"Oh? Xiao Yang, you want to give it a try?" Hearing Yang Ji''s words, Ji Shen was slightly taken aback, while Wang Tianli and Hao Yun also showed a hint of surprise.


    "Yes, I would like to give it a try," Yang Ji said with a slight smile.


    "Do you understand sword appraisal?" Ji Shen asked.


    "Sword appraisal, I know a bit," Yang Ji said with a smile, "First look at the sword''s shape, second at its luster, third the craftsmanship, fourth the materials, fifth listen to the sword''s hum, sixth observe the spirit of the sword, seventh examine the magical prohibitions inscribed within it, eighth gauge its power, ninth rely on your feeling, and tenth, it''s all down to luck."


    "A sword is like a person; foremost you look at its spirit. Each sword emits a different Sword Qi and sword essence, be it fierce, domineering, or heavy, and the stronger the attributes of the Sword Dao it reveals, the more formidable the sword, with a correspondingly higher grade," he continued.


    "Additionally, assessing the materials is extremely important; only good materials can forge an excellent sword. Even if the craftsmanship is exquisite, without good materials, it is difficult to create a famed sword."


    "Appearance is another aspect many overlook. A famous sword must have been crafted with great care, hence its appearance is definitely superior, making one feel at first nce that this sword is extraordinary, evoking a sense of affection for it. If the design is ugly, it''s a w in the materials, in the swordsmith, and in the person who wields the sword.


    Nobody wants to see such a w; otherwise, it''s like the materials are dust-covered, unable to shine with their original luster."


    "All of the renowned swords under the heaven are extremely beautiful, enticing fondness with just a nce at their appearance. And then there are the ordinary swords, withmon designs and materials, nothing outstanding.


    A good sword, based on materials, ultimately shines through in looks; with good materials it is worthy of the smith''s devoted effort, and when it''s finally shaped, it must be stunningly beautiful."


    "In fact, this is vividly demonstrated in the secr martial world; formidable swordsmen''s weapons are unique and extraordinary, instantly revealing their owner''s prowess, deterring others from carelessly provoking them. On the other hand, average swordsmen carrymonce swords, which show at a nce that their martial skills are mediocre."


    "In my view, sword appraisal is all about the materials and the looks," Yang Ji said with augh.


    Ji Shen''s gaze flickered, "What you say does have some merit!" he said, hesitating, "But this time it''s different. Every sword has been ced under magical prohibitions, what you see may not be the truth, with truth and falsehood, illusion and reality intertwined, difficult to discern.


    Xiao Yang, it''s not that I don''t trust you, but your cultivation is a bit low, and you might not be able to see through those prohibitions."


    The elder''s meaning was clear; he still didn''t quite trust Yang Ji to appraise the swords correctly.


    "Elder, let the junior brother give it a try," Wang Tianli suddenly suggested, ncing at Yang Ji.


    "Junior brother''s luck on his visit to the Immortal Sword Sect this time has been even better than ours. Just now in the Sword Cave, he obtained a Supreme Sword Technique; his fortune is at its peak. Why not let him try? Even if he can''t identify a good sword, it doesn''t matter; take it asing out for fun.


    After all, with so many Daoist inheritances here, even if we took a turn, it''s not certain we could identify a good sword and win a top-three spot," Hao Yun said with augh.


    "After all, this concerns the interests of you three and not this old man. Since you''ve already agreed, I''ll say no more," Ji Shen said with a chuckle.


    "Then junior brother, you will represent the Wuji Dao Sect in the sword appraisal!" Wang Tianli said with a smile.


    "Thank you both for your trust. I definitely won''t disappoint you. I also want to take a trip up Sword Peak," Yang Ji replied with a slight smile.


    Feeling the confidence radiating from his gaze, Wang Tianli and Hao Yun were taken aback. For some reason, a sudden interest and expectation arose in their hearts.


    "I believe everyone is nearly ready. The Sword Appraisal Convention now officially begins!"


    As Elder Jianyun''s voice fell, he formed a hand seal, and immediately, the forty-nine sword boxes on the stone tform in front of them began to tremble.


    Then, with a ng, forty-nine Flying Swords unsheathed simultaneously, revolving around the Sword Appraisal tform, ceaselessly circling, with swords humming and brilliance shining bright, casting multicolored sword rainbows of red, blue, and green across the void, spectacrly eye-catching.


    Elder Jianyun formed another hand seal, and the forty-nine swords returned to the tform, lined up in a row, and became quiet, their brilliance retracted and Sword Qi gone, turning into ordinary swords once more.


    But the people present were by no means ordinary; they had watched clearly how the Flying Swords had burst forth with sword brilliance, and everyone had a rough idea of the might of each sword.


    However, all this was just for reference, after all, for these swords were ced under magical prohibitions, and what was seen might not be the truth.


    "All sect''s sword appraisal disciples, pleasee up to the tform!" Elder Jianyun announced, looking around.


    "Junior brother, go ahead!" Wang Tianli said.


    Yang Ji nodded.


    Instantly, one person flew out from among the ten major sword tforms, Daoist disciples, and true inheritors alike, allnding on the Sword Appraisal tform.


    The Sword Appraisal tform, with a diameter of over a mile, felt spacious even with eleven people standing on it.


    On it, a long strip-shaped stone tform, twenty zhang in length, held the forty-nine Flying Swords lined up in a row, lying there in silence, ready for appraisal.


    "Elder, if multiple people choose the same sword, how should that be handled?" Suddenly, one disciple looked at the swords on the tform and asked.


    "The same sword, no matter how many choose it, as long as the selected sword''s grade ranks in the top three, everyone who chose it will receive a sword of the same grade. Furthermore, every disciple from their sect who hase to attend will earn the right to visit Sword Peak," Elder Jianyun said slowly.