Crimson Eclipse

"I said…"

"No, no. I heard and understood you…"

The sword attempted to repeat itself, speaking in its monotone yet somehow condescending tone.

"But I just can't believe something like you exists in the lower heaven."

"Not only are you an ego weapon, but you're also a soul weapon in the Forbidden Tier?!"

This news was unbelievable to Xue Yang.

"How is this possible? I have never heard about you, yet not only do you exist, but you also exist in the lowest-tiered heaven…"

Then, the sword revealed new information about the Crimson Monk to Xue Yang.

"I was a gift to my old master by his students."

"The Crimson Monk had disciples?" Xue Yang asked a rhetorical question and quickly compiled the information.

"They must have ascended. That's the only way this would be possible."

"They must have gotten significantly high to find a weapon like this, so they will be a strong force that is loyal to the Crimson Monk."

He quickly figured out what was going on. The Crimson Monk had trained others and helped them with their cultivation.

They were powerful cultivators who had ascended while the Crimson Monk was still looking for a new body.

The sword must have been part of the preparations for when he found the body with the best talent and potential.

He would have gotten help in ascending and almost instantly become a major player in the upper heavens.

Xue Yang couldn't deny that it was a good plan and must have been in preparation for a long time.

"I wonder how they will react knowing I killed their master," Xue Yang chuckled at the thought.

Then, he turned his attention back to the weapon in his hand. 

He didn't want to needlessly waste any more time.

"As you already know, your old master is gone and will never return."

"Form a contract with me."

"You won't find a greater talent than I in these lands."

"With me, you won't have to stay idle in this place."

"Instead, you will join me in the world running wild."

Not even a second had passed, but the sword had already replied.

"I accept."

Xue Yang knew this would be the outcome.

The weapon had no reason to refuse.

The Crimson Monk's shattered soul meant that he could no longer return.

For him, it was over, meaning that the sword was free.

But it also meant that now it needed somebody else to take it out into the world.

With someone's help, it could taste blood, clash against other weapons and prove itself.

The sword started to melt, but somehow, nothing had dripped downwards.

Instead, the sword started melting horizontally, moving towards Xue Yang's wounded palm and inside his body.

A moment later, the sword was gone. It had become a part of Xue Yang and became a part of Xue Yang's blood.

Xue Yang was happy with his results here.

He would have been happier if he reached a higher realm, but the newfound weapon made up for it.

The Forbidden Tier was the 7th tier out there.

The bigger the tier number, the better the weapon was and the harder it was to find.

But then, it was also an ego weapon. A weapon with a personality and the potential to gain a human form.

It could be temperamental sometimes, but your power will increase significantly if you bond with one.

It could be hard to form a natural bond with a weapon like this, and even if you did, once it gains its human form, it could leave or even turn on you.

This is where the Soul part came in.

A Soul weapon is bound to the current contractor's soul.

It would always remain loyal to the contractor and never betray them.

A sword that couldn't cut was useless, after all.

But with it being an Ego Soul weapon. It meant that it would eventually gain a human form but always remain loyal to Xue Yang.

He had gained a future commander for his forces.

One that would never betray him and would grow alongside him.

One that he could trust unconditionally.

These thoughts put Xue Yang's chaotic heart at ease.

It made him feel like everything would turn out alright.

Feeling tension disappear, Xue Yang looked at the information about the sword inscribed deep within his soul.

He first confirmed that what the weapon said was true.

"Void Stage?!"

But in the end, he was surprised again. 

As it turned out, the weapon was at the Void stage of the Forbidden tier.

This was the third and final stage of the tier. After that, you'd find weapons in the 8th tier.

With it being in the final stage, it would ascend to the next stage in no time.

Xue Yang would have to wait less to see his general appear before him.

Xue Yang then looked to see its name.

He could have just asked for it, but he preferred to do it this way.

"Huh, Crimson Eclipse."

"A fitting name," Xue Yang muttered with a smile.

It was, in fact, a crimson blade that was being eclipsed by pure darkness.

Having collected everything he could, Xue Yang took out a black hooded cloak from one of the storage rings and put it on.

He didn't want to risk appearing in the middle of the day and feeling pain immediately.

With this cloak, he would be mostly protected and, at the very least, could still walk normally and not get tired.

Xue Yang then walked past the pedestal and into a large teleportation array.

He wasn't sure where it would take him, but he knew he would find his way.

He dropped some blood onto the ground, and the array beneath him activated.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.

Then, he reappeared somewhere completely different.

At first, the sun seemed blinding, but then he got used to it.

Having a brief look around, Xue Yang recognised where he was.