As Song Yan thought this, he was about to rise and feel the changes after his breakthrough.
But suddenly, he heard a series of muffled claps beside him.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Oh my, congratulations, congratulations!"
The voice startled Song Yan into a jolt.
He looked closely and saw that, at some point, a little lion had sat down primly beside the flying sword Three Thousand Worlds.
Its entire body was translucent, as though molded from moonlight and mist, with a fluffy mane and a faint touch of gold at the tip of its tail.
Seeing that Song Yan had broken through to a new realm, it was holding both forepaws high, clapping in earnest.
But the sound of its paw pads striking together was muffled, which, paired with its solemn little lion face, made for a comical sight.
"Y-you-who are you?" Song Yan asked in alarm.
His cave abode was protected by layer upon layer of restrictions. How could anyone have slipped into his quiet chamber without a sound?
Yet Song Yan soon calmed down.
He had noticed that the little lion's translucent body closely resembled Three Thousand Worlds beside it.
That elusive sheen, that appearance like water and clouds-they must have sprung from the same source.
"I'm Shi Zixing's Sword Spirit. I've been staying inside this strand of Sword Essence all along."
The little lion lowered its forepaws. "I originally stayed here to secretly keep watch over that uncanny thing."
"Before Shi Zixing left, he told me to go find him in the Northern Sea once that thing dissipated."
A Sword Spirit-
Song Yan understood.
But could Sword Spirits talk?
Why couldn't Xianxian?
At this point, the little lion paused.
Its eyes looked Song Yan up and down, and an expression of surprise and admiration appeared on its face.