Ling Mei smiled lightly seeing her determined look.
…
Back inside the Grand Hall, Mei Hua stood before a large, detailed map depicting the surrounding regions known Sects, Clans, Kingdoms, etc. Markers indicated the position of allied and rival sects.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts as she looked towards the door and said, “Enter.”
An Inner Sect Elder stepped in, bowing respectfully, “Sect Leader, letters have arrived from the Azure Sky Sect and the Ironwood Mountain Clan.”
Mei Hua raised an eyebrow, and asked lightly, “Oh? What do they have to say?”
“They propose a meeting to discuss the cooperation between our Sects and Clan within the Mystique Realm,” the Elder reported. “They suggest that we come up with some ground rules for the realm and our disciples can benefit more from working together rather than working against each other.”
Mei Hua’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Quite a tempting offer. Considering that our sect’s young disciples are weaker compared to their peers due to our cultivation manuals. But we can’t trust them fully as well.”
She tapped her fingers on the table, thinking for a second before answering, “Send polite replies expressing our gratitude for their approach. We will consider their offer and respond before the Mystique Realm opens.”
“Yes, Sect Leader,” the elder said before retreating.
After the elder left, Mei Hua pondered the situation, “Cooperation or thinly veiled competition? We must tread carefully, otherwise our feet will get dirty in these muddy waters.”
Her gaze landed on the map once again, “The Mystique Realm may hold many opportunities for the young ones, but the dangers will be equally great. The rest will depend on the disciples fortune and what choice the sect made regarding the cooperation.”
…
Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the entire sect, the air became filled with youthful energy.
All the disciples trained ardously to reach thier peak state before going for the Mystique Realm.
In his closed-door cultivation, Shen Yuan also got wind of the news as his lips curled into a smile. He stood at the edge of his plum blossom tree, enjoying wine while looking at the falling petals
He had a feeling something would soon happen so he was looking out for any new news, and that’s how he found out about it so far.
“Looks like the sect will be quite lively for some time now.” He smiled lightly while gulping his wine.
[It was already lively after your arrival.]
Yue Lan remarked lazily, lying down on a table beside him in her cat form.
“But this time it will be lively with the disciple’s motivation to train harder. This is the best thing a sect can hope for, hard-working and dedicated disciples.” He shook his head and replied to her.
[That is true as well, but what will you do now? Will you join in on the fun or continue your seclusion?]
“Weren’t you angry with me?” Shen Yuan asked with a playful smirk on his face.
[Hmph! Forgive? You wish. But you’re decent enough entertainment, so I’ll let it slide. For now.]
Shen Yuan shook his head, “And yes, I will join in on the fun, but I won’t leave my closed-door seclusion behind as well. I will first finish here and then meet up with them.”
He raised his hand and released a wisp of Sword Intent, slicing the surrounding plum blossom flowers in half from the middle.
[You are really incredible. Already mastered the second level of the Sword Intent in under a day.]
Shen Yuan chuckled softly, “This is merely the beginning. Just wait and see how I will master the other intents. But they will take more time since I have focused the most on my Sword.”
Shen Yuan continued to sip his wine as the breeze carried the petals of the plum blossom tree around him.
[You seem unusually calm considering the chaos you’re about to cause when you finally step out of seclusion,]
Yue Lan teased, her feline form stretching lazily on the table next to him.
“Chaos?” Shen Yuan chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “I think you’re overestimating the reactions of the sect disciples.”
[Am I?]
Yue Lan’s eyes flashed mischievously.
[You’re about to stroll back into a sect full of disciples who have been training relentlessly, desperate to prove themselves in the Mystique Realm. Imagine their faces when you show up, casually mastering a level of intent that most Inner Sect disciples struggle with. It’s bound to cause a stir.]
Shen Yuan shrugged, finishing the last of his wine and placing the gourd back. “I’ll only be joining them after I’ve wrapped up here. No point in letting my training go to waste. Besides, I still have other intents to refine.”
[Speaking of which, how do you plan to handle them all? You’ve already pushed your Sword Intent and Saber Intent to the second level, and you’ve been playing with others as well. What’s next on the list?]
Shen Yuan glanced at the petals swirling around him, his expression thoughtful. “Bow Intent, perhaps. It’s always been a close companion to Sword Intent, taking care of both long-range and short-range battles. But I would need to carefully balance both of them, it might take me a while to do that.”
Yue Lan smirked, her feline form flicking her tail playfully. [Careful balance, huh? You mean you’ll master it in half the time and then start learning a different intent?]
Shen Yuan chuckled but didn’t deny it. “We’ll see. I’m not in a rush. The Mystique Realm isn’t going anywhere, and I have time before the sect truly gets moving. Or the worst case, I just won’t join in on the fun.”
He soon took a deep breath and sat down beneath the plum blossom tree to meditate.
Soon, time passed as the petals drifted gently around him. His eyes were closed, and his breath steady as he delved deeper into meditation. Focusing on other weapons such as Bow, Spear, Axe, Pole, Sycthe, and more.
The air around him vibrated subtly as he visualized each weapon in his mind. He imagined the weight of a spear in his hand, the tension on the string while drawing a bow…
Each intent required not just a high comprehension level but a will to learn the essence of a weapon. For this reason, it is easier for those who love their weapons to master an Intent.
Days turned into weeks as Shen Yuan immersed himself in this intense cultivation. With each passing day, he made more progress and mastered various intents. The Spear Intent flowed like a river—direct and piercing. The Bow Intent is fast and precise. The Scythe being deadly and sneaky.
…
News soon spread around the Radiant Lotus Sacred Sect that a competition would be held among the outer sect disciples to select ten representatives for the Mystique Realm.
The announcement sent the disciples into a frenzy as they cultivated with all they had for the competition, none wanted to lose in such an important tournament.
The training grounds buzzed with activity as Wan Ling practiced her sword techniques with unwavering focus. Her movements and improved so much that if someone who knew her saw her current mastery, they would doubt whether if its the same person or not.
