In Dongning City, on the third floor of a tavern, there was a private room—the only one on that floor. Yun Fu'an was leisurely sipping wine and listening to a tune. Beside him, a woman in green robes plucked at the strings of a qin while softly singing, causing Yun Fu'an to sway his head in deep enjoyment.
When the song ended, Yun Fu'an smiled and said, "Xiangyin, your singing has become even more mesmerizing. You've almost melted my heart."
"Brother Yun, you flatter me. I still have much to learn from my teacher," the woman in green replied.
"No, no," Yun Fu'an praised. "Your teacher may be skilled, but age has taken a toll on her voice. It can't compare to yours. Talent is what matters in this field, and your voice is exceptional. Everything you sing sounds beautiful."
"Then let me sing another song for you, Brother Yun," the woman in green said with a smile, covering her mouth with her hand before she began plucking the strings again.
She knew she had to keep Yun Fu'an happy. The patriarch of the Yun family had five sons and one daughter. The eldest three had endured hardships alongside their father and had now become masters of the Impervious Realm, with two of them even comprehending Momentum. They were known as the Yun Family's Three Heroes. In contrast, the fourth and fifth sons, as well as the youngest daughter, had not faced many struggles.
Yun Fu'an, being the youngest son, had lived a carefree life since his father became a Divine Lord during his childhood. At that time, the Yun family patriarch had just made a breakthrough and was focused on cultivating and consolidating his strength, leaving little time to discipline his children. As a result, the younger three children were somewhat unremarkable.
However, Yun Fu'an was somewhat unique. As the youngest son, he had grown up mingling with other young nobles, becoming quite shrewd. He was adept at reading people, flattering or undermining others as needed, and was well-versed in various underhanded tactics. This made the Yun Family's Three Heroes quite fond of their younger brother, entrusting him with many tasks, which he always handled skillfully.
Thus, Yun Fu'an wielded significant power within the family, overseeing many of its affairs. With a single word, he could make a famous performer vanish from the world or elevate a woman to stardom.
"Hmm~~" Yun Fu'an hummed softly along with the tune.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted downstairs in the tavern, the noise loud enough to make Yun Fu'an frown slightly. The private room was soundproofed, and the third floor was usually quiet, but the clamor was now quite noticeable.
"What's going on?" Yun Fu'an asked with a frown. "Ah Fu, go down and see what's happening."
"Yes, Master," the servant outside the door immediately went to investigate.
Soon, the servant returned and said from outside the door, "Master, something major has happened."
Yun Fu'an raised his hand, and the woman in green immediately stopped playing. She knew better than to disturb him when serious matters arose.
"Come in and speak," Yun Fu'an ordered.
The servant pushed the door open and said in a low voice, "Not just this tavern, but the entire Dongning City is abuzz because of Young Master Meng Chuan."
"What about him?" Yun Fu'an asked, his brow furrowed and a hint of disdain in his voice. He held little regard for the Meng family, which was in decline, while his own Yun family was thriving.
"At Jinghu Taoist Academy, Meng Chuan demonstrated the secret technique 'Autumn Leaves' of the Falling Leaf Saber and even defeated the academy's former top disciple, Wu Qi, who was at the peak of the Transfiguration Realm. He has now become the top disciple of Jinghu Taoist Academy," the servant explained. "To be able to use a secret technique and defeat someone at the peak of the Transfiguration Realm while still at the Marrow Washing Realm... It's clear he has comprehended a blade technique secret, Master—"
"Get out!"
Yun Fu'an's face darkened as he barked the order. The servant immediately fell silent, obediently left the room, and closed the door behind him.
Yun Fu'an sat in silence for a moment, then stood up and walked to the window. He opened it, and the noise from the street outside immediately grew louder. Words like "Meng Chuan" and "secret technique" could be faintly heard. It was clear that this matter had become the most talked-about event in all of Dongning City.
"That kid actually broke through?" Yun Fu'an's face darkened. "Hmph, so what if he comprehended a secret technique? He's still far from becoming a Divine Lord." With a clang, he shut the window.
...
Throughout Dongning City, the other three major Divine Lord families found it amusing! After all, the Yun family had recently called off an engagement—specifically, the engagement between Yun Qingping and Meng Chuan. Had they known that Meng Chuan would master a secret technique at the age of fifteen, the Yun family might have made a different decision. But how low was the probability of a peerless genius being born? The Yun family didn't dare to delay! Under normal circumstances, once an engagement was set, the couple would marry by the age of eighteen, as they would have to enlist in the military by twenty. The Yun family didn't dare to delay, so naturally, the sooner they canceled it, the better.
