I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

[Northwest Theater Command, temporary command tent at the front line]

A deathly silence.

Outside the tent, the wind and sand lashed against the canvas, making a crackling sound, but inside, a dozen high-ranking officers with general's stars on their shoulders stared intently at the replay on the large screen, like clay sculptures.

The footage lasts only thirty seconds.

That was a first-person perspective transmitted from the special forces soldier's helmet camera.

"roll."

As that aged voice rang out, the screen shook violently. Then, what happened next was a scene no one can forget—

The dense hail of bullets hovered in mid-air, then fell to the ground in unison, like subjects meeting their king, making a series of crisp "clanging" sounds.

The final shot focuses on the dark figure sitting cross-legged atop the Sword Mountain, his eyes burning with ghostly flames.

"Smack."

Zhao Feng pressed the pause button. The image froze on those deep blue eyes.

"Everyone saw it."

Zhao Feng's voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of undisguised fatigue. "This isn't movie special effects, nor is it a holographic projection. This is a real battle report from ten minutes ago, which took place deep in the Taklamakan Desert."

"Lei Dagang's reconnaissance company was the sharpest weapon in the entire military region. But in front of that... 'thing,' they didn't even have the right to fire a shot."

An elderly general with gray hair slowly took off his reading glasses and tremblingly wiped them: "The laws of physics... have failed?"

"Kinetic energy disappeared, and gravity was abnormal." Professor Wang Jianguo, who was sitting next to him, also looked dejected. "According to calculations, the bullets encountered an extremely high-frequency magnetic field oscillation the moment they entered the 'Sword Tomb' area. This oscillation... even changed the molecular structure of the metal."

Professor Wang took a deep breath and threw out a conclusion that everyone found absurd:

"Simply put, in that area, Newton's word doesn't count. It's the 'man' sitting on the sword who has the final say."

The meeting room fell silent once again.

For modern armies accustomed to using overwhelming firepower to resolve all fears, this is the ultimate nightmare.

He said one sentence.

Zhao Feng pointed at the screen, "'Too weak, not even worthy of being used for sword offering.' This sentence reveals three key pieces of information."

He held up three fingers, his eyes sharp:

"First, it is an intelligent being, with language, logic, and even... arrogance."

"Secondly, it doesn't kill for the sake of killing. It's looking for something, or a person, to 'sacrifice' the sword."

"Third, it follows certain rules. As long as we don't force our way in, it won't completely wipe us out."

The old general remained silent for a long time before finally raising his head, his gaze becoming profound.

"Zhao Feng."

"exist."

"Since force doesn't work, let's try a softer approach." The old general slammed his fingers on the table. "This isn't a beast; it's a... civilization. We must treat civilization with the same respect we would show it."

"Pass on my order:"

"1. Seal off the area within a 50-kilometer radius and designate it as a 'top-level military restricted zone.' Publicly announce that a new type of weapon test is being conducted."

2. Cease all hostile and provocative actions.

"3. Select cold weapon experts, martial arts family successors, and... soldiers with exceptional physical qualities like Chu Tian from across the army."

The old general stood up and looked at the majestic sword mountain on the screen.

"Didn't it say we 'don't deserve it'?"

"Then pick a few 'suitable' people and send them in."

"Whether it's a god or a demon, that sword... must be planted next to our national flag."

……

Deep within the Sword Tomb, beneath the Black Rocks

[Faith Value Updated: +1200 points.]

[Source: The extreme shock and strategic shift in the military leadership.]

Gu Qing huddled in a sheltered crevice in the rocks, watching the numbers on the system panel skyrocket, a faint smile appearing on her pale face.

"Finally... I've recovered a lot of blood."

He looks very disheveled.

To save money, he didn't exchange for any luxury equipment, but only spent a few dozen points of faith to buy a high-tech thermal tent, a few boxes of compressed biscuits, and enough smokeless coal.

On this night when the temperature was below zero, he huddled around a small coal stove for warmth, like a homeless man.

"Cough cough cough..."

The violent coughing forced him to arch his back until he coughed up a mouthful of phlegm streaked with blood, which slightly relieved the burning sensation in his lungs.

"System, enhance the AI ​​logic of the 'Sword Guardian'."

While warming herself by the fire, Gu Qing wrote a script in her mind.

"Make its personality even more aloof. Add a few keywords: 'Sword Intent,' 'Innate Talent,' and 'Destiny.'"

"In addition, the 'Outer Trial Zone' will be opened."

