The shadow sword, hurtling down the abyss near her, came to life for the first time. If Bai li yue was conscious she would have noticed that the sword's blackness matched that of the void around them. It whizzed over to her side, chopping through a thick curtain of void blades with ease. A black light covered her entire body, creating a shield and protecting her from the void blades that now craved her suffering. The sword and its owner descended into the depths of the abyss past more dangerous zones and spinning blades that gave chase to the intruder passing through. 

Days later, Bai li yue groaned, coming awake. 

She screamed, remembering the pain in a corner of her soul. It had imprinted itself into her being. She screamed and wept for a long time until she realised that the pain was not real. It was a remembered memory so real it evoked the same feeling. 

I never want to remember that kind of pain. Never again. 

Groaning and sitting up, she covered her naked body with a new robe from her inherited ring that hadn't flown away. She didn't know how long she'd been out. The leather straps if the low grade spatial bracelet hadn't been able to withstand the assault of the void blades. She was glad to be alive despite the loss as she checked her body and her injuries. Her body was now mostly healed underneath the dried blood. 

How did i make it safely through? Where am i now? 

She sent a quick thank you to the universe and picked up her sword. Luckily, it had also survived the fall. Now that she was alive, it was time to find out where she was and how to return to the land of the living. If that was even possible. She deliberately took a deep breath. Revenge could wait. 

Her search took her to the end of the landmass in less than an hour. She was on a desolate island standing in the middle of the void. The ground was bare of vegetation and structures. There was no way off the island for her. She went back to where she'd landed to think. She was out of options, but a good idea was bound to eventually come to her.

High in the sky, somewhere far away in the cosmos, in a world where life passed in the blink of an eye, where a game of chess took eons to end, Jian tian, sword deity of Jade leaf celestial court felt a sliver of excitement.

'Little black. Are you back already?'

He remembered that he had cast half of his faithful sword into the world before he ascended. It was to return when it found its new master. 

'Little black, you've always been impatient.'

He chided as water magically appeared in the viewing basin near him and showed him the image of Bai li yue sitting cross legged on the island.

'You believe that your new master is worthy enough to receive my legacy? Did she make it through the void? Little black, you are now hers, of course you'll speak in her favour... I'll take a look for myself.'

The sword at her side blurred a couple of times, before coalescing again. The view in the basin changed to show Bai li yue falling from the platform and her descent.

'You helped her at the end. That's breaking the rules. My legacy is reserved for the strong. We both know she is weak… did you just call me-!? Where did you learn that kind of language?'

The black sword blurred in rapid succession.

'I don't even know what that means but I'm offended. Little black, i know you miss your other half, but this girl won't do.'

The sword blurred for a long moment causing Jian tian's eyebrows to rise into his hairline. 

'Really?'

He had formed the sword domain himself and the void blades in the abyss to protect his only legacy. He knew how ferocious they were. After all, they were formed from a sliver of his sword insight. He watched Bai li yue descend the abyss again, this time from the start until her body crashed into the island.

'Eh! You are right! She was in great pain but she never came close to dying. The blades cleansed her soul but her body also absorbed my sword insight on its own...That means she is a viable candidate to accept my legacy. She's already lived through the initial pain. Learning the soul sword formula will be easy for her.' 

He laughed long and hard, his joy manifesting in a shooting star that caused a young orphan boy on the fallen sea world to gain true insight at the tender age of seven. 

'Very well, little black. Carry on. Little white has spent a thousand years awaiting your triumphant return. From the moment she accepts her inheritance, the bond between us will be severed. You and little white will cease to be my companion swords. Do not grieve. Serve your new master well. If you ever ascend to the realm of the gods, come and find me. I'll be here waiting.'

Thuuuumm.

For the first time, the black sword Bai li yue picked up the sword in the sword cave, it made a sound akin to a hum. Bai li yue felt a great sorrow emanating from it. Confused, she held onto the sword unsure of what to do. She stroked the sword to calm it down. The humming reduced much to her joy when she did that.

She strangely sensed the sword thrum and looked at it in consternation. Did the sword just thank her?

'Yes.'

Bai li yue gasped and almost dropped it. A sentient sword! How unexpected! How cool!

The sword introduced itself with its limited vocabulary.

'Oh your name! What is it? little what? black? Little black. Okay. That's a nice name.'

'It's a shame i won't be able to use you now that we've reached a dead end.' 

She sighed after a while. The sword hummed.

'Just call me Bai li yue.' 

She suggested, not comfortable with being called mistress.

It hummed again.

Bai li yue was glad for the company, even if it was a sword. 

Little black acted like a compass, directing her around the island. The magical sword, she sensed from the jumbled if words and emotions it sent her had means at its disposal that she didn't. Her confidence in the sword waned when she followed his directions and arrived on a rocky outcrop. She looked around the area of land. 

'Are you sure you know what you are doing?'

It hummed.

'You've been here before?'

'Long… time.'

'And you know how to get out?'

'Possible.'

'Possibly? Did you just say-'

'There!'

It pointed her to what looked like an indent. It maintained its original shape despite serious weathering. On the rocky surface she found a stone tablet with the inscription: 

sword immortal, 

immortal sword, 

With my sword

I shall carve my destiny

In the heavens.

Jian tian.

'The words of an immortal...' 

she trailed off as little black sent emotions her way. 

Pride shone through the other emotions and it didn't take long for her to put two and two together.

'You-you knew him?'

'Master.'

'You were his sword?'

She finally realised that the sword had something to with her being here. 

'Wait! Did you bring me here. Why?'

Another thought passed through her mind.

'Did you push me?'

'Bzzzzt! Bzz!'

The sword buzzed loudly. It was angry that she was accusing it of such a heinous crime. It had only taken advantage of the opportunity  since she was already heading down. It took some time to clear its name and by the time it succeeded, Bai li yue herself had realised how ludicrous the accusation was. She had definitely felt a palm against her back. 

Little black accepted the apology and further explained to her the issue of succession.

'Successor? You want me to accept his legacy? No way!'

'Why?'

Little black asked.

'Well… am i even qualified? Aren't legacies for talented people like Shen duyi?'

'You… already… passed.'

Little black was debating whether to tell her how legendary the inheritance was. It was what had helped his former master ascend to godhood, but a sudden pressure appeared over the sword and silenced it.