Immortal Paladin

003 Sword Dance

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." Sun Tzu said something along those lines. I might've butchered the exact words, but the meaning stuck. In this unfamiliar world, the identity of the 'enemy' remained kind of a mystery, so the only thing I could do was start with the one constant: myself.

Since I have no idea what cultivators were like in action, I could only start with myself.

That was how my experiments began.

"Let's see how fast I am," I muttered. "Definitely fast, but how fast?"

To my left stood an ancient tree, while the ruined fountain lay ahead. I inhaled deeply, bracing my core, then launched forward. The world blurred around me. Stone split beneath my feet, and the wind roared in my ears. When I came to a halt, the tree was now behind me. I was too fast. My footing faltered, and I nearly stumbled.

"Again."

I reset my stance, forced my weight lower, and took off once more. This time, with control. I eased into the stop just before skidding, letting my momentum bleed away instead of fighting it. Everything clicked.

"Much better."

This must be what peak Paladin Agility felt like

Next was strength.

I clenched my fist and struck forward... not at anything, just through the air. A sharp crack split the silence as the force rippled outward. The shockwave stirred the dust at my feet.

No need for further tests. That alone proved my fist was dangerous.

For balance, I moved through a series of steps from a twisting leap, leading to a controlled flip, and then finally landing lightly atop a narrow wooden post. My body obeyed every command with precision, each motion flowing seamlessly into the next. It was as if years of discipline had been carved into my very bones. It helped that my physical ability in my past life was high enough.

I exhaled slowly. This power wasn't mine yet. My instincts lagged behind my abilities. A single misstep could mean disaster in a fight. I had to be careful.

Finally, the real test.

I reached into my Item Box and withdrew a blade that was neither ornate nor gaudy, yet any true warrior would instantly recognize its worth.

Silver Steel.

It was a legendary longsword, unassuming in its simplicity. No glowing runes, no excessive embellishments. Just a weapon honed to perfection, its edge keen enough to bite through mythril. The moment I gripped its hilt, a familiar sensation welled up inside me... It was an urge to do something, and just anything. My body demanded release, to swing, to cut, and to test the full extent of my strength. But I restrained myself.

I was too close to the city. If this world's cultivators could sense energy fluctuations the way they did in the stories… Well, there was no need to invite trouble.

Instead, I focused on control.

One hand tightened around the hilt. Normally, a weapon of this size required both hands, but my Monkey Grip passive allowed me to wield it effortlessly in one hand. I swung in a slow arc, feeling the weight of the sword and testing my range. The blade whispered through the air, and its balance was impeccable.

I smiled faintly.

With slow, deliberate movements, I swung the blade.

And suddenly... The sword sang. It whispered through the air, smooth as flowing water and sharp as winter's first frost. My body moved on instinct, each strike precise, each step effortless, as if these motions had been carved into my very soul.

With every swing, memories surged forth.

My breath hitched. My grip tightened. A shiver crawled up my spine not from exertion, but from something deeper. There was a bone-deep wrongness to it. I wasn't just recalling these movements. I was reliving them as... A young warrior, clutching a crude iron sword, and accepting his first quest. A terrified rookie, facing down his first goblin. A battle-worn survivor, hands trembling as he made his first kill. The joy of his first class advancement. The agony of countless deaths and resurrections.

The thrill of battle. The weight of loss!

And then...

I saw him.

Not from my own eyes, but from afar. A figure clad in silver and steel, standing tall amidst bloodied fields and shattered dungeons.

David_69.

My game character.

A max-level Paladin, forged through endless battles and sharpened by war. A warrior who had upheld his oath to be a Wandering Adjudicator of justice... until the bitter end. For a single, terrifying moment, I wasn't just remembering. I was him. The world spun. My vision blurred. The weight of years... of victories and deaths, of battles fought and quests completed... They threatened to swallow me whole.

No.

No!

I ripped myself back.

"Who. Are. You!?"

I staggered, breath ragged, Silver Steel digging into the ground as I used it to steady myself. The memories clung to me, lingering like ghosts. That wasn't nostalgia. That wasn't just a flashback. That was… something else.

Something deeper.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my mind to steady. This wasn't a game. And that? That was the scariest part of all.

"Focus, man…"

A bitter chuckle slipped past my lips. Strange and bizarre phenomena? Check. Unexplainable memories surfacing from nowhere? Check. A creeping sense that reality itself might be a fever dream? Double check. If this were a game, I'd expect a flashing quest marker in my vision, urging me to "Uncover the Secrets of Your Transmigration!" or some other cryptic nonsense. Hell, for all I knew, this was a simulation. Maybe I was just a collection of numbers and code. Maybe I was never real in the first place.

