My Fate Is My Own, Not Heaven's

The two chatted and laughed, quickly arriving at the edge of the Sword Pool.

The clear pool was a thousand feet deep, its bottom almost invisible from above.

A giant stone stood by the pool, inscribed with four lines of large characters as if carved by knives and axes:

Su Ming, Su Ming, Why do you not sing?

Zhen Mei, Zhen Mei, How obscure you are!

Though only sixteen characters, the writer's anger, unwillingness, and despair leaped from the stone, surprising even Ling Yunpo.

"Senior Sister, who wrote this?"

"I don't know," An Zhisu shook her head. "According to Master, when his Master's Master first joined the sect, this Sword Stele already had words carved on it."

She looked up at the stele and slowly said, "Su Ming is the sword of Taiyin Su Ming; Zhen Mei is the sword of Taiyang Zhen Mei."

"In ancient times, Fuxi, the progenitor of humanity, forged the two supreme immortal swords, Su Ming and Zhen Mei, from the primordial yin and yang energies left after Pangu separated heaven and earth, to suppress the demon race and protect humanity."

"To this day, the whereabouts of both supreme immortal swords are unknown. Therefore, the mainstream opinion in our Shushan sect is that the four lines on the Sword Stele express our ancestors' regret and sorrow over the inability to find the human immortal swords."

"I see," Ling Yunpo said with a smile. "I wonder what rank those two supreme immortal swords would be?"

"You called them supreme immortal swords, what rank could they possibly have?" An Zhisu covered her mouth and chuckled. "Like those ancient immortal swords, such as the Taiyi Guanghua Sword, or the Four Swords of Zhu, Xian, Lu, and Jue... they have no rank, but that doesn't diminish their status as immortal swords."

"Let's not talk about that anymore, Junior Brother. Go to the edge of the Sword Pool, face the water, and circulate the Sword Control Technique. A Flying Sword will be summoned."

"If you're not satisfied, you can throw it back into the lake and choose again."

"You can choose again?" Ling Yunpo gasped. "Then if I don't throw it back, but keep summoning Flying Swords and drain this entire pool, couldn't I sell the water...?"

"That's why the Sword Pool is guarded," An Zhisu said with a smile.

Ling Yunpo chuckled awkwardly and stopped teasing his Senior Sister, instead holding his breath and gazing intently at the Sword Pool.

In Mirror Flower Water Moon, the persona corresponding to the template "Ling Yunpo" was named "Unbending."

However, he hadn't figured out how to synchronize with "Unbending."

Did he need Senior Sister to beat him up? And then he'd shout, "Thirty years east, thirty years west, don't bully the young and poor!"

"Senior Sister," Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice after pondering by the Sword Pool for a moment.

"Hmm?" An Zhisu asked crisply.

"Have you ever thought about what we'll do if Master stays in seclusion forever and Green Snail Peak continues to decline?"

An Zhisu fell silent upon hearing this. After a long pause, she said softly, "I don't know."

"But Junior Brother, you don't need to worry too much."

"As long as Senior Sister is here, I won't let you be wronged."

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Ling Yunpo said with a carefree smile. "Then I'll say this too."

"As long as I, Ling Yunpo, am here, I will definitely not let Senior Sister be wronged!"

In his sea of consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke:

[Unbending persona, synchronization value +1.]

Ling Yunpo: ...

"It really is like this!" Cold sweat streamed down his face as he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

Wait, this is a good thing!

I'm so familiar with this tone! It just rolls off the tongue!

"Senior Sister," Ling Yunpo said with feigned solemnity.

"What is it?"

"Even though I'm only at the Qi Refining Stage now," Ling Yunpo said loudly, "thirty years east, thirty years west, don't bully the young and poor!"

"And then?" An Zhisu blinked.

"And then... one day, with a sword in hand, my fate will be mine to command, not heaven's!"

