Tian Po Sword gazed at the tear in the corner of Yun Jin's eye, a rare trace of comfort rising within it.
After all, she was their Young Master. Naturally, it hoped Yun Jin would come to recognize Wushuang Sect and the sacrifices made by her predecessors.
Tian Po Sword spoke gently. "Back then, the outer-realm demons locked onto their targets through spiritual resonance tied to the soul. Our master's Dao was unique. That doppelgänger he created possessed an entirely different soul. Because of that, it was able to temporarily break free from that dimensional prison without endangering the real world.
We had already fought to the edge of annihilation. Our master, and the other swordmasters alongside him, couldn't bear to see us perish with them. So they entrusted us—and part of the sect's legacy—to the doppelgänger for safekeeping."
Tian Po Sword continued, "Because we lack true souls, the outer-realm demons couldn't trace us. Technically, our master's doppelgänger didn't have to return. But once he'd finished what needed doing outside, he went back without hesitation."
There was a pause before Tian Po Sword spoke again, voice lower than before. "I begged him to stay. After all, his soul carried no imprint from Wushuang Sect. He could have lived in peace here. But he said he would rather die than stop being a disciple of Wushuang Sect.
Not long after, the presence of both his soul and our master's vanished completely. From that moment, Wushuang Sect ceased to exist in this world."
Thus, Tian Po Sword had told the entire story—clear, complete.
Yun Jin felt like a massive weight was pressing on her chest. For a moment, she couldn't even catch her breath.
There had been no record of this in any historical archive.
No legends passed down among the people.
Not even the whispers of folklore.
And yet, this sect had used the lives of its entire membership to protect this world.
After a long silence, Yun Jin murmured, "Maybe… maybe they're still alive in that other-dimensional space. Maybe for some reason, you just can't sense them anymore."
She wanted to comfort the swords.
But after a thousand years, they already knew the truth in their hearts.
They simply smiled, silent.
That only deepened Yun Jin's sorrow.
Tian Po Sword looked at Yun Jin with eyes full of warmth. It said softly, "You and our master share the same five-spirit root constitution. And judging from your cultivation technique, if I'm not mistaken, you're practicing the Mystic Codex?"
"Also?" Yun Jin picked up on the word instantly.
Tian Po Sword nodded. "I've stood here for ages, letting my consciousness drift. Sometimes, I catch fragments of your conversations. From what I've heard, it seems that nowadays, five-spirit roots are considered the worst possible aptitude. But in Wushuang Sect, our cultivation methods didn't prioritize bone structure or spiritual roots. So even five-spirit root disciples were welcomed.
There was once a prodigious elder—also with five-spirit roots—who developed a special version of the Mystic Codex tailored specifically for people like us.
The Mystic Codex requires not just all five spiritual roots, but the absorption of five different elemental energies. In the early stages, it's slower than conventional paths. But the benefit is that, with five roots, one can resonate with all Daos under heaven. That elder began to comprehend Daos that accelerated cultivation, and soon his cultivation soared. Eventually, he ascended to immortality. The Mystic Codex he left behind became one of Wushuang Sect's core inheritances. It's what our master cultivated as well."
Yun Jin couldn't hide her surprise. She said quickly, "In the current cultivation world, no one practices the Mystic Codex. It's usually just used to test the aptitudes of new disciples. And even then, it only contains instructions up to the Qi Refining stage."
Tian Po Sword paused, then sighed. "Wushuang Sect's inheritance hasn't appeared in the world for a thousand years. No wonder its legacy has faded. But if there's no inheritance, how did you reach the Golden Core stage?"
Tian Po Sword sounded genuinely curious.
Yun Jin replied casually, "Oh. I thought the technique suited me, so I just... worked it out myself."
Tian Po Sword: "???"
You worked it out yourself?
No wonder the Mystic Codex she practiced seemed... different from the one it remembered.
Same technique, yet she had already forged her own path.
And it seemed... even more profound than before.
"Is something wrong with my version of it?" Yun Jin asked.
