The Tianhe Sword Sect’s history is not a long one. Three thousand years ago, its founding patriarch, True Monarch Tianhe, fell into a Sword Tomb Secret Realm with a friend. In the end, only he, with his supreme Sword Dao talent, managed to obtain its inheritance.
Within the Secret Realm, the Tier Four Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword came to him of its own accord, and from it, he comprehended the Supreme Profound Sword Scripture.
Later, through another fortuitous encounter, he obtained a scroll from some Ancient Ruins containing the Celestial River Technique, a cultivation technique that could be practiced all the way to the Divinity Transformation Realm.
The Magical Power refined by this Cultivation Technique was as vast as a celestial river. In particular, after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, a cultivator could forge an entire river of True Essence within their Qi Sea.
When needed, this river of True Essence could be merged into the Nascent Soul.
This was equivalent to having two Nascent Souls supplying True Essence.
For Sword Cultivators, mainstream cultivation techniques generally follow two paths.
One path is to expand one’s maximum True Essence, increasing the duration of Sword Control and the number of flying swords one can wield simultaneously.
The other path involves profound cultivation techniques that imbue one’s sword light with mystical properties, such as exorcism, true flames, or freezing effects.
A Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Tianhe Sword Sect, relying on this technique, could control four flying swords simultaneously at their absolute limit. They followed the most straightforward and orthodox of the two paths—the very one Bai Zichen hoped to walk.
Although it wasn’t as heaven-defying as the legendary cultivation technique of the Taibai Sword Sect—which allowed one to refine multiple flying swords into Lifebound Flying Swords—it was still exceptionally rare.
Before True Monarch Tianhe passed away, one of his disciples had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm, ensuring a smooth succession.
Including the sect’s current Supreme Elder, Tang Fei, there have been three consecutive generations with a Nascent Soul True Monarch at the helm. This instantly elevated the Tianhe Sword Sect to the ranks of the most elite sects.
The reason Yann Yuanzai held such a special status was precisely because he wielded the Tianhe Sword Sect’s only other Tier Four Flying Sword, aside from their inherited Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword.
’What a magnificent Sword Mountain!’
Bai Zichen had asked the Sword Sect disciples hosting them if he could go out for a walk. He soon received a map and a VIP Identity Token that granted him access to most areas within the Tianhe Sword Sect.
After meeting with True Monarch Tang Fei, Master Ge Cang had returned, given a brief report, and then entered seclusion to recuperate.
He and Qi Yue had been cooped up in their rooms all day with nothing to do.
However, Qi Yue was in no mood for a stroll and just stayed in his room, staring into space. That left Bai Zichen to go out by himself.
The Tianhe Sword Sect’s Mountain Gate was located on a majestic mountain shaped like a flying sword.
The sect’s various buildings were located at the base of Sword Mountain, in the "hilt" area. The "blade" of the mountain was dotted with countless Cave Mansions and training grounds.
It was said that the mountain did not originally have this shape. Over three thousand years ago, True Monarch Tianhe opened the Sword Tomb Secret Realm.
An Immortal Sword flew out and plunged into the peak, which then slowly transformed the mountain into the shape of a flying sword.
Bai Zichen was somewhat skeptical of this story.
Still, the Sword Tomb Secret Realm was undeniably the source of the Tianhe Sword Sect’s rise to prominence. It had already produced two Tier Four Flying Swords: the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword and the Xing Yao Sword.
As for the next level down, Tier Three Flying Swords, there were over a hundred.
As for the even lower Tier Two Flying Swords, it was impossible for them to have survived in the Secret Realm; they would have long since corroded into scrap metal.
Furthermore, the Tianhe Sword Sect had joined forces with several other Sword Cultivation Sects to refine Sword Keys, which they distributed to true geniuses of the Sword Dao in hopes of further exploring the Sword Tomb Secret Realm.
There had even been lucky individuals from outside the Tianhe Sword Sect who had fortuitous encounters, either obtaining a Tier Three Flying Sword or experiencing a great leap in their Sword Dao Realm.
Thus, the Tianhe Sword Sect was considered a Holy Land for all Sword Cultivators in the Northern Domain, and the Sword Tomb Secret Realm was a must-visit destination for any Sword Cultivator with confidence in their own abilities.
Moreover, it was certain that another Tier Four Flying Sword remained hidden in the depths of the Sword Tomb Secret Realm.
Yann Yuanzai had sensed its presence through a sympathetic resonance of energy when he obtained the Xing Yao Sword, so there was no doubt.
