Chapter 159 A Tale of Two Extremes

Outside the Secret Realm, at Earth Sword Peak, in Mu Changge's courtyard.

Unlike the Sword Burial Abyss, which was filled with sharp Sword Qi and lurking dangers, this place was tranquil and elegant, brimming with Spiritual Qi. Mu Changge's main room, in particular, had its doors and windows slightly ajar. The warm afternoon sun filtered through the lattices, casting mottled light and shadows on the floor, adding a sense of laziness and comfort.

Inside the room, the most eye-catching feature was the bed that occupied a significant portion of the space and looked exceptionally soft and spacious. The bed had a minimalist design without excessive carvings, but the materials were exquisite, and the texture was extraordinary. The mattress wasn't the typical cold jade, warm stone, or Spiritual Plant meditation cushion common in the cultivation world. Instead, it was meticulously crafted and woven from rare "Cloud Dream Cotton" blended with various resilient animal furs, supplemented by small levitation Formations. Lying on it, one could perfectly support every curve of their body; it was as soft as resting on a cloud and could even slightly adjust its firmness and temperature. It was truly the "Simmons" of the cultivation world. This was naturally Mu Changge's "masterpiece"—accustomed to the conveniences of modern life, he simply couldn't stand the "hard board" cultivation (sleeping) environment generally revered by Cultivators. After becoming the Saint of the Heavenly Demon Sect and gaining access to resources, the first thing he did was have his trusted aide, Lu Ming, figure out a way to make this thing. In his words: "Cultivation is already hard enough. If you can't even sleep comfortably, what joy is there in life?"

At this moment, on this bed, which was comfortable to the point of being "sinful," sat a figure cross-legged. She seemed slightly "out of place" with the cozy atmosphere, yet unexpectedly harmonious.

It was Mu Wanning.

She wore a pale gold flowing Fairy dress, the hem of which spread like flower petals across the soft Cloud Dream Cotton mattress. Her waterfall-like dark hair was half-tied with a simple jade hairpin, and a few strands hung lazily by her cheeks. Her eyes were slightly closed, long eyelashes casting shallow shadows on her eyelids. Beneath her straight, elegant nose, her lips were a natural rosy red. A faint golden halo of spiritual power flowed around her, making her appear as if she were enveloped in a hazy radiance. Her temperament was noble and holy, like a goddess from the Nine Heavens who had accidentally fallen into the Mortal World. The arrogance usually present in her expression hadn't completely dissipated even in meditation; instead, it added a touch of inviolable majesty, like a young empress at rest.

If one were to ask why she was cultivating on Mu Changge's bed? The reason was simple—this bed was just too comfortable!

At first, she only came over to "serve" her younger brother's cultivation (and incidentally replace some spiritual fruits and snacks) as part of her duty as a maid. But after sleeping on it once, she was conquered by that unprecedented soft touch. Compared to the cultivation platform in her own side room, which was polished from "Millennium Cold Jade"—helpful for calming the mind but truly hard enough to bruise—this bastard brother's bed was simply heaven! Since then, the frequency of her visits to Mu Changge's room had increased inexplicably, and she occupied this large bed with increasing "righteousness," under the guise of being on call and "supervising." In reality... well, the cultivation experience was indeed excellent, and it was easier for her mind to settle. As for how much of that pleasure was due to the bed being too comfortable, only she knew.

At the exact moment Mu Changge broke through the golden light barrier in the Secret Realm, successfully obtained the Mountain River Sword and the Jade Slip Legacy, and revealed that trademark mischievous smirk—

On the bed, Mu Wanning, who was deep in meditation, felt her tightly closed eyes tremble slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. On her beautiful face, which was always calm and ripple-free, as if she were untainted by the Mortal World, a faint, yet real, curve appeared at the corner of her lips for the first time. This smile flashed and vanished, so quickly that one might think it was an illusion, before she composed herself and returned to her usual cold and arrogant demeanor.

