Chapter 466: The Dowry and the Dragon's Desire
Before Shen Anyu could ask, Ye Liyou spoke, her clear, cold Phoenix eyes showing a hint of joy: "Senior, this Seven-Foot Sword was originally the personal sword of the Sword Palace Lord, symbolizing her status. Since its disappearance five hundred years ago with Ancestral Master Lin Xuanyan, that generation's Sword Palace Master, subsequent Sect Leaders of the Sword Palace have not been called Palace Lords. Even Senior Sister Fairy Pei is only the Sect Leader."
Her voice, usually a blade of ice, now held a tremor of reverence, a warmth reserved only for him. "This Seven-Foot Sword is rumored to have been forged by the Sword Palace's founding Ancestral Master, using strange meteor iron from beyond the heavens, and crafted by a renowned artisan. It has extremely strong conductivity for a Martial Artist's True Essence and True Qi." She paused, her gaze fixed on the blade as if seeing centuries of history reflected in its polish. "With the Seven-Foot Sword in hand, a strong Sword Dao practitioner can double their strength."
It was a known truth in the martial world. While the most powerful individuals could weaponize anything—plucked flowers, fallen leaves, even the air itself—a worthy weapon was more than just a tool; it was an extension of the soul. An ordinary blade would buckle and shatter under the strain of a master's True Essence, a crude vessel leaking more power than it channeled. Ten parts of energy poured in might only yield three, or perhaps five, parts of destructive force, making it less effective than a master's bare hands.
But a divine weapon, a sharp and peerless blade like the Seven-Foot Sword, was different. It was a perfect conduit. It could channel one hundred percent of a martial artist's power, perhaps even amplify it. For a swordsman, possessing such a blade was like a tiger growing wings—a transformation that elevated them to an entirely new level of lethality.
Ye Liyou's delicate jade-like lips parted gently as she finished her explanation. With a grace that belied her assassin's past, she presented the ancient sword to Shen Anyu, her hands steady, her offering absolute. The sword hilt was wrapped in what looked like aged, dark green sharkskin, offering a surprisingly firm grip. The guard was simple, unadorned, showing its focus on function over form. But the blade itself… it seemed to drink the light in the room, possessing a deep, star-dusted luster that was unlike any earthly metal.
"Isn't this the personal sword of the Sword Palace's Lord?" Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow, a slow, amused smile playing on his lips as he accepted the weapon. It was heavier than it looked, perfectly balanced. "You're just giving it to me?"
Ye Liyou's own smile was a soft, breathtaking thing, a rare bloom in a winter frost. She looked up at him, her red lips parting slightly as she spoke, her voice laced with an irresistible mix of devotion and playful strategy.
"The Sword Palace has an ancestral instruction," she revealed, her eyes sparkling. "If a disciple retrieves the Seven-Foot Sword, they can directly assume the position of Sword Palace Lord. Senior… you are my man, Ye Liyou's man. You are no outsider. If you hold this sword, then you can certainly become the Sword Palace Lord."
A cunning, intelligent light danced in the depths of her Phoenix eyes, a flicker of the brilliant strategist that lay beneath the cold assassin. She leaned in just a fraction, her scent a subtle mix of night-blooming flowers and cold steel. "This could also be considered Liyou's dowry, Senior. I hope you don't mind that I'm presenting the Buddha with a borrowed flower."
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]