Under the influence of a powerful will, these syllables combined to give birth to a Sword Heart.
The firmer the will, the higher the Sword Heart realm."
"Once one lost sight of their true heart, the Sword Heart would shatter on its own."
That was the essence of the Sword Heart, and the original purpose behind Phoenix creating the Sword Heart Art.
It existed only to help people never forget their beginnings and remain true to themselves.
The Sword Heart Ye Chang'an had forged while his amnesiac self was fighting in his place also possessed an intensely personal will—forge a Sword Heart.
From the time he had been a clueless infant, he had longed for a Sword Heart. Then he obtained one and advanced triumphantly all the way to the Tai Xu realm.
But after his memories awakened, the true heart contained within that Sword Heart had started to change.
He no longer craved a Sword Heart. Instead, he yearned to discuss music with Eden, and as a result, his Sword Heart became as fragile as paper, destabilizing at the slightest provocation.
Fortunately, another will had emerged during that period of longing—I'm just a damn passerby. I won't fall in love, leave behind children, or mess with Destruction.
Before Eden confessed to him, that had been his will, and his Sword Heart had gradually changed because of it.
They were both powerful wills anyway, so changing a little did not matter.
Just like Chi Yuan's true heart had changed, yet her Sword Heart still remained.
But when Eden confessed, Ye Chang'an's will wavered.
He had fallen for her.
And so, with a single "snap," his Sword Heart shattered all over the ground.
Sword Heart, true heart—how the hell could you still want a Sword Heart after throwing away your true heart?!
"So... the will each person used to forge a Sword Heart isn't the same?" he asked hesitantly, gaining a completely new understanding of the Sword Heart Art.
"Zhaoyu's Sword Heart is caring for others. Su Mei's Sword Heart is separating good from evil. Wanxi's Sword Heart is taking care of Wanru. Wanru's Sword Heart is freedom. Ling Shuang's Sword Heart is nonaction.
Different wills can all condense a Sword Heart. It only depends on whether that will is firm enough to forge one."
Chi Yuan nodded in confirmation. She was quite clear on the circumstances under which each of her five disciples had forged their Sword Hearts.
After all, she had lived for so long that she had met more people than Ye Chang'an had eaten grains of rice.
"...Then what is your Sword Heart, Immortal?" Ye Chang'an found it difficult to ask. Chi Yuan looked at the broken gravestones scattered across the ground and spoke solemnly.
"Those who succumb to evil must be slain. Destruction must be eradicated!"
She was Shenzhou's guardian, a warrior who had survived from the Previous Civilization until now.
Her true heart naturally had to be this.
Or rather, this was what she had gradually become over the course of her long life.
She had long forgotten her original intention for becoming a warrior. She had deemed those memories useless and separated them from herself.
The ones who found those memories were Kiana and Bronya, who climbed Tai Xu Mountain five hundred years later.
Ye Chang'an found it difficult to point out what was wrong with that true heart, because the power of words was far too insignificant before Chi Yuan's four thousand years of memories.
He could only place his hopes on completing the revisions to Chang'an Melody, allowing Chi Yuan to shatter her Sword Heart herself.
This was what Chi Yuan had promised.
"Immortal Chi Yuan, I will definitely complete the revisions to Chang'an Melody." He guaranteed it once more. It had changed from something he would strive for into something he absolutely would do.
"Mm." Chi Yuan nodded without saying anything else, then walked to a gravestone and stomped her foot.
A golden greatsword burst out from beneath the soil.
Chi Yuan raised a hand, caught it, and tossed it to Ye Chang'an.
"This is an ancient relic, now named Xuanyuan. Take it to defend yourself."
Chi Yuan knew Ye Chang'an had the ability to protect himself.
But that move that seemed to belong to a sword god put too great a burden on his body. Even if Chang'an Melody could heal him, he still ought to use it less often.
So she gave Ye Chang'an a Xuanyuan Sword for self-defense. Yet the instant it landed in his hands, it changed form.
From a greatsword into a flute.
"..." Chi Yuan fell silent.
Ye Chang'an, however, was delighted. He played with the flute and could not put it down.
"Thank you for your gift, Immortal."
The guy grinned happily. With a thought, he turned the flute into a long xiao.
The Key of Domination was a weapon that could sense its host's thoughts and transform accordingly, with a weakened Arbiter Core built into it.
Ye Chang'an could use it to acquire Destruction energy, and it could also sense his Authority and change accordingly.
That core already possessed a weakened version of the Arbiter of Reason's power.
Void Archives: Domination Edition
It could turn into anything, but Ye Chang'an mostly used it to make musical instruments.
What was the point of fighting and killing? Music was the eternal truth, got it?
Now Chi Yuan was certain that this boy's true heart really was music.
"...Let's go back."
Chi Yuan shook her head with an amused smile and strode closer, preparing to carry Ye Chang'an back to Tai Xu Mountain.
"Immortal, there's no need to trouble yourself. I can fly."
Ye Chang'an politely declined Chi Yuan's forthright and sturdy embrace. Xuanyuan transformed into a giant sword beneath his feet, and he took off on the spot.
The constructs he created could float freely anyway, let alone the Xuanyuan Sword under his control.
He could fly wherever he wanted, got it?
