Heavenly Sword Saint
The battle between Jian Chen and Jian Xuan had ended.
Yet the training ground remained restless.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
Jian Chen had defeated an Eighth-Stage cultivator.
After only one month of cultivation.
Some disciples were excited.
Some were shocked.
Others simply couldn't accept what they had witnessed.
Jian Chen slowly stepped down from the platform.
His legs felt heavy.
His spiritual energy was nearly exhausted.
But his expression remained calm.
"Young Master!"
Xiao Yue hurried toward him.
Her face was filled with worry.
"Are you injured?"
Jian Chen shook his head.
"Nothing serious."
Xiao Yue immediately noticed the blood covering his sleeve.
"Nothing serious? You were almost thrown off the platform!"
Jian Chen smiled faintly.
"But I'm still standing."
Xiao Yue sighed.
"You really don't know how to worry people."
Before Jian Chen could answer, a familiar voice came from behind.
"Chen'er!"
Jian Chen turned.
His mother was hurrying toward him.
Her face was pale with worry.
The moment she reached him, she grabbed his arm and began examining him.
"Are you hurt?"
"Mother, I'm fine."
Her eyes fell on the blood covering his clothes.
"Then whose blood is this?"
"Jian Xuan's."
She froze.
Then she checked his shoulders, arms, and chest again.
Only after finding no serious injury did she finally release the breath she had been holding.
"You frightened me."
Jian Chen smiled.
"I'm stronger than I look."
His mother stared at him.
For sixteen years, she had watched her son endure ridicule.
Sixteen years of hearing others call him useless.
Sixteen years of watching him stand apart from the other young masters of the clan.
And today...
He had defeated an Eighth Stage cultivator before the entire clan.
Her eyes became slightly red.
"You really have grown."
Jian Chen's expression softened.
"Mother..."
She quickly turned her face away and composed herself.
"I don't care how strong you become."
"Just don't throw your life away."
Jian Chen nodded.
"I won't."
She gave him one final worried look before reluctantly stepping away.
Jian Chen watched her leave.
A faint warmth remained in his eyes.
Then he returned beneath the pavilion and sat down.
His eyes slowly closed.
The Heavenly Sword Scripture began circulating through his body.
Spiritual energy flowed through his meridians.
One cycle.
Then another.
His breathing gradually stabilized.
The battle had nearly emptied him.
But exhaustion wasn't the only thing it had given him.
It had shown him exactly where he stood.
Jian Chen replayed the battle in his mind.
Every movement.
Every exchange.
Every mistake.
Every opening.
He had overcome Jian Xuan's superior cultivation through swordsmanship, precision, and experience.
But he hadn't erased the difference in cultivation.
He had merely found a way around it.
That distinction mattered.
Against an Eighth Stage cultivator, his swordsmanship could compensate for the gap.
But the Ninth Stage was different.
A Ninth Stage cultivator possessed greater spiritual energy, a stronger body, greater speed, and enough power to withstand attacks that would overwhelm an Eighth-Stage opponent.
His current body couldn't maintain his strongest sword techniques indefinitely.
Once his spiritual energy ran dry, his swordsmanship alone wouldn't be enough.
Jian Chen slowly opened his eyes.
"So this is my boundary."
He wasn't disappointed.
A boundary was useful.
It told him exactly what needed to change.
His cultivation.
His physical strength.
His spiritual reserves.
And his swordsmanship.
The sword was already sharp.
What it lacked was enough power behind it.
Jian Chen closed his eyes again.
Then
Something changed.
The spiritual energy inside his body suddenly became smoother.
His expression shifted.
He immediately focused inward.
His foundation had become stronger.
The battle had pushed his cultivation forward.
It wasn't enough for a major breakthrough.
But the improvement was unmistakable.
Then he sensed something else.
His seventh meridian.
The blockage surrounding it had begun to loosen.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
But it was happening.
Jian Chen's eyes brightened.
"If this continues..."
He might soon open another meridian.
That would greatly increase the amount of spiritual energy his body could contain.
But another problem immediately surfaced.
The Heavenly Sword Scripture consumed an enormous amount of spiritual energy.
The resources in his courtyard were no longer enough.
He needed a richer cultivation environment.
His thoughts immediately turned toward the Spirit Gathering Pavilion.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The Spirit Gathering Pavilion...
That was exactly what he needed.
Perhaps today's victory would give him an opportunity to enter.
"Next battle!"
The supervising elder's voice echoed across the training ground.
Jian Chen opened his eyes.
The competition continued.
But the mood among the elders had changed.
Several elders were discussing him in low voices.
"He defeated Jian Xuan."
"His swordsmanship is remarkable."
An older elder shook his head.
"That's not the most impressive part."
The others looked toward him.
"The way he reads his opponent."
"Did you see how quickly he adjusted after Jian Xuan changed his rhythm?"
Another elder nodded slowly.
"His battle instincts are far beyond his cultivation."
A faint smile appeared on another elder's face.
"If he receives proper guidance, his future could be considerable."
"This is good for the clan."
Several elders nodded.
But not everyone looked pleased.
One elder remained silent.
Another folded his arms and watched Jian Chen carefully.
"His talent is impressive," he finally said.
"But don't forget his cultivation."
"He is still only at the Sixth Stage."
"One victory doesn't make him invincible."
The older elder glanced at him.
"No."
"But it does mean we should stop treating him as useless."
The elder fell silent.
That was the uncomfortable truth.
For sixteen years, Jian Chen had been irrelevant.
Now every elder in the training ground had to reconsider him.
One of them glanced toward the Third Elder.
The Third Elder hadn't spoken once.
His gaze remained fixed on Jian Chen.
His fingers rested against the armrest.
Slowly...
They tightened.
