I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

The smooth, mirror-like bronze floor of the platform clearly reflected the swirling spiritual energy and the azure glow at its center. Li Bai stood before the altar, his clothes tattered and stained with blood, his body swaying slightly from exhaustion. Yet he stood ramrod straight, his gaze fixed on the slowly rotating azure lotus bud. The Azure Lotus Sword behind him emitted a continuous, clear hum, its scabbard trembling as if eager to break free and plunge into the embrace of that shared light. The lotus phantom on the altar, its light flickering in rhythm with the sword's hum, emanated a warm aura that enveloped Li Bai, bringing a cool, soothing sensation to his burning wounds. The air was filled with the rich fragrance of lotus, mingling with the ancient aura of bronze and the sweet scent of spiritual energy, creating a strange and sacred atmosphere. What should he do next? Touch it? Summon it? Or…? Li Bai slowly raised his wounded yet remarkably steady right hand.

He did not draw his sword.

Instead, he gently placed his palm on the hilt of the sword behind his back.

The instant his palm touched the blue lotus pattern on the sword hilt—

"Zheng—!"

A clear, resonant sword cry, like a dragon's roar, echoed throughout the entire platform!

The Azure Lotus Sword spontaneously unsheathed itself, transforming into a streak of azure light that hovered before Li Bai. The sword trembled, emitting a joyful and urgent hum, its tip pointing directly at the lotus phantom on the altar, like a long-lost traveler finally seeing the lights of his homeland. Every line on the sword glowed, its light resonating with and drawing upon the azure radiance of the altar, forming a visible ripple of energy that spread through the air.

The lotus phantom on the altar seemed to be completely awakened by the sound of the sword.

The bud, which was originally about to bloom, began to slowly unfold.

The first petal gently unfolds.

Then came the second piece, the third piece...

The soft blue light grew stronger as the petals unfolded, yet it was not dazzling; instead, it carried a purity that cleansed the soul. At the center of the lotus, a more solid, seed-like core of light was faintly visible, radiating mysterious fluctuations as it rotated.

Li Bai was blessed with good fortune.

He reached out and grasped the hilt of the Azure Lotus Sword that was floating in front of him.

The sword felt warm to the touch, no longer the cold metallic texture, but like holding a piece of living, vibrant jade. The patterns on the hilt seemed to blend into the lines of his palm, giving rise to a strange feeling of connection and understanding.

No need to think, no need to hesitate.

He gripped his sword and took one step forward, two steps, three steps.

Finally, standing before the altar, he was only an arm's length away from the fully bloomed, radiant blue lotus phantom.

The lotus's gentle light enveloped him, illuminating his blood and exhaustion with crystal clarity, yet strangely devoid of any scrutiny or disdain, only a serene tranquility that embraced all things. The Azure Lotus Sword trembled more and more violently in his hand, its tip slightly raised, pointing towards the luminous core at the center of the lotus.

Right now.

Li Bai took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all distractions—the hardships of the climb, the disturbances of illusions, the pain in his body, and the uncertainty about the future. His mind was clearer and more serene than ever before, with only the sword in his hand, the lotus before his eyes, and the deepest longing in his heart for the "Tao," for "protection," and for "transcendence."

With a slight flick of his wrist, he gently touched the tip of the Azure Lotus Sword to the central core of the lotus phantom.

No sound.

Or rather, at the moment of contact, all sounds are drowned out by a grander, more essential "existence".

The instant the sword tip touched the core of light—

Time seemed to stand still.

Immediately following was an explosion of light.

It wasn't an explosion, but a blossoming.

Centered on the point where the sword tip touched the core of light, an indescribable pure blue light, with its color and texture, spread out silently yet irresistibly, like ripples on water or a tangible tide, instantly engulfing the entire bronze platform and Li Bai's figure. It even continued to spread outwards, tinging the spiritual energy and mist surrounding the divine tree within sight with a faint blue glow.

Li Bai felt as if he had lost all his senses.

Unseen, unheard, untouchable.

He felt as if he were in the depths of an endless blue ocean, or as if he were suspended in the chaotic sea of ​​light at the beginning of the universe. There was no up or down, no left or right, only pure light and the flow of "Tao".

Then, the "information" arrived.

It is not text, not an image, not sound.

Rather, it is a "torrent of perception" that directly affects the essence of the soul.

First is "The Red Dust Sword Manual".

It was no longer the gradual cultivation techniques he had acquired before, but the most core and ultimate secrets of the entire sword manual, which unfolded completely in his mind like a scroll.

He "saw" the true meaning of "the mortal world"—not merely referring to the mundane affairs of life, love, hate, and grudges, but encompassing the "existential field" experienced, created, indulged in, and transcended by all sentient beings. Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; the desire for power; birth, aging, sickness, and death; the rise and fall of civilizations... all are fuel for the mortal world, all are the fires that temper the sword.

