One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

A circular stone chamber, slightly smaller than the outer hall but more orderly and full of traces of artificial carving, came into view. The chamber was about ten zhang high and thirty zhang in diameter, with a smooth bluestone floor. In the center was a circular stone platform, about five zhang in diameter and three chi above the ground. The surface of the platform was as smooth as a mirror, with intricate array patterns faintly visible.

The rock walls surrounding the stone chamber were not empty. The rock wall directly opposite the entrance had been completely flattened and covered with dense, powerful characters! The characters were deeply embedded in the stone, with vigorous strokes, exuding an indomitable and domineering sword intent. Just looking at them was enough to make one's eyes sting and one's mind shake.

Nie Lingfeng's gaze was immediately drawn to the writing on the stone wall. He quickly walked to the stone wall and stared intently at it.

The first few lines of the article sent a jolt through him, as if he had been struck by lightning!

[Junior Brother Feng, and successor of Nie Feng:]

The moment Nie Lingfeng saw that address, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest! Junior Brother Feng? Successor of Nie Feng? Was this being called?! Bu Jingyun?! It really was him! Was he still alive? No, this message…

He suppressed his turbulent emotions and continued reading. The sword intent and spiritual imprint contained in the handwriting seemed to transcend endless time and space, directly projecting images and information into his mind.

After the great war between good and evil, we both went into seclusion to comprehend the Dao and seek transcendence. I thought I would spend my life quietly watching the clouds drift by until the five signs of decay of the celestial beings.

[However, one day while meditating, I suddenly felt a sudden urge, and the signs of my impending death appeared. Throughout my life, I, Bu Jingyun, have fought against heaven and earth, and have never believed in fate. But this sign came from the divine intervention, and was not a false alarm. Knowing that destiny is irreversible, I then continued the work I had not yet completed.]

I searched the world and found the lost "Dragon Essence" (refined by Emperor Shitian, stolen by Xu Fu, and later scattered throughout the land). I also obtained the "Phoenix Blood" left behind by Xu Fu in his ice tomb (Xu Fu used it to achieve immortality, and his blood had merged with the essence of phoenix blood). Carrying these two items, I returned to Lingyun Cave.

Just as the Fire Qilin was nearing the end of its lifespan, its intelligence waning, and its demonic nature about to spiral out of control, wreaking havoc on the world, I subdued it and extracted the 'Qilin Marrow' from its body. However, less than one-tenth of the 'Qilin Marrow' retained its energy; its essence was lost. After a moment's thought, I understood the reason—it must be that you, Junior Brother Feng, had already paved the way for the inheritance, using a secret method to strip away the original power of the Qilin Marrow, reserving it for a destined person. Our martial arts, as fellow disciples, originate from the same lineage, and we have verified each other's abilities; you need not worry about my inheritance being severed.

However, according to ancient legends of the Bu clan and my later investigations, 'Qilin Marrow' is the foundation for the Fire Qilin to maintain its rationality and suppress its demonic nature. Without the complete Qilin Marrow to harmonize it, even obtaining Qilin blood poses a great hidden danger, easily leading to falling into the demonic path and bringing disaster to all living beings.

Therefore, I have placed the 'Phoenix Blood,' 'Dragon Essence,' and the 'Qilin Marrow' remaining within the Fire Qilin on this stone platform. These three elements counteract and complement each other, forming a balance. If any descendant of Nie Feng comes here in the future, they can use them as appropriate, based on their own bloodline and cultivation techniques. The Phoenix Blood can increase lifespan and temper the body; the Dragon Essence can increase power and strengthen the soul; the remaining Qilin Marrow may replenish what is lacking in your body, completely stabilizing your bloodline and eradicating the demonic threat.

[Seal within the stone platform lies my sword—the 'Peerless Sword.' Within it reside the 'Three Swords,' infused with my final strength. These three swords embody my lifelong understanding of swordsmanship and can be used in conjunction with the 'Snow Drinking Blade' to unleash the true essence of 'Mahayana Boundless.' However, the power of these three swords is immense; their unleashing will tremble heaven and earth, and cause even ghosts and gods to weep. They must not be used lightly except in life-or-death situations.]

[Furthermore, sealed within the stone platform are Xu Fu's "Sacred Heart Technique" manual, the nameless senior's "Ten Thousand Swords Return to One" sword manual, and some insights I gained in my later years regarding "Sword Twenty-Three," which I have not yet perfected. All three can be studied, but one must not be greedy for more; one must prioritize one's own path.]

[Beneath the stone platform lies the remains of the Fire Qilin. After extracting its marrow, I sealed it here with mystic ice and an array, intending to let it rest in peace. However, this place has been tainted by the aura of the 'external demon' for too long, and I fear its corpse has already undergone unforeseen mutations, transforming into a 'fire demon' that knows only slaughter. Those who come after must be extremely vigilant.]

