Chapter 97:
The next instant, Claire suddenly felt an irresistible strong power power suck her in directly. Pulling Claire’s hand, Summer was also sucked in right after.
Instantly, four people had disappeared.
Ben humphed coldly, extended his hand, and also disappeared before their eyes.
Jean didn’t saw a word, walking forward and disappearing voluntarily. Everybody else looked at each other in dismay. Camille shrugged and walked forward in a relaxed manner. Everybody also went right after, all disappearing at the cave’s entrance.
Just as they were sucked into the barrier, they felt an irresistible force down. The sound of Summer and Qiao Chuxin’s shrieks came.
Claire was rolling her eyes, completely speechless at whoever had designed the path. It felt like a rollar coaster!
Sliding down a giant curved slide, specks of ores inlayed in the walls shining like stars, lighting up the cavern. Everyone rapidly slid down one after the other. Summer and Qiao Chuxin’s shrieks could be heard at different intervals. The feeling of weightlessness was very uncomfortable.
Finally, everybody slid down in a disoriented manner. After standing steadily with difficulty, they started to size up the surroundings.
Claire rubbed her sore bottom ungracefully, cursing the person who had set up the barrier.
“That’s the treasure?” Summer exclaimed in surprised.
Everybody looked the direction Summer was looking and saw a tall platform made of white marble, stairs made out of a few layers of the same white marble leading upwards. A sword was sticking out of the white marble platform, an extraordinarily ordinary sword! A complete mismatch with the sparkly, beautiful white jade platform.
“How ordinary. I thought it would be a precious sword completely embedded with gems,” Summer said a little disappointedly.
“That would just be flashy and useless,” Li Yuewen said icily. Obviously, Summer’s attitude made her a little angry.
“Didn’t we find the treasure too easily?” Walter peered at the surroundings skeptically.
“It doesn’t matter if you find it or not because the artifact chooses his owner. Even if someone finds it, if they can’t pull him out, then it will just be a decoration and can’t be used,” Li Mingyu explained.
Claire remembered his past words and understood. The artifact was created by their Li ancestors and only descendents of the Li clan could pull it out. No wonder Li Mingyu was so unhurried, he believed that it was impossible for the artifact to choose anyone besides them Li siblings.
“But it really looks ordinary.” Ben walked up the the white jade platform and crouched down, looking suspiciously at the sword.
“What do you know!” Claire also went forward and examined it, coldly lecturing Ben, “The more ordinary something looks, the more enigmatic. Ordinary looking things often make people lose their guards. Biding your time and then making a fatal blow at the right moment can achieve what was previously impossible.”
Ben frowned as he watched Claire, listening intently to Claire’s teachings, then nodded. “In other words, making a pretense?”
“Trick your enemies, make them think you’re useless, then beat them up viciously. This method is very effective,” Claire continued to teach coldly.
“Oh, oh.” Ben nodded over and over, remembering this exceptionally keenly.
The two’s teacher and student appearance made everybody look in disbelief.
Li Mingyu slowly walked forward, watching the ordinary looking sword profoundly. He knew that the sword was definitely not as simple as it looked.
Just as Li Mingyu approached the treasured blade, a strange situation happened.
The sword started to vibrate slightly, slowly glowing silver.
Li Yuewen smiled joyously and was relieved. The sword definitely had a consciousness. There was hope for reviving the Li clan!
Li Mingyu also started to become a bit excited. The treasured blade that he had been looking for was right before his and actually had a reaction towards him approaching!
Claire stared wide eyed at the scene before her, gasping internally. The artifact really did have a will and could choose its owner! Everybody else also stared unflinchingly and held their breath seeing the scene before them.
As Li Mingyu came closer, the sword vibrated more intensely and the sword became brighter.
Li Mingyu was completely solemn. He stood before the treasured blade and said in a dignified manner, “Please reply to my summon. Follow my will, guide the Li clan towards prosperity once more.”
Everybody hadn’t moved their gaze, watching Li Mingyu’s actions closely, fearing they would miss the mysterious moment when the artifact would accept its owner.
Li Minyu solemnly closed his eyes and slowly extended his hand, setting it on the sword hilt, then pulled with force.
Instantly, there were infinite rays, striking the soul…… strange!
The treasured blade did not move a single inch. It just vibrated and glowed silver as before.
What? After being shocked for a moment, Li Mingyu pulled forcefully once more.
The treasured blade did not move a single inch, just as before!
Everybody blinked, perplexed. Didn’t he already finish making a big show out of it, why hadn’t he pulled it out yet?
Claire also frowned, looking at Li Mingyu, not understanding exactly what he was doing. What was he doing, just standing there and not pulling out the sword?
Li Yuewen frowned slightly because with her older brother’s personality, Li Mingyu wouldn’t continue to hesitate and not pull out the sword! An ominous premonition arose in her heart.
