Conversation and Transaction

At this moment, Ueno Kei was truly at a loss.

An unknown event, an unknown space—Ueno Kei could not comprehend what was happening, neither through the knowledge of his past life nor the lessons learned in this one.

None of it helped Ueno Kei understand what had occurred.

Ueno Kei only knew that this place was neither solid nor void; it felt as if it existed, yet was simultaneously illusory. Curious, Ueno Kei stretched his hands out in front of him.

He tried clenching his fists and performing normal movements, finding that it felt just like real life. However, there were moments when Ueno Kei felt as if his entire body had turned into air, into something illusory.

The only thing he could not do was walk. Yes, Ueno Kei discovered that he seemed to be bound to the spot; he could see, he could hear, and he could move his hands, but he was utterly unable to move his body.

Furthermore, when he opened his mouth to speak, no sound came out.

"If anyone can hear this voice, then it proves that someone has obtained my blade, 'Lingyu.' As for whether the summoning scroll bound to it is still there for you to find, that is not something I can confirm."

At this moment, a weathered voice echoed through this unknown space, startling Ueno Kei. The voice sounded quite aged; he estimated the speaker to be at least fifty years old.

Ueno Kei immediately became alert, his entire body tensing up. He subconsciously reached for his waist, wanting to draw a kunai, but his hand grasped at empty air. He had no choice but to clench his fists.

He braced himself for a fight.

Just as Ueno Kei looked around, trying to find the source of the sound, the mysterious voice continued.

"I am Fengyi Zhan! A ninth-generation descendant of the Fengyi Clan, the current head of the family, and the master of the blade Lingyu. What remains here is merely a portion of my chakra, containing my final words. I do not know who you are or which clan you belong to; that is of no concern to me now. When my Fengyi Clan was invaded by a powerful enemy, I knew my time was short while covering the retreat of my younger kin. I infused my remaining chakra and half of my spirit into this blade, hoping only that someone in the future would find it and unlock its secrets."

The voice hidden in the void continued, but the content made Ueno Kei relax slightly. It sounded as if this former master had merely left behind some residual consciousness within the blade—a concept that seemed impossible in his past life.

However, in this world, nothing was impossible.

It seems I just need to listen carefully to this predecessor, Ueno Kei thought, stroking his chin. This must be some kind of mental space; my consciousness must have entered it. Surely, it will let me out later.

Ueno Kei mused to himself, thinking it was akin to an out-of-body experience from his past life. As these thoughts turned in his mind, the voice continued on its own.

"This is the inner space of my blade. I used my own blood as an offering and my chakra as a seal to set this barrier. Any blood other than that of my enemies that drips onto the blade will trigger this seal. Of course, those with great strength can break free from the seal's absorption. You may choose to enter this space or reject the seal's pull."

"Heh, if you can hear this voice, you are either weak in strength or you chose to enter of your own volition. I do not wish for my clan's secret techniques to be lost. Although some of my kin escaped under my cover, I have no certainty whether they survived the pursuit, so I have left my Fengyi Clan's secret techniques here."

The voice paused, as if allowing the listener to digest what had been said.

"The Wind Wing Sword Technique! That is the secret art of my clan. Unlike other ninja clans that excel in various ninjutsu and secret arts, our clan relies solely on one person and one blade. By refining the blade to its peak and tempering the essence of the blade—the Blade Intent—one can roam the world and ensure their own survival!"

The previously weathered and low voice became high-pitched and spirited when mentioning the Wind Wing Sword Technique. It was clear how important this sword art was to the so-called Fengyi Clan.

Subsequently, the voice introduced Ueno Kei to many of the Fengyi Clan's battle achievements, which were accomplished through this sword art. Without realizing it, Ueno Kei began to grasp some of the mysteries of the Wind Wing Sword Technique.

As he listened, Ueno Kei's eyes gradually brightened. Although he lacked extensive knowledge and experience, he could still understand some of the formidable aspects of the Wind Wing Sword Technique.

This made Ueno Kei believe, to some extent, that this sword art could provide the help he desired.

"Of course, to learn the secrets of my clan, it is not free." After speaking at length about the glorious history of the Fengyi Clan, the voice changed, its tone becoming slightly more serious.

Hearing this, Ueno Kei's expression tightened. He knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; he had never expected things to just fall from the sky.

He could only say that Ueno Kei believed more in his own efforts than in ethereal luck. He chose to ignore the idea that fate was predetermined or that gods had already decided the course of a person's life.

Of course, Ueno Kei subconsciously chose to block out the overly fantastical nature of his own arrival in this world with the memories of his past life. Atheism! This was a belief in Ueno Kei's heart that would never waver.

Even after half a year in Konoha, having been exposed to the mysteries of many ninjas, including the ancient legendary figure revered as the Sage of Six Paths, Ueno Kei remained skeptical.

In his view, the so-called Sage of Six Paths was merely a human with immense power—power so great that no one at the time could contend with him.

That was why he was revered, feared, and respected by the world.

Then, as time passed and people gradually deified him, he came to be regarded as a god or a celestial being.

Therefore, regarding luck and being destined to encounter benefits, Ueno Kei did not reject them, but he would not overly anticipate them or consider them a given.

Ueno Kei was mentally prepared for whatever the voice might ask in return. It was fair, wasn't it? The voice made a request, he completed the task, and he received the reward. It was reasonable; it was simply a transaction.

Ueno Kei thought this without any burden in his heart.

Of course, if the other party proposed something impossible, like seeking revenge on his behalf, Ueno Kei would have to politely decline and then find a way to leave this space.