It was very small, and its eyes were even smaller. Yet within those tiny eyes lay a sense of vicissitude and desolation that even a poet could not describe.
Xu Xian caught it.
He thought to himself.
The story belonging to it must be magnificent, and its master’s story must be even more so.
However, stories are eventually just stories, and the past is just the past...
He reached out a finger and pressed down lightly on the little fellow’s hat.
The latter looked up in a daze.
Xu Xian smiled and said, "My name is Xu Xian."
The little book spirit was stunned, its eyes blinking. It found the introduction quite inexplicable.
Xu Xian urged, "Remember it. Don't go forgetting it again."
The little book spirit stared blankly for a long while before finally understanding. The brightness in its eyes dispelled its sorrow as it nodded.
"Mhm, I’ve noted it down. Xu Xian, the name of my master."
Xu Xian looked up at the starry sky and murmured softly, "Such is the joy of this world; all things since antiquity flow east like water. Think not of the endless matters beyond yourself, but drain the finite cups of this life."
He lowered his gaze to the little book spirit and curled his lips into a smile. "I’ll give you eight words: Let go of the past, live in the present."
The little book spirit didn't fully understand, but in Xu Xian’s eyes, it saw a melancholy similar to its own. It felt as if Xu Xian, like it, had lived a second life.
His eyes.
They were also filled with stories.
It gave an 'mhm' and nodded heavily. Following the youth’s example, it also looked up at the starry sky.
It asked, "Master."
"Yeah?"
"Did you write that poem just now yourself?"
"Why?"
"It was written so well."
Xu Xian said frankly, "No, someone else wrote it. I just pieced them together."
The little book spirit suddenly realized. "So you just copied it? No wonder."
Xu Xian had originally been illiterate; this was something it knew since their first meeting.
Xu Xian rolled his eyes and lectured, "How can something a scholar does be called copying? It’s called 'borrowing.' Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand."
The little book spirit’s mind shook. It found this novel. "That makes a lot of sense."
Xu Xian chuckled and asked, "So? When I recited it just now, didn't I have quite a lot of gravitas?"
"What is 'gravitas'?"
Xu Xian thought for a moment and explained, "It means when you hear it, you seem very cultured, very elegant, very free-spirited..."
The little book spirit burst into a giggle, exposing him. "You mean acting like a poser? You were definitely posing."
Xu Xian was speechless. He finally understood the meaning of the saying: 'When the conversation is disagreeable, even half a sentence is too much.'
He shifted the topic. "Alright, enough nonsense. Let's talk business. Based on what you said, I can't take these twelve divine swords for now, right?"
The little book spirit stopped laughing and nodded obediently.
"Yes. These are ancient divine swords. Because their slaughter was too heavy, they are tainted with a baleful aura. You cannot wield them yet. Therefore, we must first build the Sword Tower. By using the Sword Tower to suppress them, the seals can be released."
'Cannot wield' was something Xu Xian didn't like to hear. It was equivalent to saying he wasn't good enough.
But he couldn't deny the facts.
Now that he had gained the recognition of the Sword Mound and become its master, he had formed a vague connection with this Heaven Beyond the Sword.
Through this connection, he could clearly perceive the terrifying nature of the twelve swords before him.
Even though they were bound by cold chains and sealed by the Sword Mound, the killing intent upon them still made one shiver uncontrollably. When staring at them, it was like falling into an ice cellar.
His heart and mind trembled with fear.
It felt as if he would be torn to shreds the moment he touched them.
Let alone wielding them.
"Then shall we leave?"
"Okay."
Xu Xian stood up and looked back at the twelve divine swords. It was like staring at twelve ancient behemoths. After a deep look, he asked again:
"By the way, Little Book, after I build my Sword Tower, I won't need to come back here, right?"
"You will," the little book spirit replied without thinking.
Xu Xian’s footsteps came to a sudden halt. He stared fixedly at the little fellow sitting on his shoulder.
The little fellow understood his concern and giggled, explaining: "Master, don't worry. You are the master of the Sword Mound. Although your cultivation is currently low and you cannot fully control it, returning here is only a matter of a single thought."
Xu Xian asked suspiciously, "Truly?"
The little book spirit confirmed, "Guaranteed! Once the first floor of your Sword Tower is built, you won't even need to pass through the Sword Gate of the Heaven Beyond the Sword. You can enter the Sword Mound from anywhere, at any time."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xian’s heart settled. He even felt somewhat delighted. "That's good. That's very good."
If that were true.
If he encountered any irresistible danger in the future, couldn't he just hide in the Sword Mound? It was incredibly safe.
Furthermore.
This Sword Mound was so vast; it was a world of its own. It could also serve as a storage space.
The little book spirit reminded him, "However... the prerequisite is to build the Sword Tower."
Xu Xian said nonchalantly, "Fine, we'll build it. We'll build it as soon as we get out. Construction? I know all about it."
Xu Xian just wanted to say that no one understood building better than a civil engineering graduate.
The little book spirit waved its small fist to cheer him on. "Mhm! Then let’s start the first step of the plan: breaking through to the core formation stage!"
Xu Xian was stunned. "Break through to core formation?"
The little book spirit took it for granted. "Of course. Only by reaching core formation can you withstand the power of the laws of the first floor of the White Jade Capital."
Xu Xian’s smile froze. He lowered his head and walked silently toward the edge of the Divine Sword Pool.
The little book spirit continued, "We also need to prepare many high-grade spirit stones..."
"Spirit stones? For what?" Xu Xian asked casually.
The little book spirit explained, "You can think of them as bricks."
Xu Xian’s heart skipped a beat.
"Huh?"
The little book spirit counted on its fingers. "We also need to find some rare materials, like special wood and rare ores..."
Xu Xian felt his head growing large. He hurriedly interrupted the little book spirit.
"Stop, stop. I just want to ask one thing: for one floor of the Sword Tower, how many spirit stones are required?"
The little book spirit thought for a moment, pressing its finger to its lip. "Hmm... I haven't calculated it. But based on the strength and spiritual energy content of the spirit stones in Fanzhou, I estimate one floor would take at least several million stones..."
Xu Xian stumbled, nearly passing away on the spot.
"How many?"
"...Several million. Maybe more," the little book spirit said, completely oblivious.
Xu Xian’s mouth twitched.
His heart was already in an uproar.
Millions.
And they had to be high-grade spirit stones.
Was this a joke?
Even robbing a bank wouldn't be enough.
As expected, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and there was no such thing as pure luck or providence.
Every bit of fortune you gained through effort forced you to suffer more, forced you to work harder, and forced you to compete more.
Xu Xian had had enough; he saw through it all.
"What’s wrong?"
"I think there's no rush to build this tower."
"But..."
Before the little book spirit could finish, Xu Xian stepped into the air, jumping down from the Divine Sword Pool with a look of utter despair.
The wind whistled past his ears as he plummeted rapidly.
A moment later.
Xu Xian stood once again upon the Immortal Sword Pool. His gaze drifted across the rows of immortal swords, making a difficult decision.
What Sword Tower?
What divine swords?
They were all empty promises.
Taking an immortal sword was the most practical thing right now.
He rubbed his chin and double-checked: "Are you sure I can only take one for now? Is it really impossible to take two?"
Rate on N.U.
