Zhang Ruochen knew Jade Saint was only testing him, but he did not refuse, because he also wanted to know the origin of the Abyss Ancient Sword.
He did not let any emotion show and said, “I would like to know about it.”
Jade Saint was sitting at the head position with an extraordinary bearing. Divine brilliance was flowing through in each of his hair. A wisp of Spiritual Qi streamed around him as if he was in the center of heaven.
That was the bearing of a Saint.
“You should have heard of the legend of the Natural Divine Iron,” he spoke, “that legend is not the truth. Was Empress Chi Yao the person who got the Natural Divine Iron 800 years ago? She wasn’t.”
“It was her father, Emperor Qing, who get the Natural Divine Iron.”
Zhang Ruochen was not surprised to hear about this at all.
800 years ago, Chi Yao was still a teenage girl. How could she invite the top ten weapon refiners to cast swords at the same time?
Only Emperor Qing had such power and influence.
Jade Saint continued to say, “Nature is divided into Yin and Yang, life and death, black and white. So what they previously forge isn’t only one sword, but two.”
“Top 10 weapon refiners racked their brains and used various methods to divide Natural Divine Iron into two parts. One was black, and the other was white. And then, it took them eighty-one days to successfully cast two swords. One was ‘Death Sword,’ the other was ‘Life Sword.'”
Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes and said, “The white Blood Drop Sword of Empress Chi Yao is the Death Sword?”
“Unfortunately, it has been dyed blood red,” Jade Saint nodded and sighed.
Zhang Ruochen pointed at the Abyss Ancient Sword and asked, “Why did the Life Sword break?”
“Only the Death Sword could break the Life Sword. And only the Life Sword could cut off the Death Sword,” Jade Saint continued.
Zhang Ruochen did not say anything.
After a while, Jade Saint said again, “Do you know why those swords were called ‘life’ and ‘death’?”
“Why?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Jade Saint said, “The so-called Death Sword can absorb the blood of the common people in the world, through which it can constantly gain more power and eventually turn into a Natural Divine Sword. Therefore, if someone wants to develop the Death Sword, massacres is unavoidable. The more blood the Death Sword absorb, the more powerful it will be.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Then how did the Life Sword get its name?”
Jade Saint answered, “The Death Sword can absorb the blood of the man to grow continuously. But the Life Sword can enhance itself by absorbing and integrating all kinds of weapons into its blade.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, “I understand! Weapons are killing tools. And Life Sword can save the world by absorbing all weapons.”
“Exactly.”
Zhang Ruochen sighed and said, “Unfortunately, the Life Sword is broken.”
Jade Saint stroke his beard and smiled, he said, “It’s not impossible to repair the Life Sword. At least, the Sword Sanctum has the ability. Because we participated in the forging of the two swords and we understand the process. If you trust us, you can put the Life Sword in Sword Sanctum. Once it is repaired, I would personally send people to give it back to you.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Can I trust you?”
Jade Saint smiled and said, “Do you think you can walk out of the Holy Temple if the Sword Sanctum wants to grab your Life Sword?”
“You’re right.”
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath and bowed to Jade Saint with his fist gripping, then he said, “Since it is so, thank you. How about the cost of repairing the Life Sword?”
“No one knows I’m in the deep forest, only the moon accompanies and sends me light.”
“The owner of this poem has some relation with the Sword Sanctum. Since you know the poem, you don’t need to pay anything.”
Jade Saint said again,”I’ll ask you again, do you really have nothing else to say?”
Obviously, Jade Saint was still expecting. After all, he had waited for the poem for 300 years.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, “I don’t understand what you mean. Farewell.”
Zhang Ruochen saluted again and then walked out of the Holy Temple.
Jade Saint stared at the departing figure of Zhang Ruochen with a serious look. He thought quickly, and a moment later, he called Lu Chongyu in through sound transmission.
Lu Chongyu knelt down and kowtowed to the Jade Saint, and asked, “Ancestor, what are your orders?”
Jade Saint said, “Arrange someone to find out his identity. There can be no omission.”
Lu Chongyu doubtfully asked, “Ancestor, you have paid so much attention to this young man, who is he?”
Jade Saint sighed and said, “There are some things that you shouldn’t know of yet. Go now!”
After Lu Chongyu left, Jade Saint turned into a white light and flew out of the Holy Temple.
In the underground area of the Sword Sanctum, a Divine Altar of up to 330 meters tall was cast. It seemed that the cylindrical altar was made of white jade.
The surface of the altar was engraved with complicated lines. If someone looked closely, he would find that blood was flowing in those lines.
Jade Saint came to the bottom of the white altar, he devoutly put his palms together and worshipped the altar. And he said, “Grandpa, the poem appeared!”
“CRASH!”
The lines of blood on the white altar began to flow quickly, sending out an immense sound of rivers surging. The sound was endless and deafening. The Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth became violent.
Wisps of smoke rose from the center of the white altar. They gathered together and turned into a Divine Soul.
