"Precisely," it affirmed. "We sword spirits are inherently incapable of ascending through the realms on our own. Our very essence is inextricably bound to the weapon that houses us, a bond that is both profound and unbreakable. And, by extension, the weapon itself can only venture wherever its wielder chooses to go. Therefore, if the wielder achieves Ascension, if they manage to break through the veil separating this realm from the next, then, and only then, do we too gain entry into those higher planes alongside them."

It then executed a gentle, yet purposeful bob in the air, a distinct upward and downward motion. It was a silent gesture, a physical emphasis of its point, much like a person might use their hands to underscore a crucial statement, given that it possessed no limbs for such expression.

"So now, little one, you undoubtedly grasp the depth of my pleasure, my genuine delight, at the revelation that you are currently only twenty levels away from that pivotal gate of Ascension. To glimpse the wonders of the middle realm, to experience its vastness and complexity, has been a burning ambition of mine for eons. It has, in truth, been my most cherished dream ever since I first became sentient enough to formulate such aspirations, a hope that has sustained me through countless silent centuries within the blade."

Lin Yi observed the ball of lightning before him. The optimism radiating from its was undeniably genuine, but from an intrinsic aspect of its very nature, a fundamental joyousness that simply existed.

"What, then, should I call you?" he asked, a practical question that signaled his acceptance of this extraordinary companionship. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The ball of lightning responded with a particular pattern, subtly distinct from its usual baseline hum. This unique pattern spoke volumes, conveying the specific delight of an entity pleased by the simple act of being asked for its name.

"Lei Bao," it declared, its voice resonating with a newfound pride and clarity. "My name, little one, is Lei Bao."

"Lei Bao," Lin Yi repeated, the name rolling off his tongue, an acknowledgment and an acceptance of the sword spirit’s identity.

"Yes," Lei Bao affirmed, its crackling intensifying slightly, conveying a sense of reciprocal curiosity. "And you, what is your designation?"

"Xu Mu," Lin Yi replied, offering an alternative name, a subtle indication of a hidden facet to his identity, or perhaps a preference for how he wished to be known in this new companionship.

Lei Bao performed a single, deliberate rotation in the air.

"Xu Mu," it vocalized. "Little one Xu Mu. Yes, that works quite well."

It crackled with renewed energy, a spark of eager anticipation. "Now that introductions are made, might I inquire if we are, by any chance, heading towards a particularly interesting destination?"

"The Ninefold Heaven Gate Mountain," Lin Yi stated, his gaze already fixed on the formidable peaks in the distance, a destination that clearly held profound significance.

Lei Bao immediately went still once more, its energetic dance pausing entirely. This time, the stillness lingered, a silence that stretched for a noticeably longer duration, suggesting a deeper processing or a sudden, profound recognition. Then, as abruptly as it had ceased, the crackling resumed, though now at a subtly elevated intensity, a restless hum that betrayed a surge of internal agitation.

"Little one," it began. "I have, as I mentioned, been confined within that blade for a truly immense span of time."

"Yes," Lin Yi responded, his tone steady, acknowledging the repeated emphasis on Lei Bao’s existence.

"And throughout those countless years, I have witnessed many of the wielders who came before you, each one approaching that very mountain," Lei Bao recounted, its voice laced with the quiet weight of ancient observation. "Several of them, in fact. Tell me, do you happen to know how many of those aspirants ever managed to ascend beyond its formidable gates?"

"How many?" Lin Yi asked, his voice calm, yet the question hinted at an underlying recognition of the mountain’s daunting reputation.

"None," Lei Bao stated simply, delivering the stark fact without any discernible emotional weight, merely as an undeniable truth, its natural tone devoid of triumph or regret.

"Not a single one of them ever succeeded in making it through. You see, the mountain, little one, possesses its own immutable force, and those are absolute, brooking no exceptions or compromises." It paused for a brief moment, the crackling of its form holding steady.

"However, your current cultivation at Level 230 means that you are undeniably closer to achieving that goal than any of your predecessors ever were." Another short pause followed, as if Lei Bao was making a critical internal calculation. "And the fact that you managed to awaken me in merely ten strikes, a feat far from common, tells me something significant about the raw power and precision of your fighting style."

"So, perhaps, just perhaps, you are indeed the one I have been waiting for across all these long ages. That, I must admit, would be profoundly satisfying."

Lin Yi looked intently toward the mountain range sprawling ahead, its formidable peaks now closer and more distinct.

He was just about to take that crucial next step forward, poised to resume his determined advance, when a sudden spiritual pressure arrived.

It descended sharply from above and to his left, imbued with the directed quality of something emanating from a precise, singular source, rather than merely diffusing from the ambient environment.

While this spiritual pressure didn’t possess the devastating scale of, say, Cang Yutian, a force Lin Yi had evidently encountered before and held in sharp memory, it was undeniably real, palpably serious, and, most unnervingly, focused entirely and specifically on him. It felt like a direct challenge.

Lei Bao, perceiving the sudden shift in the ambient energy, crackled sharply, a distinct warning in its sound. Without a moment’s hesitation, it retreated with swift urgency, reintegrating back into the protective surface of the Thunder Surge Blade. As it vanished, a bright and brilliant electric blue glow surfaced on the blade, an indication that Lei Bao is all charged up for battle.

Lin Yi, his senses fully alert, pivoted slowly on the path, his eyes scanning for the source of the formidable spiritual pressure.

Standing on the path, roughly twenty meters away, was a Lady. Her posture suggested she had been in motion, perhaps approaching rapidly, but had abruptly halted the moment her eyes had fallen upon him.

Her White hair, long and flowing, moved with a gentle, almost ethereal sway, not stirred by any physical wind, but by the subtle currents of ambient energy that she herself commanded. The potent spiritual pressure that had announced her arrival even before her form was visible now unmistakably emanated from her.

Her gaze upon Lin Yi was far from the casual. Instead, she regarded him with the intense, unwavering scrutiny of an individual meticulously trained to assess potential threats.

Her eyes, sharp and discerning, first moved to the Thunder Surge Blade at his grip, lingering there for a moment, an unspoken recognition passing over her features. Then, with a deliberate shift, her gaze ascended to meet his face, her intensity unwavering.

"Your name," she quickly asked.

Lin Yi met her gaze squarely, his own eyes holding hers with an unwavering steadiness, a quiet challenge in his posture.

"Xu Mu," he replied, his voice calm and even, offering the same name he had given to Lei Bao.

With that, Lin Yi quickly activated boundless step and appeared above floor level, and angled the thunder surge blade, charging it for Lightning Sword Qi release.