"Mhm, very spirited," An Zhisu nodded and smiled. "Hurry up and get your sword."

Ling Yunpo:?

"Ah Jing," he called out softly in his mind, "why aren't you adding synchronization value for me?"

After a long pause, the Kunlun Mirror slowly spoke:

"Don't you find those lines embarrassing to say yourself?"

"Ugh, I'm getting goosebumps," Ling Yunpo complained. "So why not add a synchronization value?"

"Mirror Flower Water Moon, though illusory, must at least be able to pass for the real thing to reflect oneself," Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. "The lines you say, even you don't believe them yourself, so Mirror Flower Water Moon is powerless."

"I understand, it's mainly the wrong situation," Ling Yunpo mused. "If a villain appeared and severely humiliated me. Once it has that flavor, I'll be able to say these lines without any problem."

"Indeed," Kunlun Mirror agreed. "However, you still need to be careful. Don't get yourself killed by the villain right after saying your lines."

Ling Yunpo once again looked inward, at the "Unbending" template within Kunlun Mirror.

This persona template had an embedded talent called "Innate Sword Bone."

Although the name sounded a bit unpleasant, its effect was surprisingly powerful:

Innate Sword Bone: All bones in the body are like sword edges, increasing the efficiency of cultivating the sword with one's body, enhancing resistance to Sword Qi and Sword Intent, and allowing resonance with Flying Swords. In special circumstances, it can be considered a Flying Sword.

Apart from the last point, which seemed a bit problematic, the other three were easy to understand.

First, it improved the nurturing effect on Flying Swords. Second, it enhanced the defensive capabilities of Flying Swords. Third, it increased the control over Flying Swords.

The compatibility with Shushan Sword Immortals was exceptionally high.

Ling Yunpo stared at the Astonishing Pool, taking a deep breath.

Then, he concentrated his mind and reached out his hand towards the Astonishing Pool, attempting to use the Innate Sword Bone talent to resonate with the pool:

"Sword, come!"

An Zhisu watched from behind, finding her junior brother utterly adorable.

However, before she could react, the Astonishing Pool suddenly began to boil!

Vast amounts of pool water churned and surged outwards, forming a rapid, massive vortex.

A single drop of water splashed out from the pool and transformed into a completely black Flying Sword in mid-air. It was about three feet six inches long, with a blue lotus carved on the hilt, giving one a dizzying sensation just by looking at it.

The black Flying Sword landed in Ling Yunpo's hand. Looking back at the sword pool, it was now calm and tranquil, shimmering with light, with no trace of the previous stormy waves.

"Did you see that just now?" An Zhisu asked in surprise.

"See what?" Ling Yunpo asked with a bewildered expression.

"...Nothing," An Zhisu shook her head and looked at the Flying Sword in his hand.

"What kind of Flying Sword is this?" Ling Yunpo asked curiously.

"I'm not sure, I'll have to check the ancient texts when we get back," An Zhisu said uncertainly, examining the Flying Sword from all angles.

"Could it be unranked?" Ling Yunpo wondered in surprise, quietly asking Kunlun Mirror, "A'Jing, A'Jing, tell me, what sword is this?"

Kunlun Mirror: ...

"Ask her yourself," she suddenly said.

After that, no matter how Ling Yunpo pressed, the mirror remained silent.

An Zhisu led him away. A moment later, the male and female disciples who had been guarding the sword pool rushed over.

"Did the Astonishing Pool just react?" the male disciple asked in disbelief.

"Ten thousand swords paying homage, a surging vortex, it's definitely the Astonishing Pool!" the female disciple shrieked. "A Tenth-Order Immortal Sword has appeared!"

"Quick, go inform the elders of the peak!"

[Mirror Flower Water Moon] Mechanism Explained: Kunlun Mirror can reflect all beings, creating a backup of the target within the mirror. The protagonist only needs to focus on imitating to gradually synchronize with the target and acquire the talents and aptitudes the target possesses.