"That bastard..." Mu Wanning's mind stirred, and she cursed inwardly, a sense of mischievous pleasure welling up within her.

"He's probably up to no good again." She silently spat, but deep in her eyes flashed a trace of almost indulgent helplessness that even she hadn't noticed. "Jian Wushuang, oh Jian Wushuang, of all people to provoke, you just had to provoke him... You can pray for your own good fortune!"

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she paused. Why was she subconsciously siding with that bastard brother, and even looking forward to Jian Wushuang having bad Luck? She immediately corrected herself in her heart: "Pah, pah, pah! Why am I thinking about him! Jian Wushuang, you really are useless. As a dignified sect Saint, you can't even deal with a newly initiated 'younger brother'?" The word "younger brother" twisted in her heart, carrying a somewhat complex meaning.

She suddenly lost the desire to continue meditating, her long eyelashes fluttering a few times as she slowly opened her eyes. Her pale golden eyes shifted, first glancing at the familiar furnishings in the room, and finally landing on the incredibly soft mattress beneath her.

"This bed... truly has lost all the backbone of a Cultivator thanks to that bastard." She whispered to herself, though her tone didn't carry much blame, but rather a hint of comfort she hadn't realized herself.

Immediately, she simply relaxed, no longer maintaining her dignified cross-legged posture. Her waist twisted slightly, and she leaned back, resting lazily against the soft pillows stacked at the head of the bed. This posture fully revealed her tall and proud curves. The collar of her pale gold dress opened slightly due to her movement, revealing a section of her exquisite, jade-like collarbone and faint curves. She seemed completely unaware, or rather, in this private space, she didn't care.

Even more thought-provoking were her long, straight, and perfectly shaped jade legs, which were casually crossed. Her right leg rested elegantly on her left, and the hem of her dress slid up slightly due to the movement. Instantly, a patch of absolute territory, smooth and white as snow, was exposed to the air. That breathtaking whiteness and beautiful leg shape, under the soft light filtering through the lattice, radiated a warm, ivory-like luster, full of silent temptation. Yet, she remained composed, even with a hint of lazy leisure. This contrast between holiness and charm, arrogance and casualness, formed a visually striking beauty.

Her slender hand lifted slightly, and her storage ring flashed with a faint light. Several white jade plates appeared beside her, filled with various Spiritual Fruits that were alluring in color and rich in Spiritual Qi. She casually picked up a vermilion "Red Cloud Fruit" and took a light bite. The sweet juice melted between her lips and teeth, and she narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Her other hand subconsciously twirled a strand of her falling hair, and she relaxed like a lazy cat. Where was the arrogant and cold eldest daughter of the Mu Family that outsiders saw?

If those who knew her, or other Disciples of Earth Sword Peak, saw their goddess-like Mu Fairy (the Saintess of Earth Sword Peak—a title many Earth Sword Peak Disciples gave her privately) looking so uninhibited and enjoying herself like this, their eyes would probably pop out. This was a carbon copy of Mu Changge!—that lazy style of knowing how to enjoy life and never shortchanging oneself.

Perhaps, even Mu Wanning herself didn't realize that these days of living together with Mu Changge (Xiao Ming) (although most of the time was spent bickering and mutually "hurting" each other) had caused her to unknowingly pick up some of his "bad" habits. For example, she began to appreciate and enjoy this ease where she didn't have to be tense all the time; for example, she found that occasionally "falling" into indulgence, eating Spiritual Fruits, and teasing (or being teased by) that younger brother who was always full of bad ideas, seemed... quite interesting.

Life was no longer just day-after-day of Cultivation, handling peak affairs, and maintaining an image. Mu Changge was like a torrent that didn't play by the rules, violently rushing into her originally calm (and perhaps somewhat dull) world, bringing vitality, and also... many surprises that made her grit her teeth but couldn't help but smile.

As her thoughts drifted, Mu Wanning thought of Mu Changge again. She thought of the earth-shaking changes in him recently—his temperament had changed from introverted (or inconspicuous) to confident and dazzling, his personality had changed from the dull one in her vague memory (or one with no deep impression) to cunning and lively, and his behavior was often unexpected.

