Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 78 - 77: Master, Can You Touch My... Sword?

"Master, you seem curious. Would you like to touch Luminous?"

"May I? This is your Lifebound Spirit Sword, Yueqiu. It isn't an ordinary weapon. Any sensation the sword experiences, hot or cold, will be passed on to you. It's become a part of your body..."

Pei Yuhang teased with a smile.

'That's right, that's right! My Pei Yuhang already has a sword! How can he just go around touching other swords!'

Bai Jingjing was very satisfied with Pei Yuhang's answer and said smugly in his Sea of Consciousness.

Unexpectedly, Qing Yueqiu's eyes lit up when she heard this. She said excitedly, "So when a Lifebound Spirit Sword is touched, the sensation is passed on to its master...? In that case, Master, you must help me by touching it!"

"?"

"Er, what I mean is, I'd like to ask you to inspect it for me, Master. After all, my understanding of swords is still very superficial—nowhere near as profound as yours. If you hold Luminous, you'll surely be able to learn more about it. This will help me wield Luminous better in the future!"

Qing Yueqiu said earnestly, her crimson eyes filled with an eagerness to improve.

"I see..."

Since Qing Yueqiu had framed it as a desire to "learn and improve," Pei Yuhang had no reason to refuse.

Besides, his disciple's words served as a timely reminder.

This Luminous before him was no ordinary sword. It was an "Ancestor Sword" over three thousand years old!

From this perspective, Yueqiu was simply too inexperienced, while the sword was far too ancient and powerful.

Although Pei Yuhang trusted the Divine Sword Pavilion's inspection methods, which should have prevented anything dangerous from remaining on the Luminous Shadow Sword.

But... what if?

Pei Yuhang feared that Dieyin Fairy might have left some malicious trap on the sword—such things were all too common in the law-of-the-jungle that governed the Cultivation Realm.

It was a classic scenario: a Great Power would seal a remnant of their soul in an artifact like a ring, then absorb the host's Spiritual Qi and even Life Qi to restore their own Primordial Qi. They would then pose as a "wise old mentor," granting the host some Ancient Secret Technique to cultivate, all as a pretext for eventual possession...

Such a damnable act, if exposed, would be condemned by the entire world. Upon entering the Underworld, the perpetrator would face divine punishment, forbidden from reincarnating.

But even such a terrifying karmic price wouldn't deter those Cultivators who sought to defy the heavens. After all, Cultivators were fanatics who lived only for the present... Given the chance to attain the Dao in this life, they would willingly forsake any right to a next one.

According to the records, Dieyin Fairy had an excellent reputation. However, when it came to Qing Yueqiu's safety, Pei Yuhang wouldn't let his guard down for a moment.

'Gah! Pei Yuhang, stop! Stop right there! I don't want you to hold another sword! Waaah! If you touch another sword, your hands will be tainted...'

As she watched Pei Yuhang extend his hand toward the exquisite glazed sword, which flowed with Moonlight Divine Light, Bai Jingjing began to wail in his Sea of Consciousness.

But the little brat's voice only served to annoy Pei Yuhang.

He silently blocked out Bai Jingjing's voice, and at last, his mind was quiet.

'Alright, let's see if you're a worthy sword!'

Pei Yuhang held his breath, focused his spirit, and took the Luminous Shadow Sword from Qing Yueqiu's hands.

The instant his large hand completely enveloped the hilt— "Ngh~"

A strange, low moan echoed softly.

Face flushed crimson, Qing Yueqiu covered her mouth, daring not to meet her Master's gaze.

"My apologies, Master... I don't know what happened. When you grasped the sword... I felt as if I were being touched as well. It's so strange..."

"Don't be alarmed. This is a normal reaction now that you and Luminous share a bond of [Unity]. In fact, it's fortunate the sword's Sword Spirit hasn't awakened. Otherwise, your attunement to Luminous would never be this high."

After explaining, Pei Yuhang turned his attention back to the Luminous Shadow Sword.

