Chapter 14: The swordsman’s inheritance

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The swordsman’s inheritance

"It’s fascinating, isn’t it?"

Chen Yuan casually asked from the side as the two watched Chen Haoran struggle against the overwhelming pressure.

"To think that will alone could carry you much farther than strength ever could, when, for our entire lives, we have always believed the opposite."

Qingxue heard this, but she did not respond immediately.

Her eyes remained fixed on her husband’s figure in the distance, her hands subconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes as she silently watched Chen Haoran’s trembling figure continue to resist the immense pressure.

"But I don’t like seeing him push himself this far."

Chen Yuan glanced at her. A faint smile then appeared on his face.

"So, beneath that everyday frosty face of yours, you actually do care about your husband, little girl?"

Qingxue froze, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks as if she had just been caught red-handed.

"W-what are you talking about?"

She hurriedly turned her face away, gritting her teeth as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"I-I only care because of Yue’er! I-if something happens to him, Yue’er would be the one who suffers!"

Chen Yuan’s smile widened.

"Is that so?"

"Of course!"

Qingxue answered far too quickly.

Chen Yuan simply stroked his beard, his expression amused, which only made her feel even more embarrassed.

She realized that her explanation had only made things worse.

Near the sword, Chen Haoran remained within the third layer. The immense pressure surrounding him continued to bear down upon his body.

Even standing still felt extraordinarily difficult.

His gaze lowered toward his feet. Then, slowly, he lifted one foot forward.

His leg trembled violently in midair.

Just one step...

He gritted his teeth and forced his foot forward.

The instant it landed, the pressure surrounding him surged like a rushing tide.

Boom!

Chen Haoran’s entire body shook again, his knees nearly buckling beneath the mountain-like pressure. He hurriedly circulated the spiritual energy within his body to stabilize himself.

This time, he remained in place for nearly an hour.

His breathing gradually became steadier as he circulated the spiritual energy within his body, recovering from the earlier strain.

Once he felt that his body had regained sufficient strength, Chen Haoran slowly raised his head.

The ancient sword was still ahead.

It seemed so close.

He clenched his hands tightly.

One... more... step.

He lifted his foot and stepped forward.

The same pressure descended again, almost doubling in heaviness.

Boom!

He did not immediately attempt another step. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused on regulating his breathing.

Half an hour passed before he finally moved again.

This time, he took another step.

His foot landed heavily against the cave floor.

Crack!

A faint crack appeared beneath his foot, and Chen Haoran’s expression tightened considerably.

He continued to endure.

Another hour passed.

Then two hours.

The longer he remained within the third layer, the more difficult each subsequent step became.

Yet neither Chen Yuan nor Qingxue urged him to continue.

They simply waited on the side, patiently watching his struggle.

Neither of them spoke, understanding that this was something Chen Haoran had to overcome himself.

Another two hours passed before Chen Haoran finally opened his eyes.

His heavy breathing was evident, and his body was drenched in sweat.

He repeated the same process.

He took one step forward, endured the immense pressure that gradually increased in intensity, and then rested before attempting the next.

Chen Yuan watched everything from behind.

There were actually two reasons why he had allowed Chen Haoran to attempt the test.

The first was obvious.

He wanted to see whether Chen Haoran would be able to obtain an inheritance technique from the sword.

After all, Chen Haoran was a swordsman who had spent many years cultivating along this path.

Perhaps the inheritance would recognize something within him.

The second reason was that Chen Yuan wanted someone else to witness the evidence.

He wanted to see whether having another person witness the inheritance test could increase its credibility without requiring him to fabricate another piece of evidence entirely.

If it was possible, then he would immediately arrange for the first inheritance test among the other clan members the following month.

The sooner Chen Feng could be manifested into the real world, the better.

With Chen Feng’s strength, Chen Yuan could use his existence to further increase the Chen Family’s overall strength.

However, before that could happen, Chen Yuan needed to know whether his theory was feasible or not.

His gaze remained on Chen Haoran.

The patriarch was still standing within the third layer, his body trembling beneath the pressure.

He had already taken several steps forward, though each one required an increasingly longer period of rest in between.

Chen Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

If I’m not careful, the next step might cost him his life.

Chen Haoran felt weak throughout his entire body.

His arms trembled, and his legs were already nearing their limit.

But he still had not given up.

He turned his gaze toward the stone platform and silently measured the distance in his head.

I’m already one meter in. Just two more to go.

He slowly raised his foot.

At the same time, Qingxue’s expression tightened as she watched from behind.

Chen Haoran moved his foot forward.

The instant it crossed another threshold—

Boom!

An overwhelming force, unlike anything he had endured before, came crashing down upon him like an avalanche.

Chen Haoran’s pupils contracted.

The smell of death wafted into his nose.

"What?"

A muffled groan escaped his mouth subconsciously.

His body stiffened as though an invisible mountain range had crashed down upon him.

His face turned bloodshot, and the veins across his neck bulged prominently.

His knees began to bend rapidly as he desperately circulated the remaining spiritual energy within his body, trying to resist the ocean-like pressure.

