The wooden door to Yin Shuang's chamber closed softly behind her, the gentle click echoing through the silence of the dimly lit room. Moonlight cascaded faintly through lattice windows, painting pale, silvery shapes across the stone floor and walls, giving the humble chamber an ethereal glow.
Her heart raced, anxiety and anticipation swirling in her chest. Uncle Wood's revelations had ignited a burning urgency within her—questions she had kept buried deeply now surged to the forefront of her mind, demanding answers. At the heart of it all lay the mysterious blade that had accompanied her for so long, a rusty, worn weapon that had seemed nothing special at first glance.
Yet now, knowing her mother's identity—Jiang Xue, the Paragon of the Peerless Sword—she looked upon the rusty blade with new eyes. The sword's very existence suddenly brimmed with untold meaning, a legacy hidden beneath layers of neglect and corrosion.
Taking a deep breath, Yin stepped toward the sword, reverently lifting it from its simple resting place. Her fingers brushed along its aged surface, feeling rough patches of rust beneath her touch.
"I know you can hear me," she whispered softly, her voice trembling slightly with restrained emotion. "Show me the truth. Show me my mother's fate."
The sword vibrated faintly in her grasp, responding gently to her sincere plea. A subtle humming filled the chamber, resonating through Yin's body. As if answering her unspoken wish, the sword began trembling more violently, rust flaking away in cascading waves like dust in the wind, revealing brilliant steel beneath.
A bright light erupted from the sword, illuminating every corner of the room. Yin's eyes widened in astonishment as the rusty old blade transformed before her eyes—metal shimmering, runes glowing brightly with pure white radiance, the sword's true form finally emerging into view.
The Peerless Sword had cast aside its veil of rust and decay, returning to its former brilliance.
Before Yin could fully process the wonder, the dazzling glow enveloped her consciousness entirely. Suddenly, reality blurred and dissolved, drawing her into a vision so vivid, so real, that she felt herself physically transported through time.
The hazy light solidified around her, the scenery shifting swiftly until Yin stood in a room she recognized from distant childhood memories, a chamber within the Heavenly Radiance Sect, serene and beautifully decorated. The gentle fragrance of incense lingered faintly in the air, bringing forth nostalgic emotions.
Two figures conversed softly by the window, bathed in moonlight. Yin's heart clenched sharply—she recognized Master Shen immediately. Master Shen appeared younger, confident yet less cold, his robes pristine and dignified. Opposite him stood a lady, ethereal in her gentle elegance, yet exuding quiet strength and graceful confidence. The resemblance to herself was undeniable, painfully real. She must be Jiang Xue, her mother.
Their voices drifted clearly toward Yin as she listened, invisible and intangible, a silent observer in this moment from the past.
"Xue," Shen spoke softly, voice filled with what seemed genuine concern, "are you truly certain about this? The Obsidian Peak Sect is ruthless, powerful. Even for someone of your caliber, facing them alone would be dangerous."
Jiang Xue smiled faintly, gaze resolute. "I have no choice, Elder Brother Shen. My Azure Cloud Sect was annihilated entirely, and my husband is missing, most likely dead. I was away too long for closed-door cultivation. If I had returned sooner, perhaps things might have been different."
Her voice carried deep sorrow, tinged with quiet regret, yet determination shone brightly beneath her sadness.
Shen's eyes softened in sympathy, or perhaps something else, Yin observed warily. "Your child is here, at least. She is safe."
As if on cue, a gentle cry filled the room, soft and vulnerable, the unmistakable sound of a baby. Yin's breath caught sharply; she was hearing her own cry.
Jiang Xue moved swiftly, gracefully, toward the cradle nestled in the chamber's corner. Yin watched silently, heart aching deeply as her mother tenderly lifted her infant self, whispering soothingly, gentle affection radiating from her every movement.
"I am grateful the Heavenly Radiance Sect sheltered us," Jiang Xue spoke softly, gratitude genuine, unaware of hidden intentions behind Shen's calm façade. "I will never forget this kindness."
Shen smiled faintly. "It is nothing, truly. Heavenly Radiance Sect will always welcome back home. Your Azure Cloud Sect's loss pains all righteous cultivators. Justice must prevail."
He moved discreetly toward a small side table, pouring two cups of tea with practiced elegance. Yin's heart quickened anxiously, she saw clearly now, the cold calculation hidden behind his eyes, the subtle shift as he carefully sprinkled a tiny, nearly invisible pinch of powder into one of the cups.
Her mother returned, gently laying baby Yin back into the cradle. Shen smoothly handed Jiang Xue the cup of tea, voice warm and deceptively comforting. "Drink, Xue. Calm your heart before the journey tomorrow."
Yin's entire being screamed silently, desperately warning her mother of danger she could no longer prevent. Jiang Xue drank, unaware of betrayal lurking quietly within a sip of tea. Yin watched helplessly, grief and rage warring sharply within her heart.
The scene faded slowly, dissolving into darkness as her mother's gentle smile lingered painfully in Yin's memory.
Before Yin could recover from the emotional turbulence, reality shifted again. She stood now in the Heavenly Radiance Sect's treasury—a secretive chamber deep beneath the sect's halls. Master Shen paced impatiently, features twisted sharply in frustration.
The Peerless Sword, pristine and radiant, rested before him upon a stone pedestal, emitting a faint but stubborn resistance to his attempts to claim it. Shen grasped the sword roughly, channeling Qi forcefully into the blade, attempting to forcibly activate the sword's hidden potential. But the sword remained unmoved, utterly unresponsive to his greedy ambitions.
After countless failed attempts, Shen finally slammed the sword onto the pedestal in bitter disgust.
"Damn you, Jiang Xue," he muttered darkly, voice thick with resentment. "You defy me even after you're gone. What does it take? Your sword's power remains sealed to me!"
With a final scornful glare, Shen strode from the chamber, leaving the Peerless Sword abandoned, its true strength dormant and safely preserved against his corrupt intentions.
Again, the scene dissolved, and Yin felt reality gently reforming around her. Suddenly, she was back within her chamber, heart pounding fiercely, breath uneven as the sword's glow gently subsided.
The revelations surged through Yin with brutal clarity. Master Shen's betrayal was beyond random cruelty; his poison had specifically weakened her mother just enough to guarantee her downfall during her crucial battle. Shen's ambition had driven him to orchestrate her mother's death indirectly, believing he would then claim the Peerless Sword for himself.
But he had failed. The sword rejected him utterly, remaining dormant, awaiting the true inheritor of Jiang Xue's righteous legacy. It had waited years, patiently biding time until Yin herself had grown strong enough to claim her birthright.
Now, finally, Yin understood fully the sword's purpose, her mother's legacy, Shen's unforgivable betrayal.
She felt anger ignite fiercely within her heart, pure and righteous fury replacing earlier confusion. Her mother had suffered unjustly at Shen's cruel hands. Justice demanded retribution.
Slowly, Yin rose, grasping the Peerless Sword firmly, determination radiating clearly from her very being.
"I will avenge you, Mother," Yin whispered firmly, eyes blazing with quiet intensity.
Outside, dawn broke slowly, golden rays piercing the lingering darkness. Yin stood resolute, her path clearer than ever before. Shen's crimes would not go unanswered.
The sword hummed softly in her grip, resonating perfectly with her resolve, acknowledging her as the true Paragon of the Peerless Sword's legacy.