Truth-Seeking Yang Sword, Scarlet Fire Monkey

[ Outskirts of Shrek City, Verdant Forest ]

"Augh..." A small child in ripped clothing woke up in the middle of the forest. His large black eyes held a certain amount of confusion as he sat up.

"Hm? I'm not dead? But that's impossible, my const--" Wanting to affirm the truth, the youth used an otherworldly technique to peer into his own body. When he opened his eyes, there was a mix of shock, confusion, but mostly joy.

"It's gone! My accursed constitution is gone!" He was Xin Qeng, who upon finding out that he was no longer plagued by his old condition, was moved to tears. Although, he also noticed that his cultivation seemed to have disappeared, he could not care. After all, what was more precious than life?

He was still quick to recollect his emotions as he returned to his usual placid expression. He then began to analyze his current situation. "I have woken up in a new place, with memories not that of my own, and a body which is definitely not my own. Is this the legendary reincarnation? Was it because of my breakthrough to Complete Truth Realm, so that even if my life could not be saved, my soul was preserved?" Xin Qing shook his head as these questions would get him nowhere.

He understood that he had likely been reincarnated accounting for the memories of the body's previous host who was also named Xin Qing. Unlike him, however, this child did not have talent in the world's cultivation system and overestimated his abilities trying to kill a ten-year beast, so it seems.

It was then that he realized there was a little monkey looking at him in confusion, the same one that killed the previous Xin Qing. Xin Qing narrowed his eyes as he thought, 'Scarlet Fire Monkey. It should be an agility-type creature who isn't that powerful. Even without my cultivation, my technique alone should be able to kill it.'

And Xin Qing hesitated no more as he stood up and prepared to fight. Just when he was lamenting how he was fighting sword-less as a former sword immortal, he felt a mental connection between him and his dantian. Looking inside again, he found out that his soul-bound sword, the Truth-Seeking Yang Sword, had followed his soul through reincarnation. However, he also saw that it's appearance changed slightly. He did not get a chance to think much further as the Scarlet Fire Monkey pounced.

Although the Nine Sun Sword Sect was a sect known for Sword cultivation, it did not mean that they lacked movement based techniques. Xin Qing mentally commanded, 'Flickering Step', allowing him to easily dodge the monkey. While this was occurring, he noticed that there seemed to be a sensation coming from his sword that powered his technique further.

'What?' He thought, 'Wait, perhaps this is the Martial Spirit in my memory? But the previous Xin Qing should have only had a weak light-based spirit essence. It seems that my Truth-Seeking Yang Sword has absorbed it to become my Martial Spirit.' Not thinking any further, he continued to pull power from his sword, noticing that his Flickering Step had become much faster as a result.

Quickly slashing out with his sword, he had no difficulties killing the Scarlet Fire Monkey despite his smaller body and other distracting thoughts. As he stood over the deceased monkey, he saw a white ring of light float above it.

With a quick memory scan, he whispered, "Spirit ring?"