From Zhuge Yu Jin's Perspective
The courtyard itself seemed to hold its breath. A thin layer of frost coated the stone floor, shimmering under the pale morning light, each grain of ice reflecting a spark as if trying to imitate the sun.
Yu Jin opened his eyes.
Air escaped his lungs in a single white cloud that quickly dissolved, as if even the cold did not dare linger on him for long. He rolled his shoulders slowly, feeling every fiber, every bone—and the steady warmth now coursing through his body.
Nine levels. Body Refinement, complete.
For fifteen days, Yu Jin had done nothing but cultivate to achieve this result.
When he finally stood, his body was still adapting to its new strength. Each movement carried a dense, almost tangible sensation, as though his muscles and bones held glowing embers beneath the skin.
Yu Jin raised his gaze to the sky.
Fifteen days since the encounter at the Merchant Guild fair. Fifteen days since he drove off Han Zhi and his thugs from those two girls.
A faint smile crossed his face."The Transcendental Art of the Imperial Dragon… truly marvelous," he murmured. The cultivation technique he had received from the Subtle Pearl seemed to turn each breath into fuel for an inner fire, forging his body like metal at the forge.
"Senior… I still have fifteen days before the tournament. Should I try to push for the first level of Spiritual Refinement?"
The answer came like an aged echo in his mind, rising from the depths of the Subtle Pearl:"That would not be wise. Your progress is already far too fast. To force more now could destabilize your foundations. I believe you should use your brother's permission and go to the clan library… seek martial arts suited to your level."
Yu Jin closed his eyes briefly, absorbing the counsel. At the first level of the Pearl, he had obtained the Transcendental Art of the Imperial Dragon—but it was only a cultivation technique. According to the elder, higher levels would reveal battle methods capable of toppling mountains and stirring seas… but that was for the future.
The present required different weapons.
"Senior is right," he answered, opening his eyes. "I should go to the library."
He rose, his steps steady on the frozen ground. Like the ten chosen clan youths, he too had received ten Serene Essence Pills—which he consumed without hesitation—and his own chance to pick a weapon from the clan treasury. He had chosen a long black saber, old and rusted in appearance, yet its weight carried a strange familiarity.
As for martial techniques, he had received none. His brother had only told him: 'Use my name and take whatever you want from the library, regardless of quantity or quality.'
And Yu Jin had been content with that.For all his deep respect toward his brother—and despite the elder's insistence that he was "not ordinary"—he wished to walk his own path, make his own choices.
And now, that path led to the library.
But before he could reach it—
The soft sound of children's laughter slowed his steps.
Ahead, in a side courtyard bathed in golden morning light, two figures moved like a living painting.
The older girl spun lightly to follow the little one's run, her light-blue robe swaying like gentle waves in the breeze. Her long hair, tied only with a simple ribbon, gleamed like dark silk, and the smile she gave her sister carried a warmth rare in this world.
Her locks, long and fluid like the currents of a celestial river, seemed dyed with the very essence of moonlight reflected on clear waters. Each motion shone with a cold, delicate glow, reminiscent of winter's breath—beautiful and sharp all at once.
Her eyes, clear as polished ice, held a light not of fragility but of promise. They were windows to a soul that knew both tenderness and the pain of life.
The younger one, with uncertain steps, ran across the grass, her little arms outstretched as if to embrace the air itself. Her bright laughter cut through the courtyard's silence like the ring of a distant bell.
Her eyes were wide and round, like two suns reflected in clean water, brimming with innocence and curiosity. Their brown glimmer carried the freshness of dawn, as though each glance discovered the world anew.
Her hair, short and dark, soft as a sparrow's down, was gathered in a small side ponytail that the playful winds refused to leave in place.
Her simple pink clothes seemed made not for adornment, but to embrace childhood itself.
Her presence was like spring: fleeting, delicate, and irresistible. The kind of existence that reminded the world not everything had to be grand to be eternal.
