Chapter 138: Ice Crystal the Ancient Sword

"Martial Uncle Gao, how is Senior Brother Zhou doing?"

"An elder from the Medicine God Valley has already taken him back for treatment. He regained consciousness before departing. The sect master asked me to especially thank you for that Reprieve Pill."

Gao Shixing gave Wang Sheng a Daoist salute, and Wang Sheng quickly returned the courtesy.

"It's nothing. I'm just glad that Senior Brother Zhou is finally recovering. It's a pity about the other senior brothers and martial uncles, though...

Haaa.

"

Standing nearby, Fei Lianzi cursed, "Corrupt cultivators harming others cannot be tolerated. Our sect stands irreconcilable against them."

Gao Shixing's eyes also gleamed with sharpness, but he soon calmed down and gave Wang Sheng his trademark stiff smile.

"Fei Yu, Master promised you this back then."

Gao Shixing flipped his hand and handed over a sheathed longsword to Wang Sheng. Before Wang Sheng could even reach out to it, he felt a hint of icy coldness seeping from within the scabbard.

The moment Fei Lianzi, a lover of fine swords, looked at it, his eyes lit up as well.

Wang Sheng accepted the treasured sword. When it fell into his hands, a bone-chilling coldness surged into his palm.

Shwing!

Drawing the sword from its scabbard, wisps of white mist rose from the blade under the sunlight, and strands of cold wind seemingly swept through a radius of more than ten meters. Wang Sheng gripped the hilt as spiritual consciousness wrapped around the blade. He then sensed a faint hint of resistance.

The cultivators nearby immediately looked over.

"That sword is named Ice Crystal, an ancient sword passed down for over a thousand years. I am confident that you will not bring disgrace upon it," Gao Shixing said.

Wang Sheng grinned widely and then fully turned his focus to the sword. As his fingertips brushed along Ice Crystal's blade, a faint sword hum echoed from his chest.

His flying sword was also reacting, drawn by the cold aura of Ice Crystal.

"That sword..." Fei Lianzi murmured thoughtfully. "Could it be the same Ice Crystal, the mystic iron sword recorded in an ancient weapon manual?"

"I'm not sure. Master simply asked me to bring it over," Gao Shixing replied honestly.

Fei Lianzi drew in a sharp breath. "

Hiiih.

Fei Yu, let me appraise it."

Wang Sheng respectfully handed the longsword over. "Please do, Daoist Master."

Fei Lianzi immediately rolled his eyes at the formality.

Many people had already gathered around. Their eyes were drawn to Ice Crystal, clearly aware that it was a treasured sword worthy of being called a treasured artifact.

Holding the sword upright, Fei Lianzi quietly comprehended it for a moment, then shook his head. "The sword is good, but it does not suit you, Fei Yu. It would be better if the Wudang Mountains found you another."

Gao Shixing frowned. "How does it not suit him? And who might you be?"

"I am Fei Lianzi, the ninth elder of the Shu Sword Sect."

"If you are from the Shu Sword Sect, why would you say something as absurd as a sword not matching its wielder?" Gao Shixing said calmly. "You should know that the sword is an extension of the hand and the heart. It is an external object. As long as it is in the wielder's hand, it can be controlled."

"No, no, no, that is not quite right, Daoist Master Gao." Fei Lianzi shook his head. "While the sword is indeed a weapon, it must resonate with one's nature, life, and soul to achieve true mastery in the Dao of the Sword."

"I dare not agree with your views on the sword. The Dao of the Sword must be one's very essence. If it were as you said, then once the sword breaks, must the man be crippled too?" Gao Shixing questioned.

"If the sword is broken, though it wounds the heart and spirit, it still allows one to grasp the true essence of the Dao of the Sword. All things are within the sword, including heaven and earth, and the sword resonates with its owner."

"On the contrary, all things, including heaven and earth, lie beyond the sword. One must seek the sword's heart through them."

Bzz!

Wang Sheng could almost feel sparks flying where their gazes met. Sharp sword intents rose from both men, colliding and refusing to yield.

"Mere words prove nothing. Since our cultivation levels are similar, why don't we spar a little?"

"I was just thinking the same. Let us find an uninhabited place where we won't trouble Fei Yu. Please, after you!"

Fei Lianzi gave a light shout, shoved Ice Crystal back into Wang Sheng's hands, and made a gesture of invitation.

"Very well. Disciples, stay here and don't cause any trouble. Listen to Fei Yu's arrangements," Gao Shixing instructed, then turned and strode away.

Wang Sheng smiled wryly. "Martial Uncle Gao! Daoist Master Fei Lianzi—"

"Don't worry!" Fei Lianzi replied loudly. "Our disciples shall remain here and cause no disturbance!"

He then immediately summoned his flying sword and flicked his Daoist robe out of the way. Leaping lightly onto the sword, he soared into the sky with impressive grace.

Wang Sheng hurriedly shouted, "Limit it to a friendly spar! Don't go overboard, you two!"

"We'll only do a friendly spar!" Gao Shixing yelled from afar. Seeing Fei Lianzi fly past him atop his longsword, Gao Shixing quickly brandished his sword and sped after him.

The two Daoist masters who had come to lend a hand had simply thrown their groups of disciples to stare at each other and gone off to find a place to fight.

Wang Sheng smacked his forehead and could only gather some fellow Wudang peers together. Fortunately, the disciples did not start fighting among themselves.

