Qin Xuan paused for a moment, his expression calm as he said, "Sword techniques."
"Sword techniques? No problem!" Shen Tianming said with a flattering expression. "As far as I know, there's nothing good on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion. Only outer disciples go down there."
"If you want to choose a suitable sword technique, just go straight to the second floor."
Qin Xuan nodded, remembering his words.
Shortly after, the two of them went together to the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
As soon as they stepped onto the second floor, their field of vision instantly expanded. Rows of specially made racks were lined with various ancient tomes.
Generally speaking, based on the architecture of a pavilion, higher levels should be narrower, but the Scripture Pavilion defied conventional logic. The space on the second floor was much larger than the first, likely due to some spatial array. Presumably, the highest floor of the Scripture Pavilion held an entirely different world within.
Qin Xuan didn't dwell on it and began searching for martial arts techniques that suited him.
"Thunder-Drawing Sword, middle-grade Yellow rank. When mastered, it can summon thunder from the heavens."
Qin Xuan merely glanced at this martial art before putting it back where it was. A sword technique of this grade was far less powerful than a casual slash from him.
"Dragon's Breath Mountain-Burning Palm, upper-grade Yellow rank. Once activated, it transforms spiritual energy into dragon's breath flames."
"Raging Waves Wild Sea Slash, upper-grade Yellow rank..."
"Awakened Lion Fist, upper-grade Yellow rank..."
One by one, martial arts techniques were quickly flipped through in Qin Xuan's hands, only to be put back down.
Time ticked by.
Shen Tianming, following behind Qin Xuan, felt his head spinning from watching.
"Senior Brother... why don't we split up? That way we'll be more efficient," Shen Tianming said helplessly.
Hearing this, Qin Xuan gave a slight nod. "Go ahead."
"You got it."
With that, Shen Tianming left to search other areas for sword-type martial arts.
"Hmm?"
Not long after Shen Tianming left, a yellowed booklet in a secluded corner caught Qin Xuan's attention.
He reached out, picked up the martial art, and dusted off the grime on it.
"Xuantian Sword Formula... an incomplete volume?"
Qin Xuan looked at the somewhat battered ancient tome in his hand, slightly stunned.
"I didn't expect this Xuantian Sword Formula to be an incomplete volume. No wonder it's been gathering dust here all this time."
Yet, logically speaking, an incomplete volume had no qualification to enter the Scripture Pavilion. Qin Xuan had looked through so many martial arts techniques in the Scripture Pavilion, and while their grades weren't high, they were all complete.
"To be able to enter the Scripture Pavilion in the form of an incomplete volume, it must have extraordinary qualities."
The battered martial art instead aroused Qin Xuan's interest. He slowly opened the ancient book and looked down.
"The Xuantian Sword Formula is divided into nine forms. Unfortunately, this incomplete volume only has the first three forms, so its grade is unknown."
"The first form of this sword formula can only unleash the effect of a lower-grade Yellow rank, but if practiced to the third form, it possesses the might of the Xuan rank."
Qin Xuan looked at the introduction of the Xuantian Sword Formula with some surprise. The third form of the Xuantian Sword Formula could rival a Xuan-rank martial art, so if all nine forms were complete, how terrifying would its might be?
The trace of surprise in his eyes flashed by and quickly returned to calm.
Immediately after, he put the Xuantian Sword Formula away, planning to study it when he got back.
"Senior Brother! Senior Brother!"
"I found an upper-grade Yellow rank sword martial art. I'm not sure if it suits..."
At that moment, Shen Tianming hurried over to Qin Xuan, his face full of eagerness.
Qin Xuan's gaze fell on the martial art in Shen Tianming's hand, and he shook his head. "I've already found a suitable martial art. You can put that back."
"You found one?"
Shen Tianming was slightly stunned. How long had he even been gone? He had to remember that before this, Qin Xuan had been picking and choosing for a long time without finding a suitable martial art.
Full of curiosity, he looked at the martial art in Qin Xuan's hand and instantly turned pale with shock.
"It's actually this martial art?!"
Qin Xuan paused for a moment and asked out of curiosity, "What? Is there something wrong with this martial art?"
"There's a huge problem!" Shen Tianming blurted out.
He took a deep breath and continued, "Quite a few people know that there is this Xuantian Sword Formula on the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, which rivals a Xuan-rank martial art."
"Yet no one has ever paid it any mind. Does Senior Brother know why?"
Qin Xuan shook his head. He had just arrived; how could he possibly know such secrets?
Seeing Qin Xuan shake his head, Shen Tianming quickly explained, "It's very simple. Because ever since this sword formula entered the Qingshan Sect, no one has ever successfully cultivated it."
"Whether ordinary disciples or Potian Peak disciples who specialized in swordsmanship, they all failed."
"There's even a rumor that Li Wushuang, the Master of Potian Peak, practiced it too, but no one has ever seen him execute it. Think about the reason for yourself."
"Oh? You mean Li Wushuang failed as well?" Qin Xuan raised his brows slightly, somewhat surprised.
As the foremost swordsman of the Qingshan Sect and an expert in the Xuanji Realm, even Li Wushuang had failed to master the Xuantian Sword Formula. No wonder this martial art had been ignored in the Scripture Pavilion all along.
Shen Tianming nodded and advised, "So, Senior Brother, you must not waste your energy on this incomplete volume."
Qin Xuan chuckled instead. "It's fine. Just because others can't do it doesn't mean I can't."
Shen Tianming was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. If anyone else had said such words, he would have scoffed with contempt. But Qin Xuan was a peerless genius of the unprecedented nine-star alignment... it was hard to say...
Then, he paused and cast a flattering glance at Qin Xuan. "Senior Brother is definitely different from the rest. You'll surely be fine."
Since Qin Xuan had made up his mind, shrewd as he was, he certainly wouldn't say anything more.
However, after pondering for a moment, he still tentatively asked, "Senior Brother, this martial art here isn't bad either. Take it along just in case; if that doesn't work out, we can practice this one."
Qin Xuan waved his hand. "No need, put it back."
With that, he had already started walking toward the exit of the Scripture Pavilion.
Seeing this, Shen Tianming had no choice but to give up, trotting all the way back to return the martial art.
Soon, Qin Xuan arrived at the front desk of the Scripture Pavilion, took out his token and the Xuantian Sword Formula, and said, "Hello, I'd like to borrow this martial art."
The receptionist was a pretty female disciple. Without even lifting her head, she instinctively reached out to take the token and the martial art.
"Hmm? It's actually the Xuantian Sword Formula!"
The female disciple looked at the martial art in her hand, stunned at first, and then let out a cry of alarm.
The next instant, she snapped her head up to look at Qin Xuan with a face full of astonishment. "You're that Dao Child from Tianling Peak with the nine-star alignment? Are... are you sure you want to borrow this martial art?"
Qin Xuan remained expressionless and nodded indifferently. "Sure."
Seeing the firm look in Qin Xuan's eyes, the female disciple said nothing more. She scanned his token against the micro-array behind her and then handed the token and the martial art back to Qin Xuan.
Qin Xuan put away the martial art and the token, and at this moment, Shen Tianming caught up as well.
With that, Qin Xuan prepared to leave.
Right at that moment, a provocative voice approached from afar.
"As expected of the peerless genius with the nine-star alignment in our Qingshan Sect, you just don't know your own limitations."
"Do you know that this sword formula is a martial art that even forced the Master of Potian Peak to retreat and give up?"
"And yet you, mere Zhoutian Realm cultivator, who gave you the courage to borrow this martial art?"