Patriarch Li Muchen stood alone on the grand stone plaza and stared up at the imposing figure of Zhan Tian hovering in the sky. The Worldkeeper demanded three premium swords to compensate for the sudden and public exile of his grandson. Muchen felt the nervous eyes of thousands of disciples pressing heavily against his back from the lower peaks and training fields. He knew he was backed into a terrible corner with no allies willing to step forward and share the burden of this confrontation.

The clan leader realized his situation was incredibly grim, if he simply bowed his head and handed over the treasures of their lineage without a fight he would ruin the morale of the young sword cultivators watching him. He was already trapped in this uncomfortable political theater so he decided he might as well take a bold stance to salvage his public image and project strength. He straightened his posture and amplified his voice.

"The Li Clan is not a place for you to be making such a ruckus!" Muchen shouted back with a fierce tone that echoed across the sweeping mountain range. "We follow our own ancient laws and we do not bow to the loud demands of angry guests! Take your grievances back to the iron continent!"

The fierce declaration surprised everyone listening in the vicinity. Canghai widened his eyes in shock while Zhan Tian paused his intimidating posture and raised a thick eyebrow. Down below in the valleys the elders hiding in their secure caves and the young disciples gathered on the training fields felt a sudden and intense surge of pride erupt within their chests.

They had never seen their clan leader act so fierce and uncompromising while facing down a legendary powerhouse. The disciples gripped the hilts of their swords with renewed vigor as a wave of unity washed over the sect. Muchen felt amazing in that fleeting moment.

He could physically sense the surge of honor and respect radiating from his people below. The collective faith of the sword lineage bolstered his confidence and made him feel like an untouchable sovereign standing on the peak of the world. However, that glorious surge of pride was incredibly short lived.

Zhan Tian hovered in the dark clouds and saw exactly what Muchen was trying to do. The patriarch was trying to use the Worldkeeper as a convenient stepping stone to build his own prestige while assuming the giant warrior would not actually strike him in front of the whole sect. Playing along with polite political theater was not Zhan Tian's style at all. He lived by the edge of his blade and he refused to be used as a prop for a sword master to look cool.

The dark aura surrounding the giant man exploded with terrifying intensity. The sky above the central peak turned a bruised shade of purple while heavy winds tore across the pristine stone plaza. Zhan Tian raised his dark glaive high above his head and locked his suffocating killing intent directly onto the patriarch.

"Do you have any last words!?" Zhan Tian yelled with a voice that shook the very foundations of the mountain and rattled the teacups in the distant pavilions.

Muchen felt his newfound confidence shatter into fine dust. He was stunned by the sudden escalation and his muscles froze under the oppressive weight of the Worldkeeper aura. He could not even move his fingers to form a simple hand seal.

The patriarch had full access to the grand defensive arrays and the lethal formations buried beneath the headquarters. He possessed the means to draw upon the spiritual veins of the mountain to summon thousands of Qi swords to defend himself and repel the attack.

But his mind went completely blank, as he was caught too far off guard by the raw aggression to activate a single protective rune. The blistering speed of the descending threat left him paralyzed on the stone tiles. The glaive dropped from the sky with the force of a falling star.

"Father, stop!" Canghai yelled as he surged forward and stepped directly into the crushing pressure zone before the blade was even halfway to Muchen. "Please, out of consideration for my background, give the patriarch a chance to speak!"

The heavy weapon halted a mere inch away from Muchen's forehead. The displaced wind from the sudden stop cut a deep and jagged groove into the stone tiles resting behind the clan leader. Zhan Tian held the glaive perfectly still with remarkable physical control and slowly pulled his suffocating aura back into his body.

Li Yu stood quietly behind his father and looked at his grandfather with renewed pride. It did not matter what territory they were currently standing in or who stood in their way. His grandfather always followed his heart and did exactly as he pleased. The old warrior refused to bow to convention and always prioritized his family above pleasantries.

Zhan Tian caught the bright look of admiration shining in his grandson's eyes and felt a deep thrill of excitement in his chest once again. He loved it when Li Yu looked up to him with such high regard and unwavering respect. It fueled his desire to act even bolder and protect the boy from any perceived slights. The Worldkeeper lowered his weapon and gave Muchen a moment to recover his scattered breath.

The patriarch resembled a deflated balloon as his shoulders slumped heavily and his majestic posture crumbled. Muchen thought to himself that dealing with family was simply too difficult and emotionally draining. He then quickly realized he dealt with difficult family members and stubborn elders all the time but the real issue was just this specific beast from the Zhan Clan! Zhan Tian was a force of nature that refused to follow the established rules of the Myriad Realms.

The disciples and elders below all nodded at the defeated posture of their patriarch but there was still nothing but pride for him. He had stood up against Zhan Tian and was still alive, not many could say they did that. Everyone thought they should treat the patriarch to a meal when the opportunity arose.

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"Fine," Muchen finally conceded with a strained and raspy voice. "I will meet your demands to settle this dispute. The clan has produced swords of equal quality to the ten great swords you seek but they currently lack a true name or a sword spirit, which is what makes our ten famous swords special. Those elements are the most important parts in becoming one of the ten famous weapons of our history. However, the raw materials used and the craftsmanship applied are on the exact same level."

