Walking out of his courtyard, Jian Jueshi's mind wandered. Looking to the east, he saw the sun peeking it's little bright head over the horizon. There was one word to describe the scene playing out in front of his clear eyes, 'gorgeous'; that is how he would describe the landscape before his eyes.
Since his courtyard was very isolated from the rest due to his personal tastes, he encountered no one on his walk for a breathe of fresh air.
With no particular destination in mind, he just continued to walk, admiring nature and it's beauties. After a while though, he came across other courtyards, and other people.
Looking at their faces, he saw nothing but contempt etched onto them. He hated receiving those looks just because fate played a joke on him, and gave him no talent for cultivation. But because he had no strength right now, he just bit his lip and bore with it.
'I will show them! I will make them see that talent for cultivation isn't what determines where you standing in society!' Jian Jueshi swore to himself.
Just as he walked away with the intention to head back to his courtyard, another youth walked up with a derisive sneer plastered on his face.
"Oi! The useless, waste of space and resources is here!" was yelled by the youth to gather everyone's attention.
Ignoring the youth, Jian Jueshi continued to go on his way. But before he could go far, another youth blocked his way.
"Haha! Biande Cheng got ignored!" said the youth trying to instigate the situation.
"Shut up Yi Yonggan!" the youth from before, Biande Cheng, yelled, his anger ignited.
Looking at Jian Jueshi, he asked, " Who the hell do you think you are ignoring me like that, you talentless trash!?"
"F*ck off," Jian Jueshi said without even turning to look at him, making him even angrier while the others just laughed at his misfortune.
Blinded by rage, Biande Cheng made a grabbing motion towards Jian Jueshi's shoulder with intentions to crush it as a reminder to stay in his place, when a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping it from going any further.
"Who!?" Biande Cheng yelled, even further incensed from someone stopping him from dishing out his so-called "discipline".
Looking to his right he saw a tanned youth with a serious expression on his face. That youth had above average looks with spiky blonde hair. He wore a blue kimono, much like Jian Jueshi's, which accentuated his blue eyes resembling an endless ocean. This youth was Haiyang Wuxiuzhi.
Haiyang Wuxiuzhi was considered a genius because of his legendary cultivation talent. But he was also Jian Jueshi's lifelong friend. Being his friend, it deterred people from bullying Jian Jueshi in his presence.
There are also nine known grades of cultivation talent, much like Sword Intent. These grades are represented by certain colors. The colors are violet, indigo, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and gold. Just like the stages Sword Intent, the colors represent the talent grades of Mortal, Earth, Sky, Divine, Heavenly, Celestial, Godly, Pinnacle, and Peerless respectively.
The reason Peerless Grade Talent is included is because, unlike the rumored ninth level of Sword Intent, there was someone in the past who had peerless talent. His talent surpassed all others, hence the name Peerless.
Although Haiyang Wuxiuzhi's talent is not of the Peerless Grade, it is of the Divine grade, which is three grades above the average Mortal Grade. Only once in every ten thousand years does a Divine Grade Talent appear, hence it being considered legendary.
"What are you trying to do to my friend, Biande Cheng?" Haiyang Wuxiuzhi asked with a hint of coldness in his voice.
"N-nothing Haiyang Wuxiuzhi! I was just trying to pat him on the shoulder! That's all!" he was frightened out of his wits.
Throwing Biande Cheng's wrist away, Haiyang Wuxiuzhi escorted Jian Jueshi to his courtyard.
With a bitter smile on his face, Jian Jueshi kept the silence, the walk developing an awkward atmosphere.
Breaking the silence, Haiyang Wuxiuzhi asked, "So…..How have you been, bud?" scratching his head in the process.
"Hehe. Well, other than my tiring training schedule, I've been doing good. A little sore, but as a man with dreams, I have to keep it going. How about you?" Jian Jueshi laughed off the awkwardness between them, looking at his friend.
Thinking back to how he was doing, Haiyang Wuxiuzhi replied, "Same old same old. Just trying to increase my cultivation base. I'm already at the ninth level of foundation realm, which people usually reach when they're 18. That reminds me, my 15th birthday is in a couple of months. You want to hang out on that day?" asking while filled with excitement.
"About that time already? Sure, we can hang that day. And also congratulations on making it to the ninth level of foundation realm!" Jian Jueshi was excited for him.
Reaching his courtyard, Jian Jueshi bid his farewells. "Alright Haiyang Wuxiuzhi, I'll see you later."
"Same to you, Jian Jueshi," he shot back at him. With this, they parted ways.
Jian Jueshi, entered his courtyard while Haiyang Wuxiuzhi left for his own.
'I will eat first and then it'll be time to resume this hellish training," he thought with a fiery glint in his eyes.
After eating some food, he started back training, wanting to get more power as soon as possible.
Because of the encounter with Biande Cheng and the others, Jian Jueshi's will to grow stronger intensified and grew stronger.
He wanted his sword to move faster and with strength. He willed it to be. Unbeknownst to Jian Jueshi, though, his will was actually integrating with his sword.
Suddenly, his sword moved faster. It moved with more strength. It moved exactly where he wanted it to, with concise movements, doing so without wasting unnecessary energy on extra moves.
This time, Jian Jueshi did not just perform those strikes. He struck out with meaning. He struck out with….an intent.
While this took place, it did so unnoticed by Jian Jueshi. The only thing on his mind was to get stronger as fast he could with stable foundations.
With these thoughts, he unknowingly stumbled upon a state of enlightenment.