I shook my head. There was no use chasing shadows.

With a final breath, I dismissed the thoughts and returned Silver Steel to my Item Box.

There were still experiments to run. The Item Box worked. That was a win. But how far could I push gamer mechanics in this world?

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Next test: Fast Travel.

I stood still, focused, and willed myself to teleport just anywhere.

Nothing.

Next: World Map.

I concentrated, imagining a translucent map appearing in my vision.

Still nothing.

Mini-map?

Nada.

World Chat?

I muttered under my breath, "/global Hello? Anyone?"

Silence.

…Okay. Premium Shop?

I dramatically raised my hand. "Open Premium Shop!"

Nothing. No glowing UI. No limited-time deals. No overpriced weapon skins.

Truly, I was in hell.

I let out a slow breath. So much for buying my way out of trouble. It was painfully clear that gamer logic wasn't on my side. No system messages, no convenient level-ups, and no tutorials to guide me through cultivation like some overpowered protagonist. I was on my own. So much for easy mode.

What was I even supposed to do in this world?

There had to be a reason why I was here, right?

Since my other gamer perks were useless, I returned to the one thing that actually worked.

The Item Box.

It stored weapons and equipment. But could I weaponize it?

Time for the Minecraft test.

I knelt down, pressed my hand against the ground, and tried to shove raw earth into my inventory.

Nothing.

Damn. That would've been fun.

Still, through trial and error, I confirmed three key limitations:

I could store anything, as long as it wasn't alive. No tossing enemies into the void.

The object had to be something I could lift with one or two hands. No pocketing buildings or stealing mountains for fun.

There were no visual cues. No glowing effects, no flashy light, nothing.

That last part was very important.

It meant my Item Box was invisible to others.

I grinned as possibilities flooded my mind: hidden weapons appearing out of nowhere, a dagger materializing in my hand mid-fight, a healing potion summoned mid-swing, making me look invincible, an explosive flask hurled at an enemy's face with zero warning, etc.

Hah. You ain't ready for me yet, cultivators.

Except they probably had similar tricks in the form of Storage Rings.

"I wonder how different a Storage Ring is from my Item Box?"

I spent the next few hours pushing my limits, testing theories, and adjusting my tactics. I didn't have a clear path forward, but one thing was certain... Even if I couldn't rely on gamer mechanics, I could rely on creativity. And if there was one thing Paladins excelled at, it was adapting to survive.

Still... I was tempted to test my flashier skills.

Divine Smite? Would it translate into this world like how I remembered it in the game? Holy Wrath? Would it still incinerate low-level wraiths when they got too close? Sanctuary? Could I just declare myself untouchable and walk away from all my problems?

"Should I do it? Nah..."

Even I knew when to quit while I was ahead, especially when I sensed I wasn't alone anymore.

It started as a ripple in the air. There was a subtle hum of power brushing against the edge of my awareness. I turned just as moonlight caught the sight of someone. She descended with effortless grace, balanced atop a floating sword, posture rigid with the kind of practiced discipline that didn't need to raise its voice to be threatening.

"I need to speak with you," she stated, her voice a steady, measured tone devoid of inflection, yet carrying the undeniable weight of official instruction. "This is a procedural necessity, a formal request to initiate dialogue. I require your full attention to clarify certain details for my report, and for the record."

She looked young, early twenties, maybe, but with cultivators, appearances were just decorative guesses. For all I knew, she could be pushing sixty and still considered spry.

"I work in an official capacity as a member of law enforcement," she added. "There is no need to escalate. This is a formality."

My first encounter with a local, and it had to be a city enforcer.

"State your name," she ordered, her tone flat and unforgiving. "Be forewarned… Make one suspicious move from where you stand, and I will end you."

My mouth opened, then closed again. My username back in Lost Legends Online was David_69, and there was no chance in hell I was introducing myself with that.

"…David," I started rather clumsily, then quickly backpedaled. "I mean, Da Wei! It's Da Wei!"

She narrowed her eyes, repeating the name like she was trying to taste it. "Dei Wu? Dei Vu?" Another pause. "Da Wei?"

I blinked. That wasn't even close.

Given her cultivation level, she could've nailed it if she wanted to. Thankfully, it seemed 'Da Wei' left her with a greater impression. But then I caught my reflection in her polished pauldron, dark hair, sharp features, and clothes stylish enough to pass for a rich young master. I looked like I belonged. Maybe it was better that she thought I was local.

"Yes! Da Wei. That's my name," I said with a smile I hoped looked sincere. Might as well lean into it. "Yup, that's me, officer. I am Da Wei…"

She didn't react. Instead, she gave a formal nod. "A proper greeting, then. I am an enforcer of Yellow Dragon City. My name is Liang Na."

