The principal representatives of the major factions had converged upon Manchester, as this was to be a massive engagement requiring coordination between the various legion contingents. The delegates present in Manchester would shoulder the primary responsibility for overseeing this cooperation.
However, recognizing that Jian Li and his companions had journeyed across oceans to reach the Sealed Demon Continent, Yin He and Yin Shuang specially arranged a grand bonfire feast to welcome and honor them.
This delighted the Ranger representatives from the three continents immensely.
During the subsequent banquet, the delegates were treated to the spectacular Dragon-Fighting song and dance celebration, showcasing the distinct cultural flair of the three tribes.
The valor and dashing spirit of the Byron Warriors, combined with the fiery passion of the young women from the three tribes in their song and dance, left the audience utterly captivated.
Though the evening was brief, the tension and guarded distance among those present completely dissolved.
The lively banquet continued late into the night before everyone finally dispersed, content.
Despite the joy of reunion and the many things he wished to discuss with Yan Luo Long Xin and the others, the current situation made it clearly inappropriate. It seemed he would have to find another opportunity later.
Inside the private room!
Jian Li sat quietly. Although Jian Li had imbibed a significant amount at the recent bonfire party, I doubted the spirits were enough to cloud the judgment of this old veteran.
The look Jian Li directed towards me at this moment was complex and filled with emotion; perhaps no one had anticipated events unfolding into such a predicament.
Once merely a secret disciple of Dragon Shadow Manor, he had now transformed overnight into the Crown Prince of the Demon Dragon Empire, moreover, a Grand Marshal commanding mighty legions—a transformation so staggering it defied common imagination.
Ever since being named Crown Prince by the Demon Dragon royalty, I knew this day was inevitable.
Yes, although I had not deceived Jian Li, I understood that explaining the present reality was exceedingly difficult now.
“Master, I…” Recalling everything that had transpired over the past few years, I found myself at a loss as to how to explain it to Jian Li.
“Master?” Jian Li sighed softly. “Your Highness Shen Zhen, your status is so noble; I, Jian Li, am but a commoner. This title of Master is truly too much for me to bear.”
“A teacher for a day means a father for life; in the eyes of a disciple, Master will always be the one most revered,” I asserted. Even now, I remembered the circumstances under which I first pledged myself to Dragon Shadow Manor. Indeed, perhaps Jian Li and I had always spent more time apart than together.
It was possible that when Jian Li first took me as a disciple, he harbored some underlying motive of mutual utility. Yet, concerning my tutelage, Jian Li held nothing back; in that regard, he had done everything a master could. Furthermore, humans are creatures of emotion. After facing life-and-death battles together against the enemy in the Illusionary World and the Sacred Domain space, the notion of mutual exploitation between Jian Li and me had long faded. This bond, forged in shared blood and near-death experiences, was something far deeper than ordinary master-disciple affection.
“A teacher for a day, a father for life,” Jian Li looked at me, completely stunned.
“Whether Master believes it or not,” I said seriously, “this disciple swears to the Heavens that I never intended to deceive Master.”
“……” Jian Li continued to gaze at me blankly. After a long silence, he finally sighed. “Your Highness need not explain anything. In truth, long before Your Highness arrived on the Demon Dragon Continent, Dong Guan had already informed me about your affairs in Cang Yue.”
“Ah! Master already knew?” This time, it was my turn to be shocked!
“Or did Your Highness think Dragon Shadow Manor would respond to the Empire’s conscription order and come to the Sealed Demon Continent otherwise?” Jian Li chuckled lightly. “It was just that the Demon Dragon royalty naming you Crown Prince was quite beyond the expectations of both myself and Lu Tong.”
“There was no other way; otherwise, the combined forces of Bi Qi and Cang Yue alone would have been enough to annihilate the Demon Dragon Empire,” I said with feeling. “I only hope we can safely navigate this crisis and rescue Shen Xu and Shen Yin.” As I said this, I looked uneasily at Jian Li. “Master, please do not tell anyone else about this, alright?”
“Rest assured,” Jian Li stated firmly. “Lu Tong and I understand the gravity of the situation.”
“Thank you, Master,” I said gratefully.
Jian Li sighed emotionally. “For the sake of hearing that one word—Master—from Your Highness, this old man feels everything was worth it.”
I knew that nothing more needed to be said. Jian Li’s presence here proved his stance; that was enough.
“Now, are you finally at ease?” Jian Li smiled.
“This, hehe,” I chuckled awkwardly. “I was worried about how to explain things, but I didn't realize Master already knew.”
“Hahahaha.” Jian Li also burst out laughing.
“But Master, please stop calling me Your Highness from now on,” I said awkwardly. “It always sounds so strange.”
“Propriety must be maintained,” Jian Li insisted. “Royalty must possess its dignity. Your Highness will get used to it.”
“But I’m still not used to it!” I instinctively scratched my scalp. “Every time it’s ‘Your Highness, Your Highness,’ it feels like we’re strangers.”
