4 days after the establishment of the Golden Gate Sect, life on the mountain had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Jin Nan spent most mornings tending the small garden he had planted beside his hut. At the moment, he was watering several rows of tea plants while humming a tune he barely remembered from his childhood. In the courtyard nearby, 11 youngsters practiced sword forms with wooden swords he had carved himself. The oldest was 15 while the youngest had only recently turned 8. Their movements were far from perfect, but compared to 4 days ago, they had improved tremendously. Every now and then, Jin Nan would casually point out a mistake without even looking up from his gardening.
The peaceful atmosphere was interrupted when a figure appeared at the entrance of the sect. The man wore gray robes with a sword hanging at his waist. His appearance suggested someone in his late 40s, but Jin Nan immediately sensed the truth. The visitor was actually around 235 years old and had reached the Golden Core Realm. Not particularly impressive by ancient standards, but certainly powerful enough to dominate countless villages and towns in the current era. The man paused upon entering and carefully observed the courtyard. His eyes widened slightly when he realized all 11 children were Qi Refining cultivators. In a tiny village sect, finding even 1 cultivator was considered fortunate. Finding 11 was unusual.
The sword cultivator's attention eventually shifted toward Jin Nan. That was when his expression became serious. No matter how carefully he examined the young-looking man watering tea plants, he could not sense even the slightest fluctuation of cultivation. Either Jin Nan was an ordinary mortal, which was impossible, or his cultivation was so far above his own that he could not perceive it. The uncertainty made him cautious. Meanwhile, Jin Nan looked up from his tea plants and smiled. "You stood there for nearly 3 minutes. If you're here to join the sect, applications are over there." He pointed toward a wooden bucket. The Golden Core cultivator followed the gesture and discovered a completely empty bucket sitting beside the gate.
The swordsman had heard enough rumors during his journey to know better than to question strange things around a Sage. If the Sage told him applications were in a bucket, then applications were apparently in a bucket. Maintaining a respectful expression, he walked across the courtyard while the 11 young disciples continued practicing their sword forms. Upon reaching the wooden bucket, he frowned slightly. It looked completely ordinary. There wasn't even any water inside. Curious, he leaned forward and looked in. The moment he did, the world around him vanished. The mountain, the courtyard, and the children disappeared. He suddenly found himself standing alone on a barren island beneath a gray sky surrounded by an endless sea made entirely of swords.
The swords stretched beyond the horizon in every direction. Some were ancient and rusted. Others gleamed as though freshly forged. There were large swords, thin swords, broken swords, and swords radiating terrifying auras. Even as a Golden Core cultivator, the sight left him speechless. Then the sea began to move. One sword slowly rose from the countless blades below. It floated toward the island before transforming into a perfect mirror image of himself. Same face. Same robes. Same sword. The only difference was the expression. While the swordsman looked confused, the copy remained calm and emotionless. The figure took several steps forward before stopping a few meters away and silently observing him.
Finally, the mirror image spoke. Its voice sounded identical to his own. "What do you seek?" The question echoed across the sea of swords. The swordsman instinctively reached for an answer but paused. He had originally come seeking a Sage rumored to possess profound wisdom. Yet standing here, he realized that wasn't the real reason. The mirror image patiently waited. After nearly a minute of silence, the swordsman lowered his head and answered honestly. "I seek a path forward." The moment those words left his mouth, millions of swords throughout the endless sea began vibrating simultaneously, filling the world with a deafening chorus of sword cries.
The sea of swords continued trembling as he stood before his mirror image. For a long moment, he remained silent, gathering his thoughts. Then he slowly bowed. "My name is Joong Khan," he said. "I have wandered this world for over 200 years. By fortune and countless opportunities, I reached the Golden Core Stage earlier than most cultivators. Yet for the past 47 years, I have remained trapped at Peak Early Stage Golden Core." His voice carried frustration, but not bitterness. "I have searched ancient ruins, challenged rivals, crossed kingdoms, and sought guidance from sect elders. Nothing has worked. Every path I walk ends at the same wall. No matter how hard I push forward, I cannot find the next step."
