Borrowed Sword

Chapter 106: Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Intent

“Chu Huaixu is inside?”

Chu Yinyin was so excited that she even rose on tiptoes.

Her pair of lively big eyes widened round, sparkling with light.

This was simply even happier than if she herself had entered the secret realm!

Because she had no plans to break through to the Seventh Level…

Without reaching the Seventh Level, cultivation could not undergo a qualitative change, and it was impossible to produce one’s own 【Domain】.

Xiang Yan looked at the Little Junior Sister and revealed a smile that he thought was kind but actually appeared villainous: “In fact, not only Chu Huaixu, Han Shuangjiang is also inside.”

Chu Yinyin waved her hand indifferently: “No matter, no matter. Sword Dao inheritance can be shared.”

“Comprehension or lack of it all depends purely on one’s own fortune!”

Of course, in her heart she still leaned toward her precious disciple.

In her eyes, Chu Huaixu, so young, already had Sword Heart Clarity—he had already won at the starting line.

And his talent in the Sword Dao was absolutely heaven-defying.

His comprehension of the Sword Dao was likely also a rarity in the world!

“Han Shuangjiang may possess the Body of Profound Yin, her physique equal to the Dao Ancestor’s Pure Yang Body.”

“But if we are speaking purely of Sword Dao… she cannot possibly compare to my disciple!” Chu Yinyin was already full of pride.

In fact, even Xiang Yan and the others thought the same.

“Chu Huaixu is the sword prodigy mentioned by the Dao Ancestor.”

“Though it is unclear why, the last time he ascended the mountain he failed to take that sword.”

“But now, it seems he truly is the most suitable one within the outer sect to receive the Temple Master’s inheritance.” Zhao Shuqin said.

The crowd all nodded in agreement, and Lu Pan, gratified in his old age, added: “In this way, if he enters the Origin Spirit Realm, he will have even greater chances of success!”

They all knew clearly what terrifying existences Chu Huaixu would face once he entered the Origin Spirit Realm.

Without that sword atop Hidden Spirit Mountain, even with Sword Heart Clarity, he could not claim absolute certainty.

But the inheritance of the second-generation Temple Master, Yanwu, was different.

She had once suppressed even the Sword Sovereign of the Sword Sect, and for a thousand years, her place in the Ninth Level had been unmatched.

If Chu Huaixu could truly gain enlightenment, it would surely bolster his confidence!

“A great blessing, indeed a great blessing.”

“Heaven bless the Dao Gate, heaven bless Xuanhuang.” Li Chunsong exclaimed.

Inside the Growth Rings Secret Realm, Chu Huaixu had no idea that at this moment such great expectations were being placed upon him.

After the Sword Domain manifested, the Zhegutian in Han Shuangjiang’s hand began trembling lightly.

Clearly, it too sensed something!

But no matter how much the Big Ice Block tried to soothe it, it had no effect.

Chu Huaixu could not stand it any longer, and reaching out, he stroked Zhegutian’s blade, speaking: “Calm down.”

The trembling of the Spirit Sword… stopped.

Han Shuangjiang, in her “Old Auntie” state, glanced at the “Elderly” Chu Huaixu, then at her own Life-bound Spirit Sword in hand, biting her lip with her Silver Teeth.

She fumed inwardly: “Why are his words more effective than mine!”

The instant this thought arose, she felt the sword spirit’s conveyed emotion. It was deliberately trying to please her, signaling her not to be angry.

As though what it had just done was merely the common mistake of all sword spirits.

Chu Huaixu, meanwhile, looked calmly at Han Shuangjiang, not at all feeling he had overstepped.

Now was no time to fuss over such trivial details. What yours, what mine? Why draw such lines?

“I think we must seize the time to comprehend this inheritance.” he said.

“Time is still passing. We are still aging. I suspect the ‘lifespan’ left to us is already little.” Chu Huaixu analyzed.

This dungeon had been timed from the very start.

