After the Immortal Disappeared

"Not necessarily." Lil Qingge held a different opinion. "Our King detests old rules and outdated customs. Perhaps the one who ultimately becomes the National Preceptor will rely not on seniority or backing, but on youth and ability. That's why I said Fan Ke and Yane Lixin have a greater advantage. Especially Yane Lixin. He established the Daoist Xiyun Sect in his early twenties, and at thirty-one, he became the leader of the Southeast Dao Alliance. His prestige and talent are at their zenith."

Hee Chunhua murmured in admiration before saying, "But it won't be that easy for him to become the National Preceptor, will it?"

"Of course not! The position of National Preceptor isn't so easily won. Fan Ke is working to suppress him, and the old ministers at court have strong objections, believing he's too young to manage the fate of a nation. After all, the other two National Preceptors are both over fifty." Lil Qingge set down her teacup. "Alright, today is Young Master Hee's big day to draw his blade. Let's not get sidetracked by idle chatter. Let's go watch."

Hee Lingchuan had only managed a couple of sips of hot tea before he had to stand up. "After you."

Li Fubo was already waiting outside for them.

This was the first time Hee Lingchuan's residence had hosted so many guests.

The Sword Mountain's color had faded to a brilliant, pure gold, a clear sign that its Zhu Gold content was now near zero. Lil Qingge reached out to place her hand on the hilt, but she snatched it back the next instant as if stung by a bee.

Everyone gasped. Lil Qingge looked at her palm. "This blade's ferocity is unlike any other. I could feel its resistance just from holding the hilt." It was like a wild lion or tiger in a cage, baring its fangs and claws at anyone who approaches. "However, this also proves that the Seed Blade process was a great success."

Hee Chunhua looked worried. "With such a fierce blade, will Chuan'Er be able to control it?" 'If he can't, I fear it will turn on its master.'

Hee Lingchuan stepped forward and placed a hand on the hilt.

He had performed this action countless times over the past ten-odd days with no issue.

The blade felt like an old acquaintance—warm, friendly, as if they occasionally exchanged pleasantries.

He asked Li Fubo, "Can I draw it now?"

Li Fubo, who seemed even more nervous than Hee Lingchuan, answered without blinking, "Yes!"

Hee Lingchuan gripped the hilt, slowly applying force. In that instant, a realization dawned on him:

'Isn't this the fucking Sword in the Stone?'

'Once I pull this out, will I become the chosen one? Will I get a protagonist's plot armor?'

Li Fubo suddenly cried out, "Wait!"

Hee Lingchuan's breath hitched. He then heard the master continue, "You should name it first, shouldn't you? A Treasure Saber must have a name."

'A name, huh?' It was true; he couldn't keep calling this thing the Broken Blade. Hee Lingchuan didn't know why its previous owner, Zhong Shengguang, hadn't named it. As Li Fubo said, a Treasure Saber must have a name.

In that instant, Hee Lingchuan's mind filled with images: the fleeting prosperity of the Ancient City, the vast yellow sands of the Panlong Desert, the joys and sorrows of the common folk within the city walls, the unmatched loyalty and bravery of the Great Wind Army's Heroic Spirits, and the desolate solitude of Zhong Shengguang's grave.

Everything this Treasure Saber had experienced had nearly been swept away by the winds of time, scattered into the dust of history.

And yet, those memories must have been unwilling to fade.

He had a flash of insight. Stroking the hilt, he said softly, "From this day forward, your name shall be… Floating Life."

'To record what was, to remember it, to be vigilant, and to welcome a new beginning.'

A faint vibration immediately ran through the blade, as if the Treasure Saber itself was rejoicing at finally having a proper name.

Hee Lingchuan gripped the hilt and began to draw the blade, inch by inch.

After so many days of curing, the Golden Mud had become harder than concrete, but before the Treasure Saber, it was as soft as tofu.

Then, he saw two characters engraved near the ricasso of the blade.

Hee Lingchuan had been studying diligently of late, and he recognized them at a glance as characters from the ancient Immortal Language.

Lil Qingge, however, read them aloud:

"Float… ing Life…?"

Madam Ying let out a long, drawn-out sound of surprise. "Did the characters carve themselves onto the blade?" 'This is truly unlike any mortal weapon,' she thought, feeling as though her horizons had been broadened.

Li Fubo, however, was pleased. "The Treasure Saber is sentient. It has accepted its name."

As they spoke, Hee Lingchuan finished drawing the Treasure Saber.

Everyone could see that Floating Life was now whole. From ricasso to tip, it was perfect and flawless.

Compared to before, the blade's length was almost unchanged, but its curve was more pronounced, making it better suited for cleaving. Along each side ran a gleaming fuller.

Other than that, there seemed to be nothing special about it. Even its edge no longer emanated the biting chill it once had.

Hee Lingchuan plunged it into the ground, and the blade stood firm.

Madam Ying asked instinctively, "Doesn't it cut through metal like mud? How could it just stand there?"

Hee Lingchuan gave the hilt a gentle push, and the blade sank silently into the ground until only the hilt was visible.

When he wished it to be dull, it was dull. When he wished it to be sharp, it was sharp. It obeyed his every whim.

"Try splitting this." Lil Qingge tossed over a dark object.

Hee Lingchuan performed a flourish with the blade, and the object split into two pieces, falling to the ground.

It was a piece of pitch-black wood.

"That's thunderstruck wood, harder than thousand-year-old Cold Iron." Lil Qingge clapped softly. "Excellent. Young Master Hee, you and Master Li have once again collaborated to forge a rare Treasure Saber."

Madam Ying was puzzled. "Can it be called rare just for being sharp?"

