Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 903: Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony

It was Lu Yang’s first time seeing a bona fide sword spirit—a far cry from the counterfeit one residing in the Qingfeng Sword.

Yue Chuan’s sword spirit was undoubtedly of a high caliber; otherwise, Lu Yang wouldn’t have been able to perceive its uniqueness.

Yue Chuan smiled, unable to conceal his pride. “In the early days of my cultivation, I was fortunate to obtain a sword with a perfect spiritual nature. By nurturing it with my heart, I gradually cultivated A’Lan.”

His personal sword was called the Lanyan Sword, so the spirit named herself A’Lan.

To deepen their bond, he embraced A’Lan during the day and used sword-nurturing techniques to take care of her body at night. Countless people envied him.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy couldn’t bear seeing Lu Yang being outshone. “As if no one else has a sword spirit! Xiao Yangzi, show them to me and broaden their horizons!”

Our Great Dou Dynasty is vast, rich with resources, and sparsely populated. As a pillar minister and future Dou Emperor, how could Xiao Yangzi lack a sword with a sword spirit?

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy felt that she was quite a competent emperor. I serve as Xiao Yangzi’s second nascent soul, and now I’m his sword spirit for appearances. Surely no emperor in history has been so attentive to a minister.

“No, no, please don’t! Immortal Fairy, just rest and recuperate in the Qingfeng Sword,” Lu Yang hastily dissuaded her. If she reveals herself, and others ask how I communicate and bond with my sword spirit, wouldn’t everything be exposed?

Mi Li and the others discussed Sword Dao with Lu Yang, feeling that they had met too late. His unique insights left them with a sudden sense of enlightenment.

A day passed in a flash.

“Let’s go. The Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony is about to begin.” Mi Li led the group downstairs.

The venue was temporarily constructed beside the Sword Tower, adjacent to the sword vault.

According to Mingtai, the Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony was the same as in previous years, divided into three segments. The first was the tower leader’s address. The second was the Sword Seeking segment itself; it wasn’t a competition of cultivation level but pure comprehension of the Sword Dao. The third was visiting the sword vault to resonate with spirit swords.

For attending sword cultivators, the second segment was the main draw. It was a chance to prove their Sword Dao comprehension to the world, representing absolute honor.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest had once claimed first at a Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony, then advanced rapidly and defeated the Sword Tower Leader, earning the title of number one in Sword Dao.

“Take my sword!”

“Kunlun Sword Art!”

“Heaven-Earth Single Sword!”

“Peacock Display Sword Art!”

Many sword cultivators seized the brief time before the ceremony to spar, swords clashing at the venue.

Some executed majestic strikes that could rip space, while others demonstrated sword techniques resembling peacock displays, hiding true attacks among countless feints. There was even an octopus that wielded eight swords and spun like an iron top, preventing anyone from approaching.

Previously, Lu Yang had only encountered rogue cultivators here and there, so it didn’t leave much of an impression on him. Now, with the Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony formally underway and sword cultivators from across the world gathered here, he was awed by the overwhelming sword intent in the air.

Aside from exceptions like the Taciturn Daoist Priest, most sword cultivators appeared aloof and taciturn because their hearts were wholly devoted to the sword, leaving no common ground with others.

At the Sword Tower, these sword cultivators finally found kindred spirits and came together in small groups. Most hadn’t known each other before, yet a few words engendered friendships.

This was another reason the Sword-Seeking Grand Ceremony drew this much attention from sword cultivators.

Every sword cultivator possessed a unique intent. When these intents gathered, they would automatically coalesce into a soaring sword intent that dispersed the clouds without employing a single trace of power, revealing a clear sky above.

Lu Yang gazed at the blazing sun overhead. Couldn’t you at least leave me a patch of cloud? Back in my previous life, even our drill instructors during military training had the decency to pick a shaded spot for us to stand at attention.

If not for the inappropriate setting, Lu Yang would have executed One Sword Into Ten Thousand Swords to block out the sun.

The Sword Tower Leader stood at the highest point and addressed the crowd. Lu Yang couldn’t make out the words because Mingtai kept transmitting him auditory messages, introducing key sword cultivators to pay attention to.

“That tall, thin one in green is Duan Changqing from the Demon Region, a bamboo that turned into a demon spirit. He carved a section of his own body into a bamboo sword, using himself as a weapon.”

It was challenging for spirit plants to gain sentience, but once they did, they would be endowed with talents blessed by the heavens. Among spirit plants that became demon spirits, the one with the highest attainment was none other than the Epoch Immortal.

Though he was now reincarnated as Li Haoran and constantly on Su Yiren’s mind.

“That androgynous one is Kun Qiu of the Hundun Tribe. It’s said that he is highly regarded by their tribe’s Transcendent Tribulation ancestor and has been confirmed as the next tribe chieftain.”

Lu Yang stole a couple more glances at Kun Qiu. He had encountered Hundun Tribe prodigies in the Demon Region’s Creation Ancient Domain, but he was too busy fighting back then to note their race.

Kun Qiu wasn’t among those Hundun Tribe prodigies he had met. Lu Yang estimated that the other party’s age and cultivation level exceeded his own, though he couldn’t tell by how much.

Hundun’s gender was fluid, shifting between male and female, often appearing androgynous. This caused others to keep their distance.

Kun Qiu sensed Lu Yang’s gaze. When he turned to look at Lu Yang, the latter hurriedly snapped his head back.

“Kun Qiu, what’s wrong?” a large black dog beside him asked.

He was a prodigy from the Heavenly Dog Tribe and held a sword in his mouth. As he had practiced the sword in his original form since childhood, he still preferred it even after learning to shapeshift.

Kun Qiu muttered, “I felt someone watching me. It was probably my imagination.”

“Maybe they’re guessing your gender again.” The large black dog chuckled slyly. In the Demon Region, demons often speculated about Kun Qiu’s gender. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Kun Qiu shot the dog a sidelong glance. “Shut up. You’re drooling.”

Holding a sword in one’s mouth had one major drawback—the tendency to drool.

“That’s Xuan Xuan of the East Sea’s Xuanwu Tribe. They’re known for defense, yet he’s abandoned it and become obsessed with the sword. It’s said that even his peers’ turtle shells can’t withstand his blade.”

Xuan Xuan was dark and burly, carrying a broadsword on his back, with a small turtle he had drawn on the hilt.

At the Old Dragon Emperor’s birthday banquet, Lu Yang had seen the Xuanwu Tribe’s Transcendent Tribulation chieftain, but not its younger generation.

Seeing that the Sword Tower Leader was still speaking, Yun Mengmeng opened some oil paper, took out two pastries, and ate them stealthily. Lu Yang had bought them for her on the way to the Sword Tower.

Finally, the Sword Tower Leader announced the much-anticipated segment. “Next, we’ll proceed to the second segment—the Sword Seeking!”

Lu Yang revealed a confident yet restrained smile. He hoped to avoid fighting demons during the Sword Seeking segment. As Ao Ling and Jiang Lianyi’s senior brother, engaging in battle with younger demons would undermine my status.