Chapter Fifty-Seven: You Actually Have a Magical Treasure

Everyone felt that this scene was strangely familiar.

They recalled the footage once posted by the Heavenly Secrets Sect on the Spirit Net. It was in Tianhe City, beneath the night sky—two hundred assassins encircled Xu Zhe. Though the killers sent in then were only at the Foundation Establishment stage, Xu Zhe had unleashed a punch of earth-shattering force, slaying dozens on the spot. That punch was uncannily similar to the one now—unstoppable, overwhelming.

At this moment, even the leading Nascent Soul cultivator widened her beautiful eyes, her scalp tingling with dread. Instinct warned her—under no circumstances could she confront Xu Zhe head-on. Even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, she would suffer greatly.

“Retreat, retreat at once! Send an emergency signal for reinforcements!” she shrieked. Her flying sword was already beneath her feet; she merged with the blade, transformed into a streak of light, and fled for miles.

The remaining dozen or so Golden Core cultivators, seeing this, hastily activated talismans and turned to run.

“After bullying a child, you still want to escape?” Xu Zhe called out. Spiritual energy surged beneath his feet, and his figure flashed forward like a phantom.

“Uncle Xu, don’t chase her! She’s a Nascent Soul powerhouse!” From the ground, Qu Hongxiu finally came to her senses, anxiety burning in her voice as she shouted to Xu Zhe.

“I’m chasing her precisely because she’s Nascent Soul. It’s obvious she’s the leader. Stay where you are and wait for me!” Xu Zhe replied without turning his head.

A newly-advanced Nascent Soul cultivator was generally equivalent to fifty Golden Core cultivators, possibly even a hundred. Xu Zhe conservatively chose the latter—comparable to a hundred Golden Cores, matching his own theoretical strength. This fight was possible.

“Uncle Xu!” Qu Hongxiu’s blazing wings unfurled again, lifting her into the air as she rushed after him, trying to dissuade him. “Don’t pursue a cornered enemy! Besides, she’s from the Holy Pool Sanctuary—a sword cultivator. Her flying sword is elusive, impossible to guard against, and its power is peerless…”

Before she could finish, Xu Zhe struck out mid-air. The Nascent Soul cultivator, riding her flying sword, let out a muffled groan and fell from the sky.

“Qu Hongxiu, why did you follow me? Why don’t you ever listen? What were you saying just now?” Xu Zhe finally spared a moment to turn and address her.

Qu Hongxiu’s mouth hung open, stunned. Was this Uncle Xu a devil? One punch to instantly kill a Golden Core was impressive enough, but now he’d knocked a Nascent Soul powerhouse from the sky with a single blow?

“Don’t just stand there. Get back to the ground! That Nascent Soul isn’t simple—she survived my punch, so we must be cautious,” Xu Zhe said seriously, then dove earthward.

Qu Hongxiu gulped, swallowing hard. A Nascent Soul survived your punch? Survived? Uncle Xu, is that what you call reasonable?

---

“Xu Zhe, you’re courting death!”

Meanwhile, the Nascent Soul woman who had been knocked to the ground had already risen, her voice sharp with hatred and fury.

To be struck down by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator—a humiliation beyond measure for one of her rank.

“I had no desire for mutual destruction and chose to avoid a fight, but you refused to let things be and dared pursue me. Today, even at the risk of grave injury, I will see you dead.” Her words were cold and fierce.

Her flying sword hovered, and her hands formed a rapid sequence of seals. Vast spiritual energy gathered from all directions, weaving into patterns that infused the sword.

A resonant metallic hum rang out—the blade’s brilliance intensified, conjuring a swarm of razor-sharp sword shadows that surged toward Xu Zhe like a school of swordfish.

“Uncle Xu, be careful!” Qu Hongxiu’s face changed dramatically as she cried out, diving toward him.

“Stay back!” Xu Zhe commanded. He swept his arm, and from his sleeve floated a slender bronze sword.

He recalled a sword technique he’d memorized in the Immortal Emperor’s clan—the Extinction Burning Heaven Sword Art, a supreme skill from an immortal king sword cultivator. Yet Xu Zhe had never practiced sword arts before, and now could only clumsily channel spiritual energy and form seals.

The very first seal he formed drained more than half the energy from his core—far more than he’d expected.

“Damn, I forgot I’m only at Foundation Establishment!” Xu Zhe realized, hurriedly aborting the sword art.

The bronze sword hovered mid-air, its hilt tilting, the tip tracing a question mark—confused.

It had been ready to absorb a rush of pure energy, but only got a trickle before it was cut off, leaving it trembling with frustration.

A shrill sword cry rang out from the bronze blade, echoing far and wide.

In front of the Nascent Soul woman’s flying sword, the array of sword shadows shattered explosively under the bronze sword’s resonance. Even her own blade dimmed, its surface cracking with a brittle snap—nearly breaking into fragments.

The Nascent Soul woman spat blood on the spot.

For a sword cultivator, the sword was one’s life. When the life sword was wounded, so too was the cultivator—their soul suffered greatly.

“A… a magic treasure?” The woman’s face was frozen in terror, her gaze fixed on Xu Zhe’s bronze sword.

Only a true magic treasure could wield such power.

---

Just then, the bronze sword flew to Xu Zhe, brimming with murderous intent, and wrote a line upon the ground.

“What rubbish sword art was that? It broke halfway through! Do you even know how to use a sword?”

Xu Zhe didn’t recognize the writing, but guessed its meaning. The bronze sword was intelligent, and seemed to be saying it didn’t need sword arts—it could operate on its own. It even showed consideration, coming over to ask whether it should kill the enemy after breaking her sword art.

“Go ahead,” Xu Zhe smiled, nodding.

The bronze sword paused, then quickly scribbled another line.

“Where the hell am I going? I’m asking you and you just tell me to ‘go’? Where?”

“Good, go!” Xu Zhe laughed, pointing at the Nascent Soul woman.

The bronze sword remained motionless, hovering before him. After a moment, it shimmered and returned to Xu Zhe’s sleeve as a streak of light.

“Huh? Did I misunderstand its intent?” Xu Zhe was puzzled.

Was the bronze sword telling him it wouldn’t kill—that he should do it himself?

“I see. Perhaps this is a sword of kindness,” Xu Zhe nodded. No wonder he’d never sensed any malice from its powerful presence.

“Uncle Xu, you… you actually possess a magic treasure?” Qu Hongxiu arrived, astonished, staring at Xu Zhe in disbelief.

He owned a sentient magic treasure—a flying sword. Across the entire Azure Gift Continent, there were fewer than five such treasures known to exist. Even after years of warfare and countless explorations, her Vermilion Bird Army had never acquired one.

“Yes, just a small magic treasure. A pity you’re not a sword cultivator, or I’d have gifted it to you,” Xu Zhe nodded with a hint of regret.

Gift… to me?

Qu Hongxiu’s eyes widened.

Such a precious treasure, and Uncle Xu said he’d give it to her?

This was too sudden—could it be a betrothal gift?

Her face flushed red with embarrassment…

---