Chapter 271: The Dragon Scale Immortal Sword Goes to Haoxuan

This merit was truly too great. Even if the sect’s most treasured artifact were given to him as a reward, it would be justifiable. But if it had been the two Gray Seeds, Zhang Yang or Murong Chao, who had rendered such a great merit, Sect Master Huanglong would not have been so troubled at all. He could have just directly rewarded them with a sect-guarding treasure. It would both demonstrate the sect’s generosity in rewarding merit and also increase the strength of the two Gray Seeds. As for a Purple Seed, that went without saying. However, Qin Haoxuan was, unfortunately, a weak seed…

Sect Master Huanglong looked at the Hall Masters below with a headache, soliciting their opinions. “Qin Haoxuan has rendered such a great merit. He should indeed be rewarded. What do you all think would be a good reward?”

The several Hall Masters looked at each other and, with a tacit understanding, remained silent. The Sect Master didn’t know what reward to give and wanted to push this difficult problem onto them. They were certainly not willing to take it. It wasn’t as if they were fighting for benefits for their own disciples. If they said too much, they themselves would feel reluctant. If they said too little, not only would they offend Xuanji, but they might also become the Sect Master’s shield in the future—the meager reward wasn’t because the Sect Master was stingy, but because a certain Hall Master had proposed it.

The Hall Masters looked at each other, all of them having become mutes. They were all clever; no one wanted to be the scapegoat.

Unable to find a solution from them, the Sect Master turned his gaze to Elder Yu. “Junior Brother Yu, what do you think would be a good reward?”

Being targeted by the Sect Master, Elder Yu also cursed his bad luck. The four Hall Masters were old foxes, and he, who had survived the Netherworld Demon Abyss, could not possibly fail to see the problem they saw.

After a moment of contemplation, he said with some difficulty, “Why don’t we record Qin Haoxuan’s merit for now and reward him along with everything else after the war is over?”

Sect Master Huanglong, who had been wondering how to dismiss Xuanji and his disciple, his eyes lit up. To be able to delay for now was also good. He immediately nodded. “That is also good. Then we shall record his reward for now and bestow it after the war is over.”

Before his words had even faded, Xuanji spoke up in protest again. “Sect Master, to reward him after the war is fine. But for rendering such a great merit, he should at least be given some initial reward as an encouragement, shouldn’t he?”

His request was not excessive. Because the merit was indeed great, even if the main reward was delayed, to give nothing at all right now would be unjustifiable. But what to give?

Sect Master Huanglong once again fell into deep thought. It had to show the generosity of the sect and himself, but not be too valuable…

Elder Quan, who was sitting at the head of the seats below him, slightly narrowed his eyes, also waiting for the final decision.

As the esteemed Sect Master, Huanglong looked at Qin Haoxuan. He did not have much of a good impression of him. In his eyes, he was the main culprit behind the discord between Xu Yu and Zhang Kuang. If not for his existence, although there would be competition among the three Purple Seed disciples, it would be like the five great halls: fighting amongst themselves behind closed doors but united when the doors were opened. But his existence made it impossible for Xu Yu and Zhang Kuang to be on good terms.

Driven by this mentality, it was even more impossible for him to give Qin Haoxuan any real benefits.

Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Huanglong’s eyes lit up. His expression brightened, and he said to them all, “For discovering the enemy’s conspiracy, Qin Haoxuan’s merit is paramount. This seat has decided that his initial reward will be our sect’s most treasured artifact—the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword!”

The moment the words “Dragon Scale Immortal Sword” were spoken, whether it was Elder Quan or the five Hall Masters and Elder Yu, they were all stunned.

Qin Haoxuan was also shaken. The Sect Master was so generous as to give him the sect’s most treasured artifact as just an initial reward?

The flying swords of the Mountain Hermit Yunhe and Elder Yu that he had seen before were relatively low-grade. The one belonging to Elder Yufeng of the Elder’s Council was a bit better. Yunhe’s and Yu’s could grow larger and smaller, but they couldn’t be stored inside the body. But Yufeng’s could be shrunk and swallowed. Yet even his was only called a flying sword. This Dragon Scale Immortal Sword was actually called an immortal sword?

The astonished Qin Haoxuan quickly and keenly noticed that after their initial shock, the elders were clearly suppressing their laughter. If not for the presence of the Sect Master and Elder Quan, he suspected they would have burst out laughing without any regard for their image.

Xuanji, hearing that the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword was to be rewarded to him, immediately grew anxious. “Sect Master, this sword is too precious. Qin Haoxuan cannot bear such a gift.”

Just then, Guyun finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. He swept a smiling gaze over Xuanji, then fixed it on Qin Haoxuan, and said with a teasing congratulation, “Qin Haoxuan, congratulations to you. For rendering a great merit for the sect and receiving such a generous gift from the Sect Master. To obtain a flying sword after less than two years of cultivation. Look at me, I’ve managed to become a Hall Master, yet my own flying sword has not yet been successfully refined.”

