# Chapter 2586: Six Divine Swords
With the Celestial Dao Flute leading the way, combined with Bai Qinger and Ji Fanxin's sensory abilities, they soon arrived at the region where the divine artifact and Origin Esoterica were hidden.
Contrary to Zhang Ruochen's imagination, he had thought that a place containing Origin Esoterica would surely be sacred and flawless.
Yet, this place was utterly bizarre.
The entire world was a dark red hue. Standing at the edge of a cliff and looking out, below lay mountain ranges like blood dragons, with black qi rising as mist from the terrain, the soil's color appearing as if soaked in blood.
The reason they could see so far was that a blood moon hung in the sky's center.
Beneath the blood moon floated densely packed massive boulders, like islands.
How could this place resemble a sacred land? It was entirely a demonic realm, or perhaps an evil lair.
The air was thick with an ancient aura. The rules of heaven and earth were completely different from the outside world. Even Bai Qinger, a top-tier strong one who looked down on the world, wore a grave expression.
They sat on the back of Zangjin Baihu, stepping across the floating boulder islands, flying toward the area directly below the blood moon.
Finally, they stopped on a floating boulder island over fifty zhang in length.
Ji Fanxin discovered a rusted sword fragment on the ground.
On the sword fragment, Supreme Inscription Runes faintly flickered. It was highly likely that it had once been part of a Supreme Sacred Artifact.
Yet, at the lightest touch, the sword fragment turned to soil.
This weighed heavily on the hearts of the three.
Zhang Ruochen looked up, staring at the sinister, crimson blood moon, sensing a familiar aura, one that shared the same origin as the blood lake atop the stone altar.
It made one feel danger, mystery, and fear.
"What do you think? What connection does that blood moon have with the blood lake that trapped the Sword Island?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The blood moon's radiance fell on Bai Qinger's fair face, staining it with an eerie light. She said, "I believe this blood moon is that blood lake."
"What did you say?" Zhang Ruochen was shocked.
He had never considered that direction.
Ji Fanxin said, "I have the same feeling. Their auras are far too similar."
"We are likely now beneath the blood lake," Bai Qinger said.
Using his Heart of Truth to carefully sense, Zhang Ruochen gradually agreed with their view. It was utterly incredible.
The moonlight emitted by the blood moon turned into a mist-like form, cascading downward.
Threads of blood mist light, like chains or waterfalls, coiled around ancient swords.
There were six swords in total, suspended directly beneath the blood moon.
Not only were the six swords entangled by blood mist, but they were also bound by strands of black qi rising from the ground below. The dual restraining forces from above and below kept them suspended there, unable to fly away.
Every sword was rusted, full of gaps, and brown in color.
The most severely corroded one had its blade edge nearly completely eaten away, its hilt formless, like a thin rod of rust.
"These are divine artifacts?"
Zhang Ruochen showed surprise. Logically, divine artifacts were made of special materials and guarded by divine-level inscription runes, so they should remain imperishable through the ages.
Yet, searching everywhere, where else could any other vessel be seen?
The Celestial Dao Flute in Ji Fanxin's hand emitted a pleasant, melodious sound.
The sound waves stirred spatial ripples, surging toward the six swords bound by black qi and blood mist, awakening their sword spirits.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
...
One after another, brilliant divine lights radiated from the bodies of the six swords.
Accompanied by piercing sword cries.
The six decayed ancient swords transformed into six suns. The light was so intense, the temperature so high, that even Zhang Ruochen, with his demigod physique, felt a burning pain, as if standing in a sea of divine flames, like being close to the surface of a star.
Strange voices emerged from the six swords.
"Celestial Dao Flute, why have you awakened us?"
"Second Brother, are you foolish? Can't you see that besides the Celestial Dao Flute, three living beings have also arrived?"
"Is that so? Let me take a closer look. Huh! They are not beings from the Origin Divine Temple; they are outsiders."
"Could it be that the altar has finally been opened? Could the Origin Divine Temple have reappeared in the world?" A voice of ecstasy followed.
From the most severely corroded divine sword, an excited voice rang out: "Big Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, we can finally leave!"
...
Six different voices sounded in succession, all filled with excitement and agitation.
Zhang Ruochen was moved. He thought to himself, they really are six divine swords. But how could six swords be suspended here? And what about the six divine swords on the Sword Island at the center of the blood lake?
These six divine swords also shared a similar aura with the Star Divine Sword of the Underworld King.
Moreover, the seven soul swords in Zhang Ruochen's Qi Sea stirred, even more intensely than when they encountered the six swords on the Sword Island.
As Zhang Ruochen was deep in thought, the Celestial Dao Flute had already communicated with the sword spirits of the six divine swords, claiming to have chosen a master and hoping they would also choose Ji Fanxin as their master.
After examining Ji Fanxin, the six sword spirits showed no respect for the Celestial Dao Flute.
"No, this woman is too weak. She is not qualified to be our master."
"Big Brother is right. We are divine swords. To be our master, one must at least be a Sword God."
"A Sword God is the minimum standard. Saint realm is out of the question."
"Even if it were the Saint realm, her sword dao attainment is so poor. Even if I were trapped here and corroded to nothing, I would never acknowledge her as master."
