Inside the Human Emperor Banner, Tu Shan Qingyan's soul rose to her feet.
Even as nothing more than a soul, a First Grade Demon King remained a colossal presence.
She flew out of the Human Emperor Banner and gazed at the saber forged from her own bones and blood.
She lowered her head slightly and touched the saber, as though soul and flesh were meeting.
In an instant, Tu Shan Qingyan's soul entered the demon saber completely. The entire weapon trembled, wild saber energy spilling out around it.
Faint patterns resembling fox fur emerged across the blade, covering its entire surface.
A pair of cold fox eyes faintly appeared, seeming both illusory and real.
With one final ringing cry, the Demon Saber: Azure Fox finally reached first grade—and became a first-grade Spirit Artifact at that.
Without Jiang Li doing a thing, the Demon Saber: Azure Fox stood upright before him, as though Tu Shan Qingyan were looking into his eyes.
Jiang Li slowly reached out and gripped the saber. In an instant, their minds seemed to connect.
This was the final step in mastering a weapon: leaving a mental imprint.
It made wielder and saber one, linking the human to the spirit.
"Tu Shan Qingyan greets her master!"
Those words rang out in Jiang Li's heart, stirring waves of emotion within him.
"I, Jiang Li, will never let you down!"
Jiang Li spoke slowly, whether it was mere sweet talk or a pledge for the sake of a first-grade weapon.
But from that moment on, through all the years to come, he and Tu Shan Qingyan would be the closest of comrades, fighting side by side with unwavering loyalty, each able to trust the other completely.
Looking at the Demon Saber: Azure Fox in his hand, Jiang Li broke into