"...This child seems a little overpowered."
Chi Yuan muttered speechlessly, genuinely surprised by Ye Chang'an.
He was like a completely different person from the boy who had been unable to forge a Sword Heart a month ago. His talent was so good that he seemed like a Herrscher.
—Just don't walk the path of a Herrscher, or else...
Tai Xu Chapter, Section One: 10. Li Sushang, What Do You Think of the Name Ye Sushang?
After returning to Tai Xu Mountain, Ye Chang'an happily enjoyed the dinner Lin Zhaoyu had prepared. Once he finished eating, he returned to his room and began pondering how to restrict Chang'an Melody.
After hearing about the connection between Divine Sound and the Sword Heart Art, he decided to imitate it.
So he first needed to study the extra syllables in the Sword Heart Art and see exactly how they used the Herrscher of Knowledge Authority.
Lin Zhaoyu wanted to speak with him, but Chi Yuan stopped her.
"Zhaoyu, he has something very important to do. Don't disturb him."
"Master..."
Lin Zhaoyu was obedient, but she was still worried about Ye Chang'an's changes.
"Is Chang'an really all right? I feel like he's different from before, like he's become another person."
"He merely understands what he is capable of doing now."
Chi Yuan said frankly, clearly taking Ye Chang'an's side. Lin Zhaoyu was still worried.
Seeing that her expression had not improved, Chi Yuan sighed. "Zhaoyu, Chang'an will always grow up. You only need to make sure he does not stray down the wrong path."
"A few changes are not necessarily a bad thing."
"But he has changed too much. It's like he's possessed."
"...Do you even realize what you're saying? This is Fu Yun Temple. How could anyone be possessed here?" Chi Yuan raised a brow, a faint smile tugging at her lips as though she were teasing her.
It really was amusing when put that way.
Tai Xu Mountain was an immortal mountain, and Fu Yun Temple was a Daoist temple. Wherever possession might occur, it would not happen here.
If there really were such a powerful evil art, the world would have descended into chaos long ago.
Lin Zhaoyu fell silent. Looking at Chi Yuan's smile, she gradually relaxed as well.
"Master, you've changed," she said, sounding a little happy.
Having served by Chi Yuan's side for twenty years, she had rarely seen her smile, but she saw it today.
Even Chi Yuan could change so much, so it no longer seemed strange no matter what Ye Chang'an became.
"Yes, this child changed me." Chi Yuan admitted it with a smile, then took Lin Zhaoyu into the courtyard for a leisurely chat.
She felt that when the revisions to Chang'an Melody were complete, the responsibility she bore would become much, much lighter.
Because Chang'an Melody did not discriminate between people. Humanity would gain the power to protect itself amid Destruction.
Not just a small number of people, but everyone.
By then, Shenzhou would no longer need a guardian.
She was looking forward to that future.
~
~
Su Mei and the others' confinement ended. The moment they got out, they ran all over the mountain looking for Ye Chang'an so they could play with him, only for Lin Zhaoyu to stop them.
"Chang'an is with Master. They have something important to do, so don't disturb them."
It was a familiar scene, only with different people involved.
The little ones were bewildered. Jiang Wanru was the first to speak.
"Eldest Sister, why is Chang'an with Master? Could it be that he became her disciple? Then is he our senior brother or junior brother now?"
"He probably hasn't become a disciple, but... Master gave him a Xuanyuan Sword." Lin Zhaoyu was not sure either, because she had not asked.
"Hm? A Xuanyuan Sword? Doesn't that mean he became a disciple?" Jiang Wanxi chimed in. The two sisters nodded at the same time, thinking that was the truth.
"That makes sense. Chang'an can definitely become a disciple now. Mm, he should be a junior brother. Anyway, he's my junior brother." Su Mei said with a smile, because she and Ye Chang'an had arrived at Tai Xu Mountain at the same time.
Those who entered together ranked by age, so her position as number two could not be taken away.
"Mm~ He should be a junior brother." The youngest, Cheng Ling Shuang, pondered aloud, thinking Ye Chang'an would become Old Six.
But without Chi Yuan saying anything, they could only guess.
So when Chi Yuan came over, her disciples surrounded her and asked what rank Ye Chang'an would have.
"..." Chi Yuan was speechless.
She had not accepted Ye Chang'an as a disciple, and Ye Chang'an had never considered taking her as his master.
Besides, they never distinguished between superior and inferior while talking. Now, when Ye Chang'an addressed her, he did not even call her Immortal anymore.
He simply called her Chi Yuan.
"If we absolutely have to assign him a generation... he can be your martial uncle." Chi Yuan said this, feeling that she and Ye Chang'an were friends despite their age difference.
Since they treated each other as equals, he naturally became these little disciples' martial uncle.
"(⊙o⊙)...Martial uncle?" The little ones were dumbfounded and collectively looked toward Lin Zhaoyu.
She was Ye Chang'an's adoptive mother and Chi Yuan's eldest disciple.
"Master, the generations are completely messed up now." Lin Zhaoyu gave a bitter smile, and Chi Yuan felt that she had a point.
Thus, nobody's generational standing changed, and Ye Chang'an successfully avoided becoming Old Six.
~
~
A year passed. Chi Yuan left the mountain to slay demons and returned with a little girl.
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