Chapter 774: Sword Spirit (2/2, Request Subscription)

Back at the Special Envoy Mansion, Tian Ruichi began his cultivation.

He was once an ordinary man, but due to his extraordinary talent, he was noticed by Lord Tianjian, taken as a personal disciple, and taught the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】, training day and night in sword techniques.

From basic sword forms to the current Xiantian sword arts, his mastery of the Sword Dao is extremely high.

He has learned over a hundred post-heaven sword techniques and more than thirty Xiantian sword techniques, though some are still in the process of learning and comprehension—only half mastered, usable at best as incomplete moves.

Since cultivating the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】 and as his own 【Observation Sword Body】 gradually strengthened, Tian Ruichi would periodically be consumed by the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】, becoming a walking exhibit displaying the sword dao and sword intent within him.

He was like a mobile treasure trove; anyone who came into contact with him during that phase had the chance to learn the sword techniques he had studied and the sword intent he had comprehended.

But now, he was still too weak to be of any use to his master, Lord Tianjian, yet he held extraordinary appeal to ordinary people.

An ordinary person with no weapons, if they directly witnessed his 【exhibition phase】, could instantly enter the Sword Dao and become a martial cultivator!

How far they could progress on the Martial Dao depended entirely on their own comprehension and fortune.

Tian Ruichi's condition was far too unusual—like a child carrying a treasure who, if left unprotected outside, would be watched by countless malicious eyes.

Thus, over the years, Tian Ruichi could only move within Jingcheng, under Lord Tianjian's protection; this journey outside was only possible due to the Emperor's decree, allowing him to travel as a Special Envoy, naturally deterring any ill intentions.

The higher one's strength, the rarer one becomes.

The number of powerful individuals in Qing Guo at the Yun and Yu levels is limited; nearly all are registered and documented, their every action watched by countless eyes, with only a few like Lord Han, who live in seclusion, escaping such attention.

Tian Ruichi was like a treasure requiring careful protection, so his external interactions were minimal, and his personality relatively straightforward and pure.

After failing to meet offline with Fang Yue, he returned to the mansion to train alone.

Before leaving Jingcheng, he had vaguely sensed he was on the verge of breakthrough.

This time, the feeling was even stronger; after returning to train, he indeed succeeded in breaking through at dusk the next day, reaching Xiantian Second-Rate Realm!

Tian Ruichi was thrilled—his strength had broken through, earning him praise from his master and the chance to seek revenge on the Ice Extreme Sect for the humiliation he had suffered before.

But soon, he noticed… the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】 was stirring!

His heart lurched—he rushed to a mirror and saw, indeed, his left eye had merged into his face and vanished.

Consumption… had quietly begun!

Shadows spread from his remaining features, crawling across his body.

Tian Ruichi did not want to endanger others in Chunuan City; in panic, he ran outside, but the shadows had already spread—when night fell, disaster had begun.

Tian Ruichi wanted to help, but he was powerless; his remaining strength could barely carry him to the western city wall, where he could use his master's 【Fengzhen Sword】 and 【Pangui Stone】 to desperately suppress the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】 within him.

The result was total failure—he was consumed by the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】.

Without Fang Yue's "help," he would have become a puppet of the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】, unable to act according to his own will until someone rescued him.

Usually, his master intervened to resolve such situations; this time, it was Fang Yue who acted, so Tian Ruichi was deeply grateful to him.

As for surviving Fang Yue's clean-cut slash, it was naturally because… he had become half a Sword Spirit.

The 【Observation Sword Body】 combined with the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】 had transformed him into half a Sword Spirit—his consciousness could transfer into the 【Fengzhen Sword】 to escape disaster; in a sense, the sword was his true body, while his physical form was merely a second vessel controlled through the sword.

Of course, his senses still functioned, so being cut in half still brought pain—though not intense.

"So, the anomalies ravaging Chunuan City are your 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】, and if you want to kill you, you must destroy your sword—only then can you truly kill you."

"... Brother Ye, no matter what, I'm still a Special Envoy—can you please not say such terrifying things?"

Fang Yue frowned slightly.

Though not Tian Ruichi's intention, so many deaths had occurred—this matter couldn't be easily dismissed.

But he was no high official; the punishment would be decided by those above him.

Meanwhile, Fang Yue finally understood the true nature of the sword intent he had previously comprehended.

It turned out the Sword Dao he had grasped was Tian Ruichi's—and Tian Ruichi's upper limit was the upper limit of what he himself could learn and absorb.

No wonder the number of Xiantian black shadows was so scarce…

He merged Tian Ruichi's two halves into one body.

The remnants of the black cocoon that had exploded on the ground threaded like needles and thread into Tian Ruichi's body, rapidly stitching him back together, leaving behind countless black threads within his torso.

Fang Yue frowned: "Your 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】—why does it resemble an anomaly? Why does it attack others?"

"Actually, I don't understand the 【Wood Soul Sword Embryo】 well either—only my master likely knows what's truly happening. I always broke through within the sect… so when I entered the 【consumption phase】, my master would quickly suppress it and restore me to normal. This time, it was…"

Tian Ruichi did not continue, feeling deep guilt.

He was like a time bomb, liable to hurt those around him at any moment, so he only befriended the strong—only the strong could avoid being harmed by him and become his friends.

"Let's return first. Your condition makes it unsuitable for you to stay long in Chunuan City—we should depart for Jingcheng as soon as possible."

"Yes… also, please keep my situation secret, Brother Ye. Your abilities are extraordinary, so you naturally have no interest in my 【Observation Sword Body】, but my master warned me that most people covet it—I must keep this strictly confidential."

Who said I have no interest? I've greatly improved my Sword Dao foundation thanks to you!

Of course, Fang Yue was not the kind to exploit Tian Ruichi for personal gain; benefiting by chance was fine, but deliberately doing so would be excessive.

"By the way, is there any downside to being 【observed】?"

"... I lose lifespan."

Tian Ruichi spoke briefly, unwilling to reveal more; Fang Yue did not press further.

But one thought came to mind.

That Tian Ruichi was gradually becoming a Sword Spirit—once he fully became one, he would no longer be human; he would be a sword.

That powerful Lord Tianjian, who took a personal disciple, ultimately only helped his disciple become a Sword Spirit… this…

(End of Chapter)