Chapter 290: This Kid Doesn't Play by the Rules

Outside a seven-story Sword Tower in the royal court of Desolate Ancient City.

Xiao Chen looked up at the proud sword atop the tower. His mind was free of distractions as he walked toward the tower.

Clatter...

The moment he approached the entrance, the door to the Sword Tower opened automatically.

Before even stepping inside, Xiao Chen sensed countless sword intents emanating from within.

It felt as though these sword intents had summoned him here from the start.

With steady steps, Xiao Chen entered the Sword Tower, feeling the call of the sword energy.

Boom!

The moment he stepped in, the door shut behind him.

What lay before him was a floor covered in swords—every single one at the spirit weapon level, all radiating terrifying power.

Even with a divine weapon in hand, Xiao Chen couldn’t help but give them a second glance. That was when he noticed something was off.

Each of the swords was far too sharp and radiant. Desolate Ancient City had long since fallen to ruin; these swords should have been covered in dust by now.

What was going on?

Xiao Chen closed his eyes and used his sword heart to perceive them. What he saw next was utter devastation.

The once radiant swords were now piles of scrap iron.

This wasn’t a hidden treasury for swords—it was a graveyard.

The reason he had seen intact swords earlier was because the remnant souls within them had restored their forms through illusion.

Without opening his eyes, Xiao Chen calmly walked into the sword pool.

The moment he stepped inside, lights flashed from within the pool.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Countless sword auras surged toward him, each carrying a distinct sword intent.

Hmph!

Xiao Chen snorted inwardly and lightly moved his right hand on his sword hilt. One-third of the blade emerged from its sheath.

With a single flash of light, the entire sword pool fell silent.

The sword light vanished, as if nothing had ever happened.

Xiao Chen continued forward. After passing through the sword pool, he arrived at a staircase leading to the second floor.

He opened his eyes and slowly climbed the stairs, and before long, he reached the second level of the Sword Tower.

The sight before him was much the same as the first level—another sword pool. But the swords here, and the sword intents they emitted, were clearly stronger.

If the sword intents on the first floor were entry-level, then here they had reached the minor accomplishment stage.

Once again, Xiao Chen drew his sword and passed through the second level. He used the same method to move through the third and fourth floors as well.

When he arrived at the fifth level of the tower, he saw only forty-nine swords standing upright.

Unlike the four lower levels, these forty-nine swords were all of saint grade. Though cracked, they were not reduced to scrap, and the sword souls attached to them were visibly restless.

Moreover, the fifth level had no stairs leading to the sixth floor, which left Xiao Chen slightly puzzled.

Clang!

This time, Xiao Chen fully unsheathed his longsword. A faint smile curled at his lips as he raised his hand toward the swords and said, “Come at me all at once. I’m in a hurry.”

Hearing this, the sword souls reacted as if they’d been gravely insulted, erupting in a chorus of sword cries.

Then, forty-nine sword lights surged toward Xiao Chen.

“Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin!”

With one swing, Xiao Chen shattered forty sword lights in an instant.

He then returned his sword to its sheath and prepared to head to the sixth floor, when suddenly a timeless, ancient voice echoed within the tower.

“One breath to subdue forty-nine swords—you qualify as a transcendent tier. You may enter the sixth level of the Sword Tower to cultivate.”

As the words fell, the fifth level trembled, and the stone staircase to the sixth level appeared before Xiao Chen.

Without hesitation, Xiao Chen stepped onto the stairs. Just like the fifth level, the sixth had no visible path to the seventh. In the sword pool stood only twelve swords.

Each sword remained sheathed, with the name of the sword carved beneath it.

Xiao Chen immediately lowered his gaze to the ground. The moment he scanned past one of the blades, a mischievous old man’s voice suddenly rang out beside his ear.

“Young man, would you like to witness the true essence of this old man's sword dao?”

Anyone else would’ve been startled by this sudden voice, but Xiao Chen was no stranger to training in sacred grounds.

He raised the corners of his mouth. “Might I ask, senior, what is the true essence of your sword dao?”

“If you draw me, you’ll know,” the sword spirit replied once more.

“Since senior is unwilling to speak, it seems fate has not brought us together.”

Xiao Chen turned his gaze to the other swords.

“Hahaha...”

A hearty laugh echoed through the Sword Tower.

“Chunyang, I told you long ago that your approach is outdated.”

“Hmph!”

The Chunyang sword spirit snorted coldly. “How was I to know this kid doesn't follow the rules? All of you old friends, come out. We've finally met someone fated—we can’t let him pass us by.”

As soon as he finished, all twelve swords unsheathed simultaneously.

In an instant, sword light flooded the tower, so intense that even Xiao Chen had to squint.

A cup of tea's time later, Xiao Chen finally made out the twelve swords before him: Chunyang, Potian, Bajian, Jiyin, Fuhai, Dadi, Taiyi, Qingmu...

“Junior Xiao Chen greets all seniors.”

Xiao Chen clasped his fists and gave a respectful bow to the twelve sword spirits before him.

The Potian sword spirit spoke. “Young man, no need for pleasantries with us old geezers. Tell us, which sword dao truth do you wish to comprehend?”

Without hesitation, Xiao Chen replied, “Children choose. Adults take them all.”

Silence. A strange quiet fell over the tower.

Chunyang was the first to recover. “Hahaha, you look so proper, yet you’ve got quite the wit. From what I see, your sword intent has already reached perfection—you’re a rare talent indeed. If you focus on one path with our guidance, you’re sure to grasp a true essence of sword dao here in the tower.”

Xiao Chen smiled. “Senior speaks the truth. However, the path I walk differs from others. That’s why I wish to comprehend all of your sword dao truths.”

“Oh?”

All twelve sword spirits showed interest. Potian asked, “Would you tell us how your path is different? Not that we doubt you—we’re just curious to broaden our horizons.”

“Seniors, please watch this sword.”

Xiao Chen drew his sword and gave it a casual swing.

Clang!

First came a single arc of sword light—then countless rays blanketed the entire floor of the tower.

The twelve sword spirits trembled slightly upon witnessing it. This kid really had something.

Before they could express surprise, Xiao Chen’s voice rang out again.

“My path is the Invincible Sword Way—drawing strength from a hundred schools to forge the sword of invincibility.”

As his words fell, the Sword Tower grew silent once more, so quiet one could hear a pin drop...

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