What made her most suspicious was, naturally, those endless, unexplainable methods. That unimaginable Comprehension Ability that far exceeded common sense; that Physical Body and combat power that were too strong for a Nascent Soul Cultivator, making him appear at ease when fighting enemies above his level; and that strange talisman he took out at the Secret Realm entrance today that could pass through the bizarre barrier... These things could not be explained by ordinary Opportunity.

"How many secrets... is he still hiding?" Mu Wanning nibbled on the Spiritual Fruit, her pale golden eyes slightly narrowed, flashing with inquisitive light. She felt that this "younger brother" of hers seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mysterious radiance, a thick layer of fog, making him appear increasingly unfathomable and hard to see through.

And the more she couldn't see through him, the more curious she became, the more she wanted to explore, to pull away those layers of fog, and to see all his secrets, fully exposed. This desire to investigate, without her even realizing it, had quietly taken root and was growing day by day.

What she didn't know was that a woman developing a strong curiosity about a man, beginning to unconsciously pay attention to everything about him, wanting to understand him deeply, and explore all his secrets and inner self... this is often the beginning of some emotion quietly sprouting, or even gradually falling.

Mu Changge in the Secret Realm was rubbing his hands together, preparing to give the upcoming "good Senior Brother" Jian Wushuang a carefully prepared "surprise gift package," completely unaware that his arrogant sister, outside the Secret Realm, had already taken in everything he did, and her heart was sliding all the way in a dangerous (perhaps a sweet trouble for him) direction.

He was even less aware that that comfortable big bed had not only conquered his sister's body (fatigue), but also seemed to be subtly softening some other things.

Sword Burial Abyss Secret Realm, at the edge of the core area, behind a pitch-black rock shaped like a crouching giant beast.

Mu Changge restrained all his aura, like a lifeless stone, quietly lurking here. The position he chose was very clever, about several miles away from the golden light barrier (now it should be called "the empty clearing in front of the empty dirt mound"), separated by a labyrinth of craggy giant rocks, allowing him to clearly see the scene near the light barrier without being discovered. Here, perception was suppressed to the point where it could barely leave the body, so eyesight was more reliable.

He had just carefully set things up in front of the unknown Senior's tombstone at the fastest speed. At this moment, his eyes flashed with the excitement of a successful prank, mixed with a bit of anticipation for a good show, staring tightly at the direction of the approach.

"Don't let me down, my dear 'good Senior Brother', 'good Saint'." He whispered to himself, a wicked smile on his lips.

Sure enough, not long after, a brilliant and sharp sword light tore through the stagnant air of the Secret Realm's core area at an astonishing speed and sped toward this direction. The sword light converged, revealing a figure in white—it was the Saint, Jian Wushuang.

Only, Jian Wushuang's image at this moment could not be considered dashing. His breathing was slightly rapid, his chest heaving slightly, and fine beads of sweat even seeped from his forehead. His originally spotless white clothes were stained with dust stirred up by the surging Sword Qi. Clearly, on the way here, he had almost spared no Spiritual Qi, forcibly breaking through, fearing that he would be one step late and the Opportunity would be snatched by someone else. With his mind surging, he couldn't even care about basic etiquette.

When he finally saw the huge, slowly rotating pale golden light barrier, and the scene inside that seemed empty and remained the same, his tightly stretched heartstrings suddenly relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Phew... looks like I was overthinking it." Jian Wushuang raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and that habitual, slightly arrogant smile reappeared on his face, only this smile had a bit more relief and lingering fear. "That Mu Changge, a mere Nascent Soul, even if he has some oddities, how could he break through the layers of Sword Intent pressure in this core area, let alone this obviously extraordinary Legacy Restriction? I am indeed destined by heaven, a person favored by great Luck, and this Opportunity is rightfully mine!"

