Song Clan — Song Yan's Abode
The space distorted as Song Yan and Ye Kaishan teleported back to their courtyard. Song Yan stepped into the courtyard.
"Ah, I just remembered." She turned to look at Ye Kaishan. "We'll go to the town tomorrow morning."
"Town?" Ye Kaishan blinked in confusion. "There isn't even a small village around here, just forests."
"Yes, a town," Song Yan replied, walking toward the manor. "The Song Clan is located deep in this vast wilderness. The nearest town is about thousands of miles away." and it will take at least 2 to 3 days to go there
She continued as they entered the main hall. "Our clan manages three towns with the support of several affiliated families. Every three years, we recruit eligible disciples from them."
"Well then, there's no reason to wake up early," Ye Kaishan yawned. "Even if it's a hundred of thousands of miles, it's nothing for me."
"We won't be teleporting," Song Yan replied flatly.
"Why not?" Ye Kaishan frowned.
"Even though we've advanced, we haven't practiced our techniques yet. In actual battle, a person's combat ability is what really matters."
"Is that really so important?" he teased, leaning lazily against a pillar.
"Don't be careless." Song Yan's voice sharpened as she turned to face him. "Even if you can manipulate the laws of space and time, without proper offensive techniques, it won't mean much against opponents with powerful physiques, superior bloodlines, and high-tier techniques. What you have now only gives you a slight advantage—and every cultivator has that. In a life-or-death fight, even a Body Realm cultivator with trained techniques and experience could defeat you."
She exhaled sharply. "And besides, you don't have any soul energy, so you can't use the soul techniques I've prepared for you."
"Alright, alright. I was just kidding." Ye Kaishan raised his hands in surrender. "I know how important training is. I've actually been working on something recently."
Her expression softened a little. "What kind of training? If you're trying to use spirit techniques, don't waste your time. They won't work on you. Leave it to me—I'll find a solution."
"But I really—" Ye Kaishan started, but Song Yan didn't wait to hear it. She turned and entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"…Sigh. What should I do now?" Ye Kaishan muttered, standing alone in the courtyard.
It was still early evening, so he returned to his room and collapsed onto his bed. Within moments, his gentle snoring echoed softly.
Nightfall — Song Yan's Manor
The sun had fled, surrendering the skies to night. Three moons now hung high above, casting silvery light over the courtyard.
Ye Kaishan yawned as he woke and stepped out of his room. He sat cross-legged on the wooden platform under the moonlight, where fireflies danced in the still air, glowing softly.
"Let's check out The Basics of Sword and the Three Forms," he muttered, summoning a book from thin air.
His sword appeared in his hand, and he began to follow the illustrations in the book. The techniques were mostly visual, showing proper stances and swings.
"It looks easy," Ye Kaishan said, bending his waist into a low stance and executing a horizontal slash.
But as he jumped back and attempted another swing, he lost his balance and fell hard.
"Shit! Damn book. Can't you show me something simpler?" he grumbled, picking himself up and continuing his practice.
Hours Later
"Haa… haa… Is sword practice supposed to be this exhausting?"
His arms trembled, legs wobbled, and sweat drenched his entire upper robe. Yet, despite the pain and fatigue, something compelled him to keep going.
"I don't get it. Every time I collapse, I stand up again. It hurts… but I still want to continue."
He walked to the wooden platform near the courtyard and sat down heavily, legs spread, breathing ragged.
"I need a bath. I can't sleep like this," he muttered.
After a few minutes of rest, he vanished into the air, leaving only silence behind.
A soft voice broke the quiet of the night.
"…He's actually practicing."
From the roof, Song Yan gazed down at him, a faint smile curving her lips.
She wore a flowing cyan dress that fluttered in the breeze, revealing her smooth white legs. Her beauty under the moonlight seemed unreal, like a goddess watching from above.
"But which sword technique is that?" she whispered, her eyes narrowing. "I've never seen those movements before… and there's no soul energy at all."
Even in her confusion, a gentle warmth lingered in her gaze.
"…Still, it's good to know he's trying."
With that, Song Yan turned and gracefully returned to her bedroom.
Morning
As the sun rose, chasing away the last traces of night, Ye Kaishan emerged from his room, freshly bathed and looking refreshed.
Song Yan was already waiting in the courtyard. She wore a white silken robe, ethereal in the morning light.
"Have you found any technique suitable for me?" he asked casually.
"No," she replied, then added, "You said you've been practicing. Which manual are you using?"
Ye Kaishan summoned the sword manual from thin air and handed it to her.
She flipped through the pages—and froze. Her hands trembled ever so slightly.
"…Where did you get this?" she asked, eyes locked on the text.
Ye Kaishan scratched his head. "From a pavilion in the clan that stores old history books. Honestly, it looked abandoned and shabby."
