Chapter 483 - 348: Sui Xian Sword Spirit (2)

Chapter 483: Chapter 348: Sui Xian Sword Spirit (2)

’Interesting place.’

Yu Changsheng muttered to himself. He continued walking for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn before finally stopping, surrounded by starlight, and looking ahead.

He seemed to have reached the core of this space. Specks of blue light converged on a simple, dark blue sword plunged into the ground. Invisible blue ripples emanated from it, continuously brewing.

The sword stood seven feet and six inches tall. Dragons and phoenixes were carved upon it, along with mysterious, engraved patterns that glowed with a dark blue light. Thrust into the earth, its ancient blade was mottled by the passage of time. It was pitted and scarred, as if it had accompanied its master through countless battles and, unable to bear the burden any longer, had become battered and broken.

On the hilt, two characters, despite being washed by the years and stripped of their glamour by time, still shone with brilliance.

"Sui Xian..."

Yu Changsheng’s lips parted slightly as he softly read the two words aloud.

Sui Xian. That was the name of this Broken Sword.

As the two words fell, they seemed to trigger something. A gentle breeze swept past, blowing through the starlight and toward the Broken Sword, Sui Xian.

"How many years has it been? Has someone come again?"

"The years have been long... This aura... it feels familiar..."

A deep, ancient voice suddenly echoed through the starry space. Its tone was faint, as if traveling from a distant past to the present day, shaking the soul and piercing the heart.

WHOOSH...

The gentle breeze first stirred a single point of starlight. As the voice reverberated, the wind grew stronger, transforming from a faint stir into a violent gale. The starlight was swept up and drawn toward the Sui Xian Sword at the center. As it converged... a translucent figure gradually emerged from the Sui Xian Sword, materializing above its hilt.

The figure was slightly stooped, with a head of white hair that fluttered in the wind. His face looked youthful, but his eyes were profound, as if a Star Sea churned within them. He had a high-bridged nose, thin lips, and eyebrows that rose and fell like great dragons, exuding an air of majesty.

The only strange thing was the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes and his time-worn, sagging skin, which formed a bizarre harmony and betrayed his true age. His body was illusory—not physical, but a Spirit Body.

"A Sword Spirit?"

Yu Changsheng was slightly taken aback. Looking at the Spirit Body, he couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

"Hm?"

At that moment, the Sui Xian Sword Spirit’s placid face showed a flicker of expression only when he turned to look at Yu Changsheng. He raised a slight eyebrow, a faint smile gracing his lips. He floated gently in front of Yu Changsheng, his wrinkled finger reaching out to point at him.

"You... are very strange."

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit spoke softly, his eyebrows twitching slightly. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with scrutiny and, more so, curiosity.

"Let me ask you, what Cultivation Technique do you practice?"

While Yu Changsheng was still stunned, the Sui Xian Sword Spirit was the first to ask. His voice was ancient and held a trace of confusion, though his expression betrayed nothing. His deep eyes, like bottomless black holes, stared directly at Yu Changsheng.

Yu Changsheng snapped back to his senses. Looking at the Sui Xian Sword Spirit before him, he let out a soft breath. A respectful expression quickly appeared on his face. He lowered his head, clasped his fists in a bow, and said:

"Greetings, Senior. This junior practices the Ten Thousand Spirits Technique."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Sui Xian Sword Spirit nodded as if he had expected it. A dark glint flashed through his eyes as he looked at Yu Changsheng and spoke indifferently:

"Just as I thought. The Ten Thousand Spirits Technique... I never imagined someone could still successfully cultivate it."

Yu Changsheng remained silent, his fists still clasped, but the respectful look on his face did not diminish in the slightest.

He could sense that although the Sui Xian Sword Spirit before him was a damaged entity, the power it still possessed could crush him as easily as child’s play.

"Where did you learn this Cultivation Technique?"

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit glanced down at Yu Changsheng, his brow slightly furrowed. He continued to ask in a detached tone, a trace of vigilance deeply hidden in his eyes.

"I learned it from my master."

