Chapter 209: The Magnetic Aurora
The steward just collected the cards without looking at the disciples' faces. But when he saw Zen's disciple card, he was surprised that Zen was an outer disciple. What was an outer disciple doing in this place? Since he became a steward here, he had never seen an outer disciple because this was not a place where an outer disciple should be at.
The steward then raised his head and looked at Zen. He looked down on Zen's disciple card again with a shocked look on his face. He said slowly,“You are Zen Luo, right? I must remind you that this is the entrance to the grade eight and above of the Seven Star Sword Light Platform. In consideration of your comprehensive strength, I'm afraid you're not yet eligible to enter. I suggest you try the other entrance.”
The black?robe disciple who had been kind enough to persuade Zen had finished his registration. He then turned around and said to the steward,“You're just wasting your time. I just told him that, but he insisted on entering the eighth layer!”
The steward thought Zen might not be aware of the rules of the?Seven Star Sword Light Platform, and he was about to explain more to?him. But, upon hearing what the black robe disciple said, he soon realized that Zen intended to enter the eighth layer.
“Well, Zen Luo, the?Seven Star Sword Light Platform not only has?magic arrays. The polar magic stone also contains the?Magnetic?Aurora that could hurt people!” the steward continued.
“Save it. I also explained that to him. He insisted on doing that,” added the black?robe disciple.
Then there was nothing more the steward could do but to shake it off. He was just a steward on the Seven Star Sword Light Platform, not Zen Luo's master. His greatest obligation was to inform the disciples of the danger and difficulty. But if one didn't take his advice at all, then there was nothing more he could do.
So the steward accepted Zen's disciple card and handed a token to Zen. ?And since it was Zen's first time to enter the Seven Star Sword Light Platform, the steward gave him the instruction,“You can choose the grades when entering the?Seven Star Sword Light Platform with this token. The points deducted for every level are different.”
“Hm, I see,” answered Zen?as he reached for the token. Then he followed the black robe disciples inside.
The Seven Star Sword Light Platform?was quite a large and beautiful building. If seen from afar, it looked like an ordinary viewing deck. But when Zen came closer to it, he saw a small platform surrounded by balustrades?of white marble stones with various kinds of animals carved on them. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen by far.
As he walked further, he saw a small bridge floating in the air. The small bridge was wide enough for one person only. All the disciples could only cross the bridge one after another.
In the middle of the bridge, it diverged into branches that led to different platforms.
The black robe disciple walking in front of Zen suddenly turned around and smiled at Zen. He then asked,“Which platform will you choose?”
The difficulty of each platform was different. The right one was labeled “Eight”, while the left one was labeled “Nine”, and the middle one was labeled “Ten”. The labels indicated the difficulty level of each platform.
As a first-time comer, Zen knew little about the difficulties of the Seven Star Sword Light Platform. He shrugged his shoulders and said,“I don't know. Which one will you choose? Maybe I'll just go with you.”
The black robe disciple grinned and said,“I am at the eighth grade of nature level, but I can barely adapt to the difficulty of level eight.” He was trying to imply that being an eighth grade of nature level, he could only cope with level eight difficulty. He doubted if Zen could withstand the difficulty of a platform according to his strength.
“All right, then! I will choose the difficulty of level eight!” smiled Zen faintly and then he followed the black robe disciple.
The black robe disciple shook his head?reluctantly. He had met so many people that overrated their strength, But Zen was one of a kind. 'All right. There's no easy way to learn before success, ' thought the black robe disciple. He then took the lead to the eighth level platform.
As soon as they stepped into the platform, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. The magic array on the Seven Star Sword Light Platform was activated instantly.
The magic array of the Seven Star Sword Light Platform?wasn't that special, and it was even a little rough compared to the other magic arrays. This was because that the Seven Star Sword Light Platform was mainly used for sharpening the sword intent. And the most important thing for sharpening the sword intent was to concentrate the mind to achieve the combination of man and sword.
Upon entering the platform, the black?robe disciple unfastened a long sword that he carried on his back.
The long sword was tightly wrapped that the disciple in black robe needed to unzip many layers before finally revealing the sword. On the scabbard of the sword, a dragon made of gold was sitting on it looking very powerful and impressive.
The black?robe disciple slowly removed the sword from its scabbard, and a crisp chime was heard. He said to Zen with a smile,“This sword is called Candle Dragon. It is a middle-grade spiritual weapon!”
Despite having only a middle-grade spiritual weapon, this black robe disciple was proud of what he had achieved with his own strength. He might have been a noble clansman, but his clan wasn't strong compared to the other clans. And his family status wasn't high because he was born from an offshoot.
After all, it was rare for a black robe disciple from Cloud Sect to own a middle-grade spiritual weapon. Most of them might only have a top-grade mysterious weapon or a low-grade spiritual weapon.
“It's a beautiful sword. But to be honest, I have no idea how to cultivate on the Seven Star Sword Light Platform,” Zen said as he looked around. The magic array of the Seven Star Sword Light Platform was too rough and there wasn't even a scenic spot.
Gray mass was also everywhere, and the smoke grid?directly blocked the view. Compared to those delicate magic arrays on the Bloody?Mountain, there was a great difference.
The disciple in black robe pointed at a direction and said,“Do you see the two pillars in front of you?”
Zen looked at the direction and saw two pillars with?a crystal ball above each one.
“Follow me!” the black?robe disciple said as he held his sword in hand. They approached the two crystal balls. “See the name inside?” he pointed to Zen.
Zen fixed his eyes on the balls and saw that their names were carved inside. One of the crystal balls showed “Zen Luo”, while the other crystal ball showed “Zachary Zhao”. Zen presumed that Zachary Zhao was the black robe disciple's name.
