The wind howled across the vast pendant realm, rustling the celestial herbs and swaying the ancient trees. A swirl of silver light split the space before Naruto as a powerful presence descended. From within the light, Yin Long appeared, his long silver hair flowing like a river of stardust, his white robes radiating an aura of transcendent stillness.
Naruto immediately stood up from his cross-legged position, eyes wide in joy and respect. "Master!" he said with a grin, bowing deeply.
Yin Long nodded with a faint smile. "Sit down, Naruto," he said, walking towards an ancient stone slab under a spirit tree. Naruto followed and sat opposite him beneath the tree's glimmering leaves.
"You've reached the Qi Refinement Realm," Yin Long said, gazing into the distance as if watching countless stars beyond the horizon. "It is time you begin walking the path of the Dao."
Naruto tilted his head. "Master… what is the Dao? How do I cultivate it?"
Yin Long closed his eyes and inhaled the surrounding essence. "The Dao is not a simple technique or skill. It is a path—a pursuit of truth, supremacy, and immortality. Every great cultivator must eventually walk the Dao to go beyond the limits of mortality, to challenge the heavens and stand at the peak of all existence."
His voice grew heavy with ancient power, and the wind around them stilled, as though the pendant realm itself bowed in respect to his words.
"I have mastery over Five Grand Daos of Heaven and Earth," Yin Long declared. "The Dao of Sword, the Dao of Space and Void, the Dao of Alchemy, the Dao of Array and Formation, and the most treacherous of all—the Demonic Dao. In addition, I've reached the advanced stage in Body Refining and Artifact Forging."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with awe. He had always known his master was powerful, but this… this was divine.
Yin Long continued. "Each Dao comes with risks and rewards. The sword may cut down all enemies, but it can also sever your emotions. The void is eternal, but it is cold and merciless. Alchemy requires extreme patience. The array and formation Dao is delicate, complex, and mind consuming. And the demonic path… that is for those willing to gamble their soul."
Naruto clenched his fists. "Master, I wish to choose Sword Dao and Void Dao."
Yin Long raised an eyebrow. "Ambitious." He then gave a slow nod. "Very well. These two Daos are among the most powerful, and the most difficult to master."
He waved his sleeve, and two items appeared before Naruto.
The first was a scroll wrapped in dragon-hide, pulsing with crimson energy. "This is the technique of the Decimating Divine Sword," Yin Long explained. "It was created from the will of the Ancient Dragon God, a being whose roars could shatter mountains. This sword technique contains the essence of high-temperature flame, capable of cleaving even the scales of a dragon god. Within it lies a legacy… one that may awaken your understanding of the Sword Dao."
Naruto took the scroll with trembling hands. The moment he touched it, he felt an overwhelming surge of heat crawl up his arm and settle in his soul. It was wild, untamed—yet majestic.
Next, Yin Long opened his palm, revealing a floating, glass-like orb with swirling silver space inside. "This is a Void Spirit Core, a treasure that will greatly aid your comprehension of space and void laws."
A second scroll appeared beside it. "Within this is the technique of the Divine Eye of the Void. Cultivating this will grant your right eye the power to see through dimensions, distort space, and eventually tear open the void itself. It will begin with spatial awareness, but with enough comprehension, you will walk the void as I do."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat. To wield a sword that could challenge gods, and to bend space itself—that was beyond any dream he had had.
"And here," Yin Long added, drawing out a blade wrapped in spirit-sealing cloth, "is a 5th-grade Spiritual Sword, forged with star iron and soaked in lightning essence for fifty years. It's strong enough to guide your path through the early stages of the Sword Dao. Treat it well. A sword is not just a weapon—it is a partner in battle and in spirit."
Naruto gently unwrapped the cloth, revealing a sleek blade with a mirrored surface and faint lightning veins along its edge. He instinctively bowed to the sword, and it resonated faintly in return.
"Thank you, Master…" Naruto whispered his voice thick with gratitude.
Yin Long looked at him seriously. "Your choices are commendable, but they come with hardship. The Sword Dao will test your heart. It requires clarity, decisiveness, and the courage to face yourself. The Void Dao will test your mind. It is an endless abyss—one misstep, and you may be swallowed."
Naruto lowered his head in thought.
Yin Long's voice softened. "Why did you choose these two?"
Naruto closed his eyes and remembered. A younger version of himself sat by the fire, watching as illusionary projections from the pendant realm played stories of ancient cultivators—one, a dragon-slaying swordsman who stood alone against a tidal wave of beasts; another, a silver-haired youth who walked through space as though stepping across stones, appearing behind enemies before they knew death had come.
"I've always admired those who stood alone, yet were never afraid," Naruto said quietly. "The sword speaks without needing words. Moreover, space… space is freedom. If I can master the Void Dao, I can be free from the chains that have bound me in this village. No more hiding. No more running."
Yin Long smiled faintly. "Very well said."
A silence settled between them, heavy and sacred.
"From now on," Yin Long said, "you will train in both Daos. Each day in the pendant realm, you will temper your sword techniques with the Decimating Divine Sword scroll, and meditate with the Void Spirit Core to understand space and its folds."
He paused, and then added, "Do not be hasty. The Dao is not a race. You must feel, not force. Comprehension comes when you are in harmony with yourself and the world."
Naruto nodded solemnly. "I understand."
As the sky above the pendant realm darkened slightly with approaching dusk, Yin Long stood and looked toward the horizon. "Your journey has begun, Naruto. The path of cultivation is long and cruel… but for those with will, it is also glorious."
He placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Make your mark on the heavens. Let them know your name."
With that, Yin Long's figure shimmered and vanished into the wind, leaving behind the faint scent of stardust.
Naruto remained seated under the tree, scrolls in hand, the sword across his lap, and the Void Spirit Core floating before him. For the first time in his life, he felt it—not loneliness, not fear… but purpose.
His path toward Dao had begun.
To Be Continued…