The Wudang Mountains had also brought along some disciples with impressive cultivation and demeanor. They stationed themselves at the entrance of the venue, standing guard to bolster their presence, while the Shu Sword Sect disciples took position on the other side.

Who would prove stronger between Fei Lianzi and Gao Shixing was truly hard to say.

Gao Shixing had made further progress in the Dao of the Sword over the past two years. After sparring with Wang Sheng, he entered seclusion and reached the Illusory Core Realm.

Originally, Fei Lianzi's attainment in the Dao of the Sword had been weaker than Gao Shixing's, but after nearly two years of training in the Sword-Controlling Art, his cultivation had also reached the Illusory Core Realm.

Having practiced the Sword-Controlling Art, Wang Sheng understood how formidable its power was. Still, the outcome of the battle between Fei Lianzi and Gao Shixing was truly impossible to predict.

It really felt like they were having a duel at the peak of the Forbidden City.

"Senior Brother Wang," a Wudang disciple called in a hushed tone. "Will Martial Uncle Gao be alright?"

Wang Sheng quickly replied, "No need to worry. They are both experts in the Dao of the Sword. They just have some differences in their understanding of swordsmanship and are merely exchanging pointers. They will definitely not fight to the death."

Only then did the nearby Wudang disciples relax. After all, seeing Fei Lianzi rise into the sky by controlling his sword had awed them all.

Holding Ice Crystal, Wang Sheng returned to his seat and watched the distant crowd chase after Gao Shixing and Fei Lianzi. He sent a voice message to the Immortal Dao Conference Event Management Group, requesting the Special Investigation Unit to dispatch people to stabilize the situation over there.

Why did Daoist Master Fei Lianzi say that Ice Crystal doesn't suit me?

Carefully examining the sword, Wang Sheng soon understood.

Ice Crystal was definitely an artifact-level treasured sword, and it was far superior to ordinary artifacts. Since its grade was much higher than Abyss Listener and the unnamed longsword that Wang Sheng was currently using, its value required no further elaboration.

It could be considered a true hidden treasure among Wudang's Daoist heritage.

However, Wang Sheng himself had little use for it.

Ice Crystal's edge was sharp, but it could not truly be called a divine weapon. Its primary effect was to amplify true essence and augment attacks with ice power, releasing streams of cold air with every strike. Meanwhile, Wang Sheng's Seven-Star Sword Formation and Reversed Seven-Star Sword Formation were extremely aggressive sword formations that demanded the sheer sharpness of a longsword.

In his hands, Ice Crystal could only offer some support when he used the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent. When it came to strengthening his combat abilities, it was far inferior to Spiritless, which he had entrusted to his senior sister.

Still, the Wudang Mountains had given it to him. Wang Sheng naturally could not refuse. Smiling at the sword, he said, "Since your name sounds so pleasant, how about I find you a good owner?"

Ice Crystal, of course, did not respond. Though the treasured sword possessed some spiritual insight, it was still far from producing a sword spirit, and its temperament leaned toward being aloof.

That night, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan, as usual, sat together at the highest spectator stand, meditating and watching the stars.

Wang Sheng presented Ice Crystal to her. "Senior Sister, you should use this sword."

Mu Wanxuan immediately shook her head and pushed the sword back.

"I have no use for it," Wang Sheng insisted. "Considering you're always travelling, bringing this sword with you might come in handy. Besides, you mainly cultivate the Dao of the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams. If you encounter bottlenecks in your comprehension, you could also draw insight from Tai Chi and Eight Trigrams swordsmanship. It will surely benefit you."

Mu Wanxuan tilted her head slightly, as if asking whether Wang Sheng was trying to coax her.

Wang Sheng shoved Ice Crystal into her hands. "Don't forget that I still have a flying sword and Spiritless, which I've asked you to hold on to."

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Finally, Mu Wanxuan happily accepted Ice Crystal. She drew it from its scabbard and softly admired it.

Afterward, she glanced at Wang Sheng's chest, then at her own, and her cheeks inexplicably turned red. As a woman, the sword-nurturing technique that Wang Sheng had mentioned seemed rather unsuitable for her to practice.

There were still over forty hours before the tournament.

The closer the Immortal Dao Conference, the busier Wang Sheng became. Especially after both the Wudang Mountains and the Shu Sword Sect declared their stance, each Daoist heritage adjusted its delegation structures again. The righteous sects, which had still been somewhat reserved, now all selected their strongest disciples under thirty-five years old.

Moreover, the cultivators who were originally scheduled to arrive a day early had come even further ahead of time. Hence, several young ladies from the Special Investigation Unit were now seated beside Wang Sheng. They were responsible for explaining when the conference would begin and detailing the event procedures.

Since yesterday, the eighteen referees had also arrived one after another. By this afternoon, all eighteen were expected to be at the venue, allowing them to begin discussions on the competition rules.

Considering it would be the first-ever Immortal Dao Conference, all the rules still had to be established. As the captain of the Referee Committee, Wang Sheng naturally had to attend and take detailed notes. Although he held the title of captain, due to his low seniority, he was mainly there to serve as a mediator among the Daoist masters.

By noon, Wang Sheng found some free time to draft a few proposed rules. That way, if any Daoist master called on him later, he would not embarrass his master by being unable to respond.

Just as he rigidly wrote a few words, he heard a commotion from the forest below the mountain. Before he could even look up, he heard a familiar voice.

"Brother Sheng! Brother Sheng, you heartless man! I was so badly injured, yet you did not even come to see me!"

The delegation from the Longhu Mountains, which was closest to Mount Sanqing, had arrived.