World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 93: The Undecaying Female Corpse

"As everyone already knows, due to tidal locking, the far side of the moon always remains hidden from our view. Our exploration of the lunar far side was a major milestone for the Hua Republic.

"Initially, the goal was partly to showcase our technological prowess. However, during our first landing and preliminary survey, we made an extraordinary discovery: the ancient woman you saw in the video.

"Since then, a series of lunar missions have been launched, all revolving around the ancient corpse lying on the far side of the moon for an unknown duration. Now, I have a question for you all: at what level of cultivation would a body remain incorruptible for thousands or even tens of thousands of years?"

As the Daoist elders frowned in deep thought. Wang Sheng raised a different question. "How did you figure out it was a corpse?"

Professor Ma smiled. "That is an excellent question, Daoist Master Wang. The term 'female corpse' was simply what we called her at first. During the third lunar mission that was focused on her, we conducted tests on her and concluded that she was deceased.

"She was embedded in a crater, which we believe was formed on her impact with the moon. Based on geological analysis, the crater is estimated to be over a thousand years old. Hence, we initially referred to her as the 'Thousand-Year-Old Lunar Corpse.'

"Here's the strange part. The moon has an extremely thin atmosphere, drastic temperature variations between day and night, and constant exposure to cosmic radiation. Even so, none of those managed to damage her body.

"Folklore has tales of ancient tombs being opened, revealing perfectly preserved bodies with skin as soft and supple as living beings. We have no verified records of such cases, but the woman is exactly what those legends describe. It sparked our scientific interest, and we began exploring ways to bring her back to Earth."

Astronomical financial and material resources were invested in the endeavor. Eventually, they managed to retrieve the corpse. Afterward, they spent six months conducting extensive scientific research. However, the researchers couldn't even touch a single strand of her hair, causing most of their frustrations.

"A unique energy field surrounds her, closely following the shape of her garments. We tried countless methods; some attempted to break through the energy field, while others tried to preserve it for fear that disrupting it would damage this invaluable find.

"After half a year of fruitless efforts, when we were nearly at our wits' end, we finally made a breakthrough. On Lunar New Year's Eve, we detected weak brainwave activity from her. It was faint, but it was there. The discovery overturned our previous conclusion. It meant that the 'corpse'... could still be alive.

"That Lunar New Year's Eve was a momentous day. You all remember it, don't you? It was the last ordinary New Year before the world changed—before cultivation returned on Earth."

Professor Ma sighed with a wistful look in his eyes. However, he quickly refocused on the discussion.

"Can any of you Daoist masters answer my earlier question now?"

Wang Sheng remained silent.

A Daoist elder from the Longhu Mountains furrowed his brow. "May I call my senior brother? The Celestial Master Sect possesses many ancient texts, but only the Grand Celestial Master is permitted to access them."

"Please go ahead."

"Can I borrow a phone? Better yet, can someone call him for me? My senior brother's number is 13..."

Mou Yue, sitting nearby, subtly mouthed the string of numbers and instantly memorized them. When Wang Sheng glanced at her, she gave him a small, playful wink.

Wang Sheng quietly handed over his phone. A means to contact a top-ranking expert on the Heavenly Rankings? He absolutely wanted that number for himself.

Before long, the Grand Celestial Master provided a short reply.

—That's the Celestial Garment, a Supreme-grade artifact for Celestial Immortals.

The implication was clear. The woman's robe was a treasured artifact used by immortals, capable of preserving the wearer for millennia. According to the ancient records of the Celestial Master Sect, only a Celestial Immortal or higher could possess such a divine treasure.

A white-haired scientist couldn't help but ask, "We now understand that cultivation and immortality are real, but if immortals truly existed, why is this woman the only trace we've ever found?"

A Daoist elder sighed. "They all left. Based on what has been passed down in our sects, those who had reached the Rebirth Realm and beyond were granted immortality and ascended around fifteen hundred years ago. They allegedly left to fight a war between immortals."

Ma Zibin asked eagerly, "Can you elaborate?"

The Daoist elder shook his head. "That was over a thousand years ago. Besides, the world didn't have primal qi for centuries. Considering our predecessors have been passing the stories down for generations, much of the truth has likely been lost."

Another Daoist elder muttered, "If she exhibited brainwave activity on Lunar New Year's Eve, then she must have retained a faint trace of spiritual consciousness... Could it be related to incense offerings? On that night, every household in the Hua Republic prays to the heavens and offers sacrifices to the divine."

"I recall my grandmaster mentioning that during the pre-Qin era, Daoism cultivation suddenly flourished, and within just a few centuries, it reached its golden age."

"Perhaps there was once a celestial court where gods gathered, and when they needed more soldiers for the war they waged across the cosmos, they recruited from Earth."

The Daoist elders tossed theories back and forth, while the scientists on the other side of the table exchanged bewildered glances.

Ma Zibin sighed with emotion. "We made the right decision in inviting you all here; our research has been in desperate need of insights like this. Perhaps we should apply for approval to have a few of you esteemed Daoist masters stationed here permanently."

The Daoist elders immediately tensed up. Looking as if they had been backed into a corner, they shut their mouths and refused to say another word. As cultivators striving for immortality, spending their days inside a research facility—surrounded by stagnant air and worldly concerns—was absolutely out of the question.

"We can also exchange information over the internet. There's no need for anyone to stay here long-term," an elderly professor quickly interjected. The Daoist elders finally relaxed, their expressions lightening.

