Heavenly Sword Saint
The next ten days passed quietly.
Jian Chen spent most of his time inside the courtyard.
He rarely left unless necessary.
Every morning, he tempered his body.
Every afternoon, he cultivated the Heavenly Sword Scripture.
Every evening, he practiced the Flowing Cloud Sword Art.
The routine was simple.
But Jian Chen didn't underestimate the value of repetition.
His cultivation had only begun in this life.
Every improvement had been built from nothing.
There was no cultivation left behind from his previous life.
Only his memories.
His experience.
And the Heavenly Sword Scripture.
During these ten days, Jian Chen's body gradually became stronger.
His control over spiritual energy improved.
His movements became more natural.
And his Iron Body Realm slowly stabilized.
He didn't attempt to open another meridian.
He knew exactly how painful that process was.
Opening a meridian wasn't something that could be done recklessly.
His body needed time to adapt to the changes caused by his cultivation.
Therefore, Jian Chen wasn't impatient.
He focused on strengthening his foundation.
More importantly...
He continued refining the Flowing Cloud Sword Art.
The sword technique he had created in his previous life wasn't something that could be fully displayed by his current body.
His strength was different.
His speed was different.
His physical endurance was different.
He needed to make the technique completely compatible with his current body.
And after ten days of continuous practice...
He finally achieved a breakthrough.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Art had reached the level of Initial Mastery.
This was only the first true threshold of the technique.
Above Initial Mastery were Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, and Perfection.
Beyond Perfection...
There were even higher levels.
But Jian Chen wasn't concerned with those yet.
Initial Mastery was enough for his current strength.
At this level, his movements no longer felt forced.
The sword flowed naturally with his body.
His footwork, timing, and sword movements had begun connecting together.
On the tenth morning...
Jian Chen slowly opened his eyes.
The first rays of sunlight entered the courtyard.
He sat quietly for several breaths before standing.
Crack!
His joints released a series of crisp sounds.
Jian Chen stretched his arms.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Stable."
His body felt stronger than it had ten days ago.
His cultivation was also completely stable.
He walked toward the old tree.
The wooden sword rested against its trunk.
Jian Chen picked it up.
The annual competition would begin soon.
But today...
The competition had not yet started.
The clan was merely making final preparations.
Still, Jian Chen knew that the atmosphere throughout the clan would be completely different.
He closed his eyes.
His breathing gradually slowed.
Then...
He moved.
Step.
Turn.
Slash.
The wooden sword swept through the air.
His movements were smooth.
There was no wasted motion.
The sword seemed to follow his thoughts before his body even finished moving.
Jian Chen suddenly changed direction.
The wooden sword stopped inches from the tree trunk.
He opened his eyes.
A sharp light flashed within them.
"Initial Mastery."
He looked at the iron sword.
"Not bad."
He returned it to its place.
Then he walked toward the house.
Inside...
Liu Ruyan was already awake.
When she saw him, she smiled gently.
"Chen'er."
"Mother."
"You're going out?"
Jian Chen nodded.
"I want to take a look around the clan."
Liu Ruyan didn't ask anything further.
She simply nodded.
"Be careful."
"I will."
Jian Chen left the courtyard.
The moment he stepped onto the main road...
He noticed the change.
The entire Jian Clan was bustling.
Young disciples could be seen everywhere.
Some were practicing sword techniques.
Some were discussing cultivation.
Others were gathering in small groups.
The upcoming annual competition had become the main topic throughout the clan.
Jian Chen walked calmly through the crowd.
He didn't need to ask anyone what was happening.
He could hear everything simply by walking.
"Did you hear?"
"Jian Mo has apparently improved again."
"I heard he has been cultivating almost constantly these past few days."
"That's not surprising. He's always been one of the strongest among us."
Another group was talking nearby.
"I heard Jian Yun has also made progress."
"Really?"
"Yes. His sword technique has improved considerably."
"He might surprise everyone this year."
Jian Chen continued walking.
The conversations around him became increasingly lively.
"The competition is going to be much more intense this year."
"Of course. Everyone has been preparing for it."
"I heard several disciples have received additional resources from their elders."
"That's nothing unusual."
"Have you heard about Jian Mo?"
"What about him?"
"Apparently, he challenged several senior disciples during training."
"And?"
"He won."
A murmur spread through the group.
Jian Chen's expression remained calm.
Jian Mo...
So he had improved.
That wasn't surprising.
Their previous battle had probably given him considerable motivation.
Jian Chen continued forward.
Soon, he reached one of the larger training grounds.
Dozens of disciples were practicing there.
Swords clashed.
Footsteps moved rapidly across the ground.
Shouts echoed through the air.
Several disciples noticed Jian Chen.
Their movements slowed.
"Isn't that Jian Chen?"
"He actually came."
"Didn't he defeat Jian Mo before?"
"Yes."
