Chapter 57
Chapter 57: Chapter 57 – North-Zhou Gale Sword! Zhaocong Sword!
When the Sword Conference was near, Zhang Tianjian left his work and brought his son to the Swordsman City in a rush.
They did not come traveling on foot like Zhou Xuanji and his companions, they went through a teleportation spell formation.
Each kingdom under the Great Zhou Empire had a teleportation spell formation. It could transport ten people each time, in case of invasions from enemies.
As a result, they only took two days to arrive from another city within the Great Zhou Empire.
Zhang Ruyu curled his lip as he listened to his father’s bluffs. He thought to himself, if Sword God Zhou were to come, you would not be boasting like this.
Not far away, Zhou Xuanji and his companions stopped.
“Isn’t that Zhang Tianjian from the Southern Snow Kingdom?” The Sword Valiant said with knitted brows.
He was on good terms with Zhang Tianjian, but when he heard his friend boasting, he felt rather displeased.
On the other hand, Zhou Xuanji, Little Jiang Xue, and Huang Lianxin recognized Zhang Ruyu.
Zhou Xuanji looked at Zhang Tianjian’s back and immediately walked toward him.
Zhang Ruyu was just about to retort when he saw Zhou Xuanji and his companions. His eyes opened wide instantly.
“This trick again,” Zhang Tianjian said with a scornful laugh, “You think I will believe that Sword God Zhou will appear right behind me? Brat, can you stop diverting my attention with the same old trick. Try something different?”
“Sir, you think that you can defeat me?”
Zhou Xuanji said with a childlike voice, and Zhang Tianjian’s face froze.
Shit!
Could it really be Sword God Zhou?
He immediately broke out in a cold sweat and looked back, pretending to be calm.
When he saw that that Northern Sword Valiant was with Zhou Xuanji, his heart trembled.
It’s the end of me!
“General Zhang, you are a little too haughty.” The Sword Valiant snorted.
He would not have dared to talk to Zhang Tianji like this in the past.
But now Zhou Xuanji became his pillar!
Embarrassment was written all across the general’s face, he did not know how to answer.
Zhang Ruyu came forward and held onto Zhou Xuanji’s hands. “Senior Sword God Zhou, are you going to participate in the Sword Conference?” He asked in excitement.
His loud voice immediately drew the attention of many people.
Culturally speaking, people in Swordsman City loved swords, and those who came to the city were mostly sword cultivators.
Of course, they heard about Sword God Zhou, who became famous recently.
At that moment, many eyes fell on Zhou Xuanji.
Zhang Ruyu began to express his admiration towards Sword God Zhou, and Zhang Tianjian suddenly felt that his son was actually not bad.
With such praises towards Sword God Zhou, how could Sword God Zhou pursue against him further?
He sighed in his heart, he must be more careful next time and not boast so boldly in public. This was really too embarrassing.
“So that is Sword God Zhou? He looks like a child.”
“Don’t be fooled by Sword God Zhou’s appearance. He is someone that could easily kill even Ye E’guan.”
“He’s really Sword God Zhou. Didn’t you see the Northern Sword Valiant following behind him?”
“This Sword Conference will be very entertaining.”
“Tsk tsk. I didn’t expect that, other than North-Zhou Gale Sword, Sword God Zhou would come too.”
The people at the city gate commented about Zhou Xuanji. Some admired him, some mocked him, and others despised him.
“Has the registration for the Sword Conference began?” Zhou Xuanji asked, interrupting Zhang Ruyu’s ceaseless praises. “Where is it?”
Zhang Ruyu heard him. He immediately patted his own chest and said with a smile, “Let me bring you there!”
Zhou Xuanji had no objection for someone to lead the way.
The group walked into the city.
After hesitating briefly, Zhang Tianjian followed after them as well.
He didn’t know why he always felt that Sword God Zhou’s dragon eagles were the two dragon eagle eggs that he encountered that year.
Of course, he dared not to ask even though he suspected.
Along the way, Zhang Ruyu chattered continuously, telling Zhou Xuanji more about this Sword Conference.
The most competitive people were North-Zhou Wind Sword and Zhaocong Sword.
The title, North-Zhou Gale Sword, was like Northern Valiant Sword, but the former was vastly more powerful than the latter.
