Stepping into the passage opened by the Purification Power felt like entering another world. The thick, churning demonic energy outside was firmly sealed beyond the white light walls. Though the passage still held a faint, unpleasant residual aura, it no longer posed any threat to Xiaoqi. Only the jade pendant on his chest continued to emit a gentle warmth, resonating distantly with the summoning call from the end of the passage.
The passage was not long, only about a hundred zhang. When Xiaoqi reached the end and stepped out of the light wall, the sight before him stole his breath.
The interior of the gorge was not the imagined scene of demonic energy overwhelming the skies and deathly silence. Instead, it was a relatively open valley floor. Though the light was dim, blocked by the barrier of demonic energy outside, right in the center of the valley stood a dilapidated palace entirely constructed from some kind of white jade!
The palace was not large, seemingly just a side hall of a larger complex. Its style was ancient and weathered, having endured who knew how many years. The walls were damaged in many places, with tiles scattered about, yet the overall structure remained intact, emanating an indomitable, unyielding charm. Most striking was that the entire palace was enveloped in a faint, pure white light of the same origin as the pendant's glow. It was this light that tenaciously resisted the ubiquitous demonic energy erosion within the gorge, guarding this last bastion of purity.
And that intense summoning call originated precisely from this dilapidated white palace!
Heart racing with excitement, Xiaoqi swiftly walked toward the palace. The main doors had long since rotted and collapsed, so he directly entered the great hall.
The hall was spacious yet decaying. Several massive jade pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, carved with ancient patterns now blurred beyond recognition. The floor was covered in dust, with shattered jade artifacts and rotten wood scattered about, telling tales of past glory and present decline.
However, at the very center of the great hall, one object captured Xiaoqi's full attention.
It was a sword.
An ancient sword so thickly covered in rust that its original form was nearly unrecognizable, slantingly embedded in an equally dust-covered jade pedestal. Most of the blade was sunk into the pedestal, leaving only the hilt and a segment of rust-covered blade exposed, appearing utterly unremarkable, like a piece of scrap iron forgotten by time.
Yet Xiaoqi's gaze was locked onto this rusty sword.
Because, after entering the hall, the scorching guidance from the pendant on his chest suddenly concentrated, pointing with utmost clarity toward this seemingly worthless rusted sword! Simultaneously, the white light emitted by the pendant grew brighter, more vibrant, as if encountering a long-lost friend!
Just as Xiaoqi gazed at the rusty sword and slowly approached—
"Hum..."
An extremely faint, yet soul-piercing sword cry emerged from within the rusty sword!
Immediately, the heavy rust that had accumulated over who knew how many years began to flake off! Like a spirit snake shedding its skin, pieces of dark red rust fell from the blade, dropping to the ground with crisp clinks.
As the rust fell away, the blade gradually revealed itself. It was no ordinary iron, but a deep, pure crimson red, as if condensed from the essence of the purest flame! The blade bore naturally inscribed, profound flame patterns that now began to glow faintly as the rust fell away, radiating a scorching yet righteous aura!
This aura was entirely different from the pendant's pure Purification Power. It brimmed with masculine intensity, explosive fervor, and the blazing heat to incinerate all, yet carried an upright, righteous spirit that purged evil and wickedness!
Crimson Flame Sword!
This name naturally surfaced in Xiaoqi's mind. As if this sword was meant to be called this!
The pendant's white light and the Crimson Flame Sword's crimson glow intermingled at the hall's center, resonating with each other, emitting waves of joyful, gentle hums. A feeling of shared bloodline, of common origin, spontaneously arose between Xiaoqi and this ancient Crimson Flame Sword.
He understood. This Crimson Flame Sword, his pendant, and the Xu family's Purification Source were originally one! It was a heritage artifact left by the Xu family ancestors!
Without further hesitation, he strode to the Crimson Flame Sword. The closer he got, the more he could feel the immense, scorching energy contained within the blade, like a slumbering volcano that, once awakened, would surely burn the heavens and boil the seas!
