Beauty and Might: Heavenly Flames

”You should know that the tower recorded two hundred and seventeen separate attempts by you to reach the tower within the Sword Realm.”

Li Yan’s expression froze. ”Two hundred and seventeen?”

The number sounded absurd. Even he had no idea that anyone had entered the Sword Realm before him, let alone that many times.

The woman tilted her head slightly. ”All of them are unable to pass the tower’s Aura Suppression Test even once.”

Li Yan immediately felt that remaining silent was the wiser choice. There were moments when arguing only made a situation worse.

This appeared to be one of them.

For the first time since her appearance, a trace of amusement surfaced within the woman’s sword-like eyes.

It lasted only an instant before disappearing.

Yet Li Yan noticed it.

The discovery surprised him more than the criticism. Apparently, this ancient fragment was not entirely devoid of emotion.

After a brief pause, the woman continued. ”You are the first individual to enter this tower in several thousand years.”

Her voice gradually lost its earlier amusement. ”The first inheritor candidate since the destruction of the Eternal Sword Sect.”

The hall fell silent.

Li Yan’s expression immediately became serious.

The Eternal Sword Sect.

At last, he had obtained the first genuine clue regarding the tower’s origins.

The mysterious structure had appeared within his Spiritual Consciousness nearly a year ago, yet until this moment, he knew almost nothing about where it had come from or who had created it.

Now, a name had finally surfaced.

The woman looked directly into his eyes.

For the first time since revealing herself, a trace of solemnity appeared within her gaze. ”Allow me to introduce myself.”

She placed a hand lightly over her chest. ”I am Jian Ling.”

Her voice echoed softly throughout the ancient hall. ”The Spirit of the Eternal Sword Tower.”

A brief pause followed.

Then she continued. ”Or more accurately, a fragment of the spirit that once governed it.”

Li Yan remained silent.

Yet inwardly, his attention sharpened further.

A tower spirit. This was the first time he had heard of spirits since arriving in this world, neither from the sect’s library nor from Yao Fuhuo; he hadn’t heard of them.

However, he did know what spirits were; the concept itself wasn’t unfamiliar to him thanks to the cultivation novels he had read.

So he didn’t say anything to make Jian Ling think it was his first time hearing about spirits.

The atmosphere within the hall subtly changed. The countless embedded swords remained motionless. The ancient runes continued glowing softly upon the walls.

Yet the entire hall suddenly felt older.

Heavier.

As though the weight of countless forgotten years had quietly settled upon it. For the first time, Li Yan no longer felt as though he was standing before a mysterious remnant.

Instead, he felt as though he was standing before a witness of a lost age. An existence that had personally watched a sect rise to greatness...

And then witnessed its destruction.

”The Eternal Sword Sect?” Li Yan repeated the name slowly.

Although he had already suspected that the tower originated from some sword-related inheritance, hearing the confirmation directly from the tower spirit carried a different weight. Speculation and certainty were two entirely different things.

Jian Ling gave a slight nod. ”The Eternal Sword Sect was the former owner of this tower.”

Li Yan immediately caught the significance of a single word. ”Former?”

His gaze sharpened slightly. ”That means the sect no longer exists.”

”It does not.” The answer came without hesitation.

Calm.

Matter-of-fact.

Yet for the briefest moment, something flickered within Jian Ling’s eyes.

Sadness.

It was gone almost instantly. Had Li Yan blinked, he might have missed it entirely.

”The Eternal Sword Sect was destroyed,” Jian Ling said quietly. ”As far as I know, none of its disciples, elders, leaders, or inheritances survived that calamity.”

Her gaze drifted briefly across the ancient hall. ”Except for what remains within this tower.”

Silence followed.

Although her voice remained composed, Li Yan could sense the weight hidden beneath those words.

An entire sect. Destroyed. Not weakened. Not scattered. Erased.

Even the mightiest forces were not truly eternal.

The thought lingered briefly before Li Yan set it aside. The rise and fall of ancient powers were part of history. What mattered now was the inheritance standing before him.

His gaze swept across the circular hall.

”The Knowledge Hall, Insight Hall, and Trial Arena,” he said. ”Were these used to train disciples of the Eternal Sword Sect?”

”Correct.”

Jian Ling’s response was immediate.

”The Eternal Sword Tower was one of the sect’s core inheritance treasures. Its purpose was to guide swordsmen from their first steps on the Sword Path until they became pillars capable of supporting the future of the sect.”

Li Yan’s eyes flickered. A treasure capable of nurturing generations of swordsmen. Its value was impossible to estimate.

No wonder it had survived for thousands of years. His gaze eventually shifted toward the two sealed doors.

”And those? What lies behind them?”

For the first time, Jian Ling’s expression changed slightly. A trace of complexity appeared within her sword-like eyes. ”You are not qualified to know.”

Li Yan raised an eyebrow. The answer was direct enough.

Seeing that she had no intention of elaborating further, he did not pursue the matter. Some questions clearly lacked answers he was permitted to hear.

Instead, he shifted to another topic. ”You said you’re only a fragment.”

His gaze settled upon her. ”Where is the true Tower Spirit?”

This time, Jian Ling remained silent for several breaths.

When she finally answered, her voice had become quieter. ”Asleep.”

Li Yan frowned slightly. ”Asleep?”

”More accurately,” Jian Ling said, ”exhausted.”

Her eyes lifted toward the distant ceiling above the hall. ”During the final battle, the Tower Spirit expended nearly all of its power protecting the sect’s inheritances.”

”After the sect’s destruction, maintaining the tower for thousands of years consumed what little power remained.”

A brief pause followed. ”Eventually, it entered dormancy.”

Li Yan slowly absorbed the information. That explanation answered several questions at once. The existence before him was not the true guardian of the tower.

Merely a fragment left behind to maintain basic functions. That also explained why the tower had remained silent for so long despite residing within his Spiritual Consciousness.

Jian Ling suddenly looked directly at him. ”The fact that you are standing here means the tower has acknowledged you.”

Li Yan remained calm. ”Acknowledged me as its master?”

”No.” The answer came so quickly that Li Yan almost laughed.

Jian Ling shook her head. ”You are merely an inheritor candidate.”

Her tone remained completely flat. ”The tower has existed for countless years. One successful trial does not qualify anyone to become its master.”

Li Yan touched his nose awkwardly. For some reason, speaking with Jian Ling felt remarkably similar to arguing with a sword.

Everything she said was direct.

Blunt.

And occasionally painful.

Fortunately, he had long since developed a tolerance for unpleasant truths.

Seeing his reaction, Jian Ling continued. ”However, you entered the Sword Realm. Passed the tower’s Aura Suppression Test. And opened the tower through your own efforts.”

For the first time, a faint trace of approval appeared in her eyes. It was subtle. Yet unmistakable.

”All of this grants you the right to inherit the teachings of the Eternal Sword Sect.”

The atmosphere within the hall seemed to change. Li Yan’s expression also became more serious.

At last.

They had reached the matter that truly concerned him.

Jian Ling raised a hand and gestured toward the three open doors. ”The functions currently available to you are simple. Knowledge Hall, Insights Hall, and Trials Arena.”

Her gaze moved across the three doors. ”The order is your choice.”

A brief silence followed.

Then she added, ”Although if you wish for my recommendation…”

For the first time since her appearance, the corner of her lips curved slightly.

The expression was faint enough to disappear almost immediately, yet it transformed her cold demeanor in an instant.

”A swordsman who enters a Sword inheritance without first understanding what a sword truly is should begin with the Knowledge Hall.”

Li Yan stared at her for a moment. Then his gaze shifted toward the first door. The ancient character engraved upon its surface seemed to shine faintly beneath the golden light of the hall.

Knowledge Hall

A small smile slowly appeared on his face. It seemed his first destination had already been decided.

Without hesitation, Li Yan stepped toward the door marked Knowledge Hall.

Jian Ling remained where she was, standing atop the central platform among the silent swords. She neither followed nor attempted to stop him. Her gaze simply watched as he approached the door.

The moment Li Yan placed his hand upon the black metal door to open it, faint green runes embedded throughout the doorway gradually illuminated.

A soft hum echoed through the hall. The surrounding space was distorted. His vision blurred for an instant.

Then the world changed. Li Yan found himself standing inside an enormous circular chamber.

For several moments, he simply stood there in silence. His first impression was overwhelming in its simplicity.

Books.

Everywhere.

Towering bookshelves stretched endlessly in every direction, rising dozens of meters into the air before disappearing into shadows toward an unseen ceiling. Countless books, scrolls, jade slips, stone tablets, and records filled every available space.

The sheer scale was astonishing.

Even the Shadow Knowledge Pavilion of the Shadow Haven Sect seemed insignificant compared to what stood before him.

Li Yan slowly swept his gaze across the hall.

Rows upon rows of inheritance records extended beyond the limits of his vision. Ancient sword carvings decorated the surrounding walls, while countless spheres of silver light drifted silently between the shelves, illuminating the chamber with a soft radiance.

The entire hall possessed a strange atmosphere.

Peaceful. Sacred. Timeless.

As though the passage of thousands of years had never touched this place.

Then a familiar voice sounded nearby. ”Welcome to the Knowledge Hall.”

Li Yan turned.

Jian Ling stood several paces away.

Unlike her appearance within the central hall, her figure seemed slightly more substantial here. The faint transparency surrounding her had diminished, making her presence appear more real.

It was as though the Knowledge Hall granted her greater authority than the rest of the tower. ”This hall contains all the preserved sword knowledge of the Eternal Sword Sect.”

Li Yan’s eyes immediately sharpened. ”All?”

Jian Ling nodded. ”Everything that survived.”

Her voice remained calm as she continued. ”From basic to advanced swordsmanship. Sword techniques, Theories, Historical records, Sword forging records, Sword philosophies, the combat experiences of generations of disciples, the teachings of elders, and the understandings left behind by Sword Sovereigns.”

Each sentence made Li Yan’s heartbeat quicken slightly. The value contained within this hall was impossible to estimate. A single powerful sword manual could cause countless cultivators to fight and kill one another.

Yet this place contained the accumulated wisdom of an entire ancient Sword Sect.

Thousands of years of knowledge. Perhaps even longer.

Li Yan slowly exhaled. For the first time, he truly understood the significance of the inheritance he had obtained.

Jian Ling quietly observed his reaction. ”Do not become too excited.”

Her words immediately poured cold water over his thoughts. Before Li Yan could respond, she raised a hand.

The entire hall changed. Countless bookshelves dimmed. Rows of jade slips vanished. Entire sections disappeared into the mist.

One shelf after another faded from existence. Within moments, more than ninety-five percent of the hall had become inaccessible.

Li Yan stared blankly. The vast sea of knowledge surrounding him had shrunk dramatically.

Jian Ling remained completely indifferent to his expression. ”Your authority and current Sword Intent Level are currently low. So, you only permit access to knowledge suitable for your current level of Sword Intent.”

Li Yan sighed.

Of course. It would never be that easy.

”If I want access to the higher levels?”

Jian Ling pointed toward his chest. ”Improve your Sword Intent. The stronger your foundation becomes, the greater authority the tower will grant.”

Li Yan nodded. The explanation was reasonable. Knowledge itself could be dangerous.

Granting profound inheritances to someone incapable of understanding them often caused more harm than benefit.

His gaze swept across the remaining shelves. Although the majority of the hall had disappeared from view, what remained was still enormous.

Thousands of records were still available to him. Enough to occupy him for months, perhaps even years. As he continued examining the chamber, something eventually caught his attention.

Near the center of the hall stood a solitary black stone pillar. Unlike the surrounding bookshelves, it emitted a faint Sword Aura.

The aura was subtle but unmistakable. Li Yan immediately walked toward it. As he approached, ancient characters gradually appeared across its surface.

His eyes narrowed slightly. At one of the sections of the pillar, a title caught his gaze.

Sword Intent Classification.