The enigmatic Sword Spirit Elder Sister appeared before Eddie, her gaze intensely focused on the black jade necklace, seemingly oblivious to his presence.
Before Eddie could even attempt to engage, she vanished as swiftly as she had arrived, leaving him clutching the necklace, bewildered but exhilarated by the encounter.
Upon inspecting the necklace, Eddie was stunned to realize it harbored an immense, lake-like reservoir of pure energy, almost as if it had been unsealed by the mysterious Elder Sister herself.
With this newfound treasure, his dream-state training became extraordinarily potent, drawing copious amounts of spiritual energy from both the surrounding world and the necklace itself.
Each dream session marked significant progress. The second meridian, the Lesser Yin Heart Meridian, had been penetrated, and Eddie estimated that at this accelerated rate, it wouldn't take more than a month to traverse all twelve meridians and complete the first layer of the Innate Disembodied Sword Qi, thus stepping into the realm of the Innate.
Upon waking, Eddie was puzzled to find the necklace as mundane and dull as any ordinary trinket, devoid of the vast energy felt in his dreams. Was its power only accessible in the dream realm, or did its secrets unfold solely in the Sword Spirit Elder Sister's mysterious dream space?
This artifact, so cryptic and elusive, made Eddie ponder why the tragic man's parents had left it behind. He wondered if the two diaries he found might shed some light on this arcane relic.
As the days progressed, the mystery of the black jade necklace continued to baffle Eddie. With his typical pragmatism, he chose not to dwell on the unsolvable, considering the myriad of inexplicable occurrences already surrounding him. For him, time was better spent training and enhancing his abilities.
Unbeknownst to Evelyn and Sophia, each day brought subtle yet profound changes to Eddie. Initially, his vigor seemed boundless, attributed by them to his elation from successfully contracting the tome. But soon, a more dramatic transformation unfolded. His skin began to peel, starting from his hands, then legs, body, and finally his face.
Underneath, his new skin shone with a youthful, jade-like quality, rivaling even Sophia's in its delicate fairness, and it glowed with a healthy luster. His eyes, once ordinary, now sparkled with a recondite wisdom and depth.
If not for the daily observation, Evelyn might not have believed such a radical transformation was possible in just a few weeks. Initially alarmed by the peeling, fearing illness or the adverse effects of overexertion, her concerns eased as Eddie emerged from the process renewed, almost as if reborn. It became clear that this metamorphosis was not a cause for alarm but a sign of incredible progress.
"Are you sure you're alright, Eddie? Maybe you should rest for a few days. I'm worried you're pushing yourself too hard," Evelyn suggested, her maternal instincts still uneasy despite the visible improvements.
Eddie, fully aware of the source of his changes, reassured her with a wave of his hand. "I'm fine, really. This is just a natural part of advancing to the Innate Realm." The profound energy from the necklace had expedited his mastery of the Innate Disembodied Sword Qi's first layer, signifying his imminent entry into the Innate Realm.
The physical alterations, startling as they were, were just the external manifestations of an internal, holistic renewal - a necessary and welcome evolution on his path to unparalleled power.
Evelyn and Sophia witnessed the daily changes in Eddie's appearance, from the shedding of his skin to his newfound radiant glow. Yet the true metamorphosis of his physique - burgeoning strength, perfect form - was imperceptible to them.
Unlike the bulging muscles of a typical bodybuilder, Eddie's physique became more refined and efficient, subtly defined with a taut abdomen and not an ounce of excess fat. His limbs, elegant and powerful, bore testament to his continual ascent through the practice of Innate Disembodied Sword Qi.
Each day brought Eddie closer to a physical ideal that most could only dream of achieving. He wasn't surprised by the subtlety of his transformation; after all, the legendary Sword Spirit Lady wielded immense power without the appearance of brute strength. His technique belonged to the profound realm of Innate practices, eclipsing the crude martial arts of mercenaries.
To Eddie, every day was filled with delightful surprises and continuous improvement. However, he kept these secrets close, never revealing the full extent of his progress to Evelyn or Sophia.
As weeks turned into a month, all twelve meridians in Eddie's body were connected.
He stood on the brink of completing the first layer of Innate Disembodied Sword Qi, teetering on the edge of the coveted Innate Realm - a feat that would take the most gifted on Dragon Ascension Continent a century to achieve.
Yet, Eddie was nearing this milestone in less than three months, a testament to the miraculous nature of his practice.
For Eddie, even revered techniques like the Yue Family Spear Art now appeared elementary, akin to a university graduate revisiting middle school textbooks. And the third-rate martial arts practiced by mercenaries?
They were mere child's play in comparison. Eddie mused that even the lost Innate techniques of the Dragon Ascension Continent would at best equate to a high school curriculum compared to his practice of Innate Disembodied Sword Qi.
In his journey, he had not just grown stronger but transcended to a realm of existence far beyond the ordinary.
As Eddie pondered over the mysterious Sword Spirit Lady, he wondered about her power level compared to the titans of this world.
Sophia, ever diligent, was gearing up to leave for her exams at the Upper Capital Academy.
She left Eddie with earnest instructions, "You've got a solid grasp on the basics of summoning, Eddie."
" You're set for the second-year curriculum next year. The real pity is that you haven't yet summoned your life guardian beast, 'Mist.' Upgrading to an undying and unbetraying life guardian beast is crucial. "
"Once I'm gone, don't focus too much on summoning the Thornflower. Try to acquire a superior beast, perhaps a Wind Wolf, Fire Lion, Thunder Eagle, or Golden Falcon. "
"Oh, if only that Beast Spirit Wisdom Pill hadn't been intercepted for our little cousin! I'm sure you'd be able to summon your life guardian beast by now. They've undervalued us for too long. In the next family tournament, I won't hold back. They need to recognize the Fourth Branch's strength."
Gently patting Sophia's head, Eddie offered silent support. He harbored his secrets - his true life guardian beast wasn't 'Mist' but 'Phantom,' a fact he suspected he'd never reveal.
He believed 'Phantom' to be far superior, enabling him to summon shadows for up to ten days, effectively enhancing his abilities fivefold. And as he stood on the cusp of the Innate Realm, his potential for power was almost unfathomable.
With Sophia's departure, Eddie felt no urgency to pursue beasts like Wind Wolves or Golden Falcons. To him, the underestimated Thornflower held unparalleled potential. His immediate goal was mastering the first layer of Innate Disembodied Sword Qi, a feat that would catapult him into the realms of the Innate, marking his ascent among the world's mightiest.