Chapter 495: 469 Happiness

The instant his Spirit connected with the silk thread, it was as if many lamps were lit inside Tang Zhao's brain, countless fireworks were released, waves of fountains gushed forth, and little balls bounced across the floor...

These... were all rhetoric and description; it was not that he truly saw or heard anything, but rather that he felt—

Incomparable happiness.

That was likely a very pure and simple happiness, without any impurities, without worries or distracting thoughts, making one's body and mind joyful and relaxed, simply enjoying the happiness and joy of that moment.

Tang Zhao could hardly imagine such happiness existing in the world; this happiness was so beautiful that it made one want to forget everything.

Fortunately, Tang Zhao did not forget everything.

Although he enjoyed this happiness, he did not sink into it, much less lose himself; it was not that he was so clear-headed and rational that he could reject this emotional surge, but rather that he had been separated from this happiness by a layer from the very beginning.

A thin layer, as if it were a window paper that would break at a poke, but a layer of separation remained a layer of separation; outside of immersing himself in the happiness, he still had an observant, thinking consciousness.

He was thinking: Why am I so happy?

As he thought, it was as if he were setting a question for this happiness, and he received an answer: countless memories bubbled up like a spring.

Parental love, making good friends, happily catching crickets in the small courtyard at home, going shopping and eating candied haws with other children, receiving praise from his parents for excellent studies, wearing a pretty little dress...

Wait, a little dress?

Tang Zhao gave a sudden jolt, his consciousness becoming even clearer—this is not my memory!

The memory is not my memory, and the happiness is not my happiness!

This is a little girl's feelings and memories, and it is also the happiness she possesses!

Although he became increasingly clear-headed, he did not completely withdraw; he could still feel the happiness from the bottom of his heart. He knew he was empathizing, but that did not hinder him from empathizing.

On the contrary, he could more delicately experience this happiness and think about this happiness.

He would think: Happiness is an emotion, it has always been very short-lived, and its threshold gradually increases with the passage of time; will it last forever?

Just like the little balls bouncing in his heart, will they fall and then bounce up forever, never exhausting their strength?

As if to answer his question again, or perhaps having reached a certain node, those happinesses moved—yes, these happinesses had materialized; they did not turn into a certain image, yet they allowed Tang Zhao to feel that they had an image.

The happiness gathered together like sea-grape balls, no longer lively and bouncing, but fused into a state...

This state should be called satisfaction.

Satisfaction is a large basket filled with happiness. Happiness is like solid bubbles, light, soft, and beautiful. Usually, the basket sits steadily, showing nothing of itself, but with a slight shake, bubbles of happiness emerge and drift in the outside world.

A scene suddenly drifted through Tang Zhao's mind: a little girl wearing a pretty dress, carrying a basket in her hand, walking down the street, bouncing and skipping with a smile, constantly tossing out bubbles of happiness.

With such a state of satisfaction and such an emotion of happiness, what kind of personality did she have?

Passionate like a ball of fire?

Almost in an instant, her image fully formed—not her physical appearance, but her inner self. Tang Zhao maintained his first-person perspective and could not see her face, temperament, or body; he could only feel her soul.

She was full, passionate, lively, powerful...

Yes, she must be very powerful; she was overflowing with passion, fulfilled and satisfied, almost impeccable, every gesture filled with endless energy...

Empathizing with her was truly a pleasant experience; if not for Tang Zhao's reason reminding him that this empathy might not yield new observations and that he should withdraw at the appropriate time, he would have truly wanted to continue experiencing it.

He should not experience any more.

Immersing oneself in illusory happiness is meaningless; leave.

Having made up his mind, his consciousness began to float upward, floating higher and higher, gradually withdrawing from this soul, leaving the first-person perspective. The moment he returned to reality, he lowered his head and took a look at the exterior of this soul—

Bright as autumn water, a three-foot green blade.

It was a sword.

Dazed, he opened his eyes, and Tang Zhao suddenly returned to reality, involuntarily taking a step back.

This step nearly caused him to fall off the narrow Yunsiqiao, but fortunately, his balance was passable now, so he hurriedly steadied his body and stood firm, not falling into the cloud silk.

With his body stable, his train of thought also gradually stabilized.

Having withdrawn from the emotion that had just infected him, Tang Zhao's mind became exceptionally clear. After pondering for a moment, he finally realized with a start.

Just now, he had indeed experienced a soul; that was a Sword Heart.

A Sword Heart, the soul of a sword, is both a part of a human heart and possesses its own independence; it can even be considered a combination of a human heart and Sword Intent, so why couldn't it exist independently?

No wonder that soul just now was so pure—happy, satisfied, passionate, lively...

How could such a positive and harmonious soul be a human heart?

The human heart is like the sea, unfathomable. Even the simplest human heart is complex and tortuous, hiding many joints and layers that perhaps even the person themselves does not know; the deeper one explores, the deeper it goes, and it is absolutely impossible to explore it to the end after experiencing it for a while.

If it were a Sword Heart, then it would be very normal.

The birth of a Sword Heart is intentional from the start, leaning toward being clean and pure; even the most calculating person would not dare to add too many folds to a Sword Heart. Complexity represents uncertainty, and uncertainty represents risk. Becoming a Sword Guest is already an adventure; one does not bring trouble upon oneself unless one cannot control it.