Yu Jin stood there for a few moments, simply watching.There was no calculation, no intent in his gaze—only the strange sense that this scene deserved to be preserved.
They were not strangers: they were the same girls he had found in the Merchant Guild tents, cornered by Han Zhi's lackeys. That day, he had acted without thought—merely answering a child's cry for help.
Unaware, Yu Jin let a smile slip.
"Careful, Xiao Ya," the older girl said, her voice soft but firm, the voice of someone who knew how to protect.
Yu Jin stepped closer. The sound of his approach made the older one raise her eyes, startled for a moment before straightening her posture. The little girl stopped, staring at him with natural curiosity.
"I only came to check if you are comfortable," he said, letting a faint smile pass across his face.
The older girl blinked, a faint blush rising on her cheeks."I… I haven't had the chance to thank you for that day."
Yu Jin shook his head."There's no need." His gaze shifted to the little one, hiding behind her sister's robe yet peeking curiously. "Besides, it was your sister who asked for help. Who could ignore something like that?"
"Even so…" she hesitated, as though the words she wished to say weighed heavier than the moment allowed. "My name is Lan Xue. And this is my sister, Lan Ya."
"Zhuge Yu Jin." He inclined his head slightly, tone calm.
Lan Xue held his gaze for a moment, not daring to add more.
Little Lan Ya giggled and ran forward, tugging on Yu Jin's arm."Big brother, let's play!"
Lan Xue sighed, though amusement sparkled in her eyes."Xiao Ya, he must be busy."
Yu Jin stepped closer, the sun gleaming off the black hilt of the saber at his back, and spoke gently to Lan Ya."What shall we play? How about hide-and-seek before a race?"
Her smile bloomed, bright with excitement.
"May we?" Yu Jin asked Lan Xue, giving the final say to the elder sister.
"I suppose that's fine," Lan Xue replied.
Yu Jin ended up spending the rest of the day in Lan Xue and Lan Ya's courtyard.The hours melted away in conversations, games across the grass, and the light laughter that seemed to warm even the cold wind over the tiled roofs.
The library was forgotten.But he did not regret it.
Cultivation was not a hundred-meter dash, but an endless marathon, filled with climbs, descents, and unexpected turns. A "lost" day could, in truth, be the pause that consolidated everything. And in that moment, he felt he had strengthened not just his body or spiritual energy, but his very Dao Heart.
Between games and tea, Yu Jin heard the sisters' story.
They had lived in a small northern village—until a night of screams and smoke changed everything. Spiritual beasts attacked. Their parents—skilled hunters—did not survive. Alone, the girls wandered aimlessly until they crossed paths with the long procession of the Merchant Guild. With no other choice, they followed the group, offering small tasks in exchange for a warm meal.
It was not a good life… but it was life.
Five days later, they reached Gray Sky City. They dreamed of better opportunities, but the moment they tried to enter, Han Zhi's eyes fell on Lan Xue. Even beneath mud and dust, he had seen the beauty she carried—and decided he wanted her for himself. The rest… Yu Jin already knew.
At nightfall, before parting ways, Lan Xue spoke with a tone that mixed gratitude and resolve:"I want to meet your brother. The patriarch. I must thank him for taking us in… and I want to offer my help with whatever the clan needs."
Yu Jin's first instinct was to refuse. Not out of arrogance, but because he believed they didn't need to be entangled in clan affairs. Within its walls, they could live peacefully.
But her determined gaze… was not something he could dismiss.
"Very well," he answered at last. "Tomorrow morning, before I head to the library, I'll take you to him."
Lan Xue nodded, while Lan Ya, already drowsy in her sister's arms, smiled as if she understood the promise.
In that instant, Yu Jin realized that no matter how strange fate's turns might seem, some connections arose as naturally as sunrise.
And as they left the courtyard, the black saber on his back seemed to weigh a little less.