Once time ran out, it would likely be a failed clear.

All the more since the other side had opened their Sword Domain to them without reservation, for them to comprehend.

Naturally, they had to seize every moment!

Han Shuangjiang nodded, knowing the priorities well.

“I have not been bound to Zhegutian for long. Once more time has passed, nourished day and night by my spiritual energy, it will surely not be like this anymore.” she comforted herself inwardly.

The two stood at the very center of the frozen lake, slowly sat, crossed their legs facing each other, and closed their eyes to comprehend.

But the rank of this power was far too high. Even without the slightest concealment, at their current realms, they could not absorb much.

Ordinary Dao Gate disciples, if they tried to comprehend for too long, would have their Dao Hearts shattered! They would despair of ever reaching such a realm in their lifetime.

It was like when Qian Lao wrote his Manuscripts on Mechanics—equivalent to the peak cultivation method of humanity on Earth—yet why did none of you practice it?

Why did you flip one page then immediately close it, wearing the expression of an old man on the subway reading a smartphone?

Chu Huaixu suspected this inheritance was prepared for the true prodigies of the Dao Gate.

He did not know how much Han Shuangjiang could comprehend.

He only knew that his “外挂” (cheat) reacted at this moment.

“【Ding! Detection complete, you have obtained the Temple Master’s inheritance—Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Domain!】”

“【Would you like to view the acquisition conditions and acquisition plan?】”

Hearing the system’s prompt, Chu Huaixu’s heart stirred.

“Temple Master’s inheritance?”

“Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Domain?”

He knew clearly what the title Temple Master represented.

It meant that person was the strongest among the Dao Gate’s true disciples of that generation!

And what drew his attention to the Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Domain was that, in his memory, the sword intent Han Shuangjiang had once comprehended was precisely called—Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Intent!

Before Chu Huaixu had transmigrated, Han Shuangjiang had not yet reached the Seventh Level, had not formed a Sword Domain, possessing only Sword Intent and Sword Heart.

That meant he could be certain—this secret realm’s inheritance originally belonged to Han Shuangjiang, perfectly matching his prior speculation.

“Only, if I recall correctly, she comprehended Sword Intent when she had just broken through to the Second Level.”

“And it was in the midst of battle.”

“That incident was famous, spreading across the whole Xuanhuang Realm. She immediately leapt to become a world-renowned Dao Gate prodigy! Her future limitless!”

“In other words, she did not directly comprehend the Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Intent within this secret realm?”

“She merely gained some insight.”

“Then, this time…?” Chu Huaixu opened his eyes, looking at the Big Ice Block sitting cross-legged before him.

He was one hundred percent certain that Han Shuangjiang’s harvest this time would be even greater.

He did not know who in 《Borrowed Sword》 had entered this dungeon together with her.

It could have been Little Xu, or perhaps someone else.

But whoever it was, Chu Huaixu firmly believed: “Could they possibly carry her as hard as me?”

He had carried Han Shuangjiang all the way to a speed-clear, saving vast amounts of time.

The first trial’s tornado formed of converging leaves, Chu Huaixu had flicked a finger and instantly destroyed.

The second trial, he had used Heart Sword to instantly clear.

The third trial, relying on their intimate rapport, he had directly used the “embracing the beauty in one’s arms” strategy.

Even in the Xuanhuang Realm, this had not tarnished his prestige as a top-tier play companion!

This—was the power of 【Borrowed Sword’s “Must-Eat List” Rank Two】!

All the time saved could now be used to comprehend the 【Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Domain】 enveloping them.

Chu Huaixu was certain, with the Big Ice Block’s talent, she would surely comprehend more.

As for himself, he fell into deep silence, staring at the words on the system interface.

The system gave him two modes:

The first, naturally, was to comprehend the Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Intent.

But his compatibility with it was shockingly low—only 37%.

He would need to expend a full 270,000 Experience Points to obtain the Sword Intent.

