Chapter 385: You Got Beaten By The Sword Ancestor?
At this point, Luo Wusheng was about seventy percent certain:
This small, smoky little Soulblade Specter standing before him was probably the real deal.
If not the actual Sword Emperor, then definitely something deeply tied to him.
And right now, something truly extraordinary was happening.
From the ceilingless dome above, the suspended pool began to stir—water spilling down from its rim as if pulled by invisible threads. The flowing streams converged midair above the stone altar, forming into a sphere of water about the size of a person.
The small black-mist figure, standing solemnly in front of the altar's sculpture, remained completely still.
Black mist unspooled from its body like unraveling threads—thin, eerie tendrils slithering across the floor and tracing cryptic paths outward toward the perimeter.
And then, the black swords planted in the trial ground began to resonate.
Low, metallic hums filled the air, each blade trembling slightly as the mist made contact, linking them into a vast network.
Luo Wusheng narrowed his eyes.
'As expected… the placement of these swords forms a massive formation. This pattern… it really does feel like a variation of the Thirty-Six Sword Absolute Formation.'
The intricate web of black mist connecting sword to sword wasn't just ceremonial—it pulsed with power. A dense, controlled force blanketed the space.
And above it all, the sphere of water slowly darkened, an indistinct aura coiling around it. What was once clear and transparent now shimmered with a soft glow, masking its interior.
Still, within that glow, Luo Wusheng could faintly make out a floating silhouette—elegant, motionless, and unmistakably familiar.
His lips curled slightly.
He sent a message through the sword embryo link:
[How are you feeling? Any abnormalities?]
Ling Shuangxue's voice responded almost instantly.
[Nothing abnormal… Just like he said, my Sword Body is indeed undergoing changes. That special energy I've been storing all this time—it's transforming. I think it really might reach an entirely new domain.]
[Also… some sword techniques I used to find vague are now becoming clearer—like they're being illuminated by something deeper.]
Luo Wusheng raised an eyebrow.
Then exhaled in relief.
His gaze drifted back toward the Soulblade Specter, who now stood before the altar in eerie silence, mist gently wafting from its frame.
The one inside the water sphere was, of course, Ling Shuangxue.
And the one behind this transformation?
The strange little Soulblade Specter who claimed to be the Sword Emperor.
"Hmm…" the specter murmured.
It finally spoke again, its tone calm, but tinged with that unmistakable note of pride.
"In addition to bestowing my Oscillation Sword Body, this transmission includes fragments of my sword insight."
"Naturally, with your current realm, it cannot be passed down directly. Think of it as… a foundation laid in advance. When your cultivation reaches the proper level, it will awaken gradually on its own."
Another pause. Then, his voice rising slightly:
"I've seen parts of that woman's legacy—your Sword Ancestor."
"In this area, she is inferior to me."
"My legacy… will not lose to hers."
As if to punctuate the declaration, the black mist around him stirred more violently, making the air grow dense with sword intent.
For a fleeting moment, the aura radiating from the little Soulblade Specter did feel like the bearing of a true Sword Emperor.
But…
Luo Wusheng just gave him an odd look.
Because the truth had already been obvious.
'So that's what happened, huh…'
Originally, this so-called Sword Emperor had fully intended to give the "opportunity inside the water sphere" to Luo Wusheng himself. Probably because he was the one who carried the broken sword and had passed the trial.
But then—
The Soulblade Specter found out that Ling Shuangxue was the teacher of the Sword Ancestor's successor.
And in that moment, plans immediately changed.
Now, that smug misty little figure stood proud as could be, practically glowing with self-satisfaction. As if screaming "Behold! The person inheriting my legacy… is the teacher of the Sword Ancestor's successor!"
Luo Wusheng didn't need to see the face under that mist.
He could feel the smugness from ten paces away.
Which, ironically, only made it more likely that this really was the Sword Emperor himself.
Luo Wusheng recalled the karmic entanglement that had come with inheriting the broken sword—an echo of fate demanding he get the Sword Ancestor's successor to acknowledge the superiority of his sword.
