C1 He Was Not Good at Throwing out Threats
Are people nowadays really so bold, resorting to desperate measures at the drop of a hat?" Shen Feixue mused as she delved into the memories of her new body.
She was once the pinnacle of strength in this world. While refining the Will of the Divine Sword, the sword heart demon tribulation began to corrupt her mind, seizing control of her spirit. To prevent harm to innocents, she destroyed her Divine Sword of Destiny in a final act of defiance before her consciousness was consumed. Miraculously, she found herself transmigrating once again.
Why transmigrate again?
In her past life, she had journeyed from the 21st century to this realm, spending a millennium to reach the zenith of power with the aid of a system essential to all transmigrators. Yet, she fell victim to treachery while striving to ascend even higher.
"Xiao Xiaoxiao, by revealing my secret to Constellation Peak, you've invited the demonic tribulation into my heart. It seems you've chosen to seal your own fate!"
Setting her vengeance aside for the moment, Shen Feixue continued to sift through the memories of her current vessel.
The body's original inhabitant was also named Shen Feixue. Despite sharing a name, their destinies couldn't have been more divergent. He was the young master of the once-prosperous Shen family from Qing Prefecture, who, after their decline, had no choice but to venture far from home. He arrived at the desolate Celestial Sword Sect, intent on fulfilling a laughable betrothal to the sect master's great-granddaughter.
The Celestial Sword Sect, though a minor player within Qing Prefecture, still presented a formidable challenge for him to honor the marriage pact set when the Shen family was at the height of its influence.
Within the sect, opposition was rife, save for the Old Sect Master who had arranged the marriage, resulting in the wedding being indefinitely postponed. The sect's willingness to shelter the fallen Shen family was a significant gesture of goodwill.
Particularly three months prior, with the death of the Old Sect Master, Shen Feixue found herself bereft of support, vulnerable to the whims of others. The humiliation she endured multiplied exponentially.
Ultimately, unable to bear the disgrace, she chose to end her life with poison, inadvertently providing a second chance for Shen Feixue, who had sacrificed her Divine Sword and her path to enlightenment.
"I'll repay the debts you incurred at the Celestial Sword Sect and reclaim what you've lost there!" Shen Feixue murmured to herself after reviewing everything. The body's original owner had ended her life due to humiliation, so Shen Feixue resolved to restore her dignity as a small act of recompense for taking over the body.
With that thought, Shen Feixue concentrated.
"Inner Inspection."
[Beep!]
A familiar synthetic voice sounded, and a semi-transparent panel materialized before Shen Feixue. This was the system she had brought with her during her previous transmigration.
[Host body transition requires additional time to complete.]
[Inner Inspection in progress]
[Inner Inspection in progress]
"That guy's awake again! A loser is always a loser. Thinking that taking poison would intimidate anyone? He's only embarrassed himself!"
"Don't call him 'that guy.' He's going to marry your sister in the future, hahaha."
"A toad lusting after swan meat, disgusting."
The synthetic voice accompanied the sneering voices around her.
Shen Feixue then realized she wasn't alone in the room; three young men in pure white robes embroidered with golden threads and long swords were mockingly observing her.
These three were the youngest disciples of the Celestial Sword Sect and the ones who had tormented Shen Feixue the most. They had watched her take poison without intervening, clearly revealing their malicious intent.
Shen Feixue silently shook her head at these memories but felt no inclination to engage with the trio.
Why bother with these small fries? Their audacity stemmed from either the Sect's implicit consent or their own disregard for her.
Even if she were to give them a thrashing, it wouldn't change the situation. It wasn't worth expending the effort.
"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Ye Dongyun was taken aback to see Shen Feixue awake and boldly meeting his gaze.
"You've shown no improvement in your swordsmanship for three years, and with the Sword Competition just three days away, you'd better watch out. If I were you, I'd seriously consider taking that poison for real."
Ye Dongyun slapped his cheek and muttered, "I can't afford to lose face like this."
His comment sent the other two into fits of laughter.
"The Celestial Sword Sect is no place for a weakling like you. Better leave while you can."
While the trio continued their banter, Shen Feixue stopped paying attention. She opened the door and sought out the quietest spot to concentrate on analyzing the results of her inner vision.
"This..." She stared at the panel, nearly blurting out the word 'useless.'
In her previous life, she had cultivated both the Sword of Destiny and the Divine Sword, and her acupoints and spiritual root were quite decent. Yet, this eighteen-year-old body had not a single unblocked meridian or opened acupoint, not even qualifying as a postnatal warrior, indistinguishable from an ordinary person.
However, there was a silver lining.
In her past life, her sword heart wasn't pure, which made her vulnerable to betrayal.
Now, with this body unsuitable for the path of cultivation, why not dedicate herself to mastering the sword? She could take it step by step, growing stronger and ultimately achieving greatness once more!
Resolved to start anew, Shen Feixue didn't delay any further and got straight to the point, "The materials needed for Sword Core Building."
At the beginning of a sword cultivator's journey, one must transform their dantian into a Sword Core, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to forge the Sword Body and embark on the Sword Path.
"One hundred Heavenly Guidance Stones, fifty pieces of Purple Illusionary Spiritual Wood, ten Heaven Rank Five-Elemental Demonic Beast Pills..."
"Ten times more?" The synthesized voice listed off the items, leaving Shen Feixue astonished—not at the rarity of the materials, as she had required the same ones in her last life, but at the sheer quantity needed compared to her first Sword Core Building. Back then, she only needed one pill from each of the Five-Elemental Heaven Rank Demonic Beasts.
