Volume One: First Steps on the Path Chapter Nine: Soaring into the Void

When Ye Junze returned to this familiar place once again, he seemed to sense something unusual and asked in surprise, “Mengyuan, why does it feel like the spiritual energy in the illusion is especially abundant today?”

Mengyuan replied, “From my observations, this school is located in a place akin to a blessed land, with exceptionally rich spiritual energy. Not to mention, someone has invested heavily in setting up a spirit-gathering array here. The students of this school are truly fortunate. Moreover, since the Grand Illusion Realm has the ability to draw in spiritual energy, the arrangements here have given you quite the advantage.”

“There’s such a good place here in Yan City?” Ye Junze asked, puzzled.

Mengyuan answered, “It’s nothing unusual. In recent years, spiritual energy has begun to revive, and places like this are cropping up all over the world. Besides, this school might have been around for who knows how many years—having such methods is only natural.”

Hearing this, Ye Junze decided not to dwell on it further. Anyway, all mysteries would likely be revealed tomorrow. Whatever secrets this school held, he would soon learn them for himself. With these thoughts in mind, Ye Junze suddenly remembered something and tapped his head, saying, “Right, what about that little sword from today?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already stored it away. Now, let’s see what’s special about this sword.” Mengyuan spoke, and with some unknown gesture, the little sword from earlier suddenly appeared before Ye Junze. He reached out and took it in his hand—the sword was just as it had been, as if nothing had happened. He examined it closely and noticed that the hilt was engraved with the words “Lingxu.”

Seeing this, Ye Junze asked, “Mengyuan, do you know where this sword comes from? You seemed familiar with it earlier.”

“Lingxu—it seems my guess was right. Legend tells of a master swordsman who was said to be halfway to the realm of Sword Immortal. He had five swords, and the most renowned was the sword array formed with those five blades. With this array, he was unmatched in his time, rarely challenged, and became an object of admiration for all cultivators. Yet, for reasons unknown, he suddenly vanished without a trace. Some say he wandered the mortal world in disguise, others claim he perished while attempting to ascend as a Sword Immortal. The exact cause is lost to history. With his disappearance, his five swords were also lost. Who would have thought we’d see one of them—the Lingxu sword—today? Fate truly works in mysterious ways.”

Ye Junze pondered Mengyuan’s words, then recalled something and said, “Didn’t Teacher Xiaoyue say this sword was part of her collection? She must know something about it. Next time I see her at school, I’ll ask.”

“By the way, she mentioned a sword spirit inhabiting the blade. Can you sense it?”

“I did feel a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy—like a flame at the end of its life, barely flickering,” Mengyuan replied.

“That must be what she meant when she said she hoped I could help restore it. Is there a way to heal it?” Ye Junze asked.

“He’s merely a damaged spirit. With enough spiritual energy, he can be restored. Conveniently, the illusion realm here draws in energy, and with the school’s own abundance, repairing his spirit won’t be difficult,” Mengyuan said confidently. “Leave it to me. In the illusion, his spirit should recover quickly.”

“That’s a relief. Thank you.” Ye Junze felt reassured.

“Now, can I wield the sword like those sword cultivators you mentioned?” Ye Junze’s mind wandered to the games and anime he’d watched—heroes flying on swords, controlling them from afar, striking bold poses. What boy hadn’t dreamed of soaring through the skies with his beloved, slaying monsters, upholding justice? The thought was as captivating as ever. Now, with the chance to realize his childhood dream, Ye Junze could hardly contain his excitement.

Mengyuan, sensing his thoughts, replied coolly, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. With your current cultivation, flying on swords is still wishful thinking.”

Ye Junze felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him, his enthusiasm plummeting.

Seeing his disappointment, Mengyuan continued, “But don’t lose heart. You’ve already reached the peak of the second level in the Void Realm. You can still control the sword.”

“Oh? How do I do that?” Ye Junze’s interest was rekindled.

“Try using your spiritual energy to control it. Infuse the energy into the sword.”

Ye Junze followed the instructions, channeling his energy into the blade. The little sword quivered. Delighted, Ye Junze exclaimed, “Look, it moved! It moved!”

“Don’t celebrate too soon. You need to make it fly steadily for a while before you can call it a real start.”

Ye Junze began to practice. At first, the sword would fly only a short distance before tumbling to the ground. After repeated attempts, it began to stabilize, but could barely manage two or three meters before he lost control.

Mengyuan observed and said, “Don’t rush. Your control isn’t precise enough. Try infusing the energy bit by bit, not all at once.”

Ye Junze took his advice and tried again. This time, the sword flew much farther—over ten meters—and while he could push it even further, instinct told him that this distance was best for now. As he practiced, he grew more adept, but noticed a glaring weakness: the sword moved too slowly. If he encountered an enemy, it would be intercepted before reaching its target. He voiced his concern to Mengyuan.

Mengyuan replied, “Now try merging your spiritual sense with the sword.”

Ye Junze attempted to infuse his consciousness into the blade. As soon as he touched it with his mind, he saw the vague shadow of a person, curled up for reasons unknown. “What is this?” he asked.

“That’s likely the sword spirit. He’s damaged, so this is probably a form of instinctive self-protection.”

Ye Junze made a mental note—he would awaken the spirit one day. Focusing again, he slowly merged his consciousness with the sword. Mengyuan, seeing his success, said, “Now try controlling it with your spiritual sense. Just treat your sense as yourself and swing it like your own hand.”

Ye Junze followed Mengyuan’s method. At first, it felt awkward, just as it had when he started with spiritual energy alone. But, perhaps thanks to his natural talent, after several tries he became proficient. When he wished for speed, the sword shot forward like a streak, vanishing in an instant, and when he called it back, it returned just as swiftly. Compared to the earlier attempts—if the initial speed was like a bicycle, now it was like a bullet train.

Ye Junze laughed, delighted. “So, does this mean I’ve mastered the basics?”

“Not bad. Keep practicing,” Mengyuan replied.

Ye Junze knew that this little accomplishment was nothing yet, and so he continued his diligent training.

“Lingxu Sword, rest assured—I will help your spirit awaken!”