I Was Reincarnated As A Sword Spirit

The forest was silent.

The once-arrogant cultivators lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies shaking from the immense pressure that had nearly crushed their souls. They dared not move, dared not even breathe too loudly—for the being before them was something beyond their comprehension.

Yao Yan stood amidst the wreckage he had wrought, his golden eyes flickering like a dying sun. He had barely exerted any power, yet these weaklings had nearly lost their will to live.

Pathetic.

With a flick of his sleeve, an invisible force sent them tumbling further back. His expression remained indifferent as he spoke.

"Leave," he commanded.

The men scrambled to their feet, their eyes filled with terror as they bolted into the depths of the forest, not daring to look back.

And then, silence.

Yao Yan turned slowly, his gaze landing on the girl who still held the sword—his sword.

Li Qing'er.

Her white hair shimmered under the moonlight, her violet eyes locked onto him in a mixture of shock and curiosity.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then—

"Who… are you?" Qing'er finally asked, gripping the sword tightly.

Yao Yan smirked. "Didn't I already tell you?" He raised an eyebrow. "I am your sword."

Qing'er's breath hitched.

"That doesn't make sense!" she said, shaking her head. "How can a sword have a human form? And why were you inside it?"

Yao Yan sighed, crossing his arms.

"I suppose it's only natural for you to be confused," he said lazily. "After all, not many can claim their sword is a former Emperor."

Qing'er froze.

Emperor?

She had heard countless legends of cultivators who had reached the Emperor Realm, beings who stood above the world itself. And yet… how could such a being be trapped inside a mere weapon?

Yao Yan watched her reaction carefully before stepping closer. His voice softened, the arrogance momentarily fading.

"Listen well, girl," he said. "Ten years ago, I was betrayed and killed. But instead of vanishing into nothingness, my soul was bound to this sword. When you became my master, our fates were linked."

He glanced at the blade in her hand.

"For the past few days, I have been watching you. Training with me, wielding me… I could feel your determination." He smirked. "And since you are my master, I suppose I should protect you."

Qing'er struggled to process his words. A former Emperor… her sword… her protector?

It all felt too surreal.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. If he had truly been watching, then…

"Then why didn't you say anything earlier?" she demanded. "Why wait until now?"

Yao Yan shrugged. "I didn't think you needed to know."

Qing'er's eye twitched.

"Didn't need to—" She exhaled sharply, clenching her fists.

This man… no, this spirit… was frustrating beyond belief!

"You were inside my sword all this time, watching me struggle in training, and you never once thought to help?"

Yao Yan chuckled. "You wouldn't have believed me if I had."

Qing'er opened her mouth to argue—then stopped.

…He wasn't wrong.

If the sword had suddenly started speaking to her one day, she probably would have thrown it away in terror.

Still—that didn't mean she forgave him.

She shot him a glare. "So what now? Are you going to keep hiding inside the sword, or do you plan to stay like this?"

Yao Yan tilted his head, considering her words.

"That's the interesting part," he mused. "I was bound to the sword, unable to leave. But after saving you just now… I realized something."

He held out his hand, staring at his fingers as if marveling at them.

"I can exist outside the sword. Freely."

Qing'er's eyes widened.

"You mean—?"

Yao Yan nodded. "It seems my connection to you is what allows it. As long as you are my master, I can stay in this form… just like any normal human."

Qing'er stared at him for a long moment before sighing.

"Great. Just what I needed. A former Emperor following me around."

Yao Yan smirked. "Careful, girl. If I didn't know better, I'd say you weren't grateful for my protection."

Qing'er rolled her eyes.

"I never asked for a sword spirit, let alone one with an attitude."

Yao Yan simply chuckled. "Well, too bad. You have me now. Whether you like it or not."

Qing'er groaned, rubbing her temples. What had she gotten herself into?

But deep down, she knew—her life had changed forever.

And this was only the beginning.