Days passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.
Morning after morning, Su Yang disappeared into the mountains with his saber.
Night after night, he returned exhausted, swallowed Qi Restoration Pills, and cultivated until dawn.
He never attempted to rush into the second level of the saber manual.
Instead, he repeatedly practiced the fundamentals.
Grip.
Stance.
Footwork.
Draw.
Control.
Again.
Again.
And again.
What had once required conscious thought gradually became instinct.
The saber no longer felt like a foreign weapon in his hand. Whenever Su Yang wrapped his fingers around its hilt, his body naturally entered the proper stance.
His eight basic steps had also undergone a tremendous transformation.
Advance.
Retreat.
Shift.
Pivot.
Turn.
Every movement had been practiced thousands upon thousands of times.
Combined with his movement technique, Su Yang's combat ability had increased dramatically.
Yet strangely, his cultivation realm remained unchanged.
No breakthrough came.
Su Yang wasn't worried.
His spiritual energy was becoming denser, his meridians stronger, and most importantly, the Dragon-Tiger Inheritance was continuously tempering his body.
His strength was increasing even without an advancement in cultivation.
Eventually, only five days remained before the disciple admission of the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect.
And because the sect was situated in the distant Moonshade Region, the journey from Su Yang's hometown would require approximately three days.
It was finally time to leave.
But Su Yang wasn't the only person preparing for the upcoming admission.
Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect
Night covered the enormous mountain upon which the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect stood.
Massive buildings stretched across several peaks, connected by stone bridges suspended above deep valleys.
Occasionally—
RUMBLE!
Lightning flashed through the clouds surrounding the highest mountain.
The Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect had existed for generations.
Its disciples cultivated saber techniques famous for their explosiveness and destructive power.
Every disciple admission attracted thousands of young cultivators.
But tonight, someone had arrived for an entirely different reason.
Fu Yancheng walked through one of the inner disciple courtyards.
He stopped before a residence.
Knock.
Knock.
The door opened.
A young man wearing the robes of an inner disciple looked at him.
"Fu Yancheng?"
"Senior Brother."
Fu Yancheng immediately smiled.
"I need a small favor."
The inner disciple studied him.
"What favor?"
Fu Yancheng stepped inside.
Several other inner disciples were already gathered there.
These were among the disciples who had been assigned to help oversee the upcoming disciple admission.
That was exactly why Fu Yancheng had come.
He exchanged pleasantries before finally getting to the point.
"There might be someone participating in the admission this year."
One disciple raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"I don't want him passing."
Silence filled the room.
Another disciple laughed.
"That's why you came here in the middle of the night?"
Fu Yancheng smiled.
"It won't require much effort."
He began describing Su Yang.
"He's young. Around this tall."
Fu Yancheng gestured.
"Black hair. Sharp eyebrows. Fair complexion. His name is Su Yang."
One of the inner disciples frowned.
"Su Yang?"
"Yes."
"If he fails naturally, that's one thing. But what if he performs well?"
Fu Yancheng's expression darkened.
"Then find another reason."
The disciples exchanged glances.
Fu Yancheng continued.
"Fail him during whichever stage you control. I don't care how you do it."
One disciple leaned backward.
"You must hate this fellow."
Fu Yancheng's eyes became cold.
"Hate?"
His fingers slowly tightened.
Images flashed through his mind.
The humiliation.
The looks from everyone around him.
And most importantly—
His fiancée.
Fu Yancheng stood.
"You don't need to concern yourselves with what happened between us."
He turned toward the door.
"Just remember his name."
Su Yang.
Fu Yancheng walked away from the inner disciples' quarters.
The moment he stepped into the darkness, a sinister smirk slowly appeared on his face.
Su Yang…
You dared humiliate me.
His eyes narrowed.
You even dared steal my fiancée.
"Let's see how arrogant you'll be when you can't even enter the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect."
His quiet laughter disappeared into the night.
Su Family Residence
At almost the same time, Su Yang stood inside his room.
There wasn't much left.
His belongings had already been packed into a storage pouch.
Clothes.
Spirit stones.
Medicinal pills.
Food.
Water.
The saber manual.
And several other necessities his mother had prepared for him.
Su Yang picked up the storage pouch and attached it securely to his waist.
