared his throat and said, "Lu Shao Xia, our sect still has a Heavenly Shadow Spike. I have sent someone to retrieve it, but I wonder..."
Only then did Xunuo open his eyes. He clapped his hands and said, "Good, what a wonderful thing this is."
With a topic at hand, everyone began to chat casually again.
In truth, Xunuo had witnessed everything that had happened in the side hall earlier. Knowing there was an unexpected gain, he naturally waited patiently.
After a moment, Fei Hall Master entered the hall holding an object wrapped in red silk. Jiao Nantian hurriedly took it from him and opened the silk to reveal a pitch-black Heavenly Shadow Spike.
Seeing it, Xunuo was overjoyed. He pinched the Heavenly Shadow Spike between his fingers and examined it for a moment before placing it back on the table. "I didn't expect Lu to have such a connection with this item. I must congratulate the sect leader on the imminent advancement of your swordsmanship." After pondering for a moment, Xunuo added, "If nothing unexpected occurs, after the sect leader's swordsmanship reaches Seven Flowers, will the landing points become increasingly difficult to control?"
Jiao Nantian replied, "Indeed. After Seven Flowers, each additional point makes it harder to control the landing. By the time we reach four points of Seven Flowers, most of our energy is spent on controlling the landing."
Xunuo nodded and said, "Do not worry about the landing points; just focus on executing an Eight Flowers sword technique. I will provide further instructions."
Jiao Nantian furrowed his brow as he drew his sword and concentrated. Suddenly, with a flick of his wrist, a burst of sword light shot out. The crowd below gasped in astonishment as they recognized it as One Sword, Eight Flowers.
Jiao Nantian felt an immense surge of Inner Strength pouring out as he executed the strike. It drained nearly half of his energy before he finally lowered his wrist and retracted the sword's momentum. His face turned pale; there was no trace of joy on him. Coldly staring at Xunuo, he said, "I have no idea where this strike landed; what use is it if it merely reaches Eight Flowers?"
Xunuo shook his head and replied, "On the contrary, this strike is meant to be lethal regardless of where it lands."
Upon hearing this, Jiao Nantian thought carefully: that made sense. Although he did not know where this strike would land, it could envelop the opponent entirely in sword light. No matter where it fell, it was indeed a lethal blow. However, once this strike was unleashed, there would be no room for mercy; he had no control left.
Jiao Nantian's expression softened slightly as he asked in confusion, "Does Lu Shao Xia's Eight Flowers strike also lack knowledge of its landing point?"
Xunuo chuckled and said, "If that were the case, I too would be unaware of its landing point; however, I have my methods to control it."
Jiao Nantian asked urgently, "How can it be controlled?"
Xunuo smiled and replied, "This involves another layer of swordsmanship. If you can't reach this step, even if I tell you, you won't understand. However, I can let you see this sword."
Jiao Nantian was delighted and said, "Please enlighten me, Lu Shao Xia."
Yet Xunuo did not move; instead, he picked up the Heavenly Shadow Spike and examined it closely.
Seeing this, Jiao Nantian's expression darkened immediately. He understood Xunuo's implication. However, he found himself in a passive position, needing something from someone else. He could only suppress his anger and look towards the Hall Master of the Manager.
The distribution of the Heavenly Shadow Spike or its assignment as a credential for tasks was all recorded. This Hall Master was responsible for managing these matters and knew the whereabouts of the Heavenly Shadow Spike best.
The Hall Master thought for a moment and shook his head at Jiao Nantian. This clearly indicated to Jiao Nantian that there would not be a second Heavenly Shadow Spike on Tianyin Mountain.
Jiao Nantian had no choice but to turn to Xunuo and say, "For over a thousand years, most of the Heavenly Shadow Spikes have been lost. Currently, the Heavenly Shadow Sect only possesses two. Unfortunately, one of them was accidentally thrown down the ravine by you, Shao Xia. It would be better for you to seek something else for exchange."
Xunuo chuckled and put away the Heavenly Shadow Spike. "You could also tell me the whereabouts of the remaining Heavenly Shadow Spikes; that condition is not unreasonable."
Upon hearing this, Jiao Nantian replied, "Of course I can."
He then called for the Hall Master to bring out the records and had Xunuo copy a portion on the spot.
Xunuo glanced over it and realized he had actually obtained four Heavenly Shadow Spikes himself. The other two included one that had been taken by a delegation sent by the Heavenly Shadow Sect several years ago as a token. However, that delegation had gone to foreign lands and never returned; their fate was unknown, so there was no hope for that particular Heavenly Shadow Spike.
The other Heavenly Shadow Spike had been bestowed upon a Guardian named Su Jinqi at that time by Xu Fu's People. This person had passed away in his hometown, so this Heavenly Shadow Spike should be in the hands of his descendants. With this information, there was hope to acquire another Heavenly Shadow Spike.
Xunuo secretly rejoiced as he accepted the record. He said to Jiao Nantian, "Please take a close look at this sword; whether or not I can obtain it is beyond my control."
