In the central stage of the Sword Prayer City.

Today was the day that the Great Sword Tournament officially commenced. Swordsmen all around the world, from respectable Honourable Swordsmen to the lowly ordinary swordsmen had all flocked to this city in excitement.

On an elevated platform, a sword was placed on a sword rack.

The sword was around three feet in length and it emitted a stream of emerald light. Its blade was covered in elegant symbols as strings of sword qi danced around its tip. The grip was decorated with gemstones and its pommel took after the shape of a dragon head. It was extremely exquisite.

Below the stage, many swordsmen were staring at the sword intently.

“Is that the Century Sword? It surely lives up to its reputation. I could feel its cold sword qi despite standing so far away from it.”

“This sword has yet met its owner, but its sword qi already proves to be the best Sacred Weapon there is. If this sword was to be refined by a Sage, it could become a Sage Weapon within half a year and it might attain the level of a Sage Ruler Weapon in the future.”

“By hook or by crook, this sword shall be mine!”

“Haha, none of you should dream of taking this Century Sword away from me.”

“You wish, this sword belongs to me.”

A group of swordsmen already had their eyes fixated on the prize.

In a restaurant near the event, Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu were sitting near a window as they observed the crowd that had gathered below them.

“Master, do you not want to go for that sword?” Lan Yu asked curiously.

Chu Kuangren gave it a good thought. “We'll see how it goes. Although that's definitely a decent sword, it won't make a huge difference to me if I don't have it.”

Chu Kuangren now possessed the Sacred Emerald Sword Case, and inside the case were dozens of renowned swords that the Sword h.o.a.rder had previously stolen, each not weaker than the Century Sword. Hence, whether Chu Kuangren could get his hands on the prize or not had no bearings on him.

At that moment, a person walked onto the stage.

It was none other than Feng Ming, the son of the Feng Family's leader who had invited Chu Kuangren to his residence yesterday.

“Everyone, this is the Heaven Starlight Sword, forged from ancient dark steels and in the flames of the earth's core. This sword is durable and indestructible, capable of splitting mountains into halves. It's the greatest creation that Sword Prayer City has ever made for the past century…”

Feng Ming introduced the famous sword to everyone on the scene. Although the spectators were restless, they still managed to listen patiently to what Feng Ming had to say.

“I hereby announce that the Great Sword Tournament has officially begun!”

“The rule is as per usual. The last one standing on this stage shall be the rightful owner of the Heaven Starlight Sword! Everyone, please show us your best effort!”

Feng Ming let out a loud and exited the stage.

Among the crowd, there was already a cultivator who was impatient enough to leap onto the stage immediately and said, “I'm the Land Tiger Swordsman, which one of you wishes to fight me?”

Swish…

Another swordsman rushed onto the stage and said, “After you!”

Without exchanging any further polite remarks, the two swordsmen began to fight one another.

They released a burst of sword qi that went rampant in the air.

Soon, many cultivators joined the crowd as the Great Sword Tournament became increasingly eventful. Meanwhile, Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu indulged in munching on snacks as they observed everything that unfolded below them.

However, it was not long before Chu Kuangren could feel his interest dwindling. “At best, these swordsmen are just decent in their abilities. Aside from a few Honorables that are worth looking at, the rest are either lacking in talent or effort.”

“Of course they can't even come close to your abilities, Master. By the way, why did Sword Prayer City spend so many resources on forging the Heaven Starlight Sword just to give it away in this tournament? Isn't that unprofitable for them?”

Lan Yu asked puzzledly.

Chu Kuangren smiled and said, “Lan Yu, the swordsmiths of the Feng Family may all look as though they're a bunch of uneducated brutes on the outside, but managing Sword Prayer City definitely requires a certain level of intelligence.

“Why would they blindly engage in unprofitable transactions just like that?

“First of all, the Great Sword Tournament would attract countless swordsmen to the Sword Prayer City, which in turn would not only boost the earnings of many restaurants and hotels in the city center, but swordsmiths would also be able to enjoy way more customers than they used to as well.

