Two years had passed since the injury of Xu Tianran had altered the rhythm of the Sun-Moon Empire. The political currents slowed, consolidated, and recalculated themselves. For Lin Huang, the world outside had become quieter, less immediate, yet far from safe. He had the freedom to cultivate, to build without interference, and to guide his circle toward mastery.
It was in these years that the Life Guardian Blade came into his hands. Once, it had been known only as the Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife, a cursed artifact over three thousand years old, forged by a malignant Spiritual Master in the Sun-Moon Empire. Its history was soaked in tragedy. Each of its previous owners had either gone mad or died prematurely. The knife carried rancor, thinking, and intention, all malevolent. It devoured sanity as it cut through material and soul alike, leaving ruin in its wake. Most abandoned it, fearing its legacy.
When Lin Huang requested the blade, Kong Deming had studied him carefully. "You understand what this is?" Deming asked, his gaze sharp. "It devours all who wield it. The Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife was never safe. I have no interest in watching talent perish."
Lin Huang had only nodded. "Then it has never been truly tamed."
Deming's eyes narrowed slightly, though he did not stop him. "I do not know why you want this. But if it pleases you… be careful."
The moment the cursed blade entered his hands, Lin Huang felt its pull. Not in the obvious sense, but in subtle waves—a creeping insistence, a pressure on the mind that demanded submission. Its design sought the flow of vitality with brutal efficiency, forcing precision through consumption. Any ordinary cultivator would have crumbled.
He did not.
With Qiu'er's guidance, he began to dismantle its curse, thread by thread. He did not attack it, did not overpower it. Instead, he harmonized with its intent, allowing her destiny resonance to stabilize its predatory flow. The knife's malicious cravings did not vanish instantly; they twisted, reformed, and eventually softened into a quiet pulse. Its hunger remained—but no longer destructive. It recognized him, not as prey, but as a conduit.
When he presented it to Kong Deming again, the older man's eyes betrayed a fraction of surprise. "…You corrected it," he said, his voice low. "It no longer devours… but what will you carve with it?"
Lin Huang did not answer aloud. In truth, he had already carved the path within himself first.
His body, too, had changed. Two years of disciplined cultivation, guided by the Life Guardian Blade, had pushed him to a height never seen in his family line. The Fifth Body Realm—the Life Tempering Stage—was the apex achievable by his clan. Vitality circulated flawlessly, bone and muscle densifying under controlled essence pressure. The internal matrix of his meridians had reached maturity. He could no longer advance bodily through conventional methods. This was the summit.
And yet, that summit did not feel like limitation. It was freedom. Every movement, every inhalation of soul power, every shift of weight carried precision born of structural harmony. Even the most advanced martial techniques could now be integrated without risk of injury.
He recalled the day he first received his third black soul ring, assisted by Qiu'er once more. The process was calm, controlled, without turbulence. Her aura stabilized him, her presence silently affirming his choices. Unlike before, he did not borrow strength. He absorbed and refined. Each ring now represented mastery, not merely power.
He looked around at his circle. Each member had advanced. Every soul ring, every Essence Core, every Martial Spirit adaptation was integrated with his guidance:
Xu Tianzhen's Solar Core shone steadily. Lin Huang had constructed her conduction staff so that radiant power flowed through controlled channels, reducing surges and maximizing efficiency. She moved with precision now, her flames contained, her power refined.
Ma Xiaotao embraced Nirvana fully. Every soul ring she acquired triggered a controlled burn-and-rebirth cycle. Lin Huang created for her soft adaptive armor, capable of absorbing and redirecting overflow of energy, allowing her to purify her flames safely. He had given her a sanctuary within the technique—a space where she could accept the destructive force fully, or purify it, depending on her will. She accepted it, fully aware of the responsibility, and now her control over her own element was absolute.
Ji Juechen had completed the fusion of weapon and Martial Spirit. The evolution of his sword was no longer visible externally. Observers attributed the change to newly absorbed soul rings, but only Lin Huang and the group knew that his spirit had deepened. Ji Juechen no longer required external modules for stabilization; Lin Huang had only provided subtle armor adjustments. His sword's elemental adaptability now followed his soul rings, an invisible yet precise extension of his own power.
Meng Hongchen had transformed her impulsive nature into sharp control. Her adaptive gear now refined rather than amplified, allowing her to focus on technique rather than raw power.
Su Mei had found her own niche. Vitality-preserving kitchen knives, essence-conductive cookware, and heat-regulating pans allowed her to transform spirit-infused ingredients into cultivation tools. Under her careful hands, even mundane meals became enhancements for recovery and growth. The group's sustenance was now their training infrastructure.
Even Kong Deming, who had been silent on most matters, had paused at one of her meals, tasting a simple broth enriched with vitality. His gaze lingered longer than expected, unspoken approval heavy in the air.
Lin Huang thought of his grandfather, now a Super Douluo with two perfectly balanced Soul Cores. His parents, steadily advancing, had always been a source of inspiration. For the first time, he felt a foundation that was truly immovable. Everything he had built—the Life Guardian Blade, the Nirvana adaptations, the Essence Cores, the group's tools and weapons—was no longer a temporary advantage. It was structural.
He rested the blade across his palms in the quiet of his quarters. It no longer sought life; it sought precision. His body, fully refined to the Life Tempering Stage, responded without hesitation. Vitality flowed without obstruction, essence aligned without interference. The fifth level of bodily cultivation had become his reality, the pinnacle achievable by his bloodline.
The Life Guardian Blade hummed faintly. Not with hunger. Not with malice. Recognition. Alignment. Harmony.
Outside, the academy remained peaceful for now, but the horizon shimmered with the subtle pull of destiny. The group would leave the A.S.L next year. Beyond its walls lay challenges, rivals, and wars. But for now, Lin Huang allowed himself a single acknowledgment:
The cursed blade had become a guardian.The foundation had been perfected.And the world, for the first time in years, seemed to wait for him rather than the other way around.