But this time...

It was too much.

Too much!

Chen Haoran groaned inwardly.

The spiritual energy within his dantian surged desperately against the terrifying pressure pressing down upon him.

Yet the moment he tried to circulate it, he felt as though he had thrown himself against an unshakable mountain.

The pressure was simply too overwhelming.

Even the hope he had held onto earlier was gradually turning into despair.

His bones creaked.

His muscles strained under the immense force.

Blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

"Haoran!"

Qingxue’s expression changed.

Chen Haoran’s vision blurred.

The ancient sword in the distance became indistinct, while his hearing gradually began to fade.

Even the sound of his own breathing seemed to grow farther and farther away.

What is this?

Then, he saw something.

But before he could process what was happening, Chen Yuan had already acted.

"That’s enough for now."

He casually raised his hand.

Whoosh!

An overwhelming surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body and instantly enveloped Chen Haoran’s entire figure.

Almost immediately, the terrifying pressure surrounding Chen Haoran was forcibly cleaved apart, and Chen Yuan’s spiritual energy pulled his body away.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Haoran was dragged out of the third layer and appeared beside the two.

His legs gave way first, and Qingxue hurriedly caught him, supporting his body against hers.

"Haoran!"

She looked at him anxiously.

Chen Haoran’s face was completely bloodshot.

The veins on his forehead and neck were still bulging, while sweat covered his entire body.

Blood remained at the corners of his mouth, and several faint streaks could still be seen beneath his ears.

"Are you alright?"

Qingxue’s voice trembled slightly.

Chen Haoran struggled to catch his breath.

His entire body felt as though it had been crushed beneath a mountain, as if everything inside his flesh had been broken into pieces.

Yet despite his condition, he suddenly smiled.

A foolish smile that immediately earned the anger of the woman beside him.

Qingxue stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you smiling about?!"

"You nearly died, Haoran! Stop smiling like that, or else I will gouge your eyes out tonight!"

Her voice carried both anger and worry.

"You pushed yourself too far!"

Chen Haoran lowered his head slightly, still trying to regulate his breathing.

Then Chen Yuan’s calm voice came from the side.

"Did you see something?"

Chen Haoran’s breathing paused.

He slowly raised his head.

A smile appeared across his exhausted face.

"I got it, Ancestor."

Qingxue blinked.

"You got it?"

Chen Haoran suddenly laughed.

The laughter caused pain to spread throughout his body, making him grimace slightly, but the excitement in his eyes did not diminish.

"Yes."

"Just before I lost consciousness, I saw something."

Chen Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"What did you see?"

Chen Haoran looked toward the ancient sword embedded within the stone platform.

His expression gradually became solemn.

"It wasn’t the same as Yue’er’s."

"I saw a mountain."

His voice was still weak, but every word carried unmistakable excitement.

"A massive mountain stood beneath the heavens."

"Then, from high above the clouds, a huge crane descended."

Chen Haoran paused, trying to recall every detail of the vision.

"At first, I thought it was simply a crane."

"But when it reached the mountain..."

His eyes widened.

"It suddenly transformed."

"Countless wind blades erupted from its body and descended upon the mountain like a storm."

Chen Haoran’s breathing quickened slightly.

"The mountain was completely covered by them."

"Everywhere I looked, there were wind blades."

"They struck the mountain again and again until..."

He swallowed.

"The entire mountain was flattened."

Chen Yuan remained silent.

Chen Haoran’s hands tightened unconsciously.

"It wasn’t just a sword strike."

"It was as though the entire sky had turned into a blade."

Qingxue stared at him.

She could hardly imagine such a scene.

Chen Haoran then looked toward Chen Yuan, his exhausted expression unable to conceal the excitement in his eyes.

"I understood it."

"I understood the technique."

Chen Yuan’s eyes flickered.

"What grade?"

Chen Haoran grinned.

"A second-grade peak sword technique."

His voice became slightly louder despite his weakened state.

"The inheritance of Ancestor Chen Feng."

He laughed again.

"I learned it!"

Chen Haoran was so excited that he almost jumped on the spot despite his injuries.

Chen Yuan shook his head slightly when he saw the excitement on Chen Haoran’s face.

"Don’t get too excited."

His gaze fell upon the blood still lingering around Chen Haoran’s mouth.

"Your injuries have yet to stabilize. If you continue moving around like this, you might worsen them."

Chen Haoran immediately calmed himself.

He glanced down at his own condition before giving an embarrassed smile.

"You’re right, Ancestor."

He then turned toward Chen Yuan and bowed his head deeply.

"Thank you, Ancestor."

"If it weren’t for you giving me this opportunity, I would never have been able to obtain such an inheritance."

Chen Haoran’s voice carried genuine gratitude.

"This opportunity is something I will never forget."

He bowed again.

"Thank you, Ancestor."

Chen Yuan waved his hand dismissively.

"There’s no need to thank me repeatedly."

"Your ability to obtain the inheritance was ultimately due to your own efforts."

Chen Haoran shook his head.

