The ancient voice echoing directly in his mind shocked Lam Minh, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew the creature before him was not an enemy.
"Descendant of the Dragon race?" Lam Minh also replied with his thoughts, his heart filled with doubt. "Senior... could you be mistaken? I'm just an ordinary person."
The giant Divine Turtle slowly shook its head, sending ripples across the lake's surface. Its large eyes looked deep into Lam Minh, as if it could see through his very soul.
"There is no mistake. The bloodline within you, though very faint, is still the bloodline of the Dragon Lord. Only his descendants can awaken that ancient bamboo scroll, and only his bloodline can be felt by me."
The bloodline of the Dragon Lord? Lac Long Quan?
Lam Minh was stunned. Could the legend of being the children of a Dragon and a Fairy be true? Did he really have the blood of a god flowing through his veins? This would explain why his Primary Core had such a strange reaction to things related to Lac Long Quan.
"Senior, you are...?" Lam Minh asked cautiously.
"The people of this world call me Kim Quy (Golden Turtle)," the Divine Turtle replied, its voice carrying a distant nostalgia. "I have been here, at the bottom of this lake, for more than four thousand years, to guard a promise and to wait for someone like you."
Kim Quy!
Lam Minh couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath. This was the Divine Turtle from the legends that had helped King An Duong Vuong build the Co Loa Citadel, and later gave the precious sword to King Le Loi to drive out the Ming invaders. A mythological creature of flesh and blood was right before his eyes.
"Senior... you know about the invasion of the Madakaros race?"
"Madakaros?" Kim Quy mused. "A new name. We used to call them the Ngu Tinh (Fish Goblins). Yes, I know. I felt their foul presence on this land nearly a century ago. But I cannot interfere."
"Why not?" Lam Minh was confused. With the power of a mythological creature like Kim Quy, dealing with low-level Madakaros should certainly be no problem.
"Because it is a curse, and also my mission," Kim Quy's voice became somber. "My power is tied to the dragon veins of Thang Long Citadel. If I leave too far or for too long, I will weaken and gradually die. My mission is to guard this place, to protect the dragon veins of this nation, not to fight on the front lines. Moreover, this battle, you all must stand up for yourselves."
Kim Quy looked at him. "You humans have relied on technology and walls for too long, and have forgotten that true strength lies within yourselves. These Ngu Tinh, they are not invincible. They are merely a test. A test to see if the descendants of the Dragon Lord and the Fairy Mother are still worthy of their bloodline."
Kim Quy's words were like a wake-up call, making Lam Minh reflect. It was true. In his previous life, humanity only knew how to defend passively, relying on weapons, on walls, without ever knowing how to unlock their own potential.
"So... why did Senior summon me here?" Lam Minh asked, returning to the main point.
"I summoned you to give you something," Kim Quy said. "I have waited a very long time for a descendant with sufficient aptitude like you. The last time I did this was more than six hundred years ago, with a young man named Le Loi."
With that, Kim Quy slowly submerged. The lake's surface became tranquil again. Lam Minh waited patiently.
A moment later, the water directly in front of him suddenly bubbled. An object slowly rose to the surface, carrying a soft, jade-green glow.
It was a sword.
An ancient sword. Its hilt and scabbard were made from a type of deep green jade, exquisitely carved with coiling dragon patterns. Despite having been underwater for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, it showed no signs of rust or erosion; on the contrary, it emanated an astonishing spiritual energy.
The sword drifted to the shore, stopping right at Lam Minh's feet.
"This is Thuan Thien (Heaven's Will)," Kim Quy's voice echoed again. "The sword that the Dragon Lord used to slay demons and bring peace to the world. It is not his most powerful weapon, but it is the sword that carries the will and destiny of this entire nation. It chose Le Loi, and now, it chooses you."
Lam Minh bent down, his hand trembling as he touched the hilt.
The moment he touched it, a warm, familiar energy flowed from the sword into his body, merging perfectly with his bloodline and his Foundation Establishment qi. He had a feeling that this sword was born for him.
"Take it," Kim Quy continued. "Your current strength is still too weak to unleash Thuan Thien's full power. But it will grow with you. It will be your companion, the weapon that helps you protect this land."
Lam Minh gripped the hilt tightly and slowly drew it from its scabbard.
KENG!
A brilliant green light flashed, illuminating a corner of the lake. The blade was as bright as a mirror, its edge bone-chillingly sharp. On the body of the blade were carved two ancient Chinese characters: Thuan Thien.
"Thank you, Senior," Lam Minh said solemnly, bowing his head to the lake.
"Do not thank me. This is your destiny," Kim Quy said. "My time is short. This war will be long. You must become strong quickly. The island on the bamboo scroll, the Dragon's Abyss... that is where the Dragon Lord left his legacy. Perhaps there, you will find the path to truly awaken your bloodline. But be careful, that place is also extremely dangerous."
Kim Quy's voice grew fainter and then faded completely. Its giant eyes slowly closed, and its massive body sank back to the bottom of the lake, returning the tranquility to the water's surface.
Lam Minh stood there alone, holding the Thuan Thien sword. The sword in his hand vibrated slightly, as if rejoicing at finding its new master.
He knew that from this moment on, on his shoulders rested not only the burden of his family and friends, but the destiny of an entire nation, a legacy passed down through thousands of years.
He sheathed the sword, his gaze turning to the distance, more determined than ever.
Dragon's Abyss... Lac Long Quan... Madakaros...
All of you, just wait. Lam Minh is coming!