Mr. Fifth walked step by step toward Fengyun Wujian, his green robe billowing in the wind. Fengyun Wujian fixed his gaze on the approaching figure, his nerves taut with tension. Mr. Fifth was no mere human; he was an immortal being. Even if he were sliced in half, he could regenerate with the help of the Fifth Sword's resolve.
This wasn't a duel anymore, for Fengyun Wujian's opponent was not a human, but a sword's very spirit. Born as a treasure, it was naturally protected by some extraordinary force. Fengyun Wujian understood very well that in order to obtain this sword, he must first defeat it.
A sword is different from a human; it cannot cultivate or expend energy that takes time to restore. Recognizing this, Fengyun Wujian didn't turn and flee. The sword was far too remarkable. Even though he fully understood the danger it posed, he could not bear to let such an opportunity slip away.
"Left Path!" Fengyun Wujian shouted. His left arm swelled, and the energy coursing through his left meridian reached its peak. A visible silver-white blade aura extended from the tip of his arm to his fingertips.
Boom! A brilliant white light exploded from his palm, accompanied by the sound of thunder. The sky above churned into a vortex, and a torrential rain poured down.
As the Left Path was unleashed, the terrifying sword energy shattered all the rain in its path, crashing directly into Mr. Fifth's body. With a crisp sound, Mr. Fifth's body was obliterated, his green robe torn apart and scattered into the air. Not only the fabric but even the bones beneath were shattered into pieces.
Crash! Fengyun Wujian's left leg buckled, and he fell to one knee. The heavy rain drenched him completely, with water running down his forehead like beads of pearl. That strike had exhausted all the sword energy in his meridian, and for some time, he would not be able to rely on the Left Path again.
A sharp pain shot through his left arm, and he looked down to see his arm covered in blood, the crimson fluid dripping from his fingers. Fengyun Wujian sighed, shaking his hand to fling away the blood droplets. Using his hand as a sword—indeed, it wasn't enough! His desire to possess the Fifth Sword's resolve grew stronger with each passing moment.
A strange presence emanated from the front, and Fengyun Wujian's heart stirred. He looked up and saw in the rain-soaked night, the Fifth Sword's resolve hanging in mid-air, a thread of blood extending from the sword's hilt to its tip. Beneath the sword, an illusory figure formed from the rainwater stared at him. It was the image of Mr. Fifth.
In the water's reflection, two red lights suddenly appeared, growing brighter and brighter. The illusory figure opened its mouth, releasing a silent scream. Despite the lack of sound, Fengyun Wujian's head throbbed with pain, his ears ringing violently. The water-based figure raised a hand, grasping the Fifth Sword and stepping forward, charging at Fengyun Wujian.
Although he intended to counter, the heart-rending, silent scream once again pierced his ears. Fengyun Wujian barely managed to execute the "Willow Leaf in the Wind" technique but was too weak to retaliate.
In the midst of the torrential rain, the sword's resolve sliced through the air, aiming straight for Fengyun Wujian's heart. In the blink of an eye, the sword passed through several layers of space, closing in on Fengyun Wujian's chest. The water figure shattered as the sword cut through the air, creating a downpour of rain.
With a violent whistle, the three-foot sword was suddenly pressed against Fengyun Wujian's chest, forcing him backward. The sound of thunderous collisions filled his ears as he was pushed back, the rain exploding into a fine mist around him. Every step he took caused the rain to burst open in all directions, creating a scene where the sky and earth seemed to merge seamlessly, with no clear boundaries.
Though the world around him was vast, in mere seconds, the Fifth Sword's resolve had carried Fengyun Wujian across thousands of miles, and behind him stood a towering mountain peak. There was nowhere left to retreat.
"Ah!" He cried out, extending his right hand and seizing the sword's blade. In that instant, both the man and the sword came to a halt, frozen in mid-air.
The sword intent of his mind and body clashed with the powerful sword energy contained within the Fifth Sword's blade, transferring the battle to the spiritual realm.
The heavy rain and howling winds raged on, but in the air, a large, spherical shield appeared around the man and the sword. Raindrops splashed against its surface, creating ripples as they slid down, while inside the sphere, everything was silent.
Fengyun Wujian struggled against the Fifth Sword's overwhelming sword energy, but he failed to notice that blood began to seep from the gaps in his fingers, dripping onto the blade. The three-foot sword absorbed the blood as if it were a sponge, leaving no trace behind.
Uncertain how much time had passed, Fengyun Wujian felt the sword energy within the blade slowly fade, becoming almost undetectable. With a swift motion, he casually grasped the Fifth Sword's resolve, a feeling of connection flooding his heart.
"The sword acknowledges its master. At last, I can leave in peace." A magnetic voice whispered in his ear. Startled, Fengyun Wujian looked up to see a faint figure smiling at him. It was Mr. Fifth.
"The Fifth Sword's resolve has accompanied me throughout my life. To me, it is no longer just a weapon, but my closest companion." As the protective sphere around them dissipated, rainwater flowed through Mr. Fifth's form and splashed onto the ground.
"Thousands of years ago, I was defeated by the Blade Emperor of the Blade Domain, killed by his hand! But though my body perished, my will did not fade. For all these years, I have been hiding aimlessly within the sword's resolve. My sole purpose was to find a worthy master for this sword." Mr. Fifth gazed upward at the sky, his pale face reflecting a look of reminiscence. "Sword masters are few and far between. Having died at the hands of a blade, the sword's resolve refused to acknowledge a new master, and so we have waited until now. Now, I can finally rest in peace."
Mr. Fifth turned and glanced back at Fengyun Wujian, smiling softly. His form gradually faded, becoming more and more insubstantial, until he was no more.
A faint vibration came from the Fifth Sword's resolve in Fengyun Wujian's hand, as if bidding farewell to its former master.
With a long sigh, Fengyun Wujian gently stroked the sword's surface, calming it. With a thought, the sword transformed into a small, egg-shaped object and shrank into the palm of his hand.
Although he was overjoyed to have obtained such a weapon, an inexplicable feeling of complexity welled up inside him, a sense he could not quite define.
"From now on, you and I will be companions for life..." Fengyun Wujian whispered softly to the Fifth Sword's resolve, then steeled himself and began walking toward the Blade Domain.
The rain grew heavier.