"He's only mastered a secret technique; he's still far from becoming a Divine Lord." This was the only way the Yun family could console themselves.
At Meng's Mansion.
"Chuan, tell me the truth. Had you already broken through when you made that bet with me?" Liu Qiyue stared at Meng Chuan.
"You're really clever," Meng Chuan smiled and nodded. "But it was only a recent breakthrough."
"You... you..." Liu Qiyue didn't know what to say.
"I told you I'd secure the spot, but you didn't believe me and insisted on betting. Who's to blame?" Meng Chuan laughed. "What, are you thinking of backing out?"
Liu Qiyue raised her head. "I, Liu Qiyue, always stand by my word!"
"Admirable, truly admirable. I truly admire you, Sister Qiyue," Meng Chuan flattered her. "Then I'll be looking forward to a month of dinners prepared by you."
"Consider it a congratulatory gift for your mastery of the secret technique," Liu Qiyue said with a hint of resentment. "I never expected you to be so sly, Chuan."
"Chuan'er," a voice called out from a distance.
"My father is calling me, I'll head over first." Meng Chuan immediately dashed off.
Liu Qiyue snorted, "Big liar, so good at deceiving. But he's quite impressive, having actually reached the Unity Realm in blade techniques."
...
In the training ground.
"Father." Meng Chuan stood before his father.
"I'm very happy that you've made a breakthrough in your blade techniques," Meng Dajiang said to his son. "But don't let it get to your head. There are still three major hurdles ahead of you—Momentum, Elixir Formation, and the Life-and-Death Barrier. Each step is extremely difficult. Others can offer little help; it mostly depends on yourself."
"I understand," Meng Chuan replied.
"You've always been diligent in your training since childhood, so I won't say much more. Keep working hard and aim to become a Divine Lord!" Meng Dajiang encouraged.
"Mm," Meng Chuan nodded.
"It's been a while since we sparred. Come, let's have a match, father and son," Meng Dajiang said with a smile.
"Let's go!" Meng Chuan was filled with fighting spirit.
Of course, his father was a powerhouse at the Impervious Realm, having mastered blade momentum, and was among the top in Dongning City below the Divine Lord level. Naturally, he could easily overpower his son.
...
Evening.
Meng Chuan was painting in his study. It was a long scroll painting he had started yesterday after comprehending "Autumn Leaves," though he had only completed part of it then.
The painting depicted scenes of him training hard in the training ground, defeating Wu Qi in the arena of the Dao Academy, and the moment when his father and the elders welcomed him upon leaving the academy. His father was shown ruffling his hair, and beside them, Liu Qiyue was painted with wide eyes, exclaiming in surprise.
Meng Chuan smiled as he painted, completely immersed in his thoughts, pouring his emotions into the brush.
The more intense the emotions he poured into the painting, the more passionate he became.
After a long time.
The painting was finished. Meng Chuan looked up and noticed the sky outside had darkened.
"Autumn Leaves," Meng Chuan wrote the three characters in the upper left corner of the scroll.
This painting would be called "Autumn Leaves."
As he gazed at the painting, Meng Chuan felt an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility.
The bustling Dongning City.
A young man in white robes walked the streets with an old servant.
"Dongning City is quite lively," the young man said, his face expressionless.
"It's a prefectural city with a population of over a million, so it's naturally bustling," the old servant chuckled. "Young Master, should we stay in Dongning City for the next few years, or should we move to the provincial capital?"
"This is my mother's hometown. I'll stay here," the young man said coldly.
The old servant sighed helplessly.
The young master's temper was beyond anyone's control.
Suddenly, they overheard passersby on the street discussing—"Young Master Meng Chuan is truly remarkable, having mastered a secret technique at just fifteen years old, right?" "Yes, he's only fifteen. In my opinion, Young Master Meng Chuan is likely to become a Divine Lord in the future."
Hearing the chatter, the old servant chuckled softly, "I didn't expect Dongning City to have such a prodigy. He's the same age as you, Young Master."
"Meng Chuan…" the young man murmured to himself.
"Young Master, if we continue this way, we'll reach Yuyang Palace soon," the old servant said. "We should first pay a visit to the Lord of Yuyang Palace."
"Mm," the young man nodded.