Rise of the Sword Lord

Chapter 5

The mysterious woman asked Kai, "Why are you so afraid to die?"

Kai responded with a hint of frustration, "Why shouldn't I be afraid? Everyone fears death."

The mysterious woman acknowledged his point. "You're right. Everyone fears death, but in your case, you have nothing to lose."

Kai, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

She explained, "In your current state, without an Elixir Field, you're as good as dead anyway. Without it, you're powerless. Any simple challenge could overwhelm and kill you. So why not try absorbing the sword and take the chance?"

Kai considered her words, feeling the weight of his predicament. "You're right," he admitted, hanging his head as he contemplated the risks involved.

Unsure of the right choice, he thought for a few more seconds before sighing.

He declared, "I'll do it!"

Seeing his confidence, the mysterious woman recognized his acceptance of the dangerous cultivation method she had proposed.

"Let it be so," she affirmed, confirming his request to proceed.

The moment she spoke, a sudden white light rose from the center of the dark room, engulfing Kai immediately.

This was due to the pronouncement made by the mysterious woman. Kai watched in total shock as the light enveloped him, knowing the oracle was behind it.

The woman spoke again with a calm and steady voice. "I am going to fill your mind with every single line of the incantation you need to initiate the method," she said to Kai.

Still disoriented from the sharp light, Kai could hear her but didn't fully understand what she meant until suddenly, he received all the information he needed.

The knowledge of the incantation filled his mind, and he began to recite it instinctively.

Although he had no idea how he knew the words, he found himself speaking them with conviction.

"Let the body become the sword, let the sword become the Elixir Field. Oh Elixir Field, absorb all the swords in the world, and let all swords abide with me and nourish my body, forevermore!"

Kai cried out, his voice echoing through the room. The lines flowed from him as if by instinct, initiating the process.

A moment later, the white light focused on the long sword in front of Kai, the one that belonged to the sword lord.

The sword trembled slightly, then transformed into a sharp white light, distinct from the initial glow.

"Ah!" Kai screamed in agony as the light penetrated him.

His eyes abruptly opened wide, his facial features contorted in pain.

"It hurts!" he screamed.

"I can’t bear the pain; the energy is too much for me to contain!"

In that instant, Kai felt as if his entire body was being sliced by a blade, inch by inch. The excruciating sensation overwhelmed him, but the process had begun.

Then, the mysterious woman's voice rang in Kai's mind. She noticed how weak he had become and sensed he might mistakenly resist the energy penetrating him.

"Keep receiving the energy!" she commanded. "The sword is the light entering your body; do not resist it."

Kai screamed, "I can't bear it any longer!"

"You must endure the pain by all means," she insisted.

"What will happen if I resist it?!" he shouted, desperate for an escape from the agony.

"If you resist," she yelled back, "you won't be able to replace your damaged Elixir Field with the sword."

Kai continued absorbing the light, the pain growing more intense with each passing moment.

The woman encouraged him, "You cannot give up. If you resist, you might die!"

Clenching his teeth tightly, his whole body trembling fiercely, Kai felt his strength waver.

"Conquer or die! You must choose wisely," she urged, leaving him with a choice to make.

Time passed agonizingly slowly as Kai endured the excruciating process.

He fought to stay conscious, knowing that collapsing would mean certain death.

"If you give up," the woman warned, "the energy will absorb you instead, and you will die." Her words terrified him, keeping him focused.

Kai lost track of the hours spent in pain. Suddenly, he heard the clinking sound of a metal sword within his body and he gasped.

At that moment, he collapsed, and a stream of Qi surged from him. The Qi Varying Realm had been unlocked!

He had transcended from the Self-Striving Realm into the Qi Varying Realm, a stage where one becomes a conductor of energy, shaping and molding qi to adapt to any situation in battle.

In the place where Kai's Elixir Field once was, deep in his lower abdomen, a tiny sword now floated.

The mysterious woman gasped in awe. "I didn't expect this would work..." she muttered to herself, her voice filled with astonishment.

Kai, unconscious, didn't hear her.

“It worked,” she repeated, still in shock. As she had told Kai, the method had never been tested and was truly dangerous.

Disoriented and unsure how long he had been unconscious, Kai's eyes slowly opened. Feeling a strange sensation, he sat up abruptly, thinking in disbelief, "Have I reached the Qi Varying Realm?"

“The Qi Varying Realm, a stage where one becomes a conductor of energy, shaping and molding qi to adapt to any situation in battle,” Kai murmured to himself, feeling the energy coursing through his body. At this moment, he felt Qi flowing within him.

Suddenly, Kai heard the voice of the oracle again. Her tone was calm and proud. "What you feel isn't just Qi," she said. "It's the Qi of the sword."

"You are now on your path to becoming a sword cultivator," she added firmly.

Kai felt a tiny sword dangling deep in his abdomen, precisely where his Elixir Field used to be.

This confirmed that the Celestial Ascendant Sword had replaced his Elixir Field. He looked up at the dark tower, seeking further confirmation.

The oracle affirmed his achievement. "You have reached the Qi Varying Realm."

Kai couldn't believe it. It felt like a dream. He hadn't even reached the Qi Varying Realm when he had his Elixir Field, yet now, without it, he had leveled up.

"I really have achieved the Qi Varying Realm!" he exclaimed, clenching his fists, his whole body trembling with excitement.

He told the oracle, "If I can achieve this realm, then I can also transcend to the highest rank, the Qi Harnessing Realm, where one seamlessly integrates qi into every movement and thought, becoming a living embodiment of martial prowess."

"With that power, I could take Ming out of Midan City to the central institution for medical help," he added excitedly.

"Enough!" the woman suddenly interrupted with an air of authority.

"This is just the beginning of your battles. This achievement isn’t something to celebrate much."

Kai frowned, curious. "What do I need to do next?"

She sighed heavily. "Taking the sword as your Elixir Field compensates for your defect of not having an Elixir Field, but there are also negative aspects to it."

Kai frowned deeper. "What are the negative aspects?" he asked, thinking everything had concluded for now.

She began to explain. "Swords are divided into levels: Common Sword, Spiritual Sword, Bright Sword, Genuine Sword, Heavenly Sword, Tao Sword, and Immortal Sword."

The names were too many for Kai to put in his head all at once. He huffed.

"The sword in your body was once at the level of the Genuine Sword, but after 1200 years of erosion, its original 'genuineness' has dissipated. Not only has the 'genuineness' dissipated, but even the 'brightness' in the heart of the sword has disappeared. It is now only a Spiritual Sword," she explained.

Kai was unsure what she meant.

"I still don't understand. What is the significance of this revelation?" Kai asked curiously.

The mysterious woman paused slightly before continuing. "The soul of the sword you have taken into your body to replace the Elixir Field is bound to vanish one day. Several of its qualities have depreciated over the years, and its level has degraded. Once the sword hits the bottom of the rank and the sword is broken, you will die."