Chapter 164: Forming A Bond
Chapter 164: Forming A Bond
"There are things you can’t tell me. Those two said the same thing. Frenrir and Noira. Even that person from my dreams refused to answer. Can you at least tell me why you can’t tell me about... myself?" Leon asked after a while.
"Master..." The woman looked into his eyes. "You have a past. More precisely... a past life."
Leon froze. ’A past life? Does she mean... like those reincarnation stories I used to read?’
The words were simply too difficult to accept.
Everyone fantasizes about getting a second chance at life. Being reborn. Starting over.
But everyone also knew it was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Now imagine someone suddenly telling you that you had actually reincarnated.
Who could accept that so easily?
The woman continued, "The fact that you don’t remember can only mean one thing. You prepared for your own reincarnation. You were the one who chose to seal your memories."
She paused before continuing. "That could only happen for two reasons. First, your cultivation in your previous life was hindered by your heart demon, so you decided to begin again with a clean slate. Second, you realized that some of the paths you took while growing stronger were mistakes. You wished to start over and walk a different road."
Leon frowned. "But wouldn’t it be better if I remembered everything from the beginning? Then I’d know which paths to avoid so I wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes."
The woman let out a soft sigh. "I could answer that question if I were you."
She smiled faintly. "But one thing I know for sure is that you never made a decision without a good reason. So keep growing stronger, Master. Whether you remember your past or not, many have already become aware of your existence."
Her expression gradually turned serious.
"And sooner or later... you’ll have to face them."
Leon remained silent for a moment before asking another question.
"But how can you be so certain that I really reincarnated? What if all of this is just your speculation?"
"Summon your sword, Master. The Frost Monarch’s Blade."
Leon nodded. With a thought, the Frost Monarch’s Blade emerged from the system and appeared in his hand.
"Now," the woman said softly, extending her hand, "let me hold it. Then you’ll have all the answers you need."
Leon hesitated for a brief moment before handing her the sword.
The instant her fingers touched the blade...
Whoosh!
A terrifying surge of ice exploded from the sword. Before either of them could react, the woman was completely encased in solid ice, transformed into an ice statue.
Leon instinctively jumped backward. "I... I didn’t kill her, did I?"
The sword flew out of the ice and returned to his hand on its own. He stared at the frozen woman with wide eyes.
Then suddenly...
Crack!
A tiny fracture appeared across the ice. Then another. And another.
The entire layer of ice shattered into countless fragments, revealing the woman standing there completely unharmed.
She smiled gently.
"Do you see now, Master? No one else can claim that sword. Not even touch it. It possesses a will of its own. And throughout its entire existence, it has only ever acknowledged one person."
She looked straight into Leon’s eyes. "The one who forged it. My Master. And the true master of this sword."
Leon’s eyes widened. "Y-You’re saying... I forged the Frost Monarch’s Blade?"
The woman nodded.
Leon fell silent. His mind became a storm of countless thoughts. ’That Ultimate Smithing Rune... This sword choosing me in that river... So none of those were coincidences... They were all destined from the very beginning. Or more precisely... Planned’
"Master, don’t dwell on it for now. Let’s form our bond and leave this place quickly. There will be many beings coming here soon, and I alone won’t be able to protect you."
"Okay." Leon nodded, forcing those thoughts to the back of his mind. With a thought, he summoned one of the twin daggers.
The woman’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the sight of it, though Leon failed to notice.
Without hesitation, Leon sliced his palm with the dagger. He then looked at her.
"Do you need the dagger to cut your palm as well?"
The woman chuckled softly. "I’m not like ordinary magical beasts, Master. The process of forming a bond with me is... a little different."
Leon blinked. "Different? Are you saying I didn’t have to cut my palm?"
"Oh, no. You did." She smiled mysteriously. "But I don’t need to cut my own palm and mix our blood together."
"Then how does it work?"
"I’ll show you." As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped closer. Before Leon could react...
Her soft lips gently pressed against the wound on his palm. The instant they touched his skin, a strange shiver ran down his spine.
It wasn’t fear. It was an indescribable sensation that sent his heart racing.
Leon’s eyes widened. He watched in disbelief as she gently sucked the blood from his wound and swallowed it.
At that very moment...
The sky suddenly darkened.
The clouds churned violently, zigzag arcs of thunder lighting the sky.
A notification appeared before Leon in the translucent panel.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully formed a bond with a Divine Beast.]
’Divine Beast...?’
Leon frowned inwardly.
Before he could think further, another notification appeared.
[Host is about to receive enlightenment for taming a divine beast for the first time.]
"Enlightenment?" Leon muttered. "You mean that warm, flashy thing like bef—"
Before he could finish speaking...
Boom!
A dazzling beam of light pierced through the clouds and descended upon the two of them.
Leon felt an overwhelming torrent of energy explode within his body. It was as though a dam had burst inside him, releasing an endless flood of spiritual energy that surged through every meridian.
One notification after another appeared before his eyes.
[You have absorbed a massive amount of Qi.]
[You have absorbed a massive amount of Qi.]