"I heard that battle was extremely short."
"Jian Mo was defeated in only a few exchanges."
"His sword technique is strange."
"Strange?"
"Yeah. It's difficult to understand."
Several disciples glanced at Jian Chen with curiosity.
But there was no ridicule in their eyes.
There was respect.
Jian Chen had already proven himself.
Even though he had only recently begun cultivating...
He had defeated Jian Mo.
That alone was enough to make many younger disciples take him seriously.
Jian Chen ignored their gazes.
He walked past them.
Not far away...
A group of disciples were discussing the strongest members of the younger generation.
"Who do you think will rank first this year?"
"Jian Mo."
"Definitely Jian Mo."
"I agree."
Another disciple shook his head.
"Don't forget Jian Yun."
"Jian Yun?"
"His sword technique has improved considerably."
"He might challenge Jian Mo."
Someone laughed.
"You forgot Jian Hu."
The group immediately became quieter.
One disciple frowned.
"Jian Hu?"
"His cultivation isn't bad."
"But his combat ability..."
The disciple shrugged.
"He's still strong."
"Strong, yes."
"But I don't think he can compete for first place."
Another disciple lowered his voice.
"Don't say that too loudly."
"Why?"
"You know the Great Elder supports him."
The group immediately fell silent.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Jian Hu might not be the strongest.
But he had resources.
And resources could sometimes compensate for shortcomings.
Jian Chen heard the conversation from a distance.
He didn't care.
His eyes moved across the training ground.
There were many talented disciples in the clan.
Some were confident.
Some were nervous.
Some were secretly preparing themselves.
Some were already forming alliances.
The annual competition hadn't even started...
Yet the atmosphere was already tense.
Everyone wanted to prove themselves.
Everyone wanted better resources.
Everyone wanted recognition.
And no one wanted to be humiliated.
Jian Chen suddenly noticed Jian Mo.
He was standing alone at the edge of the training ground.
His sword was in his hand.
He was practicing.
One strike.
Then another.
His movements were much sharper than before.
Jian Chen watched for several breaths.
He could clearly see the improvement.
Jian Mo suddenly stopped.
Perhaps sensing something...
He turned.
His eyes met Jian Chen's.
For a moment, neither moved.
Jian Mo's expression became complicated.
There was no longer the arrogance he had displayed before.
Instead...
There was caution.
And determination.
Jian Chen simply looked away.
He had no desire to provoke him.
Their previous battle was already in the past.
If Jian Mo wanted revenge...
He could wait until the annual competition.
Jian Chen continued walking.
Then...
A familiar figure appeared farther ahead.
Jian Hu.
Several disciples surrounded him.
He was speaking loudly.
His expression was arrogant.
The moment Jian Hu noticed Jian Chen...
His voice stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
Several people around him followed his gaze.
The atmosphere became slightly strange.
Jian Chen didn't stop.
He didn't even look at him.
To Jian Chen...
Jian Hu was nothing but a dead man walking.
The only problem was that he hadn't yet found the right opportunity to settle the matter.
There was no need for meaningless words.
He walked past.
Jian Hu's expression darkened.
But Jian Chen continued forward without turning around.
A disciple beside Jian Hu whispered,
"Brother Jian Hu..."
Jian Hu didn't respond.
His gaze remained fixed on Jian Chen's back.
The young man who had once been mocked by countless disciples...
Had changed.
Jian Hu couldn't explain exactly what had changed.
But he could feel it.
There was something about Jian Chen that made him uncomfortable.
Not because Jian Chen was openly threatening him.
Quite the opposite.
Jian Chen acted as though Jian Hu didn't exist.
That indifference was more infuriating than an insult.
Jian Hu clenched his fists.
"The annual competition..."
He whispered.
"Let's see how long you can remain so arrogant."
Meanwhile...
Jian Chen had already walked far away.
He wasn't thinking about Jian Hu.
His attention was elsewhere.
The annual competition would soon begin.
He needed to know the strength of the younger generation.
Not because he feared them.
But because understanding his opponents was always useful.
In his previous life, he had learned one important lesson.
Never underestimate anyone.
Even a seemingly insignificant opponent could become deadly if given enough time.
Jian Chen stopped at the edge of the training grounds.
He looked across the bustling clan.
The younger generation was preparing.
The elders were making arrangements.
The competition was approaching.
And with it...
The opportunity to obtain more resources.
Jian Chen's eyes gradually sharpened.
He had only begun cultivating in this life.
Yet he had already taken his first steps.
The road ahead would be long.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
He would build his foundation.
Strengthen his body.
Improve his sword.
And slowly...
He would reclaim everything that had once been beyond his reach.
Jian Chen turned around.
He walked back toward his courtyard.
Behind him, the Jian Clan remained filled with excitement and whispers.
The annual competition had not yet begun.
But everyone could feel it.
The storm was coming.