It is just that the Sword Heart is ultimately within the human heart; if you say it is independent, there is no space, and if you say it is divided, there are no boundaries. It is still an abstract concept. Usually, one never hears of anyone being able to pull out a Sword Heart to experience it, and Talisman Sword Masters have never dared to think of using a Sword Heart as a material.

But this is not any other place; this is Zizai Tower.

Isn't it said that in the Zizai Realm, all consciousness, temperament, and emotions can be manifested, becoming something visible and tangible? Then why couldn't a Sword Heart manifest on its own?

Which is to say—

Tang Zhao looked up at the fluorescent silk threads hanging all over the sky—

Are these threads each a Sword Heart?

Did he just peek into the Sword Heart of one of the Sword Guests?

Although this was his first time empathizing with a Sword Heart and he had never read any relevant records in the classics, Tang Zhao felt that if it were true, then this happy Sword Guest was at least a Sword Hero, and perhaps even more powerful.

After all, what level a Sword Guest's Sword Heart is at, if others don't know, doesn't he know himself?

Just before coming to Baiyujing, he was still considered to have a stable Sword Heart among Sword Guests, yet he was still muddled, unable to even perceive the progress of his own Sword Heart. For a Sword Guest, the Sword Heart was merely a theoretical thing, not formed at all.

And that Sword Heart just now was not only stable but also had clear layers and a complete impression; how could it be compared to his own muddled Sword Heart?

It should be the Sword Heart of a Sword Hero, right?

Tang Zhao looked up and saw the ceiling full of silk threads, countless in number: if these were all the Sword Hearts of Sword Immortals, then Sword Immortals would be too worthless. He doubted whether there could be so many Sword Immortals above the Suiyu.

In the forest of silk threads, he observed carefully and could see that there were a few threads in the center that were different from the rest; the fluid condensed on them was exceptionally solid, nearly crystalline. At a glance, they did not look like much, but after looking a few more times, one felt they were exceptionally brilliant and difficult to look at directly.

If one were to speak of having the Sword Heart of a Sword Immortal, it would likely be those few, wouldn't it? A quick sweep revealed fewer than ten.

That is quite good; to be able to collect the Sword Hearts of seven or eight Sword Immortals is already truly remarkable. After all, Ruyi Sword himself is merely a Sword Immortal.

However, how did these Sword Hearts come to be? Are they the collected Sword Hearts of the fallen?

Or... is it related to the Zizai Realm?

If it is the latter, would a Sword Heart be collected here upon entering the Zizai Realm? Is it a seizure, or a copy?

It shouldn't be a seizure, right? If so, this Zizai Tower would become a Demon Cave, and every Sword Guest who enters would be like fish on a chopping block throwing themselves into a net; even if they kept their lives after losing their Sword Heart, what future would they have to speak of?

Ruyi Sword's style shouldn't be like this; even if their own people joined forces to construct a conspiracy, Xiangyangzi shouldn't have recommended it to him.

If it is a copy... Tang Zhao recalled the virtual reality Chen Zong mentioned: terms like data backup and save files flashed through his mind.

Would a Sword Heart born or honed in the Zizai Realm be preserved?

Is it to serve as a reference for those who come after?

Although he has not yet entered the Zizai Realm, he has already experienced the Sword Hearts of his predecessors, and these are Sword Hearts at a higher level than his own realm. Comprehending high-level Sword Hearts from the perspective of an observer, with both macroscopic observation and microscopic deliberation, naturally yields great benefits. Some thoughts and even vague feelings he cannot yet sort out, but if he enters the Zizai Realm, combining his learning experience with his own practice, he will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Of course, it is not necessarily all good.

Spirit and thought are inherently free; they are ever-changing and unique, which is the meaning of "Zizai" (freedom/self-existence) for Zizai Tower. If everyone refers to a guide before honing themselves, perhaps progress would be faster, but the direction of everyone's progress would converge, losing more possibilities.

Is this also the reason why Tan Jianxia did not point him to come in and view the Sword Hearts first?

Of course, it is also possible that Tan Jianxia himself did not know that these Sword Hearts were collected here.

If not for the Congjun Order, how would he have had the chance to see the Sword Hearts in the background?

Not to mention whether the backups of these Sword Hearts were collected with the consent of the Sword Immortals and Sword Heroes, even if they had agreed, they would not like their Sword Hearts to be viewed by just anyone; how many of their own secrets are hidden within?

Take Tang Zhao himself, for example; even if he used the Zizai Realm, he would never leave a backup of his own Sword Heart.

He might not even have wanted to look if he had known earlier that these hanging threads were the Sword Hearts of others. If it interferes with one's own choices, one might gain an immediate advantage, but might suffer for it in the future.

He has this confidence; he has a very, very long "future."

But now, he has already looked.

Then he can only keep looking.

It is said that listening to both sides leads to enlightenment, while listening to one side leads to darkness. Only looking at one Sword Heart, leaving a preconceived impression in his heart, and being unconsciously influenced would be even worse.

The method of correction should be to look more, listen more, and think more, observing enough samples, studying their essence through various phenomena, peeling back the layers, and truly deriving a reliable and feasible methodology.

So... let's continue.

He pointed to another Sword Heart at the Sword Hero level and said, "Next one, come down."