NOVPUB
Chapter 127: Eternal Spirit’s Preference
The Eternal Spirit’s aura continued to rise, and Aldrian already sensed that the sword’s aura had surpassed that of his Earth Shattering Bow. The energy absorption only gradually slowed when it reached the middle Divine grade, and it steadily reduced until it finally stopped, leaving behind the lingering aura of a Divine-grade artifact.
Aldrian and Duke Valiard rushed over to examine the sword. Duke Valiard’s eyes trembled; he had finally succeeded in creating another Divine-grade artifact, this time without the help of his elder brother. He had tried to craft another artifact of this grade with his brother in the past, but those attempts had failed.
He still couldn’t believe that the creation in front of him was his own, with the assistance of a young Earl-stage man whose true identity remained unknown—only his name and a vague connection to Aldrey Flamecrest were known. Duke Valiard then touched the sword and picked it up, but it trembled slightly at his touch.
"The sword has gained sentience," Duke Valiard said. "It’s a newborn sentience that may only act on instinct for now, but in time, it will develop its own personality, like that of an adult human."
The Eternal Spirit continued to tremble, then suddenly slipped from Duke Valiard’s grasp and flew toward Aldrian, who was stunned. The sword then dropped itself at Aldrian’s feet and remained still. Aldrian was confused, and when he tried to move away from the sword, it followed him, dropping in front of him each time he shifted position. Finally, he realized something.
"It’s like a cat that’s found its chosen owner!" he thought.
Duke Valiard glanced at the sword, then at Aldrian, who had an awkward smile on his face.
"I didn’t do anything," Aldrian said, but Duke Valiard just smiled, amused by Aldrian’s expression.
"It seems the sword’s instinct is drawn to you, young master. It’s more attracted to you," Duke Valiard said. Though he was the one who designed the sword, and much of the research was his, he was simply glad to have successfully created this divine artifact. His pride and confidence were soaring, and he would gladly let his creation choose its preferred owner.
"Or you could just consider it your new sword. I’d be happy to give it to you for free."
Aldrian was stunned, but he shook his head. "No, Duke Valiard, this is the result of your great effort. I don’t feel right taking it without paying anything."
"You’ve already paid me, young master. This is my second time creating a Divine-grade artifact, and with this achievement, I can reach even greater heights. You also helped me realize what I’ve been lacking all this time," Duke Valiard replied. "So please, accept this sword as a gift from me."
Aldrian was moved by Duke Valiard’s words. Not wanting to reject the duke’s good intentions too strongly, as it would be rude, he picked up the sword. It trembled for a moment before calming down. He stroked the blade and could feel the immense power it held. The Divine Iron would double the wielder’s strength, and with its middle Divine grade, Aldrian could only imagine what would happen if he unleashed the Slash of the End using this sword at full power. But he shook his head.
"There’s no one on this continent worthy of my full strike," Aldrian thought. "With the peak Emperor stage as the limit here, I doubt I’ll ever need to use my full power. Unless, of course, some unforeseeable situation arises where cultivators beyond the Emperor stage appear. Then, maybe, I could test my limits."
Based on his calculations and experiences, there was no need for him to use his full domain’s power with this Divine-grade sword. Even a peak Emperor-stage cultivator would have to avoid him if he only used the power of one major domain, such as the Ivory Empire’s domain.
He could also feel the sword’s mood—it felt happy in his grasp. Aldrian wondered if this was because of the energy he contributed, which had caused it to recognize him. He smiled at the sword, now acting like a pet that had found its owner. He then picked up the sheath, secured the sword in it, and attached it to his waist. Although Aldrian hadn’t built the same direct connection with this sword as he had with the Earth Shattering Bow yet, he could already tell that the sword was content, as if it knew it was in its rightful place.
Aldrian then noticed Xin Haotian standing beside him, having approached him since earlier. Xin Haotian gazed solemnly at the sword before turning his eyes to Aldrian.
"You’re truly lucky," Xin Haotian said through voice transmission. "This sword is on the same level as my Illumination Sword, but I can sense something more profound about it. The power it holds is immense, even from here. What’s it made from?"
