The seventy-two peaks of the Sword Pavilion were forged in ancient times when the Pavilion's founding ancestor cleaved open the earth's veins with his supreme Sword Intent and used the Mystic Iron Vein to forge them. This was a well-known fact.
Though generations of Sword Pavilion disciples had long since lost the chance to witness the ancestor's majesty in person, the Supreme Sword Intent he left behind remained, allowing them to venerate it day after day.
Many disciples had comprehended Sword Intent from it and gone on to achieve greatness.
In a certain sense, the ancestor was still guiding and protecting his descendants in his own way.
Yet in all the thousands of years since, none had ever imagined that one day, they would witness that very Sword Intent coming back to life before their eyes!
The Sword Pavilion disciples, who had been seething with righteous fury and ready to battle the Seven Sects, suddenly saw the Supreme Sword Intent left upon Ask-Sword Cliff blaze like a summoned beacon and transform into a soaring streak of sword light.
And not only that, at the same time, the seventy-two peaks themselves seemed to rise!
Those towering sword-pillars that had once pierced the heavens now appeared to uproot themselves, their vast shadows falling across the world as if to overturn the heavens and the earth.
No, when the stunned disciples looked closer, trembling in disbelief, they realized these were not the true peaks, but countless overlapping illusions, mountain-like phantoms drawn upward by that Supreme Sword Intent.
The phantoms tore themselves free from the seventy-two peaks and ascended toward the sky.
"That's the earth vein!"
"Or rather... a dormant dragon vein!"
A few well-informed elders immediately recognized what was happening.
Every dynasty possessed its own dragon vein, shaped by the natural terrain and the will of its people. When dynasties changed, the human aspect of these veins would recede and grow dormant.
But as long as the mountains and rivers remained, the spiritual energy within such veins would not vanish, it would merely lie silent and thin.
A dormant dragon vein was, in essence, an earth vein.
These earth veins manifested in various forms, some as rivers, others as mineral veins.
And the one beneath Dragon Hollow Lake was undoubtedly the Mystic Iron Vein.
One elder exclaimed in shock,
"Someone has seized the Supreme Sword Intent that once drew forth the earth vein, and taken the entire vein along with it!"
As everyone looked upward, they saw the seventy-two phantoms soaring higher, following the Supreme Sword Intent, winding through the sky like a vast dragon formed of mountains and rivers.
At once, all the spiritual energy in Dragon Hollow Lake was drawn upward. The air grew thick with it, almost tangible, making it hard to breathe.
This was the dragon vein's physical manifestation!
The Supreme Sword Intent that broke free from Ask-Sword Cliff shot straight into the heavens.
The Sword Pavilion disciples stood dumbfounded, whispering to one another in awe and disbelief.
"Could it be... that the ancestor has manifested once more?!"
"Otherwise, who could possibly take away that Sword Intent? Even the Young Pavilion Master couldn't do that!"
Ning Songjun had indeed been unable to take it, but not for lack of power, he already possessed his own Sword Intent.
Taking another's Sword Intent would have meant nothing to him.
However, while the Sword Intent could be taken, the earth vein connected to the seventy-two peaks was another matter entirely.
This was an entire vein of the earth itself. Without specific divine powers, not even an immortal could move it.
Ning Songjun's sword was made for killing, not for burying, it could not manage such a feat.
More importantly,
Who in their right mind would tear out their own foundation?!
Even Ning Songjun was shaken by the sight before him.
He had never imagined that the seventy-two peaks were actually seventy-two swords forged by tempering the dragon vein, though not yet fully formed!
They had always assumed, since the Supreme Sword Intent was left by the ancestor, that he hailed from the Zhengrong Mountain lineage, never considering that he might also have been a swordsmith.
But now it was clear, the ancestor had mastered both the way of the sword and the art of forging.
And his method of forging was utterly inconceivable!
To temper divine swords using a dragon vein, such an act bordered on blasphemy against heaven itself!
Yet these seventy-two swords, buried for millennia, had now returned to the light of day.
After thousands of years, they had once again been drawn forth.
"Who is it?"
In that instant, Ning Songjun's heart trembled, not only from shock but from curiosity.
Who possessed such power, not only to discover these seventy-two swords but to take them along with the earth vein itself?
If it were a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, then that person must have been recognized by the ancestor himself, a peerless genius of the sword, one in ten thousand!
Ning Songjun drew a deep breath, his heart swelling with pride. If such a disciple existed, the future of the Sword Pavilion would indeed be boundless.
Even if the earth vein had been pulled away, it would not matter...
But just then, the Supreme Sword Intent descended once more upon Ask-Sword Cliff, and took the form of Gu Fangchen.
Behind him, seventy-two longswords hung obediently in perfect formation.
Ning Songjun: "..."
His expression went blank, and he suddenly felt the Sword Pavilion's bright future collapsing into darkness.
You again?!
Though he thought this inwardly, his face actually relaxed.
That Supreme Sword Intent represented "Utmost Sincerity."
For Gu Fangchen to receive the ancestor's recognition meant that everything he had said earlier was true, this nephew of his really was standing on their side.
