The old ghost recounted to Lin Mo what had transpired after he passed out mid-battle in the forest.

Lin Mo listened intently, a frown creasing his brow. He had no recollection of what happened after he began performing the jade body art. It felt as though he had surrendered control of his body to someone else, no longer conscious or in command.

Yet, from the old ghost's details, he realized he had achieved something beyond his wildest dreams.

He had leveled the forest with each wave of his palm and gained the upper hand against a king-ranked beast, despite his foundation establishment realm strength.

He knew he didn't possess such might or a high level of sword mastery to use his palms as weapons. He could only attribute this ability to the jade body art, which he had used unconsciously.

After listening to the old ghost, Lin Mo's eyes gleamed with excitement. He headed straight to the training ground. The old ghost knew exactly what Lin Mo intended to do.

Upon arriving at the empty training ground, with most disciples in seclusion, Lin Mo began moving his arms in a peculiar motion while dashing around. His movements were a mix of fluid grace and explosive power, as he tried to replicate the feats described by the old ghost.

He continued these movements until sweat began to form on his forehead.

Halting, he retrieved the jade body scripture from his ring.

“Why isn't it working?” he wondered aloud, meticulously flipping through the pages.

He couldn't grasp where he had gone wrong. Then he remembered his master's words: “You have to master its basics first.”

The basics, as his master meant, were to learn to swing a sword properly, and to understand the sharpness and dullness of a blade. He had only recently acquired a proper sword; until then, he had been training with dummy swords.

Realizing it would take a while to master the basics, he sighed deeply.

“Of course, there would be limitations,” the old ghost's laugh echoed from the side. “If anyone could casually use such a powerful skill, the world would turn upside down.”

Although the old ghost laughed, there was a hint of wariness on his face. If a junior like Lin Mo had succeeded in using the jade body art again, he might have passed away a second time.

In his life, the old ghost had died trying to master the jade body art. Yet, a kid who hadn't even lived one-tenth of his life had succeeded on his first try. He truly believed that the heavens had their favorites.

Lin Mo continued the movements, occasionally reading the scripture and trying again, only to fail once more.

After spending the entire afternoon on the training ground, Lin Mo finally decided to stop.

“Giving up already?” the old ghost mocked.

Lin Mo's frustration was evident, with black lines furrowing his forehead. After countless unsuccessful attempts, he was starting to believe that his previous success had been a fluke and that he needed to heed his master's advice and learn the basics first.

Having absorbed too much information for the day, he silently descended from the peak towards Sword City, hoping to lighten his mood. Seeing Lin Mo’s frustration, the old ghost left him alone to relax.

…

At the city plaza, Lin Mo found a bench and sat down. He observed the bustling activity around him; people coming and going, all appearing busy with their tasks.

Nearby, a fairly large crowd had gathered, their attention captivated by an old man standing at one side of the plaza.

From the expressions on their faces and the setup before him, it was evident that he was a storyteller.

“This tale goes back more than nine thousand years. This is the tale of the Great Sage Li...” the old man began.

Lin Mo's interest was immediately piqued. He knew that the Sage Li spoken of by the old man was the founder of the Sky Sword Sect.

The city, now bustling with people, had once been a desolate land with only a few human settlements. The young founder had been born in this land, or rather, left to die until fate intervened.

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An immortal, passing through this land, discovered the abandoned child and took her in as a disciple, teaching her immortal arts.

She traveled to world after world alongside the immortal, continuing her training under his tutelage.

After completing her training, the founder returned to the land and established the Sky Sword Sect to aid the masses and teach them a way of survival.

As more people realized this was a safe place, they began to move to the land. The city began to take shape, eventually growing into its current state.

“What happened to Sage Li?” a curious listener asked.

“There’s still more,” the old man continued. “During that era, a war raged between two supreme races: the Demons and the Dragons. Sage Li, already formidable at that time, participated in the war and drew her last breath on the mainland in that battle.”

“What? How did the war start? And how did that immortal master let Sage Li perish?” another voice from the crowd demanded.

“Even I don't have an answer to that,” the old man admitted, shaking his head.

The old man concluded his storytelling, but some among the audience were dissatisfied with the ending.

They believed Sage Li should have had a better end. Born in the same land as her, these individuals felt deep sympathy for Sage Li's demise and were discontent with the abrupt conclusion to her story.

Having collected a good amount of bronze and silver coins from generous listeners, the old man began packing up his things.

Lin Mo approached him, curious.

Noticing Lin Mo's stare, the old man spoke, “Show's over, kid.”

Lin Mo flicked a gold coin towards the old man.

Excitedly, the old man grabbed the coin midair and quickly inspected it to see if it was real.

“Does this young master wish to hear another story?” the old man quickly changed his tone.

Lin Mo looked at the old man strangely. The feeling of someone calling him ‘young master’ felt odd, but he quickly shrugged it off.

“No, I want to know how the war ended and who won,” Lin Mo clarified.

“Oh, this young master wishes to hear Sage Li's tale?” the old man asked.

“Umm,” Lin Mo nodded.

“Well, from what I've collected and read, Sage Li's master, that immortal being, intervened and ended the war. As for the demon race, they were said to have been exterminated in that war.”

Lin Mo knew this much, being a disciple of the Sky Sword Sect, the same sect founded by Sage Li.

He wanted to hear the story from the perspective of the common crowd.

Though there were many gaps in the story, one thing was certain: the founder had encountered an immortal who had taught her everything she knew.

As the old man departed the plaza with his belongings, Lin Mo continued to ponder the mysteries surrounding Sage Li and her legacy.

Sitting in the plaza, contemplating the impact of Sage Li's choices, his thoughts wandered to various what-ifs.

Would this city even exist if Sage Li hadn't established the sect?

Could he have crossed paths with Brother Wu or met Master Zen?

Could he ever rise to greatness like Sage Li and leave his own indelible mark on history?

Lost in his musings, Lin Mo was unaware of the passage of time until he noticed the late evening setting in.

The bustling city began to quiet down, and the flickering lights of lanterns cast a warm glow over the plaza.

Lamps and candlelight illuminated the plaza, casting a warm glow over the surroundings.

Inns and bars began to open their doors, welcoming weary workers seeking to unwind and relax after a long day.

Laughter and cheers echoed from these establishments, filling the air with a sense of camaraderie and companionship that brought joy to the people, reminding Lin Mo of the simple pleasures in life.

As Lin Mo walked away from the bustling city, he reflected on his life in the village, where despite its simplicity, life had been sweet.

As a mortal, he had known a carefree existence, spending his days helping in the fields, tending to the farm, and going hunting. However, since embarking on the path of cultivation, his journey had diverged from that of ordinary mortals.

He understood that once a person chose cultivation, their path veered away from the mundane concerns of mortal life. They could no longer find contentment in the simplicity of everyday existence; instead, their aspirations lay beyond, on the elusive boundary of cultivation.

Lin Mo knew that not everyone possessed the talent or opportunity to cultivate, and among those who did, only a select few would ever reach the pinnacle. The question lingered in his mind: would he be among the few?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lin Mo continued to walk away from the city's bright lights, making his way back to the sect.

The night air was cool, and the path was quiet, offering him a moment of peace and reflection. As he walked, he resolved to focus on his training, to master the basics as his master had advised, and to strive for greatness, just as Sage Li had done.

…

An old man raised his head, his gaze fixed on a figure in the distance. It was the same storyteller who had been in the plaza earlier that day.

“I've done as you said, my lord. He should now realize what path he will take,” the old man muttered quietly to himself.

With that, the old man disappeared from the plaza, never to be seen again in Sword City.