The Spirit Within the Sword

A few seconds of silence passed after the voice echoed through Mt. Wudang. The mountain stood still. The air was crisp, carrying the distant scent of incense from the prayer halls above. Then, realization hit me—what the hell just happened?

"I can read your thoughts, you know. And no, this isn't just a dream," a voice spoke in my head. But it wasn't mine.

Panic gripped me. My breath hitched. My hands trembled as I stumbled back, heart pounding against my ribs. "What the hell are you? Get out of my head!"

I clutched my skull as if trying to squeeze the intruder out, channeling what little qi I had in a desperate attempt to exorcise whatever had invaded my mind.

"Relax. You're a Wudang disciple, aren't you? Ah, I almost forgot—allow me to introduce myself. You may call me Juan Lei."

Suddenly my qi drained from my body, swirling into the space before me. The air crackled. A gust of wind howled, sending loose leaves spiraling in all directions. Then, like mist solidifying, a figure took shape.

A man stood there.

His robes billowed as if caught in an unseen current, layers of silk dyed deep blue with golden embroidery tracing the sacred Wudang insignia along his sleeves. His long, silver-streaked hair flowed like a river, cascading past his shoulders, yet his face was youthful, untouched by time.

His sharp, fox-like eyes gleamed with an ethereal glow, and his expression held a calm that came only from years—no, decades—of mastery. He stood tall, yet light, as if his very presence was weightless, an extension of the air itself.

"Pleased to meet you, my new disciple."

Before I could react, he stepped forward and pressed a single finger to my forehead.

A sharp jolt of pain shot through my skull. Then—memories. A flood of them, not my own.

I saw Wudang, grander and more bustling than the one I knew. The temple halls shone under the midday sun, and disciples in pristine robes moved like flowing water, their synchronized movements forming an endless dance of blades and palms.

A lone swordsman stood atop a moss-covered training platform, his every strike carving the air itself. His form was so perfect it made even Elder Jung-hi seem crude by comparison. Then, a shadowed figure appeared—a young disciple, his form dissolving into darkness. His robes were familiar. A fellow student of Wudang?

And then—was that the Heavenly Demon?

Another surge of pain struck, more intense than before. More memories poured in. The same swordsman, standing before the Heavenly Demon, their gazes locked in battle. The sky churned with storm clouds, and the wind howled with unearthly force. But before I could absorb more, the vision shattered. I stumbled backward, gasping as reality reasserted itself.

I clutched my head, still reeling. "What… what are you? No—who are you?"

Juan Lei's eyes gleamed with wisdom, but his grin carried a hint of smugness, as if he took pride in the memories he had just shown me.

"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is what I'm about to show you."

Channeling his qi, Juan Lei materialized a glowing blue panel in front of me. The light from it reflected in his sharp eyes, making them shimmer like moonlit pools.

"I don't really know how this works," he admitted, eyes narrowing at the screen. "I just had a feeling it would—probably the same reason my will was bound to my sword. It's a mystery even to me."

As the swirling qi settled, text appeared on the panel, reading like something straight out of a mission board:

"You have taken the first step. Prove yourself worthy."

[Mission Unlocked: Surpass Your Limits]

"Your sword is dull. Sharpen it with battle."

Objective: Pass your next sparring match in the practical exam.

Reward: The first stance of 'Flowing River Sword Art.'

"How interesting." Juan Lei waved his hand through the panel as if testing its solidity. "So, all you need to do is win a simple sparring match, and you'll earn knowledge of one of Wudang's foundational techniques? If that's the case, you're quite lucky. It took me months to master this one." His voice carried both curiosity and amusement.

None of that mattered to me right now. I clenched my fists and took a step forward.

"Wait—before anything else, are you affiliated with Elder Zhang in any way?"

The panel, the mission, the promise of power—none of it meant a thing if this spirit had ties to Elder Zhang. If he did, then maybe, just maybe, I could finally get some answers. Why Elder Zhang left. Why this was happening to me. And what purpose this spirit truly served.

