Chapter 63: Lessons Beyond the Sword
For several heartbeats, neither young cultivator moved.
The morning breeze drifted through the clearing, carrying away the last traces of disturbed dust.
Then Elder Ruan's voice broke the silence.
"Enough."
He turned without another glance at the duel.
"We're moving."
Almost immediately, the Azure Wolf Consortium sprang into action. Merchants closed wagons, guards mounted their beasts, and the long caravan began rolling toward the eastern road.
Duty came before entertainment.
It always had.
Yun Che lowered his sword.
He glanced toward the departing caravan.
His chest tightened unexpectedly.
The feeling caught him off guard.
The memory of Willowbrook had not faded nearly as much as he had believed.
Watching the caravan leave...
Even though it was only a few dozen meters away...
A small uneasiness crept into his heart.
"Don't fall behind."
"Don't be left alone."
The thought came instinctively.
He frowned.
It wasn't like him.
Before Willowbrook, he would never have cared if he had to catch up later.
Now...
The idea of being separated from the people he trusted made him strangely uncomfortable.
He didn't realize it.
Deep within his soul, the Abyss Seed quietly fanned that anxiety into something just a little stronger.
Not enough to control him.
Only enough to whisper.
"Stay close."
"Don't be alone."
Lei Zhenyu noticed Yun Che looking toward the departing caravan.
"I understand."
He gave a respectful nod.
"You should go."
Yun Che looked back at him.
For a moment...
He saw not an arrogant sect disciple...
But a sincere young cultivator standing alone on an unfamiliar road.
Someone chasing an impossibly distant dream.
The image reminded him of Shen Tianyu.
Not because they were alike in personality.
If anything, they were opposites.
Tianyu laughed easily.
Made friends without trying.
Spoke with anyone.
Lei Zhenyu...
Was serious.
Direct.
A little awkward.
His confidence often came across as arrogance simply because he lacked the ease to soften his words.
Yet beneath it...
There was sincerity.
There was passion.
And there was an undeniable love for the sword.
Yun Che smiled.
"I'll give you another duel."
Lei Zhenyu's eyes brightened.
"But..."
Yun Che pointed toward the slowly moving caravan.
"We're ending it quickly."
"One minute."
"No more."
"Whoever clearly has the advantage when that minute ends..."
"Wins."
Lei Zhenyu immediately cupped his fists.
"Thank you."
His voice carried genuine gratitude.
"Few people would spare the time."
Yun Che simply shrugged.
"Let's make it worthwhile."
The two returned to their starting positions.
This time...
Lei Zhenyu remained perfectly calm.
Watch for wires.
Do not let him dictate my attention.
Do not forget the battlefield.
He quietly reviewed every mistake from the previous exchange.
The duel began again.
Yun Che did not draw his sword.
Instead...
Invisible force burst outward.
Dust exploded from the ground.
Leaves spun through the air.
A brown cloud swallowed half the clearing.
Lei Zhenyu narrowed his eyes.
"Trying to hide your movements?"
His blue Ki surged.
Lightning flashed beneath his feet.
Without hesitation...
He charged directly into the dust.
Yun Che remained hidden.
With several effortless motions of his fingers...
Small black spheres floated from his storage bracelet.
One.
Three.
Five.
Seven.
Grenades.
Telekinesis carried them silently into position around him.
Mirage circled once overhead.
Her crystal wings shimmered.
The floating grenades vanished completely beneath a flawless illusion.
To Lei Zhenyu...
Nothing had changed.
The dust merely concealed Yun Che.
"Found you."
His eyes glowed.
His perception pierced through the dust.
There.
Yun Che.
Five meters ahead.
Lei did not charge.
His sword swept sideways.
Wind tore into the dust cloud, opening a temporary path through its centre.
Lei launched himself forward.
Sword drawn.
The familiar silver arc descended.
Boom!
An explosion erupted barely half a meter from his shoulder.
Lei's eyes widened.
"What—?"
The second forced him sideways.
By the third, his sword was already moving.
Azure lightning wrapped around the blade as he cut through the blast pressure, splitting smoke and shrapnel apart.
Through the smoke...
Yun Che appeared.
Steel met steel.
Their blades locked.
Lei instinctively pushed back.
Then—
A sharp metallic crack echoed from somewhere off to his right.
His instincts screamed.
He twisted at the last possible moment.
Something struck his ribs with terrifying force.
Bang!
The impact sent him stumbling several steps sideways.
Pain spread through his side despite the protective Ki covering his body.
He looked toward the source.
Half-hidden among the grass...
A long black weapon hovered in the air.
No one held it.
It simply floated there.
Yun Che had released the Mountain Piercer during the dust cloud and quietly positioned it on the battlefield with telekinesis.
Lei stared.
"...Another hidden weapon..."
Yun Che slowly lowered his sword.
The blade remained pointed toward Lei's chest.
"If this were real..."
"...that shot would've come before you noticed it."
Silence settled over the clearing.
Lei looked down at the shallow dent in his protective armor.
His ribs ached.
Not seriously.
The pill he swallowed would heal it within the day.
