Ren Yi stopped drawing circles.
“Give me an example.”
The Sword-man barely had to think, spilling everything in one smooth stream.
“For example, back then, there was a top-tier, secluded superpower that had survived for tens of thousands of years.”
“Its fortune should have stretched on indefinitely, but that guy foresaw its destruction nearly half a year in advance.”
“He started making secret preparations a full six months before the calamity struck.”
“He planted inconspicuous operatives, hoarded resources, and seized territory ahead of time.”
“Everyone thought he was just a fool walking straight into traps. But what happened in the end?”
“Once the calamity arrived, that superpower was wiped out overnight.”
“While everyone else was crying and screaming in the midst of the disaster, that guy was already flying his vessel over.”
“He swept up every last bit of the core legacy and top-tier cultivation techniques left behind by that faction, pocketing them all.”
“Or take another example. A legendary, ancient spiritual treasure never recorded in history was set to appear in a desolate secret realm.”
“He would arrive a month early and camp out in the best possible spot, one that no one else would ever think of.”
“The moment the spiritual treasure showed itself, while everyone else was still dazed, he would grab the item and run.”
“Every single stroke of incredible luck went to him, and he bypassed every major trap in advance.”
Having reached this point, the Sword-man felt he had said enough and stopped.
What kind of wish-fulfillment plot is this?
Ren Yi felt like he had just read a novel about some overpowered protagonist.
This time, however, Ren Yi gave the Sword-man no time to think or react, pressing him immediately.
“And?”
The blade trembled slightly. “Big Bro... what do you mean, ‘and’?”
“Your speculation,” Ren Yi added, his voice calm and unhurried.
“Don't tell me that after experiencing your master's world-ending actions and betrayal...”
“...and spending another four eras in this world, you still have absolutely no theories about his behavior.”
The sword fell silent for a moment. The blade swayed slightly, letting out a remarkably human sigh.
“Sigh, I don't really have any grand theories.”
“My approach is simple: just slash every suspicious bastard I see. I'm bound to get it right once.”
“As it stands, the only ones I haven't successfully slashed are those few in the City of the Sky Lake.”
“But Pops... that old bag said that the past was probably very similar to what's happening now.”
“What does that mean?”
The Sword-man's blade paused for a moment before he spoke slowly.
“‘Reversing cause and effect, the turning of spring and autumn.’”
“Our world once had similar legends.”
“They say that within heaven and earth, the Great Dao is like a tide.”
“All living beings are merely ants struggling to cross a sea of suffering. Drifting downstream, they are ultimately bound to wither and flourish.”
“Yet there are some who exist outside the Heavenly Dao... they can transcend the Three Realms and escape the Five Elements.”
“Walking barefoot upon the banks of the River of Time.”
“Charging upstream with brandished blades and galloping steeds.”
“They can reverse time and space, stepping into the exact same river once again.”
“Seizing the fortune of heaven and earth, intercepting the destiny of all living beings.”
“In the eyes of others, he appears to be a peerless sage, born with innate knowledge and flawless foresight.”
“But in reality, he is merely holding the manual of the previous game, playing by the book to pull the wool over everyone's eyes in this one.”
By the end, the Sword-man's voice had grown incredibly soft, like a fading sigh.
“Is that so?” Ren Yi said slowly, emphasizing each word.
“‘Great minds think alike.’”
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire space fell dead silent.
By now, the core intelligence had basically been pried out. Ren Yi felt that his display of intimidation had served its purpose.
He then gave Evans a nod.
Receiving the signal, the black-haired youth's lips curled upward as he cleared his throat.
He strolled over to the sword and looked down at the hilt protruding from the ground.
“Alright, the boss's business is finished.”
“Next... shouldn't we settle the personal interest between the two of us?”
His voice carried a heavy, ominous tone of someone looking to settle a score.
“You lured me all the way here just to slash me? What happened to getting a meal?”
The sword clearly froze. The blade paused for a second before letting out a bewildered mumble.
“Huh? You're still thinking about that?”
“So you were completely bluffing? Boss, look at this...” Evans's voice grew increasingly sinister.
“I didn't lie! I didn't lie!” the Sword-man's voice instantly spiked several octaves. “Am I the kind of person who goes back on his word?!”
“You're not even a person,” Evans pointed out flatly.
“Then... then I'm a sword that tells it like it is and never lies!”
“Fine. Where's the food, then?” Evans spread his hands, looking around at the outrageously empty space.
“In this place... you'll have to wait.”
The sword made a lip-smacking sound, causing both Ren Yi and Evans to glance at it askance.
The same question popped into both of their minds: How on earth does a sword make those onomatopoeic sounds?
Unaware of their thoughts, the Sword-man continued to explain on his own.
“This place is the inner side of this world.”
He lifted himself up again, the tip of the blade pointing toward the seemingly endless void.
“This is where the reason lies for why Anomalies cannot be completely destroyed.”
“After most Anomalies are destroyed, they will reappear in this space after a while.”
The Sword-man's tone became a bit more serious, as if he were presenting a research topic he had studied for a long time.
“Out of thin air?” Ren Yi pressed, puzzled.
“Yes, out of thin air,” the Sword-man answered decisively, without any hesitation.
“Don't ask me about the mechanics behind it. Even if you do, I don't know.”
His tone carried a helpless “please don't put me on the spot” quality.
“I sense an aura here that feels somewhat like the rules of the Heavenly Dao.”
“I suppose this world has ultimately developed some laws of its own.”
Rate on N.U.