However, a Tier Four Flying Sword would only appear in the very center of the Sword Tomb Secret Realm, an area that only Core Disciples of the Tianhe Sword Sect were permitted to enter.
Those who entered the Sword Tomb Secret Realm with a Sword Key could not access that region.
Bai Zichen’s courtyard was located halfway up the mountain. As he made his way down, the most common structures he saw were various training grounds and Sword Testing Platforms.
The Tianhe Sword Sect’s Sword Refining Skill was also unparalleled in the Northern Domain.
It was the only sect capable of consistently refining Tier Three Flying Swords.
Their reverence for flying swords was so great that Vassal Sects had even emerged to specialize in crafting accessories like sword scabbards and sword boxes.
At the foot of Sword Mountain, beyond the perimeter of the Sect Grand Array, lay a sprawling city forged from steel.
It stretched as far as the eye could see, its walls cast from molten iron.
Innumerable plumes of black smoke rose from every corner of the city, the emissions from tens of thousands of forges.
Countless quantities of the Five Metals Spirit were gathered at the foot of Sword Mountain. From the most basic Tier One Cold Iron and Hundred-Refined Fine Iron to precious Tier Three and even Tier Four ores, all could be found here.
Tens of thousands of Sword Cultivators lived in this city. Most had been drawn here by the sect’s reputation, hoping for a chance to join the Tianhe Sword Sect.
A small portion were relatives and descendants of Sword Sect Disciples. Although they possessed the aptitude for cultivation, they failed to meet the Tianhe Sword Sect’s strict recruitment standards.
Some chose to join the Vassal Sects, while those with lingering ambitions remained in Sword City, waiting for an opportunity to become a Sword Sect Disciple.
At the same time, several times their number in non-Sword Dao Cultivators, and hundreds of times more in mortals, also lived in Sword City.
Together, they had built this prosperous Sword City.
The Tianhe Sword Sect had never deliberately managed a market, yet Sword City had still become one of the most prominent cities in the Northern Domain.
’You really need a pillar industry,’ Bai Zichen mused. ’Like the Spirit Beasts raised by the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, or the flying swords of the Tianhe Sword Sect... Having something that others don’t is the easiest way to build a reputation and draw in crowds.’
As he hovered in the air, watching the crowds scuttling like ants through Sword City, Bai Zichen’s thoughts turned to the Qingfeng Sect’s Market.
Compared to the Holy Lotus Sect, which had a legacy stretching back ten thousand years, the Tianhe Sword Sect, with its mere three-thousand-year history, was a more relevant model to study.
Without investing excessive resources, once it became the Holy Land for sword cultivators in the Northern Domain, its gravitational pull became increasingly obvious.
Countless Artifact Refiners settled here, which in turn attracted innumerable Cultivators wanting to commission custom-refined flying swords.
Every hundred years, the boundaries of Sword City would expand another ring outward.
Gu Xisheng’s idea—to establish a ten-thousand-mu Spirit Field and use one or two types of Spirit Rice as a breakthrough to build the reputation of the Qingfeng Sect’s Market—wasn’t wrong in principle.
The problem was that the sect lacked a complete, systematic lineage of Spirit Plant Masters, and it had no exclusive Secret Realm to provide a stable harvest of Spirit Seeds.
Trying to challenge the Shennong Sect’s dominance in the market was nothing but a pipe dream.
Most of the new Spirit Rice produced annually at Feiyue Lake was consumed by the sect’s own disciples. The small portion that flowed into the market was bought almost exclusively by Black Mountain Cultivators.
No cultivator from outside the region would make a special trip to the Qingfeng Sect’s Market just for Spirit Rice that was a mere ten percent cheaper.
Nevertheless, Gu Xisheng’s ten-thousand-mu Spirit Field project was still carried out with determination.
It was the first major decree he issued after taking office as Sect Leader; he couldn’t possibly abandon it halfway, if only to prove that he had been right.
Bai Zichen had also voted in favor of it during the elder council. Whether the Market succeeded or not, the project would benefit the sect in the long run.
Qi Refining Cultivators who consumed Spirit Rice over the long term developed stronger physiques and more vigorous qi and blood. As long as they also practiced a Body Refining Technique, passing the Physical Body Stage of the Foundation Establishment Three Gates would not be a major issue.
In recent years, the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the Qingfeng Sect had been rising annually. Notably, there had been a succession of several True Disciples who managed to reach Foundation Establishment without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill.
