Chương 207: Chapter 96: Assembling the Nine Swords, Leaving the Trial Realm

Although the consciousness of the Shura Secret Bone had grown at a miraculous speed, it was ultimately no different from an eleven or twelve-year-old youth. Yet, when faced with the dire threat of absolute annihilation, it had thrown itself before Reyn without a single second of hesitation! In those final, agonizing moments as its awareness slipped away, Reyn had distinctly felt its profound reluctance to leave him. That heartfelt emotion etched an unyielding intent to kill deep within his soul.

Wei Qubing was a dead man walking. The majestic voice of Mu Daguang paused for a brief moment before releasing a low sigh.

"The soul-fire of your skeletal beast is exceedingly resilient," he spoke slowly, his resonant tone echoing across the gorge.

"Though shattered, its essence has not completely dissipated into nothingness. I happen to possess an item that can preserve its life." As soon as his words fell, the space directly in front of Reyn rippled like water under a stone. A swirling vortex materialized out of thin air, and a small, pale-green jade bottle slowly floated forth, alighting gently in Reyn's palm. Within the pristine translucent bottle, a single drop of milky-white liquid flowed smoothly, shimmering with a soft, captivating luminescence.

"This substance is known as the Ten-Thousand-Year Stalactite Nectar," Mu Daguang explained from the void.

"It holds immense restorative power for the Primordial Soul itself. Dripping it into the skull of your skeletal beast will ensure its soul-fire remains ignited. Given time and proper care, it will surely have a chance to recover completely." Hearing these words, a brilliant light flared deep within Reyn's eyes. Clenching the pale-green jade bottle tightly in his fist, he spun around without a word and strode forcefully toward the remaining shattered skull of the Shura Secret Bone.

Centered around the fractured skull of the Shura Secret Bone, a hundred Blood Skeletons remained dropped on one knee. Their heads were buried low toward the earth, radiating a suffocating aura of profound sorrow. But as they sensed Reyn's rapid approach, they parted with a sharp clattering of bones, opening a wide path for him. The crimson soul-fires flickering within their hollow eye sockets danced erratically, brimming with eager anticipation.

Reyn leaned down, gently gathering the fragmented skull of the Shura Secret Bone into his arms like a precious treasure. With a swift flick of his fingers, he shattered the protective restriction sealing the jade bottle and carefully guided that single drop of Ten-Thousand-Year Stalactite Nectar directly into the fissure on the bone. The moment the milky-white nectar seeped into the interior of the skull, it hovered right at its center before bursting into a soft, hazy shroud of divine radiance.

The luminescence engulfed the entire fractured skull. Under the nurturing embrace of this misty glow, the scattered specks of pale-orange soul-fire were drawn inward, condensing into a miniature, fragile flame that flickered gently like the flame of a lone candle in a quiet room. Though the soul-fire remained exceedingly weak and fragile, it was instinctively drinking in the rich, soul-nourishing energy of the ancient nectar.

Sweeping his Primordial Soul across the skull, Reyn felt the lingering aura of the Shura Secret Bone's consciousness resurface. Though it was countless times weaker than before and locked in a deep slumber, the spark of life was undeniably preserved. A heavy weight lifted from Reyn's chest, allowing him to exhale a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The bone-chilling intent to kill buried in his eyes softened slightly. Around him, the hundred Blood Skeletons let out low, reverberating roars of exhilaration.

They, too, had sensed the faint return of their king's aura, which had vanished only moments prior! Exercising extreme caution, Reyn cradled the delicate skull in his palm and stowed it safely inside a specialized Spirit-Rearing Pouch. With a sweeping wave of his hand, he stowed the hundred kneeling Blood Skeletons back into his spatial equipment as well. Taking several steps forward, Reyn bowed respectfully toward the empty sky and expressed his gratitude in a deep, sincere voice.

"True Monarch, I am profoundly grateful for the miraculous gift that saved my spirit beast!" Pausing briefly, he straightened his posture, his expression turning cold once more.

"However, severe grudges have been forged between myself and these individuals today. While I dare not oppose True Monarch's merciful intervention on their behalf, I must request that True Monarch compel them to swear a binding oath never to seek trouble with me in the future."

"Furthermore," Reyn continued, his voice echoing with unflinching firmness, "the two Mu Jade Swords in Wei Qubing's possession must be handed over to me as compensation for gravely injuring my spirit beast today!" Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Hss! Outside One-Line Gorge, a collective gasp swept through the crowd of spectators, sharp and unified. They had witnessed audacious individuals before, but never anyone as insanely fearless as this!

Not only had he dared to speak with brazen defiance before a Nascent Soul True Monarch, but he was now actively bargaining and making demands! The phrase "give an inch and take a mile" seemed to have been coined specifically for someone like him! The majestic voice of Mu Daguang lapsed into total silence. Even the supreme Nascent Soul power seemed genuinely caught off guard by the sheer audacity of the young cultivator standing before him.

