From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

"You've probably seen 'his' recorded image by now," the old man said as they walked a bit further.

"Mm." Lin Luoluo responded calmly. She could sense that the old man bore no ill will toward her.

"All of these items, you can choose from," the old man said with a mysterious smile. "But you can only take one."

With a wave of his hand, several swords floated into the air, hovering in front of Lin Luoluo.

"So many S-Rank weapons!?" Ye Fan was astonished, his eyes filled with surprise.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that there were indeed many swords suspended before Lin Luoluo.

"If I could shatter all of these S-Rank weapons, the Evolution Points gained would be incredible… I could evolve immediately!" Ye Fan thought excitedly.

"Which one will you choose?" the old man asked with a smile.

Lin Luoluo shook her head. She didn't need any of these weapons. The Soul Severing Sword in her hand was already the best weapon for her.

"Hm, the weapon in your hand is indeed extraordinary," the old man said with a knowing smile, seemingly unsurprised by her decision.

"I won't keep you in suspense. In this secret realm, you've proven to be the strongest and most talented among the young warriors. You've also inherited the legacy of that legendary figure. Therefore, this item belongs to you."

With a flick of his wrist, a crystalline, translucent robe floated before Lin Luoluo.

"This is…" Lin Luoluo's eyes filled with surprise as she gazed at the garment. It was not like any ordinary battle attire—beyond its stunning beauty, she could feel the immense power emanating from it.

"This is the Celestial Feather Garment," the old man said, stroking his beard with a smile. "It's an SS-Rank piece of equipment."

SS-Rank!?

Upon hearing the old man's words, Lin Luoluo's expression shifted slightly.

"Whoa! SS-Rank!?" Even Ye Fan was stunned. This was the first time he had ever seen something SS-Rank.

Just by looking at it, Ye Fan could feel the overwhelming power radiating from the Celestial Feather Garment.

"This item was passed down by the master of this secret realm," the old man explained, still stroking his beard. "Only someone young and exceptionally talented would be worthy of receiving it."

As the old man spoke, Lin Luoluo gazed at the Celestial Feather Garment, her eyes reflecting awe. She instinctively reached out to touch the floating robe.

The moment her fingers brushed against it, a blinding light flashed. Lin Luoluo immediately felt a sharp pain in her fingertip. A small droplet of blood appeared, flowing directly into the SS-Rank garment.

"Blood-binding ritual?" Ye Fan remarked in surprise, witnessing the scene for the first time.

In the next moment, the Celestial Feather Garment flew toward Lin Luoluo, adorning her automatically. Once it was on, it appeared to be a simple, elegant robe. Its white fabric was adorned with faint, intricate patterns.

"I thought it would continue glowing like before," Ye Fan commented with a sigh of relief. "But this is better—beautiful without drawing too much attention."

"It's an SS-Rank armor. Most of the time, it looks like regular clothing," the old man explained. "But during battle, you'll see what makes it special."

"Thank you," Lin Luoluo said politely, her gaze respectful. She could sense that this old man was no ordinary person. Even though he was only an energy form, his strength was undeniable.

"Well, it's time for all of you to leave. This secret realm has been thoroughly explored and damaged. Who knows how long it will take before it opens again?" the old man said. "However, with your strength, I doubt you'll need to return here in the future. I hope you meet that person in the divine realm someday."

As the old man waved his hand, Lin Luoluo and the other warriors began to fade, their bodies disintegrating like grains of sand blown away by the wind. Everything went dark in Ye Fan's vision.

"That girl's potential is remarkable," the old man mused as Lin Luoluo disappeared. His expression became serious. "It seems the Divine Lan Continent will soon be plunged into chaos. And that sword… even I don't know who created it."

He glanced at the Soul Severing Sword with a frown before shaking his head. "Oh well, it's not something this old man in the secret realm can concern himself with."

With a thought, the secret realm began to slowly rebuild itself.

…

"We're out."

Ye Fan realized that they had returned to the base of White Dragon Mountain. Lin Luoluo also breathed a sigh of relief. The moment of total darkness had been unsettling.

She gripped the hilt of her Soul Severing Sword and looked down at the Celestial Feather Garment she was now wearing. A rare, pleased smile appeared on her face.

This journey into the secret realm had brought her tremendous growth. Not only had she inherited the experiences of a powerful Martial Saint, but she had also absorbed immense energy and obtained this powerful armor.

At that moment, several Martial Masters approached from a distance.

"Hm?" Ye Fan noticed the situation. "Are they coming to cause trouble?"

"No, that's unlikely," he concluded. After what Lin Luoluo had displayed in the secret realm—killing so many Martial Masters—anyone foolish enough to challenge her now would be courting death. But if they did, it would be an opportunity for more Evolution Points.

"Hello."

Contrary to Ye Fan's expectations, the Martial Masters greeted Lin Luoluo respectfully.

"What do you want?" Lin Luoluo's cold gaze swept over them.

Though she looked no older than seventeen, the challenges she had faced had matured her far beyond her years.