“Strangers?” Jian Li was momentarily stunned, then looked at me with a complex expression. After a long pause, he sighed slightly. “Lu Tong was right, Xing Chen; you are still the Xing Chen of the past, you haven’t changed at all.”
“Huh!” I was somewhat taken aback, unable to process it immediately!
“However, the dignity of the royal family cannot be violated,” Jian Li said with a faint smile. “I am pleased that Your Highness does not treat me as an outsider. How about this: when there are no outsiders present, you and I will address each other as Master and Disciple, as before!”
“Yes!” I was overjoyed. To be honest, ever since being conferred the title of Prince Qin and then reluctantly having the title of Crown Prince forced upon me, every conversation felt exhausting. I constantly had to refer to myself as ‘this Prince’ or ‘this Marshal,’ and others addressed me as Marshal or Your Highness.
While it sounded rather magnificent and imposing initially, over time, I began to feel an inexplicable emptiness and distance, as if an invisible chasm separated me from everyone else.
Yes, this was the feeling I got from Ji Du, Yin Shuang, and the others. Coming from modern times, I understood perfectly: this was the class gulf created by status and hierarchy. In their eyes, deeply ingrained notions of superiority, inferiority, status, and rank persisted. This feeling was truly uncomfortable, especially when spoken by someone as familiar and close as Jian Li, it brought a indescribable sense of loss and helplessness.
“Enough about that,” Jian Li laughed. “But this old man truly didn’t expect you, boy, to be so capable! You’re far superior to your Master. You’re a Crown Prince, a Grand Marshal, you even destroyed the Ao Tian Legion, hehe! Now look, even Mo Luo Yin Feng has been driven out of Manchester.”
“Hahahaha!” I was overjoyed; it had been so long since anyone had called me that. “Of course. What kind of person is Xing Chen? The famed Dragon Shadow Sword God of the world-renowned Dragon Shadow Manor, the final secret disciple, and the future new generation’s Dragon Shadow Sword God—these small achievements are nothing!”
“What? The future new generation’s Dragon Shadow Sword God?” Jian Li seemed startled. “You said that!”
“A man of honor keeps his word; what is said is absolute,” I stated seriously. “It was agreed upon with Senior Brother Jian Chi and the others long ago: the title of Sword God in the future can only belong to a disciple of Dragon Shadow Manor.”
“Hahahaha, well said!” Jian Li was highly delighted. “When this old man retires from the sword, the title of Dragon Shadow Sword God will depend on you to uphold it.”
“Rest assured, I will certainly keep the esteemed signboard of the Dragon Shadow Sword God safe for you,” I said proudly. “In the future, I will pass it on to the next generation of disciples in the Manor.”
“Hahahaha... It’s a deal...”
Jian Li and I laughed together, feeling exceptionally pleased and unrestrained.
I couldn't remember how long it had been since I had laughed so happily. Ever since stepping onto the Sealed Demon Continent, I had lived almost constantly under a crushing blanket of tension and gloom.
From the initial encounter with the Scarlet Dragon, to the guerrilla warfare with the Blood Wolf Legion, and then the formation of the Black Flag Legion, I had meticulously cultivated the image of a cold, ruthless, bloodthirsty demon. To the point where my every movement now felt like an unconscious reflex.
Every glance, every action, had to conform to the standard of a superior, a commander. Accumulated over time, this terrifying accumulation had nearly driven me to mental exhaustion, a split personality.
I even began to doubt whether, if this continued, I would truly transform into a cold-blooded, ruthless, bloodthirsty war machine.
At this moment, it felt as if all the suppression and anguish were vented along with the preceding laughter, leaving me with an inexpressible sense of relief and ease throughout my body.
This was the real me, the unrestricted, free-spirited Blue Lightning who once roamed the continent, living life with passionate deeds and swift vengeance.
“Can the two of you masters and disciples keep it down a bit?” Just as Jian Li and I were getting carried away, a hearty laugh suddenly drifted from outside the door.
“You old rascal Lu! Staying up late instead of sleeping, eavesdropping outside my door—what kind of sense does that make?” Jian Li grumbled crossly.
“It’s Uncle Lu,” I quickly got up, hurried to the door, and opened it, only to see Lu Tong draped in a long robe, holding the Phoenix Luminous Pearl for light, staring into the room with a look of intense inquiry.
“Lu Tong pays respects to Your Highness Shen Zhen.” Seeing that it was me who opened the door, Lu Tong was startled.
“Come in,” Jian Li said. “I knew you old fellow wouldn’t sleep soundly if you didn’t see that boy Xing Chen.”
“Hehe.” Lu Tong walked in with a broad, ingratiating smile. “It seems you two masters and disciples have finally made amends.”
“What ‘made amends’?” I bristled at the words. “When did you ever see my Master and me having a falling out?”
“Hehe, that’s true,” Lu Tong admitted with slight awkwardness.
“You certainly pick your timing,” Jian Li noted. “Xing Chen is here now; whatever issue you have, ask him directly.”
Lu Tong nodded slightly and settled into a chair.
“Uncle, is there something you need me for?” This old man staying up late, and by the look of him, he came specifically for me. I wondered what business he had.