"Something I got from the Yu family in Dual Peak Horns City," Aldrian replied. "Anyway, I never told you the details story of how Duke Valiard and I created this Divine-grade sword. But it seems we’ll have to stay in this kingdom for a while. We’ve uncovered a major clue—most likely the key to the devils’ plan."
Xin Haotian was momentarily stunned, but then he nodded. "Tell me later."
They both turned to see three ladies approaching. From the looks on their faces, Aldrian could already guess what they had experienced, but their gazes quickly fell on the Eternal Spirit. The aura of the middle Divine grade was impossible to ignore.
"I’m sorry for the inconvenience, ladies, but this had to be done," Aldrian said, tapping the Eternal Spirit twice. The three women exchanged understanding looks. They had never witnessed the creation of a Divine-grade artifact before, so the Eternal Spirit was a revelation to them. The tribulation it underwent was no weaker and even stronger than some Heavenly Tribulations for Emperor-stage breakthroughs.
"With all that commotion, this place will likely become busy. Many people will flock here. Do we want to stay?" Eleine asked.
"Yes, we have a development here that I need to confirm. We’ll have to stay for a while," Aldrian replied, before turning to Duke Valiard. "Excuse me, Duke Valiard, but can we move somewhere more private? I need to speak with my people."
"Of course, young master. It’s also a good time for you to rest after all this time."
"You should rest as well, Duke Valiard." They made their way back to the mansion, but as they walked, Xin Haotian eyed Aldrian intently before speaking.
"You really are a monster. What kind of cultivation technique do you use? It’s only been a year since your last breakthrough, and you’ve already broken through another minor realm to reach the High Earl stage. Why does it feel like your cultivation speed is increasing?"
The three ladies trembled when they heard Xin Haotian’s words and immediately turned to Aldrian. They hadn’t paid much attention to his cultivation, but now that they sensed his level, their hearts skipped a beat. Aldrian had reached the High Earl stage—his cultivation speed was nothing short of insane, almost as if he were cheating. They had never seen him go into seclusion to cultivate, and his time seemed to be filled with sessions of comprehension instead.
It was true that comprehension could aid cultivation, but could it accelerate progress by this much? No. His secret cultivation technique intrigued them deeply. Aldrian hadn’t switched to the Heavenly Demon’s cultivation method, even after comprehending the Heavenly Demon’s Scripture, which only reinforced their belief that his own technique was more powerful.
To believe his cultivation technique was superior to the Heavenly Demon’s? What kind of cultivation technique was Aldrian using? Eleine remained silent, for she was the only one here who truly understood just how special her young master was from birth. All the strange occurrences before and after his birth were proof of his uniqueness.
There was no secret cultivation technique that she knew of, as Aldrian had spent all of his time in the secret realm before coming outside. She was aware that his father had taught him, but it seemed his cultivation technique was different from that of the Flamecrest or Rivas families. Even she didn’t fully understand the depths of her young master’s abilities and secrets.
Aldrian simply smiled.
"Who knows?" he replied, offering no further explanation.
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Meanwhile, the Heavenly Tribulation that had shaken the entire city of Valiard quickly spread to the surrounding cities. Many were questioning what kind of tribulation had occurred in Valiard. Had someone broken through to the Emperor stage? Or was it something else entirely? Rumors also began to circulate that a new Divine-grade artifact had been born in Duke Valiard’s mansion, but after several hours, no news had emerged to confirm it.
Speculation ran wild, and many people began to flock to the duke’s mansion, eager to seek information. If a new Divine-grade artifact had indeed been created, who was the blacksmith behind it? Mardred Valiard, the elder brother of Duke Badin Valiard, was said to be in seclusion in the capital. So, if Duke Valiard had attempted to create another Divine-grade artifact, who had partnered with him?
There were many questions, but the duke had locked himself inside his mansion and was not receiving any visitors. Amidst the chaos in the city and the gathering crowds around the mansion, a group of dwarves dressed in formal attire emerged from the teleportation portal in Valiard City.
When the people saw the group’s attire, they were shocked.
"An envoy from the royal family!"