He extended his right hand, slowly reaching for the crimson, jade-like, unusually warm hilt.
The moment his fingers touched the hilt—
"Clang—!"
A clear, stirring sword cry, like a phoenix calling to the nine heavens, erupted violently from the Crimson Flame Sword, resounding throughout the dilapidated hall! Crimson light shot skyward, bathing the entire hall in a red glow, the scorching heat even instantly vaporizing the surrounding dust!
An immensely powerful suction force emanated from the hilt, as if trying to draw his very essence, energy, and spirit into the sword!
Xiaoqi grunted, feeling the spiritual energy within his body surge uncontrollably toward the Crimson Flame Sword like a breached floodgate. Simultaneously, the scorching sword intent contained within the sword rushed into his meridians like a torrent, bringing searing, burning pain!
The acknowledgment process was by no means easy! Such a divine weapon possessed its own pride; how could it easily submit to the weak?
Gritting his teeth, Xiaoqi fully activated the "Long Spring Art," using its calm, tenacious vitality spiritual energy to protect his heart meridian and main meridians, enduring with all his might. He knew that retreating now would not only nullify all previous efforts but likely result in severe backlash from the Crimson Flame Sword's intent!
He had to persevere!
He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue, a metallic sweetness spreading in his mouth. Forcing out a drop of his own vital essence blood infused with his spirit, he flicked it with a finger. The drop of blood landed precisely on the scorching blade of the Crimson Flame Sword!
"Sizzle—"
The blood made contact with the blade, emitting a light hiss, instantly absorbed by the sword.
The next moment, another transformation occurred!
Having absorbed Xiaoqi's essence blood, the Crimson Flame Sword's crimson light surged again. The blade trembled intensely, and its sword cry lost some of its ferocity, gaining a touch of familiarity and recognition. The scorching sword intent that had rushed into his body instantly became docile, no longer rampaging wildly. Instead, like a warm current, it began to slowly merge with his own "Long Spring Art" spiritual energy.
He felt an unbreakable, heart-to-heart mystical connection established between him and this Crimson Flame Sword. The sword was an extension of his arm, the embodiment of his will!
With a mere thought from him.
"Hum..."
The Crimson Flame Sword emitted a compliant, gentle hum. Crimson light flowed along the blade as it effortlessly pulled itself from the hard jade pedestal, transforming into a crimson rainbow, obediently hovering before Xiaoqi, its tip slightly lowered as if paying respects to its new master.
Xiaoqi reached out and grasped the hilt once more. This time, there was no rejection or pain, only a seamless, fluid sense of unity as if the sword were part of his own body. A scorching yet righteous power surged through the hilt into his body, faintly resonating with his newly awakened Purification Source power—one purifying evil, the other incinerating wickedness, complementing each other perfectly!
The Crimson Flame Sword had successfully acknowledged its master!
Feeling the immense power and affectionate intimacy transmitted by the divine weapon in his hand, Xiaoqi's heart swelled with heroic sentiment. With this sword, his combat prowess would undergo a qualitative leap! As the sword intent surged during the acknowledgment, Xiaoqi felt an inspiration.
"Ancient Style · Song of the Crimson Flame Sword"
"Earth-fire nurtures spirit essence, hidden deep for a thousand years. Rust mottled, concealing sharp edge, awaiting destined encounter, dragon's roar startles the nine provinces! What fear of demonic energy overwhelming the skies? Crimson flame vows to burn the heavens without cease! Where sword light points, demons and monsters scatter, upright righteousness pierces the Big Dipper!"
* Note: Majestic and grand, fitting the Crimson Flame Sword's supremely yang and rigid nature that suppresses evil, also bearing witness to Xiaoqi obtaining a key heritage and his dramatic leap in strength.
Yet, just as he immersed himself in the joy of acquiring the divine weapon, outside the hall, from deep within the demonic energy temporarily blocked by the purification channel, faintly came several powerful, sinister auras rapidly approaching the gorge direction!
Someone was coming! And, the visitors meant no good!