"Even so, without you bringing us here, I wouldn’t have even known that such an inheritance existed."

He looked toward the ancient sword in the distance, his eyes filled with excitement.

"I truly don’t know how I can repay you."

Before Chen Yuan could respond, Qingxue’s voice came from the side.

"Repay him?"

Chen Haoran’s body stiffened.

Qingxue’s eyes were slightly red.

"You should be thinking about how to recover from your injuries first!"

Her voice trembled slightly.

"You nearly collapsed in there!"

"If Ancestor hadn’t pulled you out, who knows what would have happened to you, you idiot!"

Chen Haoran lowered his head.

"I..."

"And you still have the courage to smile!"

Qingxue wiped the corner of her eye.

The tears that had gathered there were impossible to conceal any longer.

Seeing this, Chen Haoran immediately felt guilty.

"Qingxue..."

"Don’t Qingxue me!"

She turned her face away, clearly trying to hide the tears in her eyes.

"You were reckless."

Chen Haoran remained silent.

He knew she was right.

After all, he had pushed himself far beyond what his body could withstand simply because he refused to give up.

Seeing his wife’s expression, Chen Haoran’s excitement from obtaining the inheritance gradually faded.

"I’m sorry."

His voice softened.

"I didn’t mean to make you worry."

Qingxue did not answer.

She simply wiped away her tears while glaring at him.

Chen Yuan watched the two from the side with an amused expression.

Love truly is beautiful.

He mulled over the thought silently but did not intend to interfere.

Instead, he silently opened the system panel as a familiar translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

[Heavenly Ancestor Maker System]

[Current Fictional Template]

[Name: Chen Feng]

[Title: Swordsman of the Leaf]

[Current Story Credibility: 70%]

[Family Trust Value: 6261]

[Requirement for manifestation: 100% Credibility + 10,000 Family Trust Value.]

Chen Yuan’s eyes paused on the third line.

It increased.

A faint trace of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

Previously, the credibility had been lower.

Now, after Chen Haoran successfully obtained the inheritance and witnessed the sword technique himself, the credibility had risen to seventy percent.

He also observed Qingxue when she underwent the test, but it seemed that failure did not provide any increase in credibility whatsoever.

This confirmed Chen Yuan’s theory.

The inheritance test was indeed capable of increasing Chen Feng’s credibility.

And more importantly...

If I arrange for more members of the Chen Family to witness the inheritance, the credibility should continue to rise.

His gaze flickered.

The sooner he reached one hundred percent, the sooner Chen Feng could be manifested into the real world.

As for the Family Trust Value, there was still quite a distance to go.

But Chen Yuan was not particularly concerned.

The Chen Family was growing steadily.

As long as he continued strengthening the family and establishing Chen Feng’s existence in the eyes of its members, the two requirements would eventually be fulfilled.

However, there was no reason to wait.

I should begin the inheritance tests earlier.

The more people who witness it, the faster the credibility will increase.

Chen Yuan closed the system panel.

He looked toward Chen Haoran.

"Haoran."

Chen Haoran immediately straightened his posture.

"Ancestor?"

"Tomorrow morning, gather every member of the Chen Family in front of the main hall. Every single one of them, without exception."

Chen Haoran’s expression became slightly serious.

"Every member?"

"Yes."

Chen Yuan nodded.

"There is something important I want to declare."

Chen Haoran’s eyes flickered.

He seemed to vaguely guess what Chen Yuan was planning.

After all, he had just obtained an inheritance from Ancestor Chen Feng himself.

If Chen Yuan intended to allow other members of the family to test the ancient sword...

The thought alone made his heart stir.

But Chen Haoran did not ask.

He simply nodded respectfully.

"Understood, Ancestor."

"I’ll make the arrangements."

Chen Yuan nodded.

"Good."

He then glanced at Qingxue.

"Take care of him tonight. His injuries aren’t serious, but this little clown might jump around too much and hurt himself more."

Qingxue immediately nodded.

"Yes, Ancestor. I will make sure to take care of him closely."

Chen Haoran gave an awkward smile.

Chen Yuan looked at the two before casually raising his hand.

A surge of spiritual energy silently enveloped their bodies.

Before either of them could react—

Whoosh!

Their surroundings blurred.

The next instant, the two found themselves standing outside the entrance of the ancestral grounds.

Chen Haoran looked around in surprise.

They had already been transported several hundred meters away without realizing it.

Qingxue was similarly stunned.

She looked back toward the entrance.

"Ancestor..."

Her voice was filled with amazement.

Chen Haoran’s expression became solemn.

The strength Ancestor Chen Yuan displayed continued to exceed everything he had previously imagined.

Deep within the ancestral grounds, Chen Yuan stood alone beneath the quiet night sky.

He looked toward the distant stone platform where the sword rested.

His eyes were calm, yet a faint smile slowly appeared upon his face.

Tomorrow will be the beginning of something new.

The Chen Family has remained obscure for far too long.

Chen Yuan stroked his beard.

"It is time..."

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"...for the rise of my Chen Family."