The moment his words fell, even the not-so-caustic Su Baihua, Bizhu, and the others also let out a teasing laugh. In an instant, the atmosphere in the Taichu Grand Hall had become much more relaxed.

Only Xuanji grew even more anxious. He said again, “Sect Master, Sect Master…”

Huanglong’s face darkened. He waved his hand, interrupting him. “Hall Master Xuanji, say no more. This seat knows what he is doing. For his great merit this time, rewarding him with a Dragon Scale Immortal Sword is nothing. As for the remaining rewards, allow this seat to think on it carefully.”

Xuanji gave a helpless smile. The Sect Master had spoken; anything more he said would be useless. And the Sect Master had indeed been very generous, offering a sect-guarding treasure. Not only could he not say anything more, but he had also silenced the gossiping mouths of the world. If other sects were to speak of this, they would surely be astonished.

Outsiders only knew that the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword was a sect-guarding treasure, but as the master of the Nature Hall, how could Xuanji not understand what it really was?

Huanglong flipped his hand, and a golden-yellow scale appeared in his palm. He then gave it a light flick, and it flew towards Qin Haoxuan. He was overjoyed and received it with both hands. It was about half the size of a palm and faintly exuded a compelling pressure.

‘Is this a dragon scale?’ he thought, feeling the pressure, his heart filled with shock.

Huanglong smiled, looking very pleased with his own decision. He even took the initiative to explain. “The Dragon Scale Immortal Sword was obtained by an ancestor of our sect by chance during the immortal-demon war. This sword could originally have been called an immortal sword, but unfortunately, it was destroyed in the war. The ancestor only obtained this single scale; the rest of it is probably still in the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley. Drip a drop of your blood on it, and it will belong to you. If you have the ability, you can slowly refine it in the future.”

Speaking of refining, a smile also appeared on Elder Quan’s face. As for the other Hall Masters, they finally couldn’t hold back their laughter. Only Xuanji’s face was ashen, clearly very displeased, but he couldn’t show it.

Everyone present, except for Qin Haoxuan, knew that for this Dragon Scale Immortal Sword to fall into his hands was a complete waste; it was utterly useless.

The very pleased Huanglong continued to explain its wondrous uses. “Back then, after our ancestor obtained this scale, he was able to activate the power of the broken sword with his own strength, and with a single strike, he flattened the summit of Emperor Peak. However, after him, no one has been able to use its power, including me. Unless one uses the sect’s great mountain array. Of course, if your cultivation reaches the level of our ancestor, you can also use it.”

Qin Haoxuan, who had just dripped his blood on it to claim ownership, was stunned. This sword is so powerful it can flatten Emperor Peak, but besides the founding ancestor, not even the Dao Fruit Realm’s Huanglong can use its power? And I have to cultivate to the ancestor’s level… then what the hell am I supposed to do with this sword?

Frightened by the so-called “sect-guarding treasure,” he quickly realized that the Sect Master was just making a fool of him. Generously giving me a sect-guarding treasure that he himself can’t even use to buy himself a good name. It looks like I’ve made a huge profit, but in reality, I haven’t gotten any benefit at all, and now I have to worry about people trying to steal it from me all day.

“Oh, right,” Huanglong said, as if he had just remembered something. “If you infuse it with the spiritual energy of spirit stones, you can also activate it for a single strike. But at the very least, you’ll need one hundred thousand low third-grade spirit stones, and that will only unleash a very small fraction of its power. If you can put in three or five hundred thousand, then its power will be even greater.”

Even the four Hall Masters felt that the usually steady Sect Master was being mischievous today. One hundred thousand low third-grade spirit stones. For Qin Haoxuan, that is undoubtedly a huge, astronomical sum. To use such a sum to activate it once? Never mind him; even the Sect Master himself might not be willing to.

Guyun thought to himself, ‘It’s a good thing I’ve never offended the Sect Master. He is truly one to hold a grudge. He’s given him such a mighty immortal sword, but unfortunately, all he can do is stare at it.’

Everyone present knew the power of the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword. The founder of the sect had casually waved it and cut off the summit of Emperor Peak. Such mountain-overturning, sea-reversing power was truly enviable. It was just a pity that after him, no one could use it.

The fat-faced Guyun put on a friendly smile and said to Qin Haoxuan, “Actually, there is another way to directly use it. As long as you can find the other parts in the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley and put them back together, then with just a tiny bit of spiritual energy, you can unleash a heaven-shaking strike.”

His “kind” reminder made the other three Hall Masters even more unable to hold back their laughter. Compared to entering a place like the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, the Sect Master’s suggestions of cultivating to the ancestor’s level or finding a hundred thousand spirit stones were much more practical. Of course, in their eyes, all of these methods were equally impractical.

The excitement on Qin Haoxuan’s face had just faded. What a joke. A hundred thousand spirit stones to activate it once? Cultivate to the ancestor’s level? But when he heard Guyun’s words, he grew excited instead.