On this day, Universe, who was now 12 years old, ventured into the forest behind Spring City, known for its dense foliage and rumored beasts. Armed with his newly learned sword technique, he sought both challenge and enlightenment.
As he penetrated deeper into the forest, the air thickened with the scent of moss and damp earth. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Universe's heart raced with anticipation, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.
Suddenly, a low growl reverberated through the trees, signaling the presence of a beast. A massive creature emerged from the underbrush, its fur bristling with aggression. Its eyes gleamed with primal fury, ready to defend its territory.
With practiced grace, Universe assumed a defensive stance, recalling the intricate movements of the sword technique he had recently mastered. Every strike, every parry flowed from his muscles with newfound confidence and precision. He felt a deep connection between his body and the blade, as if the sword had become an extension of his will.
The beast lunged forward, claws slashing through the air. Universe countered with swift slashes, each strike calculated to find weaknesses in his opponent's defenses. The forest echoed with the clash of steel against fur, a symphony of battle that reverberated through the ancient trees.
In the midst of combat, amidst adrenaline and focus, Universe began to understand the essence of his newly learned technique, "Rhythmic Swordplay." He saw how each movement, each adjustment of his stance, influenced the flow of battle. The rhythm of his swordplay mirrored the pulse of the forest itself, a dance of predator and prey.
As the battle reached its zenith, Yu Zhou's movements became fluid and effortless. With a final, decisive strike, he disarmed the beast, forcing it to retreat with a wounded roar. He stood victorious yet humbled, his breath mingling with the forest's cool air.
Exhausted but exhilarated, Yu Zhou realized that his journey into the forest had been more than a test of strength; it was a path towards mastering not only the sword technique but also the deeper connection between mind, body, and blade. With newfound wisdom, he sheathed his sword and began to return to Spring City.
Arriving at the Yu Clan, Universe made his way towards his house and took a long, cold bath. Feeling refreshed, he emerged from the bathroom and touched the menu button.
Entering the menu, Universe directly clicked on the "Status" option. Suddenly, a status window appeared in front of Universe.
Status Window:
Name: (Universe)
Cultivation Level:(Energy Refining Stage) (Level 5)
Spiritual Energy:( 5,320 / 12,000 XP)
Techniques:
- Sword Slash
- Dragon Movement Art
- Divine Wind Palm
- Thunderous Roar Sword Art
- Rhythmic Swordplay
Skills:
- Body Refinement Technique
- Stealth Movement
- Qi Sensing
- Spiritual Cultivation Technique
Items:
- Heaven's Sword
- Cloud Ring (Enhances speed by 30%)
Current Location:(Spring City)
Current MP:(5,400 points)
Universe looked at the status window with a pleased expression. "This is all the hard work from the past two years." Universe felt quite emotional about his current situation.
"If I had worked this hard in my past life as I have been working here for the past two years, I wouldn't have had to suffer that much," he thought.
But thinking about it is no longer necessary.
In the past two years, his sisters have come to visit him twice, but apart from my mother, nobody else knew. "I can't understand why the master of my sisters doesn't want to give vacation to my sister." Universe thought.
Yu Er has been cultivating in that sect for 4 years and according to Alfa, she has already reached the Energy Liquidation Stage peak. While his second sister, Yu Ling, has been cultivating in that sect for 2 years and has reached the initial level of the Energy Liquidation Stage.
If his elder sister came to live in Spring City, she could dominate the city with her strength alone right now. But what worries him is his parents and clan members. They don't have good aptitude like his sisters, so they are still very weak.
His father, the patriarch of the clan, is only at the middle level of the Energy Liquidation Stage. This is too low, and he doesn't know how to help them.
"It doesn't matter; as long as I am strong enough, they will be fine." Universe thought outloud.
Just as he was lost in thought, a knock on the door suddenly brought him back to reality.
Opening the door, Universe found it was Shi Fan, his maid.
"Hey Shi Fan, how are you? Is there something wrong? Why do you look distressed?"
She hesitated for a moment, recalling what her young master had said two years ago. Tears started to flow from her eyes.
"We found them."
Seeing her reaction and hearing her words, Universe finally understood. His eyes suddenly turned cold. They turned silver-white for a moment but returned to normal.
"Tell me the place."
"Dra...gon Mountain Range," she choked out. As soon as she finished, Universe was nowhere to be seen.
Shi Fan sat down on the ground and started sobbing silently.
It all started two years ago when Yu Er and Yu Ling came to meet Universe.
Shi Fan's village was not far from Spring City. At that time, she went to meet her parents and found the village in shambles.
After asking around, she found out that bloody sword bandits had raided their village and left a warning: collect all valuables by morning.
Hearing this from her parents, Shi Fan rushed back to the Yu Clan without wasting any time and wanted to report the incident.
The first person she thought of was her young master. She went to him directly but found him distracted for some reason that night. Seeing his young age, she decided against it.
Instead of Universe, she reported the news to Madam Xuner.
Everything went as planned. Madam reported the news to the patriarch, and he gathered tens of people and sent them to the village. However, when they arrived early in the morning, the village was no more. Only dead bodies remained, including her parents'.