Gu Qing took out a black pill from his pocket—this was the [Marrow Cleansing Pill (Low-end Version)] that he had just exchanged with the credits he had just received.

"If we want them to believe that this is a cultivation civilization, we have to give them some incentives."

He popped the pill into his mouth. Although it wouldn't cure his cancer, it would make him a little more comfortable and prevent him from freezing to death in this godforsaken place.

"Zhao Feng, I knew you would come back."

Gu Qing looked at the towering sword mountain outside the tent, his eyes gleaming with a light called "ambition".

"Bring your proudest soldier!"

"I will shatter their pride, and then... give them a new life."

……

[Forty-eight hours later, outside the Sword Tomb]

The sandstorms continue.

But this time, there was no roar of tanks, no hovering of armed helicopters.

A small team of only seven people, dressed in unmarked black combat uniforms and carrying long, rectangular boxes, walked into the Black Rock District.

The team leader was still Zhao Feng.

But this time he didn't bring a gun. On his back, he carried a specially made titanium alloy combat knife.

Six people followed behind him.

Among these six people, there was a fighting champion from the entire army's martial arts competition, a reconnaissance soldier from a family of martial arts practitioners, and even a young man with a cold expression who was only holding a wooden sword—he was a "superhuman" specially recruited from the civilian population.

"remember."

Zhao Feng stopped before the unseen "line of death," turned to look at the crowd, and said, "Once inside, suppress your murderous intent. Treat him as... a senior master with an eccentric temperament."

"Captain, are there really sword immortals in this world?" the young man holding the wooden sword asked, his eyes filled with both doubt and fervor.

"I used to believe in science." Zhao Feng looked at the Sword Mountain, which was faintly visible in the wind and sand in the distance, took a deep breath, and said, "Now, I believe in my eyes."

"Walk."

Seven people crossed that line.

hum-

That familiar metallic hum sound rang out again.

But this time, no flying swords came.

At the summit of Sword Mountain, the dark figure still sat cross-legged, seemingly unmoved since time immemorial.

Zhao Feng stopped fifty meters from Sword Mountain. He unsheathed his battle sword, held it with both hands, and bowed deeply to Sword Mountain.

"Junior Zhao Feng, along with six comrades, has come to pay our respects at the mountain."

The sound echoed across the vast Gobi Desert.

one second.

two seconds.

One minute.

Just as the team members behind him began to feel uneasy, that aged voice finally drifted down slowly.

"You've learned manners."

As soon as these words were spoken, the black mist at the bottom of Sword Mountain surged and spontaneously parted to create a narrow path that could only accommodate one person at a time.

Broken swords were stuck in the ground on both sides of the path. Each broken sword faintly emanated a chilling aura that stung the skin.

"This is the 'path of self-reflection'."

The voice carried an air of superior indifference:

"Ordinary weapons and iron implements, without the intent of swordsmanship, are nothing but scrap metal."

"Since you want the sword, come up here yourselves."

"If you can reach the halfway point of the mountain and survive, you will receive a sword."

Zhao Feng raised his head and looked at the path that seemed to lead to hell.

This is not a road.

This is clearly a meat grinder woven from countless sharp sword energies.

"I'll go first."

Zhao Feng did not hesitate at all.

He knew that countless eyes were watching him through satellites. The nation needed answers, and humanity needed strength.

He stepped onto the path strewn with pebbles and broken swords.

laugh!

He had barely taken his first step when an invisible wind blade sliced ​​open a gash on his cheek. Blood flowed down, dripping onto the black rock.

But he didn't even frown.

"Keep up!"

Zhao Feng let out a low shout and, braving the overwhelming pressure, climbed upwards step by step.

[Behind-the-scenes Director's Perspective]

Gu Qing stood in the shadows above, watching the figures struggling to move forward below.

"good."

He nodded slightly.

"They have perseverance, courage, and more importantly... the military spirit of 'I will go even if there are thousands of people against me.'"

"This is the most suitable seed for a 'sword cultivator'."

Gu Qing raised her hand, her fingertips twitching slightly.

He quietly lowered the "sword energy pressure" on Zhao Feng's path, reducing it from "lethal" to "severe injury and tempering".

After all, he came to offer amnesty, not to kill.

"Zhao Feng, if you pass this test, I will bestow upon you a great fortune."

Gu Qing's gaze fell on Zhao Feng's resolute back, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"I hope you can inherit this 'Geng Metal White Tiger Sha' technique."