Feng Rui furrowed his brows as he read the message. The souls of his ancestors... weren't there too many? Which ones were the most notable?
Ugh.
He slowly advanced through the cemetery, and as he did, he glimpsed ethereal figures floating between the tombstones, holding swords or weapons buried in the nearby earth. One after another, the souls manifested with distorted appearances: a general with broken armor and a somber gaze, a scholar with torn scrolls, and a blacksmith whose eyes seemed to melt into embers... there were others, but they were too far away to observe clearly through the mist.
Ding!
[Mission 1: "The Wrath of General Liang."]
[Objective: Restore the purity of General Liang's soul, freeing him from the curse imposed by his enemies and the corruption caused by the battlefield.]
Ding!
[Mission 2: "The Pride of Scholar Wu."]
[Objective: Eliminate the wisdom of Scholar Wu, which became his earthly chains and obsessions.]
Ding!
[Mission 3: "The Laziness of Blacksmith Zhang."]
[Objective: Recover Blacksmith Zhang's Eternal Cold Metal, freeing his soul from the corrupt flames of his forge.]
[Warning, limitations as an NPC: The talents of your ancestors cannot be inherited, but skills can be learned.]
'Oh, this is new.'
Feng Rui approached the general, but the soul didn't even stir, seeming blinded by something.
If he had to purify the souls, he might as well train while doing so.
Feng Rui sat in the lotus position, closed his eyes, and began his peculiar purification ritual, allowing the malignant energy to crawl within him. Although he was unbalanced, he had eaten enough treasures to prevent collapse, and many more were waiting for him in his courtyard.
The atmosphere filled with a faint glow. In a corner of Feng Rui's mind, the image of General Liang emerged. Marked by scars and wrapped in shadows that bound him, forcing him to kneel, but the general remained standing, his back straight.
Ding!
[You have encountered the Fallen Warrior.]
[He is one of the spirits trapped in the ancestral hall. As a legendary warrior known for his battlefield prowess, he has a violent and combative nature. It is advised to pay attention.]
Feng Rui moved closer and performed some hand seals before receiving the final corruption of General Liang, which slowly began to fade away. The nightmares and regrets of war, the weight of lives harvested by his sword, and the frustration of his own human body's weakness were all things Feng Rui knew very well.
And above all, he had a rage that consumed everything.
A lifetime of training, suffering, and some happy moments was lived by Feng Rui in an instant. Had it been anyone else, they would have gone mad at best, or at worst, died alongside the general.
However, he only had to repeat his life as Feng Rui to calm his ancestor.
"Perhaps my body was different, but now this soul is fused with the flesh of your predecessors and will bring glory to your family. I can guarantee you that."
Feng Rui saw himself reflected, as if he and the general were two peas in a pod. However, he had managed to destroy himself along with his enemy, and that memory was enough to bring peace to the general.
Once the purification was complete, Feng Rui exhaled a black smoke and rubbed his belly. He felt full.
However, a new shadow formed in front of him.
'Damn, it couldn't be that easy, right?'
General Liang, without giving Feng Rui time to process the situation, unsheathed his sword and, with an explosion of speed, advanced, his sword cutting through the air like an arrow.
Feng Rui, with reflexes honed and perfected from his previous mission, materialized a sword to block. Thankfully, they were in his mental space, so he could maintain control of the situation and influence it in his favor.
Even so, the force of the blow pushed him back, making the ground crack beneath his feet. The impact resonated in his chest as if the very power of the general had tried to crush him.
Feng Rui didn't hesitate. His muscles tensed, preparing for combat. As the general retreated to prepare a new attack, Feng Rui spun on his heels and counterattacked with a flurry of rapid movements, his sword gliding through the air with impressive speed.
He patiently searched for a weakness.
The General, with a flick of his wrist, deflected each of the attacks with ease, as if he were underestimating him.
Feng Rui felt his body starting to tire.
It was difficult to maintain concentration both on the fight and on maintaining the logic of the mental space.
Moreover, every time he swung his sword, the general responded with relentless force.
His mentality and will could not falter for a second or he would lose.
The air became heavy as Feng Rui analyzed the pattern of the general's attacks, searching in vain for that perfect moment.
His concentration grew higher and higher until he began to feel the fluctuations of energy on the battlefield.
Every movement of the General Liang now seemed to slow down slightly.
"Now!" shouted Feng Rui.
He launched a diagonal strike toward General Liang.
The general's sword rose to intercept the attack, but Feng Rui, with unexpected speed, spun on his axis, changing the direction of the strike at the last moment.
The general's sword was deflected to the side, and in that precise instant, Feng Rui made a clean cut in the general's armor.
The spark of Feng Rui's sword briefly flashed in the darkness of the battle.
Although the strike wasn't fatal, it was strong enough to leave a small crack in his armor.
General Liang paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the wound.
For an instant, Feng Rui thought he had won. But then, a more powerful energy began to emanate from the general. His aura expanded, and his face, which had been impassive, now showed a slight smile.
With a shout, General Liang released a wave of energy, a burst of force that made the ground tremble beneath them. Feng Rui barely had time to react, jumping backward to dodge the attack, but his body was pushed by the shockwave. The battle continued, but Feng Rui was adapting better and better, learning from his mistakes and the general's movements.
Every time the general launched an attack, Feng Rui moved one step ahead, anticipating, and looking for the next weak point.
Finally, after a long time, the shadow faded as quickly as it had formed.
Feng Rui hadn't won, but he hadn't lost either.
Ding!
[Mission completed.]
[Ability unlocked and sealed: "Short Sword of a Thousand Demons of the Han Clan."]
The soul of General Liang rose briefly, glancing over his shoulder at Feng Rui with a gleam of recognition in his eyes before dissipating into an ethereal mist.
Ding!
[Karma points will be blocked for the moment.]
Feng Rui took a deep breath.
He had finally earned some legacy from the clan.