That wasn't what occupied his thoughts.
He slowly began to laugh.
A quiet laugh.
Disbelieving.
"I thought..."
"...I had enough information."
"I believed the second duel would be easier."
He looked at Yun Che.
"But..."
"You were never showing me everything."
Yun Che smiled apologetically.
"I was learning too."
Those simple words struck harder than the Mountain Piercer.
Lei stood there speechless.
He had done exactly that countless times.
Fight someone.
Observe.
Hold back.
Learn.
Adapt.
Win later.
It had always been his role.
Today...
Someone else had done it to him.
For the first time...
He understood how unsettling that felt.
Yun Che sheathed his sword.
"Thank you."
Lei looked up.
"I learned quite a bit from your swordsmanship."
"I've never fought anyone with techniques like yours."
"I hope..."
He smiled.
"...we meet again."
Before Lei could answer, Yun Che whistled.
Amon came charging from the edge of the forest.
The young Iceback Glacier Drake skidded to a stop beside him.
Yun Che vaulted smoothly onto his companion's back.
"Come on."
Amon roared happily.
The pair accelerated after the caravan.
Fortunately...
Only a minute had passed.
The long line of wagons had barely rounded the next bend in the road.
Within moments...
Yun Che had already caught up.
Lin Xia waved from one of the wagons.
Jin Wei laughed.
"So?"
Yun Che simply smiled.
"I learned."
For him...
That was enough.
Back in the clearing, Lei Zhenyu remained standing alone.
The healing pill slowly eased the pain in his ribs.
He watched the disappearing caravan for a long while.
Then his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Goldriver City..."
That was where he had intended to travel anyway.
A faint smile crossed his face.
Perhaps...
There was still much he could learn from these unusual people.
Especially that strange blacksmith who fought like a hunter, thought like a craftsman, and treated every battle as an opportunity to experiment.
Lei reached into his storage ring and withdrew a second sword.
Unlike his primary blade, this one was broad and perfectly balanced for flight.
He stepped lightly onto it.
Wind gathered beneath the steel.
With a low hum, the flying sword rose into the air.
Keeping a respectful distance behind the caravan, Lei Zhenyu followed its path toward Goldriver City, no longer searching merely for worthy opponents.
Now...
He was searching for understanding.
------------------------------
The caravan resumed its steady pace along the eastern road.
The wagons rolled over packed earth, Mountain Chargers pulled heavy loads without complaint, and the guards maintained their familiar formation.
Not long after they left the clearing, Jin Wei shaded his eyes and glanced toward the sky.
"...He's still following us."
Yun Che looked up.
Sure enough, several hundred meters overhead, a sword drifted lazily through the blue sky.
Standing upon it was Lei Zhenyu.
Far enough away not to alarm the guards.
Close enough to keep the caravan in sight.
Yun Che sighed.
"So he is."
Jin Wei grinned mischievously.
"You've gained yourself a new admirer."
Yun Che gave him a flat look.
"I don't think that's the right word."
"Oh?"
Jin Wei folded his arms dramatically.
"Imagine if it were a beautiful young swordswoman instead."
"A cold genius."
"Long silver hair."
"Expressionless face."
"Following you everywhere because she finally found someone interesting."
He placed a hand over his heart.
"Wouldn't that be romantic?"
Yun Che stared at him.
"...I don't know why you're so obsessed with romance."
"I'm not obsessed."
"You are."
"You always imagine strange situations."
"They're perfectly normal situations."
"They're not."
Jin Wei gasped dramatically.
"I simply appreciate destiny."
"You appreciate making things up."
Lin Xia laughed quietly beside them.
Yun Che continued,
"Keep it normal."
"You're always talking about bizarre things."
Jin Wei pointed accusingly.
"I don't see any romance in your life either."
"I have plenty."
Yun Che snorted.
"Money doesn't count."
Jin Wei clutched his chest as though struck by an invisible spear.
"...That was unnecessarily cruel."
"It was accurate."
Lin Xia covered her mouth, trying not to laugh as Jin Wei began muttering about how wealth was "a perfectly respectable lifelong companion."
A little later, Lin Xia found herself glancing toward the distant figure once again.
Lei Zhenyu still followed them at a respectful distance.
Every now and then he noticed someone looking his way.
Each time...
He awkwardly turned his head somewhere else.
Almost as though pretending he hadn't been watching.
Lin Xia smiled to herself.
"...He's rather innocent."
Yun Che looked over.
"Innocent?"
"I thought someone so serious would have a completely different personality."
She watched the swordsman nearly lose his balance for a moment after realizing she'd looked in his direction.
"...He's a little strange."
"...In an adorable sort of way."
Jin Wei immediately seized the opportunity.
"Not everyone can be as perfect as the majestic wolf from your dreams, Lin Xia."
Lin Xia's face turned faintly pink.
"...I never said that."
"You didn't need to."
"I most certainly did."
"You keep describing this mysterious future husband."
"I described someone responsible."
"Who protects people."
"Who keeps promises."
"Who treats others kindly."
Jin Wei nodded solemnly.
"So..."
"...a majestic wolf."
