"In the evening ..."
"... " - Xichen opened his eyes to find himself no longer in the bathtub, but back in his bed, wearing new clothes.
"How many days have passed ..." - Xichen asked as he got up from the bed to see Zhuqing sitting beside him.
"Only half a day has passed" - Zhuqing said with a slight smile as she handed Xichen a plate filled with cut fruit and its peel - "Here, eat something. You've been training since morning, so your mental strength must be extremely exhausted."
"Thank you, Mother" - Xichen nodded, took the plate from Zhuqing's jade-like hand, and put a slice of apple into his mouth.
"But your talent has improved greatly, as you've reached Great Perfection in Enhanced Sword Intention in just half a day" - Zhuqing said with undisguised pride, as she was happy to see Xichen's growth.
"The credit for this goes to my ability to reach the Heavenly Sword Mountain, which allowed me to deepen my understanding of Enhanced Sword Intention while advancing it" - Xichen shook his head slightly, for without reaching the Heavenly Sword Mountain, he would have needed a long time to reach Great Perfection without relying on the system.
"Can I see your Sword Soul?" - Zhuqing asked, her purple eyes sparkling with childlike curiosity.
"Of course" - Xichen nodded, for since he woke up, he could feel the Sword Soul and could summon it and return it to his body with just a single thought.
Suddenly, a light shone from Xichen's forehead, and a ball of light emerged, which quickly transformed into a human form.
The Sword Soul had a complete human form: a girl with long black hair and crimson red eyes. She possessed top-tier beauty with white skin, an hourglass figure, and perfect dimensions.
But despite her beauty and completeness, her eyes were empty, clearly having not yet acquired any spiritual wisdom, and therefore she had no will or sense of self-existence.
"Your Sword Soul is very beautiful" - Zhuqing commented with amazement, examining the Sword Soul with undisguised curiosity, for rarely does a sword practitioner manage to form a complete Sword Soul like this upon their first entry to the Heavenly Sword Mountain. Moreover, very few sword practitioners have even been able to reach the Heavenly Sword Mountain - "And not only that, but she is also very powerful and can fight separately from you."
"That is not something achievable except by those with extraordinary talent... or an extraordinary background." - Zhuqing whispered in a low voice, her smile widening slightly as she continued to observe the Sword Soul, which floated quietly beside the bed, as if watching the world with childish indifference.
"I think... she will be a special guardian." - She murmured as she leaned forward slightly, raising her hand to touch the tips of the Sword Soul's hair. But just before touching it, her hand stopped in mid-air, as the Sword Soul trembled for a moment and slowly raised her head as if warning her, without making a sound or expression.
"Huh? She reacted!" - Zhuqing's eyes widened in surprise as she slowly withdrew her hand, "Even without consciousness... she's starting to distinguish between friend and foe?"
"Perhaps..." - Xichen said in a contemplative tone as he put another piece of fruit in his mouth, "Even if she hasn't acquired spiritual wisdom yet, her connection to my sword and my intent allows her instinctive reactions. She is a reflection of my will, even if faint for now."
He paused for a moment, then looked at the Sword Soul as she slowly returned to her static state, and murmured:
"But this is not enough... I must help her evolve. If she does not acquire wisdom, she will remain just a tool."
"Are you thinking of giving her a name?" - Zhuqing asked with a sideways smile, resting her chin on her palm, her eyes staring into his face.
Xichen stopped chewing for a moment, then looked towards the still girl who represented his combat soul... then sighed softly and said:
"Yes... names give the soul form, purpose, and open the path to consciousness. I must choose carefully."
"What do you think of 'Yueyin'? Moon's melody..." - Zhuqing suggested in a calm tone, "She resembles the new moon... silent, cold, and full of potential."
"... Yueyin, hmm?" - Xichen repeated the name to himself in a low voice, the moonlight from the window reflecting in his eyes, then he slowly nodded, "It is... a beautiful name."
At those words, the Sword Soul's body trembled for a very brief moment, barely noticeable except by those watching closely.
"Perhaps she heard you." - Zhuqing said with a quiet smile as she rose from her chair, leaning over to cover him with a light blanket - "But don't overexert yourself. Enough for today, isn't it?"
"Yes..." - Xichen murmured as he rested his back against the pillow, his eyes still fixed on the girl now named Yueyin.
He knew that one day, she would truly open her eyes... and then, she would no longer be just a tool.
But a true sword companion.
"..." - Xichen closed his eyes to rest while Yueyin did not disappear but stared intently outside, as Xichen did not need to speak. With just a thought, Yueyin would move to execute it, and he could even control her body with his thoughts, for she was part of him.
...
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