“Secondly, it is to increase Sword Prayer City's reputation as well. The Century Sword is a great way for the Feng Family to befriend many outstanding swordsmen in the world. In fact, it can be said that whichever swordsman who ends up being gifted this remarkable sword will certainly see themselves as being indebted to the Feng Family.

“In exchange for giving out one sword, the Great Sword Tournament has garnered this city many soulstones, connections, and reputations. Do you still think they're in an unprofitable business?”

Chu Kuangren explained as Lan Yu contemplated deeply. “You're right, Master. Looks like they're all actually geniuses.”

Just when Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu were engrossed in their own conversation, a powerful aura exploded in the Great Sword Tournament.

A youngster was seen stepping onto the stage with mighty sword qi and Daoist Rhymes surrounding his body.

“My name is Li Xingchen, please allow me to learn from all of you.”

The youngster was none other than Li Xingchen.

Chu Kuangren looked at him and smiled. “Looks like he's serious about partic.i.p.ating in this tournament. Well, this is a great opportunity to witness his abilities.”

Li Xingchen had once told Chu Kuangren that although he was not interested in the Century Sword, Li Xingchen did intend to partic.i.p.ate to see where his abilities stood in the world of swordsmen.

“Li Xingchen from the White Jade Hotel, allow me to entertain you!” Another youngster landed on stage. He was also another remarkable sky-pride.

“After you.”

Li Xingchen made a fist salute before he retrieved his sword and as Daoist Rhymes surrounded him, he began to battle the other sky-pride.

Although Li Xingchen did not carry the t.i.tle of a Young Emperor, his abilities were not inferior to an average Young Emperor at all. In fact, very few of Li Xingchen's generation could rival him in a battle.

As the sword ray surrounded Li Xingchen's body, each strike of his sword carried the explosive power of a star, creating both a breathtaking and magnificent scene.

Soon, the sky-pride who challenged him had been defeated.

“Thank you for going easy on me,” Li Xingchen said with a fist salute.

Then, he looked around him and said proudly, “Are there any Daoist friends who would like to come up and give it a go?”

In the restaurant, Chu Kuangren was smiling away. “Looks like the Old Kindred Spirit has certainly played a role there. Li Xingchen is much stronger than he was three years ago.”

He reckoned that Li Xingchen's abilities were now closely rivaled with those of Lin Batian, Ao Chang, and some other Young Emperors, and his combat abilities were no less than that of an Honourable.

In fact, he was definitely stronger than the average Honourable, with the possibility of even defeating some of the more powerful Honourables around.

Just as the Great Sword Tournament was going smoothly.

The heat had sent the temperatures inside a mountain valley of Sword Prayer City skyrocketing. Rows of furnaces were set up neatly as sounds of metal clanging rang incessantly throughout the place.

Dozens of swordsmiths were busy attending to their work.

“Why are there so few people in the Sky Blaze Valley today,” One of the swordsmiths asked curiously as he looked around.

“What else other than the Great Sword Tournament? Most of them had gone to join the crowd,” said a black-haired brute who was wielding a hammer.

“Tsk, I wonder who'll be the owner of the Heaven Starlight Sword.”

“All you need to know is that it won't be you.”

“Well, you can't put it that way. After all, the Heaven Starlight Sword was forged here so technically speaking, I'm considered the creator of this sword. Naturally, I deserve to care what'll happen to it.”

“You're merely one of its many creators,” the black-haired brute corrected him.

“Putting the Heaven Starlight Sword aside, countless Century Swords have been forged and sent out of here. Little one, you have no idea how many Century Swords we've sent before you even arrived.”

Another swordsmith laughed out loud as he patted on the shoulder of the irritated swordsmith.

Suddenly, the black-haired brute abruptly frowned and looked out the valley. “I sense a disturbance.”

Then, a masked cultivator came rus.h.i.+ng into the valley as the black-haired brute shouted, “Not good, we've got an intruder!”