He "clearly" understood the path of "forging the heart into a sword"—not to abandon emotions and become a heartless weapon; but to enter the Dao with emotion, to temper the heart through trials, and to use every stirring of the heart, every choice, every pain and joy as resources to forge the sword heart and purify the sword intent. The truer the heart, the more sincere the emotion, and the more one remains steadfast in one's will and mind after experiencing countless tribulations in the mortal world, then the sword heart will be clear, the sword intent will arise naturally, and it will be invincible.

He touched upon the ultimate meaning of "the way of the sword"—the sword is not merely a weapon of killing, but an extension of "my way," a manifestation of will, a "beacon" that cuts through illusion and paves the way forward. The swordsman must understand his own heart and prove his own way. The direction of the sword is the direction of the heart, the place where the way resides.

Countless profound sword principles, sword techniques, spiritual energy circulation routes, and spiritual tempering secrets were etched into the depths of his soul like a brand. This knowledge was not a rigid inheritance, but rather carried a unique "spirituality," which began to spontaneously merge, collide, and recombine with his own understanding of modern science (especially geology's knowledge of energy, structure, and spacetime), his understanding of historical processes, and his emotional experiences of being born twice.

The rational logic of modern people and the intuitive understanding of ancient metaphysics, the respect of geological engineers for the laws of the material world and the control of sword immortals over spiritual energy, the obsession with Yang Xiaohuan in the past life and the heart to protect Yang Yuhuan in this life... All these seemingly contradictory or even conflicting cognitions and emotions, under the unification of the ultimate mystery of "Red Dust Sword Manual", not only did not cancel each other out, but strangely merged and sublimated, forming a unique and unprecedented "foundation of the Dao" prototype belonging to Li Bai himself.

At the same time, information about the Azure Lotus Sword itself also flooded in.

He "sensed" the origin of this sword—it was not made of ordinary iron. Its core essence was a wisp of "Primordial Wood Azure Qi" condensed over countless years by the ancient bronze divine tree in the secret realm of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, which might connect heaven and earth. This wisp was mixed with a "point of Primordial Undying Spiritual Light" remaining from the beginning of the secret realm's creation. It was transformed into a sword by the supreme power of the divine kingdom's great beings. Its form is a sword, its substance is "Azure Lotus," and its spirit is "Undying."

He "understood" the true way to use the Azure Lotus Sword—it is not only an incomparably sharp physical sword, but also a "Dao Sword" that carries the "Sword Way of the Mortal World". It can control the vitality of the Azure Wood, heal wounds, prolong life, and nourish all things; it can draw upon the undying spiritual light, cut through illusions, and point directly to the true nature; moreover, it can continuously grow and transform along with its master's "refining of the heart in the mortal world", with the sword and the person cultivating and progressing together, until one day, perhaps, it can truly touch that "undying" realm.

He "experienced" a deeper connection with the sword spirit—not an independent external consciousness, but more like a reflection and extension of his own sword heart and Daoist thoughts on the special vessel of the Azure Lotus Sword. At this moment, under the illumination of this inherited light, this connection is being infinitely strengthened and purified, moving towards true "unity of man and sword".

At the very moment when this surge of enlightenment reached its peak—

The external environment has "changed".

The physical form of the Azure Lotus Sword held in Li Bai's hand began to become "soft".

It was not melting, but a kind of "deconstruction" and "sublimation" in essence. The indestructible sword body seemed to transform into the purest blue light stream, flowing out in strands from the point where the sword tip touched the lotus light core, and began to merge seamlessly with the lotus phantom that was made entirely of light.

The light from the lotus phantom became more solid, as if it were about to move from illusion to reality.

Meanwhile, the physical form of the Azure Lotus Sword gradually "transformed" during this process, and eventually, the entire sword transformed into an incomparably condensed azure stream of light, containing boundless vitality and sharp sword intent.

The stream of light suddenly contracted along the "channel" that was still in contact—the light core that the sword tip had initially touched!

The next moment, it detached from Li Bai's palm (although his palm could no longer feel its physical form), and transformed into a swift yet gentle bolt of lightning, which went straight into Li Bai's lower abdomen—the location of his dantian!

There was no pain or discomfort.

There is only an indescribable sense of "completeness" and "fulfillment".

It was as if a vital organ in the body, which had been missing a part since birth, had finally been filled; or as if a wandering soul that had been adrift for a long time had finally found its most fitting home.

The moment the stream of light transformed from the Azure Lotus Sword entered his dantian, it encountered the embryonic form of the "virtual core" that had naturally condensed during his ascent of the Divine Tree after he had achieved the pinnacle of his foundation building.

That illusory core was originally just a highly compressed, slowly rotating ball of pale golden spiritual energy, vaguely resembling the outline of a golden core, but lacking the most essential "spirit" and "substance".

Without hesitation, the azure light entered the nascent core.

There was no exclusion, no conflict.

Because the core of that illusory elixir inherently contains Li Bai's own will, Dao heart, and initial understanding of the "Red Dust Sword Dao." And the essence of the Azure Lotus Sword—"Yi Wood Azure Radiance" and "Undying Spiritual Light," as well as the complete profound meaning of the "Red Dust Sword Canon" it carries, is precisely the most perfect and powerful carrier and catalyst for the sublimation of this will, Dao heart, and understanding.

