Chapter Six: The Sword Stone

Long Yun nodded, raising his arm to rest gently upon the Sword Stone—not caressing its surface at random, but placing his hand directly upon the scar left by the blade and stroking it tenderly. At that moment, Long Yun’s heart became tranquil as still water. He entered the supreme realm of clarity within the Sword Heart; the Way of the Sword—unbreakable, shattering all arts, severing the ties of sentiment!

Mysterious sword intent erupted from Long Yun’s hand, flooding into the Sword Stone. He caressed the scar as if he were consoling his beloved wife, a pain welling up from the depths of his heart. It was as though a resonance stirred between him and the Sword Stone. Feeling the depth of the scar beneath his fingers, a gentle power rippled out from his arm—faint yet soft—falling upon the wound as if to smooth it away.

Suddenly, the previously unremarkable black stone seemed to sense Long Yun’s intentions—a faint and almost imperceptible glow flickered across its surface, vanishing in an instant.

In that fleeting moment, a surge of sorrow and grievance swept through Long Yun’s arm, flooding his mind. In his consciousness, an image emerged: a burly man clad in black armor, wielding a colossal saber, his face twisted in a fierce snarl, both hands raised to bring the blade down with all his might. Directly before him stood the Sword Stone—not as it appeared now, but radiating brilliant golden light.

Strange and profound runes shimmered visibly across its surface. Facing the formidable Demon Lord of the Monster Domain, the Sword Stone displayed not the slightest hint of fear; this was the true essence of the Way of the Sword—unyielding, ever forward!

Long Yun’s arm trembled. The Sword Stone in that vision conveyed an overwhelming tide of emotion, mirroring its current suffering. His heart surged with agitation. The Sword Stone was not truly dead, but gravely wounded, lying in a state of suspended animation.

Back when Long Yun first comprehended the Way of the Sword, he grasped its fundamental truth. It was the foundation for all he had witnessed. Just now, through his supreme sword intent, he forged a faint connection with the Sword Stone, allowing it to sense his feelings and, in return, receive this message.

Everything transpiring with Long Yun was clearly observed by Xue Renqi. His beady eyes were wide open, not daring to blink. He too had seen that faint glow from the Sword Stone—a phenomenon that, in the past three thousand years, had only appeared five centuries ago, awakened by the most outstanding predecessor of the Heart Sword lineage.

Could Long Yun, like that predecessor, restore the Heart Sword lineage to its former glory?

For a moment, Xue Renqi’s hand began to tremble, his heart racing violently. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails broke the skin of his palm, yet he did not even notice the blood flowing.

Long Yun, however, remained oblivious to Xue Renqi’s excitement. At this moment, he had become one with the Sword Stone. Carefully guiding his spiritual sense, he delved deeper into the Sword Stone, discovering an immense inner realm—vast and desolate, with arid rivers and scattered ruins, a scene that filled him with sorrow.

The Sword Stone’s damage was far greater than he had imagined. Such a profound space was beyond his current ability to reach, and he knew he could not yet repair these wounds.

Just then, a faint fluctuation arose in one corner of the space—so subtle as to be nearly undetectable, but Long Yun sensed it at once and drifted toward it.

The Sword Stone’s inner world was so expansive that, without a body of spiritual sense, it might take days to traverse. But as a being of pure spirit, Long Yun could cover a thousand miles with a single thought.

Soon, he arrived at the source of the disturbance—a golden radiance gently hovering in the air, shaped like a sword. Black runes of all kinds flowed across its blade, entwining it like writhing worms.

Yet this light-sword was not smooth and whole; jagged notches and dense cracks marred its surface, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

“Are you the Sword Stone’s spirit?” Long Yun asked softly, settling beside the sword of light.

It seemed to understand him, its glow brightening slightly, the black runes fading a bit. A voice slowly emerged, “Junior, was it you who awakened me?”

Long Yun’s heart leapt. He nodded and replied, “Yes, I am a disciple of the Heart Sword lineage, sent by the elders to seek your guidance. I hope to inherit your supreme sword art and restore the honor of the Heart Sword line.”

A sigh echoed from the sword of light, followed by a weary voice, “I know, young one. Because of me, the Heart Sword lineage must now be in ruins. But I am powerless to help. Three thousand years ago, the Demon Lord of the Monster Domain struck me with his blade, gravely wounding my very source. After injuring me, he cast a secret art to seal me, preventing any recovery. Now I can barely sustain myself, fading bit by bit toward oblivion.”

Long Yun’s heart stirred, and he asked, “Is there no way to break this seal, elder?”

“Easier said than done!” the Sword Stone’s spirit replied. “Five centuries ago, another Heart Sword disciple entered my inner realm. Unlike you, who gained my recognition through supreme sword intent, he possessed a peerless sword body and forced his way in. At the time, he was at the Qi Condensation stage, yet with his sword body could defeat even those at the Gathering Essence stage or higher. He tried to break the seal for me, but failed. In the attempt, when his sword body touched the seal, he took away one of my sword arts from a wisp of my consciousness. Ultimately he failed, too. Your cultivation is not as high as his, so your chances are slim indeed.”

But the spirit’s words did not dissuade Long Yun. Instead, he smiled at the sword of light. “If I don’t try, how will I ever know?”

Without waiting for a reply, Long Yun’s eyes suddenly flashed like a myriad of stars. His vast sword intent surged forth, and his physical body—waiting outside the Sword Stone—transformed into a beam of light, merging into the stone.

A gasp escaped Xue Renqi’s lips, shock flickering across his face before giving way to wild joy.

“He did it! He entered the Sword Stone!” Xue Renqi laughed aloud, venting years of pent-up frustration. He remembered, albeit vaguely, that five centuries ago, the predecessor had also entered the Sword Stone and, upon emerging, gained a supreme sword art that brought him fame across the land.

Now, that scene was playing out once more. This disciple, who had only been in the sect for two months but into whom Xue Renqi had poured all his hopes, had also entered the Sword Stone. Could this mean the Heart Sword lineage was about to be reborn?

At that moment, Long Yun’s spirit returned to his body, standing firm beside the Sword Stone’s spirit.

“Elder, forgive my offense!” Long Yun’s eyes gleamed. With a wave of his hand, his supreme sword intent surged forth, becoming a twisted, uncanny ripple that crashed in relentless waves against the Sword Stone’s spirit.

“What formidable sword intent!” the spirit exclaimed. He had not expected Long Yun’s sword intent to be so powerful—those surging waves could only be described as vast and boundless.

Perhaps, under such force, there was truly hope to break the seal.

The sword of light quivered slightly, and the ocean of sword intent crashed against the spirit’s seal.

A blaze of black light erupted as the strange runes were provoked by the sword intent, leaping forth and gathering together to form a black blade. With a force to rend the air, it slashed into Long Yun’s sword intent.

The clash boomed, shockwaves exploding outward. Yet Long Yun’s sword intent was no ordinary force—it sprang from a fundamental understanding of the Way of the Sword. More importantly, after a recent power restored his body, his sword intent had transformed, infused with a hint of the divine, raising it several grades.

“Sword intent, manifest the blade—surround and strike!” Long Yun shouted, and the surging ocean of sword intent shifted form. Countless chilling sword auras appeared from nowhere, falling like a rainstorm upon the black blade.

Thank you, Brother Indestructible, for your support… Two chapters today in gratitude…