Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, the upturned eaves and intricate brackets of buildings faintly emerged. Exotic flowers bloomed everywhere, and spiritual springs gushed from the ground. In a secluded corner, a young boy dressed in luxurious brocade robes clumsily thrust forward with a heavy, unsharpened iron sword, his execution of the “Flying Bird Returns to Nest” stance utterly disorganized and quite unsightly.
“After practicing the Six Harmonies Sword Art—a mere Qi Accumulation technique—for so long, you still can’t grasp it. Your aptitude is truly dull,” a cold yet childlike voice suddenly spoke from behind the boy.
“Who’s there?” Startled, the boy turned around to see a girl about his own age standing at the edge of the flowerbed, her hands hanging loosely by her sides. She was dressed neatly in bright yellow robes, her delicate features not yet fully matured but already strikingly beautiful and adorable. Yet her expression was cold, her thin lips pressed together as she tried to appear dignified and aloof.
“Oh, it’s you… I thought it was someone else…” The boy relaxed, but his face quickly flushed red again. “How could you—how could you spy on someone else’s training?”
The girl snorted. “With your pitiful skills, I wouldn’t even watch if you begged me to.”
Much less spy on you!
Before the boy could retort, she continued, “No wonder you refuse to train with us. You’re afraid of embarrassing yourself. A sword technique like this—forget mastering a single stance, I could learn the entire set in just a few days.”
Humiliated and angry, the boy snapped, “None of your business!”
“Hmph. Since you were so hospitable before, I’ll reluctantly guide you—help you master it as quickly as possible,” the girl said, tilting her chin slightly.
“No need!” Clutching his iron sword, the boy shouted before hastily running back to the nearest hall.
The girl stood stunned, clearly not expecting this outcome. After a long pause, she muttered, “No ambition at all…”
—
In the study, Mr. Lu and Ye Yuyan each held a weathered tome, sitting across from each other as they basked in the warm, golden sunlight, enjoying the serene and peaceful moment.
Thud, thud, thud. The sound of hurried footsteps shattered the quiet. The boy rushed in, still clutching his iron sword, his face a mix of grievance and frustration as he looked at Mr. Lu and Ye Yuyan. “Father, Mother… am I really that stupid and useless?”
Quick, quick—tell me I’m not! It’s just a temporary hurdle!
Mr. Lu set down his book, exchanged a glance with Ye Yuyan, and smiled gently. “Yes, you are indeed quite dull.”
“Ah…” The boy froze, his expression blank with shock, grievance, and despair.
So I really am stupid…
“But being dull doesn’t mean you’re foolish. As long as you’re willing to put in the effort, endure loneliness and hardship, and aren’t afraid of working ten times harder than others, you can still achieve great things and cultivate successfully,” Mr. Lu said warmly. “When I was your age, I was even duller than you. And yet, here I am now—having reached the pinnacle of martial arts, treading the bitter sea.”
“Father… you were dull too?” The boy asked in surprise. In his eyes, his father was the strongest and most formidable expert!
As he spoke, he glanced at his mother, seeking confirmation.
“Of course. Your father was truly dull back then,” Ye Yuyan said with a radiant smile. “But he recognized his shortcomings and embraced the principle of ‘the slow must start early.'”
“I see… Then I’ll start early too!” The boy’s confidence instantly returned, and he asked eagerly, “Father, can you tell me about your childhood?”
Mr. Lu pondered briefly, then patted the chair beside him. “Come, sit here, and I’ll tell you slowly.”
The boy obediently set down his iron sword, sat down, and listened intently.
—
Caw, caw, caw. The incessant cries of crows cast an eerie and ominous atmosphere over the dilapidated temple.
“Ugh!”
“Annoying!”
“Bad luck!”
Amidst the curses, Lu Zhiping shook his head, snapping out of his sword-focused trance to gaze at the crackling fire and the bubbling pot before him.
“Little Lu? How are you adjusting to the escort life?” Li Yuan, a burly man with a thick beard, asked with a grin as he noticed Lu Zhiping’s wandering gaze.
“It’s alright. Thanks to Uncle Li and everyone’s guidance along the way,” Lu Zhiping replied with youthful shyness.
Li Yuan clapped Lu Zhiping’s shoulder with his massive hand—hard enough to make the boy wince—before sighing heavily. “Your father’s martial arts are ruined. The chief escort kept you on out of sentiment, even allowing you to avoid dangerous missions and stick to menial tasks. So why insist on being an escort? This isn’t an easy path. Think about it—how many of the uncles and elders you know retired unscathed?”
“Besides… well, I’m a blunt man, so I’ll say it straight. We all know your martial skills and aptitude aren’t great. Don’t let youthful pride blind you. Your family line is thin—if something happens to you, how will I face your father? Or your grandfather?”
