Night fell.
The sky was blanketed with stars, twinkling like scattered shards of silver.
The Milky Way stretched across the night sky like a ribbon of jade.
Li Zhexian sat on the stone steps of his courtyard, from afternoon until deep into the night.
Across his knees lay the Qinglian Sword, its blade reflecting the starlight, as if soaking in the river of stars.
"Phew…"
Li Zhexian looked up, his eyes filled with the galaxy above.
"The sword…"
"What is the sword?"
"First answer: The sword as a weapon!"
"The sword is a deadly tool. It is cold iron forged with two edges—born to kill!"
Li Zhexian reversed his grip and seized the hilt.
A flash of sword light suddenly split the courtyard.
The cold gleam of the blade reflected his even colder eyes.
A mosquito in the air was sliced clean in two.
"Second answer: The sword as the heart!"
"The sword is me, and I am the sword. The sword is no longer just metal, but the extension of one's will. Where the sword points, so too does the heart aim!"
Li Zhexian once again laid the Qinglian Sword across his lap.
As he breathed in rhythm, the sword also pulsed with a faint, steady glow.
He and the Qinglian Sword now breathed as one—the blade had become part of his blood and bone.
"Third answer: The sword as the heavens!"
"The sword splits the light of the sky. Man steals the secrets of heaven. The sword has three realms: the lower sword strikes others, the middle sword strikes the self, and the upper sword strikes the night. A master swordsman wields the sword like a brush, heaven and earth his canvas. One slash overturns the galaxy. One sheathing silences the world."
"So this sword move of mine…"
Li Zhexian rose to his feet with the sword in hand.
He slowly closed his eyes. Cold starlight surged through his meridians, and frost-like patterns formed along the spine of the blade.
His sword hand trembled!
Not from fear—
But from a trembling on the verge of breakthrough!
Arms spread like a drawn bow, the sword moved like a rainbow. As he lifted the blade—
A sweep of the sword shattered the darkness within three zhang around him.
Where the sword passed, the air screeched. Star-dust fell like fine snow, dancing in the air.
"This sword move…"
"Is a sliver of heavenly will that I stole."
As Li Zhexian ended the strike, he gently caressed the sword and whispered,
"The first move of my self-created Qinglian Sword Song shall be named—Yaoguang."
"It takes life… and steals light from the heavens."
"Pity—it's only half complete."
He glanced around. Within ten steps, all the grass and leaves were coated with a layer of crystal-like star frost.
Li Zhexian let out a slow breath and said,
"Since I haven't yet drunk the Yaoguang Brew…"
"I still can't fully grasp the taste of starlight."
"That's why this move, Yaoguang, still has room for refinement."
"When the day comes that I taste the Yaoguang Brew—that will be the moment my Wine Martial Soul evolves, and this first sword move is perfected."
The night passed in silence.
In his dreams, Li Zhexian drank the legendary Yaoguang Brew.
Under the starlight, he drank wildly—
With a single sweep of the sword, the stars trembled.
—
The next morning.
Li Zhexian set out to find a way to drink the Yaoguang Brew.
He loitered in front of the imperial palace gates eight times. The patrolling guards were starting to look at him strangely.
"Sigh…"
"This will take time. Wine, too, depends on fate. No point rushing."
Li Zhexian was carefree by nature.
On a whim, he bought a fishing kit, flint, and a small stove, preparing to find a place to fish.
It wasn't that he didn't want to eat at a tavern.
It was just that—between the cost of renting a courtyard and his reckless spending on the way from Star Dou Forest—
His money pouch was nearly empty.
"Just thinking about fishing makes my hands itch."
So—
Li Zhexian made his way to a river inside Heaven Dou City.
But once he got there—
He realized it wasn't suitable for fishing at all.
Pleasure boats crisscrossed the waters in a competition of beauty and music, scaring all the fish away.
Carrying his gear,
Li Zhexian wandered out of the city.
