For a long while, the nauseating smell of blood was carried away by the gentle breeze. Ning Xian's chest heaved as he abruptly opened his eyes, jolted awake.

"Huff... Ha..."

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he gasped for air, a fleeting confusion flashing across his eyes.

"I..."

He sat up, looked down at the pool of blood beneath him, and felt a faint ache at the back of his head.

Touching the blood behind his head, Ning Xian's face turned pale.

"Was I... just dead?"

"No, that's impossible. The dead cannot come back to life... How could this be..."

Shock consumed him as his hand unintentionally brushed against something. A warm metallic sensation flowed into his palm.

"What's this?"

Lowering his gaze, Ning Xian picked up an arm guard embedded with a green gem from the pool of blood, confusion glittering in his eyes.

"Roar!!"

The instant he touched the arm guard, a majestic beastly roar echoed in his mind, startling him so much that he instinctively threw the arm guard aside.

As fear gripped him, a fleeting phantom of a sky-blue Qilin Beast flashed through his mind.

"That was..."

Ning Xian's eyes widened as he stared blankly at the discarded arm guard not far from him.

Seeing that the arm guard bore no abnormalities, Ning Xian mustered his courage and hesitantly stepped forward to retrieve it again.

"Buzz..."

In an instant, the arm guard emitted a faint light, and a proud voice reverberated within his mind.

"Young lad, I am Tianjing, an Ancient Divine Beast. Speak my name aloud!"

"Who's there?"

Startled, Ning Xian looked around, nearly dropping the arm guard yet again.

"Young lad, I am right in your hand."

In disbelief, Ning Xian stared at the arm guard and said incredulously, "You... You're inside this? You're a Divine Beast?"

"Indeed. It was I who saved you. Aren't you going to thank me?"

"You saved me?"

Ning Xian exclaimed, "But I was already dead moments ago. How could you..."

"Ha ha, young lad, I am a Divine Beast! Saving a mere mortal is hardly worth making a fuss over."

Ning Xian scratched at his healing, itchy wound at the back of his head. After expressing his gratitude, he asked skeptically.

"Benefactor, what exactly is a Divine Beast? Does it have any connection with Devil Beasts?"

On the Heavenly Artifact Continent, even those in the God Realm referred to them as Devil Beasts, and there had never been legends of Divine Beasts.

The voice from the arm guard hesitated briefly and then sighed, "Ah, thousands of years have passed. Who would have thought that my legend is no longer known here and the name 'Divine Beast' has faded into obscurity? How lamentable..."

Curse it, what ridiculous script has the master given me? On the Heavenly Artifact Continent, there's no mention of Divine Beasts. Now I have to pretend to be one? Not only does this do nothing for my prestige, but I also have to explain everything to this guy!

Tianjing silently complained to himself.

Hearing this, Ning Xian's heart stirred. He tentatively asked, "Divine Beast, may I ask how you compare to Holy Artifact Masters in strength?"

"Humph! Holy Artifact Masters? Back when I roamed the world, Holy Artifact Masters were only fit to guard my gates. Young lad, are you mocking me?" Tianjing's tone carried a hint of anger.

"What? Even Holy Artifact Masters were..."

Ning Xian's heart was seized with shock, and he quickly apologized.

"Divine Beast, I spoke carelessly. Please forgive my insolence..."

"No matter, it's fate that we've met. Since I've saved your life, we are now bound by blood. No need for formalities," Tianjing interrupted.

Relieved, Ning Xian let out a breath, but then another thought occurred to him. He asked hesitantly, "Divine Beast, when I was on the brink of death, I didn't see this arm guard. How did you..."

Pausing mid-sentence, his tone was filled with doubt.

"Ha ha, young lad, I am a Divine Beast. Though I have been forged into a Divine Weapon, I've accumulated considerable power over countless millennia. Naturally, I could sense your presence.

Sadly, saving you has drained my power once more, leaving me unable to move autonomously. Otherwise, I wouldn't be lying in filth and blood, left to be discarded."

At this, the arm guard trembled slightly, as though expressing displeasure.

A pang of awkwardness hit Ning Xian as he carefully wiped the bloodstains off the arm guard with his sleeve.

Simultaneously, he calculated inwardly.

This Divine Beast has been forged into a Divine Weapon. How does that relate to the Divine Weapon Sect I entered at Sword Sect days ago?

Rumor has it that Master Qin's saber can transform into a Devil Beast, which is referred to as a Divine Weapon Beast. Could Tianjing also have such a capability?

If so, wouldn't that make his father's Heavenly Sword seem no better than a pig-slaughtering blade?

Shock continued to overwhelm Ning Xian as curiosity got the better of him. He asked, "Divine Beast, are you familiar with the Divine Weapon Sect?"

"The Divine Weapon Sect?"

Tianjing's voice turned furious, "Don't mention the Divine Weapon Sect! They are the ones who... Cough cough... Young lad, quickly take me away from here. I am a Divine Beast and can transform into a Divine Weapon to aid you.

Now that we are bound by blood, should anything happen to me, you'd revert back to being a cold corpse."

"Divine Beast, rest assured, I will take you away immediately."

Ning Xian respectfully slid the arm guard around his wrist, stood up, and sprinted toward the outskirts of Sword Sect.

Inwardly, he had pieced together some clues.

This arm guard is likely what Master Qin referred to as a Divine Weapon Beast.

Master Qin's visit to Sword Sect was probably in search of this arm guard.

And it was the Divine Weapon Beast within the arm guard that sensed the presence of the Divine Weapon Sect, choosing to revive him so he could carry it away from Sword Sect.

Although Ning Xian wasn't certain if the arm guard's claims were true, he knew one thing for sure—anything that even Master Qin pursued so painstakingly wouldn't be weaker than the Divine Weapon Tiger Spirit.

With the arm guard, he finally had the chance to reverse his destiny!

After this ordeal, he realized he needed to stay far away from Sword Sect. With the Divine Weapon Beast's aid, he could surely grow stronger rapidly and avenge his humiliation!

His resolve firm, Ning Xian raced on without pause, finally leaning against a tree in the forest to catch his breath near midnight.

"Huff... Huff..."

Ning Xian panted heavily, raising his arm to look at the arm guard.

"Divine Beast, we're already outside Sword Sect's territory. This should be enough, right?"

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