The King of Wood Sword

A wooden sword with a rather peculiar design.

Why peculiar, you ask?

Because when Gu Qingfeng saw this wooden sword, it reminded him of his childhood when his father, too stingy to buy him toys, would simply grab a tree branch, make a few casual cuts with a knife to shape it into a crude sword, and give it to him to play with.

"This is the Wood King Sword?" Gu Qingfeng's face darkened like coal.

He decided to test this Wood King Sword, vowing that if the Locust Tree Demon had dared to deceive him, he would return and chop it down to make a sword.

Clang!

Gu Qingfeng drew the standard long blade from his waist and, channeling all his might, struck fiercely at the Wood King Sword!

There was a crack!

Something broke!

But it wasn't the long blade - it was the Wood King Sword that broke!!!

"Locust Tree Demon! You're dead meat! Argh!" Gu Qingfeng was furious, never expecting to be fooled by a mere tree!

"When I get back, I'm going to chop you... wait! What's happening?"

Gu Qingfeng stopped mid-sentence, dumbfounded.

He stared in disbelief as the Wood King Sword, broken in two, began regenerating itself?!

Moreover, the broken blade piece on the ground seemed to come alive, suddenly burrowing into the earth.

Then, something extraordinary happened!

From where the blade piece had disappeared into the ground, countless vines as thick as a grown man's arm burst forth. These vines, like octopus tentacles, writhed and reached for Gu Qingfeng.

Startled, Gu Qingfeng instinctively raised the Wood King Sword.

The vines, as if recognizing their master, immediately ceased their movement.

Gu Qingfeng was secretly amazed. He seemed to understand how to use the Wood King Sword now, and experimentally pointed it at a nearby rock about a meter tall.

Instantly, the vines responded like cobras emerging from their den, swiftly wrapping around and crushing the rock.

Crackling sounds filled the air.

When the vines retreated, the rock had vanished, leaving only stone powder in its wake.

Gu Qingfeng's eyes gleamed as he looked at the Wood King Sword, thinking to himself: "So this is how the Wood King Sword truly works. What a treasure, I must perform the blood bond immediately."

Gu Qingfeng tried to make a small cut on his finger with the Wood King Sword, but it only left a faint white mark. He then remembered that with his Bronze Skin Iron Bones and mastery of the Iron Cloth Shirt, even though the sword was a Dark-rank Spirit Weapon, it wasn't known for its sharpness and was only as sharp as ordinary weapons.

This left Gu Qingfeng scratching his head - how could he perform the blood bond if he couldn't draw blood?

At that moment, as if sensing his frustration, the Wood King Sword grew several tiny vines from its blade, which shot out like needles and pierced his arm.

"Ouch! Damn it! That hurts!" Gu Qingfeng cried out.

It reminded him of his fear of getting blood drawn by nurses during medical check-ups.

As his blood was drawn, he felt an immediate connection with the Wood King Sword, truly understanding what it meant to have complete control over it.

The Wood King Sword became like an extension of his own limbs.

"So this is what a Spirit Weapon is like? It really does have consciousness... Hey! Stop drinking already!" Gu Qingfeng felt his blood continuously flowing into the Wood King Sword.

The Wood King Sword, like a starving ghost, frantically consumed his blood.

Before long, Gu Qingfeng began feeling dizzy and quickly shouted, "Stop! Stop right now, or I'll bury you again!"

At these words, the Wood King Sword finally ceased its blood drinking.

Whew!

Gu Qingfeng took a deep breath.

"Damn! This thing is possessed!"

What Gu Qingfeng didn't know was that Spirit Weapons don't choose their masters casually. The wielder needs sufficient strength to control them, otherwise they might be drained to death during the bonding process.

Generally, Spirit Weapons require at least an Internal Qi Realm warrior to wield them, as their internal qi can sustain the weapon's consumption.

Gu Qingfeng was only at the Qi Gathering Realm, and his elemental qi was barely sufficient. That's why the sword could only drink his blood. It was only thanks to his extraordinary physique, with his immense strength and Bronze Skin Iron Bones, making his physical condition comparable to an Internal Qi Realm warrior, that he survived. Otherwise, he would have become a desiccated corpse.

After recovering for quite a while, Gu Qingfeng's eyes were filled with joy.

During the bonding process, he had received information about the Wood King Sword's abilities.

This sword truly deserved its former status as an Earth-grade Superior Spirit Weapon. Its abilities were genuinely powerful and diverse. Although it had been downgraded and lost most of its powers, with reduced effectiveness, it still far surpassed ordinary Dark rank Inferior Spirit Weapons.

Most importantly, like a tree that could regrow its branches after being cut, the Wood King Sword could regenerate. With enough "nutrients," it could eventually return to its Earth-grade Superior status!

"That Locust Tree Demon was quite reliable after all, he didn't lie to me. The Wood King Sword is truly impressive," Gu Qingfeng said happily while admiring the sword.

"As a reward, I'll help free the Locust Tree Demon when I get the chance. Rather than suffering in the Demon Suppression Prison, he might as well serve as nutrients for the Wood King Sword. That old fellow absorbed quite a bit of the sword's spirit back then, killing him would surely help restore the Wood King Sword significantly."

Gu Qingfeng thought gleefully.

The poor old Locust Tree Demon had happily offered up the Wood King Sword, hoping to gain Gu Qingfeng's favor and have an easier time in the Demon Suppression Prison.

Little did he know that Gu Qingfeng was already planning to dispose of him after using him.

Gu Qingfeng put away the Wood King Sword and prepared to leave the Mountain God Temple.

But just then, he felt something cool on his head. Looking up, his face also felt cool - it had started to rain.