On the peak of the Blackblade Summit.
There stood a wooden house beside a tranquil lake, where a lone pavilion extended over the water's edge.
A young man sat beneath the pavilion, quietly sipping tea.
"Chang'er, are you certain?" An old man approached with steady steps, his expression solemn as he asked.
"I am, Grandfather." Lu Changqing's voice was calm, unwavering.
The old man stared at him, brows furrowed in contemplation.
"Very well. But you must proceed with caution. Be thorough in everything you do. If you find yourself in mortal danger… crush it immediately."
With that, the old man tossed six jade talismans toward Lu Changqing.
"Yes, Grandfather."
Lu Changqing smiled gently as he reached out and caught all six pieces, beginning to inspect them closely.
But as he examined the jade, his expression shifted.
Each of the six jades radiated a powerful aura—capable of defending against and striking down even cultivators at the Yuan Ying level.
"When will you depart?"
"In two days, once I've finished gathering everything I need." Lu Changqing replied with the same calm smile.
"And what of the sword?" The old man's eyes turned to the blade resting beside his grandson.
"I've fully bonded with it. It once belonged to the Sword Emperor, a cultivator who reached the pinnacle of the Hua Shen realm."
"There's a high-heaven level sword technique sealed within the blade. But it only contains the first half of the manual."
"It's a technique the Sword Emperor created over the course of his entire life. The first half alone consists of four stages. I've only mastered three."
The old man's eyes widened in shock.
"I never imagined it would be him… You are truly fortunate. The Sword Emperor's techniques made him the number one sword cultivator two centuries ago!"
A proud smile lit the old man's face as he tossed a storage ring toward Lu Changqing.
"I anticipated you'd need time to gather supplies, so I prepared them in advance. After all, you spent five years bonding with that sword… I knew this day would come."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
Lu Changqing bowed slightly, then inspected the contents of the ring. It was filled with rare herbs, spirit stones, and cultivation techniques—items typically reserved for elders or direct descendants of the main family.
"You now have all you need for your journey. Since you've been in seclusion for five years, I'll have someone send you a briefing on what's happened during that time."
With that, the old man turned and walked away, leaving Lu Changqing standing at the pavilion, watching him depart with a faint smile.
"Five years… I've spent five years merging with this sword and mastering its techniques. I've now reached the third stage of the Golden Core realm."
He murmured softly, then turned his attention back to his cup of tea.
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