The mirror image listened quietly without interruption. Joong Khan continued speaking. "Golden Core cultivators can live for around 300 years under normal circumstances. I am already 235 years old. If I cannot reach Mid Stage Golden Core within the next 70 years, my body will begin declining. After that, death is only a matter of time." He looked toward the endless sea surrounding the island. "Many people think I fear death. I do not. Death comes for everyone eventually. What I fear is reaching the end of my life knowing I never fulfilled my potential. Knowing I stopped climbing while there was still a mountain before me." For the first time, genuine emotion appeared on his face.
The mirror image finally took a step forward. Its eyes remained locked onto Joong Khan's. "You seek the Sage for guidance," it said. Joong Khan nodded immediately. "I do." The copy was silent for several seconds before asking another question. "Then answer this. Why must you become stronger?" Joong Khan opened his mouth to respond, only to freeze. He realized he had prepared answers for countless questions over the years, but not this one. Wealth? Fame? Power? Survival? None felt correct. As he struggled to answer, countless swords began rising from the sea one after another. It was almost as if the world itself was waiting to hear his response.
Joong Khan stared at the countless swords hovering above the sea. The question seemed simple, yet it struck deeper than any sword technique ever had. He lowered his head and thought carefully. After nearly 2 minutes of silence, he finally spoke. "It is happening again." The mirror image remained silent, allowing him to continue. "Every story I have heard, every book I have read, and every ruin I have explored reveals the same pattern. Alliances form and crumble. Empires rise and fall. Sects scheme against one another while ordinary people pay the price." His gaze hardened. "The signs are all there. Another great conflict is approaching. I can feel it. A 6th War is coming."
The swordsman slowly clenched his fists. "I have traveled this world for over 200 years. I have seen villages burned because cultivators wanted resources. I have seen entire families destroyed because they offended the wrong clan. Every generation believes it will be different, but it never is." The sea of swords continued trembling around him. "I do not seek strength for wealth. I do not seek strength for fame. I do not seek strength to become some mighty ruler." His voice echoed across the island. "I seek strength because when the war arrives, someone must stand between the innocent and those who would trample them. I need more power to protect the innocent."
The moment those words left his mouth, the endless choir of sword cries vanished. In their place came the calm sound of waves gently crashing against a distant shore. The sea of swords transformed into a peaceful ocean beneath a golden sky. Then a familiar voice echoed through the world. "Protect the innocent? Well said." Joong Khan blinked in surprise. The island, ocean, and sky instantly shattered like glass. A moment later, he found himself standing beside the wooden bucket once more. Jin Nan was still holding a watering can in one hand. Smiling warmly, he nodded and repeated, "Well said." For the first time in decades, Joong Khan felt the barrier around his cultivation beginning to crack.
Joong Khan stood silently as the feeling of breakthrough lingered within his Golden Core. Before he could process what had just happened, Jin Nan casually set down his watering can and clapped his hands. The 11 youngsters immediately stopped practicing and ran over. Some were sweating, some were covered in dirt, and 1 had somehow gotten a leaf stuck in his hair. Nan pointed toward the stunned swordsman. "All disciples, say hello to Sword Master Joong, the newest member of the Golden Gate Sect and your Sword Instructor from now on." The children immediately lined up and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Sword Master Joong!" they shouted together. Their voices echoed throughout the courtyard, startling several birds from nearby trees.
For a moment, Joong Khan simply stared at them. He had wandered the world for over 200 years. He had crossed countless kingdoms, entered dozens of sects, and challenged many opponents. Yet nowhere had he truly belonged. Every place had been temporary. Every relationship had eventually ended with him moving on. Looking at the 11 children bowing before him, something inside him cracked. His eyes became red and before he could stop himself, tears began forming. One of the younger disciples immediately panicked. "Did we do something wrong?" she asked. Another child offered him a wooden sword as though that might somehow solve the problem. Joong Khan laughed despite himself and quickly wiped his eyes.
Jin Nan smiled as he watched the scene unfold. "Walking the road alone is not for you," he said. The courtyard became quiet. "This is your family from now on." Joong Khan looked around at the simple mountain sect. There were no grand halls, no thousands of disciples, and no powerful elders. Just 11 children, a strange Sage, and a wooden hut. Yet somehow it felt more welcoming than any place he had visited in 235 years. Nan continued, "You have spent decades seeking a breakthrough through cultivation. Now seek it through living. Through teaching. Through protecting. Through actions, a breakthrough will come." The words had barely finished leaving his mouth when cracks appeared across Joong Khan's Golden Core bottleneck. He had never experienced enlightenment like this before.