Fengyi's heart hammered against his ribs as he pressed his back against the moldy wall. Outside, imperial guards fanned out across the overgrown courtyard of his ancestral home. Their polished armor gleamed in the morning sun, a stark contrast to the decay surrounding them.
"Remember, we need him alive," Wei Jinhai's voice carried through the cracked window. "Father wants to question him about the spiritual fluctuation."
Fengyi clutched the jade pendant, its surface cool despite the chaos it had unleashed. He had precious little time. The rotting manor offered dozens of hiding places, but against cultivators, concealment was futile. They would sense his presence eventually.
I need a weapon, he thought, scanning the study frantically. His eyes landed on his father's old sword mounted on the wall. The blade had dulled with age, its once-fine edge spotted with rust. Not ideal, but better than facing Wei Jinhai empty-handed.
As he gripped the hilt, the translucent panel appeared before his eyes again:
[Detecting weapon: Rusted Training Sword]
[Quality: Common]
[Previous Owner: Lin Baofeng (Deceased)]
[Special Properties: None]
[Compatibility with host: High]
"Father's sword recognizes me?" Fengyi whispered.
The knowledge flowed into him instantly. Not just any sword would work with the system. Compatibility mattered. This blade, though physically unremarkable, resonated with his bloodline.
The floorboards creaked in the hallway outside. Someone was approaching.
Fengyi slid behind the door just as it swung open. A young guard stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the cluttered study.
"Empty," the guard called over his shoulder. "Just dusty scrolls and broken furniture."
Fengyi held his breath, willing his racing heart to quiet. The guard turned to leave but paused, his attention caught by the empty mount where the sword had hung.
"Wait," the guard said, frowning. "Something's missing—"
Fengyi struck without thinking. The pommel of his father's sword connected with the back of the guard's head. The man crumpled, unconscious before he hit the floor.
"Liu? Did you find anything?" Another voice called from down the hall.
Panic surged through Fengyi's veins. He'd never struck another person in his life. At the academy, combat training had been conducted with strict rules and supervision. This was different. This was survival.
He dragged the unconscious guard behind the desk and quickly stripped him of his outer uniform. The armor was too large, but it might provide enough disguise to slip past the others.
Voices grew louder outside as more guards entered the house. Fengyi pulled on the uniform and cap, tucking his hair beneath it. He gripped his father's sword tightly and stepped into the hallway, keeping his head down.
"You there!" Wei Jinhai's voice froze him in place. "Any sign of the thief?"
Fengyi kept his face averted, deepening his voice. "Nothing in the east wing, Young Master Wei."
His heart nearly stopped when Wei approached, studying him with narrowed eyes. At the academy, Wei had rarely acknowledged Fengyi's existence except to mock his slow progress. Would he recognize him now?
"Your uniform is ill-fitting," Wei observed coldly.
"Borrowed it, sir," Fengyi mumbled. "Mine was torn on the journey."
Wei snorted. "Useless. Search the cellars. I sense a spiritual residue in this house."
"Yes, Young Master." Fengyi bowed and hurried away, fighting the urge to run.
He rounded a corner and ducked into the kitchen, breathing hard. The back door would lead to the gardens, but he'd be exposed in daylight. The cellars might offer a better escape route. His father had once mentioned old tunnels beneath the estate, remnants from a more turbulent era.
A sudden commotion erupted from the study. They'd found the unconscious guard. Time had run out.
Fengyi sprinted for the cellar door, throwing it open and plunging down the stone steps as shouts echoed through the house. The musty darkness enveloped him as he descended, his hand trailing along the damp wall for guidance.
"He's in the cellar!" A voice bellowed from above. "Surround the exits!"
The pendant at Fengyi's chest pulsed once, illuminating the space with a soft green glow. Ancient wine racks lined the walls, most bottles long since shattered. Fengyi moved deeper, searching for any sign of a hidden passage.
The light revealed a section of wall different from the rest. The stones were fitted more precisely, with faint characters carved at intervals. Fengyi pressed his palm against one that resembled the word "path."
Nothing happened.
Frustration mounting, he glanced at his father's sword. On impulse, he touched the blade to the carved character.
The stone shifted beneath his hand, revealing a narrow tunnel barely wide enough for a man.
"There he is!" Wei Jinhai's voice echoed in the cellar as Fengyi squeezed into the passage. "Stop him!"
A blast of spiritual energy struck the wall beside him, showering him with stone fragments. Wei had advanced to the Gold realm while Fengyi had struggled at Copper. The difference in their power was vast.
Fengyi stumbled forward into the darkness as the passage sealed itself behind him. The pendant's glow provided his only light as he navigated the narrow tunnel, unsure where it led but certain that death awaited if he turned back.
After what felt like hours, the tunnel widened into a small chamber. Fengyi gasped as the pendant's light revealed its contents. Swords. Dozens of them, mounted on the walls or standing in racks. Some appeared ancient, others relatively new. All bore the same style of markings as his father's blade.
In the center of the room stood a stone pedestal with a book bound in faded leather. Fengyi approached it cautiously, brushing away years of dust to reveal its title: "Chronicles of the Path Walkers."
The pendant pulsed again, more insistently. When Fengyi opened the book, the system panel appeared:
[Hidden Legacy Discovered]
[Path Walker Inheritance Available]
[Warning: Accepting this inheritance will permanently bind the Sword Spirit System to your soul]
[Proceed? Yes/No]
Before Fengyi could process this new development, a section of the chamber's wall crumbled. Wei Jinhai stood in the newly formed opening, spiritual energy crackling around his hands. Behind him, imperial guards poured into the breach.
"So," Wei said, his handsome face twisting into a cruel smile, "the last son of the Path Walkers has found his inheritance. How convenient for me to witness its return—and its final destruction."
Wei drew his sword, a gleaming blade that hummed with power. "Your father died denying us this treasure. Let's see if the son is as stubborn as the father."
The system panel remained suspended before Fengyi's eyes, awaiting his choice.
[Proceed? Yes/No]