Chapter 30: A Dark and Windy Night for Seizing the Sword

“Master, are we really going in?”

Xia Xia tugged at Nan Xi’s hem, speaking with a pitiful expression.

“Of course.”

Nan Xi’s words were forceful and resonant. He had already begun walking toward the magnificent building before them with firm steps.

Poor, tiny Xia Xia was no match for Nan Xi’s strength.

At this moment, she was practically a small pendant being dragged along.

Her thin, weak little feet left two clear tracks in the snow.

“No, it won’t work, Master! I’m just a Miscellaneous Disciple. Even counting my Late Qi Refining Stage cultivation, I can only become an Outer Disciple at most.”

Xia Xia’s worried gaze turned forward. Under the moonlight, the tall building appeared grand and mysterious.

Its name was the Sword Repository.

Xia Xia was all too familiar with this place. After all, she had worked here doing chores not long ago.

“I—I’m not an Inner Sect Disciple. I’m not allowed to claim my own exclusive Spirit Sword from here,” Xia Xia said weakly.

She was a disciple of the Tianhe Sect, after all, and she remembered the sect rules.

However, her cheap Master didn’t seem to care.

“It’s fine.” Nan Xi wiped his nose and said confidently, “I’m the Peak Master. I have the final say.”

With that, he continued to drag Xia Xia along, striding into the Sword Repository.

A dark moon and high winds — the perfect time to grab a sword.

From the moment Xia Xia mentioned she didn’t have a weapon, Nan Xi had been plotting this plan.

Don’t forget, his goal was to pour every resource available to Tianquan Peak into Xia Xia.

If one were to ask what the most important resource on Tianquan Peak was?

The answer, of course, was swords!

Rumble —

The heavy doors of the Sword Repository swung open before Nan Xi.

The disciple on the night shift climbed up from the desk in a daze, looking at Nan Xi while drooling.

“It’s fine. I’m just here for a tour. Go back to sleep.”

“Huh?”

The disciple froze for a moment. Before he could react, Nan Xi flicked his finger, and a bolt of spiritual energy struck the man’s forehead with unerring accuracy.

Thump!!!

The guard, knocked unconscious by the spiritual power, collapsed back onto the desk. His snoring became thunderous.

It was clear his quality of sleep was excellent.

Nan Xi gave a faint smile and walked past the guard in broad daylight.

Halfway through, he turned back to look at Xia Xia, who was cowering outside the door, afraid to step forward.

“Hurry up and follow me, or this guy’s going to wake up.”

“Wui — !“

Startled, Xia Xia quickly lifted her snow-white robes and jogged to catch up behind Nan Xi.

As she passed the “sleeping” guard, she pressed her hands together and apologized repeatedly in a whisper.

She was quite cute in her silliness.

Nan Xi let out a chuckle. Seeing that Xia Xia had caught up, he turned and headed straight for the stairs.

2 minutes later…

The second floor, Earth-grade Spirit Sword Gallery.

Xia Xia leaned against a display case, her emerald-green eyes shimmering with hope.

Although she kept saying she didn’t want to, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the dazzling array of Spirit Swords now that she was actually inside the Sword Repository.

After all, these were real Spirit Swords, not the little wooden sticks she used to wave around during her childhood fantasies of being a great hero.

“Master…” Xia Xia murmured, calling out to Nan Xi.

But the expected response didn’t come.

Startled, Xia Xia quickly looked back — no, why hadn’t her Master’s footsteps stopped?

‘Master, don’t go up there! That’s a floor Xia Xia isn’t allowed to visit!’

……

In the end, they went up anyway.

Xia Xia curled up behind Nan Xi, trembling as she nervously observed her surroundings.

In front of her, Nan Xi acted as if this were perfectly normal.

This girl was too afraid of everything. If he hadn’t brought her up himself, she probably wouldn’t have dared to step onto the third floor of the Sword Repository for the rest of her life.

“Master, are we really going to stay here?”

“Naturally.”

“No… there’s no need, right? I can practice even with a Common-grade Spirit Sword.”

Xia Xia tugged at Nan Xi’s hem, her emerald eyes filled with worry.

“Are you questioning my decision?”

“B-but…”

“No ‘buts.’ My disciple must have the best sword, of course.”

Nan Xi spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his words brimming with his unique brand of arrogance.

……

Good!

He managed to show off again.

A smile played at the corners of Nan Xi’s lips.

How could Common-grade or Earth-grade Spirit Swords be enough?

Since he had decided to invest the best resources, there was only one choice.

His gaze shifted to the center of the room.

On a high platform, nine Spirit Swords floated serenely, quietly waiting for someone to arrive.

As for his goal today —

Nan Xi’s gaze narrowed as he walked straight toward the Spirit Sword in the very center.

Early Heaven-grade.

It was perfect for Xia Xia.

A top-tier sword for his little trash disciple.

A perfect match!

Seeing Nan Xi walk toward the central Spirit Sword, Xia Xia panicked.

She grabbed his sleeve, trying to stop him.

“No, Master, this won’t work…”

“Hmm?”

“The other day, even the Inner Sect Disciples failed when they challenged this sword. There’s no way I can do it.”

Xia Xia spoke timidly, her teeth biting her lower lip.

She had a clear understanding of her own strength.

Compared to those Inner Sect Disciples, she was only at the Late Qi Refining Stage, barely touching the threshold of an Outer Disciple.

Challenging a Heaven-grade Spirit Sword was simply impossible.

“Who said you were the one challenging it?”

Nan Xi gave Xia Xia a suspicious look and raised an eyebrow, his expression asking what on earth she was talking about.

Did his disciple really think others got to decide if she could have a Spirit Sword?

With that, Nan Xi turned around. Under Xia Xia’s incredulous gaze, he stepped into the pillar of light in front of the platform.

Hum —

He hadn’t felt it before, but the moment he stepped in front of the platform, the Pressure around Nan Xi surged.

In an instant, a force like 10,000 pounds bore down on him, as if intending to crush him into dust.

Nan Xi furrowed his brows and raised his hand to sense the Pressure.

Under such intense Pressure, even Nan Xi’s wrists were already bulging with veins.

His Spiritual Power circulated rapidly, passively resisting the surrounding weight.

Was this the level of Pressure those Inner Sect Disciples faced that day?

[Golden Core Stage]

Nan Xi’s eyes narrowed as he accurately judged the rank of the Pressure.

Indeed, that group of disciples from the other day, who were only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, had actually been subjected to Golden Core Stage Pressure.

No wonder not a single one of them could pass the so-called “Spirit Sword’s Trial.”

Even a disciple at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage might not pass a trial of this intensity.

Let alone those green brats who were only at the early Foundation Establishment Stage.

But…

That was for them.

The person standing here now was Nan Xi, who had already surpassed the Golden Core Stage four years ago.

This level was nothing more than a light sprinkle of water.

Nan Xi let out a cold snort.

He raised his right hand, veins bulging, and amid the 10,000 pounds of Pressure, he snatched the Heaven-grade Spirit Sword from the center of the platform.