“Where am I supposed to get that much Experience Points?”

What surprised him more was the system’s explanation: his current progress toward unlocking Sword Intent was already at 67%.

The two clashed!

That meant, due to various factors, Chu Huaixu had already set foot on the path to unlocking Sword Intent.

“Was it because of Shen Man’s Sword Domain Trial?” he thought.

The system had previously given a clear prompt—if he completed the mission with an A-grade rating, he could unlock Sword Intent.

“But that trial lasts 30 days. I’ve only just begun.”

“Then there must be other factors.”

Chu Huaixu even suspected that it was precisely because he was already on the path to unlocking Sword Intent that Shen Man’s Sword Domain Trial had the probability of unlocking it!

“Was it because of the Sword Refining Art?”

“Or something else?”

For the moment, he had no answer.

The fortuitous encounters players gained often had cumulative effects.

It was just like how many cultivators, though they had no qualitative breakthrough at the moment, still had gains—only lacking a catalyst.

A catalyst for enlightenment!

Chu Huaixu had always thought a certain saying was very reasonable:

“【In this world there is no single sentence,

that can grant you sudden enlightenment.

What truly grants you sudden enlightenment,

can only be an experience.

And that sentence,

is merely a match struck in a gunpowder storehouse.】”

On his face, no trace of struggle or anguish appeared.

Even though this was the seemingly mighty Cycle of Reincarnation Sword Intent, he quickly let it go.

He was always someone who could pick things up—and put them down.

Moreover, he simply did not have the conditions right now. Brooding over it would only bring pain.

Chu Huaixu immediately shifted his gaze to the second reward mode.

“【You give up the Temple Master’s inheritance, but after experiencing the passage of years, life, aging, and death, your heart still gains insight. Once the dungeon completely ends, you will receive +1 Comprehension.】”

With a head full of white hair, that aged face revealed a faint smile.

“It wasn’t in vain after all!”

Special Attribute Points were extremely hard to obtain. The only reason he had so many now was because he was a transmigrator, and moreover had built deep bonds with both World Protagonists.

“In this way, once I endure through 【Shen Man’s Sword Domain Trial】, I’ll at least have Comprehension 4!”

“Who would have thought, it’s Comprehension that’s overtaking, almost surpassing Physique?” He was quite surprised, thinking he would be the most brainy of all Body Training cultivators.

Closing the system interface, Chu Huaixu opened his eyes, looking at the equally white-haired woman before him.

Above, snow continued to fall.

Large flakes landed on the frozen lake, on the withered trees at its edge, and on both him and Han Shuangjiang.

Afraid of disturbing her, Chu Huaixu did not brush the snow from her body.

Time passed, as he quietly watched her closed eyes.

Watched the wrinkles deepen on her face, watched her grow ever older.

As though simply accompanying her in growing old.

Minute by minute, second by second, Chu Huaixu could feel his body weakening, as if his time was nearly up.

“This timed dungeon—it seems it’s about to end.” he thought.

As for how much comprehension the Big Ice Block had gained, for now he had no way of knowing.

“Am I… about to ‘die’?” Chu Huaixu whispered inwardly.

He could feel the last of his life force dwindling away.

His eyes grew heavier, as though about to close at any moment.

Each time he shut them, opening them again became harder.

At the very end, he did not know if it was just his illusion—

But Chu Huaixu, in the haze, saw Han Shuangjiang, sitting cross-legged before him, slowly open her eyes.

With the last of his strength, he forced a smile at her.

A profound aura spread outward from her body. The snow upon the frozen lake melted instantly!

The two sat cross-legged upon the thick ice, and beneath the ice was another symmetrical world!

As though the ice surface was a line, two worlds mirrored upon it.

Above the ice, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were old and withered.

The withered tree by the frozen lake, devoid of life.

Yet in the mirrored world below the ice, the withered tree had sprouted new buds.

And the man and woman seated cross-legged—were in the bloom of youth!