"You two, can we focus on the important issue here?"
Looking at Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha splitting up the remaining Bell Chime Talismans between them, Daniel Davis couldn't help but feel exasperated. The strange behavior of the Wangshu Sword apparently wasn't as interesting to them as these prank talismans.
"Huh, what's going on?" Yun Tianhe finally turned his attention to the glowing Wangshu Sword.
"Why are you two here anyway?" Daniel shifted his gaze toward Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli, curious about how they ended up here in the middle of the night. Even as Tianhe's neighbor, Daniel hadn't noticed the commotion until now—partly because he hadn't been actively using his Observation Haki, as he respected his friends' privacy.
If even he didn't know about the sword's strange behavior, then there was no way Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli, who lived in the female disciples' quarters, could have known.
"I heard a strange noise and somehow ended up here," Han Lingsha explained, recounting how she had been woken up by a mysterious sound. The sound resembled the effect of the Bell Chime Talisman: only she could hear it. Worried, she went to find Liu Mengli, and the two followed the sound, which led them to Yun Tianhe's room.
"A sound? It seems like Xuanxiao's plan is finally underway," Daniel thought.
Hearing Han Lingsha's explanation, Daniel quickly pieced together the situation. He had been wondering when Xuanxiao would act, and now it was clear: he was using the resonance between the Yihe Sword and the Wangshu Sword. The delay must have been intentional, likely to give Tianhe and the others more time to grow stronger. After all, wielding the Wangshu Sword's power drained Han Lingsha's energy as its fated wielder. If she were to perish, the sword would fall dormant again.
This resonance was also why Tianhe had initially felt exhausted whenever he wielded the Wangshu Sword, a pattern that had decreased since Lingsha began cultivating the Qionghua Sect's techniques.
"The sword seems to be pointing in a specific direction," Liu Mengli observed, her eyes fixed on the glowing blade.
"Let's follow it," Daniel suggested.
Yun Tianhe held the sword as the four followed its direction. The night was still, with only the sound of their footsteps breaking the silence. The Wangshu Sword led them to the Qionghua Sect's Sword Grove, a place shrouded in legend and mystery.
"Wow, what a huge sword!" Yun Tianhe exclaimed, marveling at a massive stone sword towering over the grove, its height reaching over ten meters.
"This place is supposed to be off-limits to disciples, isn't it? Why isn't anyone guarding it?" Han Lingsha's curiosity was piqued. She had investigated many areas of the Qionghua Sect, hoping to find clues about immortality, but the restricted areas always eluded her. This unexpected opportunity to enter one of the sect's most secret places filled her with excitement.
"There's no one guarding it because someone wants us to go inside," Daniel thought to himself.
"The sword points deeper into the grove. Should we continue?" Liu Mengli asked, hesitating. Entering a forbidden area without permission could bring serious consequences.
"Of course!" Han Lingsha declared without hesitation. "I have a feeling this sword has something to do with Tianhe's father. That stingy sect master has been so secretive about it. Maybe this is our chance to uncover the sword's secrets!"
"But what if we're caught?" Liu Mengli asked, still uneasy.
"Easy. We'll just say we were sleepwalking," Han Lingsha replied confidently.
"Four people sleepwalking together?" Liu Mengli sighed at the absurdity of the excuse but chose not to argue further. Seeing Yun Tianhe's determination and Han Lingsha's enthusiasm, she decided to go along with them.
"Be careful, there's a Fuling ahead!"
As the group ventured deeper into the grove, Daniel detected an unusual surge of spiritual energy. Moments later, a white figure appeared in their path, barring their way. It was a Fuling, one of the Qionghua Sect's magical constructs.
"This area is forbidden. Unauthorized disciples are not allowed to enter," the Fuling announced in a monotone voice.
"It's just like those things in the Stone Sink Cave! But they're scared of this sword, watch!" Yun Tianhe eagerly stepped forward, holding up the Wangshu Sword to show the construct.
"Ah, this fool," Daniel muttered under his breath. Although the Fuling resembled those in the Stone Sink Cave, it didn't mean it shared the same programming. The constructs in the cave had been set by Yun Tianqing, who wouldn't harm the sword's wielder. But this was the Qionghua Sect, and the Fuling here obeyed different commands.