Li Mingyu pulled forcefully once more, but the treasured blade was still stuck in the white jade platform as before, not moving at all.
Li Mingyu’s expression finally changed. He slowly let go and said in a low voice, “I can’t pull it out. Yuewen, you try.”
“Ah?!” Everybody gasped in surprise. Li Mingyu actually couldn’t pull the sword out?! The treasured blade actually did not accept Li Mingyu as its owner?! But wasn’t the blade continuously vibrating and lighting up when Li Mingyu was going up? Was it playing around?
“Me?” Li Yuewen pointed at her nose and asked doubtfully.
“Yes. In the Li clan, besides me, you also have the right.” Li Mingyu’s tone was a big complex. The Li clan had already fallen to such an extent and only they two siblings were persisting to support it.
Seeing the situation before them, Claire and everyone else weren’t able to say a word. They just quietly waited.
Li Yuewen’s expression became conflicted as she slowly walked up to the white jade platform. She slowly extended her hand out, her hand shaking slightly. She hoped she could pull it out, but at the same time, hoped she couldn’t. What did being able to pull it out mean? Did it mean that Elder brother wasn’t as good as her? If she couldn’t pull it out, then how would the Li clan revive? Li Yuewen felt completely conflicted, but in the end, still set her hand on the sword hilt.
With rapt attention, she pulled!
The blade did not move an inch.
Li Yuewen let out a sigh of relief in her heart. The treasured blade’s chosen owner wasn’t her!
Instantly, the cavern fell silent. Everybody glanced at each other, unable to say anything.
What kind of situation was this?!
The treasured blade didn’t choose any owner! Both of the Li siblings failed to become the treasured blade’s owner!
It was deathly silent. There was only the sound of the treasured sword still vibrating.
Li Mingyu and Li Yuewen just stared blankly at the treasured blade at a loss. They had done everything they could and finally found the treasured sword, but now they could only look at it. Nobody else dared to say anything. Seeing the two’s expressions, they all were silent. It seemed unsuitable to console them at this moment.
After a long time, Claire felt that her foot had even started going to sleep. Then Claire said weakly, “Then, is there a way to dig out the white jade platform and then bring back both the white jade platform and treasured sword back? Perhaps there’s someone else in the Li clan the treasured sword will accept as its owner.”
Li Mingyu shook his head slowly, his eyes calm. “If this was possible, someone would have done that long ago. It can only be said that we siblings don’t have enough strength and the treasured sword won’t accept us.”
Li Yuewen was also listless.
Instantly, an indescribably dismal mood descended. Nobody knew what to say.
Seeing Li Yuewen’s listless expression, Claire also started to feel uncomfortable. Although this woman was usually very fierce, there was no way for Claire to dislike her. She wanted to say something to console her, but she didn’t know what to say.
Claire shifted around, her foot had started to fall asleep.
Claire extended her hand unconsciously, just wanting to rest on the sword for a moment.
An abnormal “bang” sounded, suddenly breaking the silence in the cavern.
Everybody’s mouths were wide open seeing the scene before them, dumbstruck.
Claire had fallen on the white jade platform and the ordinary looking treasured sword also fallen next to her too!
Claire hurriedly got up. Seeing the sword next to her, she hastily picked it up and said frantically, “I only wanted to lean on it for moment, I didn’t mean to. I, I’ll immediately stick it back…”
I only wanted to lean on it for moment, I didn’t mean to. I, I’ll immediately stick it back…
Echo, echo….
It continued to echo endlessly.
Holding the treasured sword, Claire’s first reaction was to immediately stick it back.
Suddenly, Claire froze. Cold wind blew past behind her. Claire slowly looked down, stupefied seeing the treasured blade in her hand.
Wasn’t it that only Li clan descendents could pull it out? Was it that you needed that, what was it, resolute will and powerful strength to pull it out? Why was it that it fell over after she just pushed it lightly?
Claire stood there stiffly, looked back robotically, and saw everybody’s exceptional expressions. Especially Li Yuewen’s, her wide eyes staring straight at the treasured blade in Claire’s grip.
“But… but wasn’t it that only people from the Li clan could pull it out? The sword has made a mistake. Sh, shouldn’t I stick it back?” Claire asked meekly, seeing Li Yuewen’s oppressive gaze.
“The, the treasured sword actually recognized you as its owner!” Summer stuttered, pointing at the sword. Her eyes were full of disbelief and amazement. Everybody else’s minds were blank. They just stared vacantly at Claire.
“I, I’ll, I’ll put it back right now…” Claire said weakly, looking extremely not at fault.
“You! You stinkin’ brat!” Li Yuewen abruptly grabbed Claire’s collar, forcefully shaking her. “What do you think my Li clan’s treasured sword is? You want to stick it back? It actually chose you, chose you as its owner, is there some kind of mistake? What kind of destiny is this?!”
