Losing those twelve talisman slips, the green jade sword case suddenly exploded, turning to dust. A vermilion rainbow shot out, like a great red-scaled dragon breaking free from its bonds, blazing with firelight. It coiled several times around Richard King, the sword light lively and agile, illuminating the youth’s brows and hair like fire, his clothes all crimson.

Dean’s Yuanyang Sword Case, casually forged in his day, was also a magical treasure, containing twelve Yuanyang talisman slips. If anyone could collect these twelve talismans, even a novice Emei disciple could wield the Yuanyang Sword in battle.

What’s more, these twelve talismans contained the sword intent of Patriarch Dean, allowing disciples to comprehend swordsmanship. Their value was nearly equal to half a Yuanyang Sword.

According to the original course of events, not long after, the Yuanyang Sword would gain sentience, shatter its case, and fly off to the Ten-Thousand Mountains.

Dean left a note, clearly stating that this sword was to be passed to one of his four great disciples, David Hill.

But the Emei Sect not only lost the Yuanyang Sword Manual and sword techniques, they also failed to obtain the twelve Yuanyang talismans of Patriarch Dean. David Hill was unable to subdue the Yuanyang Sword, and could only call upon friends, leading to the tale of the Seven Youths Battling Yuanyang, before finally recapturing the sword.

The Yuanyang Sword, having gained sentience, was unruly by nature. Though David Hill captured it, it would not submit.

David Hill then arranged another sword duel, eager to use the sword, and went to the West Sea Sword Immortal Charles Lee to seek a drop of Primordial Heavy Water, which washed away the sword’s spirit, allowing him to finally refine this immortal flying sword.

With its spirit gone, the Yuanyang Sword’s quality dropped a level. Though still one of Emei’s most powerful flying swords, it never ranked in the top ten, suppressed by the sect’s Southern Chi and Northern Li twin swords, the Five Fires and Seven Birds Sword brought in by Master Xuanji from another sect, and the seven Invisible Immortal Swords forged by Dean.

All these stories were described in detail by the Heaven-Predicting Pearl, but Richard King could not tell if they were true or false.

Yet, according to these accounts, the Yuanyang Sword was truly pitiful—clearly a supreme sword, but its spirit was erased, and it fell a level.

Richard King, after all, was no novice in the Daoist arts. As a true disciple of Tianxin Temple, qualified to study its sword techniques, he immediately understood how to use the twelve talismans as they entered his dantian along his meridians. He pressed one talisman, shouted clearly, and the Yuanyang Sword, with a swish, darted into his sleeve and vanished without a trace.

Chapter One: Taking a Master on Mount Emei (Part Nine)

Richard King vaguely sensed that within his own sleeve, the twelve talismans were wrapping around a sword light as sharp as lightning, seemingly able to cut through anything, and brimming with vitality, as if it might break free from the talismans’ restraint at any moment.

The Yuanyang Sword was already on the verge of sentience. By taking the twelve talismans imprinted by Dean on the green jade sword case, Richard King had removed the last shackle from this treasure, as if lending it a helping hand.

This sword was innately unruly. Having just gained sentience, it wanted to show off, to announce its birth to the world, and thus could not bear being suppressed by the talismans.

Especially since Richard King’s own cultivation was insufficient—his power shallow—he could not skillfully control the twelve talismans of Dean.

The sword stirred slightly within the talismans, then suddenly let out a series of clear, piercing whistles, ringing like bells and chimes.

Richard King tried several sword formulas to no avail, and panic rose in his heart.

“An immortal sword has gained sentience!”

“How could it gain sentience at this moment? This is terrible! The Yuanyang Sword’s cry is so loud, surely the whole mountain will hear it, and the Emei disciples will be alerted—how can I possibly keep this hidden?” The awakening of an immortal sword should have been a cause for celebration, but for Richard King, it was a mix of fear and dread. His usually quick mind could not come up with a single good idea.

The Yuanyang Sword was personally forged by Patriarch Dean, and was meant to be the sword of David Hill, one of the four great disciples of the third generation of Emei. Richard King had taken it without permission; if Emei discovered this, it would be a huge matter. They wouldn’t even need to interrogate him—just seeing the sword would be enough to brand him a thief.

Although the Yuanyang Sword had not yet appeared, Dean’s will had mentioned it, and everyone in Emei knew of this immortal flying sword’s existence.

This immortal sword’s light was like a red-scaled dragon, blazing like fire, utterly unique—impossible not to recognize.

These were all minor issues. Even if Emei knew Richard King had taken the Yuanyang Sword and simply took it back, that would be the end of it. But… he had also secretly learned Emei’s Yuanyang Sword Manual and the twelve sword forms!

Stealing another sect’s Daoist arts was a grave taboo among all righteous and demonic sects.

Not to mention, if they investigated his background, they could discover he was a disciple of Tianxin Temple.

Richard King could only imagine his fate would be death. Several times, the thought of fleeing down the mountain flashed through his mind, but his last shred of reason told him this was absolutely impossible.

The Emei Sect was full of sword immortals. How could he, on foot, possibly escape disciples who could fly on swords and ride the clouds?

“Yuanyang Sword! Yuanyang Sword! Why must you bring me harm?”

“In the future, you’ll be washed of your spirit by David Hill with Primordial Heavy Water and become an ordinary object—do you want to experience that again? You’ve gained sentience, don’t you understand the need to hide your brilliance and bide your time? Why must you show off now? Do you know how much trouble you’re causing me, and yourself, with this cry?”