Chapter 145: A Sanctuary Without the Ziyang Immortal Sword Is the True Sanctuary

Fairy Qingyin harbored a secret expectation, yet she felt a complex mix of emotions as well. After waiting for a while, however, no unusual phenomena occurred. She couldn't help but offer a self-deprecating smile, followed by a sigh of relief.

"What am I thinking? After all, he only has a top-grade spiritual root. Perhaps my expectations for him are a bit too high."

Fairy Qingyin found herself amused; when had she started thinking of Cao Xuan as someone so extraordinary? He was nothing more than a cultivator with a nine-patterned golden core and a grasp of sword intent during the Foundation Establishment stage. His aptitude was merely that of a top-grade spiritual root; she shouldn't be overthinking things.

Fairy Qingyin shook her head and stepped through the curtain of light. She was unaware that in another dimension, a figure wearing a purple gown and a phoenix crown, looking every bit like an empress, was currently wearing a bewildered expression.

"To have mastered Great Accomplishment Sword Intent at the Golden Core stage, yet possess no special physique, only a top-grade spiritual root, and a cultivation talent of merely the seventh grade—strange, truly strange!"

Fairy Qingyin likely felt that Cao Xuan’s aptitude was insufficient to trigger the Ziyang Sword. After all, this "mountain gate" of the Ziyang Sword Sect served as a test. Depending on a cultivator's talent, the sword would resonate up to nine times, from the lowest to the highest. These were known as the Nine Resonances of Ziyang. Three resonances indicated a talent unique throughout the ages, six signified a genius without peer in history, and nine represented the potential of an immortal.

The three founders who had successfully drawn the Ziyang Sword had all triggered nine resonances upon entering the gate, marking them as prodigies with the potential of immortals. It is said that they all eventually ascended to the upper realms, fulfilling that standard.

The reason Fairy Qingyin felt relieved was that the lack of resonance meant Cao Xuan still had a chance. Once the sword-cleansing process was finished, he might still have the opportunity to aim for the six-resonance threshold. One had to know that for each resonance, the Ziyang Sword would bestow corresponding opportunities. Not to mention the nine, simply having the Ziyang Sword acknowledge one as its master was the greatest fortune of all. As for the six, since ancient times, it was said to have led to insights into the Ziyang Sword Intent, direct comprehension of the "Ziyang Sword Scripture," and the attainment of a transcendent sword heart, among other top-tier boons.

Alas, the Nine Resonances of Ziyang were not something just anyone could trigger. Even Fairy Qingyin herself had only triggered two resonances before entering the gate. Though it brought no specific benefits, it was enough for the sect to deem her worthy of serious cultivation, eventually leading her to the early Void Refinement stage.

On the other side, after entering the gate, Cao Xuan turned back with a strange expression, looking toward the spot where the Ziyang Sword had vanished. He was not shocked by the hidden realm within the Ziyang Sacred Land, but rather by the interface in his mind:

[Name: Ziyang Sword Spirit]
[Multiplier: 9,000x]
[Grade: Immortal Artifact (Damaged)]
[Traits: Boundless Sharpness, Peerless Elegance, One-Sword Law-Breaking, Invulnerability to Myriad Laws, Void Crossing, Purple Clouds from the East, Birth of the Solar Essence, Sweeping Sword Qi]

"No way, buddy!" Cao Xuan thought. "Is this a 'sycophant' system? How could it not even spare an immortal artifact?"

Of course, Cao Xuan was just venting, but he had a rough guess. "So it really is an immortal artifact!"

Having cultivated this far, Cao Xuan believed that if humans could cultivate, then artifacts might not be an exception. To him, the Ziyang Sword possessing a sword spirit was not difficult to fathom. After all, he had seen the trait "Peerless Elegance" among its attributes. Cao Xuan understood immediately: the spirit of this immortal sword was likely a beautiful fairy. He rubbed his chin, pondering, "The key is, how does one 'sycophantize' an immortal sword? What kind of gift would she actually accept? And if my favorability rating breaks 90, would I be able to draw the immortal sword out?"

As Cao Xuan’s thoughts raced, Fairy Qingyin walked in and, seeing his contemplative expression, couldn't help but say, "It’s alright, there is still a chance!"

Cao Xuan was left bewildered by her words—what chance?—but seeing Fairy Qingyin shake her head with a smile, he didn't press the matter. He hadn't considered how to trigger a rebate because he truly didn't know what an immortal sword might need. The crucial point was that the sword was undeniably tempting; looking at those traits, he felt that having an immortal sword to protect him would make him invincible.

Thinking of this, Cao Xuan asked instinctively, "What would happen if I were to draw the Ziyang Sword away? After all, this immortal sword is what intimidates the Central Province."

Hearing this, Fairy Qingyin was stunned for a moment before blurting out, "The Ziyang Sword has a connection with you!" She intentionally left some words unsaid, but Cao Xuan didn't think too much of it. "Er, not really. I suppose that requires the recognition of the sword spirit, right?"

Fairy Qingyin’s expression turned odd. "Who told you the Ziyang Sword has a sword spirit?"

Cao Xuan frowned upon hearing this. Did it not? The system clearly displayed it. Could it be that these people didn't know?

He was unaware that as he fell silent, Fairy Qingyin’s heart was in turmoil. Did the Ziyang Sword have a spirit? Of course it did. But this secret was only told to those at the Void Refinement stage or higher. Even if an ordinary person were to laughingly ask their master or elders, they would always be told, "Who told you there’s a spirit in the Ziyang Sword?"

This was a secret of the Ziyang Sword Sect. After all, if there were no spirit and no master, who would be driving the Ziyang Sword when the sect faced a crisis? Historically, when the sect faced danger, they claimed the founders joined forces to invoke secret arts to wield the sword, but in reality, while the secret arts were real, the claim of wielding the sword was false. They had simply notified the spirit, and the spirit had agreed to intervene.

Thus, the sword spirit was a secret akin to the Sword-Cleansing Pool; without a certain level of cultivation, one was not qualified to know. When she asked the question, she had been watching Cao Xuan’s expression. Her heart was screaming, "Cao Xuan knows there is a spirit, and the spirit has contacted him! Why, then, did no Nine Resonances occur? Is the spirit protecting its master?"

In that instant, many thoughts crossed her mind. She read in Cao Xuan’s expression the implication: *So, you all don't know about the spirit?*

Seeing Cao Xuan’s silence, Fairy Qingyin felt a sense of relief. To her, this was Cao Xuan helping the spirit keep its secret, while the spirit was simultaneously concealing Cao Xuan’s talent. "A top-grade spiritual root is enough to gain the recognition of an immortal sword? Cao Xuan’s talent... No, this matter should not be spread!"

Fairy Qingyin smiled and changed the subject. "Heh, if you can draw the Ziyang Sword in the future, the entire Ziyang Sacred Land will treat you as its master! As for worrying about whether the mountain gate has any deterrent power without the Ziyang Sword..."

Fairy Qingyin chuckled, a look of longing in her eyes. "When the Ziyang Sword Sect no longer has the presence of the Heaven-Piercing Ziyang Sword in the Central Province, that will be the moment it becomes a true Ziyang Sacred Land! This sacred land will not only be a sacred land of the sword, but also a sacred land of cultivation! A Ziyang Sacred Land without the presence of the Ziyang Immortal Sword will be the only true sacred land in the Central Province! The other five sacred lands will then be nothing more than the five major top-tier sects!"