Muchen admitted the truth to the hovering crowd but he kept his deeper knowledge hidden behind a veil. He knew there were actually five of such unnamed swords resting in their special vault. They saved those specific weapons for breakout stars and exceptional talents to eventually claim. The overarching goal was for those young geniuses to wield the blades and develop them over many years until the swords formed a spirit and joined the legendary ranks.

He also knew there were other swords within the sect that had grown incredibly powerful alongside their respective users. Certain reclusive ancestors wielded personal blades that rivaled the ten named swords in power and intent.

Those weapons had reached the pinnacle of quality but were not officially ranked as such, mainly because the ancestors using them were still alive. Perhaps with the passing of those old masters, their personal swords would eventually join the historical ranks and be enshrined for future generations.

"Show them to us," Zhan Tian commanded while resting the blunt end of his glaive against the stone tiles.

Muchen nodded slowly and turned away from the crowded plaza. He led the three guests away from the public eye and guided them down a winding stone corridor built directly into the side of the mountain.

They walked past glowing moss and carved murals depicting ancient sword masters engaged in glorious combat. They passed through several heavy security checkpoints and navigated a maze of hidden passages until they eventually reached a secluded vault located deep underground.

The patriarch placed his right hand against a glowing stone seal embedded in the wall and the heavy iron doors groaned loudly as the internal mechanisms shifted and they swung open to reveal a dimly lit room filled with ancient weapon racks and sealed display cases.

Once they stepped inside the secure vault with no one else around to watch them, Muchen let out a long and heavy sigh. The formal tension vanished from his stiff shoulders as he turned to face the giant warrior with a look of pure exhaustion.

"You really should have given me a break out there," Muchen told Tian with a tired and friendly tone that lacked any previous hostility. "I was just trying to maintain some dignity for the young disciples watching us. You did not have to threaten to split my head open in front of my own sect."

"I cannot allow my grandson to be mistreated without a proper fight," Zhan Tian replied while chuckling deeply at the complaint. "Even if the exile is part of the secret plan you all hatched, I must play my part to make it look real. As the patriarch, you should be able to bear such heavy things for the sake of your clan without whining about it."

Muchen shook his head and offered a tired smile. He understood the logic behind the giant man and respected his protective nature. He turned his attention to his cousin and offered a deep respectful bow.

"I apologize for the intense theatrics, Canghai," Muchen said with sincerity shining in his eyes. "I thank you for your broad mind in suggesting this strategy to save Li Mei from her own heart demon. And I thank you, Li Yu, for accepting the burden of the decree without complaint or anger. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten by this family."

Li Yu looked around the quiet underground vault and felt a bit guilty about taking premium resources from a man who was just trying to help a junior while looking out for the well being of the clan. He stepped forward and raised his hands to decline the rich offer. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"I do not really need those three swords," Li Yu offered gently while looking at the sealed cases. "We can just walk out of here and tell the crowd outside that I took them for the show. You can keep your treasures safe for the future generations of our clan."

"Nonsense!" Zhan Tian interrupted with a loud bark that echoed off the stone walls. "You might as well take them right now while the vault is open. You are officially kicked out of this place and stripped of your titles, so you should take your rightful share of the treasury before we leave. We earned this compensation by playing the villains today."

Muchen nodded in agreement with the Worldkeeper and walked over to a secure display case resting in the center of the dark vault. He channeled his Qi to unlock the protective arrays and the thick glass lid slid back smoothly. He revealed five distinct weapons resting on beds of dark velvet. They possessed unique looks and held no formal names tied to them yet. Out of the five, three caught Li Yu’s eyes.

The first sword was noticeably wider and heavier than a traditional Li Clan blade. It resembled a broadsword and carried significant physical weight. The weapon was designed for brutal sweeping strikes and heavy cleaving rather than thrusts.

The second sword was a blade of standard width but it possessed a faint shimmering azure tint along the flat steel. The polished metal caught the dim light of the vault like the surface of a calm ocean. It was incredibly dense and gave off a heavy but unshakeable balance when Muchen lifted it from the velvet.

The third sword gleamed with a harsh and blinding silver light. It featured a thick reinforced spine and a savage, slightly jagged profile near the heavy hilt. It looked like a brutal weapon built to violently tear through heavy armor and shatter enemy weapons through power.

Li Yu stepped forward and studied the three masterworks resting on the table. He felt a strong connection to their distinct physical traits and recognized the incredible craftsmanship poured into the metal.

"I will take them then." Li Yu decided as he ran his fingers over the cold metal of the wide broadsword. "And since they lack an identity and a spirit, I will name them right now as a trio pair."

He pointed to the wide and heavy broadsword first. "This one reminds me of an unbreakable vanguard standing firm against a tide of enemies. I will officially name it Tielan's Resolve. I will call it Resolve for short."

He moved his hand to the dense azure blade resting in the middle. "This one holds the calm and heavy presence of the deep sea while hiding an unstoppable force beneath the surface. I will officially name it Canghai's Duty. I will call it Duty."

He finally pointed to the savage silver sword with the jagged hilt. "And this one looks ready to break the sky itself and leave a trail of ruin in its wake. I will officially name it Tian's Cataclysm. I will call it Cataclysm for short."

The quiet underground vault filled with a warm and joyous energy. Zhan Tian laughed loudly and clapped his grandson on the back while Canghai smiled with deep affection. They were both incredibly happy with Li Yu's choice in names and felt honored by the gesture.

Even Patriarch Muchen stood near the open display case and offered a genuine smile as he watched the exiled young man embrace his family.