Chapter 37: The Weak Heir

At the entrance of the cave, Lawson Bu stood with an indifferent smile curling at the corner of his lips.

He had heard Dustin Li's final, unwilling cry as the fifth-rank two-headed spectral tiger devoured him. Against such a terrifying beast, even an Innate Realm martial artist would have no chance of survival, let alone a mere Energy Gathering cultivator.

Suddenly, a ferocious gust of wind swept past him.

The two-headed spectral tiger had returned. Its left head opened its blood-stained mouth, while one of its massive paws extended forward, pointing.

Lawson's eyes brightened. "You ate him?"

The spectral tiger nodded.

Lawson's expression turned eager. "And what about the things he carried?"

The beast's left head opened its maw again, revealing sharp, blood-drenched fangs.

Realization struck Lawson like a bolt of lightning.

"You… you ate those too?" His face twisted in shock.

The two-headed spectral tiger remained indifferent, giving a slight nod before lazily turning away.

Lawson's lips trembled. "I told you to kill him and bring back his belongings, not swallow everything whole!"

But no matter how much he fumed, there was nothing he could do. Was he supposed to crawl into the beast's stomach and search for the Dark Sword himself?

The two-headed tiger clearly didn't care. As a fifth-rank monster, it had developed some intelligence, but its instincts remained beastly. It had simply acted according to its nature.

The massive creature lumbered back into the cave and curled up in a corner. Both its heads let out long yawns before closing their eyes in satisfaction.

Lawson's expression was extremely grim, but he dared not vent his frustration. He knew all too well that provoking a monster of this level was tantamount to suicide.

Helpless, he turned back toward the Mist Veil Formation, where Dustin had vanished.

For the next two to three days, he searched relentlessly, combing through the white fog for any trace of Dustin's possessions. But despite his efforts, he found nothing.

"Damn it… Did that beast really eat everything?" Lawson muttered bitterly.

He had thought he had everything under control. Yet in the end, he had lost the most crucial piece of his plan—the Dark Sword.

Without it, the treasure vault could not be opened.

But leaving now? That wasn't an option.

Lawson took a deep breath and made his decision. He would wait.

The two-headed spectral tiger went out to hunt once every day or two. Once it left, he would have a chance to retrieve the sword—even if it meant searching through its waste.

Clutching his Light Sword, he focused his energy. As long as he couldn't feel the presence of the Dark Sword trembling in resonance, he knew it was still trapped within the beast's body.

....

The Starry Space

Somewhere in the depths of darkness, Dustin Li drifted through an unknown void.

He had no idea how long he had been unconscious. A splitting pain tore through his head, forcing his eyes open.

Memories surged back like a tidal wave.

The two-headed spectral tiger, its overwhelming power, the moment its massive jaws closed around him… And then—

A strange sensation, a throbbing deep within his soul.

A pulse from the Pearl of Life and Death.

That was the last thing he had felt before losing consciousness.

Now, as he looked around, he found himself in a bizarre space.

It resembled a vast starry sky, filled with countless shimmering lights that hung like stars. Streams of radiant galaxies swirled like cosmic rivers, stretching endlessly in every direction.

The sight felt strangely familiar.

Dustin's brows furrowed.

He suddenly recalled that when he had treated Maeve's Nine Yin Pulse, his divine sense had once been drawn into the Pearl of Life and Death, leading him into a similar space.

However, that time, only his consciousness had entered.

This time, it seemed that his entire body had been pulled in.

"What is this place?"

He looked up—

And his breath caught in his throat.

Above him, an enormous cosmic wheel slowly rotated, radiating an unfathomable ancient aura.

Its presence was vast and boundless, as if it encompassed the very laws of the universe.

Countless stars and celestial rivers revolved around it in an eternal orbit.

Runes, symbols, and intricate patterns flickered across its surface, each one carrying an overwhelming sense of mystery—secrets that seemed to govern existence itself.

As he stared, a strange resonance stirred within him.

The Death Wheel of All Lives in his dantian began to tremble, responding to the colossal wheel above.

The connection was undeniable—

They were the same, yet vastly different.

One was infinitely small, residing within him.

The other was infinitely vast, overseeing the cosmos.

Suddenly, an ancient voice echoed through the void, carrying a weight of endless time.

"So you are the heir of this generation? Hah… too weak."

Dustin's eyes sharpened. "Who's there?"

The voice remained steady.

"I am not a being like you. You may call me the Spirit of Reincarnation, or the Spirit of the Origin of Life and Death."

Dustin frowned. "The Spirit of Reincarnation?"

The enormous wheel above him continued to spin. Compared to it, Dustin felt as insignificant as an ant before a towering mountain.

The voice continued.

"Though you are weak, since the Pearl of Life and Death has chosen you, I will explain what you must know."

"The universe operates under countless laws—Time, Space, Life, Death… Each law has an origin, a fundamental source from which all power flows."

"The Pearl of Life and Death is a treasure born from the Origin of Life and Death. Those who are chosen by it… become heirs to this fundamental power."

Dustin's heart pounded.

"Are you saying… I am the heir to the Origin of Life and Death?"

"Indeed. And let me make one thing clear—there can be only one such heir."

"As long as you continue growing in strength, you will one day control the Pearl of Life and Death and, eventually, the very laws of existence themselves."

"But… if you are killed, the Pearl will choose another."

The voice carried a hint of disdain.

"Countless beings across time have sought the Origin of Life and Death. If the powerful ever learn of your existence, they will stop at nothing to kill you and claim it for themselves."

Dustin clenched his fists.

Even here, he wasn't safe.

The Spirit of Reincarnation's tone was emotionless.

"The previous great era was wiped out, and I have been in slumber ever since. To think that the Pearl would choose a weakling like you as its heir…"

Hearing the clear disappointment in its voice, Dustin's face darkened.

So even the Spirit of Reincarnation looked down on him?

But before he could respond, the spirit continued.

"Since the Pearl has chosen you, I will aid you—within the limits of universal law. You must grow stronger."

Dustin took a deep breath. "How?"

The spirit's voice rumbled.

"The Wheel of Life and Death contains the profound secrets of the law's origin. Master its nine foundational mysteries, and you will be recognized as the true ruler of life and death."

At that moment—

A beam of black and white light shot down from the vast cosmic wheel, piercing into Dustin's forehead.

Instantly, a flood of knowledge surged into his mind—

Images of a faceless swordsman, wielding a blade faster than thought.

A voice echoed within him:

"In the art of the sword, speed is supreme. Break free from rigid forms—only absolute speed can surpass all techniques."

The Way of the Swift Sword.

Dustin's eyes burned with newfound determination.

If he was to defy fate itself—he would start here.