That same morning, they were taken to an open stone courtyard behind the academy. The ground was firm and hard, surrounded by old trees that seemed to have witnessed decades of student training.
Yu Shan stood in the center of the field, encircled by twenty chosen children from various villages. He didn't speak loudly, yet every word he uttered felt like a heavy weight sinking into their hearts.
"First, allow me to ask…"
He paused briefly, then looked at them.
"How powerful is someone who has reached the peak of martial arts?"
Silence.
Suddenly, Bai Zhang, a large boy from the Northern Village, answered boldly, "They can... blow up an enemy's head without leaving a trace!"
Some of the children chuckled at the answer, but not Yu Shan. His gaze remained cold.
"Is that so?" Yu Shan turned, staring straight at Bai Zhang. "Then is that your goal? To crush enemies' heads like breaking stones?"
Bai Zhang fell silent.
Yu Shan stepped closer. "Martial arts are not merely physical strength. Those who reach its peak aren't just destroyers… they can liberate. They can command a battlefield without a sword. They can halt a massacre with a single glance."
The atmosphere turned tense.
"Today's training will be simple," he said softly. "Breathe."
The children glanced at each other.
"In this world, many people train, but few understand that everything... begins with breath. Proper breathing guides the spirit, aligns the body, and lets energy flow calmly."
He sat cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard.
"Sit. Be still. Feel the air as it flows. Listen to your body. That is your first training."
Li Yuan sat down immediately, his eyes slowly closing. Within himself, silence was the beginning of understanding.
"It is not only your body that breathes... but your soul as well," he whispered inwardly.
Mu Yi and Fan Tu followed. Some children were still restless, but none wanted to appear weak.
The morning sunlight bathed those seated in silence.
That was the first day of training.
No harsh movements.
No clash of strength.
Only the act of listening, to silence.
The Library of Qinglong Academy
The sun slowly drifted westward. The first day of training had ended.
No strikes, no shouting, only silence and breathing.
Some students looked confused, a few disappointed, and many thought the training had been far too easy.
But not Li Yuan.
To him, the breathing exercise… felt like coming home.
Home to himself.
As the others began to disperse, Li Yuan walked calmly toward Yu Shan.
His gray eyes observed without pressure, but every word he spoke always carried depth.
"Senior Yu Shan, is there… a library in this place?"
Yu Shan turned, observing the young boy he had only just met that day, yet who spoke with the weight of an ocean behind his voice.
"There is," Yu Shan replied briefly, though his tone softened slightly. "On the eastern side of the academy. But few ever ask about it."
Li Yuan nodded slowly.
"I'd like to go… if I'm allowed."
Yu Shan gave a single nod. "Go."
Li Yuan walked away in steady steps, following a narrow path lined with lush trees on both sides. The late afternoon breeze blew gently, as if welcoming his sincere intent.
Step by step, his thoughts drifted.
He remembered the ancient library he once found in his village, the very first place where he had read the writings of those who came before.
He remembered the old teacher who had taught him to read and write, a quiet man who often said:
"Knowledge is the breath of the soul. Those who can read… can understand the world without ever leaving home."
Now, he had left his village behind.
But his desire to understand the world still burned brightly.
And the library… was where he would begin once again.