“This crystal ball belongs to you. The moment the magic array on the Seven Star Sword Light Platform is activated, those polar magic stones will release Magnetic Aurora! The Magnetic Aurora will come in all directions, and you must split them with a sword! The power of Magnetic Aurora increases with difficulties. If you hold a common sword, I'm afraid a Magnetic Aurora will destroy your sword,” Zachary Zhao explained patiently. He lightly touched his sword with fingertips. From Zen's perspective, he must have used the sword to deal with Magnetic Aurora many times.
Zen soon realized that the trial on the Seven Star Sword Light Platform?was to guard the crystal ball. If the crystal ball was broken, the cultivation would be over. The swordsmen were sharpening their sword intents with the continuous Magnetic Aurora.
“Rumble...”
Suddenly there was a clap of thunder from the sky.
“It's time to draw your sword! Quickly! Magnetic Aurora will soon come here! Each crystal ball can only bear three attacks and after that, it will be broken. And you will be out of the game. Be careful!” Zachary Zhao reminded.
Zen nodded and then took out his Streamer Sword from the space ring.
“Buzz...”
came a clear, melodious sound of a sword as he drew his sword.
This was the moment that Zachary Zhao was waiting for. He wanted to see what kind of sword Zen would pull out.
When Zachary Zhao looked at the Streamer Sword?in Zen's hand, he was totally surprised.
From the appearance, Zen's Streamer Sword was not as powerful as Zachary Zhao's Candle Dragon. Its shape was just like an ordinary long sword, but when one looked at the silver luster on its body, one could be thrilled.
Zachary Zhao didn't know how to feel when he saw a faint fairy texture on the sword. He paused for a second and stuttered, “It's... It's a fairy weapon!”
Zen lightly shook the Streamer Sword, the sword radiance spread?continually like an old dragon absorbing water. Then he turned to Zachary Zhao and said with a smile, “I think so.”
He thought so?
Zachary Zhao felt bitter about meeting that grade two of nature level guy who was carrying a fairy weapon.
From Zachary Zhao's understanding, even a consummation of the nature level was not qualified to bring out the power of the fairy weapon and yield it. However, some consummations of the nature level were born noble and they might have the chances to be awarded fairy weapons from their elders.
But…
Zen?was just an?outer disciple, and his actual strength was at the second grade of nature level. It was impossible for him to have a fairy weapon either way.
However, Zachary Zhao didn't expect that the fairy weapon was not granted by others but condensed by Zen himself. And if ever Zen got this from someone, that must be the same woman who gave?him this semi-finished product at the Weapon Pavilion.
While Zachary Zhao was still in a daze from seeing Zen's fairy weapon, two bunches of Aurora were approaching them at a slow pace. They were translucent and thick as bowls, with flashing blue light.
“Is this the Magnetic Aurora?” Zen stared at the approaching Magnetic Aurora with the Streamer Sword in his hand. He raised it gently, readying himself to fight.
Zachary thought it was unfair that a grade two of nature level could hold a fairy weapon. 'What is going on in this world? Why is the world wasting such a magnificent weapon in Zen's hands? What can he do with that powerful weapon? How can it be any difference if he's holding the fairy weapon but could not maximize its power? It's no better than a wooden sword!' Zachary Zhao complained in his mind.
Furious, Zachary Zhao jumped up and waved his Candle Dragon in his hand towards one bunch of Magnetic Aurora. He wanted?to imply to Zen that it was not about the sword, but the person who used it. Even if he yielded a middle-grade spiritual weapon, the power it sent out was still far more powerful than Zen's!
“Dragon Roar Sword!” roared Zachary Zhao as he swung the sword towards the Magnetic Aurora.
“Roar!”
Dragon Roar Sword was an overbearing and powerful sword method. As he swung the sword, a dragon roar would be heard. It was an amazing scene.
A dragon shape sword energy was instantly formed, sending out a roar. It then rushed towards the Magnetic Aurora and garroted it.
The Magnetic Aurora contained sharp energy, which could be used to hone the sword intent. If the sword intent was sharp enough, then the speed of cutting the Magnetic Aurora would be faster. On the contrary, if the sword intent was not sharp enough, it would be difficult to break the Magnetic Aurora.
When Zachary Zhao's sword energy?hit the Magnetic Aurora, the Magnetic Aurora was crunched and then decomposed. Soon the Magnetic Aurora was torn into pieces by dragon?shape sword energy.
Upon seeing the decomposed Magnetic Aurora, a smile of satisfaction crossed Zachary Zhao's face. Apparently, his sword intent had improved into a higher level and became faster. This time, he could stay on?the eighth level for another half an hour.
After solving the Magnetic Aurora on his side, Zachary Zhao turned to?Zen. He was eager to see how Zen could exert the power of that fairy weapon.
Zen hadn't moved and didn't even say a word as he waited for the Magnetic Aurora to approach. After it was close enough, he suddenly moved, and his Streamer Sword cut through the Magnetic Aurora. Still, it was a simple chop.
“A simple chop?” murmured Zachary Zhao with an awkward expression on his face.
As a swordsman, he was very familiar with the basic swordsmanship. 'Didn't Zen practice other swordsmanship? Does he only know the basic swordsmanship? Performing the basic swordsmanship with a fairy weapon?
Oh my goodness...' Zachary Zhao was confused. He felt a little crazy at that time.
“Chuu!”
Because of this simple chopping, a half-moon-shaped silver light was formed instantly. It was dazzling. Along the direction of Zen's sword, the sword radiance cut through the Magnetic Aurora.
Unlike Zachary Zhao's dragon-shaped sword energy, Zen's sword radiance didn't make a sound when it staggered the Magnetic Aurora. The sword radiance cut through the thick Magnetic Aurora and then the Magnetic Aurora disappeared without a trace.