The sword stood firm atop a mountain peak.
At this moment, Ye Fan felt a little bored.
He had been flying around, searching for powerful evil creatures to kill, but unexpectedly, halfway through, he ran out of energy points.
It felt like driving in a previous life and suddenly running out of fuel — frustrating.
Under the moonlight, the sword exuded a strange aura, making no living creatures dare to come close within a radius of several miles.
However, as the energy points diminished, the aura it released wasn't particularly strong.
"Kill him!"
"Don't let him get away!!!"
Suddenly, voices echoed from a distance.
It was nighttime, and though the moonlight shone, the surroundings still appeared dim and eerie.
A group of warriors, holding torches, seemed to be chasing a figure.
"There's a cliff ahead! Don't let him escape!"
Soon, Ye Fan saw a staggering figure clearly.
It was a young man, around eighteen or nineteen.
His body bore many wounds, and with a face full of desperation, he ran towards the mountain peak.
Quickly, he reached the top.
Looking down, he saw the sheer drop into the abyss below!
"I've helped you research so many martial techniques, why do you still want to kill me?"
The young man's face was filled with panic as he shouted.
"Luo Shui, don't you understand? Only with your death will no one know that it was you who developed these techniques."
A middle-aged man leading the group sneered.
"You... you're pushing me too far!"
"I painstakingly helped you research ancient martial techniques in secret, and not only did I receive no recognition, but now you want to kill me!"
Luo Shui, the young man, pointed at them, trembling with anger.
He was just an ordinary second-tier warrior.
Though he lacked natural talent in martial arts, he understood ancient languages.
These people had collected manuscripts from ruins and had him research and decipher them.
But the results of his work had nothing to do with him, and now, with problems arising, they wanted to pin the blame on him.
It was simply too unfair!
"Heh, well, you botched this last project and made our boss lose a fortune in gold."
"And now, you're of no more use to us."
The middle-aged man licked his long knife and continued advancing.
The warriors behind him also followed, eyes locked on Luo Shui.
"You…"
Luo Shui trembled as he looked at them, but behind him was nothing but a sheer cliff.
"So pitiful, boy."
At this moment, a voice sounded.
Who!?
Luo Shui froze upon hearing the voice, instinctively looking around, but he saw no one.
However, he did notice something—a sword nearby!
The sword's blade was almost entirely embedded in the ground, with a pitch-black hilt.
Since it was night, and despite the moonlight, it had gone unnoticed until now.
"Was it you... talking just now?"
Luo Shui asked, his voice trembling.
A talking sword?
That was too strange...
Just thinking about it made him shudder.
"Of course, I can speak because I'm no ordinary sword."
Ye Fan's voice was calm.
"It seems you've been bullied terribly."
"Draw the sword, boy!"
By now, the middle-aged man was only steps away, his face twisted into a cruel smile.
He didn't intend to kill Luo Shui quickly but rather wanted him to feel the crushing fear and torment first.
"Heh."
The middle-aged man's smile grew more sinister as he drew nearer.
"Ah!!!"
Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Luo Shui rushed toward Ye Fan's sword!
With a powerful pull, he drew Ye Fan's sword from the ground!
Rumble, rumble—
As soon as Ye Fan's sword was pulled out, the entire mountain peak began to shake!
What's happening!?
The middle-aged man and the other warriors were all shocked.
Looking up, they saw that Luo Shui now held a sword!
The sword was glowing with an eerie blue light, and its blade was engraved with mysterious runes.
"That strange aura from before... it came from this sword?"
The middle-aged man's eyes widened in disbelief.
When they had approached, he had felt a strange aura in the surroundings.
Who would have thought it came from a sword!
"What immense power!"
As Luo Shui grasped the sword, he felt a surge of overwhelming energy flooding his body.
His strength had multiplied many times over.
"Unfortunately, you're too weak, so you can only use this ability,"
Ye Fan observed, noting that Luo Shui was merely a second-tier warrior.
He activated the sword's skill: releasing powerful sword energy that could launch crescent-shaped slashes.
As Ye Fan's power flowed into him, the ability entered Luo Shui's mind.
"That kid's sword is strange! Kill him, quickly!"
The middle-aged man shouted.
Following his command, the other warriors rushed forward, brandishing their weapons.
Luo Shui reacted instinctively, swinging Ye Fan's sword through the air.
Terrifying sword energy exploded forth!
The warriors who had charged at him were sliced into pieces!
[Killed fifth-tier warrior, gained 500 evolution points.]
[Killed fifth-tier warrior, gained 500 evolution points.]
[Killed fifth-tier warrior, gained 500 evolution points.]
[Killed fifth-tier warrior, gained 500 evolution points.]
[Absorbed fifth-tier warrior blood essence, gained 0.5 energy points.]
[Absorbed fifth-tier warrior blood essence, gained 0.5 energy points.]
[Absorbed fifth-tier warrior blood essence, gained 0.5 energy points.]
[Absorbed fifth-tier warrior blood essence, gained 0.5 energy points.]
...
Four fifth-tier warriors were instantly slain!
Impossible!
The middle-aged man's face showed utter shock.
Meanwhile, Ye Fan's sword continued absorbing the blood and energy of the slain warriors.
As the sword absorbed their essence, Luo Shui could feel energy surging into his own body.