Chapter 15: You Wange
As soon as he lay down on the bed, Franklin sank into a deep sleep. In a daze, he found himself once again back in the forest where he used to practice swordsmanship — only this time, he was watching the scene from a third-person perspective, observing the two figures who had just arrived there.
At first, everything looked exactly as it did in his memory. But when the Franklin within the forest closed his eyes to delve into the Way of the Sword and attempted to establish a connection with his Guardian Sword, everything began to change.
At the beginning, his movements were clumsy and childlike, his swings weak and inexperienced. But then, a hazy white mist slowly spread out from the Guardian Sword and enveloped him. In that instant, he seemed to transform into an entirely different person — his sword strikes grew sharp and powerful, each movement radiating overwhelming strength.
The sleeping Franklin wanted to step closer and observe carefully, but soon realized he couldn't move — he couldn't even twitch a finger. Bewildered, he eventually stopped struggling and returned his focus to observing and learning.
The Franklin in the forest now moved like a serpent, swift and fluid, or like a hawk darting between the branches. The blade in his hand never touched a single tree, yet wherever he passed, the towering trunks split cleanly and toppled one after another, their cut surfaces as smooth as mirrors.
Franklin stared at the sight, utterly stunned. He could hardly believe that this was something he had done earlier that day. But just as confusion welled up inside him, a clear, gentle female voice answered the question forming in his mind:
"No, Young Master Lin, you have not yet reached the Sword Qi Realm. With my assistance, you merely brushed against its threshold. There is still a significant bottleneck before you can truly step into it."
The sudden voice snapped Franklin out of his trance. He turned toward the sound, and there — though he wasn't sure when she had appeared — stood a breathtakingly beautiful woman beside him. She had long white hair, crimson eyes, pointed elven ears, and wore a flowing white gauze dress. Her face looked like it had been painted by an immortal's hand.
Her appearance stirred a deep sense of familiarity in Franklin, though he couldn't recall where he had ever seen someone with such striking white hair and red eyes before.
"Who are you? Why are you appearing in my dream?"
The woman smiled softly, and that smile was so enchanting that Franklin nearly lost himself in it.
"Who am I? My, Young Master, how forgetful you are. You've been trying all day to establish a connection with me — and now that you've truly met me, you want to shy away?
As for appearing in your dream, you're mistaken. It was you who barged into my consciousness. Now you're accusing me of intrusion? I won't accept that."
Franklin was half-convinced by her explanation, but since he was completely immobilized, there was little else he could do.
"You said I was trying to connect with you earlier… Are you the spirit of the Guardian Sword?"
The white-haired woman gave a slight nod, circling him with an appraising gaze.
"Not bad… but your cultivation realm is still a bit shallow, and your body lacks strength — likely because you haven't undergone the tempering of real combat. With more battles, you'll improve greatly."
After assessing his condition, she looked back into Franklin's eyes and held his gaze. "Young Master Lin, you wish to form a bond with me. Are you truly certain about this?"
The question puzzled Franklin. Whether she was telling the truth or not, her words were confusing.
"What do you mean by that? Are there downsides to forming a bond with you?"
She shook her head slightly. The light smile on her face faded, replaced by a trace of sorrow.
"There are no real downsides. But if you do form a bond with me, you must be prepared to take responsibility for me. I was once the guardian of the Elven Continent, but I was betrayed and ambushed, my cultivation plummeted, and I lost even the ability to maintain my physical form.
If not for being sealed within the Dimensional Heavenly Tome, I would have perished along with the Elven Continent. If Young Master is willing to promise that once you achieve sufficient power, you will traverse time and space to help save the Elven Continent from its catastrophe, then I would have no objection to acknowledging you as my master."
Franklin's mind was filled with question marks. "What do you mean by 'traverse time and space'? Are you saying it's possible to change the past — and rewrite the future?"
"I do not know that part," she admitted. "I only know that you are the only one capable of this. As long as you promise that once you have the strength, you will save the Elven Continent, I will devote myself entirely to assisting you in mastering the Way of the Sword and helping you defeat all enemies who stand in your path."
Though the white-haired woman was stunningly beautiful — almost heavenly — and her expression was indeed pitiful, Franklin was not a man who thought with his lower body. He shook his head and rejected her outright.
"You don't even know the details yourself. How can I make a choice under such uncertainty?
You want me to casually agree to a promise filled with unknown dangers and questionable feasibility — that's not fair to me. Please allow me to refuse."
The woman froze, clearly not expecting such a response.
"Young Master Lin, what do you mean by that? Are you saying… you won't agree?"
Franklin's expression remained calm. "I'm sorry, but agreeing against my conscience would be irresponsible to both of us. All I can say is this: if you're willing to fully support me, then when I truly gain the power you speak of, I will not disappoint your expectations.
Only when I know more will I be able to make the right decision. Imagine this: if you knew nothing and I promised you right now, would you truly trust me? Even if you did, wouldn't you doubt it later?
So making a hasty agreement before understanding the situation would be irresponsible to us both. If your condition for forming a bond is that I must first agree to help you, then I must refuse."
Her expression softened at his words, regaining its previous calm and elegance.
"I understand your thoughts, Young Master Lin. You are right — I was too forceful. One must act cautiously. If I had been as cautious as you are now, things might never have come to this.
Even if you don't trust me enough to decide now, I trust your character. I will officially recognize you as my master. Please, do not betray that trust. My true name is You Wange — Young Master Lin, do remember it."
As her words fell, the white-haired woman dissolved into wisps of white mist that surged into Franklin's body. The mist coursed through him before finally converging in his dantian, where it transformed into the Guardian Sword.
At the same time, a mysterious sword-shaped sigil appeared on the back of Franklin's right hand. Once everything was over, he could feel a powerful and stable bond forming between himself and the Guardian Sword. Several lines of information floated before his eyes:
Guardian Sword · First Encounter (Green · Supreme) (Upgradeable)
True Name: You Wange
Status: Acknowledged Franklin as master
Growth: 100% → 0%
Origin: Elven Continent
Race: Sword Spirit
Equipment Requirement: 100% Soul Compatibility
Soul Compatibility: 100%
Overall Combat Power: 50–300 (Exact value depends on wielder's overall strength and compatibility)
After reading the Guardian Sword's introduction, Franklin exhaled deeply. You Wange's decisiveness and complete trust in his character moved him deeply. Would he truly have the power to save the Elven Continent one day? He didn't know.
"You Wange, now that the bond is formed… What exactly is my bottleneck? How can I break through it?"
"That, I cannot tell you — not yet. It's something you must comprehend on your own. If I were to explain it now, you would have no hope of reaching the Sword Qi Realm in the near future."
Her clear, gentle voice echoed in his mind, leaving Franklin helpless.
Just then, Mikan's voice called out by his ear. Franklin's eyes flew open, and he found her face right in front of his. He cleared his throat softly.
"No need to fuss. I didn't have that dream this time."
Mikan, who had just been about to climb onto the bed, flushed slightly. "Breakfast is ready, big brother. Hurry up."
After breakfast, Franklin set off for school as usual. But now that his cultivation had advanced, even the familiar streets around him seemed to carry a fresh, unfamiliar feeling.
"Franklin?"
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