The integration has begun.

Outside, the overwhelming blue light began to recede slowly like a tide.

The first thing to be revealed was the ancient bronze altar. At the top of the altar, the once-floating ethereal blue lotus had completely vanished, as if it had never existed.

The light continued to recede, revealing the smooth bronze floor of the platform, and on the floor, the figure that stood silently.

Li Bai.

He maintained his right hand outstretched, as if still holding the sword. His eyes were closed, his face calm, even radiating an indescribable serenity and clarity. His previously tattered clothes and mottled bloodstains seemed less glaring under the baptism of the azure light. No, upon closer inspection, the shallower wounds had already scabbed over and fallen away, revealing newly formed, healthy skin beneath. Only a few of the deepest lacerations still bore faint red marks.

He stood there, motionless, like a bronze sculpture.

But a tremendous change is taking place inside him.

Li Bai's consciousness had already sunk into a state of introspection.

His gaze fell upon his dantian.

There, the pale golden elixir had disappeared.

Instead, there was a solid, slowly rotating blue lotus flower.

The lotus has nine petals, each one crystal clear, like a piece of the finest jade, yet radiating an ever-flowing spiritual light. The lotus's texture is delicate and profound, subtly resembling certain Daoist runes from the "Red Dust Sword Manual." At the lotus's heart is not an ordinary lotus seedpod, but a more condensed, seemingly infinitely sharp, pale golden core.

Upon closer inspection, within the pale golden light core, a tiny yet incredibly clear sword shadow floated silently. The sword shadow's shape was identical to that of the Azure Lotus Sword.

The lotus is the foundation, and the sword shadow is the core.

This is the prototype of his "Golden Core" - no, perhaps it can no longer be called a simple Golden Core, but rather the "Azure Lotus Sword Core" that integrates the origin of the Azure Lotus Sword and carries the complete mortal sword path!

An unprecedented and close connection was established between him and the lotus in his dantian, and between him and the lotus heart sword shadow. He could clearly feel the rhythm of the lotus slowly rotating, spontaneously absorbing and refining the spiritual energy in his dantian; he could feel the unparalleled sharpness and protective intent contained in the lotus heart sword shadow, which was both the sword intent of the lotus sword and the manifestation of his own sword heart.

The sword is him, and he is the sword.

We no longer distinguish between each other.

The Azure Lotus Sword has finally achieved true mastery, from form to spirit, from the outside to the inside! From now on, this ancient sword will truly become a part of his life and the Great Dao, moving with his will and accompanying him on his path of cultivation.

At the very moment when the sense of perfect harmony between man and sword reaches its peak—

Li Bai felt that the bottleneck of his Foundation Establishment Perfection realm, that once incredibly solid barrier that required painstaking effort or special opportunities to break through, emitted a clear "crack" sound, like ice cracking.

The bottleneck has been broken.

No, it's not just loosening.

That barrier, under the impact of the immense power of the Azure Lotus Sword Core taking shape and man and sword becoming one, has begun to show spiderweb-like cracks and is on the verge of collapse!

As if sensing the impending qualitative change within him, the world outside also reacted.

The rich spiritual energy that had been flowing peacefully around the bronze divine tree and permeating the entire secret realm suddenly began to stir.

Strands and wisps of milky-white spiritual energy seeped from the branches and leaves of the divine tree, rose from the clouds below the platform, and were even drawn from the veins of the distant secret realm. Like iron filings attracted by an invisible magnetic pole, they began to converge towards the center of the platform and towards the position where Li Bai stood.

At first, it was just a gentle breeze, but it quickly formed a clearly visible stream of spiritual energy, like ribbons of milky white that meandered from all directions and flowed into Li Bai's body within three feet.

As soon as these spiritual energies entered his body, they were captured by the suction force emanating from his body, which was in sync with the Azure Lotus Sword Core. Without needing to consciously circulate his cultivation techniques, they automatically flowed along his pores and acupoints, into his meridians, and finally into his dantian. There, they were rapidly absorbed and purified by the rotating Azure Lotus, transforming into pure spiritual power that nourished the Sword Core and accelerated the breakthrough of the already cracked barrier of his cultivation realm.

The speed at which spiritual energy gathers is getting faster and the scope is getting wider.

Above the platform, a nascent vortex of spiritual energy, centered on Li Bai, gradually formed. The vortex stirred the misty clouds above, emitting a low, whistling sound. More spiritual energy was drawn from the depths of the secret realm, and the milky-white ribbons of spiritual energy gradually grew thicker and denser, subtly enveloping Li Bai's figure within them, making him appear as if he were inside a milky-white cocoon of light.

The opportunity for a breakthrough has arrived.

Li Bai remained standing with his eyes closed, but his mind slowly returned from his inner vision, completely synchronized with the surging torrent of spiritual energy outside and the eager, budding Azure Lotus Sword Core within his body.

He slowly adjusted his breathing.

With each breath, the rhythm of the lotus's rotation subtly aligns with the flow of spiritual energy throughout the body.

it's time.