Chapter 67: The Awakening of the Black Abyss Sword Spirit

Long Yan stood as still as a mountain, trapped by an unseen snare. His eyes, distant and unfocused, fixed on Li Shuang.

This was the very Li Shuang who had once risked life and blood to shield him in battle. Together they had fought endless skirmishes. Yet now, for the sake of the silent Black Abyss Sword Spirit, she had raised her blade against him.

Was all that he had cherished meant to be taken by another?

“I…” Long Yan tried to speak, but his words were caught like a bird in a cage. [There was so much he wished to say, his heart weighed down by regret.]

Deep within the endless darkness of the Black Abyss, a faint stir began—a small Sword Spirit quivering with anticipation. Tiny sparks danced around her like fireflies in a moonlit grove.

Li Shuang’s steadfast defense filled the little spirit with joy. Slowly, those scattered lights gathered, and the Sword Spirit opened her eyes, revealing the first glimmer of life.

Just as Li Shuang prepared to return to her quarters, she paused. A flash of surprise and delight crossed her face.

The Black Abyss Sword Spirit… was awakening?

She stopped in her tracks. Long Yan’s eyes shone with a spark of hope, quickly shadowed by pain as his heart realized that Li Shuang might have changed her course.

But in an instant, his face turned grim. The Black Abyss Sword, once a void of endless darkness, now glowed with a gentle light.

Those with a keen eye noticed the change immediately.

A murmur of astonishment rippled among the gathered disciples.

“The Sword Spirit! It is awakening!”

“Ye Zhao Zhao held the Black Abyss Sword for many years, yet it never stirred. But with Li Shuang, in just half a month, it comes alive?”

“Could it be… that the Sword Spirit was silent because its Master was unworthy?”

The whispers grew louder. Ye Zhao Zhao’s face darkened as she glared at the luminous sword with burning fury.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

When she first claimed the Black Abyss Sword, she had poured every ounce of her strength into awakening its spirit. Yet the spirit had remained as silent as a wintered mountain—unresponsive to her every call, every surge of will. It lay as cold and lifeless as a stone.

If that was so, why had she let it gather dust?

And now, after only a short time with Li Shuang, it was awakening?

Ye Zhao Zhao’s face twisted into a fierce snarl. Rage and madness burned in her eyes.

She had entered this world to wield power and command destiny. So why did every twist of fate, every person, seem to conspire against her?

Her teeth clenched, and her eyes glowed with fierce resentment.

No, she thought. There was no need to rush into panic yet.

She had long struggled to awaken the Black Abyss Sword Spirit, and it had never stirred. That could only mean that the spirit’s talent was poor. Even if Li Shuang had awakened it now, what use would it be?

Who was to say it wouldn’t be as ineffective as Long Yan?

Ye Zhao Zhao fixed her gaze on the growing light, her breath shallow and trembling.

She would wait. She would see for herself what kind of Sword Spirit the Black Abyss would produce.

Long Yan remained frozen, his eyes burning with determination.

A new Sword Spirit? Could this new spirit understand Li Shuang better than he did? Could it truly sever the bond they had built in the fires of battle?

He could hardly believe that his place in Li Shuang’s heart could be so easily replaced!

At that moment, Li Shuang cared for nothing else. Her entire being focused on the sword before her. In recent days, she had sensed subtle changes in the Sword Spirit. With each victorious battle and every lesson in the ancient art of the sword, the spirit grew stronger, its soul becoming ever more vivid. Yet it had always been so near, yet so far from truly awakening.

Li Shuang was not anxious. She believed that every victory in battle brought the Sword Spirit closer to life. As long as she fought and triumphed, the day of its true awakening would surely come.

And yet today, without a sudden insight into the Sword Dao or a fresh victory, the Black Abyss Sword Spirit stirred to life on its own!

Though she had awakened a Sword Spirit before, a flicker of nervousness danced in Li Shuang’s heart. When a Sword Spirit first takes shape, the bond with its master is tested. Under the ancient Heavenly Dao, the moment a cultivator connects with their Sword Spirit, a sign appears.

Different levels of harmony reveal themselves in distinct colors. The most basic is white, then green, blue, and orange. An orange glow signifies supreme harmony. And beyond orange, legends whisper of a rare purple light—a sign of perfect resonance. This glow shows that the cultivator and the spirit share an unbreakable trust, a connection that transcends mortal limits.

Perfect resonance. Absolute trust.

Only when these conditions are met will the fabled purple light appear. When it does, the cultivator and the Sword Spirit forge a covenant blessed by the Heavenly Dao. Such a bond grants the cultivator an unparalleled chance to reach the rare third stage of sword mastery—the Union of Man and Sword.

Yet such a phenomenon is as rare as the flight of a phoenix. In the long history of the Southern Mist Continent, records tell of only two or three such events. Even the great Founding Ancestor failed to awaken his Sword Spirit with a purple glow.

This was the realm of legend, far beyond simple ambition. What intrigued the gathered disciples most was the level of harmony between Li Shuang and the Black Abyss Sword Spirit.

“Senior Sister Li’s Dragon’s Roar once shone with a blue light, did it not?” murmured Shen Yue.

A blue glow was a sight to behold. Most Sword Cultivators saw only green or blue. White and orange were exceedingly rare.

Long Yan pressed his lips together. Unable to hide his thoughts, he said, “I bet that the Black Abyss and Li Shuang will only show a white glow!”

His voice trembled with anticipation. If their bond was only white, then perhaps Li Shuang would have to reconsider her choice.

Ye Zhao Zhao snorted coldly, though for a moment, she too secretly hoped for a white glow.

A white resonance meant that the cultivator and the spirit were out of tune. Forcing a bond would only bring harm.

Only with a white glow could she find a small measure of relief.

The answer would soon be revealed.

The assembled disciples held their breath, their eyes fixed on the unfolding spectacle.

Then, a wisp of ethereal light shimmered above the Black Abyss Sword.

The Sword Spirit appeared—a small girl with twin buns neatly tied atop her head. Her eyes were as clear as a mountain spring, and she wore a bright red robe that glowed like the lanterns of a festive New Year’s celebration. She seemed a spirit of pure joy.

The little girl’s eyes met Li Shuang’s immediately.

A sweet smile spread across her face. “Elder Sister Li Shuang!” she called out.

With a light, joyful leap, she dashed toward her. Li Shuang’s expression softened, and her usually steady eyes filled with warmth.

She reached out her hand, as gentle as a falling petal. The Sword Spirit, still delicate and ethereal, needed Li Shuang’s spiritual energy to become real. A soft, frosty light enveloped Li Shuang’s palm—cold as winter yet tender and inviting.

Without hesitation, the little girl placed her hand in Li Shuang’s waiting palm.

Long Yan’s eyes narrowed in shock.

So then, what was the true nature of their bond?

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

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