It was difficult to say how much of a role the widespread availability of Tier One Spirit Rice for Qi Refining Disciples had played in this success.
Bai Zichen flew directly over the outer city’s mortal district and entered the inner city, the domain of cultivators.
’Divine Sword Pavilion, Hundred Swords Manor, Sword Concealment Valley... There are so many shops in this city with ’sword’ in their name. This really is the local specialty.’
He picked the most impressive-looking establishment, the Divine Sword Pavilion, and walked inside. The main hall was filled with displays of over a hundred flying swords, their cold light exuding a chilling, formidable aura.
A closer look revealed, however, that the vast majority were Tier One Flying Swords; only the handful of premium items on display were Tier Two Flying Swords.
"Forgive me for not greeting you sooner, Senior..."
A steward, a cultivator at the Qi Refining Perfection level, came forward. After bowing, he invited Bai Zichen up to the second floor.
"May I ask what brings you to our Divine Sword Pavilion today, Senior? Anything at all related to flying swords, our pavilion can procure it."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Bai Zichen had entered Sword City mainly to experience the local culture of Beiyuan and to satisfy his curiosity about the Tianhe Sword Sect.
He didn’t actually expect to find any real treasures in Sword City.
These impressively named shops were all run by vassal sects of the Tianhe Sword Sect or by large merchant guilds. The Sword Sect itself ran no commercial enterprises in Sword City, save for a single liaison office.
It only collected rent from the shops in the inner city and never involved itself directly in their operations.
Besides, the Sword Sect’s only specialty was Sword Refinement. Anyone qualified to request a Sect Elder to fire up their forge and refine a Tier Three Flying Sword would go directly up Sword Mountain to make their petition. There was no need to open a shop in Sword City for such transactions.
"Of course! My master is a close relative of Master Suo of the Evil Exorcism Sword, and he is extremely well-connected. No matter what you seek, Senior, we have the means to acquire it."
The steward said proudly, patting his chest.
Master Suo of the Evil Exorcism Sword was an elder of the Tianhe Sword Sect with a Mid-Stage Core Formation cultivation base.
He had become famous for slaying a late-stage Core Formation Ghost Cultivator, as the flying sword he wielded was specialized in dealing with Yin Souls.
"I am looking for a Tier Three Flying Sword, preferably of the Wood Element. If you don’t have one, a standard Five Metals Flying Sword will also suffice."
Bai Zichen tapped his index finger on the table. ’Well, since he invited me to ask for anything, I won’t be polite.’
With the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword Embryo already in his Dantian Qi Sea, he wouldn’t need to worry about a Lifebound Flying Sword after he reached Core Formation.
But he had already decided that once he mastered the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword, he would conceal this Sword Embryo for a hundred years to nurture it.
Even without that Great Divine Technique, the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword Embryo itself needed to be nourished by Pill Qi for many years, so it was unusable for the time being.
Therefore, he still needed two more Tier Three Flying Swords to meet his requirements.
He did have the refining method for a Tier Three Thunder Bamboo Sword in his storage bag. This sword was forged from Thunder Sound Bamboo, a type of Spiritual Bamboo that had mutated after being struck by Celestial Thunder. In terms of hardness, it was already on par with a Five Metals Flying Sword.
Moreover, the sword hummed with the sound of thunder, and the speed of its sword light was considered top-tier among Tier Three Flying Swords.
Unfortunately, he lacked the main ingredient—Tier Three Thunder Sound Bamboo. Without it, the Sword Refining Secret Method was useless.
His latest idea was to see if he could use a Sword Key to enter the Sword Tomb Secret Realm, pass its trials, and receive a Tier Three Flying Sword as a reward.
As for the second sword, he planned to ask Master Ge Cang to use his connection with Yann Yuanzai to purchase a Tier Three Flying Sword.
Yann Yuanzai wielded the Tier Four Xing Yao Sword and held a special status within the Tianhe Sword Sect, placing him a cut above the other two elders at Core Formation Perfection.
Barring any surprises, he was set to be the next leader of the Sword Sect after True Monarch Tang Fei.
That was why he carried a Sword Talisman from Tang Fei, which allowed him to borrow Nascent Soul Power from afar and unleash the full might of his Tier Four Flying Sword.
This type of Sword Talisman was incredibly difficult to refine. It required a Nascent Soul True Monarch to spend several years condensing their power, and the process would even damage the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword.
If Yann Yuanzai weren’t so crucial to the Tianhe Sword Sect’s future that his safety was paramount, Tang Fei would never have done such a thing for anyone else.