The name of North-Zhou Gale Sword referred to the northern region of Great Zhou. He became famous within Great Zhou, which was naturally different Northern Valiant Sword who roamed the kingdoms.
Zhaocong Sword was rumored to be Sword Monarch’s new disciple. He had an innate sword-heart and was incredibly insightful in the Way of the Sword.
He reached Inner Pellet at eighteen years old, and this year, he was twenty. His talent was almost second to Great Zhou’s second prince.
Zhaocong Sword had already charged to the top fifty on Great Zhou’s Hero Ranking Board.
Because of him, many wealthy high officials and powerful cultivators from each sect came to observe the fight.
And the most well-known person was Great Zhou’s seventh prince, Zhou Chengxin.
The thirty-year-old prince was of average talent and was only at Enlightening Level Six.
For ordinary people, his cultivation was already beyond reach, but he had access to Great Zhou’s resources and all the sumptuous meals he consumed were extraordinary materials for cultivation.
Zhou Xuanji met the seventh prince when he was young. Although he looked gentle and kind, Zhou Xuanji felt that he was extremely scheming; he always had hidden agendas in all that he did and left no loose-ends untied.
When Lady Zhao Xuan had the favor of the Emperor, Zhou Chengxin visited them daily. After Lady Zhao Xuan lost her favor, he no longer visited, but when she secretively escaped, the royal guards under him pretended not to notice.
He gave Lady Zhao Xuan and her son a lifeline despite being clear on his stance.
If Zhou Xuanji indeed rose to power, he would have owed the seventh prince a relational debt.
Zhou Xuanji had no good feelings but only sympathy toward him.
The Great Zhou Empire was not like ordinary kingdoms.
Cultivation talents were more important than knowledge.
Regardless of how good one was in building social connections, one could only struggle in contrast to Zhou Yalong.
Zhou Xuanji and his companions finally reached the registration venue for the Sword Conference after a long walk. The place was a vast palace, guarded by a dozen of Xie Sect’s Disciples who were dressed in black.
The so-called Xie Sect was, of course, Xie Wuyou’s sect.
Under the Sword Monarch, each disciple had their own sect by their names.
The swords cultivators had already formed a long queuing at the registration area.
Zhou Xuanji was frustrated at the sight of it and said, “When will it reach my turn?”
Zhang Tianjian said promptly, “We have no choice. The Sword Conference is a grand event. There are no shortcuts.”
At this moment, a Xie Sect disciple walked over, cupped his fist, and said, “Are you Demon Slayer Sword God Zhou?”
Zhou Xuanji looked at him and nodded lightly.
“Please follow, with your fame and ability, there is no need to queue,” The Xie Sect disciple said respectfully.
Zhang Tianjian opened his eyes wide in shock.
Oh my!
This face-slapping just comes too fast!
Zhou Xuanji glanced at Zhang Tianjian and said to Northern Valiant Sword and the rest, “Wait here for me.”
Each Sword Conference only allowed one victor. Northern Valiant Sword cannot defeat his master for sure, so he didn’t participate.
It was worth mentioning that past victors could not participate again.
Furthermore, no one could observe the Sword Conference more than three times.
Otherwise, past victors would come to take away techniques from the Sword Library repeatedly.
As such, Zhou Xuanji followed the Xie Sect disciple and walked past the long queuing, which attracted the attention of all the sword cultivators there.
“Sword God Zhou indeed!” Zhang Ruyu said, full of admiration.
Zhang Tianjian, on the other hand, was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig a hole and hide inside.
After Zhou Xuanji entered the palace, he could see Enchanted Artifacts that were huge. There were also huge boulders, spell formations, and stacks of millstone-like iron plates.
The sword cultivators in the queue looked at him. The registration for the Sword Conference had different stages. After passing all stages, sword cultivators would leave from the back of the main hall.
“You must be the famous Sword God Zhou?”
At this moment, Zhou Xuanji heard light laughter. He looked back as he raised his brow.
Such a coincidence. It was Great Zhou’s seventh prince, Zhou Chengxin!
Zhou Chengxin was elegant and handsome. He wore a black robe embroidered with Qilin patterns and held a folded fan in his hand.
He was a little dazzled when his eyes met with Zhou Xuanji’s.
How come the face of Sword God Zhou looked somewhat familiar?