After being chosen by the Ice Queen

"The imitation sword of Remnant Snow".

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat. She really did know, and she had investigated thoroughly. He remained calm: "What do I need to do?"

Chiba Rin smiled slightly, "It's simple. Let me see how much strength you have left after you recover from your injuries."

She stood up and walked straight to the relatively open gravel area on one side of the courtyard.

Gu Yan picked up the modified bamboo sword that was leaning against the door.

Chiba Rin unsheathed the short sword with a chrysanthemum pattern from his waist, but did not draw it, only keeping the scabbard facing him.

"Give it your all."

Gu Yan took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and cleared his mind of distractions. He adopted a simple and unadorned middle stance.

Without warning, Gu Yan made the first move! He stepped forward, his bamboo sword flashing like lightning, aiming not at Chiba Rin's vitals, but at her wrist holding the scabbard. A probe, and also an attack on her vulnerable spot.

A glint of surprise flashed in Chiba Rin's eyes. Instead of retreating, she advanced, her wrist twisting slightly, and the scabbard shot out like a nimble snake, striking first despite being behind, with a crisp "snap" that precisely intercepted the bamboo sword at the front third of its length.

Gu Yan felt a subtle force from the sword, deflecting his thrust. He smoothly lowered his wrist, the bamboo sword drawing a half-arc, changing from a thrust to a slash, diagonally cutting upwards at Chiba Rin's ribs. The transition was fluid and seamless.

Chiba Rin slightly shifted her body, easily dodging the attack. At the same time, her scabbard delivered a swift and concise downward slash, aiming directly at Gu Yan's arm, which was slightly raised as he raised his sword. The strike was powerful and heavy, accompanied by the sound of wind being cut.

Gu Yan dared not take the blow head-on, and quickly retreated, pulling back his bamboo sword to parry. "Bang!" The scabbard and the bamboo sword clashed, and Gu Yan's arm trembled as he felt the powerful force transmitted through the scabbard.

Chiba Rin stepped back, stopping short of a direct confrontation.

"Solid foundation, decent reflexes, but rigid in actual combat, lacking in killing intent, and somewhat lacking in stamina. However..." She looked Gu Yan up and down, "but he's good enough."

Gu Yan calmed his breathing and put away the bamboo sword.

"You need a real weapon." Chiba Rin turned and walked into the house. "Come with me somewhere first thing tomorrow morning."

"where?"

"Go to the mountains and find a stubborn old man." Chiba Rin picked up the slightly cooled tea and drank it all in one gulp.

"Daodaozhai".

The next morning.

A black sedan drove out of the city and into the rolling mountains on the edge of the Kanto region. The road became increasingly rugged and narrow, and at the end of the mountain road appeared a small, somewhat old-fashioned tavern.

The signboard was crooked, and the lettering was blurry. Pushing open the slightly heavy wooden door, a whiff of sake and cooked food wafted out.

The rough wooden bar counter still bore some scratches and water stains, and several bar stools were placed in front of it. On the wall behind the bar counter hung a striking calligraphy plaque with four large characters written in a vigorous and flowing style: "Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death".

Hanging to the side is an old-fashioned clock and a faded ukiyo-e print.

An old man, dressed in loose white clothes and with a white headscarf wrapped around his head, sat with his back turned to the side, holding up an open newspaper.

Hearing the door open and footsteps, the man didn't turn around, but just waved the newspaper in his hand.

"We're closed for the day, and there's not much wine left. If you're lost, I can give you directions. If..." The newspaper turned another page, "If you're here to have an old man like me forge knives, then please leave. I've long since retired from that tiring and exhausting business."

Gu Yan and Qianye Lin exchanged a glance.

Chiba Rin stepped forward, his voice cold: "Old Master Totosai, it's been years, and you're still as impolite as ever. No need for forging swords, how about we catch up, or at least have a drink?"

A soft, ambiguous hum came from behind the newspaper: "Chiba's little girl... and a new face." He finally put down the newspaper slowly and turned around.

"Reminisce? What old times could we possibly reminisce about? It's just that your father had me forge a few knives back then, and that favor has long been repaid." Daodaozhai took out two small cups from under the bar, then picked up a ceramic sake pot, poured himself two cups of sake, and pushed them to the edge of the bar. "Drink up, then leave."

His attitude was cold and direct, conveying a sense of keeping people at arm's length.

Gu Yan didn't touch his wine glass, but went straight to the point: "Senior, we've come here without permission mainly to inquire about, or... borrow, something from you." He paused, then said the name, "A knife called 'Remnant Snow Imitation.' I heard that many years ago, someone pawned it to you."

"The Remnant Snow Imitation?" Dao Dao Zhai paused slightly in his pouring of wine, his bright eyes narrowing, his gaze sharpening like a knife as it swept across Gu Yan's face. "What do you want with that knife?"

"I was entrusted with this task because it was also something I needed personally," Gu Yan said frankly.

Daodaosai stared at Gu Yan for a long time, then looked at Qianye Lin, suddenly threw down the hammer, walked to an old water vat, scooped up a ladle of water and poured it over his head, then wiped his face. He then walked to the corner of the shed and began rummaging through a dilapidated wooden box piled with miscellaneous items.

A moment later, he returned carrying a long, sheathed sword. The sheath was made of simple ebony, without any decoration, yet it exuded an ancient and heavy aura.

"Here, is this it?" Daodaozhai handed the sword to Gu Yan, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Many years ago, it was a piece of pawn left here by a down-on-his-luck samurai, who said he would come back to collect it one day, but he never showed up again. I kept it to study because of its unique forging technique. It's a good sword, but..." He hesitated, then stopped.

Gu Yan took the knife. It was heavy in his hand, and the cold touch followed the scabbard. He slowly drew the knife from its sheath.

The blade wasn't the usual bright white or indigo, but a strange grayish-white, as if the first snow of winter had been frozen in. The edge had faint, fine lines, like cracks in ice, swirling with a chilling light. Just as the blade was fully drawn, the mark on Gu Yan's chest suddenly heated up.

Almost simultaneously, a system notification sounded in his mind:

[A highly compatible inheritance carrier has been detected—'Ming Canxue·Imitation' (Rare).]

[Special aura and fragments of inheritance detected within the blade... Analyzing...]

[WARNING: The carrier energy structure is unstable!]

[A usable legacy has been discovered: 'The Shadow of Yamata no Orochi' (Mythological Side/Incomplete)... Shall we attempt to access and absorb it?]

Gu Yan was shocked. Yamata no Orochi?! A famous monster from Japanese mythology. No wonder the system mission required him to "awaken the dormant spirit within it."

Without hesitation, he silently repeated in his mind, "Yes, I will try to make contact."

The next moment, something unexpected happened.

The remaining snow blade in his hand trembled violently, emitting a low hum, and the ice cracks on its surface suddenly glowed with an eerie purple light. An ancient, violent, resentful, and ominous aura surged forth from the blade like a volcanic eruption!

"What?!" Daodaosai's expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously took a step back.

Chiba Rin also gripped the short sword at his waist instantly, his eyes sharp.

The purplish-black aura condensed and twisted above the blade, vaguely forming a multi-headed serpentine shadow that emitted a silent roar. However, the shadow was extremely unstable, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Gu Yan felt an intense burning sensation on the mark on his chest. The dormant Candle Yin energy within him seemed to be stimulated in some way, causing it to fluctuate slightly. Immediately afterward, an invisible suction force emanated from him, not targeting the blade, but directly acting on the purplish-black aura and the more hidden inherited information contained within it.