The more he thought about it, the more natural it seemed. The slight unease and jealousy he felt because of Mu Changge now transformed into condescending disdain.

"Ants are ants after all. When faced with an Opportunity, one must see if one has the fate to claim it! Once I obtain the Legacy and my strength increases greatly, I will definitely deal with you properly when I get out, along with Yun Qingyao and Mu Wanning... Hmph!"

After comforting (hypnotizing) himself for a while, Jian Wushuang steadied his mind, found a relatively flat spot near the golden light barrier, and sat down cross-legged.

He needed to adjust his state first and try to comprehend the Sword Intent of this place to gain the qualification to enter the light barrier—he assumed as a matter of course that such a precious Legacy must have a trial.

However, the development of events seemed to be smoother than he had imagined.

When he calmed his mind and tried to perceive and comprehend the "Go Forward" Sword Intent—filled with the aura of a king—radiating from the light barrier, he actually felt exceptionally smooth!

It was as if this Sword Intent was fated to be with him and was now actively opening its arms to him.

Those vast, majestic, and "Go Forward" wills surged into his mind and spirit; although they brought impact, they faintly resonated with a certain belief deep within him: "I am the child of destiny," "All things shall crawl before me."

"Hahaha! As expected! I, Jian Wushuang, am the true darling of the Dao of the Sword, the child of destiny! This Supreme Sword Intent is perfectly compatible with the Cultivation Technique I practice and my Heart-Nature! Heaven has bestowed this upon me!"

Jian Wushuang was ecstatic in his heart; if not for the environment, he would have almost burst into loud laughter.

He felt his Comprehension Ability had never been as sharp as it was at this moment, his understanding of the Dao of the Sword was rapidly improving, and that seemingly unfathomable "Go Forward" Sword Intent was being rapidly digested and absorbed by him.

Behind a rock in the distance, Mu Changge watched the pale golden halo gradually rising from Jian Wushuang's body—which was quite similar to what he had comprehended earlier but seemed a bit "weaker"—as well as the undisguisable excitement and self-satisfaction on the other's face.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes hard and frantically complained in his heart:

"This idiot, laughing like he picked up gold... It's just comprehending some Sword Intent, is it really worth it? And this speed... tsk, although it's a bit slower than me, it's still fast.

Is this the treatment for a Child of Fortune? Being hand-fed by the damned Heavens?"

He curled his lips, "Hurry up, stop laughing foolishly, the big gift package I prepared for you can't wait anymore!"

Mu Changge patiently waited a while longer, and saw the pale golden halo on Jian Wushuang's body gradually stabilize.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of golden light in them, and stood up with high spirits, his whole body radiating a surging confidence of "I have attained the Dao, the world is mine."

"The Legacy is mine!" Jian Wushuang shouted in a low voice, head held high, and strode towards the golden light barrier.

His steps were steady, his posture composed, as if he were not going to face a trial, but to receive something that already belonged to him.

Mu Changge held his breath, staring unblinkingly.

He was very "curious" about what cool way this Child of Fortune would use to break through that "identity recognition barrier" that had given him such a headache.

Then, he saw a scene that left him dumbfounded.

He saw Jian Wushuang walk straight to the light barrier, without any pause, without any spellcasting, and without even taking an extra look, just like that... straight, as a matter of course, as if returning to his own home, he stepped right in!

That invisible barrier, which hadn't budged even after Mu Changge's full-force attack and had forced him to spend precious villain points to exchange for an "Equality Talisman" to pass, was as if it didn't exist in front of Jian Wushuang!

No, it was even less than air; at least air had some resistance!

Jian Wushuang passed through slowly and without any obstruction, entering the inside of the light barrier.

He even had the leisure to tidy up his slightly disheveled clothes from the journey, with a calm smile on his face that said, "As expected, it should be so."

Mu Changge: "..."

He blinked hard, rubbed his eyes, and confirmed he hadn't seen wrong.

The next second, a nameless rage shot straight from his soles to his crown!