"The master's orders are clear: Intruders must be eliminated," the Fuling stated as it prepared to attack. Ice shards materialized in the air, aimed directly at Yun Tianhe.
"Tianhe, watch out!" Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli called out in alarm.
"I sense killing intent," Yun Tianhe muttered, his instincts warning him. Just as he prepared to defend himself with the Wangshu Sword, a flash of sword light pierced through the Fuling's chest. The construct dissolved into mist.
"Why didn't it work?" Yun Tianhe wondered aloud, looking at the now-empty spot where the Fuling had stood.
"Seems like not all Fulings are afraid of the same thing. This one wasn't scared of your sword," Han Lingsha said, equally puzzled.
"You two... That's not how these constructs work. They follow specific commands based on their creator's intent," Daniel explained, shaking his head. While Han Lingsha was knowledgeable about many things, her understanding of cultivation and magical constructs had its gaps.
Daniel briefly explained the nature of the Fulings and how they operated.
"So, there are no guards here because the Fulings are the guards?" Han Lingsha asked.
"Pretty much. This place is protected by an array of them. I'll lead the way to avoid triggering any more of them," Daniel offered. Fighting the Fulings was unnecessary and would only waste energy.
With Daniel guiding them, the group managed to avoid further confrontations as they navigated the grove. Eventually, they arrived at a towering mountain wall, where a massive stone door covered in intricate carvings loomed before them.
"There's a door!" Yun Tianhe exclaimed, immediately rushing forward to push it open. However, despite his best efforts, the door wouldn't budge.
"Tianhe, wait," Liu Mengli cautioned. "This door seems to be sealed with magical energy. Normal strength won't open it."
"Now that you mention it, these carvings do look kind of familiar," Han Lingsha said, scrutinizing the patterns on the door.
"I know!" Yun Tianhe suddenly exclaimed, pulling out a green jade disk from his pocket.
"That's it! I knew I'd seen this pattern before," Han Lingsha said, recognizing the jade disk.
As Yun Tianhe held up the disk, it began to glow and floated out of his hand, aligning itself with a matching indentation on the door. A moment later, the sealed door rumbled as it slowly opened.
"Tianhe, your father's jade disk can open one of the Qionghua Sect's forbidden doors? His connection to the sect must be much deeper than what the sect master told us," Han Lingsha said, her curiosity intensifying.
"The sect master said he left because he couldn't cultivate, but now we find he had a key to their sacred places? Something doesn't add up," Daniel agreed.
"Let's go inside. Maybe we'll find some clues about your father," Liu Mengli suggested.
"What is this place? It's freezing on one side and burning on the other," Han Lingsha complained as they entered the cavern beyond the door.
The path split into two corridors: the left side radiated intense cold, with glowing blue ice covering the walls, while the right side was scorching hot, with molten lava bubbling in pools along the floor. Han Lingsha had barely stepped into the right corridor before retreating from the unbearable heat.
"If we break down the wall between these two paths, we'd have an Ice and Fire Cavern," Daniel thought wryly.
"It should be the left path," Liu Mengli said, noting that the Wangshu Sword's glow was faintly pointing in that direction.
The group chose the icy path, where the cold grew even more intense. While Yun Tianhe seemed completely unaffected, Daniel, Han Lingsha, and Liu Mengli had to channel their spiritual energy to shield themselves from the biting chill.
"This place reminds me of my parents' tomb," Yun Tianhe remarked, observing the icy surroundings.
As they ventured deeper, they came upon a massive pillar of ice. Inside it was a young man with long black hair and striking features, suspended in frozen stasis. His presence exuded an aura of power even in his current state. Embedded in the ice next to him was a fiery red sword—the Yihe Sword.
"That's him," Daniel thought. "Xuanxiao."
"Who... Who are you?" Han Lingsha stammered, startled when a deep voice echoed in the chamber.
"The corpse can talk?!" she exclaimed, clutching at Liu Mengli.
"Han Lingsha, he's not dead. His aura is just incredibly faint," Liu Mengli reassured her.
"Come closer, young one," Xuanxiao's voice said, addressing Yun Tianhe.
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