Lin Luoyu's expression showed a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected that the former master of this Qingming sword was Senior Bai...
No wonder a single sword could suppress ten thousand swords across the mountains.
Senior Bai never discussed her past. So Senior Bai's age remained a mystery to this day.
Lin Luoyu prepared herself, gazing curiously at the young Bai Xuanling.
In the dream of the past, the elderly swordsmith who had received Bai Xuanling's answer began adding the final materials to the sword furnace.
The ritual array shifted, spiritual energy surged, and massive black flames roared and burned.
"Naturally. With this sword I've forged and your cultivation, where in the world couldn't you go?"
Bai Xuanling sneered dismissively, "This sword cost me my entire fortune, and I still owe quite a few debts outside. If this doesn't produce a usable sword, I'll take your head to forge one."
The swordsmith paid no heed to her words. "If you want a divine weapon, naturally you must pay a high price. What I can do is use the precious materials you've given me to forge a sword that meets all your expectations."
As all the materials were infused into it, a dazzling cyan light shone forth from the sword furnace.
"Hahahaha! Success! Success!" The swordsmith was ecstatic.
Bai Xuanling's expression remained calm. In the next moment, the cyan light intensified, and sharp sword intent pierced through the layers of the furnace.
The swordsmith's expression turned serious. "This sword is extremely fierce!"
Before the swordsmith could finish speaking, the longsword within the furnace rapidly broke through the ritual arrays!
Bai Xuanling's figure plunged into the rolling flames. Her hand crossed through the black fire, pierced through the cyan sword intent, and directly grasped the sword's hilt.
Then, under the swordsmith's astonished gaze, everything began to return to calm.
Bai Xuanling held the faintly glowing cyan longsword in one hand.
The swordsmith conceded wholeheartedly, "The sword is good. The person is even better."
"A name..." Bai Xuanling hesitated slightly, then smiled. "The sword's name is—Qingming."
The cleverness of a spirit sword lies in the word 'spirit.' As her words fell, the characters 'Qingming' slowly appeared on the hilt.
The illusion paused here, and sword intent swirled forth. When everything settled, the scene before Lin Luoyu transformed again.
It was no longer as realistic as before, but rather like an ink wash painting.
Bai Xuanling stood alone, her pure white clothes now entirely stained red with blood. Her expression was disdainful, a wild smile on her face, as she held a streak of cyan in her hand.
Before her stood a crowd of indistinct figures in the sky—like splashed ink, blurry yet covering the entire heavens.
In the next moment, the cyan light in Bai Xuanling's hand surged as she charged toward the crow-like crowd!
After several rounds of cyan clouds rolling through the ink rain, the exhaustion in Bai Xuanling's eyes could no longer be concealed, yet her proud spirit remained undiminished.
Her blood-soaked form cleared away the dark clouds, exchanging them for a great sun shining down. Bai Xuanling's figure fell, dropping straight from mid-air.
Lin Luoyu felt a slight pang of worry. Even someone as powerful as Senior Bai was clearly severely wounded at this moment.
At the peak of Hidden Sword Peak. The cyan in Bai Xuanling's hand flickered uncertainly, as if it already knew its fate.
Bai Xuanling gently stroked the sword tip. "Qingming..."
Cyan sword light glowed. Bai Xuanling opened her mouth to speak, but in the end, she simply pursed her lips.
Then she lifted that streak of cyan and plunged it into Hidden Sword Peak.
Lin Luoyu felt a trace of coolness in her hand. The gray-cyan longsword remained within the mountain peak, yet her hand had touched the hilt.
Cangjian suppressed the heavy emotions in his heart and spoke in a slightly muffled voice: "Try."
Lin Luoyu held Qingming, feeling the sword intent it concealed, unexpressed. Then came Cangjian's voice in her ear: "Try."
Lin Luoyu's originally calm heart began to stir. She exerted a little strength, only to find that Qingming remained utterly motionless. So, she let go.
Cangjian asked in rapid succession, "Do you know whose sword this is?"
"I know." Lin Luoyu looked at the Qingming in her hand with appreciation. "Senior Bai's."
Cangjian questioned, "Then you should understand just how precious this sword is. All these years, you are the only one it hasn't rejected!"
Lin Luoyu shook her head slightly. "Qingming isn't waiting for me. It doesn't want to go with me."
Cangjian laughed in anger. "Put some force into it. If that doesn't work, use some spiritual power. Spirit swords are all like that—a little playing hard to get, and it'll go with you."
Lin Luoyu lightly brushed her hand over the sliver of exposed blade. "This sword isn't like that... it will only ever have one master. Although I didn't see much of the story between Senior Bai and it, I understand. Qingming isn't waiting for the next person; it has always been waiting for Senior Bai."
Cangjian was momentarily speechless. He had once thought of drawing Qingming too, but he had never even managed to touch the hilt.
"Fine. If you don't want it, leave it here for me to draw." Cangjian turned to leave. "If even the best sword on Hidden Sword Peak doesn't catch your eye, there's no use staying here. Go back to Zhuji Peak."
Lin Luoyu withdrew her hand, looking at that streak of cyan that had now turned to gray-cyan. After thinking for a moment, she could only say:
"The story was wonderful. I'll tell Senior Bai that there's a sword that has been waiting for her all this time."
With that, Lin Luoyu turned and left without a backward glance.
Cangjian stopped in his tracks, for a familiar sword intent was rising. He turned to look back.
Qingming's sword intent surged, and cyan light once again illuminated Hidden Sword Peak.
In his gaze, Lin Luoyu didn't look back at the glowing cyan Qingming.
Only now did Cangjian somewhat understand why Lin Luoyu was able to touch Qingming.
A sword's heart can reflect a human's heart.
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