Yu Changsheng replied softly and truthfully.

"Your master?"

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. He slowly flew in front of Yu Changsheng until they were face to face, their eyes meeting.

"And who might your master be?"

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit continued, a flicker of interest on his face as he gave a small smile.

"My master, he..."

Yu Changsheng hesitated. He looked at the Sui Xian Sword Spirit, a thousand guesses flashing through his mind, but ultimately decided to speak honestly.

"My master’s surname is Wei, and his name is Zhenggui. Everyone calls him Elder Wei."

"Interesting, interesting."

Hearing this, the smile on the Sui Xian Sword Spirit’s face slowly widened.

"And your senior brother?" the Sui Xian Sword Spirit tested him, his eyes glinting.

"My senior brother is named..."

Yu Changsheng paused, took a deep breath, and met the Sui Xian Sword Spirit’s gaze. His eyes bright, he spoke, enunciating each syllable clearly: "Cao. Jin. Xian."

As the three syllables fell, the air suddenly grew still. Even the starlight rippling through the void ceased to twinkle.

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit drifted closer to Yu Changsheng, his face almost touching. Their eyes aligned as his expression returned to one of calm, as if trying to read something from Yu Changsheng’s gaze.

Yu Changsheng’s expression didn’t change as he met the spirit’s gaze with unwavering frankness.

"Say it again. Who is your senior brother?"

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit remained in this position, their eyes locked. He spoke in a deep voice laced with gravity, as if this point was of utmost importance to him.

"My senior brother," Yu Changsheng said softly, his tone unchanged, "is Cao Jinxian."

RUMBLE!

The Sui Xian Sword trembled, and a Heaven-reaching Sword Qi erupted from it, soaring into the sky. The Star Sea quaked and the stars trembled. The ground, like the surface of a lake, began to churn with wave after wave of turbulence stirred by the Sword Qi.

The Sword Qi became a torrent, surging forward with unstoppable momentum and ferocious power, rushing straight for Yu Changsheng.

Yu Changsheng’s expression remained placid. His feet seemed rooted to the ground. He stood firm against the raging storm, calmly facing all the world’s turmoil.

Finally, the torrent of Sword Qi reached Yu Changsheng, only to stop abruptly a foot from his face.

Only a few wisps of the sword’s wind grazed his cheeks, slicing off a few strands of hair at his temples.

After a long moment, the Sui Xian Sword Spirit slowly floated before Yu Changsheng. There was a hint of surprise in his eyes, but it eventually melted into a slight smile as he said:

"Good, you weren’t lying. Your heart is true. To think that after all these years, Elder Wei has taken another disciple. Not bad."

As he spoke, the Sui Xian Sword Spirit gave Yu Changsheng a slight nod, his gaze profound.

"Is he... well?"

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit asked, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Yu Changsheng bowed slightly and answered softly, "Master has been well recently. You needn’t worry."

"Mm. It’s been too long."

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit nodded and sighed softly. Then, his expression turned serious, and he cleared his throat with a couple of soft coughs.

"You’ve probably guessed it by now. I am Sui Xian, the Sword Spirit of the Sui Xian Sword. I am also the controller of this ruin’s grotto-heaven. My master is your senior brother, Cao Jinxian."

At the mention of Cao Jinxian’s name, Yu Changsheng clearly saw a look of pride involuntarily appear on the Sui Xian Sword Spirit’s face.

"Yes. I guessed." Yu Changsheng nodded. From the moment he saw the Sui Xian Sword, he knew it was Cao Jinxian’s personal sword. After all, the two words "Sui Xian" had already revealed a lot.

’Sui Xian... Sui Xian... Could it mean to follow an immortal? Or... to follow Cao Jinxian?’

"In that case, I won’t waste any more words."

The Sui Xian Sword Spirit thought for a moment, shaking his head slightly.

"Though by seniority you are my master’s junior brother, here, I’m the one in charge. If you want to receive the inheritance, you still have to pass my trial. After all, only someone with sufficient talent is worthy. Otherwise, you would tarnish my master’s reputation."