nyslfriends 80. Fragments of Memory
80. Fragments of Memory
Lin Mo sat cross-legged deep within the Sword Tomb, the Ancient Sword of the Void resting across his lap. He closed his eyes, his mind completely immersed in the newly established soul connection. The feeling of blood ties remained clear, and the pure affection emanating from the sword spirit warmed his spirit like a gentle current.
But this ancient sword carries far more than just the joy of newborn life.
As the soul connection solidified, fragmented, chaotic images and pieces of information, seemingly spanning endless torrents of time, began to uncontrollably flood into his consciousness. These fragments were not actively transmitted by the sword spirit, but rather ancient memories imprinted deep within the ancient sword's essence, activated along with the sword spirit's awakening.
At first, these fragments were blurry and indistinct, like viewing a broken mural through a thick fog. But Lin Mo concentrated his mind, using the Taixu Ancient Sword as a medium, and carefully guided his consciousness, trying to touch and interpret these traces that had been silent for thousands of years.
The first relatively clear fragment appears:
That was not any era he knew. The sky was shattered, riddled with spiderweb-like cracks, from which flowed not starlight, but a murky, destructive, dark red light. The earth was scorched, mountains and rivers overturned, and countless creatures of all shapes and sizes turned to ashes amidst their wails—humans, strange beasts, and many other bizarre beings he could not comprehend. A massive sword light flashed across the heavens and earth, carrying the resolute intent of "Tai Xu," seemingly intent on severing everything and resetting the earth, water, fire, and wind. But then, the scene abruptly ended, swallowed by boundless darkness.
A profound sense of terror and desolation, of the end of all things and the collapse of an era, assaulted Lin Mo's mind through these fragments. His brows furrowed; this scene far surpassed the scope of ordinary martial arts feuds or dynastic changes.
The second fragment followed immediately:
Darkness receded, and the scene shifted. In the beginning, heaven and earth were clearly separated, pure and impure, and all things sprouted, yet everything seemed so "new," so "fragile," as if just created. Powerful figures roamed the world, sowing the seeds of life and establishing the primordial rules. Lin Mo, amidst this, once again detected a familiar aura of "Tai Xu," but the owner of that aura seemed to be in a peculiar state, more like an embodiment of rules than a concrete being. This world was fundamentally different from the Tang and Song dynasty history he knew.
"The world... has been reshaped?" A startling thought flashed through Lin Mo's mind like lightning.
The third fragment is more broken, but it also points more directly to the core:
He saw the cycle! Not a simple dynastic cycle, but the cycle of the entire world! Destruction, silence, rebirth, new life… an endless repetition. At the end of each cycle was a terrifying spectacle of cataclysmic destruction and the return of all things to nothingness, while at the beginning of each cycle, the fundamental rules of the world, the forms of life, and the starting point of civilization all seemed subtly different. It was as if an invisible hand was repeatedly pushing things down and starting over, conducting some kind of… experiment?
In these cyclical scenes, he repeatedly saw traces of power originating from the same source as the Taixu Ancient Sword. Sometimes, that power tried to protect a glimmer of hope amidst destruction; sometimes, it served as one of the cornerstones of rebirth; and sometimes, it acted as a detached observer, recording everything.
But in the most recent cycle... Lin Mo's spirits jolted!
He saw familiar outlines! Although the details were blurry, the mountains and rivers, the trajectory of civilization's development, especially in the last few centuries, were clearly the prelude to his own era! The grandeur of the Tang Dynasty, the prosperity and undercurrents of the Song Dynasty... was all of this just the latest link in this endless cycle?
So what about his death in his previous life, the sealing of his lover, the arrogance of the four great families, the conflicts in the martial world...? What are all these things he personally experienced and that are etched in his memory? Are they just dust that is destined to be wiped away time and time again?
An indescribable chill permeated the depths of his soul, temporarily overshadowing even the joy of obtaining the divine weapon. If the world was destined to restart, what was the meaning of all his efforts, all his revenge and salvation?
But then, more subtle fragments flooded in. On the edge of these memories of cycles, he caught some "anomalies." In some cycles, there seemed to be variables that shouldn't exist, beings trying to break the cycle, or rather, leaving deeper traces within it. They struggled, they resisted, they tried to find a way out before destruction came, or leave "coordinates" across the cycle.
The existence of these "anomalies" is like fireflies in the dark night; though faint, they bring a certain possibility.
At the same time, he also sensed that the Taixu Ancient Sword itself seemed to carry a certain function of "recording" and "locating". It does not appear in the world in every cycle, but whenever it appears, it often means that the cycle has entered a critical node, or that an "abnormal" variable has become active.
The sword spirit's nascent and ignorant consciousness could not comprehend this complex and vast information; it merely instinctively displayed these imprints to its master. But Lin Mo was different. He possessed the experience of two lifetimes and an unwavering will. He forced himself to calm down and analyze these shocking truths.
"The world has restarted many times... Are we all trapped in a cage?" he murmured to himself, his voice unusually clear in the silent Sword Tomb.
This means that his enemies may extend far beyond the four great families, or even the hidden force that sealed his lover away. The true adversary might be the cycle itself, the invisible and immense mechanism or entity that drives the world to restart time and again!
This realization brought unprecedented pressure, but it also ignited a stronger fighting spirit deep within him. If everything was destined to be erased, then his rebirth, his encounter with the Ancient Sword of the Void, the sealing of his lover's soul instead of its complete annihilation... were these themselves "anomalies" in the cycle? Were they a sliver of hope to break this cycle of despair?
He recalled the struggling "fireflies" within the fragments of Blade & Soul's memories. Perhaps, he would continue the path unfinished by those who came before him!
The Taixu Ancient Sword on his lap seemed to sense the surging emotions in its master, emitting a deep hum. The hilt, with its swirling nebula, became slightly warm, and a surge of pure Taixu power flowed into Lin Mo's body once more, carrying a sense of soothing and support.
Lin Mo took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions. Now was not the time to wallow in shock and fear. These fragments of memory provided a macroscopic and terrifying backdrop, but in the present moment, what he needed to do remained unchanged—improve his strength, rescue his lover, clarify grievances, and in the process, explore the truth behind this cycle and find a way to break it.
He gently stroked the cold blade of the ancient sword, his eyes regaining their sharpness and determination.
"Whether this world is real or illusory, eternal or fleeting, I will walk my own path. Those I cherish, I will protect. If this cycle is a cage, then I will break free of it!"
His words, though not loud, carried an undeniable determination that resonated throughout this land where ten thousand swords slumbered.
His soul connection with the Ancient Sword of the Void became even stronger. The fragments of memory no longer brought pure shock, but transformed into a heavy driving force and a responsibility he had to face. He knew that from this moment on, the martial world he traversed, and even the world he existed in, were completely different in his eyes.
He slowly rose to his feet, solemnly hoisting the Ancient Sword of the Void onto his back. His journey to the Sword Tomb had yielded not only a divine weapon, but also an astonishing secret concerning the very essence of the world. Next, he needed to carry this secret back to the outside world and continue his journey. The first step was to properly digest what he had gained and attempt to extract more detailed information from the sword spirit about the recent cycles, especially the current one. What did those "abnormal" beings who attempted to break the cycle leave behind? And what stage was the current cycle in?
Filled with questions and with an even firmer goal, Lin Mo took one last look at the silent sword tomb, turned around and walked steadily back the way he came.