Volume One: The Youth Enters the World Chapter Two: The Sword from Beyond the Heavens

After the vortex pulled Fang Tian into the crevice of the meteorite, the lake's surface gradually calmed, no longer churning. The dark clouds in the sky slowly dispersed, and the mountain returned to its former state. Sunlight shimmered on the lake, as if the earlier anomaly had never occurred.

Meanwhile, Fang Tian was slowly regaining consciousness. He sat up, shook his head lightly, and began to survey his surroundings. All around him was utter darkness—he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. With a bitter smile, he muttered, "Is this the world after death? Have I really left the mortal realm?" He pinched himself. "But why can I still feel pain? Aren't the senses supposed to vanish after death? Could it be that I'm not dead? Then again, this place hardly resembles the human world."

A sense of loss engulfed Fang Tian. He had no idea where he was or what he should do. Rising to his feet, he began to walk forward, wondering if his father might be nearby. He started shouting, calling out, but after a few cries, a voice suddenly echoed through the space, "Young man, stop shouting—your father is not here."

As the voice faded, the darkness around him began to change. In the distance ahead, a point of light appeared. It grew larger and larger until, in an instant, Fang Tian was enveloped by its brilliance. The sudden illumination dazzled his eyes, and he raised his hand to shield them from the blinding glow. The light expanded, filling the entire space.

Gradually, Fang Tian found he could adapt. Lowering his hand, he looked around. The surroundings were boundless, stretching endlessly in all directions. The place was strange indeed—the sky above was just like that of the human world, blue with drifting white clouds. Yet beneath his feet, the ground was a vast, seamless mirror reflecting the infinite sky.

Clouds in the sky floated slowly in one direction. Glancing down, Fang Tian saw his own reflection clearly before him. He touched his face and realized how disheveled he looked, and could only smile wryly.

"Youth, come over here." Before Fang Tian could react, the space seemed to twist, and his body was pulled irresistibly in one direction. In the blink of an eye, he nearly stumbled as he came to a stop.

Puzzled, Fang Tian looked up and saw an elderly man standing before him. The old man had white hair and beard, wore a gray robe, and though his face was aged, his presence was majestic, almost otherworldly. Fang Tian found himself unconsciously drawn closer. When he was a mere foot away, the old man smiled and said, "Welcome, young man, to the world within the sword."

Fang Tian halted, startled by both the man's words and the strangeness of his situation. Hadn't he just been dragged into the lake by a vortex? How had he appeared here? Seeing Fang Tian's confusion, the old man continued, "I see you are full of questions. Let me explain where you are, and why you have come to be here." Fang Tian nodded, and the old man recounted the origin of the sword and how Fang Tian had ended up in this place.

It turned out that when the anomaly occurred, the old man had brought him here. Fang Tian asked about his father, and upon learning that the old man had safely carried him to the shore, he felt reassured, though he still worried his father might become anxious searching for him. The old man explained that the formation of the sinkhole lake was not caused by a meteorite, but by this very sword. After hearing this, Fang Tian realized that the people of the time had likely been unable to see what truly lay within the pit, and so assumed it was a meteorite that had caused it, giving rise to the present legend.

The sword's origins astonished Fang Tian even more. It was called Heaven's Bane, a primordial artifact born of heaven and earth. Such a divine weapon was shaped by cosmic forces, endowed with unparalleled might; whoever possessed it could dominate the world, with few able to oppose them. Yet to wield it fully required great strength, and should the world discover its existence, the owner would inevitably face mortal peril—the reason why the old man had brought Fang Tian here alone.

The old man continued his tale. Over three thousand years ago, a mighty cultivator had obtained this sword in a deadly land. With the sword in his grasp, his power soared, but news of the divine weapon eventually leaked. Greed surged in the hearts of those who heard, and they flocked to seize it for themselves. Unperturbed, the sword's master faced them alone, waging a battle that shook the heavens and earth, reducing mountains and rivers to ruin. In the end, the sword’s master triumphed, sweeping away all foes and proving invincible.

After the battle, his fame spread far and wide, quelling the ambitions of all who might have coveted the sword. No one dared challenge him again. He became the sovereign of his territory, revered as the Celestial Sovereign, and established his own power—Celestial Palace.

Five centuries passed. The great powers above him saw the rise of the Celestial Sovereign and grew uneasy. Fearing he would become a threat and coveting his divine weapon, they banded together to destroy him. On the day they attacked Celestial Palace, the halls were besieged, impenetrable. The Celestial Sovereign stood alone in the sky, facing the assembled lords without fear, sword in hand, and charged into battle.

But numbers eventually overwhelmed him. For all his might, he could not withstand their combined assault. Nonetheless, his enemies fought with dread, awed by his matchless strength.

His power waned at last. He could no longer withstand their attacks—blows rained down upon him, blood spurted from his lips, and he crashed to the ground. The lords, seeing he was spent, stopped and surrounded him.

He slowly rose and addressed them: "Today, I fall not because I lack strength, but because I am outnumbered. I have no regrets, save that I was not strong enough. I ask only that, after my death, you spare the lives of my followers and take the sword for yourselves."

Yet, seeing their mocking faces, he understood that nothing he said could sway them. The moment he died, everything would be forfeit to them. With his final will, the Celestial Sovereign poured his legacy into the sword, then hurled it toward the heavens. The lords lunged after it, but they were too late. The space twisted, and the divine sword vanished. Having done this, the Celestial Sovereign's body dissolved into dust, drifting away.

Afterwards, the divine sword fell to this very place, while the Celestial Palace’s disciples were likely hunted down and annihilated. Sighing softly, the old man finished his tale, and Fang Tian could not help but lament the passing of such a peerless figure.

With lingering doubts, Fang Tian asked, "Then who are you in this space?" The old man smiled, "I am the spirit of this sword. I was born when the sword was forged, and I have dwelled within it for countless ages. Whoever is fated to obtain the sword becomes my master. As for how many masters there have been, I can scarcely recall. The story I just told was of the previous master. As for you, the sword and fate have drawn you together—you are destined to be its master."

Fang Tian wanted to address the old man, but did not know his name, so he asked, "May I know your name?" The old man replied, "I have had many names. But the sword is called Heaven's Bane, and my last master called me Heaven's Bane as well. You may address me so." Fang Tian hesitated, "But you are my elder, and that seems a bit improper. Why don't I give you the title Elder Tian, and you can call me Little Tian—Elder Tian and Little Tian, one old, one young. Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?" After Fang Tian finished speaking, the old man simply looked at him and nodded with a gentle smile.