After breaking through to Mortal Foundation Stage – Level 1, Xu Yao returned to his dorm.
The night was quiet, and the pale moonlight filled the room.
As he sat down to cultivate, he suddenly remembered the talisman the Elder had given him.
It was a simple piece of spiritual paper with a faint glow.
Xu Yao held it between his palms.
Shhh...
The talisman slowly turned into tiny silver lights.
The lights floated into his Sea of Consciousness and gathered together.
A moment later, they formed an old manual.
"Silent Dawn Sword Art"
It was a gentle but powerful sword technique.
The weaker the cultivator, the more useful it became.
It felt as if this sword art had been made especially for someone like him.
The Worm Reacts
The little Emerald Worm floated beside him, its eyes shining with excitement.
"Oh! This isn't an ordinary sword art."
It teaches precision, patience, and awareness. You don't need great strength to use it.
It's perfect for your meridians. We should learn it.
Xu Yao nodded.
The determination in his eyes returned.
Training Begins
At sunrise, Xu Yao went to the quiet training ground behind the valley.
A light mist covered the ground.
In his hand was a simple iron practice sword.
It was heavy, poorly balanced, and the blade was dull.
Still, it was enough.
Xu Yao took his stance.
The worm immediately corrected him.
"Lower your shoulders."
"Relax your wrist. Don't make it too stiff."
"Breathe naturally. Let your qi flow like water."
Xu Yao listened carefully.
He swung his sword.
Whoosh.
The swing wasn't smooth.
He tried again.
Whoosh.
Still not right.
So he kept practicing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Hours passed.
Blisters formed on his hands.
His wrists started to shake.
Sweat ran down his face.
But he didn't stop.
Pain no longer scared him.
To him, pain meant he was improving.
Day After Day
Every day, Xu Yao practiced only the first movement of the Silent Dawn Sword Art.
Just one movement.
A slow, flowing slash, as gentle as the morning breeze.
The other disciples often laughed when they saw him.
Haha! You're still practicing the first move?
Even little kids learn that in a week!
Xu Yao ignored them.
The worm only smiled.
They don't understand.
You're teaching your body to remember every movement.
"Once you've mastered it, your sword will move before your mind does."
That's what real cultivation is.
A Breakthrough
One morning, Xu Yao was practicing like always.
The valley was quiet.
There wasn't even a breeze.
He took a slow breath...
Then swung.
Shing.... -
The sword cut through the air with a clean silver flash.
The mist split apart.
The falling leaves seemed to stop for a moment.
Even the wind became still.
The strike...
Was perfect.
The worm stared at him in surprise.
"You... did it."
Xu Yao slowly opened his eyes.
His stance was steady.
His breathing was calm.
His sword didn't shake.
He had mastered the First Form of the Silent Dawn Sword Art.
And it had taken him only one month.