"What the f—!" Even though Mu Changge prided himself on having a good mentality, he almost couldn't catch his breath at this moment.

It felt as if ten thousand Divine Beasts were stampeding through his heart, and he greeted the eighteen generations of ancestors of the "damned Heavens" affectionately.

"Differential treatment! Naked differential treatment! Why! Just because he is your own son?! I am your godson! I just spent 2000! And he just walked in like that? Without even having to shout 'Open Sesame'?

Is there any justice in this? Is there any law?"

Mu Changge roared wildly in his heart, feeling that his intelligence and the villain points he had just spent had both been insulted.

He watched Jian Wushuang's back, which looked as relaxed and comfortable as if he were returning home, and wished he could rush out and give the back of his head a heavy blow.

But reason (mainly the fear of a desperate counterattack from the Child of Fortune) forced him to suppress this urge.

"Calm down, calm down... Xiao... oh no, Mu Changge, you are a civilized person, a refined person. You must use wisdom to defeat brute force, and use schemes to defeat halos..."

He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to focus back on the "good show" about to be staged, only the look in his eyes towards Jian Wushuang's back became increasingly "nuclear-friendly."

Inside the light barrier, Jian Wushuang had no time to pay attention to the psychological activities of someone in the distance.

His entire mind was currently attracted by the scene before him.

The first thing that caught his eye was the small earthen mound tombstone engraved with the two characters "Nameless."

It was ancient and desolate, yet it retained a Sword Intent that commanded respect.

Jian Wushuang only took one look and felt a connection, so he bowed solemnly to the tombstone—no matter what his character was, he always did superficial work very well towards Senior experts, especially those who might bestow an Opportunity upon him.

After bowing, his gaze burned as he looked in front of the tombstone.

There, a huge sword was deeply inserted into the dark ground, with only a small portion of the blade and an ancient hilt exposed.

The sword was dark gray all over, and its shape... was quite peculiar.

The blade was extremely wide, almost the size of a door panel, and its thickness was astonishing. Rather than a sword, it looked more like a rectangular piece of giant iron.

On the blade, some complex and ancient patterns were engraved, and faint pale golden light circulated within the patterns, emitting a... well, quite "heavy" and somewhat strangely holy fluctuation.

"Good sword! What a heavy sword without an edge, a divine weapon of great skill that hides its sharpness!" Jian Wushuang's eyes lit up.

Although the giant sword's appearance was a bit... too "thick," the sense of weight and faint holy power that it revealed, which faintly resonated with the "Go Forward" Sword Intent he had just comprehended, made him certain that this sword was by no means an ordinary item!

It must be the sword used by that Nameless expert during their lifetime, having undergone the baptism of time and Luck, and it had already gained sentience!

He couldn't wait to walk up, reached out both hands, grasped the cold, rough-textured dark gray hilt, shouted in a low voice, circulated his Spiritual Qi, and pulled upwards violently!

It didn't budge at all.

Jian Wushuang was stunned, then increased his force, the veins on his arms slightly bulging.

The giant sword remained firmly inserted in the soil, not even wobbling once.

"It is indeed heavy!" Jian Wushuang was not surprised but happy.

"The more divine an object is, the harder it is to wield! This sword is so heavy and difficult to wield, it perfectly matches the "Go Forward" Sword Intent I just comprehended! Once I obtain the Legacy and my cultivation greatly improves, I will definitely be able to pull it out and wield it as easily as my own arm!"

He nodded in satisfaction, temporarily giving up the plan to pull the sword out immediately, and turned his gaze to the side of the giant sword.

There, a Jade Slip lay quietly.

The material of the Jade Slip was neither gold nor jade, presenting a warm, pale golden color, with misty light flowing on its surface; it was clearly not an ordinary object at a glance.

What made Jian Wushuang's heart beat even faster was that on the Jade Slip, the phantom of the Dao patterns for the two characters "God Rank" flashed and disappeared!

"God Rank?" Jian Wushuang's breathing instantly became heavy, his eyes widened, almost emitting light!

A Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique was already extremely precious, and God Rank... that was almost a legendary existence!

The Wandao Sword Sect had been passed down for ten thousand years, and its Supreme sect technique was only top-tier Heaven Rank!

Could it be that this Nameless Senior had actually left behind a God Rank Legacy?

He could no longer hold back, lunged forward, and grabbed the pale golden Jade Slip as if snatching it.

The Jade Slip felt warm in his hand, and there was a faint flow of Dao rhyme, making him even more convinced that this object was extraordinary.

He suppressed the urge to laugh at the sky, and with an incomparably excited and pious mood, he slowly probed his Divine Sense into the Jade Slip.

The first thing that came into "view" were the few ancient, vigorous, and Dao-rich large characters at the beginning of the Jade Slip: [Supreme Sword Dao · God Rank]

"Hiss—!" Jian Wushuang gasped, his heart pounding wildly, almost leaping out of his chest!

It really was God Rank! Supreme Sword Dao! I'm rich! I'm really rich this time! With this Legacy, why worry about not achieving the Dao?

What Mu Changge, what Sect Master position, what Fairy of the world—all of them will crawl at my feet!

His hands were trembling with excitement, and he couldn't wait to continue "reading" to get a glimpse of the mysteries of this Supreme Sword Dao.

Then, he saw the following opening summary. Those few words were like thunder from the Nine Heavens, striking hard on his crown, instantly shattering all his ecstasy, excitement, and anticipation, leaving only boundless coldness and... absurdity.

It clearly stated at the beginning: [To glimpse the Supreme Sword Dao, one must sever the root of worldly troubles, clarify the mind and see one's nature, and be free of all attachments. Therefore, to practice this technique, one must first castrate oneself.]

Jian Wushuang: "???"

The smile on his face instantly froze, his eyes widened, his mouth opened subconsciously, and his whole person froze in place like a statue petrified in an instant.

Cast... castrate oneself?!

These two words echoed wildly in his mind like a curse, exploding and making him dizzy, his vision going black.

No! This is impossible! How could this be? A God Rank Cultivation Technique... why would it have such... such an absurd, inhumane requirement?

He is the Child of Fortune! The future Supreme! A being who should hold the power of the world in his hands while waking and sleep on the laps of beauties while drunk!

There are countless Fairies, Saintesses, Demonesses, and Enchantresses in the world, all of them peerless in beauty; he hadn't even tasted them one by one to appreciate their wonders, so how could he... how could he just cut off his root and become a neither-man-nor-woman eunuch?

"No! This is not true! There must be a mistake somewhere! It's a trial! Yes, it must be a trial left by the Senior!"

Jian Wushuang shook his head violently as if to shake off that terrible thought, his face pale, and his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat.

But his gaze, as if uncontrollable, was glued tightly to the eight characters "To practice this technique, one must first castrate oneself," and he couldn't move it away.

Each character seemed to turn into the most vicious mockery and the coldest blade, slicing through his dignity as a man and all his future romantic fantasies.

His hand holding the Jade Slip was trembling more and more.

It was out of anger, fear, and even more so, because of an extreme sense of absurdity and struggle.

Behind the boulder in the distance, Mu Changge clearly saw Jian Wushuang's wonderful expression—instantly stiff as a puppet, then pale, sweating profusely, and his body slightly trembling.

"Pfft—!" He quickly covered his mouth, holding back the burst of laughter that almost rushed out, his shoulders shaking violently, his face flushed red.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's the expression! Keep it! Don't move!"

Mu Changge was overjoyed in his heart, his eyes squinting into crescent moons, "Are you surprised? Are you shocked? Is it exciting? My dear Senior Brother... Saint, are you satisfied with this 'God Rank Gift Package'?

No need to thank me, my name is Lei Feng, ah no, my name is Mu Changge!"

He seemed to have already seen what kind of great drama of internal conflict, collapse, and despair was being staged in Jian Wushuang's heart at this moment.

This was much more satisfying than just beating him up!