C583 Withered Sword

The woman's life force, Qi, spiritual energy, and soul were all but depleted, like wells run dry.

The Sword Prison's atmosphere was chilling and forbidding, its dense sword intent and glimmers of light constructing an intricate array with the moon's essence.

The small hill, solidified from the moon's soul, acted like an immense magnet, drawing in the last vestiges of power from those confined within.

The woman before him was nearly drained of her Qi, blood, spiritual power, and soul force, with only a trace remaining to sustain her life.

Regardless of her once formidable presence in the Boundless Land and the Outland Starry Sky, decades in the Sword Prison had reduced her to this state.

Yu Yuan could tell at a glance that she posed no threat now.

Even the mightiest cultivator, with the loftiest realms of cultivation, becomes powerless when stripped of Qi, blood, and soul force, unable to stir even the smallest ripple of energy.

In front of the woman lay a sword case, revealing just the tip of a blade, honed from white bone.

A subtle scent of death emanated from the sword.

After Chen Qingyan's soft call, the woman's gaze shifted to Yu Yuan, her expression puzzled. In a hushed tone, she inquired, "Young man, has your elder ever spoken of me?"

Yu Yuan felt a slight tremor, which she noticed. But without seeing any distinctive marks or familiar signs on him, she hesitated to make a judgment.

"I'm not acquainted with you, but I'm familiar with your esteemed reputation," Yu Yuan replied, shaking his head, his emotions mixed as he glanced at the sword case and the exposed blade. "The Withered Sword is indeed a name I've heard mentioned."

"The Withered Sword!" Chen Qingyan exclaimed, her voice betraying her astonishment.

She immediately realized why the woman had inquired about her master.

"Greetings, Aunt Xi," Chen Qingyan said, clasping her hand with Yu Yuan's and placing their fists over their hearts, bowing deeply with respect. "My master is doing well. She has ascended to the rank of a Great Sword Immortal in the late Unrestrained Stage. She often speaks of you. In recent years, she has been devoted to refining her Primordial Spirit, seeking to break through to the Ultimate Stage."

"She hasn't yet formed her Primordial Spirit?" A wry smile curled the lips of the woman surnamed Xi. "Had the sect chosen to cultivate me with care instead of her, by now, I might have already taken that step forward to become yet another Great Sword Immortal in the annals of the Sword Sect."

Chen Qingyan hesitated briefly before speaking earnestly, "Given Aunt Xi's innate gift for the Sword Dao and the speed at which she has mastered it, such potential is indeed within reach. However, Aunt Xi's Withered Sword technique is detrimental to the harmony of the heavens. Although her advancement is swift, it could lead to endless complications down the line."

"Detrimental to the harmony of the heavens?" Xi Quan responded with a cold laugh. "The sect dispatched me to the celestial realms to nourish my sword with the essence of Heavenly Devils and alien races. How could that possibly harm the cosmic order? As for future troubles... who among sword cultivators concerns themselves with such things?"

Chen Qingyan fell silent. Her knowledge of past events was limited, and she had never imagined that the junior sister her master occasionally mentioned—a talent surpassing her own—would be confined within the Sword Prison for some transgression.

The official story from the Sword Sect was that she had perished long ago, besieged by Heavenly Devils and alien races in the Outland Star River.

Chen Qingyan was taken aback to discover that not only was Xi Quan still alive, but she had also been detained by their own Sword Sect. She wondered how long Xi Quan had languished in the Sword Prison.

Yu Yuan inhaled deeply and tugged at Chen Qingyan, urging, "Let's move on."

Upon seeing Xi Quan, he felt a measure of relief. He had long been aware of his junior sister's intense nature.

Three centuries prior, Xi Quan was the prodigy the Sword Sect had painstakingly nurtured. Her sword cultivation had been conventional until she unexpectedly derived the Withered Sword Spell. Subsequently, Xi Quan's realm surged forward, and she engaged in battles across the Boundless Land, becoming a thorn in the side of the Devil Palace and Demon Palace on the Quietus Continent.

Sensing trouble, the Sword Sect decided to send her to the Outer Star River for further tempering shortly after she had formed her Yang God.

Rumors abounded of her formidable accomplishments in the celestial realms, striking fear into the hearts of the Heavenly Devils and the Galaxy Alien Race.

The last piece of news Yu Yuan received before seeking reincarnation was that Xi Quan was on the verge of breaking through to the Unrestrained Stage in the Outer Star River. The Sword Sect had even sought out a special elixir for her.

