The morning sun filtered through the remnants of the Heavenly Sword Sect, glinting off broken rooftops and scattered stones. The ruins, though still fragile, now seemed alive with purpose. Zhou Yu stood in the Forge Hall, the fragmented Flying Sword Formation laid out before him like a puzzle of dormant power.
Beside him, Liang Chen was already practicing basic sword strikes, his movements improving with each swing. Ling circled the hall, growling low as if aware that today's trials would not be simple.
Zhou Yu knelt before the array plates, his fingers tracing the faint grooves left by ancient sword cultivators. The fragmented sword manual he had discovered in the previous chapter was open beside him, its instructions faintly glowing as he channeled his Qi.
"Formation control is about flow," Zhou Yu murmured. "Your Qi must resonate with the swords. The swords respond to intent, not force."
Carefully, he guided his Qi into the plates, letting it circulate through the formation's broken circuits. Sparks of energy flickered along the plates as one of the flying swords hovered steadily, its unstable tremor now subdued.
The air hummed with latent Sword Qi. Zhou Yu raised his hand, and the sword responded, spinning in a controlled arc above the hall. Another plate pulsed, awakening a second sword. Within hours, three blades hovered, circling the formation under Zhou Yu's precise control.
"This is… just the beginning," Zhou Yu said, eyes gleaming. "Eventually, we'll rebuild the entire formation. It will protect the sect and train disciples in ways even the strongest sword masters will respect."
To test Liang Chen's progress, Zhou Yu led him to the Moon-Shadow Forest, where low-tier mystical beasts roamed freely. Today, the boy would face his first serious test under Zhou Yu's guidance.
A Spirit Wolf, smaller and weaker than Ling but cunning and fast, appeared from the underbrush. Zhou Yu instructed Liang Chen to focus his body cultivation, circulate Qi, and strike with control rather than brute force.
The first attempt failed. Liang Chen stumbled, Qi spilling chaotically, and the wolf darted past his defenses, snapping at his ankle. Zhou Yu intervened just in time, using a small pulse of Sword Qi from the manual to guide Liang Chen's strike, helping him land a precise blow.
Sweat drenched the boy's brow, but determination burned brighter. After several attempts, Liang Chen struck cleanly, his strike infused with Qi, wounding the wolf without killing it. Zhou Yu nodded approvingly.
"You've learned control," Zhou Yu said. "This is far more important than strength. Remember, a true swordsman's sword is guided by the mind and heart, not just the body."
Returning to the sect, Zhou Yu sensed an uneasy presence. Shadows moved along the ridge above the ruins — the rival scouts from the Scarlet Moon Demonic Sect had returned, testing the fledgling sect's defenses.
"Prepare yourself, Liang Chen," Zhou Yu said, drawing his iron sword. Ling growled low. The scouts advanced cautiously, talismans faintly glowing with demonic energy.
Zhou Yu extended his Sword Qi into the Flying Sword Formation, activating the hovering blades. The swords shot forward like streaks of silver light, forcing the scouts to retreat and rethink their approach.
A brief skirmish ensued. Zhou Yu's iron sword and the hovering blades worked in unison, striking with precision and keeping the scouts at bay. Liang Chen, though inexperienced, managed to defend himself, following Zhou Yu's guidance.
Eventually, the scouts withdrew, leaving faint warnings behind: etched talismans in the soil, signaling they would return. Zhou Yu frowned, knowing this was only a minor prelude to the challenges that lay ahead.
That evening, Zhou Yu stood atop a ridge overlooking the sect. The Flying Sword Formation hummed faintly below, Liang Chen practicing under his watchful gaze, and Ling resting at his side. The ruins no longer felt empty — each step, each trial, each sword blade brought the Heavenly Sword Sect closer to rebirth.
Yet a shadow lingered at the edge of his thoughts: the Scarlet Moon Demonic Sect was growing bolder, and other powers on the Eastern Sky Continent surely watched as well. He knew that strength, disciples, and alliances would be the pillars of survival.
Zhou Yu clenched his fist, feeling the thrum of Sword Qi resonate through his dantian. The path ahead was dangerous, but the Heavenly Sword Sect would rise again — stronger, sharper, and more resolute than ever before.