Morning arrived quietly at the Heavenly Sword Sect.
I opened my eyes as the morning bell echoed from afar—heavy and long, shaking the air, reverberating between the mountains. For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the simple ceiling of the room that had now become my residence as an outer disciple.
My cultivation uniform was neatly folded beside the bed.
I got up and put it on slowly.
The robe was pale white with simple blue trim—the mark of an outer disciple. No decorations. No symbol of glory.
I stepped outside.
The morning air was cold, filled with thin mist that shimmered faintly under the sunlight. Along the path to the outer disciples' training grounds, several disciples walked in groups. When they noticed me, their steps slowed.
Those gazes came.
Curiosity.Undisguised mockery.
"Hey, is that a new disciple?"
"Isn't he already an adult?"
"So old and only starting cultivation now. Does he think this is a vegetable field?"
A few people laughed softly.
I didn't turn around. I didn't speed up. I didn't slow down.
I just walked.
Throughout my life, I had heard far crueler mockery than this. Voices like these… weren't strong enough to disturb me.
The outer disciples' training ground stretched wide—a flat expanse of land surrounded by stone pillars and simple formation symbols. The disciples sat cross-legged on the ground, forming neat rows.
I chose an empty spot on the edge and sat down.
The ground felt cold.
Not long after, a middle-aged man stepped forward. His robe was dark blue, his expression calm yet stern. His aura wasn't oppressive, but stable—like a sword still in its sheath, yet sharp.
"Instructor Luo has arrived," someone whispered.
The instructor swept his gaze across the area, his eyes pausing on me for just a moment.
"A new face," he said flatly. "Good. Listen carefully. I'll start from the basics, because they are the foundation of everything."
He sat cross-legged and continued.
"What is qi?" he asked.
Some disciples smiled faintly, as if the question were too basic.
"Qi is the energy between heaven and earth," Instructor Luo said. "It exists everywhere. Flowing through the air, the land, the water, and all living beings."
As he spoke, I felt it.
Mist.
Ever since I first stepped into this sect, the world in my eyes had never been truly empty. Something filled the air—layers of energy like dense mist, slowly swirling, enveloping everything. I suspected it was qi… but I didn't know how to touch it.
"Ordinary people cannot sense it," Instructor Luo continued. "But those of you sitting here possess spiritual roots. You can feel it."
He raised one hand. "Absorbing qi is not forcing it. Not seizing it. It's about harmonizing."
I listened to every word.
"Calm your mind. Feel your breathing. Imagine your body as a vessel… and qi as water."
I slowly drew a breath.
The mist… moved.
The qi around me trembled, as if responding to my presence. But when I tried to repeat it—nothing happened.
The mist became still.
My chest felt heavy. The flow that had briefly appeared vanished without a trace. I didn't know what to do.
I stopped trying.
And that was when I felt it.
Not through breathing. Not through movement.
But from within.
Something inside my body felt… open. Subtle pathways I had never noticed before suddenly became clear—as if they had always existed, merely asleep. It felt like discovering a new nerve within my body to move qi.
The qi around me reacted.
The mist moved again, slowly flowing toward me. Without effort. Without technique. It simply followed those pathways.
My body trembled lightly.
Qi entered.
It settled.
Not spreading, not chaotic—calm and dense.
Without realizing it, my mind sank deeper. The surrounding sounds faded— even the sound of the wind drifted away.
There was only me… and qi.
The mist around me began to spin.
At first, slowly. Almost imperceptibly.
Then faster.
Qi gathered around my body, forming a small vortex. The air trembled faintly. Cold and warmth intertwined, flowing into my still-undeveloped meridians.
My chest tightened—then a refreshing sensation spread throughout my body.
Instructor Luo stopped speaking.
His eyes widened.
"This—"
The other disciples noticed the changes around Chu Haoyu one by one.
"What is that?"
"Qi… why is it gathering there?"
"He just sat down… it hasn't even been half a stick of incense!"
The qi vortex around Chu Haoyu became clearer, lifting fine dust from the ground. His white hair fluttered gently, reflecting a pale light.
Instructor Luo stood up unconsciously.
"Qi Gathering… this fast? I haven't even explained anything yet," he muttered. "And this density…"
He stared at Chu Haoyu as if looking at something that shouldn't exist here.
Chu Haoyu slowly opened his eyes. Everyone fell silent.
Instructor Luo instantly vanished and reappeared in front of Chu Haoyu, grasping his wrist.
"Qi Gathering, first level."
His eyes widened, filled with shock.
"How did you absorb qi? I'm certain you haven't learned a single breathing technique," Instructor Luo asked sternly.
I fell silent, not knowing how to answer.
"I only followed your instructions," I finally said. "Emptying my mind… and letting the qi around me enter my body."
Instructor Luo frowned slightly, as if weighing something. Then he tossed a token toward me.
"Any disciple who successfully senses qi may go to the Manual Pavilion to choose a breathing technique. Since you've reached Qi Gathering level one, you may also choose one combat technique."
I lowered my head and accepted the token."Thank you, Instructor Luo."
"Even though you've stepped onto the path of cultivation, you must still attend my class to learn the fundamentals," he continued. "After the class ends, go to the Manual Pavilion."
Instructor Luo vanished and returned to his original position.
I followed his words and sat back down, studying the basics of cultivation until the class ended.
After the sun tilted toward the west, I stood and walked toward the Manual Pavilion.
The building stood quietly, surrounded by simple formations. An ancient aura enveloped every corner.
As I stepped inside, a pavilion guard looked me up and down. His gaze lingered briefly on my white hair, then turned disdainful.
"Outer disciple?" he asked flatly.
I nodded and handed over the token.
He accepted it with one hand—then his body stiffened slightly. His eyes widened when he saw the emblem engraved on its surface.
"This token…"
His tone changed.
He looked at me again, this time with a different expression. Not respectful, but no longer disdainful.
"Fine," he said, stepping aside. "You may choose anything on the first floor."
He glanced at the spiral staircase in the corner.
"Don't try to go up to the other floors. This pavilion has seven floors. The higher the floor, the stronger the manuals stored there. Outer disciples are only allowed on the first floor."
I nodded lightly. "Understood."
The guard said nothing more.
I stepped fully inside.
Tall wooden shelves filled the room. Scroll after scroll was neatly arranged, each emitting a faint aura.
I walked slowly, my eyes scanning every title.
Eventually, my hand stopped at three scrolls.
The first was a basic breathing technique—simple, stable, suitable for an early foundation.
The second was the Gale Sword Technique, its movements concise and direct, without unnecessary flair. Its spiritual energy consumption was low, yet its offensive power was quite good.
And the last… a scroll with a faintly engraved lightning symbol.
Lightning Flicker.
A movement technique based on speed, using qi to move like lightning over short distances.
I took a slow breath.
Without hesitation, I took all three.