My Ares Son-in-Law

"Sword, come." Xiao Chen said softly, his tone calm and even.

hum...

The Reverse Scale Sword transformed into a silver streak of light and instantly landed in his palm. The star pattern on the sword's blade swirled, perfectly fitting his palm, and the feeling of being connected by blood became even clearer.

Just then, Qin Xianglan's voice came from outside the door, filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Mr. Xiao, congratulations on the opening of the Divine Sword! The extraordinary phenomenon just now was too amazing, I'm afraid... it has already alarmed the top forces in the entire Dragon Kingdom."

Xiao Chen flipped his wrist, sheathed the Reverse Scale Sword, and got up to push open the door.

Outside the door, Qin Xianglan stood quietly, followed by Ouyang Ye. This titan of the Dragon Kingdom's weapon-making world had lost all his former arrogance. His gaze toward Xiao Chen was filled with pure awe and fervor, like a believer meeting their god.

“Mr. Xiao…” Ouyang Ye stepped forward, bowed deeply, and spoke with utmost respect, “I have a question, but I don’t know if I should ask it.”

"Speak," Xiao Chen replied calmly, his presence commanding without anger.

"After this sword was sharpened, has... has a 'sword spirit' been born?" Ouyang Ye's voice trembled slightly, his eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation.

Xiao Chen did not answer directly, but slowly raised his right hand. The Reverse Scale Sword in the black jade scabbard seemed to sense this and automatically drew three inches out of the scabbard. The star map on the sword suddenly lit up, and a phantom image of a blue dragon appeared and disappeared in the star map, emitting a faint dragon roar.

"This...this is..." Ouyang Ye's pupils shrank, he gasped, and immediately knelt down, respectfully bowing to the Reverse Scale Sword. "Star Soul as Spirit! It really is Star Soul as Spirit! The records in the ancient books are actually true...May Heaven bless the Dragon Kingdom! May Heaven bless the Dragon Kingdom!"

Xiao Chen flicked his wrist, and the Reverse Scale Sword automatically returned to its sheath. He spoke calmly, "Get up."

Ouyang Ye quickly stood up and bowed to stand aside.

Xiao Chen glanced at the two men, about to give them some instructions about tonight's events, when Ouyang Ye spoke first: "I swear on my life's cultivation in weapon forging that I will not divulge a single word of what I see and hear tonight to the outside world! If I break this oath, I am willing to be struck by heavenly lightning and have my soul and body destroyed!"

Qin Xianglan also said solemnly, "The entire Qin family swears an oath by the clan rules to keep secrets. Anyone who leaks information will be expelled from the family and never allowed to set foot in the weapon-making industry again!"

Xiao Chen nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window.

He could clearly sense countless gazes, some greedy, some wary, and some curious, piercing through the night from all directions and locking onto the direction of Cangfeng Pavilion.

But so what?
To others, a secret realm-level treasure is a rare and precious gem, a powerful weapon capable of disrupting the existing power structure. But to Xiao Chen, this Reverse Scale Sword is nothing more than a slightly more valuable toy.

Anyone who wants it is welcome! Let's see if they have the skills!
Meanwhile, at the summit of West Mountain.

This place is not the Xishan Scenic Area marked on the tourist map, but an absolute forbidden zone deep in the heart of the mountains, shrouded in a barrier all year round.

Beside the cliff, a stargazing platform stands alone, its base cast from a single piece of extraterrestrial meteorite iron, its dark stone surface covered with dense ancient runes.

Tonight, those runes, silent for countless years, are faintly glowing with a cold, blue light, echoing the stars in the night sky.

Five figures stood silently in the center of the platform, their auras deep and unwavering, seemingly suppressing the surrounding night breeze. Apart from Li Shicong and Qin Zhenyue, the other three each possessed unique strengths:

A man dressed in a faded old military uniform, his epaulets long gone, but his back was ramrod straight. The iron-blooded aura emanating from him seemed to penetrate time, inspiring awe in those who looked upon him.
Holding a white jade ruyi, wearing a plain Taoist robe embroidered with flowing yin-yang fish, with a touch of otherworldly Taoist charm in her eyes and brows, she was a female Taoist priest from the sacred Taoist site.

There was also a hunched figure wrapped in a large black cloak, the brim of the hat pulled down so low that even the outline of the face could not be seen, and a faint, eerie aura lingered around him, much like a lurking ghost.

"Old Qin, we must get to the bottom of this." Li Shicong's voice rang out in the silent night wind, as cold and hard as steel.

"The energy level of that silver pillar of light has been calculated by the Celestial Surveillance Bureau... It is not only at the peak of the Secret Realm, but it has even faintly touched the barrier of the 'Heavenly Gate'."

"Such an entity has suddenly appeared within the territory of the Dragon Kingdom. If we cannot grasp its movements, neither of us can bear this responsibility concerning the fate of the nation."

Qin Zhenyue did not respond immediately; he looked down at the bronze compass floating in his palm.

This compass is only the size of a palm, but it weighs over a thousand pounds. The 360 ​​markings on the bronze surface are not ordinary directional markings, but mysterious symbols corresponding to the celestial constellations, the twenty-four solar terms, human destiny, and even the national fortune of a country.

This is one of the three sacred artifacts of the Celestial Surveillance Bureau... a sub-device of the "Zhou Tian Yi" (a type of celestial instrument). It possesses immense power, but also suffers from extreme wear and tear.

"Using one's life essence as a guide to glimpse the secrets of such beings will inevitably shorten one's lifespan," Qin Zhenyue said slowly, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity. "Brother Li, are you sure you want to take this step?"

"I'll make up for whatever lifespan you lose." Without hesitation, Li Shicong took out a translucent white jade bottle from his bosom. As soon as the stopper was opened, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the air, and even the surrounding spiritual energy became more gentle.

"The 'Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill,' specially supplied by the Kunlun Sacred Land, can prolong life with just one pill. Here are three. Is that enough?"

The hunched figure under the cloak suddenly let out a hoarse, strange laugh, like a broken bellows being pulled: "The Li family's reach is quite far. They even managed to get their hands on the Kunlun Mountain-Suppressing Pill. It seems that your Li family has been making many plans in secret over the years."

"Shut up, old ghost." The old man in military uniform spoke coldly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority. "Tonight's events concern the fate of the Dragon Kingdom. As for personal grudges, put them aside for now!"

The hunched figure chuckled and said no more.

Qin Zhenyue took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes. He bit his tongue hard, and a drop of blood, shimmering with a pale golden luster, spilled from the corner of his mouth, landing precisely on the Tai Chi diagram at the center of the compass.

"Om...!"

The compass trembled violently, broke free from Qin Zhenyue's grasp, and hovered three feet in front of his chest. The markings on its bronze surface flashed wildly, emitting a blinding light.

Qin Zhenyue's hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals with his fingers flying like butterflies. Each seal was incredibly precise, drawing the azure light from the Star Gazing Platform's runes and gradually converging it into a thick pillar of light that shot straight into the night sky, connecting with the countless stars to form a net.

"All the stars in the heavens, heed my command..." Qin Zhenyue's voice suddenly became solemn and dignified, as if he were conversing with the heavens and earth, "Show!"

hum!
The compass spun rapidly, becoming a blur of bronze. The area representing the Dragon Kingdom's territory on the compass suddenly lit up, countless points of light flashing, moving, and disappearing wildly within it, each point representing a fluctuation of energy. (End of Chapter)