A silver plaque appeared in her hand. It was official, elegant, and very much her equivalent of a badge. I kept my expression neutral, offering just enough respect to avoid suspicion without groveling. Her eyes studied me carefully.

"Your affiliation?" she asked. "No ordinary mortal would train in isolation out here unless they had something to hide."

My brain stalled for a heartbeat. Cultivators always had sects, clans, or at the very least, sworn brotherhoods. Say the wrong thing, and I'd be branded a rogue. Or worse, a criminal. I forced a relaxed shrug and met her gaze. "Just a traveler."

Her brow twitched ever so slightly. "A traveling cultivator?"

Technically? Not even close. I was a Paladin, a divine knight blessed with holy magic. A lawful good tank who could smite evil, shield allies, and take a hit like a champ. But in a world of flying swords, qi pulses, and cultivation realms, that title wasn't going to get me very far.

"You could say that," I replied with what I hoped was convincing vagueness.

She held my gaze for a long second before nodding slowly. "I see."

She hadn't immediately called me a fraud... That was a good sign. She must have been watching me for a while, gauging my actions. My Divine Sense hadn't picked her up, either because she was beyond its range… or because she had no hostile intent. Either way, I was now officially on a cultivator enforcer's radar.

I crossed my arms and tilted my head. "So… is there a problem, officer?"

"No problem," Her expression remained stone-still. "Just a word of warning."

"A warning for what, exactly?"

Liang Na exhaled through her nose, already looking tired of the conversation. "You used a spell on a civilian. A young master named Zhao fell into a coma, alarming local physicians with signs of an unfamiliar spiritual disturbance. His father, while not a noble, is still a figure of influence. The Zhao family has supported Yellow Dragon City for generations. If your spell hadn't miraculously cured the boy's liver and sobered him up, I would've arrested you on the spot."

Oh.

Ohhh!

So my little Divine Word: Rest trick on Young Master Zhao hadn't gone unnoticed after all. That was… unfortunate. I had really hoped to stay under the radar.

"…I wouldn't exactly call it a spell," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "More like a harmless suggestion."

Her eyes narrowed. "A suggestion that rendered someone unconscious."

"Peacefully unconscious," I corrected. "Very safe. Restful, even. He probably had the best nap of his life."

For just a heartbeat, I thought I saw her mouth twitch, but her tone remained dry and official. "Regardless, do not use techniques on civilians without consent. If you're truly a healing cultivator, the Governor may be willing to hire you. Such talents are rare… and rarer still within the Empire."

"I'll take that under advisement," I replied, giving a polite nod. "Duly warned."

She gave a formal cupped-fist gesture. "I hope I haven't troubled you, Young Master."

I returned the gesture just as formally. "It's no trouble. May I go now?"

"Young Master," she repeated, doubling down on the title, "within city limits, you may use martial arts or spells strictly for self-defense. Any harm to civilians, intentional or not, will result in the full force of Yellow Dragon City's enforcers brought upon you. Do you understand… Da Wei?"

I sighed inwardly. Guess I was officially Da Wei now.

"I trust I'm not in trouble, then?" I asked, raising a brow. "Can I go?"

She studied me a moment before nodding. "You handled the incident in the inn well enough."

Her voice carried a quiet weariness. "Every year, cultivators from major sects and clans descend upon Yellow Dragon City to indulge in mortal festivals. Their behavior… is exhausting."

That actually made a lot of sense. A festival full of privileged, superpowered rich kids? Of course things got chaotic.

"So… Young Master Zhao's one of those troublemakers?" I asked.

Liang Na's lips pressed into a thin, tired line. "Among many. But no… he's not an outsider. The Zhao family has lived here for generations. He's more civilian than scion, which makes it harder to deal with him directly. The kid's insecure, after all."

So, not a big deal, just annoying enough to cause problems. And since I hadn't smashed his face in or burned down a tavern, I had apparently passed some kind of unspoken test. That probably explained why she hadn't slapped spiritual cuffs on me.

A thought struck me.

I gave her a look, feigning mild offense. "Why do you assume I'm a Young Master?" I laced just the right amount of spoiled arrogance into my voice, like I actually cared about my reputation.

Her gaze sharpened slightly, like the edge of a drawn blade. "Let's just say… I've got my eyes on you."

Ah. Subtle, but unmistakable. It was a warning wrapped in civility.

I quickly adjusted my expression, bowing slightly. "I see. Apologies for taking up your time. You're welcome to watch me all you want, but I warn you… don't fall for me, okay?"

She didn't dignify that with a response, simply offering a curt nod before stepping away.

"Take care!" I added. "Next time, let's share a cup of tea…"

Why did I even say that? Ugh… Force of habit, I guessed?