Chapter 557: The Awakening Sword Spirit

And an even greater crime that cannot be explained to the sect!

"Elder…" The two guardians' faces were ashen, their eyes filled with terror and confusion.

The earth-grade weapon was stolen right before their eyes; their failure to protect it is an unforgivable sin.

"Investigate! Find out!!"

The purple-robed elder whirled around, his bloodshot eyes locking onto them, voice hoarse with murderous intent and madness.

"Deploy all resources! Even if you turn the Yinming Mountains upside down and dig three feet into the earth, find that thief!"

"He must still be near the secret realm! Seal all exits, activate maximum alert, notify the sect master and the Supreme Elders! The Moonshadow Radiant Sword… must not be lost!"

…

Star Palace, Wu Quxing Hall.

Inside the vast, solemn hall, only the stars on the ceiling rotated, pouring down cold starlight.

Chen Mu appeared out of thin air.

The "Moonshadow Radiant Sword" in his hand, its radiance subdued yet unmistakably peerless in sharpness, suddenly awakened a consciousness.

Hum!

The blade shuddered violently, breaking free from Chen Mu's grip and hovering midair.

Its dark-blue blade erupted in a brilliance far more brilliant and pure than before—a chilling, aloof, terrifyingly sharp aura exploded outward, filling the entire Wu Quxing Hall.

Had the hall's material not been uniquely reinforced with stellar power, it would have already been shredded by this invisible sword intent.

Then, a voice emerged from within the blade—clear, crisp as jade striking gold, neither wholly male nor female, filled with surprise and bewilderment—and echoed through the hall.

"Where is this? Why is there no Yaoyue aura? Where is Xiao Lu?!"

Chen Mu's expression remained unchanged.

Earth-grade weapons possess spirit; how much more so the Moonshadow Radiant Sword, an ancient sect-revered divine weapon?

Its weapon spirit is highly intelligent, in perfect harmony with its master, even capable of autonomous combat.

But it had been corrupted by the "Blood Sin Defiling Curse," sinking into deep slumber.

Now that the corruption has been washed clean by the "Yellow Springs Dark Current," its awakening and awareness of environmental anomalies and the absence of familiar energies is perfectly natural.

Facing the weapon spirit's questions, Chen Mu replied calmly, "The 'Xiao Lu' you mean is probably Lu True Person, the founding elder of Yaoyue Sect? He is dead."

"What?"

The Moonshadow Radiant Sword trembled violently, its radiance surging—cold, bone-chilling, soul-freezing invisible killing intent surged like a tide, instantly locking and surrounding Chen Mu.

The purity and ferocity of the killing intent made Chen Mu's skin prickle faintly; his Four Seasons Martial Domain involuntarily stirred, forming an invisible defense across his body.

"You're lying!"

The weapon spirit's voice trembled with uncontrollable rage, "How could Xiao Lu die?! He was a Myriad Phenomena realm cultivator! The pillar of Yaoyue Sect! Who are you? Where is this place?!"

"Lying?"

Chen Mu's expression remained calm as he spoke slowly, "Lu True Person is bound to you by life and soul. If he were still alive, how could you not sense him?"

The Moonshadow Radiant Sword froze abruptly, its glow flickering uncertainly, as if struck at its deepest wound.

It fell into an eerie silence, the invisible killing intent still churning, but no longer as aggressively menacing as before.

Clearly, Chen Mu's words had reminded it of the cold, hollow sensation during its slumber—the weakening, then complete severance, of its bond with its master.

"More than half a year ago, Yaoyue Sect's Grand Elder betrayed the sect, secretly defecting to the Everlife Cult."

Chen Mu continued, his voice clear and steady, as if recounting a tale unrelated to him.

"He used the artifact 'Blood Sin Defiling Curse' to corrupt you, plunging you into slumber and clouding your spirit. Lu True Person, bound to you by life, suffered severe cultivation damage. The Everlife Mo Sect's two Supreme Elders seized the opportunity, attacking him. Lu True Person fought desperately but was defeated and perished."

"The Yaoyue Sect Master was also poisoned in a surprise attack, severely wounded, and fled—his whereabouts unknown. Yaoyue Sect has been annihilated."

"Yaoyue… annihilated… Grand Elder betrayed… Everlife Cult…"

The weapon spirit murmured the words repeatedly.

The blade's radiance surged wildly—sometimes blazing like the sun, sometimes dimming like a dying candle.

"But."

Chen Mu shifted tone, "Yaoyue Sect has not been utterly extinguished. Dozens of disciples survived the sect's fall and now hide in a secret base. If you wish to see them, I can take you there."

"Are you trying to deceive me?"

The weapon spirit's voice turned icy, killing intent coalescing once more, "Why should I believe you? Who are you? How do you know these things? And why are you here, holding me?"

"Because I saved them."

Chen Mu replied frankly, "Shen Ge—you've heard of him, right? He is one of the survivors, and he is my friend."

"Shen Ge…"

The weapon spirit seemed to recognize the name; after a pause, its tone softened slightly, "Xiao Lu mentioned him. Said he had decent talent—the most promising among the younger generation to break through to the Tiangong realm."

"Uh…" Chen Mu hesitated slightly upon hearing this.

Shen Ge's talent was indeed decent, and he had made the Dragon Ascension List—but his rank was far from top.

In a vast sect like Yaoyue, the most promising youth of the younger generation was merely "most likely to break through to Tiangong"?

It seemed Yaoyue Sect's generational decline was even worse than rumors suggested.

Keeping his expression unchanged, he continued, "I can take you to Shen Ge and the other surviving Yaoyue disciples. Whether it's true or false—you'll know upon seeing them."

The Moonshadow Radiant Sword fell silent again.

Its radiance dimmed, and the invisible killing intent that had locked onto Chen Mu receded like a retreating tide.

Finally, it trembled gently, withdrawing all outward aura and light, returning to its original form: a deep dark-blue, ancient sword, its moonlight essence contained within, slowly drifting down to hover again, just a foot before Chen Mu.

"Fine."

The weapon spirit's voice returned to calm.

Chen Mu extended his hand; the Moonshadow Radiant Sword obediently settled into his palm—cold to the touch, no longer resisting.

With a thought, he connected with the Star Token.

The next moment, his figure, along with the Moonshadow Flowing Light Sword, vanished from the Wu Qu Star Hall.

……

Jiannan Road.

Deep within a vast, desolate mountain range.

On the peak of a solitary peak rising hundreds of zhang high, space subtly warped, and Chen Mu's figure appeared out of thin air.

The mountain wind howled, making his blue robe flutter loudly.

Holding the Moonshadow Flowing Light Sword, Chen Mu turned and gazed afar at the endless, mist-wreathed mountains behind him.

"The surviving Yaoyue Sect disciples are hiding in a secret cave deep within those mountains."

Chen Mu spoke, informing the spirit blade and confirming his location.

The Moonshadow Flowing Light Sword remained silent, offering no reply.

But Chen Mu could feel a faint, nearly imperceptible tremor coming from the sword in his palm.

Without another word, Chen Mu leapt into the air, becoming a faint blue streak as he shot toward the direction in his memory.

Soon.

Chen Mu landed in a narrow mountain ravine, flanked on both sides by sheer cliffs.

The cliff faces were covered in thick vines.

As Chen Mu landed before a patch of vines, he heard the faintest rustle of clothing and the subtle hiss of a blade being drawn, coming from within the cliff behind the vines.

"It's me, Chen Mu."