Dragon Tamer

Chapter 228 - 229: Sword Tomb Ridge

Chapter 228: Chapter 229: Sword Tomb Ridge

Translator: 549690339

The mountain paths were complex, although Bai Qin’an had said that all these mountain paths would eventually lead to the Miao Mountain Sword Pavilion, in reality, they were winding and diverged excessively, leaving one with no idea where they might end up.

“This path should lead to the Sword Pavilion according to the Heavenly Scar Sword Manual, but what about the one beside it—is it meant to confuse others, or is there another trick to it?” Zhu Minglang stood at a fork in the mountain road.

He headed down this secluded path, his heart filling with even more curiosity.

Turning around, he walked along the somewhat peculiar path and soon, the Sword Spirit Dragon within the Spirit Realm started to thrum as if responding to some call.

The Sword Spirit Dragon is reacting?

Could there be an Ancient Sword hidden in the mountains?

Zhu Minglang hastened his pace, but suddenly, the path before him split into nine, nine identical paths, with only the sword patterns on the steps of each being different. Zhu Minglang had to figure out the correct derivation from the basic swordsmanship depicted on some of the steps in front of him!

“Sword Spirit Dragon, go through them one by one for me, let me have a look,” Zhu Minglang summoned the Sword Spirit Dragon.

The Sword Spirit Dragon danced in the air, mimicking the sword techniques from the sword scores on the nine paths, with Zhu Minglang watching intently, but soon, he fell into deep thought.

All nine derivations of the sword score seemed fine, and although they belonged to the Flying Sword Faction that he was unfamiliar with, the power they generated, the effects they produced, and the scenarios in which they were used all made sense!

How should he choose?

Before, he could have used the process of elimination, but now all nine seem to be the correct answer.

“If they are all correct, then just pick one at random.”

Those with lower Sword Realm might hesitate over these nine paths, insisting on finding the only correct derivation of the sword score.

But in Zhu Minglang’s view, all nine Flying Sword sword scores had no issues. While they formed their own systems, they were also complete. Therefore, there was no need to waste time hesitating over the choice.

Taking confident strides, Zhu Minglang walked steadily, unswayed by the changing sword techniques on the steps.

As he walked, Zhu Minglang had the Sword Spirit Dragon mimic the techniques from the sword scores, watching as the Sword Spirit Dragon continuously traced sword marks along the secluded path, like fireflies dancing in a forest!

Even though Zhu Minglang had no cultivation base, he could mimic the sword moves. Walking along, he and the Sword Spirit Dragon were one in thought and heart, practicing swordsmanship across the air – the dense, firefly-like sword lights filled the entire mountainside, lingering long on the leaves of the forest.

Finally, after completing the sword score, Zhu Minglang realized he was standing amidst a Sword Tomb!

The desolate grass mourned, hills undulated, and atop each stone tomb, instead of tombstones, there stood swords eroded by the passage of time!

“This is the Miao Mountain Sword Tomb!” Zhu Minglang’s heart leapt with joy.

Desolate, ancient, with a hint of bleakness, as Zhu Minglang walked into the Sword Tomb, he felt a surge of killing intent confronting him. The swords on top of the stone tombs were like guardian spirits undying for thousands of years, harboring deep hostility towards all creatures that intruded this place.

“Buzz!!!”

“Buzz!!!!”

The Sword Tomb suddenly let out one mournful cry after another, as if the swords stuck in the stones had come to life, actually wriggling free from their sturdy graves!

The tombs stretched endlessly, the eye could not see their end and the suppressed ancient swords were innumerable. Now, their hostility grew deeper and thicker, the surging aura seemed intent on tearing Zhu Minglang, the intruder, to pieces!

“What’s happening here, could there also be a sword spirit in this place?” Zhu Minglang looked at the tomb in surprise, at each of those ancient swords, cold as wild beasts.

The Sword Spirit Dragon was now a deep red all over, with the strong sunlight shining on its body, casting overlapping shadows on the ground, as if all the sword souls within the Sword Spirit Dragon’s body were being revealed.

“Yaoshan Sword Sect and Miao Mountain Sword Sect were originally one sect. During a division, the two factions fought a battle. At that time, countless sword masters perished, innumerable swords were broken, and to mourn their respective sword ancestors, Yaoshan established the Abandoned Sword Forest, and Miao Mountain established Sword Tomb Ridge…” At this moment, a senile voice spoke up from behind Zhu Minglang.

The speaker was none other than Mr. Jinli, who still took the form of a koi embroidery, attached to Zhu Minglang’s clothing.

This time, however, it did not show itself, only speaking from there.

“That battle was fierce and darkened the skies. So many years have passed, and perhaps the descendants of the sword clans have completely forgotten, but those ancient swords that perished in the battle still remember,” Mr. Jinli continued.

Zhu Minglang looked on, seeing the Sword Spirit Dragon, although it was just a single sword suspended in mid-air, it indeed radiated different auras, and several of the ancient swords sleeping within it had awakened, shining with an inscription radiance never seen before!

“Even if the seas dry up and the mountains crumble, is there still no victor?” Zhu Minglang muttered to himself.

From the emotions of the Sword Spirit Dragon, Zhu Minglang could feel the unwillingness and indomitable will of those broken ancient swords…

This reminded Zhu Minglang of the words Zhu Heavenly Officer had once said to him.

Every inscription has a story, whether it be its owner who shook the heavens and earth, or the instrument that sparked a fierce battle, or perhaps the artifact spirit that witnessed the rise and fall of a sect…

Their souls only awaken in certain scenarios.

The unresolved battle between Miao Mountain Sword Sect and Yaoshan Sword Sect was halted due to the fall of sword masters and the advance of their age, but these ancient swords have never forgotten!

“The Sword Spirit Dragon is the entire Abandoned Sword Forest of Yaoshan Sword Sect. Originally, the two places were half the Supreme Court Courtyard Continent apart and should not have been able to resonate anymore…” Mr. Jinli continued to speak from behind Zhu Minglang, also secretly marveling.

This place is the Sword Tomb Ridge.

The mountain forest beneath the twilight, covered in rust stains, was also a forest of sword graves.

Perhaps unwilling to be forgotten so easily, or perhaps still wishing to determine a victor, Zhu Minglang seemed to hear the ancient swords atop the continuous sword tombs wailing.

A massive cloud slowly covered the intense sunlight.

Sword Tomb Ridge began to darken, with a strange mist spreading all around, shrouding everything within Zhu Minglang’s field of vision.

Zhu Minglang wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he saw the sketch of a woman from the sword score leaping out from the lengthy steps behind him!

On each step, there was a silhouette of a woman. They took out the ancient swords, tattered and battered, from the sword tomb, and actually surrounded Zhu Minglang and the Sword Spirit Dragon!

Zhu Minglang was shocked; in all his travels, he had never seen such a scene!

“Don’t panic, it’s just like the scene of a Ghost Market,” Mr. Jinli said.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Minglang’s face grew even paler.

That… that means it’s haunted!

Those silhouettes might be considered ethereal ghosts, but those swords are definitely real!