And by that logic, it also meant that Gu Yuye had truly orchestrated the fake-heir scheme himself!
Ning Songjun's thoughts turned sharply, and his gaze locked onto Gu Yundao, whose face was twisted in disbelief and rage.
Then what about him?
Was his eldest sister's true son aware of this all along, or not?
It seemed... the answer was clear enough.
Below, the Sword Pavilion disciples first froze, then erupted into uproar.
They could never have imagined that the figure to appear would be that detested, shameless wastrel, the greatest stain in the Pavilion's history,
Gu Fangchen!
"Wait... wasn't he unable to cultivate? How does he suddenly have the cultivation of a sixth grade?!"
Someone below cried out in shock, noticing the glaring inconsistency.
This completely overturned everything they knew. A useless man who supposedly could not cultivate now possessed strength rivaling the top prodigies, and with a single gesture, had commanded seventy-two swords of terrifying might.
That boundless Supreme Sword Intent, reversing mountains and rivers like the rising of dragon and serpent, was overwhelming beyond words.
Such was the bearing of a Sword Immortal!
At that moment, everyone understood that from this day forth, among the heroes of the world, there would be a new name none could ignore.
But for the Seven Sects, Gu Fangchen's appearance marked the beginning of a nightmare.
The Hall Master of Iron Tile Hall felt his vision darken as he stared at Gu Fangchen and snarled through clenched teeth,
"Who are you, impudent brat, spouting nonsense about dragon veins and evil swords, "
Gu Fangchen smiled.
"I'm your father."
The Iron Tile Hall Master froze, stunned speechless by the sheer brazenness, his face flushing with fury as he pointed at Gu Fangchen.
"You, !"
Gu Fangchen's grin widened.
"I'm your father, and just like the seventy-two swords behind me, forged from a single earth vein into Supreme-Grade Swords, this too is the truth."
"It's just that some fools have twisted the story, turning fine divine swords into 'evil blades,' and an earth vein into a 'dragon vein.'"
"So I had no choice but to come forward and set the record straight."
He looked calmly at the people before him.
"You don't believe me?"
Everyone immediately stepped back in unison, trembling as their eyes darted toward the seventy-two longswords still glowing with radiant light.
The image of mountains collapsing beneath that sword intent still lingered vividly in their minds.
That terrifying aura could only belong to Supreme-grade swords.
And even more frightening,
Gu Fangchen had seventy-two of them!
It was said that a Supreme-Grade Sword contained an entire world within.
Each sword possessed its own spirit, comparable to an existence of the Eternal Realm.
Did this mean they now faced seventy-two beings of first rank?!
"Absurd! Utterly absurd!"
The Iron Tile Hall Master shouted, though his voice trembled.
Reason told him it was impossible.
But his legs refused to move forward.
"It seems, then, that you all believe me."
Ning Wuzhen let out a long sigh of relief and said in a deep voice,
"In that case, the Sword Pavilion's unjust accusations can finally be cleared!"
Ning Songjun's eyes were cold as he looked across the pale, sweat-drenched faces of the Seven Sects.
He raised his sword hand and said with a faint, mocking smile,
"Our Pavilion's name is cleared, but your own suspicions have yet to be resolved."
"For your sake, I think it's only proper that we conduct a search."
Gu Fangchen's eyes widened dramatically.
"What?! You even dared to steal the Sword Saint's sword?!"
The Seven Sects hastily waved their hands in denial.
"No! Never! The Sword Saint merely suspected, "
"Then prove your innocence!"
Gu Fangchen appeared even more anxious than they were, his face perfectly calm as he said,
"I heard everything earlier. You yourselves said a third party conducting the search would be the fairest way."
"In that case, you'll need a third party to search you as well."
He clapped his hands and smiled.
"Conveniently, I'm neither one of the Seven Sects nor of the Sword Pavilion."
"So let me do it. What do you say, Scholar Gu?"
As he spoke, he lifted his gaze toward Gu Yundao, who had been silent for some time, fists clenched so tightly that his trimmed nails were nearly digging into his palms.
"Originally, Scholar Gu would have been a fine choice," Gu Fangchen said with a cheerful tone.
"But earlier, I heard you mention that His Majesty and the Crown Prince were secretly observing all this. That's not something an outsider should know, is it?"
"In that case, it's best the imperial court refrain from meddling in the affairs of the Immortal Sects. Otherwise, people might think the throne itself is stirring conflict."
Gu Yundao exhaled slowly, his face expressionless.
"If you wish to search, then search. Spare me your useless talk."
He knew the moment he said it, he had lost completely.
Gu Fangchen turned toward the Seven Sects, retracting the seventy-two swords behind him.
"Then, everyone, please."
He smiled brightly and glanced toward Yang Qing.
"Not long ago, I met your son in the music quarter. He was sneaky and suspicious, so I chatted with him a bit. Thinking back now, he did seem rather shifty."
"Fortunately, I left a mark on him at the time. I can sense where he is right now."
"How about... we start with him?"
Yang Qing's face turned deathly pale.
His son, Yang Zheng, was currently guarding the Dragon-Snake Rising formation!