Lil Qingge smiled. "As for the blade's special properties, only its master knows. It would be improper for us to inquire further."

A Treasure Saber's additional properties could be the key to victory in future battles, so the owner usually keeps them a closely guarded secret.

Madam Ying glanced suspiciously at her eldest son, who was just smiling without a word, clearly having gained some insight.

In truth, with the blade in his hand, Hee Lingchuan could already sense its newly acquired special properties—

"**Void Shattering**: This blade has accompanied both its masters, past and present, into and out of the Cyan Netherworld. As such, it can strike formless and intangible beings."

'Formless beings… As I understand it, that means things like Ghosts and Vengeful Spirits. This is a great property. Dealing with Ghosts requires specially forged Magical Artifacts; ordinary weapons can't necessarily harm them.'

'As for what "intangible" means… well, I don't really get it. I guess I'll find out later.'

"**Breaking Army**: The will of hundreds of thousands of people is condensed within this blade's past and present. When its master faces an enemy, there is a small chance this will can erupt. Even if the opponent is protected by Primordial Power, this attack will break through their defense and inflict true damage."

"**One-Throw Must-Hit**: Its master enjoys throwing it at enemies. After the successful Seed Blade process, Floating Life has remembered this trait. However, it can only be used once every quarter of an hour."

"**Passage Command**: The Sword Master who has received the inheritance can use the Divine Bone to enter the Grand Square Pot's Dream World, the Panlong Realm. (Of course, this feature is not limited to this and is subject to expansion.)"

'At first glance, none of these properties seem particularly mind-blowing.'

'But Master Li had told me before that a blade is a Fierce Weapon. It doesn't need flashy effects. As long as it's fast, sharp, and can't be broken, it's a good blade. If it could be improved even further in those aspects, it would be priceless.'

'On closer inspection, the Breaking Army property is actually quite something. Opponents with the Society Command are protected by Primordial Power, which they use to enhance their Divine Techniques and Arrays, thus mitigating damage from others. The existence of Breaking Army is basically using a bug to fix a bug—fighting fire with fire—to deal true, unmitigated damage.'

'The damage dealt is exactly what it should have been.'

'Of course, I also noticed the two words "small chance." Floating Life is kindly hinting to me that this probability can be increased.'

'How to increase it? That's currently unknown.'

'As for the last property, "Passage Command," I don't think it's a property at all. At best, it's a pass to enter and exit the Dream Realm. But it does contain useful information. For example, what does it mean to have "received the inheritance?"'

'Zhong Shengguang gave me this blade, so that counts as receiving the inheritance, right? In other words, even if someone else got their hands on this blade, if it wasn't passed on from me, they wouldn't be able to enter the Panlong Dream Realm?'

'Also, I've finally confirmed where I go in my dreams at night—it really is the Grand Square Pot! A long-standing question of mine has finally been answered.'

'The Grand Square Pot, coveted by both Deities and mortals, hasn't disappeared or gone into hiding. It's connected to me through the Divine Bone Necklace and the Floating Life Blade.'

'There's one more crucial point:'

'It wasn't the Floating Life Blade, but the Divine Bone Necklace that allows me to enter the Grand Square Pot's "Dream World," which was specifically labeled the "Panlong Realm."'

'Why didn't the Divine Bone Necklace send me into the dream world when I first got it? Perhaps this Dream Realm was only unlocked after I obtained the Broken Blade.'

'In other words, the Divine Bone Necklace is the key to the Grand Square Pot, while the Floating Life Blade is the specific path leading to the Panlong Dream Realm.'

'No wonder I couldn't have any other dreams after getting Floating Life.'

'So, could I interpret this differently? Are there other dream realms within the Grand Square Pot waiting for me? The phrase "subject to expansion" certainly leaves room for imagination.'

'These possibilities made my heart race.'

Li Fubo was also scrutinizing Floating Life. He even borrowed it to caress it endlessly, repeatedly admiring and appraising it with Lil Qingge. Only then did he reluctantly return it to Hee Lingchuan. "The blade's shape has changed, so the original scabbard won't fit. I'll make you a new one."

The expressions on both their faces were filled with emotion. To repair a Spiritual Artifact without damaging its essence was a monumental success in itself—something the Songyang Prefecture could boast about for a long time.

Hee Lingchuan was genuinely grateful. He gave both him and Lil Qingge a deep bow. "Thank you both so much!"

Without the Songyang Prefecture's Seed Blade Divine Skill, the Broken Blade would have remained broken, with almost no hope of being repaired.

"Don't mention it." Lil Qingge smiled, pursing her lips. "The experience of creating such a Treasure Saber is incredibly valuable and has been of great benefit to us."

Hee Lingchuan had always been generous, and he certainly wasn't going to be stingy at a time like this. "This is a joyous occasion! Everyone, let's head to the Hesu Building. Tonight's on me!"

Hee Chunhua instructed his butler, Old Mo, to go to the State Government office to fetch Hee Yue, and the whole party set off for the restaurant.

Hesu Building had recently added a few new signature dishes. One of them was called Full House.

It was served in a massive bowl with a half-finger-thick layer of red oil floating on top. The fiery appearance alone was enough to put one on guard.

Hee Lingchuan, of course, knew that Hesu Building's head chef had created this new dish based on the chili oil recipe he had provided. In his original world, a dish like this was called *shuizhu*, or "water-boiled," but here, Hesu Building had to give it a grander, more auspicious name.

After all, it was a high-end restaurant. They couldn't very well use the offal of pigs, cows, or sheep, lest the dignitaries and nobles hosting banquets there feel they were losing face.