Devouring Sword Art

It was a chill night after dropping Yang Xin to her quarters, and Wang Zi walked towards his own, his mind swirling with a tempest of thoughts.

"Why does my heart ache every time I see her saddened face? Her tears etch a deep sadness within me," he pondered as he walked down the path at the sect.

Before he had transmigrated into Wang Zi's body, he had been just a college student—lost and adrift in a world that felt overwhelmingly empty. He had no parents to turn to, no friends to share laughter with, and he had spent most of his days alone, finding solace only in the pages of novels and worlds of video games.

While everyone around him was engrossed in the affairs of daily life, he had always been captivated by the idea of parallel realms, of worlds brimming with magic and adventure, where anything was possible, and where he could be someone extraordinary.

Now, with the memories and emotions of the previous Wang Zi flooded into him, it was as if a dam had broken. His heart was a sponge, soaking up feelings that he had long suppressed, emotions that were foreign yet exhilarating. The joy, the sorrow, the longing—it all felt so vivid and intense, a stark contrast to the monochrome existence he had previously known.

"I should treasure these feelings," he mumbled softly, his eyes darting up to the wide sky. Countless stars twinkled above, like distant lanterns illuminating his path, and in that moment, he felt an undeniable sense of belonging.

Even though he was in another world, occupying another person's body, it felt strangely like home, a place where he could finally be himself.

As he slowly approached his quarters. He sat on his bed; without wasting a moment, he opened his dimensional pouch.

"I want to cherish her," he declared with newfound resolve, his gaze firming as he thought of her smile, bright and warm, a beacon in his life.

"I want to protect her, so I have to become strong enough to safeguard that smile." A smirk tugged at his lips as he felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders, but it was a burden he was willing to bear.

"Here we go," he said as he cracked his knuckles.

As he pulled out a crystal pendant he had purchased from the forging crystal stall, he marveled at its pristine white surface.

He slowly tried to remove the crystal from its pendant, channeling his qi into it, but to his dismay, it didn't even budge.

"Even though my qi as a Body Purification Realm cultivator is scarce compared to that of a Spirit Purification Realm cultivator, I still possess both physical and qi force, which is far vaster than a mortal's. To think it didn't react at all," he said, then he slipped the pendant around his neck. He could feel its cool surface against his skin.

Next, he retrieved the worn scroll from the painting shop, the scent of allure wafting from it, as if the scroll itself held secrets yet to be unveiled. As he took a moment to breathe in the sweet fragrance, he opened the scroll, excitement bubbling within him.

"Shall I learn some sword art skills?" he mused.

What he found inside was astonishing; the scroll was entirely different from what he had seen at the shop. "As expected of a Pseudo Immortal Realm cultivator," he marveled, eyes wide as he scanned the contents. The intricate illustrations seemed to come alive, each stroke of ink pulsating with energy, beckoning him to delve deeper into the mysteries it contained.

The letters on the scroll began to morph, transforming into vivid paintings that danced before his eyes. The words transformed into a breathtaking ocean, its waves crashing against the shore, while trees swayed gently in the wind. The imagery was mesmerizing, a testament to the skill of the artist who had poured their soul into the creation.

Wang Zi's gaze landed on a magnificent dragon soaring through the sky, its radiant golden scales shimmering with the intensity of lightning. The beast's eyes sparkled like twin suns, casting an ethereal glow over everything. Below, a tumultuous sea roared in response to the storm above, while on a nearby landmass, a solitary figure stood, hair whipping about as he clutched a great sword in his hand.

Suddenly,Wang Zi's vision began to blur, his surroundings started to swirl, and then everything went dark. He found himself suspended in an abyss of nothingness, where not a single soul could be sensed, and the world faded into oblivion. The silence enveloped him.

Amidst this profound darkness, a serene sound of waves started echoing in his ears. He found himself floating in this void, and suddenly, everything transformed into a vibrant scene that dispelled the darkness.

Massive waves tossed violently, illuminated by lightning storms that cracked across the sky. Gradually, his vision cleared, revealing a young man in his twenties with white hair drenched in seawater, azure eyes fixed intently on the dragon above him. A smirk played on the man's lips as he beheld the awe-inspiring creature, one capable of instilling fear in the hearts of a thousand cultivators.

With a powerful motion, the man drew a massive broadsword from his back, pointing it defiantly at the dragon. The aura surrounding him was overwhelming, suffocating Wang Zi with its intensity, making him tremble as he floated helplessly in the air.

"This aura! He must be a higher cultivator from the upper realms!" Wang Zi gasped, his heart racing with both fear and excitement. The man, however, merely smiled, a glimmer of confidence in his expression, and spoke with a commanding voice that resonated through the stormy air.

"Look closely, my successor. The skills you are about to witness are arts that could shake even a god. Though I doubt you will be able to replicate them, learn carefully." His gaze shifted to Wang Zi, the warmth in his smile contrasting with the fierce energy radiating from him, instilling a sense of hope amidst the chaos.

The golden dragon, its immense form hovering above, opened its enormous mouth, revealing a set of fangs crackling with electricity. Wang Zi watched in awe as a colossal sphere of lightning began to coalesce within the dragon's maw, growing larger and more menacing by the second. The anticipation in the air was palpable, a tangible force that made Wang Zi's heart race.

The broadsword-wielding man's grin widened at the sight, and with a swift leap, he charged forward, positioning himself before the dragon as the massive lightning sphere was unleashed towards him. He swung his sword with incredible force, the clash of his qi meeting the lightning ball resonating through the air, creating an explosion of light that blinded Wang Zi momentarily.

"Gasp!" He awoke with a jolt, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding as he stared up at the ceiling of his quarters. "What was that?" Bewilderment washed over him as he processed the vivid vision. It felt far too real, too intense to be mere dream.

"This type of event didn't happen in the novel! What is this?" He thought, feeling a confusion that twisted in his gut. Had he tapped into something beyond the material world? A connection to powers he had yet to comprehend?

"In the novel, this scroll only imprints the sword art into one's mind, not a vision like I just experienced," he mused, still reeling from the encounter. The implications of what he had witnessed weighed heavily on him, and the urgency to understand it drove him forward.

As if in response to his thoughts, a surge of techniques flooded into his mind, taking root within him, intertwining with the very essence of his being.

"Devouring Sword Art," he murmured, focusing on the knowledge now embedded in his consciousness. The name echoed in his mind, resonating with a sense of purpose and destiny.

He stood up, feeling invigorated, and began moving his body, preparing to put the technique into practice. The space around him felt charged, alive with the energy of the art he had just absorbed.

"First Phase of Devouring Sword Art: Slashing Death," he declared, visualizing the movements as he executed a series of precise slashes through the air, each motion deliberate and filled with intention.

"Phew," he exhaled, surveying the ground where his foot had struck, leaving marks on the floor.

"Even though the theoretical knowledge of the sword art is easy to grasp, executing the steps and techniques is a different challenge entirely," he murmured, acknowledging the road ahead. The complexities of the art were daunting, yet within them lay the potential for growth, for transformation.

As the bright light of dawn streamed through his window, illuminating his quarters with warm rays, Wang Zi stepped outside, the sun bathing him in its glow. "Morning has come," he breathed, a newfound resolve igniting within him.