After walking through a lush peach blossom grove,
He was greeted by a refreshing breeze and a sparkling lake that appeared before his eyes.
The lake spanned three or four acres in size. Lotus flowers bloomed in dazzling colors along the shore, and every so often, a fish leapt from the water to nibble on the petals.
Li Zhexian's eyes lit up.
Scanning the lakeside, he spotted a figure in white sitting at the shore, fishing.
He hurried over,
Found a good spot,
Sat down on a folding stool,
Prepared bait, cast the line—fluent and efficient.
He planted the rod into the ground.
Then began setting up his cooking stove.
A few meters away, the handsome youth in white looked over curiously.
After setting the stove, Li Zhexian turned and smiled at the man in white:
"How's your catch?"
"Mind lending me two fish for now? I'll return them to you once I catch more."
The youth—Xue Qinghe—shook his head.
"Haven't caught any yet."
Li Zhexian raised a brow.
"Ah—beginner angler, huh?"
Xue Qinghe's brow twitched ever so slightly.
Beginner angler?
What does that mean?
Doesn't sound like a compliment.
Not far off, in the reed-covered bank—
A royal guard dressed like a noble retainer, Porcupinefish Douluo, moved to step forward upon seeing the stranger in white.
But he was stopped by Snake Lance Douluo.
"Let it be, don't go over there."
Porcupinefish Douluo frowned and said,
"But the young master said he didn't want to be disturbed."
Snake Lance Douluo glanced at the white-robed youth, now both fishing and setting up to cook like he was preparing for a picnic, and muttered,
"Did you hear the young master say anything?"
Hm?!
The fishing rod in Li Zhexian's hand suddenly trembled with force.
His eyes lit up. He swiftly pulled the rod upward—
Splash—!
A silver-tailed fish the size of a palm leapt from the water.
He reeled it in, gutted it, cleaned it, and tossed it into the pot—
All in one fluid motion.
Even Xue Qinghe was left momentarily stunned.
Li Zhexian cast his line again and chuckled:
"Fresh is best."
"Hey, Beginner angler—if you want some, wait until I catch a few more, and I'll share them with you."
It's everyone's duty to care for the 'Beginner angler.'
Xue Qinghe turned his head away.
"No need. I'll catch my own."
Every week, he would come to this Lotus Lake to fish. He wasn't after the fish; he just wanted to empty his mind and cast aside bothersome matters. But the young man in white, who had abruptly entered Lotus Lake today, had ignited his competitive spirit.
"Heh…"
Xue Qinghe sneered inwardly.
You really think I can't catch anything just because I'm not trying?
A few minutes passed—
"Got another!"
Li Zhexian reeled in again.
Xue Qinghe pursed his lips and stared at his own still, silent line.
Another few minutes—
"Another one!"
Li Zhexian's smile curved like a crescent moon.
Xue Qinghe's face remained calm, but his hands gripped the unmoving rod tightly.
A few more minutes—
"Ha ha!"
Li Zhexian laughed more brilliantly than the blooming lotuses.
Xue Qinghe silently reeled in his rod, stood up, and turned to leave.
"Hey, why're you getting all sulky?" Li Zhexian called after him.
"It's just a few fish, not worth much. We're fellow wanderers—friends by chance."
"Come on, join me for some fish."
Xue Qinghe didn't turn around.
"No thanks."
——
——
Half an hour later.
Xue Qinghe was calmly chewing on a mouthful of fish, nodding.
"Not bad."
Li Zhexian sipped from his wine gourd, took a bite of fish, and leaned back in the breeze with his eyes half-closed.
"Comfortable."
He glanced at the youth beside him—the breeze lifting the fringe from his forehead, revealing a free and easy air.
Xue Qinghe asked,
"You're from the outer city?"
Li Zhexian raised a sword-like brow.
"How'd you guess?"
Xue Qinghe lowered his gaze to the fish, not answering.
How did I guess?
If you were from Heaven Dou City—
How could you possibly not recognize me, the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou…