Chapter 974: There’s a traitor amongst us!
Translator: GodBrandy Editor: Kurisu
Time passed, minute after minute, second after second.
Senior White had yet to come back.
The virtuous lamia and the kangaroo-like Fighting Beast quietly sat on one side as they watched Song Shuhang fiercely beat the invisible saber insect.
The invisible saber insect was emitting buzzing sounds, still far from being satisfied.
“1111!” Song Shuhang exerted his all once again as he landed his 1111th strike.
Damn, I really can’t continue this anymore. The pain coming from his meridians had been getting stronger and stronger, while the power he could display after opening his four meridians smaller and smaller; he was now exhausted.
But right at this time, the invisible saber insect suddenly transformed. The insect’s body became perfectly straight, and 1111 beautiful saber patterns appeared on it. Each pattern was something Song Shuhand had lovingly engraved on the insect while hitting it earlier.
These various patterns seemed to be all linked together, just as if they were there from the very beginning.
If the newly born invisible saber insect was like a treasure saber, the current one was like a sharp saber tempered a hundred times that was handed down from generation to generation.
The invisible saber insect let out a happy cry, and no longer asked Song Shuhang for a beating.
With Song Shuhang no longer beating it, the invisible saber insect’s body turned transparent, and finally disappeared.
Even Song Shuhang, who was the master of the saber insect, could no longer see it with the naked eye. One would be able to see the invisible saber insect only if they practiced a special ocular technique or had a very high realm.
With that said, although Shuhang couldn’t see it, the connection between the two had gotten better after he had repeatedly struck its body and tempered the insect. As such, he could sense that the invisible saber insect that was right beside him, to the point of being able to tell even its precise position.
Song Shuhand then reached out his right hand towards the void and grabbed.
The invisible saber insect sensed his thoughts, and gently fell into his grasp.
When he grabbed it, he felt as though he had been holding a real saber! The size and weight of the invisible saber insect seemed to have been tailored just for Song Shuhang!
Song Shuhang then tried out a basic saber technique—he actually wanted to try out something like the Flaming Saber Technique or the Strong Gale Saber Technique, but since his arms were currently swollen and in pain, and he couldn’t operate his true qi, he settled for basic saber techniques.
He then displayed the basic saber technique, and the saber qi exploded.
This saber qi didn’t come from Song Shuhang—it came from the invisible saber insect instead.
It was treasured saber that possessed its own saber qi!
Moreover, due to the invisible saber insect being Song Shuhang’s tamed beast, he felt as though the two of them were one entity when he was holding it in his hand; everything felt really natural.
In addition, the invisible saber insect was just born. If fed and raised properly, its realm would constantly improve. As such, Song Shuhang had no need to worry about getting a new weapon!
For a sabersman, possessing a good treasured saber was of utmost importance.
Song Shuhang’s Broken Tyrant Saber was also a treasured saber, which could cut down the body of Fourth Stage cultivators. However, Song Shuhang’s realm would inevitably rise, and when he reached the Fifth Stage, Broken Tyrant Saber would be inadequate.
But, the invisible saber insect was different… it was a weapon that could grow together with him!
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After testing the saber technique, Song Shuhang copied the pose of a certain Lion King guy from a TV series, who had a dragon-slaying saber with him. “With a saber in hand, I have the world within grasp!”
Ye Si then followed with an applause. “Clap, clap, clap.”
“But Shuhang, I seem to remember that you dreamt of becoming a chivalrous swordsman once? Have you finally come to terms with being a sabersman?” Ye Si asked.
Song Shuhang: 😫
“Heavens~ Yeah, I finally saw the light.” Song Shuhang brandished the invisible saber insect as he said, “Every person has talent for differing things, and they will have things they aren’t good at. My talent when it comes to swordsmanship is below zero. Therefore, I shall no longer insist on walking that path.”
Ye Si blinked as she said, “So, you’ve accepted that you can only wield sabers?”
“Sometimes, ideals and reality do not match. In addition, sabers aren’t that bad, either. For example, a straight saber like this invisible saber insect is a beautiful weapon,” Song Shuhang said.
To a certain extent, straight sabers were as beautiful, if not more so, than swords!
Sure enough, it was definitely the logic of a loser trying to find excuses from themselves.
Ye Si covered her mouth and laughed gently.
“Right, Ye Si, how much weight do you think this invisible saber insect can handle?” Song Shuhang asked.
“I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve seen a saber insect,” Ye Si said. “Why are you asking such a question?”
“I was thinking about riding a flying sword— oh wait, it should be ride a ‘flying saber’.” Song Shuhang stroked the invisible saber insect as he said, “The invisible saber insect was born with the innate ability to fly, and now that I have tamed it, would I be able to fly if I were to ride it?”
Ye Si laughed, and said, “Shuhang, riding a sword and stepping on a sword that’s able to fly on its own are two different things. Haven’t you already ridden a flying sword with the seniors?”
Riding a sword and stepping onto a sword that could fly were two completely different concepts.
While riding a flying sword, one wouldn’t step on the actual sword but on the ‘layer of light’ the sword had generated. This was a common method of riding a sword in the cultivation world.
First, sword light was condensed on the flying sword or sword orb. Then, the cultivator would step onto the layer of light and instantly travel hundreds of miles.
This was the method used by ordinary cultivators of the Fourth Stage when they were just starting learning how to ride a sword. This method was safe, and was the least wasteful. More importantly, one could fly while enjoying the beautiful scenery around them, and it wasn’t a problem to bring people with them. Generally speaking, most cultivators that were hovering in midair and standing on their flying swords were actually using this method to fly.
A better way of flying would be to become one with the body of the sword and transform into a sword light, instantly traveling thousands of miles. This method was faster, however, it also consumed a lot more. Normally, not even high-level cultivators would use this method unless they were in a hurry.
There were, of course, even faster ways to ride a flying sword. For example Senior White’s Heavenly Peng’s Flying Technique—which was part of the Nine Miraculous Flying Techniques of the Divine Beasts—was a top-tier flying technique.
“Yeah, but as long as I can step on a sword and fly, I’m fine with it,” Song Shuhang said. This was the fault of all the xianxia TV shows that he had seen.
In those shows, the cultivator would step onto the flying sword, either placing their hands behind their back and assuming the pose of an expert, or assuming a surfing position. Then, the wind would blow in their faces, making their long hair and clothes flutter in the wind.
This was the concept of ‘cool’ that Song Shuhang had in his head!
Ye Si laughed as she said, “Then, you can go ahead and try.”
“Then, I’ll try. Ye Si, please look after me. If something were to go awry, please catch me,” Song Shuhang said. After all, his fear of heights hadn’t disappeared.
After saying this much, Song Shuhang gently patted the invisible saber insect.
After receiving its master’s order, the invisible sword insect quietly floated towards Song Shuhang’s feet.
Next, Song Shuhand carefully tried to step onto the saber insect.
“Are you able to fly?” Song Shuhang asked.
“Buzz, buzz, buzz~” The invisible saber insect let out a cheerful noise, showing that it was fairly relaxed, not feeling burdened at all. The sword insects possessed great strength and speed. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to cut through the magical techniques protecting the bodies of Fourth Stage cultivators by relying on their sharpness and sword qi alone.
“In that case, let’s try and fly!” Song Shuhang said.
Although he would soon reach the Fourth Stage, that didn’t prevent him from wanting to experience the wonder of being able to ride a sword and fly in the air in advance.
The invisible saber insect rose in the air with Song Shuhang on it.
However, they didn’t fly too high up. They were still in the peripheral region of the forbidden area, and just like in an underground area, they would end up bumping into the ceiling if they flew too high up.
The invisible saber insect flew around a little.
” Ye Si, how’s it?” Song Shuhang asked.
“Hm?” Ye Si looked at Song Shuhang, who was in the air.
How should she describe it? Since the invisible saber insect was invisible, it looked like Song Shuhang was merely floating in the air.
Though looking fairly cool, Song Shuhang was doomed to be disappointed if he wanted to look like someone riding a flying sword.
“It’s pretty good,” Ye Si said.
“Then I’ll just be flying around,” Song Shuhang said.
Senior White wasn’t back yet, so he could just fly around for a while.
So, under Song Shuhang’s order, the invisible saber insect carried him toward a distant place.
After having flown for a while, Song Shuhang suddenly felt something was wrong.
Wait, weren’t Ye Si and I chased by a group of ‘invisible sword insects’ and then ended up where golden disc was? Song Shuhang suddenly thought.
Then, Venerable Ruhuo had appeared, scattering the invisible sword insects and saving Song Shuhang. But, where did all those invisible sword insects go?
Did they all fly back to their original nest? Or were they still wandering around?
“Saber insect, can you sense the positions of those sword insects?” Song Shuhang said.
“Buzz, buzz, buzz~” The invisible saber insect let out a cheerful cry and answered Song Shuhang’s question.
The saber insect told that him that several of its ‘peers’ were nearby.
There was no doubt that the ‘peers’ that the invisible saber insect was referring to were the ‘invisible sword insects’ that Venerable Ruhuo had scattered around earlier.
Sure enough, those invisible sword insects hadn’t gone too far—they were still in the vicinity.
“Let’s go back first,” Song Shuhang said.
At this moment, he felt that it would be better for him not to bother those invisible sword insects, at least not until Senior White came back.
Once these invisible sword insects were disturbed, there would be thousands that would end up chasing him down.
After hearing Song Shuhang’s orders, the invisible saber insect obediently turned around and flew back towards Ye Si’s position.
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At this moment, hundreds of invisible sword insects that Song Shuhang couldn’t see had locked onto the invisible saber insect beneath his feet.
The invisible saber insect was a mutated invisible sword insect.
So, in theory, they were members of the same race.
However, those hundreds of invisible sword insects were sending out ferocious glares towards the saber insect right now.
[There’s a traitor amongst us!]
If it didn’t want to become a sword insect… did it really have to change into a saber one?
The sword insects gathered around, and surrounded Song Shuhang and his invisible saber insect.
For the invisible sword insects, the saber insect was not only a variant, but also great nourishment.
Once a mutated ‘invisible saber insect’ was found within the group of invisible sword insects, it would either be abandoned by the group, or be chopped into pieces and eaten.
And at this moment, the sword insects chose to go with the second option.