“May I ask if Senior is the great power who sealed the Nether Phoenix Sword?”
Seeing the situation, Shen Mu hurriedly bowed slightly and asked.
“Hm. Are you the one who caused the Nether Phoenix Sword to break its seal?” the man asked calmly.
“Indeed, but it wasn’t my intention. I hope Senior can reseal this ominous sword.” Shen Mu summoned the “black cross” sealing the sword and placed it before him.
“I am now merely a wisp of divine intent, soon to dissipate. I no longer have the power to reseal it.”
“This…”
Shen Mu’s face visibly fell, the joy in his eyes fading, replaced by a hint of unease and helplessness.
Noticing the anxiety in Shen Mu’s eyes, the man continued, “Though I lack the strength to reseal it, that doesn’t mean I have no way to subdue it.”
“I left this wisp of divine intent to pass on the method of controlling it to future generations when it broke free, to prevent it from causing catastrophe in the world.”
Shen Mu’s eyes lit up. “Please, Senior, tell us.”
“The inscriptions on these walls detail a weapon-control technique I created in my lifetime. Master it to perfection, and you can command all weapons under heaven, becoming the Lord of Ten Thousand Weapons.”
“Whoever among you three can first grasp the basics of this technique within one hour, I will pass the full method of control to them.”
Hearing this, the three exchanged glances.
“What if none of us can grasp the basics within an hour? What then, Senior?” Lin Yuhe raised a critical question.
“Whoever grasps it first, I’ll teach.”
With that, the man pointed, sending three crimson-gold spiritual lights into their foreheads. “This is the scripture guide. With it, you can begin comprehending.”
Receiving the guide, Chi Ying was the first to sit cross-legged, close her eyes, and eagerly start comprehending the technique.
Shen Mu didn’t immediately begin. Instead, he glanced at Lin Yuhe, wondering how to convince her to reconsider her decision to abandon the sword.
At that moment, Lin Yuhe met his gaze. “Senior Brother? Is there something you want to say?”
“…Are you really going to stick to that decision?”
“Hm…”
Lin Yuhe knew what he meant but feigned contemplation, thinking of how to phrase her response.
“Of course. I don’t specialize in swordsmanship, and the path I’ve chosen is completely different from the original storyline. That thing doesn’t mean much to me.”
“…”
Shen Mu fell silent, glancing at Chi Ying, who was immersed in comprehension…
He was deeply worried that if either he or Chi Ying became the sword’s wielder, one of them could end up as the possessed demonic cultivator from the original storyline.
After all, that demonic cultivator had no specific name in the plot—anyone could fit the role.
Only Lin Yuhe wielding the sword would align with the predetermined outcome.
“But among us, you’re the most suitable without question. If someone else takes your place, you’ll eventually have to face…”
“Probably a choice between me and her.”
As he voiced this possibility, Lin Yuhe’s eyes darkened in thought, caught in a dilemma.
Indeed, based on the original story’s details about the Nether Phoenix Sword, the likelihood of this outcome was far from small.
But…
If she took the sword now, wouldn’t that contradict her initial resolve?
That wasn’t the outcome she wanted.
Yet, if she chose to abandon the sword now and in the future, and either Shen Mu or Chi Ying became a world-threatening demonic cultivator, how would she handle it?
If it was Chi Ying, she could ignore it—she had no emotional attachment to her.
But if it was Shen Mu…
“…”
Ugh…
Why is carving my own path in life so hard?!
For the first time, Lin Yuhe felt conflicted and hesitant, her teeth instinctively biting her lower lip.
“Fate and destiny…”
As the two fell into silent contemplation, the man from ages past spoke softly.
“Though I don’t understand the deeper meaning behind your words, no matter the circumstances… any choice you make must be true to your heart.”
“If you live with constant guilt, your soul will never find peace in this life.”
“And an unquiet heart sows the seeds of calamity.”
“…”
Lin Yuhe pondered for a long time…
Finally, she came up with a compromise. “How about this, Senior Brother? Let’s compete.”
“Compete in what?”
“The speed of learning this weapon-control technique.”
“Huh?”
When Lin Yuhe proposed this, Shen Mu was taken aback, asking, “What kind of trick are you pulling now?”
“Everyone says your cultivation aptitude is poor, that forming a Golden Core will be an insurmountable challenge.”
“But in my view, to go far on the path of cultivation, ‘aptitude’ alone doesn’t decide everything.”
“In my opinion, Senior Brother, your talent in learning and comprehension far surpasses mine. That’s why I think you could achieve greater change with something better.”
“If you think my view is wrong, then go all out… and let’s compete.”
As the saying goes, opportunities are for the capable.
Whether he’s a mule or a horse, let’s put him to the test.
If he truly can’t handle this opportunity, it wouldn’t be too late for her to take control of it.
But the premise was that he had to give his all, no longer hiding his talents.
“…”
Shen Mu scratched the back of his head thoughtfully, considering for a moment before nodding slightly. “Alright, let’s give it a try.”
Buzz!
At that moment, faint crimson light glowed around Chi Ying, resonating with the crimson-gold inscriptions on the walls, sparking specks of spiritual light…
The next moment, those lights formed crimson-gold runes, orbiting chaotically around her in the void.
“Senior Brother, let’s begin.”
“Alright.”
Both remained unfazed by Chi Ying’s resonance phenomenon.
They sat cross-legged simultaneously, closed their eyes, and activated the scripture guide…
Buzz!
Soon, both triggered resonance phenomena at the same time, much faster than Chi Ying.
Moreover, the runes they summoned were far more orderly and structured, appearing methodical.
“Hm… both are quite impressive.”
But… the differences in how they approach problems are stark.
The man’s tone carried approval for both.
But from his perspective, the outcome of this unique competition was already decided from the start.