With the mention of the name Zhang his eyes lit up as if hearing the name of a long lost family member. "Zhang!? Do yo-" before he could finish his sentence Juan Lei falls to his knees grasping his head as if in terrible pain, just like how I was when those vague memories flood into my mind.

Juan Lei's body jerked violently, his hands clawing at his head. His face contorted in agony, veins bulging at his temples. "Aghhh! What's… what's happening!?"

The air crackled with energy. Loose pebbles levitated as qi swirled wildly, thrashing like a storm. His cries echoed through the mountain, filled with something more than pain—fear.

"What's going on, are you okay?" I tried to rush forward, but the moment my fingers brushed the swirling qi—boom!

A force slammed into my chest, hurling me through the air. My back collided with a tree, pain lancing through my ribs. My vision blurred. Darkness crept in.

Seconds? Minutes? I don't know how long I was out. When I came to, the storm of qi had settled.

Juan Lei exhaled sharply, still clutching his head. "I… I don't know anyone named Zhang." His voice was hoarse, like he himself didn't believe the words.

His gaze flickered with doubt—was he lying? Or had something erased his memories?

I look at him, hesitant if I should continue asking questions relating to his purpose, but I decided to play it safe just in case anything happens again.

"The memories you showed me… are you…?" I hesitated, then decided to pry into his past instead, hoping to gather some information.

Seemingly recovered from what had just happened, he straightened his stance, once again exuding the confidence of a master. "Yes, I was once an elder of Wudang—before I was killed by Cheonma." His voice was calm, devoid of anger, which only deepened my confusion.

"Doesn't that anger you at all? The thought that the same demon who destroyed the Murim Alliance is still alive, still ruling the Demonic Cult?" It was a genuine question—perhaps the first time in a while that my curiosity wasn't focused on Zhang or why I was falling behind my fellow disciples.

He met my gaze with warmth, the playfulness from before fading into something more solemn. "The day I died, I had already accepted my fate. What happened in the past, the mistakes we made—none of it matters anymore. What matters is today, your generation." He paused, his expression unwavering. "I am, first and foremost, a disciple of Wudang, just like you. Never forget that. Hatred has no place in our philosophy."

His chuckle was warm, reminiscent of the sun's fading light. He felt different from the Wudang masters I had known. This man… no, this master, embodied Wudang itself.

Then, a sudden realization struck me—the sword. The reason for all of this. I had completely forgotten about its presence.

"Right, the sword!" I turned toward the spot where I had first found it, only to see nothing but tall grass swaying in the wind. The sun had fully set now, and night had finally arrived.

"What? Where did it go?"

Before I could even begin to consider how it could have vanished, Juan Lei spoke.

"It now resides within you. Did you really think a sword like that could withstand all that wear and tear?" He chuckled, his playful demeanor returning. "The only reason it lasted so long was because of my will. The faint traces of my qi kept it from breaking apart. When you discovered it, the sword transferred that qi to you—so in a way, it became a part of you." Despite his playful attitude returning he still kept his warm demeanor, unlike from when he was first introduced to me.

Suddenly, the blue panel flickered back into existence before me, displaying the same message as before—only now, with new additions.

"Will you accept this first step to worthiness?"

[Mission Unlocked: Surpass Your Limits]

"Your sword is dull. Sharpen it with battle."

Objective: Pass your next sparring match in the practical exam.

Reward: The first stance of 'Flowing River Sword Art'.

I couldn't believe I was thinking this about a glowing mission board, but it was right. I couldn't keep asking questions—I had to seek the answers myself. And that started with getting stronger.

"I accept."

The mission board vanished, but not before leaving a final message: it would return once the task was complete.

As night fully settled over Mt. Wudang, I turned to Juan Lei. He met my gaze with a nod of approval before dissolving into a mist of qi.

"I will return to your mind," he said. "If you ever need guidance, you will find me there. Or if I get bored, I'll reach out instead." His chuckle echoed through the cold wind.

The qi swirled around me before flowing back into my body, filling me with newfound strength.

This was only the beginning.

And now, it seemed, I had a new companion by my side.