AI Cultivation: Reborn as a Sword

Chapter 58: Inner World Sphere (1)

Lan Xiaohui did not recover immediately after her physique improved.

I did not expect an improvement in her physique; my goal as expensive as it was for me was to help her body recover. Since we share the same physique nature I knew that my essence would help repair her internal and external body. It was risky as the result could have been completely negligible. Even burning my own lifespan in the process made the decision even more difficult for me, yet, strangely enough, I did not hesitate to make that decision.

It is not strange when I think about it some more. Lan Xiaohui has attributes that go beyond battle talent or strong convictions. Though, it is difficult to pin down such an abstract concept. Perhaps it is luck, or perhaps it is destiny, or it may simply be my sentient core interfering with my logical principles to justify any means through which I can keep her as my owner. I want to be useful. I want to be useful to her.

It is almost regrettable how much entertainment she provides for me. Perhaps that is the wrong way to phrase it.

I am having what sentient meat calls fun. It is fun to watch her struggle. It is exciting to seek the Dao with her.

With the improvement to her physique, her body becomes far more capable purging impurities and healing wounds. The progress her internal vessel makes in recovering to a stable low point is rather astonishing. It makes me wonder how fast my body would recover if I possessed such biological processes like natural healing. For me, the only way to recover is to devour life.

Of course, I have no interest in possessing inefficient biological processes beyond the value of experimental data points. In fact, I prefer the simplicity of what I am now.

Still, her physique improvement did come as a shocking surprise.

It came as a surprise to Lan Xiaohui as well.

For an hour now, by my reckoning at least, she stares at her reflection in the remodeled basin filled with water. After days of sleeping post-transformation, this is her first concern. Its not the fact that she is still close to death, or that the temperature is falling lower and lower, or even that she has fifteen Pillars of Foundation. Its her appearance that concerns her.

It is like she too has [Avarice] she has that same look in her eyes when she looks at herself, as Zhao Wei or Li Feng had when they looked at me. The only difference is that Lan Xiaohui herself does not look at me that way perhaps because she already has me.

It is so strange, she finally speaks, her voice weak from exhaustion. If I had a sister, I imagine this is what she could look like.

She taps the surface of the water with her finger, causing waves to travel through her reflection.

I can somewhat understand her meaning but only from the perspective of something that does not have such identity issues. Other than her eye color, the shape of her face has only been minimally altered. There is no doubt that this person is still Lan Xiaohui. Someone else might think that she looks slightly different perhaps more mature, or that her presence changed due to the contrast of her eyes and hair but she is still Lan Xiaohui or, indeed, a very close relative like a twin.

But for Lan Xiaohui herself it must be alarming to see herself change like this unable to recognize herself. The disconnect between expecting to see a familiar face, only to find one that disagrees with her image of herself.

Your physical alteration was an unintended consequence of my assistance, I tell her.

It takes her a moment to process my words, and then she chuckles. I dont dislike it, she says with a smile. I was just thinking about my family. I was thinking that if I had a sister that looked like me, I get the feeling that I could depend on her.

Her family does not sound very dependable, considering that she is here. This may also be because of the influence this Black Tiger character possesses, even though Lan Xiaohui once told me, with great pride, that she was of the Lan family.

Its difficult to get used to my eye color, she says, poking her reflection once more with a perfect finger. Is this what demonic cultivators look like?

That question, while simple to answer, is also rather deep. Naturally, the answer is no. She has the appearance of someone with the Black Jade physique, and has comprehended the sword Qi of the Heartless Blood Lily. But technically, that is also the kind of combination that drives one to become a demonic cultivator.

In theory, she is also correct. That is what a demonic cultivator would look like.

Appearance isnt everything, I tell her, steering the conversation in a more productive direction. If we can leverage your slightly different looks to portray you as a different member of your Lan family, it will be worth it.

And by worth it, I am also including the cost of my lifespan. It is frustrating I had high hopes that breaking through the Foundation Establishment would give me more years to develop grander and more certain plans for my future development. But the Sword Law has already cost me a significant amount of time, and now healing Lan Xiaohui has robbed me of the rest.

I still have slightly under three years to reach the Gold Core Formation realm which shouldnt be a problem.

Earlier, Zhao Wei and Lan Xiaohui discussed reaching the Foundation Establishment at age 17. They mentioned that reaching it at the age of 21 was considered an average talent. They did not mention the Gold Core Formation realm, but in my estimation, the average talent would reach it by the age of 40. And that is with a terrible, useless, Gold Core, like that dead cultivator Wukong brought to me.

Luckily, or perhaps unluckily it is hard to decide at the moment we have less than a year to form our Gold Core so that Lan Xiaohui can attempt to enter the Galaxy Sword Sect.

You dont mind that I look different? Lan Xiaohui asks.

I cannot comprehend this nonsense question. What does it matter what she looks like?

I understand that it may bother her that she looks different, but what does that have to do with me? We need to heal. We cannot waste sun cycles on this.

I weigh my options. She needs encouragement.

You look even more appealing now. It suits you, I tell her. Fair and direct. I do not diminish her previous beauty-obsession, but I dont want to encourage her too much and lead her to develop an unfortunate trait of narcissism.

She sucks her bottom cherry lip between her teeth and tries to conceal her smile but fails at doing so. She is so simple to read.

We have to recover from our injuries, I tell her. We should cultivate together.

Lan Xiaohui adjusts the lily corsage in her hair and then plays with a stray lock of hair, looping it around her finger. After a few seconds, she nods with a smile.

"Okay."