Chapter 345: The Sword and the Swordbearer!
"The Spirit Clan has already laid the groundwork for us. Now everyone is betting on the last Dou Di—whose name it will bear."
"Do you know that if we don't have the resources from the Ancient Emperor's cave, the Soul Clan would also need a blood sacrifice?" the Soul Artisan asked calmly.
"If it really comes to that point, the Blood Sacrifice Emperor Array will already be in operation. Who would even be able to stop it? Didn't you analyze it before, Teacher? As time passes, this world will only grow weaker. If we don't seize the chance to become an Emperor now, will there ever be another opportunity in the future?" Hun Ke'er said expressionlessly.
"Stop making excuses. The elders of our clan asked me to convey a message to you: the Emperor Array is ready, and you are to observe it."
Snap!
A terrifying aura instantly radiated out, and the entire Black-Gold Hall was riddled with large cracks in an instant!
"Why don't they let me activate it myself?!"
"An elder said you mustn't be provoked."
The Soul Artisan suddenly laughed in anger.
"…Go and see it. At least it will be one less lingering worry, right?" Hun Ke'er said, a slight curve at the corner of her mouth.
As core members of the Soul Clan, Hun Ke'er and the others were well aware of their mission. The Spirit Clan had staked everything on the Blood Sacrifice Emperor Array, and the Soul Clan had to follow suit at all costs. The only chance for survival for other Soul Clan members lay in betting that the Ancient Emperor's cave contained resources that could partially substitute for their own bloodline energy. Otherwise… even if the Xiao Clan staked everything, it wouldn't compare. The Soul Clan would be pushed into absolute desperation.
The role of the Spirit Clan was simpler—one might even say they were going all-in, offering the entire clan in the Blood Sacrifice Emperor Array to become a special "tool." The Soul Clan, meanwhile, acted as the "swordsman" controlling this ultimate weapon.
"…Everyone is betting. Betting that someone will succeed. If someone succeeds, after connecting to the outside world, at least nine from the Spirit Clan would survive. Although we can't be sure if that counts as truly living, the Spirit Clan's bloodline at least wouldn't be extinguished, right, Teacher?" Hun Ke'er knew things far beyond what an ordinary Soul Clan member should. Considering the Soul Artisan's special status—he was only a step from becoming a Star Dou Saint, a true core member of the clan—the Soul Clan would not act against him prematurely. Hun Ke'er was clearly no ordinary Soul Clan member.
Normally, a Nine-Star Dou Zun must pass through a "Half-Saint" stage before reaching Dou Saint. This stage is similar to the "Transcendent Dou Tool" in the Artificer system, a necessary transitional state. Exceptionally talented individuals might skip the Half-Saint stage entirely. The Soul Artisan was obviously no ordinary Dou Zun; the gap between him and a Dou Saint was minimal. Even weaker Half-Saints were mere novices before him.
That's why the Soul Artisan could dismissively sneer "mere Half-Saint" at a Soul Clan Half-Saint who once tried to prevent him from teaching the Soul Tool method to Hu Lei. With the support of his soul weapon, the "Four Fierce Soul Swords," he could stand against any Half-Saint on his home turf. Against the Soul Clan Half-Saints, his swords even had additional lethal effects, a true internal war phantom weapon.
Four Fierce Soul Swords: Ninth-Rank Soul Weapons—Zhenhun, Suihun, Zhanhun, and Xianhun. Rumored to be forged with four Half-Saint soul cores and various heavenly treasures. Aside from being incapable of self-cultivation, they are the closest to legendary spirit weapons—a pinnacle creation of the Artificer Guild!
Moreover, these Four Fierce Soul Swords can combine into a single form. Once the Soul Artisan breaks through to Dou Saint, the swords can be reforged to reveal their ultimate form!
"…Understood." Upon hearing Hun Ke'er, the Soul Artisan quietly reined in his aura and murmured a calm "hm."
"Good." Seeing his composed response, Hun Ke'er finally exhaled in relief. The clan elders had made it clear: if the Soul Artisan couldn't pass the Spirit Clan trial, this unstable factor had to be eliminated for the grand plan.
The Soul Clan did not wish to kill their own core member prematurely. Only when truly cornered and desperate would they take that step.
The Soul Artisan lowered his gaze, staring coldly at the faintly glowing jade pendant in his hand. His black eyes shifted slightly. "Go. The time has come. I will not miss the Spirit Realm Emperor Array Refinement Ceremony."
Gamma Empire, Gamma Holy City.
After seeing Xiao Yan, Little Medical Fairy, and the others off, Jiang Lin felt a sudden emptiness in his schedule. Despite a twinge of anxiety, he thought: what does the destruction of the world have to do with me? Calmly, he returned to his cultivation.
"After all, I won't be sacrificed in the end." Jiang Lin comforted himself. Yet, he hastened his cultivation. With the aid of the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, a month after the Yunlan Sect incident, Jiang Lin successfully broke through to Dou Ling, achieving Dou Ling at eighteen years old.
"Luckily, my Qi-gathering talent is high enough, or else it would be hard to explain how I increased four to five stars in just one month." In the Gamma Artificer Chamber, Jiang Lin stabilized his increasingly condensed Dou Qi aura. Through soul perception, he observed a new sea-urchin-shaped crimson sphere in his lower abdomen—his "Demonic Core," or the "magic core" every person should possess.
Nearby the crimson sphere, a lotus flower and three colored spheres slowly rotated around it. The crimson sphere was nestled in the heart of the lotus, like a lotus seed.
It had to be said: the Fire Spirit Lotus, "parasitizing" Jiang Lin's body, had become increasingly sentient—actively helping him nurture special flames while purifying Dou Qi and fostering the Dou Ling "Demonic Core."
"This crimson sphere… is actually the 'virtual core' condensed from human Dou Qi techniques. Only at the Dou Ling stage does it manifest; later at Dou Wang or Dou Huang stages, it seems to disappear. In reality, it merely transitions into an overlay state—appearing when cultivating, vanishing when idle. That's why the virtual core disappears after Dou Wang."
Jiang Lin had no interest in the crises of the Dou Qi Continent; he didn't dare interfere. Even speaking carelessly could be dangerous.
Because he understood the Spirit Clan's intentions.
And he understood that beyond this "sword" of the Spirit Clan, there remained a mysterious swordsman.
(END CHAPTER)
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