His room suddenly seemed strangely empty.
He looked around.
He had spent countless nights cultivating here.
Now he was leaving.
Su Lan had departed one day earlier for the Heavenly Immortal Sword Sect, beginning her own journey.
Su Yang wondered when the siblings would meet again.
Perhaps months.
Perhaps years.
The cultivation world was enormous.
Once they entered their respective sects, their paths would inevitably change.
Su Yang pushed the thought aside.
There was no point becoming sentimental.
He stepped outside.
His mother was already waiting.
She looked at the storage pouch around his waist.
"Everything?"
Su Yang nodded.
"Everything."
"Food?"
"Yes."
"Pills?"
"Yes."
"Spirit stones?"
"Yes."
"Extra clothes?"
Su Yang smiled helplessly.
"Mother, you've asked me that three times."
"And I'll ask a fourth if necessary."
Su Yang laughed softly.
But his mother didn't.
She stared at him for a long moment.
Her son looked different.
It hadn't even been that long since his cultivation had changed, yet the transformation was obvious.
His shoulders were broader.
His posture straighter.
There was something sharper about him.
Especially his eyes.
She reached forward and adjusted his robe.
"Be careful."
"I will."
"Don't provoke people unnecessarily."
"I won't."
"If someone is stronger than you, there's no shame in retreating."
Su Yang nodded.
"I understand."
"And don't trust everyone who smiles at you."
That made Su Yang pause.
Then he smiled.
"I'll remember."
His mother looked at him again.
Eventually, she sighed.
"Go."
Su Yang bowed deeply.
"Mother…"
His voice became serious.
"Take care of yourself."
"You too."
Su Yang straightened.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he turned around.
He didn't look back.
He was afraid that if he did, leaving would become more difficult.
Su Yang had deliberately chosen to depart beneath the cover of night.
If the townspeople saw him leaving with his belongings, questions would immediately begin.
Where was Su Yang going?
Was he joining a sect?
Which sect?
Had something happened?
Rumors would spread before sunrise.
Su Yang wanted none of it.
So while most of the town slept, a lone figure quietly passed through the gates and disappeared into the darkness.
Su Yang had already planned his journey.
The first two days would be traveled entirely on foot.
On the third day, he would find a carriage heading toward the Moonshade Region and use it for the remainder of the journey.
There was another reason he wanted to travel on foot.
Training.
The journey itself could become cultivation.
He entered the mountain ranges before dawn.
The terrain became increasingly difficult.
Rocks.
Steep slopes.
Dense forests.
Rivers.
Instead of avoiding them, Su Yang deliberately chose difficult paths.
He activated his movement technique.
Swoosh!
His body shot forward.
One foot landed against a rock.
He pushed.
Bang!
Su Yang launched himself several meters upward.
He landed on a tree branch.
The branch bent.
Before it could snap—
Swoosh!
He disappeared again.
Tree.
Rock.
Ground.
Cliff.
His body continuously changed direction.
At first, Su Yang focused heavily on maintaining the technique.
After several hours, however, his movements became increasingly natural.
The movement technique combined with his eight basic saber steps.
Something clicked.
Su Yang suddenly understood.
His saber footwork and movement technique didn't need to exist separately.
They could complement each other.
His speed increased.
Whoosh!
The forest blurred around him.
Su Yang smiled.
"So that's how it is."
He continued.
Whenever a spirit beast attacked him, he didn't avoid battle.
He used them as training partners.
A boar-like spirit beast charged from the bushes.
Su Yang's hand touched his saber.
Shing!
One step.
Draw.
Slash.
Su Yang passed the beast.
Three seconds later—
Thud!
Its body collapsed.
Su Yang didn't even turn around.
He continued forward.
Hours passed.
Several spirit beasts fell beneath his saber.
His movements became cleaner after every battle.
No wasted motion.
No unnecessary strength.
No hesitation.
The first level of the Basic Saber Manual had become firmly rooted within him.
By afternoon, Su Yang was deep within the mountain range.
That was when something changed.
The forest became silent.
Too silent.
Su Yang stopped.
His hand slowly moved toward his saber.
His eyes scanned the trees.
Nothing.
Then—
GRRRRRR…
A low growl came from behind him.
Su Yang turned.
