"If you can pull out this sword, it will belong to you, and I will also tell you about the Yan Luo Heavenly King. But if you can't pull it out..."
The man in the red robe grinned, "The treasure chooses its master to serve, this sword will still return to me!"
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow. Even before the man finished speaking, his hand was already on the sword hilt.
The next moment, with a sharp "clang" of the sword, the Ghost-slaying Treasure Sword full of demonic aura was easily drawn by Xu Qing!
"What did you just say?"
"..."
The man in the red robe was silent.
Seeing the man's silence, Xu Qing assumed the True Monarch wanted to go back on his word. He chuckled and simply tossed the sword back.
"Demon Exorcism True Monarch, you've done great deeds in expelling demons between the two realms. This sword is returned to you! Just hope that you continue to slay ghosts and evil, and don't let this sword lose its sharpness!"
The man in the red robe was genuinely surprised this time. He caught the sword with a reverse grip and looked down at Xu Qing:
"This is a greatly treasured item bestowed by the Yan Luo Heavenly King, a genuine ghostly divine weapon. You truly don't want it?"
"No reward should come without effort. I've seen plenty of you deities full of schemes; how could you offer me a treasure for no reason?"
"I fear you've got a stomach full of sinister schemes just waiting to spill onto me. I won't be fooled!"
"This Treasure Sword, if you love it, keep it; if not, throw it elsewhere. I don't care for it!"
Xu Qing was speaking truthfully. Although he knew the Profound Lady Sword Technique, the Nine Heavens Profound Lady wouldn't use such a broad sword, and even if he wanted to wield a heavy sword with blunt force, he had a higher-level Tiangang Axe Technique to use instead.
Compared to the Ghost-slaying Treasure Sword, which was neither heavy nor light, it fell between the two kinds of divine techniques that Xu Qing excelled at with sword and axe.
Can it be used? Yes!
Xu Qing could even use this sword as a Tiangang Axe, or wield it lightly as a weapon for the Profound Lady Sword Technique.
But to fully unleash the potential of both divine sword and axe techniques, it was still lacking.
Simply put, it wasn't quite handy.
Moreover, Xu Qing didn't want to take what others loved, especially since he had encountered scheming deities like Lord Yuan and the nameless old woman before.
After several encounters, Xu Qing had developed a psychological shadow, leading him to instinctively be on guard when he saw the so-called deities.
In a world of imbalance, full of demons and ghosts appearing endlessly, why would a ghostly deity known for slaying ghosts freely give his ghost-slaying Treasure Sword to a living person?
Though the Demon Exorcism True Monarch had set a bet with Xu Qing beforehand, who randomly wagers their personal sword as a casual bet?
You mean Zuo Zixiong?
He's just a fool obsessed with his constantly giving way old slippers in Dayong, serving no significant reference.
Xu Qing didn't think those deities at the forefront of ghost-slaying and demon-exorcism would recklessly send out divine weapons and relics that don't belong in this world.
Maybe the Demon Exorcism True Monarch stayed in the bone temple guarding those underground divine relics just to give away the sword in his hand, and the so-called bet was probably just standard procedure like the Rakshasa Ghost and the Five Plague Ghost, done for some definite purpose.
After all, who knows if today's words from the Demon Exorcism True Monarch have been said to others as well.
Perhaps that sword has already been gifted several times, stained with the blood of second-hand, third-hand owners.
It's no wonder Xu Qing thought so; with the Heaven-Reaching Road broken, anything could happen.
On the boundary marker, the Demon Exorcism True Monarch, hearing Xu Qing's words, fell completely silent.
It was his first time doing such a thing. Did he do something wrong? That can't be right!
Or is it that in these times, even heavenly gifts can't deceive anyone?
"It's said that wealth moves people's hearts, yet you're not swayed by poverty and humbleness."
Xu Qing's face darkened. What does 'not swayed by poverty' mean? Do I look that poor?
The man in the red robe continued speaking to himself, "I don't wish to force anyone. You're right; giving you the Sword and offering you heavenly weapons was indeed with certain considerations."
"..."
Xu Qing's frown eased, showing a 'as expected' expression.
These deities are truly up to no good, a bunch of old fraudsters!
"Well, I haven't fed the chickens at home yet, so I'll take my leave first, won't chat idly with the True Monarch!"
"Wait!" a voice came from the boundary marker.
Xu Qing turned a deaf ear and sat in the straw palanquin, preparing to head to the Eight Banner Marshals' camp.
"Forget it..."
From above, the man in the red robe sighed deeply, looking somewhat regretful: "It's just a pity that all the local populace here will have to meet their end in front of me."
Following orders, the Straw Spirit Paperman, which was previously running away, suddenly stopped, then returned exactly to where it was under the boundary marker between Yin and Yang.
Xu Qing lifted the palanquin curtain and asked, "What did the True Monarch say just now, what do you mean by sacrificing the local populace?"
The man in the red robe opened his mouth to speak but suddenly stopped.
The next moment, Xu Qing saw the Demon Exorcism True Monarch take out a red umbrella and throw it above his head.
As soon as the red umbrella was thrown, it spun and opened up, suspending over the boundary marker in the air.
Then, the man in the red robe took out a red silk lantern, holding it in one hand, encasing the surroundings within a ten-mile radius, including the bone temple, in red light.
Seeing this, Xu Qing's heart moved.
Rumor has it the Demon Exorcism True Monarch possesses, aside from the Ghost-slaying Cyan Blade Sword, a red umbrella, also known as the Soul-Gathering Umbrella, which wards off evil and protects the soul.
There's also a red silk lantern, which can illuminate hidden forms, disperse evil spirits, and help identify demons.
What kind of words require such caution from a ghostly deity of the underworld?
Xu Qing suddenly regretted poking his head back, but thinking of what the other had said about the local populace, he couldn't ignore it.