If Zhang Ruochen were there, he would recognize the Divine Soul. It was his sixth elder brother, Lu Yuanzhi.
The Divine Soul of Lu Yuanzhi suspended above the white altar. It exuded white brilliance and made an ethereal sound, asking in excitement, “Is it Emperor Ming?”
Jade Saint shook his head and said, “It’s not Emperor Ming, but a young man about 20 years old.”
The Divine Soul of Lu Yuanzhi was disappointed and sighed, saying, “Before 800 years ago, I received an order from Emperor Ming to build the ‘Divine Altar.’ It took me 500 years to build it. But unfortunately, the emperor has been missing for 800 years. There is still not even a trace of him. Perhaps he died in the hands of Emperor Qing and Empress Chi Yao.”
The altar beneath Lu Yuanzhi’s Divine Soul was the “Divine Altar”.
800 years ago, Emperor Ming issued a secret order– pour out all resources to let Lu Yuanzhi build the Divine Altar.
The Divine Altar was used to preserve the Divine Souls of Saints so that their Divine Souls would not dissipate. Meanwhile, it could accumulate the power of Saints.
The project was so massive that it took 500 years and all of the resources of Emperor Ming and Sword Sanctum to be completed.
Lu Yuanzhi indeed had died from the depletion of his lifetime 300 years ago. But with the magical power of the altar, his Divine Soul had been preserved.
Jade Saint pondered for a while and said, “Although he is a young man, his name… is a little weird. Moreover, he owns the Life Sword.”
Lu Yuanzhi was already disappointed after knowing the man was not Emperor Ming. But after hearing Jade Saint’s words, he had energy again and immediately asked, “Is it the Good-luck Sword that Emperor Qing ordered to cast?”
“Yes,” Jade Saint said.
Lu Yuanzhi asked, “You said the name of the young man is weird. How so?”
Jade Saint said, “His name is Zhang Ruochen.”
“Zhang Ruochen.”
Lu Yuanzhi repeated after him. Suddenly, his Divine Soul fiercely shivered and said, “Are you sure about the name?”
“There’s no mistake. When I heard the name, I was surprised, too. After all, the Crown Prince was dead for 800 years. Even if he were alive, he would be over 800 years old.” Jade Saint said.
The Divine Soul of Lu Yuanzhi closed eyes and murmured, saying, “Zhang Ruochen, the Good-luck Sword, and the poem. How could this be so coincidental? Is he really my little junior fellow apprentice?”
Jade Saint asked, “Grandpa, how should we handle this now?”
Lu Yuanzhi’s Divine Soul opened his eyes and said, “It’s too odd. I don’t know who he is. If he is my little junior fellow apprentice, we should make every effort to help him. But I’m worried that this is a fraud of Empress Chi Yao.”
Jade Saint’s face changed and said, “Is grandpa worried that this Zhang Ruochen is the person that Empress Chi Yao sent to test us?”
“It’s possible.”
Lu Yuanzhi said, “The relation between the Sword Sanctum and the Zhangs is secretive. However, Emperor Qing used to have a good relationship with Emperor Ming; maybe he’ll know some clues. Although the possibility is small, we still have to take precautions.”
“And for this Zhang Ruochen, we can talk to him and try to help him. But we can’t tell him all of our secrets; something must be reserved.”
“Next, try to find out his identity. Make sure to look through every single detail.”
“And, you need to pass on this message to the people of the Ming Hall. Let the people of the Ming Hall contact Zhang Ruochen. Sword Sanctum dares not to publicly confront Empress Chi Yao, but Ming Hall does.”
“Besides, the divine ancestor of Ming Hall had a close relationship with the little junior fellow apprentice. If she knew that little junior fellow apprentice might still be alive, she would definitely come to the Eastern Region. Only when she confirms the identity of little junior fellow apprentice, will things be completely safe.”
Jade Saint still felt worried and asked, “What if he is really a person that Empress Chi Yao sent to investigate us?”
“Haha! Empress Chi Yao is decisive. If she really suspects us, no matter what we do, it will be impossible for us to survive the great calamity. Just follow my instructions, we just need to make a good relationship with Zhang Ruochen, and leave the rest to Ming Hall.”
Lu Yuanzhi continued to say, “Give the Good-luck Sword to me. I can help him repair it with the help of Divine Altar. It’s time for the Life Sword to reappear in the world and compete against the Death Sword of Empress Chi Yao.”
After Jade Saint presented the Abyss Ancient Sword to Lu Yuanzhi, he took three steps back and left the underground Divine Altar.
After returning to the Holy Temple, which was at the summit of the sacred mountains, Jade Saint immediately recorded messages of Zhang Ruochen on a Signal Flare.
“I hope he really is the Crown Prince.”
Jade Saint deeply exhaled and infused a Spiritual Qi into the Signal Flare.
“SWOOSH!”
The Signal Flare immediately turned into a streamer and flew to Middle Earth.