Chapter 106: Ancestral Sword

The Virtual Illusion, also known by many as the Virtual Immortal Realm, is a vast illusory world built around the Ancestral Sword.

Cultivators who enter it experience sensations identical to reality, yet they do not truly die.

The most famous among them is the Combat Ranking List.

Unlike those waterfall-like Divine Radiance rankings, this list evaluates a cultivator’s potential.

The Combat Ranking List, however, measures actual combat power.

As Chi Jiuyu said, the Combat Ranking List was established to motivate disciples; the top one hundred, from Qi Refining to Return to Void, receive substantial contribution points.

The rankings for Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core shift periodically, but the top spot in Nascent Soul has long gone unchallenged.

The reason is simple: no one can beat her.

Chi Jiuyu, as the top young cultivator of the Immortal Sect, faces no rival among her generation—except for a prodigy in the Orthodox Alliance who ascended to Soul Transformation long ago.

As a result, even Nascent Soul sword cultivators within the Sword Sect have grown apathetic—why fight for second place? In the bedroom.

Zhang Yunlu sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed.

On her right ear hung a device resembling a Bluetooth earpiece, its casing glowing with a faint blue light, exuding a strong sense of technology.

With the aid of this device, her consciousness had already entered the Virtual Illusion.

…

…

Virtual Illusion.

Zhang Yunlu sat in the spectator seats.

Below, on a vast arena, two sword cultivators were locked in combat.

Both were Golden Core cultivators; one wielded a great sword, each swing radiating fierce might, while a flying sword circled beside him, launching relentless assaults.

His opponent was a sword cultivator who practiced Sword Pearls—two tiny white orbs, no larger than marbles, revealing their sharpness only when striking.

Neither held back; every move targeted the opponent’s vital points.

The spectators erupted in cheers, deafening in volume.

Zhang Yunlu raised her hand, gazing at her palm—her fair, delicate skin revealed faint palm lines; she clenched her fist, and the sensation matched reality perfectly.

She thought of it.

Immediately, a faint blue translucent interface floated before her, shifting position as her gaze moved.

【Name: Zhang Yunlu】

【Realm: Qi Refining Level Nine · Comprehending Principle】

【Position: None】

【Current Combat Ranking: None】

Below were small icons: Tip, Friend, and Team Communication.

After two gold coin icons appeared a number—200.

These were her contribution points.

Overall, it felt much like her previous trial experience, only more refined.

Ding~ The number after the two gold coin icons changed to 199.

The Golden Core sword duel was a performance match—one contribution point granted ten minutes of viewing.

Time to go.

Zhang Yunlu stood up; she had so few contribution points, she couldn’t waste them here.

After leaving the performance area, she headed straight for the Combat Zone.

She needed to earn some contribution points—and also see how she compared to the Sword Sect’s Qi Refining sword cultivators.

…………

Meanwhile, deep within the Inner Sect of the Sword Sect, in the Sword Master Hall.

A bright, impossibly vast space stretched before them, strands of spiritual light extending from all directions, connecting to branches of white jade-like leaves.

The translucent leaves emitted a faint glow.

Thousands of branches and veins filled the upper air of this vast space, casting a cold, moonlit white radiance that deepened the silence.

Looking inward along the flawless, perfect branches—seemingly not of this world—lay a magnificent trunk, crystal-clear, swirling with streams of radiant light.

A tree.

A divine tree resembling the moon laurel of myth.

Xu Xing and Bie Xuening stood beneath it, like dust beside a mountain. “All these years, she’s worked hard,” Xu Xing smiled.

“It’s been a kind of trial, tempering her impatience.”

Bie Xuening extended her hand, her fingertip lightly touching the crystal trunk.

Like a pebble dropped into a lake, ripples spread across the surface of the pure white jade trunk.

Boom! The divine tree, as massive as a mountain, suddenly trembled; the entire space shook violently, the radiant light within the trunk swirling faster.

As if something terrifying were about to break free from within.

Soon, a silhouette appeared on the trunk’s surface—a sword.

A sword three feet three inches long, its blade bright as congealed moonlight, its hilt wrapped in ancient engravings.

Zong! A sliver of sword qi leaked out, manifesting endless scenes of destruction.

Mountains shattered, sun and moon darkened, the Silver River churned, divine beings screamed! Vast seas of blood drowned the stars.

Kill!

A furious, violent roar echoed in their ears—its murderous intent could turn any cultivator below Dao Union into a mindless monster.

Xu Xing remained unmoved.

Bie Xuening watched coldly.

Soon, the blade trembled, emitting a plaintive sword hum, and the visions of destruction vanished.

“Come out,” Bie Xuening said calmly.

Zong? The transmitted thought seemed incredulous.

Xu Xing stepped forward, a crimson longsword appearing in his hand—the divine light flowing along its blade dimmed even the tree’s radiance.

It was Yueying.

“For the coming period, Yueying will take over your duties.”

Only when Xu Xing spoke these words did the sword within the trunk finally believe Bie Xuening’s words were real.

It immediately shot out as a streak of light.

Soaring into the sky, it circled the colossal divine trunk hundreds of times in an instant—anyone could see her joy.

This was the Ancestral Sword, Yue Ling, Bie Xuening’s soul-bound sword.

Many years ago, for destroying several resource planets without cause, she was banished here to reflect.

Unfortunately, long before Xu Xing joined his master’s sect, this sword already had a name.

Aah~ Soon, Yue Ling, circling above, dove down.

Bie Xuening opened her arms.

But Yue Ling did not land in her hands—instead, she shrank into a little girl under one meter tall, wearing a white long dress, her hair tied into a topknot.

Her face was exquisite, like a porcelain doll, her eyes a beautiful red.

One hand gripped Xu Xing’s sleeve, the other pointed at Bie Xuening.

“You cruel old woman, exploiting child labor!”

“Hmm?” Bie Xuening’s gaze turned icy.

Yue Ling shuddered, quickly retracting her hand and hiding behind Xu Xing.

“You have three seconds to step out from behind my junior brother.”

“No!”

“One.”

“Unless you apologize!” Yue Ling shouted.

“Two.”

“I’m your soul-bound sword, not your employee—why do you exploit me like this?!”

“Three!”

Pūtōng! The little girl knelt down instantly, humbly admitting fault.

“Master, I’m sorry.”

Second update; one more to come

(End of Chapter)