However, not everyone relied entirely on these clues; after all, the sealing art of the Immortal Sword Sect was famous throughout the world, and some swords without luster might actually be exceptional.
Assessing by shape and listening to the sound were just the most basic methods of sword appraisal and were not very accurate.
The purpose of the Immortal Sword Sect's seals and enchantments was to confuse and deceive, to blend the false with the true and transform the real into the false, so those using these techniques would likely not find any exceptional swords in the end.
However, who among those daring to take the stage did not practice some kind of divination skill that saw through illusions?
They each unleashed a faint gleam in their eyes, piercing through seals and enchantments, discerning the essence of the swords with a calm and composed demeanor, clearly having made their assessments after the scrutiny.
Yang Ji observed everyone's display of divine prowess without much surprise, knowing well enough that their abilities, as inheritors of the Dao, were far superior to his own.
Yet in this appraisal, he had his Golden Finger, which was no less than any of their vision-based divine skills, and allowed him to be even more composed.
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Yang Ji continued to observe, with the information of each sword imprinting itself in his mind.
"Senior brother, which sword do you think our junior brother will ultimately choose?" Hao Yun asked with a curious smile.
"That Xuanhuang, as well as that Li Hen, and also that Zhen Yue, these three swords, I actually can't see through them. The sword-sealing art within is extraordinary, hiding the true nature of the swords and making it impossible to discern their grade. These three swords have bewildered many, and it seems that a lot of disciples are hesitating, wondering whether to select one from these three.
I've noticed that our junior brother also spends more time looking at these swords, so I think he might choose one of them," Wang Tianli pondered aloud.
"Unable to discern the grade, it seems like a gamble on luck," Hao Yun said indifferently.
Indeed, Yang Ji had spent quite some time focusing on those three swords because the enchantments placed upon them kept evolving and transforming.
A stream of changing information appeared before him, causing him to frown deeply.
Fortunately, the changes in the enchantments were not endless. Through the layers and layers of surface enchantments, Yang Ji was able to see the true essence of the swords.
The material of the Xuanhuang was top-notch, but its formation had flaws, making it a semi-Dao artifact.
The Li Hen was as genuine as they come, being a supreme low-grade Dao artifact.
As for the Zhen Yue, it was most outrageous; the enchantments inscribed on its materials made it seem like it was made from heavy iron from the abyss, but in truth, it was just ordinary refined steel. All of its power and radiance were the result of layer upon layer of enchantments misleading the eye, when it was actually a superior Spiritual Artifact.
Yang Ji directly passed over these three swords and turned his attention to the others.
[Green Rong, Low-grade Dao Artifact!]
[Heavenly Pavilion, Supreme Treasure!]
[Floating Snow, Mid-grade Treasure!]
...
After reviewing forty-eight swords, Yang Ji turned to the last one, just when he was about to finish examining the final sword and make a choice for Tian Xing.
His gaze suddenly fixed.
This sword was named Zhe Long, and its blade was engraved with the pattern of a True Dragon. He gently plucked the blade, and with a "clang!", the True Dragon pattern shone brightly, almost coming to life as if it were about to soar out.
The Sword Light was fierce, the Sword Qi overwhelming.
The materials were of the highest quality, obviously reaching the standard of a Dao device, but because it lacked a Sword Spirit, it initially appeared to be just a semi-Dao artifact.
But Yang Ji was stunned because as he plucked the sword, messages appeared: [Who is it, waking me up?], [Impatient!], [Have you not seen enough? Put me down and stop disturbing my sleep.]
It was then that the grade of the sword changed: [Mid-grade Dao Artifact!]
Yang Ji couldn't help but inhale sharply, his body trembling quietly with excitement.
What do you mean, no Sword Spirit!
That dragon pattern was the Sword Spirit? It was actually a Dragon Soul, and what's more, it was the rare [Hibernating Dragon Soul].
This kind of dragon loves to sleep, and once asleep, it appears as if dead, making it difficult even for Mahayana experts to discern. No wonder no one could see it.
If it weren't for the prompt from his Golden Finger, how could Yang Ji have guessed that the dragon pattern was actually a Sword Spirit!
A mid-grade Dao Artifact, what a find!
Yang Ji, filled with excitement, hastily grabbed the Zhe Long Sword as if it might run away.
"Eh! Our junior brother actually chose that sword!" Wang Tianli exclaimed in surprise.