"Disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, follow this ancestor to the Nine Heavens Hall and slay all its rebels!" another icy growl resounded.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

In an instant, figures shot out from the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, heading toward the silhouette at its summit.

A man in a blue shirt hesitated. "This..." he stammered, before gritting his teeth and shouting, "Ancestor of the Sword!"

THUD!

However, once he got a clear look at the silhouette's appearance, the man instantly fell to his knees.

"The Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion... should not be under your control! The rules should be guarded by us old-timers. It's not your place to hold the reins! Your ambition is destined to doom this pavilion!" the elder growled, trembling.

"Hehehe! My ambition is none of your concern, you ants! Today, I, this emperor, will take the Sword Key. With this ancient divine weapon and the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion itself, it will become the second Nine Heavens City! I will be the third Saint King of this realm!" Deep within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, the indistinct Sword Spirit roared ferociously.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Inside the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, the Sword Key began to vibrate fiercely, releasing an immense sword might. It was as if its Sword Spirit was present, ready to devour everything. The Sword Cultivators of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion trembled, and some could not help but fall to their knees in worship.

"The Sword Key... to think it still possesses a Sword Spirit..." one of the onlookers exclaimed in amazement.

BOOM!

Just as the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion quivered and the Sword Key shook, the stone steps at its summit shattered! A skeleton tumbled from the broken steps.

HISS!

The crowd of onlookers froze, holding their breath. They now understood: the Sword Spirit of the Sword Key had not dissipated. It was hidden deep within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion!

"Hehehe!" A ghastly laugh echoed through every inch of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

SWISH!

The next second, a beam of golden light shot out from deep within the pavilion. It reached the summit in an instant, transforming into a sword-shaped artifact that hovered in mid-air.

"That's the Sword Key!"

"So that's the fabled Sword Key!"

"The Sword Key was the personal sword of the Ancestor of the Sword, nurtured by him for countless ages! It holds unfathomable power. It's said that not even an Immortal Emperor can withstand its edge!" The onlookers' eyes widened in shock.

"Sword Key, this ancestor has come to claim you!" a sinister voice declared.

WHOOSH!

The golden artifact erupted with brilliant golden light, shooting toward the stone platform at the pavilion's summit.

CRACK!

The golden light slammed into the stone platform.

"Hmm? What's going on?"

"The Sword Key can't penetrate the platform's defensive barrier!"

"It's not trying to take the platform; it's resisting the barrier to suppress the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion!"

The onlookers' gazes shifted, all staring intently at the stone platform.

"Heh heh! You little beast! This ancestor wants you dead!" Within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, the cold voice grew even more furious.

CLANG! CLANG!

The Sword Key began to shake more violently.

"This is not good!"

"The Sword Spirit of the Sword Key has fused with the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion! It's usurping control! The Ancestor of the Sword might be in trouble!"

"It's over! We're really doomed this time!"

The onlookers' faces filled with worry.

"Ancestor of the Sword! If you submit to me, I will let you lead the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, and perhaps it can return to its former glory! But if you continue to be so stubborn, I will not only destroy the pavilion, but I will also exterminate you and your Sword Ancestor's Hall!" Suddenly, an eerie voice drifted out from the golden light within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

WHOOSH!

The next moment, the golden light vanished. The Sword Key transformed into a sword-shaped rune, floating above the pinnacle of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

"The Sword Key! The Sword Key has chosen its master! The pavilion has acknowledged the Sword Key as its master!" an elder exclaimed in shock. "The Ancestor of the Sword has fallen inside the pavilion! This is now the era of the Sword Key!"

"Haha! Hahahaha!" A sinister voice then resonated from inside the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. "Disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, heed my command! Gather at the pavilion at once! Whoever can subdue the Sword Key will be rewarded by this ancestor with a superior-grade Dao Treasure! Whoever captures and kills that kid will be rewarded with one thousand superior-grade Immortal Crystals! I will make him the sole disciple of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion!"

RUMBLE!

In that very instant, all the sects and powers throughout Eastern Yue County of Yunzhou erupted into an uproar.

"Superior-grade Immortal Crystals! Whoever the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion acknowledges will be rewarded! Whoever the Sword Key acknowledges will be rewarded!"

"We must seize this opportunity! Even if we don't get the Sword Key, we must capture that kid with the surname Xiao! If he doesn't die, he'll seek revenge even if we do get the key!"

"Right! That kid cannot be allowed to leave the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion alive!"

As the discussions spread among the various sects, cultivators began rushing toward the pavilion.

「Outside the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.」

The onlookers were baffled.

"This... how did the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion open on its own?"

"I thought Ten Thousand Swords Mountain was supposed to be sealed off?"

"It seems the Sword Spirit of the Sword Key has awakened! It must be trying to use the chaos to steal the legacy left behind by the Ancestor of the Sword!"

"Heh! I knew you couldn't stand the loneliness!" the chilling voice rang out again. "Sword Spirit of the Sword Key, I will use you to hone my Sword technique. I am destined to become an Immortal Emperor! You may be a superior-grade immortal artifact, but I disdain you! For I was once the foremost Sword Immortal of antiquity, perhaps even a Sword Saint from a more distant age!"

"Hmph! You merely inherited the bloodline of that Sword Saint, a lineage that was severed long ago! You are nothing but a wisp of resentment born from a single drop of his blood!" a somber voice echoed from within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion once more. "Without the Sword Key, you are not even worthy of being my opponent! I will suppress you now and force you to submit!"

The next moment, the sword-shaped artifact formed from the golden light shot toward the pitch-black stone on the platform.

ZING!

The black stone suddenly pulsed with a profound light, repelling the golden beam.

"Hm?" The golden light wavered as if in disbelief.

WHOOSH!

At that moment, the black stone on the platform began to shake violently, as if something inside was about to awaken. A commotion spread through the crowd.

"The Sword Key... it has acknowledged Young Master Xiao as its master! Could he be the reincarnation of the Ancestor of the Sword?"

"Young Master Xiao! We, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, wish to recognize you as our Young Pavilion Master! Please ascend to the top floor and receive the pavilion's acknowledgment!"

WHOOSH!

The next moment, the black stone transformed into a beam of dark light and shot into Chen Zheng's forehead.

HUMMM!

The stone platform trembled slightly.

"Haha! You little bastard, you can't escape!" the sinister voice raged from within the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. "In this world, aside from the Sword Spirit of the Sword Key, all other living things are mere ants, destined to be devoured by it!"

"You... you're the Sword Spirit of the Sword Key!" Chen Zheng's eyes shot open, his face a mask of utter astonishment.

"Hmph! It makes no difference that you know. You are doomed to die in the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion today!" the chilling voice stated, cold and ruthless. "Only one with the pavilion's true legacy is worthy of controlling the Sword Key!"

"I..." Chen Zheng's expression shifted wildly. He wanted to explain but found he couldn't open his mouth. In that previous moment, he had felt a mysterious force compelling him to seize the Sword Key.

SWOOSH!

His body shot upward, rushing toward the top of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

"You little beast!" the sinister voice inside the pavilion roared in fury.