Ye Kaishan left the pavilion.
"Where should I go next?" Ye Kaishan thought to himself.
He looked up toward Mylan Mountain. The mountain was enormous, its rocky-blue surface dotted with patches of stubborn vegetation.
With a faint smile, he said, "There's still a lot of time until night."
He used his space laws and teleported to the top of Mylan Mountain.
"Hmm, let's see if there's any flat surface for me to rest on."
Ye Kaishan glanced around. "Oh! This place isn't bad," he muttered.
He teleported down from the peak to a wide, flat area where greenery flourished, and wildflowers were in bloom. Taking a deep breath, Ye Kaishan let the scenery wash over him—the lush greens below, the endless white clouds above, and the fresh breeze brushing against his face.
He sat down and gazed at the sky with a soft smile.
"Hmm, let's first check that sword manual," he murmured.
With a thought, he summoned the worn book into the air—"Basics of Using a Sword and the Three Forms of Sword."
He glanced at the corner with the ridiculous note but immediately turned his head. "Ahh… don't look at it," he scolded himself.
Ye Kaishan opened the sword manual and began reading.
"Basics of Using a Sword and the Three Forms of Sword"
"Sword"—what is a sword?
A weapon? A tool for killing? Something anyone can wield?
No!
Don't think any monkey who picks up a sword becomes a swordsman.
A sword is the honor of its wielder—his courage, his strength, his justice, his destiny, and sometimes, even his life.
One does not become a swordsman by merely learning how to swing a blade.
He becomes one only after earning the respect of the sword through relentless effort.
A swordsman walks a path of no return.
A path where millions fall. But the one who climbs it with unshakable will... ultimately reaches the peak and steps on to the path of becoming a Sword God.
"Hm..." Ye Kaishan was slightly surprised. "Whoever wrote this knows a lot about the sword. Even if it's just a basic martial arts book, the way he describes a swordsman makes you want to learn. Truly peculiar."
He turned the pages one by one until he reached the section: "Three Forms of Sword."
"Let's study this now."
After a while, Ye Kaishan closed the book. He summoned his sword from his private space.
"Let's practice what I've learned."
First form: 'Split the Sky.'He arced his sword and struck a nearby boulder. The blade sliced cleanly through it.
Second form: 'Heaven Thrust.'He executed it on a nearby tree, thrusting with force. It pierced through, leaving a small hole.
Ye Kaishan pulled the sword back, his face slightly flushed. He glanced around to ensure no one had seen him shouting out the attack names. Confirming he was alone, he sighed in relief.
"Anyway, who would even come to the top of Mylan?" Ye Kaishan thought.
but.....
"What the hell is with those names—'Split the Sky' and 'Heaven Thrust'? It only made a small hole!" he cursed.
" But this last one is strange... 'Flow Like a Sword'? I don't get it." Ye Kaishan scratched his head in frustration.
Meanwhile…
After leaving her parents' manor, Song Yan entered a small courtyard.
"Song Wu, are you there?" she called out.
"Sister Song! Just a moment!"
A young girl in a purple dress, her long hair pinned with a peacock feather, rushed toward her.
"Sister Song, thank goodness you're here. I went to your place earlier this afternoon, but at your manor, a man spoiled my clothes and humiliated me!"
"A man?" Song Yan muttered.
"Yes! If I see him again, I won't let him go!"
"Is she talking about Ye Kaishan?" Song Yan wondered. "He did mention a girl earlier."
"Anyway, Song Wu, do you remember the wooden piece you used to prop your door?"
"That one with two strings at the ends?"
"Yes. Can you give it to me?"
"But my door will get loose again! And you promised to give me Loman flowers—you still haven't!"
Song Wu pouted, hands on her waist like a child scolding her elder.
"How could I forget?" Song Yan chuckled. "I was away from the clan, so I didn't get the chance. Here—look."
She took out three white Loman flowers from her ring.
Song Wu's face immediately lit up. "I knew it! You wouldn't forget me!"
She hugged Song Yan happily and summoned the wooden piece with her soul power.
"Here! But... what are you going to do with it?"
"It's nothing," Song Yan smiled. "Now that you've got the flowers, you should try to sense your dao companion."
"Yes, Sister Song! With this, it'll be a piece of cake!" Song Wu declared, slamming her tiny fist against her chest.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Bye, Sister Song!" Song Wu waved.
Song Yan turned and left the courtyard.
Back on Mylan Mountain...
"Sigh... I still can't understand this third form. It must be another useless technique," Ye Kaishan muttered.
"But maybe... I can enhance the power of the other two with something else."
His lips curled into a grin.
"Space Laws—Release!"
Space laws flowed like water around Ye Kaishan.
"Now let's concentrate and integrate the laws suitable for performing the first form," he muttered.
The space laws began to gather on his sword, gradually enveloping it in shimmering energy.
"Hmm... this should work," Ye Kaishan murmured.
The sword was now completely shrouded in space laws. He looked up toward the sky—it was clouded and overcast.
He took his stance, then arced his sword toward the heavens.
The sword strike released a dark blue slash, bending space itself. The arc sliced through the sky, splitting the thick clouds in half for nearly half a mile.
"Woah... now it has some power," Ye Kaishan thought. "It looks just like the Void Slash, but this one holds much more destructive force."
He nodded with satisfaction. "Let's just call it 'Void Slash.' The previous one was far too crude in comparison."
Now, it was time for the second form.
Again, Ye Kaishan channeled space laws around his sword. He turned toward the same tree he had tested on before.
"Second form."
He thrust the sword forward.
This time, space collapsed at the point of impact. A massive hole, large enough to fit ten people, opened up where the tree once stood. Not a single trace of the tree remained—only the echo of devastation.
Seeing the effect, Ye Kaishan gave a satisfied smile.
"Now what should I call this one..." he mused. After a brief pause, he grinned. "Just call it 'Void Rupture.'"
The sun was withdrawing its rays, slowly giving way to the darkness of night.
Ye Kaishan looked at the fading horizon. "There's still some time in my hands."
He sat down on the green grass, then lay back with his hands behind his head.
The soft wind blew across the Mylan Mountain.
Within moments, the sound of gentle snoring drifted into the air.
Later that Night...
The three moons glowed brilliantly in the ink-black sky. Even with their combined light, the night remained eerily dark.
Along with the cold darkness, the winds had begun to howl wildly across the mountain.
"Huuu... Achoo… Yawn... What time is it?" Ye Kaishan stirred from his slumber. The cold air made him shiver slightly.
Still dazed, he looked around. Everything was cloaked in darkness. He tilted his head upward and saw the three moons glowing like silver jewels suspended in the heavens.
"Oh shit!!" he exclaimed, jolting upright. "How did I sleep this long? It's already midnight—Song Yan must be waiting for me!"
He rubbed his eyes and stood up.
"Sigh... Looks like I really needed that rest," he said to himself. "After all that sword training, I didn't even realize how tired I was."
He recalled what Song Yan had told him earlier.
"She told me to come at night… and now it's already midnight," he murmured, guilt flashing across his face.
"Let's just hope she hasn't been waiting for too long."
With that, Ye Kaishan activated the space laws around him—and vanished from the mountain peak.