After a pause, Tian Po Sword said, "I'm just a sword. I don't know the answer to that. But once you find Wushuang Sect's original inheritance, you can compare and slowly comprehend the differences."
Yun Jin scratched her head. "Why do you keep calling me Young Master?"
Tian Po Sword remained still, but Yun Jin could feel it smiling somehow.
"The master left behind five Sword Tombs in this world. Within them lie five keys. Gather them, and you'll unlock the true inheritance site.
However—only this Sword Tomb holds the master key. The test here is the most crucial and the most difficult. Young Master, the key you hold is the one that matters most. With it, seek out the inheritance. Revive Wushuang Sect. Restore its glory."
Tian Po Sword looked at Yun Jin with anticipation. "Though we swords are broken and no longer fit for battle, each of us holds a Sword Dao space within. Enough to train generation after generation of disciples. When the time comes, the new Wushuang Sect will rise again, even after a millennium."
Key?
Yun Jin frowned in confusion.
She didn't recall ever obtaining a key.
Before she could think further, three fragments flew out of her storage ring on their own.
Right before her eyes, they combined into a crystal-clear key.
"This is the master key to the inheritance site. I can sense it— the other four keys have already emerged, each claimed by someone. Now that the final key has awakened, the holders of the others will feel it too. When all five keys gather, they will guide the way to the hidden site. Then, Wushuang Sect shall rise again!"
Tian Po Sword's voice brimmed with excitement. It could hardly contain itself.
It had once wanted to perish alongside its master on the battlefield.
But the master had said: he needed someone to guide the successor, someone to help rebuild the sect.
That was why it had waited here for a thousand years.
Otherwise, it would've long followed its master into death.
Five keys...
Yun Jin wrapped her hand around the key.
At that very moment—
In the secret repositories of the Four Great Holy Lands...
Four keys appeared from thin air, bursting through the sealing barriers to land in the hands of their respective owners.
Kunlun Sword Sect.
A Divine Transformation-stage sword cultivator paused in surprise.
Why had the key come to him now?
He remembered—he had once discovered it during an expedition into a hidden realm.
Not knowing what it was, he had brought it back and shown it to his sect leader.
The sect leader had immediately turned grim, confiscated it, and locked it away.
And now, the key had returned to him on its own?
Qingxiao Pavilion.
Beastmaster Sect.
Xuandan Gate.
The same thing happened in each Holy Land.
Coincidence? Or design?
The four auxiliary keys had all ended up in the hands of the Four Great Holy Lands—each one holding a different key.
What's more—
The holders of these keys were, without exception, the most outstanding cultivators of the Divine Transformation stage within their sects.
They were the true pinnacle of the younger generation—unparalleled talents.
Each of the four clutched their keys, all vaguely sensing something stirring. None dared hesitate. Each immediately went to report to their sect leader.
Keys floating in the air.
Keys finding their rightful owners.
Some of the elders within the Four Great Holy Lands who knew the truth felt a subtle shift in their expressions.
This was—
Wushuang Sect is about to return to the world!
Ji Wusi looked at the key in his hand, his expression softening with nostalgia.
Wushuang Sect...
A mysterious sect.
Had they wanted fame, they could've easily eclipsed the Four Great Holy Lands.
But they wanted nothing—only to pursue cultivation.
If anyone truly embodied the spirit of a cultivator, it was them.
The Dao is boundless; I shall seek it above and below.
They were the living testament to that creed.
A thousand years ago, Wushuang Sect gave their lives to protect the world. Ji Wusi still mourned them.
So when he discovered that the key was linked to Wushuang Sect, he had sealed it away with reverence.
But he also knew—
This wasn't the master key.
This was one of Wushuang Sect's secret techniques—hiding treasures within the void. To unlock the void, one needed one master key and four auxiliaries.
And now—
Ji Wusi immediately understood.
The master key had found its owner.
And with that, the future heir of Wushuang Sect had likely been born.
A great figure is about to rise on this continent.