Ma Zibin cleared his throat and steered the conversation back on track. Smiling, he said, "Now, who wants to guess what happened next? Daoist Master Wang, have you ever seen the moon cover half the sky?"

Fascinated, Wang Sheng had been listening intently. These matters were still far removed from his own world. Right now, he was simply an observer with a mind already brimming with new questions.

Remaining calm, he nodded. "I've seen it. That year, during the Lantern Festival."

"That's right. The next video I'm about to show you is classified at the highest level. Right now, we are the only ones on Earth who have access to this footage. Please watch carefully and listen closely. It was recorded using a long-focus lens..."

Ma Zibin pressed a button on the remote and stepped aside. The screen remained dark, but from the speakers came a melody that Wang Sheng immediately recognized. It was the same hum that he had heard when the world first breathed in the primal qi of heaven and earth, on the night of the full moon!

This time, however, it wasn't just a vague melody. He could faintly make out the ancient words woven into the tune.

"Tonight... Spring comes... They have returned..."

The pronunciation was different from modern speech, but Wang Sheng had a well-learned master who had once recited ancient poetry to him in its original tones.

The voice carried neither sorrow nor grief—only a quiet sense of longing.

The screen flickered to life. A vast, luminous full moon hung in the sky, dominating the horizon. Below it, a lone, solemn figure stood still. The camera angle captured her from below, gazing up at her.

Suspended high above the world, she faced the full moon, quietly singing.

Was she yearning for something? Calling out to someone?

A gentle breeze drifted from the moonlit sky, stirring her long hair and making the flowing ribbons of her celestial robes sway ever so slightly.

The First Breath of Heaven and Earth!

"Mortals... are endless..."

The song was ethereal and dreamlike. Wang Sheng found himself drawn in, as if he too were standing beneath the brilliant moon and looking up at the woman.

She was an actual immortal. Who knew how many stories she had or what kind of life she had lived?

All they knew was that she had been lingering for a thousand years within the cold, lonely moon. Was she waiting for something? Hoping for something?

If she was already dead, then why did she still exist?

Slowly, Wang Sheng closed his eyes. As the melody grew clearer, a vision took shape in his mind. He saw a celestial woman in flowing robes. With a sword in hand, she danced beneath the moonlight.

It felt distant, yet vivid. Unreal, yet undeniable. Though she did not wield a sword, Wang Sheng felt as if she was. Though she did not move, in his heart, she was gracefully dancing.

It was as if she had appeared right beside him, dancing around him and speaking to him through her sword.

At some point, the woman had completely captivated Wang Sheng's mind. The two strands of sword intent within him swayed gently, yet no matter how they trembled, they could not awaken him.

If this continued, Wang Sheng could end up grasping a faint trace of an immortal's Daoist realm. However, to attempt to comprehend the realm of an immortal at the Seed Formation Realm would undoubtedly come at a price—one that could very well be the complete destruction of the sword intents that he had already comprehended.

Gradually, Wang Sheng unconsciously started humming along. In an instant, all eyes in the conference room turned to him.

Mou Yue tugged at his sleeve, intending to remind him that listening was enough. There was no need to hum along, especially since they were only here thanks to the advantage of their connections.

Wang Sheng opened his eyes, momentarily dazed. His Dao heart then trembled slightly, pulling him out of the illusion.

Just now, he felt as though he had seen something, but the visions in his mind quickly and quietly faded. Two echoes of sword cries reverberated in his ears as the insights he had gained receded like a tide.

After a brief moment, Wang Sheng came to a realization: his Dao of the Sword had resonated slightly with the celestial woman's humming, but the gap between their cultivation realms was far too vast. Not only did he fail to retain his insights, but just moments ago, they also nearly shattered his Daoist realm.

One of the Daoist elders glanced at Mou Yue and sighed. "You just ruined the boy's fated opportunity, Young Lady."

Mou Yue's face turned pale. She bit her lip and looked at Wang Sheng with deep guilt.

Wang Sheng met Mou Yue's eyes and smiled gently. "It's okay. My Daoist realm isn't strong enough. It drew me in, but it also put me in grave danger. I should be thanking you for saving my life."

"Well, that's not entirely wrong," a few of the Daoist elders remarked, now looking at Wang Sheng with newfound appreciation.

The video continued playing, and the humming remained uninterrupted. Wang Sheng intentionally avoided following its guidance, ensuring he wouldn't fall into the mysterious state again.

Noticing the lingering guilt in Mou Yue's eyes, he wanted to reassure her further, but this wasn't the right moment to speak. She would have to come to terms with it on her own.

After over ten minutes of listening to the ancient melody, the footage stuttered.

Ma Zibin said, "Next, we have a drone recording that is only about ten seconds long. Whenever our drone got too close to her, it would lose control."

Before he even finished speaking, the screen had shifted to a straight-on view. The drone flew right up to the woman, capturing her stunning face, her near-perfect figure, and the soft, luminous glow of her skin in crystal-clear detail.

The Daoist elders watched intently, their eyes fixed on the screen, until they heard a noise from the corner. Almost in unison, they turned toward Wang Sheng.

His wheelchair had been pushed back against the table, and he was now standing upright with wide eyes, supporting himself with his arms. The calm composure he had shown earlier had completely vanished.

Senior Sister?! No, it doesn't seem like it. Only their eyebrows are somewhat similar...

Wang Sheng sighed in relief. Upon taking a closer look, he realized that the woman and his senior sister didn't look identical. It was just the aura they gave off.

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