C14 Who Are You?

The weapons housed on the second level must be intended for those in the Innate Realm, correct?

He made his way to the end of the room and gently rotated the candlestick on the shelf. A series of clicks followed, and a door materialized behind the shelf.

He hadn't expected King Qin to have so many clever contrivances hidden away.

It appeared that gaining entry to the cold storage was a test in itself. Without locating the switch to open the second door, one would simply have to chalk it up to bad luck.

Thankfully, he was clever!

With a smug grin, Qin Xuan stepped through the doorway.

This level was markedly colder than the first, devoid of any candlesticks. Instead, stones embedded in the walls provided illumination, akin to luminous pearls, albeit less brilliant.

Their soft blue glow sufficed to light up the stone chamber before him.

The room was significantly smaller than the first, with weapon racks lining only one wall. Yet, he sensed that these weapons possessed a greater spiritual energy, or more accurately, a malevolent aura.

"Buzz..."

A nine-section whip emitted a faint noise in the stillness, drawing Qin Xuan's attention.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that this whip was named Nine-headed Snake, a relic unexpectedly found by the late emperor in a cave. Due to its potent venom, it had remained unused.

"This is quite the find!" Qin Xuan murmured to himself.

The Nine-headed Snake seemed to be stirring with a life of its own, writhing in the shadows like a serpent lurking in the night, poised to strike at its prey.

Qin Xuan found the Nine-headed Snake intriguing, but lacking knowledge in detoxification, he knew that if luck wasn't on his side, the risk could outweigh the reward.

After much deliberation, he reluctantly decided to leave it be for the time being.

Deeper in the chamber stood a pure white sword, its blade aglow with a white radiance that cast a faint green hue in the darkness.

If the Nine-headed Snake represented malevolence, then this sword was surely its virtuous counterpart!

The mere chill it exuded was enough to instill a profound sense of righteousness.

The Willow Sword?

The slender sword seemed to possess an ability to sense human emotions, vibrating slightly as it picked up on Qin Xuan's interest, emitting a whistling sound reminiscent of the wind.

As this sound arose, the hum emanating from the Nine-headed Snake was somewhat subdued, as if it too held a certain wariness towards the Willow Sword.

"Indeed, it's a fine blade!"

Unable to resist, Qin Xuan reached out to grasp it. The hilt was frosty to the touch, and a refreshing sensation spread instantly through his limbs, offering an unparalleled sense of relief.

This sword was clearly crafted for Wu Ji, even the wood element within it matched.

The effort and spiritual energy that must have gone into its creation were surely substantial.

The hilt alone, a fusion of exquisite cold jade and iron, would require the skill of someone at the great master level in martial arts to forge.

The tip of the sword was even more unexpected; it was a highly flexible Whip-Sword!

It made sense now why Wu Ji had mentioned that possessing this sword could save his life.

Should the Whip-Sword coil around one's vital areas, it could provide a surprising defense, safeguarding the heart.

Originally, Qin Xuan intended to peruse the other weapons, not giving the Willow Sword much thought, as it was designed for a woman's use, and it seemed somewhat unsuitable for him.

Yet, having surveyed the entire stone chamber, only the Willow Sword seemed manageable. The others were either too malevolent or too bulky for someone who had never wielded a weapon. Merely lifting them was a challenge, let alone using them in combat.

After a brief contemplation, he decided to strap the Willow Sword to his waist and prepared to depart.

He had only taken a few steps when a violent shaking emanated from the ground, and the weapons on the rack began to buzz vigorously.

This clamor was significantly louder than when he had first entered, as if the weapons were struggling to break free from their confines, or perhaps rebelling against something!

What was happening?

A piercing noise rose from beneath his feet, leaving his head spinning.

Why was there a sound coming from the ground?

Moreover, the noise seemed like a desperate roar or cry, as if something was striving to escape from right beneath him!

"Wuwuwu..."

The sound pierced his eardrums like the clash of ancient warriors, charging straight into the depths of his heart!

Something was calling out to him!

"This is bad!"

The guard burst in, shouting. Seeing Qin Xuan still rooted to the spot, he seemed relieved. "Did you touch anything?"

Qin Xuan snapped back to reality. He had only taken the Willow Sword; he hadn't touched anything else.

"That's odd!" The guard was skeptical at first but, after a thorough check, he came to believe Qin Xuan. His gaze grew increasingly perplexed.

"It was fine before. Why did it suddenly go berserk? It hasn't done this in years..."

The guard cut himself off, realizing he was speaking too freely, and tried to usher Qin Xuan out. "Since you've got what you came for, you should leave quickly."

Qin Xuan wasn't about to leave that easily. He grabbed the guard's arm, "What 'it' are you talking about?"

"It's none of your business. Just go, before it's too late." The guard was impatient and tinged with a hint of fear.

"Wuwu..."

A piercing noise drilled into his skull. Qin Xuan instinctively covered his ears, but the guard seemed to be in agony, his eyes reddening by the second!

"Let's get out of here first!"

He yanked the guard towards the exit, but the noise grew increasingly shrill, as if it aimed to bore through their heads!

Puff!

The guard suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood!

Qin Xuan was alarmed. What on earth was this thing?

A mere sound wielded such destructive power!

The guard's martial arts prowess was at least at the fifth level of the Innate realm, yet he was utterly defenseless against this sonic assault.

What could possibly be behind this terrifying sound?

"Go, quickly..." The guard's voice was barely intelligible as he fumbled a token from his waist and pressed it into Qin Xuan's hand, seemingly urging him to summon help.

Without a moment to spare, Qin Xuan dragged the guard into the courtyard and slammed the door shut, finally muffling the grating noise.

The guard lay on the ground, taking deep breaths, his eyes fixed on the night sky with a vacant gaze, as if he had narrowly escaped death.

Whether it was the closing of the door or something else, the jarring noise had begun to fade, and the trembling of the ground subsided to stillness. Were it not for the black blood at the corner of the guard's mouth, one might have thought the entire ordeal was nothing more than a dream.

"If it hadn't been for me, you'd likely be dead right now!" Qin Xuan exclaimed, catching his breath.

The guard looked at him with gratitude. Before he could utter a word, Qin Xuan preempted him, "Save your thanks. What I need to know is what made that noise. Judging by your reaction, you seem terrified of 'it'."

"Who are you?" the guard asked, eyeing Qin Xuan with suspicion as he subtly shifted his body further away.