29: Chapter 29 The Sword Saint's Reward

In the west corner of the Novice Village, within a secluded bamboo forest.

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes fluttering gently in the breeze. He stood with his back to Chen Ergou, his gaze fixed on the distance, as if recalling something.

"Senior?" Chen Ergou walked over cautiously. "I am here."

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen turned around slowly, his deep eyes examining Chen Ergou, as if trying to see right through him.

"You have come," Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen said calmly. "Sit."

Chen Ergou scratched his head and sat down on the stone stool nearby. He felt a bit nervous, not knowing what this mysterious Sword Saint senior wanted to give him.

"Senior, you said you wanted to give me something. What is it?" Chen Ergou couldn't help but ask.

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen did not answer directly, but instead asked back, "Do you know why I have remained in this Novice Village all this time?"

Chen Ergou was stunned for a moment and shook his head. "I do not know."

"Because I have been waiting for someone." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen's gaze turned deep. "Waiting for someone... who shares a fated connection with me."

Chen Ergou blinked. "Are you saying... it is me?"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen nodded slightly. "Correct. From the moment you obtained that Stall System, I noticed you."

Chen Ergou's heart skipped a beat. Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen actually knew he had a Stall System?

"Senior, you..."

"No need to be nervous." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen waved his hand. "I harbor no ill will toward you. On the contrary, I intend to give you a great gift."

As he spoke, he pulled an ancient-looking book from his robes and handed it to Chen Ergou.

"This is..." Chen Ergou took the book and saw four large characters written on the cover—Sword Saints Three Styles.

"Sword Saints Three Styles is the essence of my lifelong learning." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen's voice carried a hint of pride. "The first style, 'Sky Breaker', can increase attack power by 300%; the second style, 'Moon Slash', can sever all defenses; the third style, 'World Destroyer', can destroy the world with a single sword strike, obliterating heaven and earth."

Chen Ergou was dumbfounded as he listened. "This... isn't this too overpowered?"

"Do not be happy too soon." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen said calmly. "With your current strength, you can at most learn the first style. The latter two styles require your level and strength to reach a certain degree before they can be cultivated."

"That is still amazing!" Chen Ergou said excitedly. "Senior, are you really going to teach me?"

"Not teach, but pass on." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen corrected him. "From today on, you are the successor of the Sword Saints Three Styles."

Chen Ergou was so excited he almost jumped up. A successor to the Sword Saint! This was an incredible opportunity!

"Thank you, Senior!" He hurriedly bowed in respect.

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen waved his hand. "No need for such formalities. Now, I will first impart the first style, 'Sky Breaker'."

As he spoke, he extended a finger and tapped it gently on the center of Chen Ergou's forehead.

In an instant, a massive amount of information surged into Chen Ergou's mind. It was the cultivation method for 'Sky Breaker', the flow of energy, sword techniques... everything was clearly imprinted in his memory.

[System Notification: Congratulations to the host for learning the first style of Sword Saints Three Styles, 'Sky Breaker'!]

[Sky Breaker: Active skill. After use, attack power increases by 300%. Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 60 seconds.]

Chen Ergou felt the newly acquired knowledge in his mind and trembled with excitement. A 300% increase in attack power! This meant his current attack power was four times his original!

"Senior, I..." He was too excited to speak.

"Do not be so excited, this is just the beginning." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen said calmly. "Besides the Sword Saints Three Styles, I have another gift for you."

As he spoke, he reached out and placed his hand on Chen Ergou's shoulder.

Chen Ergou felt a warm surge of energy enter his body from his shoulder, flowing through his entire being. The myriad worlds stall system within him seemed to be stimulated by something and began to tremble violently.

[System Notification: External energy injection detected. The myriad worlds stall system is upgrading...]

[System Notification: Upgrade complete! The myriad worlds stall system functions have been enhanced!]

[New feature unlocked: Mind-reading range expanded. You can now hear the inner monologues of NPCs at a greater distance.]

[New feature unlocked: Item Appraisal. You can view the attribute information of any item.]

[New feature unlocked: System Shop. You can use gold coins to purchase rare materials in the system shop.]

Chen Ergou finished reading the system notifications and looked at Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen in surprise. "Senior, you... you can also control the system?"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen withdrew his hand and said calmly, "I cannot control your system, but I can help you strengthen it."

"Why?" Chen Ergou couldn't help but ask. "Senior, why are you so good to me?"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen was silent for a moment, gazing into the distance, as if looking through time and space to see events from long ago.

"Because..." His voice became somewhat low. "Your system is very similar to the one I used back then."

Chen Ergou widened his eyes. "Senior, you... you also had a system?"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen nodded slightly. "That was a long time ago. When I was young, I was also a nobody, just like you. Later, I obtained a system, and relying on that system, I walked step by step to the position I hold today."

"Then what happened to your system?" Chen Ergou asked curiously.

"It disappeared." Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen's voice carried a hint of loneliness. "When my cultivation reached a certain level, the system vanished. It had completed its mission, having raised me into a powerful individual, and then it left."

Chen Ergou fell silent. He hadn't expected Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen to have had such an experience.

"Therefore," Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen turned his head to look at Chen Ergou, "when I saw you, it was like seeing my younger self. I hope you can go further, and not end up like me, trapped in this Novice Village, waiting for the next fated person."

A complex emotion welled up in Chen Ergou's heart. He nodded solemnly. "Senior, I understand. I will definitely not let you down!"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen smiled slightly, a smile filled with a sense of gratification. "Good, with those words from you, I can rest easy."

As he spoke, he pulled a jade pendant from his robes and handed it to Chen Ergou.

"This is my token. Take it. If you encounter any trouble in the main city in the future, you can seek help from the people of the Sword Pavilion."

Chen Ergou took the jade pendant and saw an ancient character for "Sword" carved on it, radiating a faint pressure.

"Thank you, Senior!" He bowed in respect once more.

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen waved his hand. "Go now, your path is still long. Remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, do not give up."

Chen Ergou nodded heavily and turned to leave.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back to ask, "Senior, will you always be here?"

Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen stood with his back to him and said calmly, "When you are strong enough, we will meet again."

Chen Ergou took one last deep look at his back, then strode away.

What he did not know was that behind him, Sword Saint Xiao Wuchen slowly turned around, watching his retreating figure, and whispered to himself:

"Kid, I hope you can reach the step I failed to reach..."

Chen Ergou walked out of the bamboo forest and was just about to return to his stall when a private message suddenly popped up.

[Xiguang: Tonight at eight, meet at the usual spot.]

Chen Ergou was stunned for a moment, then a smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"The usual spot? Where is this 'usual spot' she's talking about?"

He thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, and the smile on his face became even brighter.

"Could it be... that mountain peak?"