“Indeed,” Lu Tong replied. “During the banquet, Your Highness mentioned that the Dragon Shadow Sword seemed to have some unusual changes.”
I then remembered mentioning to Lu Tong at the banquet the strange transformation of the Dragon Shadow Sword. Clearly, Lu Tong couldn't rest easy about it and ended up climbing out of bed in the middle of the night to find Jian Li and me.
“I don’t know exactly what’s happening,” I said, drawing the Dragon Shadow Sword from my waist and handing it to Lu Tong. “Sometimes this sword feels as if it’s alive.”
Lu Tong took the Dragon Shadow Sword and examined it closely.
Beneath the soft, bright light of the Phoenix Luminous Pearl, the azure, slender blade revealed a hazy, blue halo—unbelievably strange and beautiful.
The nine lifelike small dragons coiled quietly along the length of the sword, appearing ready to dance at any moment.
Lu Tong subconsciously urged his Dou Qi, and soon, the azure blade showed a stream of blue light, almost liquid in appearance, slowly flowing around the sword.
“Strange,” Lu Tong muttered, puzzled. “The Dragon Shadow Sword actually contains a very faint life fluctuation.”
“Life fluctuation?” I was somewhat curious.
Jian Li, however, stared blankly, his expression one of utter disbelief. “Could it be that a Sword Spirit has already manifested within the Dragon Shadow Sword?”
“Correct,” Lu Tong confirmed, though with a slight hesitation, nodding slowly. “The Dragon Shadow Sword now possesses a Sword Spirit. Although it is very weak, one can definitely sense that it is alive.”
“What is happening?” I asked, bewildered. “Uncle Lu, why would the Dragon Shadow Sword generate a Sword Spirit?”
“This, I am not entirely sure either,” Lu Tong continued seriously. “Can Your Highness tell me what you used the Dragon Shadow Sword for? You must know that aside from having a harder composition than ordinary weapons, there is no reason for the Dragon Shadow Sword to generate a Sword Spirit. After all, when I forged it, I only used conventional forging techniques.”
“Nothing special, other than fighting in battles,” I thought back carefully, certain that no particularly unusual event had occurred.
“Could it be that you have slaughtered over a hundred million people to cause the Dragon Shadow Sword to gain a Sword Spirit?” Jian Li’s expression changed drastically.
I too recalled the terrifying legend of the Nine Nether Killing Intent, but I knew clearly that while I had indeed slain many with the Dragon Shadow Sword, it certainly hadn't reached the exaggerated figure of one hundred million.
“Please, there has to be a limit to being obtuse,” Lu Tong snapped, slightly irritated. “If His Highness had truly slaughtered a hundred million people, the Sealed Demon Empire would have been leveled long ago.”
“That is true,” Jian Li admitted with some embarrassment.
“Your Highness, think carefully: when did the Dragon Shadow Sword begin to mutate?” Lu Tong asked.
“During the Battle of Yun Cheng six months ago, after I became a Heavenly Demon Warrior,” I recalled the Yun Cheng battle where, because the mages of Ao Tian managed to escape, I was forced to mercilessly slaughter the Ao Tian soldiers who fought desperately to cover the retreat. It was around that time that I first felt the Dragon Shadow Sword seemed to become alive.
“Heavenly Demon Warrior?” Lu Tong looked momentarily astonished. “Could the mutation of the Dragon Shadow Sword be related to Your Highness becoming a Heavenly Demon Warrior?”
“That seems unlikely,” I hesitated. “There doesn’t appear to be any special connection between the Heavenly Demon Armor and the Dragon Shadow Sword.”
Jian Li was also baffled by this strange occurrence. If even Lu Tong, the creator of the Dragon Shadow Sword, could not explain its sudden mutation, perhaps no one could.
The room fell silent. Jian Li and I looked bewildered, while Lu Tong’s face was incredibly strange.
Joy, doubt, anxiety, and unease flickered continuously in his eyes.
After a long while, Lu Tong let out a bitter laugh. “In my entire life, Lu Tong has pursued the ultimate path of sword forging. My greatest desire was to create a Spirit Sword, yet now this Dragon Shadow Sword has inexplicably gained a Sword Spirit, and I, the smith, cannot discern the reason—what does this mean?”
Lu Tong’s words were hard to digest; perhaps no one could fully comprehend the complex, contradictory feelings churning within him.
“Alright, stop complaining,” Jian Li said with a slight smile. “In any case, this is a Spirit Sword, and you forged it with your own hands. In the future, you can proudly boast about it even to the ancestors of the Artisan Sect.”
“Old fellow, you only know how to tease,” Lu Tong shook his head with a wry smile. Still unable to figure things out, he finally gave up. “It seems this sword has inherited some of Your Highness’s strange luck. One thing is certain: the mutation of the Dragon Shadow Sword is related to Your Highness. Perhaps the truth will only be revealed when the sword’s spiritual nature fully manifests.”
“Spiritual nature manifestation?” I asked curiously. “What do you mean by spiritual nature manifestation?”