[It's related to the constitution of this body.] The system responded in its usual cold tone.
"Open the Spirit Storage Space." She was not short on these items.
[The Spirit Storage Space is now open. Due to the host's spiritual energy, the space will last a maximum of thirty seconds and will not be accessible again.]
[30...]
[29...]
Shen Feixue was taken aback. The Spirit Storage Space had been with him for a millennium, and this was the first time such an event had occurred.
Inside were countless treasures and medicinal pills he had amassed over a thousand years. It was impossible to transfer everything within the space in just thirty seconds. If he could no longer access it in the future, it would represent a catastrophic loss.
[19...] As Shen Feixue was still processing the shock, more than half the allotted time had slipped away.
He disregarded the other valuable items and reached for the materials required for Sword Core Building. Those were, after all, the most crucial items at the moment.
[1]
With the final tick of the clock, Shen Feixue's hand emerged from the space, clutching a mask. The mask's white base was adorned with blood-red hexagonal snowflakes, exuding a chilling and austere majesty.
"Old friend, we meet again!"
This mask had been his disguise for a thousand years. Only those he trusted most knew his face and true name. To the world, he was simply the person behind this mask, the strongest being in existence.
Everything could be discarded, but not this mask.
[Beep]
[The Spirit Storage Space has completely vanished. Many items were not retrieved in time and have now been automatically converted into a catalog.]
The system's voice snapped Shen Feixue out of his reverie, and he turned his attention to the panel.
In addition to the basic attributes, a new icon labeled "Catalog" had appeared.
He focused his consciousness and browsed through the dense array of catalogs. His gaze settled on one entry, which, besides the description, had a line of faint text beneath it.
[Heaven Level Spiritual Sound Flute, a Heaven Level Treasure. It is said to produce the sound of divine music, enlightening all who hear it. Some may even achieve transcendence and ascend to immortality on the spot.]
[Required for Exchange: Echoing Bamboo, Wings of Demon Cicada, Heavenly Immortal Spring Water...]
Shen Feixue couldn't help but chuckle. The system had taken his treasures, converted them into a catalog, and now expected him to trade materials to reclaim them. Quite the talent!
Regardless, these items weren't of great importance to him at present. He didn't dwell on it and returned to the attribute panel, "Let's begin the Sword Core Building."
As the sound echoed, a swirling vortex appeared on the panel in front of his chest. Shen Feixue promptly tossed all the materials he had prepared into the void.
A beam of green light burst forth from the panel, targeting the crown of his head. In a flash, Shen Feixue felt as though a pair of shears was frantically twisting every inch of his scalp.
The green light continued its descent, bringing with it an excruciating pain that did not subside. By the time it reached his chest, Shen Feixue's body was shivering uncontrollably, and large beads of sweat cascaded down his face like raindrops. Despite the intense agony, he clenched his teeth and bore the pain.
This step was merely the commencement of the Sword Path. He could not afford to collapse; if he did, he would lose any opportunity to rise again. The sword is an instrument of destruction, and the Sword Path is equally a path of ruin. To master the Sword Path, one must first withstand its fierce brutality.
Shen Feixue was experiencing a level of pain he hadn't felt in a millennium, a pain that played out across every inch of his body, ranging from superficial cuts to bone-deep wounds. The last time he constructed the Sword Core, his cultivation at the Celestial Energy Stage spared him from such torment.
With every ounce of his will, he fought against the pain that ravaged his flesh. It seemed like an eternity had passed before the final twinge of pain in the soles of his feet vanished. Only then did he take a deep breath, but the ordeal had left him so weak that he collapsed to the ground.
[Beep]
[Sword Core construction complete.]
The interface displayed a snow-white pill nestled within the dantian, its surface adorned with a faint sword-shaped symbol—the Sword Core. It was now slowly absorbing the spiritual energy around it.
"Yo, so this piece of trash has come here," Ye Dongyun remarked, having appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He looked down at Shen Feixue, who was sprawled on the ground in a pitiful state, and squatted beside him with a taunting smile.
Upon arrival, Ye Dongyun had only seen Shen Feixue convulsing in pain and had initially thought he had poisoned himself again. But now, seeing him panting heavily yet appearing otherwise unharmed, Ye Dongyun couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
"Trash, do you really think you can dodge the Sword Competition in three days by faking a poison act? Here's some more delightful news for you: your opponent is none other than myself. I'll gladly grant your death wish at no charge."
The Sword Competition involved a random draw among peers. With the Old Sect Master's recent passing, the Celestial Sword Sect had covertly manipulated events against Shen Feixue, ensuring she would face the most gifted of the younger generation, Ye Dongyun. It was almost too easy.
"Don't bother with plans to flee to Celestial Cloud Mountain under the cover of darkness, don't even think about slipping away from Tianxi Town, and certainly discard any thoughts of renting a horse at the station to make a getaway from Qing Prefecture. Just accept your fate and die gracefully." Ye Dongyun's smile was taunting as he lightly patted Shen Feixue on the head.
"Isn't the trash usually so defiant? Don't they typically spout lines about not underestimating the poor youth? Why so quiet today? Realizing death is imminent, are you scared? Have you resigned yourself to defeat?" Another person jeered.
Talking tough?
Shen Feixue wasn't skilled in that department. She brushed Ye Dongyun's hand off with a flick of her wrist, stood up, and the previous expression of agony vanished. She now looked serene and untroubled.
"Oh." Her lips barely moved as she uttered the sound.