Among the disciples, the reaction was no different.
Those who had mocked Jian Chen now avoided his eyes.
Others watched him with new respect.
A few were already calculating how far he might rise.
But there were still voices of doubt.
"He's only at the Sixth Stage."
"Let's see how he performs against someone stronger."
"Jian Xuan might simply have underestimated him."
Jian Chen ignored all of it.
But someone nearby couldn't.
Jian Hu stood beside his elder brother, Jian Ming.
His face was pale.
His eyes remained fixed on Jian Chen.
Jian Ming noticed.
"What is it?"
Jian Hu swallowed.
"Brother..."
"What?"
"Do you think Jian Chen will take revenge?"
Jian Ming frowned.
"Has he threatened you?"
"No."
"Has he confronted you?"
"No."
"Then why are you afraid?"
Jian Hu didn't answer.
A memory had already returned.
A month ago...
Jian Chen had been lying on the ground.
Blood had covered his clothes.
His body had been beaten so badly that he could barely move.
Jian Hu had stood above him.
At the time, Jian Chen couldn't cultivate.
He had looked powerless.
Helpless.
Jian Hu had believed it would remain that way forever.
He had been wrong.
Now that same person had defeated Jian Xuan.
Jian Hu's hands slowly tightened.
"If he remembers..."
His voice dropped.
"A month ago, I nearly killed him."
Jian Ming's expression became serious.
He looked toward Jian Chen.
Jian Chen was sitting quietly beneath the pavilion.
Calm.
Composed.
Not even looking in their direction.
That was what frightened Jian Hu most.
If Jian Chen had been staring at him with hatred, Jian Hu might have felt better.
But there was nothing.
No anger.
No threat.
Nothing.
"I don't know what he's thinking," Jian Hu whispered.
Jian Ming looked at him.
"Then don't give him a reason to think about you."
"What should I do?"
"Stay away from him."
Jian Hu nodded.
But his anxiety remained.
After a moment, his gaze shifted toward the elders' seats.
"I want to ask Father."
Jian Ming followed his gaze.
"Let's go."
The brothers approached the Third Elder.
The Third Elder looked at them.
"What is it?"
Jian Hu lowered his head.
"Father..."
"Speak."
"I want to know what we should do about Jian Chen."
The Third Elder's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
Jian Hu hesitated.
"Because of what happened a month ago."
"I hurt him badly."
"Now that he can cultivate... I'm afraid he'll come after me."
The Third Elder studied his son.
Then his gaze shifted toward Jian Chen.
"Has he done anything?"
"No."
"Has he threatened you?"
"No."
"Then don't act first."
Jian Hu looked surprised.
The Third Elder's voice remained cold and measured.
"If you provoke him now, you will give him exactly what he needs."
Jian Hu immediately nodded.
"Yes, Father."
The Third Elder looked at both brothers.
"Keep your distance."
"Watch him."
"And never underestimate him."
"Understood."
The brothers turned to leave.
After a few steps, Jian Hu stopped.
"Father..."
The Third Elder looked over.
"If he really comes after me..."
Jian Hu glanced toward Jian Ming.
"Can Brother stop him?"
Jian Ming's eyes narrowed.
The Third Elder was silent for a moment.
His gaze shifted to Jian Ming.
Then back to Jian Hu.
"If that day comes..."
His voice remained calm.
"We'll deal with it."
Jian Hu finally breathed easier.
The brothers left.
The Third Elder remained seated.
His gaze returned to Jian Chen.
Jian Hu's fear wasn't what concerned him.
Not yet.
What concerned him was the speed of Jian Chen's transformation.
A month ago, the boy couldn't cultivate.
Today, he had defeated Jian Xuan.
That wasn't simply talent.
It was an abnormal rate of growth.
The Third Elder's fingers tightened around the armrest.
Sixteen years ago, Jian Chen's father had humiliated him.
At that time, he had been powerless to retaliate.
Then Jian Chen's father disappeared.
But the humiliation remained.
So did the hatred.
For sixteen years, Jian Chen had been nothing more than a reminder of that humiliation.
A useless reminder.
A harmless reminder.
But now...
That reminder was becoming dangerous.
The Third Elder slowly released his grip.
He would not act recklessly.
Not yet.
Too many eyes were watching Jian Chen.
And Jian Chen had only just begun to rise.
There was no reason to reveal his hand.
Not until he knew exactly what the boy was capable of becoming.
Meanwhile, Jian Chen knew nothing about the conversation.
His attention remained focused inward.
The Heavenly Sword Scripture circulated through his body.
His foundation continued strengthening.
The seventh meridian continued loosening.
Slowly.
Steadily.
He could feel every change.
But he also understood his current boundary.
He could challenge Eighth Stage cultivators.
Against some, he could even win.
But anyone above the Eighth Stage remained beyond his current strength.
Jian Chen didn't fear that boundary.
He simply accepted it.
For now.
His eyes slowly opened.
For a moment, his gaze swept across the training ground.
Several elders were watching him.
Some looked pleased.
Some were curious.
Others quickly looked away.
Jian Chen's gaze remained calm.
He didn't care what they thought.
He didn't need their approval.
Strength was enough.
His eyes moved toward the distant platform.
The competition was still continuing.
There were still battles ahead.
Still opponents to face.
Still realms to overcome.
And somewhere beyond them...
The Ninth Stage.
Jian Chen closed his eyes.
The Heavenly Sword Scripture circulated once more.
Inside his body, the seventh meridian slowly loosened.
A wall stood before him.
He would break it.
Not today.
Perhaps not tomorrow.
But eventually.
And when that day came...
The boundary that had stopped him today would no longer exist.
Beneath the noise of the annual competition...
Jian Chen quietly became stronger.