After bidding farewell to Lin Qingling, Li Shuang returned to her room.
She stared blankly at the wall for a while, then carefully took out the jade slip from her bosom.
Li Shuang stared at the jade slip for a long time, a hint of inexpressible pain flashing in her eyes.
Before, whenever she entered the jade slip, she would always see Su Mu's figure.
He seemed to always be there waiting for her.
But after the great battle.
Li Shuang would enter the jade slip once every day.
Yet, in the jade slip, no one was waiting for her anymore.
The originally bustling sword dao space seemed to have fallen into eternal silence.
Li Shuang sat blankly for a while.
Eventually, she entered the sword dao jade slip again.
After Su Mu fell into a deep sleep, the sword dao space no longer had its myriad changes, only a vast, empty world remained.
And…
A tall stone wall.
On the stone wall, some wondrous characters were carved.
This was probably… what Su Mu called his ultimate gift.
It seemed to be composed of peculiar words.
However, Li Shuang couldn't make heads or tails of them; they looked more like ancient script.
Li Shuang did not know the specific meaning of these words.
But in recent days.
She came to the sword dao space every day, and gradually, she began to discern some profound mysteries.
There were a total of five characters.
The last four characters held no feeling for her.
But this first character.
As she gazed at it, she actually saw a small figure practicing swordplay on the character.
The figure's swordplay was exquisite, each move and form subtly conforming to the rise and fall of the character.
After an entire set of swordplay, Li Shuang watched, utterly entranced.
One character.
It was a set of swordplay.
This method of inheritance was truly exquisite.
Li Shuang took out her Black Abyss Sword and, mimicking the figure's swordplay, began to practice it little by little.
When learning swordplay, imitation is always the first step.
This set of swordplay was clearly more refined than all the swordplay she currently mastered. Li Shuang could only approach the true meaning of this character through repeated imitation.
Li Shuang had been practicing this set of swordplay for several days.
By now, at least the sword movements were quite proficient.
Unfortunately.
It had the form, but not the soul.
Li Shuang was not in a hurry.
Cultivation, after all, had to be taken step by step; no one could reach the heavens in a single bound.
This time.
After practicing the swordplay once more, Li Shuang pondered, gradually correcting some minor deviations.
Just as she was engrossed in her swordplay.
A somewhat weak voice spoke up: "How long have I been asleep? Your swordplay has some structure now."
This voice…
Li Shuang froze for a moment.
Her body involuntarily stiffened, then she quickly looked around.
This voice was clearly Senior Su Mu!
Senior Su Mu… he was still here?
Could it be that she had practiced too much and was hallucinating?
"Senior Su Mu? Senior Su Mu? Is that you?" Li Shuang called out, a little nervously.
Only her own echo answered her.
Li Shuang stood rooted to the spot for a moment, her eyes involuntarily reddening slightly.
She had gradually come to terms with the reality of so many people leaving.
But just now.
She truly thought…
She truly thought…
"Girl Li, stop shouting, my head hurts." A somewhat annoyed voice rang out.
Li Shuang immediately stiffened in place. This time, she heard it clearly.
She turned around and looked in the direction the voice came from.
In the corner.
Su Mu's figure appeared there.
His spirit body seemed very unstable, solidifying one moment and dissipating the next.
"Senior Su! You… you're still here?" A hint of surprise flashed in Li Shuang's eyes.
Su Mu's lips curved into a smile: "When did I say I wasn't?"
"Then why did you talk about your final gift!" Li Shuang couldn't help but say.
Su Mu looked a little helpless: "This is indeed the final gift I can give."
But that doesn't mean he has to die after giving it!
Li Shuang: "..."
Can it be like this??
"However, I used up more than half of the spiritual energy I accumulated over the years. From now on, I can only be awake for short periods occasionally and will be asleep most of the time," Su Mu said. "I woke up this time because I sensed that you've mastered the sword moves of the first character."
Li Shuang was about to ask something.
Su Mu shook his head, "My waking time is limited. Listen to me first."
"The five characters represent five different artistic conceptions, each of which greatly enhances the Way of the Sword. Practice the surface first, then learn the essence. The profound mysteries within, you must gradually comprehend."
As Su Mu finished speaking.
Li Shuang remembered every word, not missing a single one. She was about to say something to Su Mu.
But Su Mu's figure had already become increasingly ethereal.
"See you next time." Su Mu's voice faded, and his figure completely disappeared from the jade slip.
Li Shuang watched the direction in which he vanished for a while, a slow smile gracing her lips.
Senior Su Mu was still here.
That's good.
Even if he couldn't appear all the time, even if she didn't know when he would wake up, even if after waking he could only speak a few words.
But.
As long as he was still here, it was good.
The entire Sword Sect was preparing to relocate to the Central Continent.
This decision was passed quickly.
The Central Continent presented greater dangers, but also more challenges.
And sword cultivators never feared challenges.
More importantly.
The deaths of several Grand Elders.
And the death of Sect Leader Meng.
All sowed deep seeds of hatred in the hearts of the Sword Sect members.
Their deaths were all due to those damned demon seeds!
To truly avenge them, they must eradicate all demon seeds and restore a bright and clear world.
Therefore.
Whether from the perspective of wanting to improve their strength, or from the perspective of wanting revenge.
They absolutely had to go to this Central Continent.
On their side, they didn't know what the other sects had decided.
However.
Everyone had their own path, and their own fate.
No one could interfere with another person's path.
During these two months, Li Shuang did two things.
First, forging Black Abyss.
Second, practicing the first character.
Black Abyss had been at rank four for a long time, already implicitly unable to keep up with her current strength, and should be further elevated.
This time, when forging Black Abyss, Li Shuang had many more choices than before. Lihua was free to choose all sorts of precious ores.
Spending a full month, Li Shuang upgraded the Black Abyss Sword to rank five.
It wasn't that she couldn't continue forging.
But Yujin told her not to rush to upgrade Black Abyss to rank six.
When she broke through the Integration Stage of cultivation, if she let Lihua undergo the tribulation with her, after being baptized by the Tribulation of All Things, the Black Abyss Sword could become a true treasure sword, and Lihua would also receive immense enhancement.
Therefore.
After upgrading Black Abyss to rank five, Li Shuang temporarily stopped.
For the remaining time.
She dedicated herself to practicing swordplay.
Until the first character was completely mastered by her.
Two months had passed.
The transcontinental teleportation array was completely constructed.
The Sword Sect disciples gathered before the teleportation array, quietly awaiting the arrival of people from other sects.