"Heh heh, what an interesting young fellow you are," the resonant, ancient voice chimed softly from the sky.

"Although you harbor some resentment in your heart over this old man stepping in to save these few, do not forget that I previously bestowed upon you the Ten-Thousand-Year Stalactite Nectar to restore your skeleton spirit pet.

"Furthermore, by intervening to block that strike, I have saved you a world of trouble. Had you slaughtered these prodigies to the last man, you would have forged deep blood feuds with the top sects across every province before you even set foot outside this Trial Realm. Surely, that is an outcome you would rather avoid, is it not?

"Nevertheless, this old man acknowledges that I am somewhat in the wrong today. Moreover, since every last one of them suffered a decisive defeat at your hands, these two Mu Jade Swords rightfully belong to you." No sooner had the words echoed through the air than the storage bag at Wei Qubing's waist twitched without warning. Without a single visible gesture from the ancestor, two brilliant emerald lights burst from the pouch.

The pair of Mu Jade Swords glided cleanly through the air, coming to a steady halt directly before Reyn. Wei Qubing's face twitched with raw hatred and bitter humiliation, yet under the crushing presence of the ancestor, he dared not utter a single word of protest nor let a trace of anger show in his eyes.

"Everything that transpired today took place within my Mu Family's Trial Realm. Once you step outside, none of you shall seek personal vengeance for these events. Should anyone dare disobey, this old man will grant no leniency!" Though Mu Daguang spoke in an indifferent tone, a chill ran down the spines of Wei Qubing, Yin Wuyu, and the others. Cold sweat drenched their backs as they bowed low in unison, hastily echoing, "We obey, Senior!"

"Let this matter end here. No further fighting shall be permitted—depart from this place at once." The moment the voice faded, the colossal hand spanning over two hundred zhang dissolved into thin air. The shimmering spirit-lotuses that had blossomed across the sky withered away into glittering specks of light, dispersing into the ambient atmosphere. Above Reyn, the Heaven-Turning Seal flared with a surge of earthen-yellow divine light.

Trembling slightly, it shrank down to the size of a handheld brick before flying back into Reyn's outstretched palm. Through his spiritual connection, Reyn felt a faint pulse of dread radiating from the artifact—the raw power unleashed by the Nascent Soul old monster had clearly terrified its spirituality. After sending a soothing wave of his Primordial Soul to calm the artifact's spirit, Reyn flipped his wrist, tucking the Heaven-Turning Seal securely into his storage bag.

Yet as he did, his brow furrowed tightly, a flicker of deep doubt and suspicion flashing in the depths of his eyes. A Nascent Soul True Monarch possessed supreme pride and absolute authority. Reyn knew with certainty that if his position were swapped with the Mu Family Ancestor today, he would never possess such broad-minded tolerance—he certainly would not allow a mere junior to press him so aggressively time and again. Yet this ancient monster had not shown a single trace of anger.

If the reason was simply that the old fellow admired his talent, Reyn would rather die than believe it. Unable to unravel the underlying motive in such a short time, he let out a quiet sigh and pushed the lingering doubt to the back of his mind. Raising his head, Reyn swept his gaze across the surrounding crowd. Wherever his eyes fell, the elite cultivators from the various prominent sects flinched, their eyes brimming with profound awe and terror.

In today's battle, Reyn had single-handedly crushed both Yin Wuyu and Wei Qubing. Whether in terms of raw cultivation, divine abilities, or magical treasures, he had thoroughly overwhelmed the top prodigies representing all eight provinces of the Zhao Kingdom. He had even forced the Mu Family's Nascent Soul ancestor to intervene directly—and earned immense praise in the process!

Once these cultivators exited the Trial Realm today, these monumental feats would spread across every corner of the Zhao Kingdom like wildfire. The name Reyn was destined to thunder through the entire cultivation world, instantly elevating him to the uncontested number one figure among the young generation of the Zhao Kingdom! Reyn drew a deep breath. He did not spare a single glance at Wei Qubing or Yin Wuyu, despite the venomous hatred burning on their faces.

In his eyes, from this day forward, those two were no longer worthy to be called his rivals. Extending his Divine Sense into his storage bag, he sensed the subtle, resonant harmony forming among the nine Mu Jade Swords. With steady, unhurried strides, he walked toward the exit vortex ahead. Beyond the mouth of One-Line Gorge, the crowd of cultivators stared at Reyn's tall, unyielding back. Exchanging glances, they let out heavy sighs and began to follow him.

Yet among all these proud geniuses, not a single one dared to step ahead of him by even half a pace. Arriving before the swirling, three-zhang-wide vortex, Reyn looked into its depths, his mind whispering a quiet query: Collect all nine Mu Jade Swords to become the master of the Azure Jade Palace... I wonder if those words ring true. A flash of fiery ambition ignited in his eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward into the portal, his figure vanishing into the swirling light!