"Shabby pavilion? Continental history?" Song Yan frowned. "I've never heard of such a place. Can you show me?"
"Uh… sure," he replied, and teleported them to the location.
They arrived at a remote section of the Song Clan grounds. The area had only a few rundown pavilions and empty manors—mostly used to house spirit beasts in the past.
"This part of the clan is rarely used," Song Yan murmured, recognizing the isolation.
But as Ye Kaishan looked around, his brows furrowed. The pavilion where he found the manual… was gone. Not even a brick remained.
He searched the surroundings in disbelief
after searching for some time he returned to her.
"What happened?" she asked, reading his expression.
"I don't know. The pavilion was right here. I went inside it," he said, frustration clear in his voice.
"…It's fine." She handed the manual back to him. "Practice it well."
"Is it really that good?" he muttered, tossing it into his private space.
This isn't a soul technique… but it carries traces of sword dao, Song Yan thought, worry tightening her brow. The person who wrote this must've stepped onto the path of the sword and touched the Dao itself.
She turned to Ye Kaishan. "Don't show this to anyone. Not even in passing."
Ye Kaishan, though still confused, could tell from her tone that the manual was no ordinary item.
He simply nodded. "Alright."
"Let's go. It's already past morning. We need to head to the town."
Together, they left the courtyard behind.
They both walked toward the entrance of the clan.
At this time, the disciples were gathered on the training grounds for their early morning cultivation routine. Some were sparring on the clan's arena, where official duels were held.
"Where are you both going?" a voice called out from behind.
Song Yan and Ye Kaishan turned around. It was Song Mian.
"We're heading to the town to select disciples, Elder," Song Yan replied respectfully. "Mother is in seclusion and arranged the clan's affairs before entering retreat."
Song Yan and Ye Kaishan cupped their hands in greeting.
Song Mian nodded. "Which town are you visiting?" she asked, her gaze shifting between the two.
"We're going to Mistveil Town," Song Yan answered.
"Mistveil Town, hmm..." Song Mian's eyes settled on Ye Kaishan. "This must be your first visit there. It's a gathering place for many cultivators—be careful, both of you."
"We will be cautious, Elder," Ye Kaishan replied, bowing his head. He cast a quick glance at Song Yan beside him. His heart tightened—not from fear, but anticipation. This was more than just a visit. It was the first step into a world far larger than the Song Clan.
Suddenly, a voice called out from the crowd.
"Hey, look—it's Song Ning!" a disciple shouted, pointing toward the clan arena.
Song Mian, Song Yan, and Ye Kaishan turned to watch.
On the arena stood a young woman in a white-and-blue cotton dress, a sword in her hand, and a snowflake mark between her brows. In terms of beauty, she was no less striking than Song Yan. Her presence was cold, untouchable—like frost given form. She faced another girl in the arena with unwavering confidence.
Within seconds, Song Ning activated her ice laws, instantly immobilizing her opponent. The frost spread so fiercely it froze the entire arena. The girl facing her tried to counter with wind laws, but her efforts shattered like glass under a glacier.
"I—I admit defeat," the girl stammered.
Song Ning released her ice and walked off the stage without even glancing back.
The crowd murmured in awe.
"So strong..."
"Who is she?"
"She's Song Ning," someone whispered.
Ye Kaishan watched silently. The cold power lingering in the air gave him goosebumps. "Who is she?" he asked, though his mind was already trying to understand how she had mastered such overwhelming power.
"She is Song Ning, one of the top talents of our younger generation," Song Mian explained. "She reached the Nirvana Realm in her twenties. She's only a year or two older than both of you."
Ye Kaishan furrowed his brow. Nirvana Realm… in her twenties? He suddenly felt the weight of how far he still had to go.
"Next month, the Snow Palace will come to our clan to select capable disciples," Song Mian continued. "They only accept cultivators who possess ice laws. Song Ning is preparing for that opportunity."
"Where is the Snow Palace?" Ye Kaishan asked.
"It's located in the Eastern Continent," Song Yan answered, her voice calm. "It's one of the most prominent sects there, and it's personally overseen by an emperor."
At the mention of that emperor, Song Yan's fingers curled into a tight fist at her side. A storm flashed behind her calm eyes—brief but intense. Snow Palace… I haven't forgotten. A subtle killing intent flickered in her gaze, but she swallowed it down, letting the mask of serenity fall back over her features.
"You both should come and observe the test," Song Mian said to them. With that, she turned and left the training ground.
Ye Kaishan and Song Yan also departed, making their way to the clan's entrance.
"Let's go to Mistveil Town," Ye Kaishan said, glancing at Song Yan. Her silence lingered, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
As they stepped into the vast forest ahead, both carried more than just expectations—they carried buried desires, quiet pain, and the weight of their pasts.