Martial Arrogance Dragon Soul-Chapter 397 - 377: Sword Pavilion

"Master, may I ask what kind of opportunity it is?" Qin Qing’s heart was full of anticipation. He could discern from the words of his master, Zhu Jirong, that even as a Martial Saint, the master also carried a profound sense of anticipation for the opportunity he was speaking of.

"Qin Qing, Tai’a Ancient Country has a total of Nineteen Provinces, you should know that, right?" Zhu Jirong looked at Qin Qing.

Qin Qing nodded. On the Spirit Boat en route to Tai’a Ancient Country, he had purchased a map of the Ancient Country from the Great Elder of the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion.

He had roughly understood the geographical distribution of Tai’a Ancient Country.

"Tai’a Ancient Country has a total of Nineteen Provinces, among which the four major ones are the most famous. These four provinces are Tianyong Province in the south, Yuanlong Province in the north, Fuying Province in the west, and Nantang Province in the east. We are currently located in Tianyong Province."

"Tianyong Province spans a million miles, and a mortal could spend their entire life without being able to traverse the entirety of Tianyong Province. Even a treasured steed capable of traveling ten thousand miles a day would take half a year to go from one end of Tianyong Province to the other."

"Our current location is close to Tianyong City. It’s considered to be in the central region of Tianyong Province."

"And the opportunity I spoke of lies to the north of Tianyong Province, near Yuanlong Province. There is a place there named the Sword Pavilion!"

"Sword Pavilion?" Qin Qing murmured.

"Yes! The Sword Pavilion it is."

"Is the Sword Pavilion a sect?" Qin Qing asked again.

"It’s a unique and independent sect!" Zhu Jirong nodded, "However... the Sword Pavilion only opens once every three years. The saying goes, ’Sword Pavilion’s doors open once every three years,’ and it’s widely known throughout Tai’a. It means that the Sword Pavilion opens to the outside once every three years, and anyone can enter the Sword Pavilion on this day to seek the legendary Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond."

"Can everyone really enter?" Qin Qing asked.

"Yes!" Zhu Jirong nodded, "Everyone can enter, and I have been there myself... and had a very profound enlightenment. I managed to prove my way with the sword and underwent a Body Transformation to ascend to sainthood. The Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond was a tremendous help to me!"

Hearing Zhu Jirong say this, Qin Qing felt even more anticipation in his heart.

"This time, you will go to the Sword Pavilion with Zhu Linglong. If you can find the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond and have the chance to receive the baptism of the Sword Pond, then you will be confident in the Tianyong battle one month from now..." Zhu Jirong looked at Qin Qing, his eyes blazing with intensity.

His gaze was filled with expectation.

Because he was very clear about Qin Qing’s talent, especially in the way of the sword.

Zhu Jirong himself had greatly benefited from the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond at the Sword Pavilion, and Qin Qing’s talent exceeded his own, so Zhu Jirong could foresee that if Qin Qing managed to enter the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond, the opportunity he received would undoubtedly be much more significant.

He eagerly anticipated what kind of profound transformation Qin Qing would undergo after entering the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond.

After all, there was still a month until the Tianyong battle.

Hope still existed, and miracles were not impossible.

And the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond might just be where the miracle’s dawn could appear...

"Is it just Linglong and I going?" Qin Qing glanced at Zhu Linglong beside him.

"There’s also Cang Yuan," Zhu Linglong spoke up at this moment.

"What about Brother Zhong?" Qin Qing asked further.

The Brother Zhong that Qin Qing referred to was naturally Zhong Hongwen.

If we’re talking about the strongest disciple in the Wind-Fire Academy now, it’s unequivocally Zhong Hongwen. He performed the Immortal’s Flight from Beyond and, with a single stroke, killed Luo Zeyi, one of the Tai’a Ten Heroes. That stroke alone is enough to prove his strength.

"Zhong Hongwen, three years ago, went to the Sword Pavilion Sect. However, he wasn’t able to enter the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond!"

Zhu Jirong heaved a sigh, and his expression seemed filled with regret, "No matter who it is, you only get one chance in a lifetime to tread the path to the Sword Pond. Zhong Hongwen missed that opportunity, and he won’t have it again!"

Qin Qing couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. With Zhong Hongwen’s formidable strength, he was actually unable to enter the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond...

Seeing what Qin Qing was thinking, Zhu Jirong continued, "To enter the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond, cultivation alone isn’t enough. The path to the Celestial Pond imposes certain restrictions on one’s cultivation, so it’s not the case that stronger cultivation leads to more advantages there. On the contrary, the higher one’s cultivation, the greater the suppression—For instance, once someone at the Nascent Soul Realm enters, their Nascent Soul will be isolated right away, and their power totally controlled."

"Only Martial Dao Masters at the peak of the Golden Core Realm can enter it!"

"The path of the Sword Cleansing is more a test of a person’s talent and their perceptiveness to the martial arts of the sword!"

"Of course, there are other factors. Take Zhong Hongwen, for example. With his talent, he was actually fully qualified to enter the Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond. However, he was ambushed by others on the path to the Celestial Pond and was forced to retreat, missing the chance to be baptized by the Sword Pond!"

"So that’s how it is..." Qin Qing nodded.

"Every three years, the gates of the Sword Pavilion Sect open. Nearly all forces in Tianyong Province send talented Golden Core Martial Dao Masters there, even those not Sword Cultivators. Embarking on the path to the Celestial Pond, even if one doesn’t reach the ultimate Sword Cleansing Celestial Pond, there are many benefits to be gained along the way," Zhu Jirong added.

Zhu Linglong nodded as well, saying, "Brother Zhong’s strength was far from what it is now, three years ago. It was on the path to the Celestial Pond where he found a Sword Fruit. After refining it, he benefited immensely, and his mastery in the art of the sword has since soared..."

"Sword Fruit?" Qin Qing was even more puzzled.

"It’s a very special Spirit Fruit that contains numerous Sword Intents. You’ll understand when you truly enter the Sword Pavilion!" Zhu Jirong explained. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Alright!" Qin Qing nodded, his anticipation for the journey to the Sword Pavilion Sect now growing.

"Then let’s call upon Junior Brother Cang Yuan and head to the Sword Pavilion right away," Qin Qing suggested.

"No need!"

Just then, a cold voice suddenly came from not too far away.

A middle-aged man approached with his hands clasped behind his back, and Cang Yuan followed close behind with his head bowed, seemingly quite frightened.

"Sect Leader Zhu!"

The middle-aged man’s expression, originally icy-cold, softened a bit upon seeing Zhu Jirong. He gave a slight bow, a form of greeting.

"You are?" Zhu Jirong looked at the middle-aged man with some confusion.

"I am Cang Lanyun, and this is my son, Cang Yuan," the middle-aged man said, pointing at Cang Yuan.

Zhu Jirong nodded slightly, already surmising part of the situation.

As expected, Cang Lanyun continued, "Sect Leader Zhu, I apologize for the inconvenience. I only found out recently that my boy came to the Wind-Fire Palace. He has been troubling you here these past days!"

Cang Lanyun spoke in veiled terms, but his message was clear.

He did not recognize Cang Yuan’s status as a disciple of the Wind-Fire Academy.