My time has come, and I am powerless to plan any further for this world. This arrangement is the last thing I can do. Young one, having inherited Brother Feng's legacy, your arrival here is both fate and responsibility. I hope you will make good use of the things here, uphold righteousness and ward off evil, and not disappoint Brother Feng and me.

[Bu Jingyun, his final words.]

The writing stopped abruptly there. The last two characters, "Final Words," were imbued with a sword-like intent that seemed to pierce through the stone chamber, carrying an overwhelming will to fight to the death and to resist any injustice. They were deeply imprinted on the stone wall and also on the depths of Nie Lingfeng's soul.

Nie Lingfeng stood frozen in place, motionless, as if he had turned into a stone statue. Chen Duo looked at him worriedly, gently tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Nie Lingfeng?"

After a long while, Nie Lingfeng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes filled with an extremely complex expression. Shock, realization, heaviness, emotion, sadness, responsibility... all sorts of emotions intertwined, ultimately transforming into a profound calm.

He finally understood.

He understood why the Qilin blood he obtained was incomplete, why there was a hidden danger of demonic influence, why Lingyun Cave had become what it was today, and why he felt so familiar with and drawn to this place.

Everything was preordained. Or rather, it was a contingency plan and legacy left behind by two powerful predecessors from two different worlds.

Nie Feng left behind a legacy in this realm (perhaps the ones he obtained himself) and dealt with the Fire Qilin in advance, paving the way for those who came after him. As for Bu Jingyun, when he sensed that his time was coming to an end, he found the Dragon Essence and Phoenix Blood, returned here, took the remaining Qilin Marrow, and left all three, along with his own legacy and the cultivation techniques he had collected, in this most core secret chamber, waiting for the arrival of Nie Feng's successor.

That "external demon" should be the "being" sealed in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, or something of the same origin. Its aura leaked out, polluting the area around Lingyun Cave, giving rise to those fire beasts, and it may even be eroding the sealed corpse of the fire unicorn.

I am that "destined one", that "successor of Nie Feng", that "young man of the future" to whom hope and responsibility are entrusted.

Nie Lingfeng's gaze slowly shifted to the smooth stone platform in the center of the stone chamber.

He could sense that on the stone platform, three enormous, pure, and distinctly different yet subtly connected terrifying energies were slowly circulating and mutually restraining each other. One was blazing and violent (Qilin Marrow), one was icy and majestic (Phoenix Blood), and one was grand and imposing (Dragon Essence). Inside the stone platform, a deep and restrained yet incomparably sharp sword intent, as well as several profound fluctuations of cultivation techniques, were also faintly revealed.

Beneath the stone platform... a hidden yet chilling aura of evil, heat, deathly stillness, and madness emanated from it, like a dormant volcano slowly pulsating beneath a cold seal.

That was... the tainted remains of a fire unicorn, about to turn into a zombie.

The "Fire Demon" mentioned in Bu Jingyun's message.

Nie Lingfeng gripped the Snow Drinking Blade tightly, his eyes becoming incredibly determined.

He walked to the stone platform, but did not touch the three divine objects that would drive any extraordinary person mad, nor did he immediately try to retrieve the inheritance within the platform. Instead, he first solemnly and deeply bowed three times to the stone wall inscribed with Bu Jingyun's messages and to the direction of the platform.

I bow deeply to express my gratitude to Senior Nie Feng for imparting his knowledge and skills, which changed my destiny.

Bowing twice in gratitude to Senior Bu Jingyun for his painstaking arrangements and for bestowing upon us the precious Dharma.

We bow three times, vowing to carry on the legacy of our predecessors, uphold righteousness and ward off evil, and live up to their trust.

"Rest assured, seniors," Nie Lingfeng straightened up, facing the void and his own heart, and said clearly, word by word, "Nie Lingfeng hereby swears to make good use of this inheritance, to slay demons and monsters, and to protect the peace of this world. I will never let you two seniors down!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Bu Jingyun's message on the stone wall seemed to light up slightly for a moment, and the soaring sword intent seemed to soften a little, carrying a hint of relief, and slowly subsided.

Chen Duo watched quietly as Nie Lingfeng finished doing all this. Although she didn't quite understand what had happened, she could feel the heavy responsibility and determination in Nie Lingfeng's solemn expression and words. She walked to Nie Lingfeng's side, gently took his hand, and said nothing, but the support and companionship in her eyes were self-evident.

Nie Lingfeng smiled at her, tightened his grip on her hand, and then turned his gaze back to the stone platform and the area beneath it.

"Now, let's see what Senior Bu left us, and... what has become of that 'big guy' below?"

(To be continued) (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