“Listen to me, kid. The most important thing in life is knowing your limits. After this mission, stay put at the escort bureau.”
Lu Zhiping’s face alternated between red and white as he clenched his teeth. After a long silence, he muttered, “I understand, Uncle Li. Let’s talk after this mission… I’ll go practice my sword outside for a bit.”
Before Li Yuan could respond, Lu Zhiping stood abruptly and hurried out of the broken temple doors. Not daring to venture far in the dark, he drew his sword by the wall, illuminated only by the firelight and moonlight.
Watching his retreating figure, Li Yuan shook his head and said to another escort, “Stubborn, just like his father. Pity he didn’t inherit his talent.”
“Exactly. I heard he spent five years just to barely grasp half of the Six Harmonies Sword Art—and in all that time, he never trained in anything else, afraid he’d get confused and fail at both,” the other escort said, not bothering to lower his voice. “Old Li, tell me—with aptitude like that, isn’t martial arts just a waste of time? Wouldn’t he be better off doing something else?”
“Enough, enough. At least he’s young and strong, and can barely wield a sword. He’ll do as a footman,” Li Yuan said, turning away.
Lu Zhiping faintly overheard their conversation, his heart agitated. But as soon as he began swinging his sword, he entered a state of pure focus—where the world faded away, leaving only himself and his blade. It was tranquil, serene, and beautiful, all emotions settling like sediment.
If I can’t master this stance in a day, I’ll take a month. If not in a month, then a year. As long as I never slack, I’ll master it eventually. The slow must start early!
Over and over, he executed the Six Harmonies Sword Art, refining every imperfection, striving for the perfection in his mind.
Suddenly, he snapped awake, sheathing his sword as a bloodcurdling scream pierced the night.
Turning back, he saw flickering firelight illuminating a swarm of black-clad figures, their weapons glinting coldly.
“Ambush!” Li Yuan barely parried a lightning-fast sword strike as he shouted.
Lu Zhiping’s first instinct was to flee—he was outside the temple, unnoticed. If not now, when?
But gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on his sword, kicked off the ground, and dashed into the temple to help.
A flash of steel—a massive cleaver swung at him. Panic blanked his mind, leaving him frozen.
Yet five years of relentless training had ingrained the sword art into his body. Instinctively, he ducked, sidestepped, and thrust his sword forward, evading the cleaver and closing in on his enemy.
Thud!
The blade pierced clean through the black-clad man’s heart.
Six Harmonies Sword Art—Flying Bird Returns to Nest!
As the body crumpled, the firelight inside the temple burst into view like fireworks.
They’re… this weak? Shaking off his daze, Lu Zhiping unleashed the Six Harmonies Sword Art, fighting his way toward Li Yuan and the others.
No longer blank, fully immersed in the life-or-death struggle, his mind sharpened to a razor’s edge. Every enemy, every weapon, every trajectory of cold steel became crystal clear.
Forgetting all else, Lu Zhiping felt as if time slowed—every movement of his foes visible in perfect detail. He stepped forward, his sword flicking up to strike a black-clad man’s wrist, sending his dark axe clattering to the ground.
Clang!
Pivoting on his heel, Lu Zhiping circled past the disarmed foe and charged at the swordsman beside Li Yuan.
Thump! The axeman collapsed, drawing stunned gazes. Their comrade—a formidable fighter below the Qi Opening realm—had fallen in one strike?
Did this tiny escort bureau have a hidden expert?
The leading Qi Opening experts quickly dispatched one of their own, his palms glowing crimson as he clawed through the air, sending a gust of wind that twisted Lu Zhiping’s blade off course.
Unfazed, Lu Zhiping’s focus remained unbroken. With a flick of his wrist, his sword altered its path, trembling like a swallow braving a storm, weaving through the barrage of palm strikes to stab at the expert.
Hmph!
The expert’s palms flared with bloody light, countless afterimages coalescing into a single grip that clamped onto the sword’s tip.
Crack!
The blade snapped. Lu Zhiping was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth as he crashed outside the temple, too injured to rise.
Just then, a delicate fragrance reached his nose. Turning his head, he saw several figures emerging from the forest, led by a girl as pure and fresh as a lotus rising from clear water. Her eyes were dark and bright, her fluttering lashes like tiny fans.
Meeting Lu Zhiping’s gaze, the girl smiled sweetly. “What’s happening here? We heard the commotion.”
“Oh, I’m Ye Yuyan from Ye Family Fort.”
Her smile bloomed like sunlight at midnight, like winter blossoms, searing itself into Lu Zhiping’s vision.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage