96: Within the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion, the sword's heart began to resonate.

The day after his house arrest was lifted, Lin Fan went straight to the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion. The Ancestral Artifact Pavilion was located behind the Lin Family's Ancestral Hall and was a standalone stone palace. Nine coiled Dragon stone pillars encircled the exterior, and the palace gate was tightly shut, inscribed with ancient Formation patterns that faintly emitted a frightening Spiritual Pressure.

This was where the Lin Family stored the weapons of countless generations of ancestors, and it was a symbol of the Family's heritage. Ordinary Disciples only had the chance to enter once to select a weapon if they made a great contribution or achieved a major Realm Breakthrough.

As the Divine Son, Lin Fan was inherently qualified to enter. However, his Cultivation had been weak before, so he had never come. Now that he was about to face the Ancient Domain trial, it was the perfect time to acquire a suitable weapon.

“Stop.” Outside the palace gate, two Seniors with profound auras blocked his path.

Both men wore gray hemp robes, their hair and beards entirely white, yet the sharp light in their eyes was contained—they were clearly powerful experts of the Condensing Essence Realm Late Stage!

“The Ancestral Artifact Pavilion is a vital area. Entry is forbidden without a token.” The Senior on the left spoke in a hoarse voice, like a broken bellows.

Lin Fan took out his Divine Son token: “Junior Lin Fan requests entry into the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion to select a weapon.”

The two Seniors took the token for inspection, then scrutinized Lin Fan for a moment. The Senior on the right slowly nodded: “Go in. Remember, you only have the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. When the time is up, regardless of whether you have chosen a weapon, you must come out.”

“Junior understands.”

The palace gate opened silently. Lin Fan stepped inside.

As soon as he stepped inside, an aura of solemnity, sorrow, yet hidden glory rushed toward him. The sight before him shook his spirit.

The interior space of the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion was vast, about ten zhang high and over thirty zhang long and wide. Yet, this immense space did not feel empty.

Thousands of weapons hung on the surrounding walls.

Sabers, swords, spears, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks—a dazzling array, everything imaginable was there. Some gleamed with chilling light, some were covered in rust, some were incomplete, but others still radiated terrifying Spiritual Pressure.

What shocked Lin Fan even more was that beneath every weapon was a jade plaque engraved with the weapon's name, the original owner's name, and a brief account of their life achievements.

“Wind-Slaying Saber, used by Lin Pojun. Duke Pojun consecutively slew seven Barbarian Tribe generals in the Northern Frontier three hundred years ago before exhausting his strength and dying in battle. This saber was sealed thereafter.”

“Flowing Cloud Sword, the personal sword of Lin Qingshuang. Old Ancestor Qingshuang was the Lin Family's number one Genius three hundred and fifty years ago, entering the Divine Ability Realm at the age of twenty-four, before traveling the world and disappearing without a trace.”

“Earth-Shaking Hammer, the weapon of Lin Zhenshan. Duke Zhenshan once shattered the Yao Beast Mountain Range with a single hammer blow, opening up three thousand li of territory for the Family.”

Lin Fan walked slowly, his gaze sweeping over the weapons. It was as if he saw the rise and fall of the Lin Family over a thousand years and witnessed the bloody battles fought by generations of ancestors.

What was collected here was not just weaponry, but the history and glory of the Lin Family.

[Detected special location: Ancestral Artifact Pavilion]

[Sign-in condition triggered]

[Do you wish to sign in here?]

The System prompt sounded at the opportune moment.

Lin Fan took a deep breath: [“Sign in.”]

[Sign-in successful]

[Congratulations to the host for receiving the reward: Sword Heart Illumination (Talent)]

[Reward Description: An ancient Sword Dao Talent that allows one to perceive the spiritual nature of weapons and resonate with sword-type weapons. Those with this Talent Cultivate sword techniques with double the efficiency and can unleash the maximum power of sword-type weapons.]

A cool sensation surged into Lin Fan's glabella, then spread throughout his body. He felt a subtle change in his perception; the weapons before him were no longer inanimate objects but seemed to possess life.

He “saw” the Flowing Cloud Sword humming softly, seemingly recounting its owner's demeanor; the Pojun Spear was trembling, as if still longing for blood; the pair of Mother-Child Rings chimed lightly, seemingly missing their former master... Was this Sword Heart Illumination?

Lin Fan suppressed the shock in his heart and began to sense carefully.

Time was limited; he had to find the weapon most suited to him.

After walking through most of the area, Lin Fan's steps suddenly halted.

He sensed an extremely faint yet incredibly tenacious call coming from a corner deep inside the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion.

Following the sensation, he found a dust-covered corner. Leaning against the wall in the corner was a sword.

The sword body was covered in dust, the scabbard was damaged, and the wrapping on the hilt had decayed. It looked as if this sword had been silent here for countless years, ignored even by the Disciples responsible for cleaning. But Lin Fan's Sword Heart Illumination told him—this sword was extraordinary.

He reached out and brushed the dust off the sword body.

The scabbard was made of ordinary bronze and was already rusted. Two ancient characters were faintly visible on the hilt, but they were severely worn and difficult to discern.

Lin Fan gripped the hilt and slowly drew the sword.

“Clang!” The moment the sword left its sheath, a sharp, aloof, yet faintly sorrowful Sword Intent soared into the sky! All the weapons in the entire Ancestral Artifact Pavilion trembled and hummed simultaneously, as if welcoming the return of a king!

The sword body was three feet three inches long and two fingers wide, entirely jet black, with only a thin, blood-colored line running along the spine, extending from the guard to the tip. The blade lacked luster and was even somewhat dull, but that Sword Intent made the hair on Lin Fan's body stand on end.

“This is,” Lin Fan was shocked.

He felt that the sword contained an Unyielding will, a determination that said, “Even against thousands, I will advance.”

On the hilt, the two ancient characters, stimulated by the Sword Intent, actually glowed faintly.

“Unyielding.”

unyielding sword!

Lin Fan's heart was surging. He was almost certain that this sword was the weapon he was looking for.

Just then, the sword body suddenly trembled, and a faint thought entered Lin Fan's mind:

“Are you willing to inherit my will?” Lin Fan gripped the hilt and replied in a deep voice: “I am willing.”

“Buzz!” The black longsword burst forth with dazzling light, and the blood-colored line seemed to come alive, flowing across the blade. A vast amount of information surged into Lin Fan's mind—the Unyielding Sword Art! This was an incomplete sword technique with only three forms: the first form, “Unyielding,” the second form, “Unyielding Resilience,” and the third form, “Undying.” Each form was simple yet profoundly mysterious.

More importantly, Lin Fan felt that something else seemed to be hidden within the unyielding sword, but with his current Cultivation, he couldn't fully activate it.

“Time is up.”

The Senior's voice came from outside the hall.

Lin Fan composed himself, sheathed the unyielding sword, and turned to walk out of the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion.

The two Seniors guarding the pavilion were stunned when they saw the sword in Lin Fan's hand.

“You chose this sword?” The Senior on the left had a complex expression.

“Is something wrong?” Lin Fan asked.

The Senior on the right sighed: “This sword is named Unyielding. It was the personal sword of an ancestor seven hundred years ago. That ancestor... alas, never mind. Since it chose you, it is your Opportunity. But you must remember, this sword possesses spirit, but also misfortune. None of its previous holders met a good end.”

Lin Fan's heart trembled, but he immediately stated firmly: “A sword is a weapon. Used right, it is righteous; used wrong, it is wicked. Senior, rest assured, Lin Fan will not fail this sword.”

The two Seniors exchanged glances and said no more.

Lin Fan left the Ancestral Artifact Pavilion, and not long after walking out, he saw a figure blocking his way.

It was a young man wearing white robes, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. His face was handsome, but his eyes were cold, and he radiated a suffocating Spiritual Pressure. He stood there, seemingly integrated with the surroundings, yet completely out of place.

Condensing Origin Third Layer!

Lin Fan's heart tightened. This person must be Lin Feng!

“You are Lin Fan?” Lin Feng spoke, his voice flat, yet carrying a condescending tone.

“That is correct.” Lin Fan stopped, his hand resting on the hilt of the unyielding sword.

“I heard you injured my younger brother Lin Hong and acted presumptuously in front of my grandfather.” Lin Feng's gaze swept over the sword in Lin Fan's hand. “And you chose this ominous sword? It seems you are determined to be an enemy of my lineage.”

“I never intended to be enemies with anyone,” Lin Fan said calmly, “but if someone insists on being my enemy, I will not back down.”

“Interesting.” A cold sneer curled Lin Feng's lips. “Body Tempering Eighth Layer, daring to speak such words in front of me. It seems the Grand Competition Champion title has made you arrogant.”

He took a step forward. With this step, terrifying Spiritual Pressure surged forth like a tide! The surrounding air seemed to solidify, and the bluestone slabs on the ground emitted cracking sounds under the immense strain.

Lin Fan let out a muffled groan. The Eternal Indestructible Body automatically circulated, and faint golden light and ethereal Dragon scales appeared on his Physical Body, allowing him to forcibly withstand the Spiritual Pressure.

“Hmm?” A flicker of surprise crossed Lin Feng's eyes. “You do have some tricks. No wonder you could defeat a First Level of Condensing Essence Deacon.”

But he immediately shook his head: “However, the First Level and the Condensing Origin Third Layer are worlds apart. If you kneel down now, admit your mistake, and swear never to be an enemy of my lineage, I might consider letting you go.”

Lin Fan smiled: “What if I don't kneel?”

“Then the Ancient Domain trial will be your burial ground.” Lin Feng's voice was icy. “I will let you know what true despair is.”

Having finished speaking, he stopped looking at Lin Fan and turned to leave.

The Spiritual Pressure dissipated.

Lin Fan stood rooted to the spot, his sword-gripping hand trembling slightly—not from fear, but from excitement.

Pressure, immense pressure! But this pressure only ignited his Battle Intent further.

“Condensing Origin Third Layer, Lin Feng, we shall meet in the Ancient Domain.”

Returning to his courtyard, Lin Fan couldn't wait to begin studying the unyielding sword and the Unyielding Sword Art.

He sat cross-legged, placed the unyielding sword horizontally across his knees, and used his Sword Heart Illumination Talent to sense the sword's spirit. Gradually, he established a subtle connection with the sword.

This sword seemed to be telling him something.

What exactly did that ancestor seven hundred years ago experience? Why was this sword considered ominous?

Lin Fan did not know. But he could feel that the Unyielding will contained within the sword perfectly matched his resolve to pursue the path of a strong practitioner.

He began to Cultivate the Unyielding Sword Art.

The first form, “Unyielding,” emphasized pressing forward relentlessly, using offense as defense. The sword strikes without regret, having gone out, it does not return.

Lin Fan practiced in the courtyard. Initially clumsy, his progress was rapid under the blessing of Sword Heart Illumination. Three hours later, he could barely execute the rudimentary form of this technique.

He thrust his sword, and Sword Qi crisscrossed! A three-zhang long trench was carved into the bluestone ground of the courtyard!

“What terrifying power!” Lin Fan was shocked. This was only the rudimentary form; how terrifying would its power be if he achieved Major Achievement?

He continued to Cultivate.

Unconsciously, three days passed.

For these three days, Lin Fan stayed indoors, dedicating himself entirely to Cultivating the Unyielding Sword Art. With the Sword Heart Illumination Talent and the powerful Physical Body provided by the Eternal Indestructible Body, his rate of progress was terrifying.

The first form, “Unyielding,” Minor Achievement!

The second form, “Unyielding Resilience,” entry level!

The third form, “Undying,” was still being comprehended.

And his Cultivation, through this high-intensity training, naturally achieved the Breakthrough to the Ninth Level of Body Tempering!

The moment of the Breakthrough, the Qi and blood in Lin Fan's body roared like thunder, and his Physical Body strength surged again. He felt his power had increased by at least threefold, and his control over his body reached a new level.

“It's still not enough.” Lin Fan gripped the unyielding sword tightly. “The Ninth Level of Body Tempering is still insufficient against the Condensing Origin Third Layer.”

“But if I can Cultivate the second form of the Unyielding Sword Art to Minor Achievement, coupled with the Eternal Indestructible Body and the True Dragon Body Refining Art, I might not be without the strength to fight.”

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

There are still twenty-five days until the Meteor Star Ancient Domain trial.

In Lin Fan's eyes, Battle Intent blazed fiercely.