Lin Xia picked up a small pebble from the roadside and threw it.
It bounced harmlessly off Jin Wei's shoulder.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
Yun Che quietly walked between them, pretending not to hear either side.
Neither of them noticed the tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The following days passed peacefully.
Not perfectly peacefully...
But peacefully enough.
A small pack of Ironfang Monkeys attempted to ambush the rear wagons.
The guards dispatched them in moments.
A group of desperate bandits later tried blocking a narrow mountain road with fallen trees.
They lasted even less time.
Most fled the instant Elder Ruan stepped forward.
Those who remained quickly regretted their decision.
For Lin Xia...
Every encounter became practice.
Instead of remaining completely behind the defensive line…
She cautiously joined the battle from a safe distance.
Silver threads of Ki flowed from her fingertips.
One rune after another appeared in the air.
Barrier.
Wieght.
Flash.
Binding and many more.
Her speed remained clumsy.
Several symbols collapsed before completion.
Others activated only partially.
Still...
Each battle made her hands steadier.
Her confidence slowly grew.
Nearby, Yun Che practiced as well.
Sometimes he deliberately avoided using telekinesis.
Other times he focused entirely upon it.
Occasionally he experimented with combining weapons in ways he'd never considered before.
Every fight became another lesson.
Above the caravan...
Lei Zhenyu observed everything silently.
He wasn't merely watching techniques anymore.
He watched how the guards protected one another.
How formations shifted naturally.
How no one fought alone.
How merchants immediately assisted with wounded companions instead of celebrating victories.
It felt...
Different.
Very different from the duels he had spent his life pursuing.
That evening, the caravan camped beside a rocky hillside.
The familiar circle of campfires soon illuminated the gathering darkness.
As expected...
Lei Zhenyu approached once again.
He stopped outside the marked boundary and respectfully cupped his fists.
"Elder Ruan."
The old captain looked up.
"What now?"
Lei lowered his head slightly.
"I have a request."
"...Speak."
"I wish to travel with your caravan."
The camp became noticeably quieter.
Lei continued calmly.
"I've realized..."
"...there are many things I don't understand."
"I came looking for worthy opponents."
"But I think..."
"...I should also learn from worthy people."
He bowed.
"If you'll allow me to accompany the caravan..."
"I'll follow your rules."
"I'll do whatever tasks are reasonable."
"If necessary..."
"...I'm willing to pay for the privilege."
Silence followed.
Several guards exchanged surprised glances.
This was a completely different young man from the one who had argued on the first night.
Elder Ruan studied him for a long time.
Then...
He snorted.
"You remind me too much of your elders."
Lei blinked.
"You've met them?"
"I've fought them."
The old captain's expression darkened.
"They once decided every caravan passing beneath their mountain owed them a special 'escort tax.'"
Several guards immediately began grinning.
Lei slowly covered his face.
"...Please don't tell me."
"They weren't interested in money."
"They wanted one of our Frost Wolves."
A heavy silence settled over the camp.
Ruan folded his arms.
"They claimed it was only fair."
"They were stronger."
"So naturally..."
"They decided fairness meant whatever benefited them."
His lips curled into a dangerous smile.
"I showed that arrogant fool exactly what happened to people who tried stealing from my companions."
One of the older guards laughed loudly.
"And then we ran."
"Very quickly."
Another guard nodded.
"Before half the sect came after us."
Ruan shrugged without the slightest embarrassment.
"Winning first."
"Running second."
"That's called surviving."
Several merchants burst into laughter.
Lei Zhenyu looked genuinely horrified.
"...That..."
"...sounds exactly like Elder Yan."
"It was Elder Yan."
Lei sighed deeply.
Years ago, Elder Yan and several disciples had established an unauthorised toll beneath one of the sect's mountains.This was a known fact in the sect, but the sect hadn't given a big punishment for this illegal act.Power and connections had a way of allowing people like him to go free.
"...I owe you an apology on behalf of my sect."
"You owe me nothing."
Ruan's voice returned to its usual firmness.
"But my answer is still no."
"We don't invite unknown variables into the caravan."
He pointed toward a flat boulder beyond the marked boundary.
"Set your camp over there."
Lei remained silent for a heartbeat.
Then he bowed respectfully.
"...Understood."
"I'll ask again another day."
Without another complaint...
He quietly walked away.
Yun Che watched him settle beneath the distant tree.
No sword practice.
No meditation.
He simply sat there alone, staring into the fire he had built for himself.
Lin Xia followed Yun Che's gaze.
"...He looks lonely."
"He does."
They exchanged a glance.
Neither needed to say anything else.
A few moments later, each picked up a wooden bowl filled with stew.
Jin Wei looked between them.
"...You're going, aren't you?"
"We are."
He sighed dramatically before grabbing his own bowl.
"I suppose leaving him out would make me look like the villain."
The three quietly crossed the short stretch of open ground.
Lei Zhenyu looked up in surprise as their shadows reached his fire.
Yun Che lifted his bowl slightly.
"Mind if we join you?"
For the first time since beginning his journey...
The young swordsman found himself completely speechless.