Two crimson eyes stared at him from between the trees.
A wolf slowly emerged.
Its fur was dark gray, but strange blood-red patterns surrounded its eyes.
Su Yang's expression became serious.
"A Bloodshade-Eyed Wolf."
The beast lowered its body.
Its claws dug into the earth.
Su Yang drew his saber.
The moment the blade left its sheath—
ROAR!
The wolf attacked.
Fast!
Su Yang immediately used his movement technique.
Swoosh!
He moved sideways.
The wolf's claws missed his chest by inches.
Su Yang pivoted.
Slash!
CLANG!
His saber struck the beast's claws.
Su Yang's eyes widened.
Hard!
The wolf twisted violently.
Its tail slammed toward him.
Su Yang crossed his arms.
BANG!
He was thrown backward.
His feet dragged across the earth.
Before he could stabilize himself—
WHOOSH!
The wolf appeared again.
"Damn!"
Su Yang shifted.
Too late.
SHRRK!
"AHHH!"
Pain exploded through his arm.
Three bloody claw marks appeared across his skin.
Blood immediately soaked his sleeve.
Su Yang's eyes turned cold.
The Bloodshade-Eyed Wolf opened its jaws and lunged toward his throat.
Su Yang didn't retreat.
His feet planted firmly into the ground.
Spiritual energy erupted through his meridians.
His waist rotated.
His shoulder followed.
Power traveled into his fist.
"GET DOWN!"
BOOM!
His fist smashed directly into the wolf's skull.
The impact produced a sickening crack.
The beast flew backward.
BANG!
Its body struck a tree before collapsing onto the ground.
Silence.
Su Yang remained motionless.
Blood dripped from his injured arm.
He stared at the wolf.
It didn't move.
Dead.
The forest became quiet once again.
"Haa…"
Su Yang exhaled.
Only now did the pain return.
He looked at his arm.
"Careless."
That attack could have been much worse.
The cultivation world wouldn't forgive mistakes simply because he possessed a powerful inheritance.
One mistake could mean death.
Su Yang sheathed his saber.
He searched the surrounding area until he discovered a small cave hidden behind several vines.
After confirming there were no spirit beasts inside, he entered.
He sat cross-legged.
His sleeve was torn away, exposing the claw wounds.
Su Yang swallowed a healing pill.
Then he circulated his cultivation technique.
Warm medicinal energy flowed toward his injured arm.
Slowly, the bleeding stopped.
Su Yang closed his eyes.
His cultivation still hadn't broken through.
Strangely, he didn't feel frustrated.
His realm remained the same, but everything else had changed tremendously.
His body was stronger.
His muscles contained explosive power.
His meridians could endure far greater amounts of spiritual energy.
His saber foundation had become increasingly stable.
His movement technique had improved tremendously.
Even his combat instincts were changing.
Su Yang opened his eyes.
The cave was dark.
For a moment, those eyes seemed completely different from those of the young man who had first discovered the Dragon-Tiger Inheritance.
Sharper.
Calmer.
Colder.
The childish softness in his gaze had gradually disappeared.
The cultivation world was beginning to carve something new into him.
Su Yang lowered his gaze toward his wounded arm.
"One day."
Only a single day had passed since he left home.
Yet he already felt different.
He finally understood something.
Cultivation inside a safe room and cultivation while facing death were completely different.
The Bloodshade-Eyed Wolf had taught him more about real combat in several breaths than thousands of empty saber swings could.
Su Yang clenched his fist.
Pain came from the wound.
But beneath that pain was strength.
A tremendous amount of strength.
His physique had improved far beyond what his cultivation realm suggested.
If someone judged him purely according to his cultivation, they would make a terrible mistake.
Su Yang leaned against the cave wall and closed his eyes.
Outside, darkness gradually swallowed the mountain range.
Tomorrow, he would continue toward the Moonshade Region.
Beyond those mountains waited the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect.
Thousands of young cultivators would gather there.
Geniuses from powerful families.
Talented rogue cultivators.
Young masters with resources far beyond anything Su Yang possessed.
And somewhere within that sect, a trap had already been prepared for him.
Su Yang knew nothing about it.
For now, he only knew one thing.
He needed to become stronger.
His eyes opened again.
A frightening sharpness flashed through them.