CHAPTER 27: TERRIFYING POSSIBILITY

Each of these transcendent skills was the stuff of legend—abilities so profound that even a beggar who had never so much as touched a sword could stride through the dangerous cultivation world unchallenged.

If last time the ultimate-grade mage skill Reality Script had shaken Wang Chen to his core, then this time, what appeared before him was something that reached even deeper into his soul.

Eternal Will of Blade.

Just reading the name sent a faint tremor through him. The words themselves seemed to hum with boundless power, as though the essence of an ancient sword deity had etched them into existence.

With this skill, Wang Chen felt he could transcend above everything—body and soul alike. His will would no longer be confined by mortality or decay; it would become undying and eternal, a law of existence itself, akin to time and space. He imagined himself standing amidst endless void and chaos, his blade shimmering through eternity, cutting across eons, existing even when stars collapsed and heavens fell.

For the first time in a long while, he could feel his pulse quicken.

Could this skill... allow me to break through the curse?

The thought exploded like lightning inside his mind. It wasn’t just curiosity—it was raw, primal hope. The possibility sent a shiver of excitement coursing through his veins, his heartbeat drumming faster and faster until even his breathing turned shallow.

But before he could delve deeper into the vision forming in his head, the golden script before him shimmered again—its divine brilliance scattering like fragments of celestial dust.

A new message formed.

[Evaluation — Above Average. You can choose two rewards from below.]

[1 — The ability to use the peak strength of Sword Saint Avatar for a certain duration]

[2 — One random skill]

[3 — Any item that your avatar used in its lifetime]

[4 — ...]

[5 — ...]

The list stretched on endlessly, a cascade of temptation. Treasures, divine relics, skills that could shatter mountains and rewrite fate—but none of it caught his attention. His gaze drifted lazily until it halted at the tenth option.

And suddenly, his expression changed.

The faint indifference in his eyes vanished, replaced by a solemn light that seemed to pierce the void. His breathing grew still, his focus absolute.

[10 — Your actions have given slight hope to this dying world on the verge of total annihilation. Would you like to use the positive karma created by your avatar to give the world a chance to continue surviving?]

For a long, silent moment, Wang Chen didn’t move.

The flickering light from the text reflected in his pupils, making them seem bottomless. A strange heaviness filled the air, as if the very world was waiting for his answer.

This wasn’t just another choice—it was a spark of life amidst extinction, a fragile chance to defy fate itself.

And that realization made his heart pound once more.

This sheer choice pointed in one direction...

Does that mean these worlds the Tower allows me to experience... once actually existed in reality?

The thought struck Wang Chen like a thunderclap. For a moment, his mind went blank, the air around him feeling heavier—thicker—as if the revelation itself carried weight.

Up until now, he had treated everything as nothing more than an elaborate simulation. A trial. The people he met, the emotions he felt, the lives he touched—all of it, he believed, were mere constructs, no different from the scripted NPCs in a game.

But if the Tower’s words were true...

Then Rin Luan—the girl he had spent over a hundred years with—hadn’t been a phantom born of illusion. She had been real. A living, breathing person.

The realization made his entire body tremble. His heart clenched painfully in his chest, a cold shiver running down his spine.

He stared blankly at the glowing words before him, his reflection faintly visible in the radiant surface. His own eyes looked alien—wide with disbelief, haunted by something that went far beyond shock.

At some point, his thoughts spiraled so deep that he almost didn’t hear the voice.

[Please make your choice.]

The Tower’s voice was gentle, almost serene, but to Wang Chen, it sounded like the toll of judgment.

He blinked rapidly, pulling himself out of his daze, only for anxiety to replace his numbness. He could only pick two rewards. Two out of many.

His gaze drifted toward the tenth option again, that line of divine text shimmering faintly with an almost sacred glow. The meaning behind it weighed heavily on his conscience.

If he chose that option, he could give this dying world—the one where Rin Luan had lived and laughed—a chance to continue. A chance at survival.

Or... he could turn away.

He could prioritize himself, seize greater power, and take another step toward his ultimate goal.

His jaw tightened. His hands curled into fists.

Tower, you son of a bitch... he cursed silently, grinding his teeth. Did you do this on purpose? You want to see me squirm, don’t you? Why give me this choice at all?

His thoughts weren’t unfounded. On the first floor, there had been nothing like this—no moral crossroads, no cruel decisions wrapped in divine text.

The Tower had changed the rules.

And it knew exactly where to strike.

Minutes trickled by in silence. Wang Chen stood frozen, his heart pounding like a war drum. Every time he tried to push the thought of that world aside, Rin Luan’s face resurfaced in his mind—her gentle smile, her calm gaze that always seemed to see right through his defenses.

Each memory cut deeper than the last.

He clenched his jaw until it hurt, the inner battle raging louder than any external storm. For a fleeting second, he almost wanted to scream. His hand twitched upward, fingers brushing his temple as if to steady himself—but all he could do was exhale a shaky breath.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Wang Chen shut his eyes and spoke aloud, his voice low but firm.

"The strength of the avatar is too good of a deal to pass."

He paused, his throat dry, the words feeling heavier than they should have.

"If I have to choose between a random skill and the sureshot strength of the avatar... I’ll definitely take the latter."

Even as he said it, he couldn’t stop the faint ache in his chest—the lingering image of Rin Luan’s smile flickering like a dying flame at the back of his mind.

And for the first time, Wang Chen wasn’t sure if power alone would be enough to silence that pain.