Volume One: The Emperor’s Sword Chapter 19: The Thunder Sword!

At the center of the Sword Duel Arena, Yun Que and Huan Zhi stood facing each other.

The Sword Duel Arena was a place for the disciples of the Sword Palace to spar and compete. Upon entering, there was but a single rule, clearly engraved upon the bluestone beside the arena.

"In this place of sword duels, life and death are left to fate!"

At this moment, the iron railings surrounding the arena were crowded with new disciples.

"Challenging a Lightning Spirit Root? What is that guy thinking? Does he have a death wish?"

"He doesn't even have a spiritual root, yet he dares challenge someone with an exceptional one? He must be out of his mind, and not just a little!"

"Just watch—I bet the Lightning Spirit Root will win in a landslide!"

With no elders present, the new disciples could watch the spectacle at their leisure, discussing among themselves.

No one favored Yun Que.

Even Han Jiao thought Yun Hou had been reckless this time and worried for Yun Que.

Huan Zhi had long since been taken as a disciple by the East Court elder and had surely begun his cultivation early. He was not in the same league as these new disciples.

Though Yun Hou had bested the experts of the Chu family from Yanmen Town, this was no small city or town—it was the world-renowned Sword Palace!

And Huan Zhi was a genius with the Lightning Spirit Root—how could he possibly lose?

At the center of the arena, Huan Zhi, his eyes sunken, slowly drew his sword from behind and taunted, "My cultivation is not high—just the second stage of Qi Refinement. But to crush a little ant like you is more than enough. Tell me, do you know anything at all? If all you can do is beg for mercy, it's not too late to kneel and do so now."

Yun Que, holding the Sealed Thunder Sword gifted by his senior sister, smiled ever more kindly and replied, "I've practiced swordsmanship since childhood—I'm actually quite skilled."

Huan Zhi laughed aloud, mocking, "Since childhood? So diligent! Do you really think the so-called sword techniques of the mortal world can defeat a true cultivator?"

"And what of mortal swordsmanship? A sword is still a weapon—it can wound all the same."

"Is that so? Then come, try to wound me!"

As he spoke, Huan Zhi's gaze suddenly turned cold. The sword he had hidden behind his back lashed out without warning, its blade erupting with a shower of ghostly blue lightning.

In this very first strike, Huan Zhi unleashed the full force of his Lightning Spirit Root!

Despite his arrogant appearance, Huan Zhi was, in truth, extremely cunning—sinister, even. He had never intended to give Yun Que a chance to strike back!

Almost simultaneously, Yun Que raised his Sealed Thunder Sword, meeting Huan Zhi's blade head-on.

A crackling sound, like a lightning strike, exploded!

Yun Que's body was enveloped by countless arcs of lightning, as if struck by thunder, his upper garment instantly charred.

The gathered disciples cried out in unison.

Han Jiao squeezed her eyes shut in fright, convinced Yun Que had met a grim fate—if not dead, then surely gravely injured.

"Utterly feeble..."

Huan Zhi snorted dismissively, unsurprised by the outcome.

His sword was enough to defeat opponents two or three small realms higher than himself—let alone a worthless wretch without a spiritual root.

Yet what he hadn't expected was that his opponent, who should have been heavily wounded, not only remained standing, but pressed on, slashing at him with such speed that Huan Zhi could not evade!

"How are you still moving? You have a defensive artifact!"

Startled, Huan Zhi caught sight of the armor beneath Yun Que's robe, and realization dawned.

In a panic, he quickly raised his sword to block.

"Just a mid-grade artifact," Huan Zhi sneered with a cold contempt.

He wielded a top-grade artifact himself; even without using his Lightning Spirit Root, he was fully confident he could withstand a mid-grade artifact.

But what happened next defied all his expectations.

Suddenly, the blade in Yun Que's hand began to shimmer with ghostly blue light.

Crack!

