Chapter 024: The Old Man’s Final Wishes

Shen Duo was puzzled. How had the old man seen through her and recognized her as having a purple elemental root? With this question in mind, she asked him directly.

Having already realized that Shen Duo was unaware of even such basic knowledge as a swordsman’s root, the old man no longer found any of her questions surprising, though a strange gleam flickered through his eyes before he smiled and explained, “If you regulate your breath and examine your dantian, you’ll understand. Everyone suited to train as a swordsman has a faint, colored glow there. The deeper the color, the higher the cultivation.”

Without a shadow of doubt, Shen Duo sat cross-legged on the spot and entered a state of inner vision. Within her dantian, she saw that the scroll emitting a faint white glow was indeed surrounded by a thin, almost imperceptible layer of purple mist.

Eyes widening in astonishment, Shen Duo felt a new surge of hope rise from deep within her heart. Her dark eyes sparkled brilliantly, and her usually cold little face was tinged with subtle joy.

The old man nodded, squinting as he asked, “Child, what do you see?”

Overwhelmed with happiness, Shen Duo felt that nothing could be more exhilarating than discovering a broad and open road after walking to the edge of despair. She nodded vigorously, but dared not lose herself entirely in this wave of joy—there were still arduous paths ahead, immense obstacles, and deep-seated vengeance. She could not afford the slightest carelessness.

When the old man saw how quickly Shen Duo reined in her excitement and regained her composure, he nodded secretly to himself. He had not misjudged her.

Shen Duo poured a cup of water for the old man and handed it to him, asking sincerely, “Sir, I don’t know how to cultivate as a swordsman. Please instruct me.” In this unfamiliar world, the only person she knew was this kindly old man. Since he had seen through her root at a glance, he must be well-versed in the ways of swordsmen. Though Shen Duo had grown up in the Shen family, one of the four great clans of the Saint Radiance Continent, they all trained as illusionists, and with the decline of swordsmen in that world, she knew little more than scraps about the profession, let alone their methods of cultivation. Now, asking this old man was her best choice.

The old man took the cup with satisfaction and explained earnestly, “To become a swordsman, first, you must have a sword. Beginners usually start with a light or heavy sword made of red copper. Swordsmen are divided into nine ranks, each rank into nine levels, much like illusionists. Swordsmen focus on tempering their sword aura and bodies, and then their sword techniques. Sword techniques are ranked from highest to lowest as Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, each with beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Most sword techniques circulating on the Saint Radiance Continent are of the Yellow grade. To learn higher techniques, you must attend an academy or join a powerful faction and enter their capital, or perhaps find a reclusive master. There is another way: by advancing your sword aura. This depends on one’s comprehension. Those with great talent may occasionally create previously unknown sword techniques upon advancing, but such hope is slim—most only gain skills slightly above the Yellow grade.”

The old man sipped his water, smiling at Shen Duo, who seemed deep in thought.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Duo took out the longsword Lei Hang had given her from her storage ring and handed it to the old man. The sword had been damaged in the cavern, a third of its blade broken off, leaving only the hilt and two-thirds of the blade.

“Please, sir, could you examine this sword for me?” This was a gift from Lei Hang. Even though it was damaged, she could not bear to part with it.

The old man accepted the broken sword and walked to the window. Under the daylight, he scrutinized it carefully, his expression growing ever more amazed. This girl harbored so many astonishing secrets. Though broken, the sword was a Sacred Illusion Weapon! People would do anything for a Spirit Illusion Weapon, much less a Sacred one! It was well-known that, for both illusionists and swordsmen, illusion weapons were priceless. Possessing one could multiply their combat power several times over, making alchemists highly sought-after everywhere. Consequently, offending an alchemist was most unwise. Should anyone be foolish enough to do so—even a mere alchemy master—they could easily call upon powerful allies across the continent by virtue of their connections as makers of illusion weapons, making life very difficult for their enemies.

“Sir, what do you think?” Shen Duo asked anxiously. If it hadn’t been absolutely necessary at the time, she would never have let the sword come to harm.

The old man hunched his back, clicked his tongue, and let out a sigh.

Shen Duo’s heart sank, and she felt a wave of guilt toward Lei Hang as well.

But unexpectedly, the old man suddenly turned around. “This is an excellent sword. For you, just starting your swordsman’s path, it is perfectly suitable. However, once you advance to Sword King, it will no longer suffice. Fortunately, not much of the blade is broken. I can mend it. Child, wait here for a moment.”

Shen Duo never imagined the broken sword could be repaired. She gave the old man a deep bow, but he waved it off with a smile.

The old man turned and dragged out a wooden chest from under the bed, his back to Shen Duo. A flash of fiery red light flickered, and in less than a quarter of an hour, he returned with the sword, now perfectly restored.

“Child, see if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with,” the old man said, his face creased with a confident smile.

