Victor's eyes widened in realization. "Holy shit… I'm back."
This was the Lingyun Spirit Realm—the same mystical space he had entered back when he started training in Lingyun's Martial Sword Techniques.
Victor instinctively looked down at himself. His body was fully intact—he wasn't some ghostly projection or a fading mirage. His qi still pulsed strong within him, but there was a difference now.
A weight settled in his chest.
Unlike before, when he had been merely a visitor, this time… it felt like he had been summoned here for a reason.
And then, as if answering his thoughts—
The Spirit of Lingyun appeared.
Victor froze as the robed figure materialized before him. The translucent warrior floated slightly above the ground with his long, white robes billowing as if moved by an invisible wind.
His hollow and ancient eyes radiated a profound wisdom that seemed to pierce through time itself.
Victor instinctively stepped back. "Uh, hey there, big guy… long time no see?"
The spirit didn't answer.
Victor rubbed his temples before letting out a sigh. "Of course. Still on mute, huh?"
Lingyun's spirit raised his sword—a massive, curved blade brimming with pure sword intent—and without hesitation, he began demonstrating a new martial technique.
Victor blinked in confusion. "Wait, wait, wait—what is going on?"
The spirit continued moving in perfect smooth motions like a carefully choreographed dance.
Victor's face scrunched a bit. This wasn't like last time when he had actively initiated his training. He had literally just broken through to Foundation Establishment, and somehow, this realm pulled him back in.
He quickly opened his system interface, hoping to find some answers.
[System Notification: Special Event Triggered!]
<[ Lingyun's Martial Sword Techniques Progression Unlocked! ]>
- Due to your breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm, you have unknowingly synchronized with the lingering will of Lingyun's Spirit.
[ You are now eligible to enter Lingyun Martial Realm at will ]
[ Previous Learnt Technique: Shadow Crescent Strike (Mastered: 45%) ]
[ Next Technique: ??? ]
Victor's eyes darted to the ??? section. A few seconds later, the blank name glitched and then transformed into golden text.
[New Martial Sword Technique Unlocked!]
[ Lingyun's Third Technique: Phantom Moon Slash ]
Victor felt a chill run down his spine.
He had no idea how or why this happened, but the fact remained—his sudden breakthrough had directly connected him back to this realm.
But what did that mean? Could he keep entering this realm from any location until he finished learning all of Lingyun's Martial Sword Techniques?
The thought both excited and terrified him.
Victor shook his head. "Alright. No point freaking out now. If this place wants me to learn, I might as well get something out of it."
He focused his gaze on the spirit, studying the intricate movements carefully.
The Phantom Moon Slash was unlike the Shadow Crescent Strike.
The other technique had been about concealing movement, creating an unpredictable crescent-shaped shadowy slash.
This one, however, relied on deceptive speed and illusion.
Lingyun's sword left afterimages as it sliced through the air. The technique's essence seemed to confuse the enemy, making it impossible to tell where the real attack would land.
Victor watched intently, breaking down the movements into four distinct steps.
Step One: Adjust breathing and footwork to shift unpredictably.
Step Two: Infuse the blade with qi, building up momentum.
Step Three: Swing at an unnatural angle to create a delayed illusion strike.
Step Four: The real slash lands the moment the opponent reacts to the illusion.
Victor whistled. "Damn. That's sneaky. I like it, but my sword is all broken... meh if the realm isn't pushing me out, it means I can still train with it..."
His hands itched to try it.
Taking a deep breath, he mimicked the spirit's stance and began moving through the steps.
The first few tries? Absolute garbage.
He fumbled the stance, overcompensated the swing, and his qi flow was all over the place.
Victor groaned while rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let's try that again, but maybe without looking like an idiot."
He adjusted his footing and tried again.
With each repetition, his movements became sharper and cleaner. The concept of phantom speed started to make sense, and the illusion effect gradually began to take shape.
After what felt like hours, Victor finally pulled off a proper Phantom Moon Slash.
The afterimage of his attack lingered in the air, and then—a delayed strike exploded forward.
"Alright, now we're getting somewhere."
The Qin Family Elders' Courtyard was filled with the crackling of incense and the occasional sound of shifting robes.
A heavy tension loomed over the assembly of high-ranking Qin family elders, each seated in a semi-circle around a grand stone table. Lanterns illuminated their aged but fierce expressions as they discussed.
At the head of the table sat Elder Qin Han with a dark look on his face. "How did he escape?" His voice carried an edge of barely contained fury.
An older man with streaks of white in his hair, Qin Mo, coughed lightly. "Elder Qin Han, perhaps we should first assess what transpired before jumping to conclusions."
A younger elder with sharp eyes and a narrow face, Qin Xian, leaned forward. "Witnesses saw it. That boy—Fang Chen or whatever name he goes by—deflected your attack."
The gathering grew dead silent.
The very idea was preposterous. Elder Qin Han was a formidable cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm, far above what a mere Qi Refining Stage brat should have been able to handle. And yet, Victor had managed to parry his attack—not perfectly, but enough to cancel it out.
"An anomaly," one elder muttered.
"Luck," another scoffed.
But then Qin Mo cleared his throat. "The technique he used…" He hesitated while looking around. "Doesn't it seem…familiar?"
A few elders stiffened.
"What do you mean?" Elder Qin Han's gaze sharpened.
Qin Mo's eyes flickered. "That sword strike. The energy it carried. The movement. It bore resemblance to one of the lost techniques of Lingyun."
The entire room fell into a hushed murmur.