Chapter Eighteen: Turning Hostile (First Update)

Of course, among the three swords, Yang Xiao’s choice of the Dragon Serpent Sword had nothing to do with its exquisite craftsmanship. After all, in his past life, Yang Xiao had lived for over two thousand years—a true old monster—so his standards for magical treasures were exceedingly high. Ordinary spiritual weapons could never capture his interest. But this Dragon Serpent Sword was unique, for its blade clearly contained a significant amount of essence-refined metal. Because of this, although it was only a mid-grade spiritual weapon, it possessed much greater lethality than the others, and most importantly, it held tremendous potential for advancement. With careful refinement, it might well become comparable to a high-grade spiritual weapon.

By contrast, the other two swords were both forged from common black iron. Though powerful, they offered no room for further improvement; to forcefully elevate either of them to a high-grade spiritual weapon would be more trouble than starting anew with better materials—a futile endeavor.

“Junior Brother Yang, are you certain you want to choose the Dragon Serpent Sword? I must say, compared to the other two, this one seems weaker in spiritual power, and its luster is duller as well. I hope you won’t regret your decision,” Yao Yuan remarked, his tone seemingly well-meaning.

Yang Xiao, of course, understood why the Dragon Serpent Sword appeared inferior on the surface. The essence-refined metal within the blade had yet to be completely fused and refined. Once that process was complete, the sword would radiate with a marvelous brilliance.

The ancient cultivator who owned this cave must have also known that the Dragon Serpent Sword was far more formidable than the other two, which was why he placed it at the center. Yet, even by the time of his death, he had failed to complete the fusion of the essence within the sword—a lingering regret, no doubt.

“If Junior Brother Yang insists on this sword, then I suppose I can’t say I didn’t warn you,” Yao Yuan said with a sigh, then turned to He Ming. “Junior Brother He, which sword do you wish to choose?”

“I’ll go with the Heavy Edge Sword on the right. It’s a bit larger, and I prefer heavier weapons,” He Ming replied after some thought. He took the Heavy Edge Sword in hand, testing its weight—it was indeed substantial. A bluish-purple light shimmered from the blade, spiritual energy patterns flowing along its length. It was, without question, an excellent sword.

“Since you two have made your choices, I’ll take the remaining Silver Cicada Sword. Thin as a cicada’s wing and gleaming with silvery light, it’s a fine weapon as well,” Yao Yuan said as he picked up the Silver Cicada Sword. His gaze grew a little distant, as if lost in thought.

“Senior Brother Yao, you have a discerning eye. Among the three swords, yours seems to have the greatest power, given the sheer amount of spiritual energy it contains,” He Ming observed. As Yao Yuan gripped the Silver Cicada Sword, spiritual energy flowed visibly from the blade, menacing and forceful. With his high cultivation, Yao Yuan wielded the sword with particular finesse.

“This Silver Cicada Sword is indeed impressive, but I’d like to have all three in my possession,” Yao Yuan said, and before the words had barely left his lips, he suddenly lunged at He Ming with the Silver Cicada Sword. The attack was swift and unexpected. Although Yao Yuan had not yet fully bonded with the weapon, its innate power alone was enough to kill He Ming in a single stroke.

The situation changed in a flash—He Ming had no time to react. But Yang Xiao, having sensed Yao Yuan’s abnormal behavior earlier, moved quickly. With the Dragon Serpent Sword in hand, he intercepted Yao Yuan’s strike, narrowly saving He Ming.

Even so, Yang Xiao’s arm was left numb, his palm throbbing from the impact. After all, there was a gap of two cultivation levels between them. The disparity in spiritual strength was not trivial. Though Yao Yuan had not used his full power, Yang Xiao was already injured.

“What’s going on? Senior Brother Yao must have been testing us—surely he wouldn’t truly try to kill me and Yang Xiao, would he?” He Ming, still dazed from his narrow escape, asked in confusion.

“You have only yourselves to blame for not recognizing the situation. I had my eye on the Dragon Serpent Sword in Yang Xiao’s hand, but you two insisted on claiming the weapons first. How could I not be moved to take action?” Yao Yuan replied with seeming justification.

“If Senior Brother Yao wants the Dragon Serpent Sword, wouldn’t it be easier for Junior Brother Yang to exchange with you? It’s not right for fellow disciples to resort to violence,” He Ming still naively believed Yao Yuan’s explanation and tried to reason with him.

Yang Xiao snorted coldly. “Senior Brother Yao, you’re not after the Dragon Serpent Sword alone. You want all three swords for yourself. Even if you don’t use them, you could trade them for a fortune in spiritual stones.”

Yao Yuan had intended to deceive He Ming a bit longer, but Yang Xiao had seen through his true intentions and voiced them aloud, leaving no room for further dissembling. He let out a cold chuckle. “You’re a clever one, Junior Brother Yang. So, will you hand over your sword willingly, or must I take it by force?”

Yang Xiao had thought at first that Yao Yuan recognized the Dragon Serpent Sword’s true potential, which was why he intended to attack. But now that everything was out in the open, it was clear Yao Yuan had long planned to kill for the swords. The only reason he hadn’t acted sooner was because he hadn’t yet seen the treasures or known their worth. Once the swords revealed themselves, he made his move without hesitation—proof enough of his treachery.

Yao Yuan’s betrayal was unexpected, especially since just two months earlier, he had helped Yang Xiao out of a difficult situation. It was for that reason that Yang Xiao had brought Yao Yuan to this treasure chamber. Had it been anyone else, Yang Xiao would never have done so. This time, he had misjudged gravely. Yao Yuan, outwardly upright and well-respected within the sect, was in truth a despicable hypocrite. Such a reversal would strike anyone as bitterly ironic.

The human heart is the hardest thing to fathom—one moment you’re brothers, the next, faced with temptation, you become enemies. In the world of cultivation, caution must always be your guide.

Yang Xiao silently warned himself never to repeat this mistake. He must not easily trust anyone again, especially when profit was involved. Good deeds could sometimes bring disaster upon oneself.

Now, facing an opponent two realms above him, Yang Xiao’s expression turned grave. But soon, he devised a plan: if it came to a fight, he would likely lose. Only by outwitting Yao Yuan could he hope to survive.