Shen Duo could hardly believe it as she accepted the longsword and examined it closely. It was exactly as Lei Hang had given it to her, perhaps even better. Testing the grip, a joyful smile blossomed on her face. If Luo Hui, the famous alchemist who had crafted this Sacred Illusion Weapon with such effort, knew it had been so easily repaired by this old man, he would surely cough up blood in anger. Fortunately, Shen Duo was unaware of the sword’s origins, or she too might pity Luo Hui. She studied the old man sharing her humble abode, faintly aware that he was anything but ordinary.

Sincerely, Shen Duo thanked the old man and stowed the longsword back in her storage ring, but she could not help but ask, “May I ask, sir, are you an alchemist?”

On the Saint Radiance Continent, alchemists were classified somewhat differently: some forged weapons, others refined medicines, but all were called alchemists. Training as one required strict qualifications—when one reached Sword Spirit or Sky Illusionist, they could choose a specialization based on their innate talent. High-level alchemists refined with their own inner fire, which depended on their spiritual roots, and forging and medicine required different flames. This was why, at a certain point, alchemists had to specialize. But all this was still a distant prospect for Shen Duo.

The first time she saw the old man, his pleading eyes as he begged for food were utterly different from the confident expression he wore now.

The old man smiled. “What alchemist? I’m just an old beggar with no name, living off the charity of others.”

Shen Duo was taken aback, then realized he did not wish to reveal his true identity and did not press him further. She placed the azure-green stone left to her by the mysterious person before the old man and said respectfully, “Sir, please accept this as thanks for repairing my sword.”

The old man’s eyes widened in surprise. He had thought that after refusing Shen Duo, the stone would be lost to him forever, but she now offered it as a gift. Though he was reluctant to take advantage of the child, the allure of this top-grade alchemical material was overwhelming—even the Mercenary Guild might not be able to procure it with an A-rank mission. And he happened to need it.

The old man swallowed hard, reaching out to refuse. Sometimes, to turn down something you desperately need even once is not easy—let alone twice.

Shen Duo smiled and pressed the little bundle into his hand, her clear eyes shining with amusement. “Sir, there’s no need to stand on ceremony. It’s of little use to me.”

“But child, you could sell it at the trading house. This rare azure stone would fetch a high price.”

Shen Duo shook her head with a trace of resignation on her young face. “With my current strength, the money from an auction would likely be taken from me before I ever received it.”

Shen Duo was no naive girl—she knew well the saying, “A man’s wealth is his own undoing.” She would not expose any treasure before she had the strength to protect it. She had no reason for pride yet.

The old man regarded Shen Duo with satisfaction. This child was prudent, thoughtful, and unusually calm—just the sort of person he liked. Refusing now would truly wound her kindness. He gripped the stone tightly, his face creasing into a smile. “Child, then I shall respectfully accept it.”

Shen Duo was straightforward as well. “Sir, you may call me Shen Duo. I must go now, but I will visit you again.” After giving him another deep bow, she prepared to leave. The events of the past few hours had been so strange that she needed a quiet place to think and to try using the scroll to return.

The old man called after her, “Shen Duo, wait. There is something I must ask of you.”

Shen Duo hadn’t expected this and turned back to listen.

“Shen Duo, could you help me find something?” The old man’s eyes shone with hope.

Shen Duo considered this. One must always act within their ability. If the request was beyond her, even if she agreed, she could not fulfill it and would only bring disappointment.

“Sir, please tell me what it is. If I can, I will do my best.”

The old man’s approval of her grew. She was neither arrogant nor impatient, able to judge her limits—a promising seed indeed.

With a smile, the old man spoke, “Shen Duo, this may be a difficult task for you. With your current Great Swordsman strength, it is nearly impossible, but there is a great element of luck. The fact that you obtained the azure stone shows your affinity for such things. What I need is Silver Reef, a very rare mineral, not yet found on the Saint Radiance Continent, but some have acquired it. If you find such a mineral, bring it to me, and I will grant you three requests.” As he spoke, he handed Shen Duo a piece of paper.

Shen Duo unfolded it. Drawn on it was a silvery, shell-like stone. This was the item the old man sought.

She tucked the paper into her storage ring. “Sir, I will do my best. If I find Silver Reef, I’ll bring it to you as soon as possible.” The old man nodded with a smile.

Waving goodbye, Shen Duo left the shabby little house. She wandered the bustling streets, watching the crowds and lively shops, and gradually her mind grew calm. In this brand-new world, no one knew her. She needn’t fear whispers or contempt. For a moment, she wanted to stay. But then she remembered the scenes she’d witnessed in the cavern, how, after her parents’ deaths, not even their bodies remained. Her hatred surged like a tidal wave. Besides, after Lei Hang was attacked by the Iron-winged Silver Wolf, his fate was still unknown. She would never abandon her friends.

Forcing aside her emotions, Shen Duo watched the sun sink in the sky and found a secluded spot. She sat down, regulated her breath, and entered a state of inner vision. The scroll in her dantian emitted a steady white glow, and the purple mist around it seemed to thicken as it absorbed the scroll’s light.

Just as before, Shen Duo tried to open the scroll with her mind. In an instant, a flash of white light enveloped her. The scene shifted, and when she slowly opened her eyes, the familiar vistas of Luo City were gone.