He extended a finger, slowly tracing the blade from the hilt to the tip. As he did, he tried to infuse his Divine Sense and Spiritual Qi into the sword. He was searching for any resident remnant souls or special Dharma Seals.

Standing to the side, Qing Yueqiu watched her Master's fingertips glide along the Luminous Shadow Sword. She subconsciously pressed her legs together, shifting restlessly.

It felt as if a fine, soft-bristled brush were gliding down her own body.

The sensation was unbearably ticklish.

'How can I be... so sensitive...? Master is just helping me inspect the Spirit Sword, yet my body is reacting so strangely.'

'This is mortifying...'

Qing Yueqiu decided to simply shut her eyes. She thought that if she didn't watch, the strange, tingling numbness that felt like a gentle electric current running through her body would subside.

Unexpectedly, once her vision went dark, the strange sensation only intensified. With her eyes closed, she couldn't shake the feeling that her Master's fingertips weren't gliding over the Spirit Sword at all.

But over her own body instead...

She struggled to stifle any strange sounds, trying not to let them escape her throat.

Fortunately, Pei Yuhang's attention was completely absorbed by the Luminous Shadow Sword, so he failed to notice Qing Yueqiu's peculiar condition.

"There are no hidden traps on this sword. It seems I've misjudged Dieyin Fairy. I hope she won't hold it against me. After all, I am Yueqiu's Master, and I am responsible for her path on the Dao..."

Pei Yuhang apologized to the Luminous Shadow Sword.

In the Cultivation Realm, all things possess a spirit. Therefore, such an apology was no mere formality. The Luminous Shadow Sword would genuinely receive his apology and could accurately judge its sincerity.

Upon receiving Pei Yuhang's sincere apology, the Moonlight Divine Light flowing over the Luminous Shadow Sword flickered, as if in a pout.

Pei Yuhang took the initiative to infuse his Sword Qi Essence into the Luminous Shadow Sword as a peace offering.

Only then did the moonlight's glow on the glazed blade soften.

Pei Yuhang turned to Qing Yueqiu and said, "Yueqiu, this sword is truly fated for you, even in name."

"I'm sorry, Master. I don't quite understand..."

"It's alright if you don't understand. Come. I will take you outside and teach you a sword technique suited for Luminous."

Pei Yuhang opened the window, took Qing Yueqiu's small, cool hand, and with a single step, carried her a hundred meters out onto the surface of the lake.

Both knew the Water Stepping Technique. They stood firmly upon the water's surface as if it were solid ground, their bodies not sinking in the slightest.

"Watch closely, Yueqiu. This next strike will be beautiful."

Pei Yuhang raised Luminous with one hand.

VMMMM—

The clear ring of the sword vibrated, stirring the lake beneath their feet into a flurry of countless, dense ripples.

Qing Yueqiu's eyes widened as she stared, speechless, at the sky.

A solid, brilliant beam of moonlight shot down from the full moon high above, piercing the heavens to land directly upon the Luminous Shadow Sword in Pei Yuhang's hand.

Under the glow of the moonlight, the sword's glazed blade appeared even more crystalline and translucent.

A visible puff of frosty air escaped Pei Yuhang's lips.

The next moment—

Qing Yueqiu felt as if time itself had frozen. The birds in the surrounding forest fell silent, and the ripples on the water beneath her feet ceased their motion.

Everything around her became illusory, as if part of a waking dream.

The only thing that remained sharp and clear was the spectral image of a full moon behind Pei Yuhang, woven from pure Sword Qi and Moonlight Divine Light.

As Pei Yuhang stepped forward and slashed with Luminous, the spectral moon behind him shot forward, following the arc of his blade.

CRACK—

It was the sound of a mirror shattering, or perhaps a bubble bursting.

A cold drop of water on her forehead brought Qing Yueqiu back to her senses. A torrential downpour had begun to fall from the sky.

But she knew it wasn't rain. It was the water of Hidden Immortal Lake, vaporized and blasted into the sky by the Moonlight Sword Qi.