It was unclear what had transpired, but the once-celebrated sword prodigy of the Sword Sect, revered three centuries ago, had somehow fallen from grace to the point of being banished by the very sect he belonged to.

In his past life, Yu Yuan was well-acquainted with Xi Quan, having known her through a shared connection. They had not only known each other but were quite close, embarking on several journeys together, with Xi Quan always serving as the protector.

Discovering Xi Quan confined within the Sword Prison stirred a sense of melancholy in Yu Yuan. Yet, finding his old friend alive, albeit stripped of all power by the Sword Prison, offered him some consolation.

His venture into the Sword Prison was not for a trip down memory lane, nor had he any intention of disclosing his true identity. Concerned about lingering too long and risking exposure, Yu Yuan took Chen Qingyan by the hand and pressed on deeper into the prison.

The Sword Prison was a labyrinth of stone caves interconnected by pathways. However, each cave was isolated from the next by curtains of sword intent, shimmering like strands of pearls.

These curtains barred the inmates from visiting each other's caves, unable to cross the barriers of sword intent that stood between them. But for Yu Yuan, who possessed the sword sheath and harbored the sword soul within, such barriers posed no constraint.

Under Xi Quan's watchful eye, he effortlessly led Chen Qingyan by her jade hand, breezing through the sword intent pearl curtains as if they were mere wisps of air.

"Could he be the successor of that individual?" Xi Quan pondered, her brow furrowed, as Yu Yuan and Chen Qingyan disappeared into the distance. "The sword sheath is unmistakably his, and this young man carries a trace of his sword soul."

Her eyes narrowed, her demeanor frosty, "Pity, though, that his end was even more tragic than mine. At least I am still alive! To live is to hold onto hope, to embrace the endless possibilities that life offers."

Xi Quan had felt the upheaval when the Sword Prison was breached, its descent from the celestial forbidden realm to the Boundless Land not escaping her senses. Though the specifics eluded her, she was certain that the fall of the Sword Prison signified a great disturbance in the Boundless Land.

The three great upper sects, along with the rulers of the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace, must have, in some way, lost their grip on control.

"I'm itching to get out and see what the world has become. If only I could escape the Sword Prison, my Withered Sword would breathe new life into me!"

The adjacent cave was deserted.

Yu Yuan, with Chen Qingyan in tow, entered and surveyed the area before selecting a stone path to continue their journey.

In one corner of the cave, a massive old turtle lay dormant, its body a dark hue. It occupied a vast half-acre, its head tucked within its shell. It was only when Yu Yuan and Chen Qingyan intruded that it extended its head, revealing tiny eyes that flickered with a dim yellow glow, sizing up the pair.

Upon noticing the sword sheath in Yu Yuan's grasp, the turtle quivered and spoke in a human tongue, "Are you that fellow's disciple?"

With a scoff, Yu Yuan retorted, "What trouble did you stir up in the Demon Palace to end up locked away in the Outer Sword Prison?"

Yu Yuan couldn't gauge the old turtle's age. Given the demon race's longevity, it was entirely possible this enigmatic turtle had been confined here for over three centuries, perhaps even longer.

He knew of Hong Qi's time, a brief but brilliant era, yet the old turtle's story was unfamiliar to him.

"I'll ask the questions first," the old turtle huffed.

"Don't bother with him."

Chuckling, Yu Yuan gripped Chen Qingyan tighter and pressed on.

He had come to the Sword Prison to take in the sights, to gauge the caliber of its prisoners, to see if there were any faces he recognized among those at various levels of cultivation.

"Hey, don't rush off! Let's chat some more. I can tell you anything you want to know," the old turtle called out feebly.

Yu Yuan paid him no mind, quickly exiting the cave with Chen Qingyan.

They moved from cave to cave, encountering demons, Sword Sect renegades, sinners from the Profound Sky and Primordial Yang Sects, those who had lost their way in the Devil Palace, and notorious figures from the Boundless Land like the Filthy Spirit Sect and Voodoo Cult. Yu Yuan met them all.

All the inmates of the Sword Prison hailed from the Boundless Land—no Devaputras, no beings from foreign races.

None of the prisoners they came across could capture Yu Yuan's attention for long.

That is, until he encountered a captive from the Blood God Cult.

In the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, the Sword Prison loomed ominously, a place where even the stars of the Outland Starry Sky seemed to dim in its presence. Yu Yuan, with his companion Chen Qingyan, ventured through this formidable realm, their determination unwavering.