And if this little mist-born creature really was the Sword Emperor who had once lost to the Sword Ancestor…
Then his current behavior—grudgy, spiteful, oddly competitive—suddenly made a lot more sense.
The Demon Sect Holy Saint narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.
On the other side of the water sphere, he could still feel his wife's dazed state through the sword embryo's mental link.
After realizing that Ling Shuangxue was—quite unintentionally—the teacher of the Sword Ancestor's successor, the Soulblade Specter had only taken a moment of internal deliberation before declaring, "As expected, I'll give it to you instead."
—And then promptly triggered the transformation of the entire trial.
Leaving the person at the center of it—Ling Shuangxue—more confused than anyone.
Even now, she was still trying to wrap her head around being labeled the "teacher of the Sword Ancestor's successor."
And with the water sphere now isolating her from direct speech, Luo Wusheng had been relying on the mental link between them—
Which, unfortunately, a certain smug Soulblade Specter could casually eavesdrop on.
Because of that, neither of them had dared to bring up the big issue just yet.
Luo Wusheng was still mentally rearranging the puzzle pieces when the specter's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Regretting not receiving my full legacy?"
The black mist had thinned somewhat, but the figure still retained its form—now standing before him, that smoky head turned slightly as if peering into his soul.
Luo Wusheng curled his lip.
"Regret? What for? With my worthless, unsightly talents, what use would I even have for something like that?"
"Oh? Not bad. You're self-aware of your mediocrity."
A vein visibly twitched on Luo Wusheng's forehead.
If this smug little mistball really was the Sword Emperor, he sincerely hoped the Sword Ancestor had kicked him twice as hard as the legends claimed.
Still, as much as he hated to admit it… the specter wasn't wrong.
While Luo Wusheng was by no means weak, his achievements in swordsmanship had mostly come from external advantages—the cheat-gained sword intents, the broken sword, and a lifetime of plot-relevant fortune.
Compared to his wife—who was now rapidly transforming her sword body into something legendary—he was practically a hobbyist.
But he didn't mind.
Not really.
The sword embryo linked their experiences. What she gained, he gained.
And he still had the Diabolic Saint Physique to fall back on—once its second awakening was triggered, even Tribulation Crossing Realm might not be out of reach.
—Though, depending on how that awakening worked, it might not be something to look forward to.
As that grim thought passed, the Soulblade Specter floated lazily over.
Its misty fingers snaked toward the abandoned broken sword on the ground, grabbing it with a faint suction sound.
The sword resisted slightly. Wriggled, even.
But after one particularly firm tug, it gave up and went limp in the specter's grasp.
Then—whoosh—the specter flicked its hand and lobbed the blade straight at Luo Wusheng, who caught it reflexively.
The sword buzzed with resentment.
If it had a face, it would've been sulking in the corner right now, drawing circles on the floor with a stick.
"There's really no need to mind it," the specter said, its tone slightly more serious.
"Though your talents may be lacking, since this fragment of my legacy chose you, both you and her count as inheritors of mine."
Luo Wusheng didn't respond immediately.
But in his mind, he could already see it:
'One "inheritor" to satisfy the pride of a certain ancient figure—ensuring his name continued through impressive lineages.'
'And one… to settle old karma. To challenge the legacy of the woman who once beat him and walked away.'
He squinted slightly.
That was… pretty on-brand.
Cradling the black broken sword in his hand—it now radiating an aura of pure existential dread—Luo Wusheng looked up thoughtfully and stared at the Soulblade Specter.
"…So, you really are the Sword Emperor?"
The specter lifted its chin proudly.
"Naturally. I may not appear as I did in the stories, but—"
"So that means…" Luo Wusheng cut in, eyes narrowing.
"You got beaten by the Sword Ancestor?"
The Soulblade Specter froze.
The air in the trial domain dropped ten degrees.
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Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD[1]
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 532: What On Earth Is Master Talking About?[2]
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[1] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-532-what-156146549
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-532-what-156146549