In the secluded depths of the mountain, Hun Yu was diligently cultivating under the watchful eye of Yun Xiu.
"Hmm, you learned it quite fast," she remarked, her voice tinged with approval.
Hun Yu stood up, his chest swelling with pride at her praise. He couldn't be happier than he was in that moment.
Yun Xiu, too, was pleased, knowing that he was not just her assistant but a promising disciple.
Her mind wandered to what one of the elders had mentioned: the Falling Star Tournament would be held in six months. She glanced at Hun Yu, a thought forming in her mind.
"Miss Yun, can you please find me a good mask?" Hun Yu's voice broke her reverie.
Yun Xiu frowned slightly but nodded. "I seem to have one," she said, retrieving a black mask that covered the entire face and handing it to him.
He needed the mask to avoid affecting Yun Xiu's reputation with his appearance. It was a practical necessity.
The news of the sect master's return had spread, filling every disciple with excitement. An idea sparked in Yun Xiu's mind—why not let Hun Yu participate in the Falling Star Tournament?
It would be the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his skills and earn recognition. He shouldn't live under her shadow forever.
With a determined gaze, she resolved to train Hun Yu into a fine warrior, capable of defending himself. Her time was limited, and she intended to make the most of it.
"Seeing that you are still so weak, I will start your second training," she announced. "This one will be longer than before."
Yun Xiu produced a stick seemingly out of nowhere. "We start now," she declared, walking toward him with an ominous smile.
Each step she took sent a shiver down Hun Yu's spine. He knew from her expression that this training would be far more rigorous than before.
From morning until nightfall, Hun Yu toiled in the backyard of the house atop the beautiful mountain.
The setting sun bathed the landscape in hues of orange and pink, but he had no time to admire it. All his focus was on catching his breath as he lay on the ground.
During the grueling hours of training, he had been ordered to punch a massive boulder repeatedly.
He wasn't sure if he had broken the boulder, but his hands felt shattered. Summoning the last of his strength, he managed to stand up, only to hear her voice.
"One thousand more, then you can go," Yun Xiu commanded, settling into a chair without a second glance at him.
Hun Yu's heart sank at the thought of a thousand more punches. He doubted he could manage even one. But he knew better than to defy her; she would just increase the number, as she had done an hour ago.
Staggering to the boulder, he punched it, wincing at the sharp pain in his hand.
"Faster!" Yun Xiu's voice cut through the air, leaving him no choice but to obey. For another three hours, he pounded the boulder, completing barely over 500 punches.
"Okay, enough for today. You can go back," she finally said. Hun Yu could see that she had pushed him to his limit, and pushing further would only cause harm.
Relief washed over him as he made his way inside the house. As soon as he reached his bed, he collapsed onto it, exhaustion taking over.
Outside, Yun Xiu gazed at the stars, her mind occupied with the sect's problems. Without a strong alchemist, they couldn't produce pills for the disciples, threatening the sect's future.
She had issued a notice for recruitment, but she doubted any alchemists would join due to the pressure from the imperial family and powerful clans.
As dawn broke, Hun Yu woke up with sore hands, the memory of the previous day's brutal training still fresh. Just as he was collecting his thoughts, Yun Xiu appeared before him, impeccably dressed and as beautiful as ever.
"Today is day two of training," she announced. Hun Yu felt a wave of dread. The gratitude he once felt for her training had turned into apprehension.
After another round of harsh training, they heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, they saw Su Yan, an elegant figure with a sword at her waist. Though slightly less striking than Yun Xiu, she was a beauty in her own right.
"Sect Master," Su Yan greeted with a respectful gesture. Once terrified of Yun Xiu, she now admired her deeply, seeing her as an idol.
"My grandfather asked me to visit you, hoping you could teach me a few moves," Su Yan requested. It had been her idea to ask her grandfather, the sect's Great elder, to make the request.
Yun Xiu nodded. "I don't mind teaching a talented girl like you." Her eyes then drifted to Hun Yu, who was still punching the boulder, his face masked.
"This is Hun Yu, my assistant," Yun Xiu explained. "He will be training with you."
Su Yan frowned, recognizing Hun Yu who had been taken in because of a perfume bottle. She couldn't understand why he needed training.
"And how is the little girl I sent with you?" Yun Xiu asked, her voice calm and steady.
"She's very intelligent and well-behaved," Su Yan replied, detailing the girl's progress from the forest to the sect.
"Sect Master, I heard you defeated a Tier 7 beast like it was nothing!" Su Yan exclaimed, recalling the recent rumors. She was now certain of Yun Xiu's immense power.
Hun Yu paused his training and walked over, noticing Su Yan. She glanced at him without emotion, her eyes lingering on the mask he wore. The reason behind it didn't concern her, so she didn't ask.
Yun Xiu saw Hun Yu approaching and decided to introduce them properly. "Hun Yu, this is Su Yan, the granddaughter of the GreatF Elder.
You've met her before, but let me introduce you more formally. She will also be joining the training with you."
Hun Yu nodded silently, grateful for a training partner. He looked at Su Yan closely for a moment.
With her black hair, good height, and blue eyes, she was not comparable to Yun Xiu, perhaps due to her youth.
"Okay, let's get back to training. Resume what you were doing," Yun Xiu said, before drawing her sword and beginning Su Yan's swordsmanship lesson.
...
"Principal, have you heard?" a young boy asked an old man in the forest.
The old man, the academy principal, replied, "Indeed, the Sect Master of Sky Wind defeated a Tier 7 beast."
"Is it possible the person who killed that Tier 6 beast that day was also her?" the young man asked, his curiosity piqued.
His name was Huang Jin, the crown prince of the empire. He was currently in an academy in the one of the empire's territories.
The academy was renowned for accepting only true geniuses, which intrigued Huang Jin enough to join. Here, he discovered many hidden talents worth drawing into his family's fold for cultivation.
Although the news of the Sky Wind Sect Master defeating a Tier 7 beast was impressive, it was not his concern.
His priority was his own cultivation, confident his father would handle the sect master. As he pondered, he heard footsteps and turned to see six people approaching, laughing.
"Brother Jin, here you are! We've been looking for you everywhere," one of them called out. "Let's go, the party's in my name today."
He smiled, appreciating the camaraderie he had found with these friends.
...
Hun Yu grunted as he finished his thousandth punch against the unyielding boulder. His hands throbbed with pain, but the fear of failure pushed him on.
He glanced at Su Yan, who was effortlessly practicing her swordsmanship with Yun Xiu.
The setting sun bathed her graceful movements in golden light, a stark contrast to his own struggles.
Under the mountain, the 5th Elder and another elder discussed the upcoming Falling Star Tournament.
"Do you have any good talents in mind for the tournament?" the elder asked.
"I recommend Su Yan. She has exceptional talent; we might be able to win this time," the 5th Elder replied. "Besides her, there aren't many standout talents, but I believe some could meet the tournament standards."
The elder thought for a moment before replying, "We can leave the team selection in Su Yan's hands. She's an intelligent girl; she can find the best candidates on her own."