Ye Wenhao's pupils constricted when Yun Lintian asked about his inheritance. His grip tightened around his moonlit sword instinctively before relaxing with a bitter smile.
"Senior's insight is formidable," he said, bowing deeply. "This junior is indeed the inheritor of the Primordial Sword God."
Qingqing wrinkled her nose from Yun Lintian's shoulder. "Big Brother Yun, it stinks here!"
She waved her tiny hand, summoning a gale that scoured the battlefield clean of blood and gore in an instant.
The surrounding cultivators gaped. Even the wind spirit's casual display surpassed their understanding. Their eyes then darted to the "white cat" on Yun Lintian's other shoulder, wondering what terrifying power she might conceal.
Ye Wenhao's throat bobbed as he gestured toward an intact pavilion. "Senior, please."
Inside the private chamber, Ye Wenhao poured tea with trembling hands. The cups trembled slightly as he offered them to Yun Lintian and his two companions.
"This junior thanks Senior for saving the city," he said formally.
Yun Lintian accepted the cup but didn't drink immediately. "Tell me, how did you get the inheritance?"
Ye Wenhao's pupils constricted when Yun Lintian asked about his inheritance.
"Senior," he began with a bow, "this junior comes from the Ye Clan of the Southern Continent. Though born into a noble family, I was the son of a concubine, treated as..."
Yun Lintian raised a hand, cutting him off. "I'm not interested in your background."
The cold dismissal made Ye Wenhao stiffen. He had prepared this story of struggle and triumph countless times, always met with awe or admiration. Yet this terrifying being before him couldn't care less.
Ye Wenhao took a deep breath and spoke up. "I found the sword in the forgotten ruin by accident."
Yun Lintian glanced at the sword and asked. "Tell me how the Primordial Gods fell. You must know something, right?"
Ye Wenhao nodded and began. "Nine Primordial Gods once ruled this world. Until the Deep Ocean God suddenly attacked the Sun God without warning. Their battle sparked a chain reaction—the Moon God slew the Storm God, the Earth God turned on the Wind God..."
His voice grew heavy. "Within seven days, only the God of Time remained standing."
Yun Lintian's lips curved. The pattern was unmistakable—Nian Shi's handiwork. The so-called "God of Time" in this timeline had clearly manipulated the others into mutual destruction, just as his counterpart had done in the main timeline.
"And the Sword God?" Yun Lintian pressed.
Ye Wenhao touched the sword at his waist. "The Primordial Sword God perished defending the mortal realm from the gods' battle. His last act was sealing his essence into this blade, which lay dormant for millennia until I discovered it."
Yun Lintian nodded slightly. "You saw me through my concealment. How?"
Ye Wenhao hesitated. "...The sword showed me."
Yun Lintian extended a hand. "May I?"
Though every instinct screamed against surrendering his treasure, Ye Wenhao unbuckled the scabbard and offered it with both hands.
The instant Yun Lintian's finger made contact with the blade, the sword erupted in a joyous hum, vibrating so intensely it nearly leapt from Ye Wenhao's grasp. The moonlit steel glowed with an ethereal light, casting dancing reflections across the walls.
Ye Wenhao's face paled. In all his years wielding this sword, it had never reacted —as if greeting a long-lost master. His heart clenched painfully.
Does it recognize him more than me?
Yun Lintian channeled a wisp of divine energy into the blade.
A razor-sharp arc of light exploded outward, slicing through every piece of furniture in the room with surgical precision. Tables, chairs, even the teapot—all cleaved cleanly in half before anyone could blink.
Yun Lintian clamped down on the sword's power instantly, suppressing its wild energy.
"Worthy of being the Sword God's weapon," he remarked approvingly.
His gaze shifted to Ye Wenhao. "Now... what should we do? It seems the sword recognizes me."
Ye Wenhao's hands trembled slightly before he forced them still. A bitter smile twisted his lips. "Since it has chosen Senior... then it should belong to you."
Yun Lintian arched an eyebrow. "Oh? I didn't expect such generosity."
"What choice do I have?" Ye Wenhao laughed hollowly. "Even if I refused, could I stop you?"
"Honest enough. I appreciate that." Yun Lintian chuckled. Then—with a sudden flick of his finger—
An emerald light shot forth, piercing Ye Wenhao's chest. The young swordsman gasped as torrential energy flooded his meridians. His bones crackled, his Divine Core expanded, and his profound veins reforged themselves into something grander—something capable of reaching True God realm.
Before Ye Wenhao could process this transformation, Yun Lintian tossed several jade slips onto the table.
"True God-level techniques," he said casually. "Practice diligently, and you'll reach that realm within a century. Consider this compensation."
Ye Wenhao stared at the treasures before him, his throat tight. This single moment had rewritten his destiny far beyond what the sword could ever offer. He dropped to one knee. "This junior thanks Senior for your grace!"
Yun Lintian waved him off. "Enough formalities. Tell me—where is the center of this Primal Chaos?"
"The Central Divine Region," Ye Wenhao answered promptly. "It's a battleground where True Gods vie for supremacy. The strongest factions control..."
As Ye Wenhao detailed the political landscape, Yun Lintian's mind raced.
This timeline's Central Divine Region mirrored his own world's structure—meaning Nian Shi likely maintained similar strongholds here. Perfect hunting grounds for divine authorities.
"Interesting." Yun Lintian stood, the Sword God's blade now comfortably in his grip. "Then I'll be going."
Ye Wenhao hesitated. "Senior... may I ask one question?"
"That sword... why did it recognize you?"
Yun Lintian paused at the doorway, glancing back.
"Because," he said simply, "I've killed gods before."
With that, he stepped into the void, leaving behind a stunned swordsman and a city saved—for now.
Ye Wenhao stood there in shock.
"Killed gods before?" he murmured. Wouldn't this mean Yun Lintian was actually a True God?
"Oh my god. I met a genuine True God." Ye Wenhao finally realized how terrifying the man he had just met...