"Even if she acknowledged me as master, she couldn't lift me. I am far too heavy."
...
Ji Fanxin showed no disappointment at all, remaining very calm. She had never harbored hope of gaining the divine swords' recognition.
The words of the six divine sword spirits made Bai Qinger and Zhang Ruochen, who had been full of confidence, frown deeply.
A Sword God as the minimum standard?
Acknowledging a divine artifact as master was indeed not a simple matter.
Bai Qinger, as a master of the Origin, learned everything effortlessly. Although she had not delved deeply into sword dao, her sword dao attainment was not low.
She extended her jade-like arm, releasing sword dao rules, condensing a three-foot-long sword in her hand.
"Swish, swish!"
Her graceful figure soared into the air, sword qi following her every move, performing a set of exquisite sword techniques.
The sword followed the heart, the person and sword became one, the sword heart illuminated.
She was like a sword fairy, her sword moves so exquisite, her sword techniques so supreme, that even Zhang Ruochen, who had cultivated sword dao deeply, was in awe.
The sword dance ended, and the beautiful woman sheathed her sword.
Bai Qinger stood straight, proudly staring at the distant six swords, and said, "I will break through to godhood within days. What do you six think of my sword dao attainment? Am I qualified to be your master?"
"Not bad, not bad. Your talent is extremely high. Once you become a god, your future achievements will be limitless. Unfortunately, unfortunately, your sword dao attainment is too poor."
"Exactly, I also think her sword dao attainment is lacking. Flashy but not substantial, unqualified to be our master."
"Both brothers speak wisely. Sword dao, after all, requires precision and purity to unleash its greatest power. Her sword techniques are good, but her understanding of sword dao is too superficial. She hasn't even cultivated a sword dao Sacred Intent. She has only the form, not a true sword cultivator."
...
The six swords spoke one after another, dismissing Bai Qinger's sword dao as worthless.
This greatly frustrated Bai Qinger, who had always been proud and looked down on cultivators across the world. She snorted lightly, "If you choose masters by your standards, I'm afraid even a Sword God wouldn't meet your conditions."
One of the swords said arrogantly, "To be honest, compared to our former master, a mere Sword God is nothing."
Bai Qinger said, "How many eons have you been here? Your former master has long turned to dust. You are also being corroded by blood mist and black qi. If you don't leave soon, I'm afraid you will rust into a pile of iron mud."
The divine sword corroded into a thin iron rod said mournfully, "Big Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, she is right. This corrosive power is too terrifying. You might be able to hold on for a few more eons, but I am truly about to be corroded away!"
"I still have some fragments of ancient memories. Many swords at the Supreme Sacred Artifact level once floated here, but they were all corroded into iron mud, their divine forms annihilated."
"We must choose a master and leave here to endure forever in the world."
The most intact divine sword said sternly, "Don't speak such discouraging words. Choosing a Sword God as master is already lowering the standard. It cannot be lowered further."
"Big Brother is right. Divine swords must have the dignity of divine swords."
The six sword spirits began chattering again.
Zhang Ruochen had been listening to their conversation, learning much useful information, and his inferences became clearer.
So, he walked to the edge of the floating boulder island, looked at them, and raised his voice, "The Sword Ancestor has already fallen! This era is no longer your era, nor is it the era of sword dao."
The six swords' arguing stopped.
Then, a stern voice sounded, "Boy, what nonsense are you spouting? Sword dao is the strongest path of slaughter. Even the Origin Path cannot block it."
Zhang Ruochen said, "You are wrong! Sword dao is not the path of slaughter. The sword has two sides: one side slays all evil in the world, and the other saves and protects the good. The sword tip represents an indomitable, self-strengthening will. The sword is equal and free."
Silence for a long moment.
One of the swords said, "These words... sound familiar, as if I've heard them somewhere before."
"Big Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, I think what he says makes a lot of sense. Our understanding of sword dao has indeed been too biased."
"In him, I feel a familiar spirit of sword dao, like the fragmented memories of our former master."
"Unfortunately, unfortunately, he is too weak! His cultivation is too weak. If he could break through to godhood now, I wouldn't mind choosing him as master."
"Exactly, he is excessively weak. I am so heavy; can he lift me? He simply cannot. I would crush him."
Zhang Ruochen became even more certain of his conjecture. The former master of the six swords must have been the Sword Ancestor without a doubt.
The arrangement here, no need to guess, was definitely related to the dark hand that had destroyed the Sword Realm in the past.
The Sword Island in the blood lake atop the altar was likely just a projection of the six divine swords and the Supreme Sacred Artifact war swords, an illusion, a trap set by the dark hand.
A trap that even gods could not see through!
The six decayed and incomplete divine swords beneath the altar were the reality.
If Zhang Ruochen was not mistaken, the reason the Sword Ancestor had not taken the six divine swords back then was likely because he guessed that the dark hand would use them to set a trap to lure him out.
The dark hand could kill three thousand Sword Gods in one strike and destroy a powerful great world, yet it could not kill the Sword Ancestor.
Thinking of this, the Sword Ancestor's cultivation back then must have been astonishingly supreme, able to evade the dark hand's search and escape from it.
...
There will be another chapter tonight.