AI Cultivation: Reborn as a Sword

Chapter 69: Seven Killing Swords Sect (3)

Lan Xiaohuis words leave a deep and lasting impression on me. Despite how stiff and rehearsed those words sound or perhaps exactly because of it I understand the meaning and the thought behind them.

Lan Xiaohui has forgiven me for ruining her life. She does not hold me responsible for what happened to her. Naturally, I cannot be responsible for any of it because I was not even conscious at the time. To hold me responsible because of [Avarice] would be like holding Lan Xiaohui responsible for what happened to her because she was born in this Sky Continent, and not some other place.

Lan Xiaohuis perception of the matter and the nature of it is something I am not certain if it should be concerning or not. The way she casually ignores my demonic nature and in the same sentence declares I am not evil is something I could not do myself. First of all, I dont have a moral compass good or evil does not exist for me. I can understand the concept of those things and how meat thinks of it, but I am incapable, even in jest, to admit that it has merit. I am too objective.

From the perspective of meat, I am certainly something that would be regarded as evil, therefore the fact that Lan Xiaohui rejects that notion implies that in her subjective perception of the events she either thinks that I have somehow vindicated myself likely by helping her, which is a very selfish and human reason to do so or she is completely insane.

Of course, there is also a third possibility. She is becoming a true, quintessential warrior. Those who follow the path of the sword, at the pinnacle, become as righteous as the sword Lan Xiaohui also called me righteous like this but this kind of righteousness is not related to good or evil. The righteous sword is tyrannical because it is above those moral responsibilities. The sword exists to cut, and at the apex of its existence, all things beneath the sword exist to be cut.

Sword cultivators are fascinating.

It is almost empty, Lan Xiaohui says, standing within the Martial Pavilion.

At some point, likely inspired by Li Feng holding a scripture, Lan Xiaohui detoured to this thirteen-story grand pavilion in the administrative area.

The insides of this pavilion were so large that its large first floor extended beyond the limit of my perception, and there were countless bookshelves arranged inefficiently, if I may add but most of them were empty. With my perception, I could find about three hundred total scriptures in the pavilion, even though it had the capacity to hold thousands and thousands.

This is not surprising, though.

And there is no Elder, either, Lan Xiaohui adds, turning towards an empty booth near the entrance and the stairs that lead to the next floor.

If this place truly is a recreation of memories mine and of those I have slain it makes sense that only the scriptures they know of exist. It is entirely possible that some of these scriptures are empty or incorrect, having only been seen once, or given a cursory read.

Like Wukong, I doubt that the people here are actually ghosts or reincarnations of those people they pretend to be. They must be simulations. The hint that supports this theory is Li Feng.

Li Feng, unlike the others, died after Lan Xiaohui was exiled, yet his memories of Lan Xiaohuis recent exploits appear to be missing. He is not even aware that Lan Xiaohui killed him.

This knowledge assuming it is true does not help me discover the purpose of this layer or this preparation stage.

Considering the nature of the first stage and its test, I assume that the first few layers will be calibration tests. Even so, if that were true, I dont know for what purpose this calibration is being performed.

It is a resource worth using, however. There are also experiments I desire to perform. Both of these things involve Lan Xiaohui mercilessly killing all of her former sect members.

[ SECOND LAYER: CHALLENGE STAGE BEGINS IN 3 HOURS. ]

The voice rings out across the entire sect and somehow even despite it being outside my perception radius I detect an increase in activity within the sect.

Lan Xiaohui chews on her bottom lip, likely confused by the meaning of the words. Challenge stage. It sounds like I wont have to convince Lan Xiaohui to sharpen her sword on her former sect brothers and sisters, and that the opportunity will present itself on its own in one form or another.

Lan Xiaohui hurries out of the Martial Pavilion and heads towards the Sect Hall. The warning that she has only three hours spurs her into action. She does not even stop to greet the disciples on her way, perhaps also realizing that they are not real. Whether she bases that on the fact that they are simulations I doubt it or that they are dead is not clear to me, but either way, both are equally valid reasons.

The final climb to the Sect Hall involves nine hundred steps straight up the mountain. There are nine gates between the base of the stairs and her goal, their pillars rising high into the blue to tower above the rest of the sect.

There are no Transportation Platforms, Lan Xiaohui remarks as she climbs the steps with ease. I dont know what these platforms are that Lan Xiaohui refers to, but I wish I could see them. If their function is transportation, then their arrays could be useful for me to study. I am also curious to know what would happen if I used my [Critical Analysis] on something that is recreated from likely imperfect information alone.

This is all wrong Lan Xiaohui says when she enters the Sect Hall proper and glances around.

The Sect Hall is a building that is even larger than the Martial Hall. Here, the Elders and Core Disciples spend many of their days performing the various duties assigned to them. Special cultivation chambers are prepared for them, as well as a mission board, and many other conveniences.

However, in this Sect Hall, none of these things are present.

There is a single stele in the middle of the small room, and behind it is an ornate door that leads deeper into the Sect Hall.

The stele simply reads:

Tenth place to third place: 25 Inner World Tokens. Mystic Sword Formation priority.

Third place: 50 Inner World Tokens. Access to second floor of the Martial Pavilion.

Second place: 100 Inner World Tokens. Access to Secret Sword Realm Nexus. Martial Pavilion Floors 3 and 4 accessible.

First place: 200 Inner World Tokens. Rewards REDACTED.

After reading the words on the stele, Lan Xiaohui chews on her bottom lip thoughtfully. For a while, she just stands there, trying to make sense of the words. I am not sure why Lan Xiaohui came here, of all places, but I know that she did not expect to find this.

After several minutes, Lan Xiaohui finally nods. We have three hours to prepare for this challenge stage. I wonder what it will be. What should we do?

I also wonder what the next test will be. Considering the presence of others, and the fact that there is a ranking system for this test, it will likely either depend heavily on cooperation or complete independence. It could go either way.

There might even be additional objectives.

In other words, it could be everything and anything.

Gather information for now, I tell Lan Xiaohui.

She nods, and tries to open the door behind the stele, but it does not even budge.

Perhaps the other pavilions are also altered in some way, Lan Xiaohui says. I am also interested in this Mystic Sword Formation.

Good. I dont need to urge her to investigate this formation. I sense that her words are not selfish, but also in consideration of my needs. Perhaps she understands that I possess an ability to analyze things and discover their natures.

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