“…”
The two locked eyes, silent for a moment.
Soon, the “Jiang Ling” before Shen Mu transformed into his own likeness.
In the next moment, Shen Mu found himself empty-handed, without any weapon.
“Is this a test of physical combat…” Shen Mu’s eyes narrowed, his guard not lowering but heightening.
He knew that in certain situations, his own body was his greatest weapon.
Yet, the version of himself before him said nothing, made no move, only extended a palm, eyes closed, conjuring a mysterious-patterned Yin-Yang Furnace…
Boom! Rumble!
Instantly, winds surged, clouds gathered, and the heavens shifted, the entire sky turning gray-white.
The earth, mountains, rivers, seas… everything between heaven and earth was wiped clean in an instant, becoming a realm of pure black and white.
Shen Mu stood in the white realm, like the dark dot in a Taiji diagram.
His counterpart, the “other self,” stood in the black realm, clad in pristine white robes.
To each other, they appeared as anomalies in their respective realms, inherently opposed.
Yet… both figures shared the same origin, so they weren’t entirely incompatible.
“All weapons under heaven, so long as they are forged from the elements of the world, cannot escape the way of yin and yang. They are but external objects.” [Shen Mu] calmly recited a passage of scripture.
The next moment, countless weapons materialized in the black realm, hovering above.
Then, the Yin-Yang Furnace drifted automatically to the counterpart’s front.
Shen Mu reached out, holding the furnace in his palm, gazing at his other self, gradually grasping its intent.
Continuing the scripture, he said, “Divided by kind, they may be spiritual or non-spiritual.”
“Non-spiritual weapons are claimed by the capable; spiritual weapons are tamed by understanding their spirit.”
In an instant, countless weapons appeared in his white realm, mirroring the black realm.
At that moment, the other self in the opposing realm gave a faint smile, no longer an obstacle, and dissipated into wisps of green smoke.
Seeing this, Shen Mu smiled lightly, gaining insight.
But he didn’t stop reciting, continuing to chant the scripture.
As his voice echoed through the black-and-white realms, everything resonated silently.
All existence began transforming into black-and-white qi, gradually converging into the Yin-Yang Furnace…
Outside.
Shen Mu sat in meditation, an intangible aura of the world’s essence rippling around him. The crimson-gold runes orbiting him merged into his spiritual platform, faintly manifesting a Yin-Yang cycle phenomenon.
“What a dust-covered gem…” the man said, his tone carrying faint appreciation.
Now, his legacy had found someone capable of carrying it forward.
Soon.
The aura around Shen Mu subsided, his energy calming as he finished comprehending and slowly opened his eyes.
“Phew~”
He exhaled softly, turning to the two girls watching him. “Have you both… already grasped the basics?”
“…”
Both girls shook their heads helplessly.
“Then why are you just standing there? Taking a halftime break?” Shen Mu asked, puzzled.
This wasn’t casual cultivation—interrupting comprehension midway could disrupt the process.
“This time, you won, Senior Brother,” Lin Yuhe said with a slight smile, her tone carrying a hint of relief.
“Huh?”
Shen Mu froze, then stood up, flashing to Lin Yuhe’s side, his tone urgent. “Wait, what do you mean? Don’t tell me you didn’t even grasp the basics!”
“Uh…”
Lin Yuhe gave a bitter, awkward smile, unsure how to respond.
“She did her best.”
The man spoke calmly, explaining, “Her inner demons remain unresolved, preventing her from maintaining clarity during comprehension. It’s already good that she can still hold a coherent conversation.”
“Inner demons?”
Shen Mu looked at her closely again…
Upon closer inspection, he noticed lingering traces of bloodshot in her eyes, her face pale and weary, as if she’d endured immense mental torment.
At that moment, Shen Mu suddenly recalled something she’d said before.
[“I had some… special experiences in the past… so whenever I accidentally get submerged, I lose all composure… my mind goes blank…”]
Could it be… this was also because of those experiences?
“Anyway… you won this time, Senior Brother. Nothing more to say…” Lin Yuhe turned her head, avoiding his gaze, instinctively unable to meet his concerned look.
Seeing her evasive demeanor, Shen Mu didn’t press further, only sighing lightly. “You…”
“…”
Lin Yuhe’s fingers fidgeted aimlessly in front of her, showing rare uncertainty in his presence.
“Let’s talk privately when we get the chance. You’re my junior sister, after all—some issues I need to take seriously.”
Shen Mu patted her shoulder, giving a carefree smile before turning to the man’s phantom. “Senior, can I now receive the full method of control?”
“Naturally.”
The man conjured a glowing orb of golden runes in his palm, pressing it into Shen Mu’s mind, imprinting segments of scripture.
“When the Nether Phoenix Sword was forged, it drank the blood of billions from a kingdom and was tempered with their souls.”
“Thus, its malevolence is hard to suppress, its killing aura overwhelming—a natural demonic sword of slaughter that easily affects the wielder’s mind and soul.”
“When using the weapon-control technique, you must also cultivate a secret method to strengthen your soul’s resilience…”
“To prevent its killing aura and demonic intent from corrupting you into a crazed fiend.”
“…”
Shen Mu silently absorbed the golden scripture in his mind, his eyes slightly dazed.
Soul Refining Incantation…
“The complete method of control has been passed to you. My divine intent’s time in this world is nearly up.”
“I hope you’ll use this sword for righteous purposes, cleansing its malevolence in the future, birthing new spirituality, and preventing it from wreaking havoc on the world.”
“Remember, a weapon’s existence holds no right or wrong—it depends solely on its wielder.”
With those words, the man’s phantom began to fade…
Suddenly, Shen Mu’s eyes cleared, and he hurriedly asked, “Wait, Senior, what about that chess piece…”
“Just an object from beyond the heavens~”
“When one of you ascends to immortality someday, its purpose will become clear.”
As his voice faded with his phantom, the glowing white chess piece floating in the air fell to the ground, settling silently.
Shen Mu picked it up, frowning slightly as he examined it closely.
Something usable only after becoming an immortal…
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