The thunder sealed within the sword erupted, a burst of lightning swallowing Huan Zhi whole.

Never in his wildest dreams did the arrogant Huan Zhi imagine he would one day be injured by lightning.

And gravely injured at that!

While the Lightning Spirit Root allowed him to control lightning to a limited extent, he could not absorb it.

When the light faded, Huan Zhi lay sprawled on the ground, hair and clothes singed, unconscious.

He soon awoke from the agony, his mouth full of blood.

Every tooth in his mouth was gone!

Rattle, rattle.

Above his head, a hand slowly opened, and a row of teeth tumbled down like raindrops.

Yun Que's face wore a gentle smile, but his voice was so cold it would chill the soul.

"You may insult me, but never my father. This time, I take your teeth. Next time, I take your life."

At that moment, the Sword Duel Arena fell utterly silent.

No one had expected that in this brief duel, both combatants would unleash such astonishing lightning sword techniques!

Every new disciple who witnessed the scene felt a deep, instinctive fear.

It was as if the white-clad youth at the center of the arena were a demon from the underworld.

He inspired dread and awe, compelling all to keep their distance.

Yun Que spared Huan Zhi not another glance and left the arena, somewhat disappointed.

So much for the Lightning Spirit Root—too weak, not even fit to clean his blade.

In this duel, Yun Que had not used his own spiritual power at all; he had merely fused his sword soul into the Sealed Thunder Sword.

"With the sword soul, the power of a mid-grade artifact is elevated to that of a top-grade one. The sword soul truly has its uses," Yun Que thought to himself.

"Sword souls can not only enhance an artifact's power, but also harness the hidden strength within."

Yun Que returned the Sealed Thunder Sword to his storage pouch.

According to his senior sister, once the thunder sealed within the sword was unleashed, the weapon would be ruined.

But with the sword soul's guidance, the burst of thunder was drawn back into the blade after its release.

The Sealed Thunder Sword was as good as new!

In theory, as long as he had a sword soul, Yun Que could unleash the sword's thunderous strike countless times.

Of course, reality was less ideal—flying swords, like ordinary blades, would wear down with repeated use, growing dull and brittle until finally breaking.

Flicking the dust from his soft armor, Yun Que chuckled softly.

This mid-grade soft armor was his backup for facing the Lightning Spirit Root head-on; it had easily withstood the opponent's thunderstrike.

After receiving his identity token and new garments, Yun Que made his way to the Northern Court.

The Sword Palace had four courts, each occupying a different quarter, with numerous rooms and courtyards.

The other three courts bustled with activity, but the Northern Court was sparsely populated and quiet.

Yun Que and the other new disciples were assigned their quarters and settled in.

The disciples' lodgings were simple, tidy single rooms arranged in rows, with a spacious communal courtyard outside, planted with many exotic flowers and fruits.

Yun Que's room was at the northernmost edge—very peaceful.

As long as he had no roommate, it was enough; after all, he carried many secrets that could not be revealed.

At his door, Yun Que encountered his neighbor—the frail girl who had been the last to have her spiritual root tested.

The girl was struggling to drag a large bundle into her room, clearly having trouble.

Yun Que stepped forward to help, hearing bottles and jars clinking within the package—he wondered what they contained.

"Th-thank you for your help, senior brother," the frail girl said nervously, her head lowered. "My name is Luo Xiaoyu."

"It's nothing," Yun Que replied with a wave of his hand.

Helping a fellow disciple with a small favor was hardly worth mentioning.

Luo Xiaoyu, still ill at ease, quickly thanked him and shut her door, not emerging again.

"Brother Yun!"

Ma Yong, his face dark, hurried over, looking rather surprised.

"Senior Sister is looking for you. I heard you fought with that new Lightning Spirit Root disciple—and won?"

"I was just lucky. He was careless and underestimated me," Yun Que explained, following Ma Yong to the grand hall of the Northern Court, where Xue Ziyi was waiting.