He took out a copper coin and flicked it with his fingers. The coin flew out and embedded itself into a pillar in the hall, which was as thick as a person's embrace. Then he stood up, stepped down from his seat, and with a wave of his hand, unleashed a flash of sword light. In the next moment, the Azure Edge was sheathed, and the copper coin was pierced through the middle by a single stroke.
Jiao Nantian observed this clearly and exclaimed, "Lu Shao Xia is using the Eight Flower Sword Technique from One Flower Six Points. So that's how it is."
Xunuo chuckled and returned to his seat, saying, "The leader has a keen eye."
Jiao Nantian understood that the other party would not easily reveal the secrets of One Flower Six Points, so he decided not to press on that topic. Instead, he turned to Xunuo to build rapport and asked what assistance he could provide for the Heavenly Shadow Sect during this outing.
Xunuo replied, "I came out this time to meet the renowned sword masters of the world and refine my swordsmanship to its highest level."
Jiao Nantian said proudly, "Once you arrive at the Heavenly Shadow Sect, there will be no need to go elsewhere. In the Great Liang Kingdom, aside from my Heavenly Shadow Sect, there are no rivals for you; it would be of no benefit to seek them out."
Xunuo nodded in agreement. "That is true. Engaging with the leader here and learning the One Sword, Eight Flowers technique makes little sense if I then wander elsewhere in the Great Liang Kingdom. Therefore, I plan to head east from the Great Liang Kingdom to practice my swordsmanship across the land."
Upon hearing this, Jiao Nantian felt a stir in his heart. After some thought, he said, "The outside world is filled with dangers and skilled fighters. Many years ago, a senior from our sect who wielded the Heavenly Shadow Spike went abroad; he was exceptionally talented—at least equal to me—but he never returned and vanished without a trace. Lu Shao Xia going alone into danger concerns me deeply."
Xunuo looked at Jiao Nantian for a moment and said, "Thank you for your concern, but my decision is made."
As he spoke, he removed the Azure Wind Sword from his back and placed it on the table in front of them. "I do not know when I will return from this journey or if I will die far from home. This Azure Edge is a treasure of Wuhua Sect; I fear it may be lost with me. Therefore, I ask you to deliver this Azure Edge to Wuhua Mountain. I will also write a letter to explain my situation to the Sect Leader."
Jiao Nantian furrowed his brow, unsure whether Xunuo's words were genuine. He had been misled by Xunuo earlier and could not grasp his true intentions.
Seeing Jiao Nantian's doubts, Xunuo smiled and said, "I will not make you run errands for nothing; in fact, I have gained further insights into your One Sword, Eight Flowers technique. If you are willing to help me out, I can share another sword technique with you."
Jiao Nantian considered that running an errand was not too much trouble. It seemed like a sure profit with no loss involved. He replied, "Since Lu Shao Xia is determined to travel far, I cannot play the villain who obstructs your path. Running an errand is but a small matter; I am willing to assist you."
Xunuo then proceeded to write a letter on the spot: stating that he would be traveling far without knowing when he would return and feared that the Azure Edge might change hands; thus it would be temporarily entrusted to Wuhua. If he were ever able to return, he would ensure that the Azure Edge would shine brightly once more after a thousand years. And so on.
Xunuo finished writing and drew out Azure Edge, descending into the hall. He faced a pillar as thick as his arm and flicked his wrist, unleashing a sword strike.
No one could discern the details of this strike. After the flash of sword light, Jiao Nantian stepped forward, glancing at the pillar in astonishment. "Sword Light Divergence?"
Xunuo nodded slightly. "I've managed to grasp the essence of Sword Light Divergence."
Yang Xinpeng and the others were taken aback, rushing to the pillar to inspect it. They saw that the wooden beam had been riddled with hundreds of sword holes. Yang Xinpeng gasped, realizing that there was no other explanation besides Sword Light Divergence.
Xunuo handed Azure Edge to Jiao Nantian and chose not to return to his seat. With a hearty laugh, he lifted his leg and walked outside.
Jiao Nantian hurried after him, calling out, "Lu Shao Xia, take care!"
As he spoke, he pulled out an item from his pocket. "Lu Shao Xia, you may find many unfamiliar things in foreign lands. My Heavenly Shadow Sect has some connections abroad; take this token with you. Those who recognize it will surely assist you."
Xunuo glanced at the black token from Heavenly Shadow Sect and understood its significance; such tokens held considerable authority within the sect. Without hesitation, he accepted it and thanked Jiao Nantian before continuing on his way.
Jiao Nantian and the others stood at the entrance of the hall, watching Xunuo depart, their minds devoid of any thoughts.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Xunuo retrieved the Heavenly Shadow Spike that he had thrown into the ravine earlier. Before casting it away, he had secretly infused it with Blood Sacrifice. This bloodline connection was even stronger than Divine Sense. Even if it fell outside the range of Divine Sense exploration, this bloodline power would still be difficult to sever. Although Xunuo's magical power couldn't reach where the Heavenly Shadow Spike had landed, using Divine Sense to control objects and draw it back was not a challenge for him.
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