The sun had barely reached its zenith when a formal procession made its way from the central arena of Azure Sky City toward the grand halls of the City Lord's Estate. Banners fluttered with pride, and the air was charged with a festive tension as everyone looked on with reverence. At the forefront walked the City Lord himself—Jiang Tianhe, a man in his prime, tall and refined, with a commanding presence. Clad in deep azure robes embroidered with golden clouds, his gaze was firm yet dignified as he addressed the three prodigious youths beside him.
"You have done well ,at your age you have shone excellently, especially Li Qingyun you have shown wit,intelligence,strength because if not then you could not have collected the highest amount of jade tokens and ranked number one." Jiang Tianhe said with a smile that was both proud and intrigued. "As the top three of this year's secret realm competition, you are entitled to a singular reward from our City Hall Treasury. Come—choose wisely."
"Thank you for your praise City Lord, Sir. My fellow contenders also did well in the secret realm. I was just lucky to be at the right time and right place." Li Qingyun said while also remaining humble.
Li Qingyun, Xia Shuying, and Qin Wushuang followed the city lord through winding marble corridors until they reached an enormous double gate engraved with celestial patterns. With a wave of his hand, the city lord summoned city guards to pull the gates open.
A low hum resonated as the treasury revealed itself.
The chamber within was vast—lit by floating luminous crystals, its walls adorned with runes and warding arrays. Each artifact, manual, and item within hovered gently on stone pedestals or sat sealed behind translucent spiritual glass. There was no dust here, no sense of time—only legacy, waiting to be claimed.
A steward stepped forward with a scroll and began listing off the available treasures.
Crimson Soul Bamboo Pill – Refines the soul, enhances clarity and comprehension.
Heavenly Moon Flame Pearl – Stores pure fire energy, useful for cultivating fire-based techniques.
Windstep Feather Boots – Boosts movement speed, allows brief aerial maneuverability.
Azure Light Mirror – Defensive treasure, reflects a portion of magical attacks.
Cloud Whisper Manual – Mid-tier Rank 4 cultivation technique with emphasis on internal energy flow.
Silver-Spined Panther Bone – Strengthens physique and bones; suitable for body cultivators.
Shadowmist Cloak – Conceals presence and reduces spiritual detection.
Emerald Spirit Lotus – A rare spiritual herb that greatly boosts cultivation base when refined.
Thousand Mile Sound Talisman – Communicates across long distances through sound transmission.
Thunder Jade Pendant – Stores lightning essence; helps in resistance and affinity training.
Each item glowed faintly with power, resonating slightly toward whoever neared them.
Xia Shuying's eyes flicked toward the Windstep Feather Boots. She approached them, testing the sensation. The boots hummed softly under her hand, resonating with her light-footed aura. "Speed is everything when your blade dances," she murmured, smiling as she made her choice.
Qin Wushuang was silent. His gaze passed over the artifacts until he paused before the Thunder Jade Pendant. Without a word, he lifted it reverently. The aura of thunder clung to it like mist, wrapping around his fingers. There was no doubt—his path aligned with this treasure perfectly.
Li Qingyun, however, stood still.
His eyes were fixed on a lone pedestal draped in black silk. Upon it lay a slender, pitch-black sword with silver runes carved down its length. It emanated no murderous aura, no heat, no chill — just silence. But Li Qingyun felt something within him stir.
> [System Notification]
[Detected: Shadowfang – Spirit Grade Weapon. Adaptive blade forged from Black Abyss Iron and Lunar Steel. Weightless, resonance possible with host's Sword Intent.]
[Compatible with Voidcleave Sword Manual. Bonding will evolve weapon over time.]
He reached for the sword.
The moment his fingers curled around the hilt, the room dimmed slightly — and then, light shimmered from the blade's runes. It was cold and perfect in his grasp, as though it had waited for him.
"Good eye," murmured City Lord Jiang, watching intently. "That sword has sat untouched for ten years. It was something that previous City Lord has stored in the treasury, now it seems that it has been found by it's wielder.
"Thank you for your generosity, My Lord. I will not fail it's expectation." Li Qingyun caressed the sword.
Shadowfang… the name echoed in his mind.
---
As they stepped out of the treasury and came to arena, the sect envoys watched the top three with keener eyes.
The disciples whispered. The elders nodded thoughtfully. And the top 50 participants, recruitment was about to began after a day of rest.
Li Qingyun walked quietly with his new sword sheathed at his side, his heart calm.
_____
That evening, the golden glow of dusk bathed the estate of the Li family in a tranquil radiance. After bidding farewell to the city lord and the sect envoys, Li Qingyun returned home with his parents. Lin Meiyu held his hand tightly, eyes shimmering with relief and joy, while Li Tianyang walked beside them with a rare softness to his usually stoic face.
Their son — their pride — had stunned the entire city.
Once home, after a quiet dinner filled with warm laughter and emotional embraces, Li Qingyun excused himself and walked into the family's bamboo forest courtyard. The gentle rustling of leaves and the faint chirps of evening birds created a peaceful atmosphere.
He drew his new sword — Shadowfang.
The sword let out a whisper, not a screech. Sleek and silent, it cut through the air without resistance. He took a stance and moved into the Voidcleave Sword Manual's first form. A crescent arc shimmered faintly with his budding Sword Intent.
Whoosh!
The bamboo leaves sliced cleanly mid-air — not by force, but by precision. The blade responded to his intent like a living creature, flowing with his movements as if it had known him for years.
He shifted into the second form. His body was calm, but his sword moved like shadow and wind — swift, clean, and untraceable.
[System Notification]
[Sword Intent: Budding Edge → Advancing Edge ]
[Shadowfang resonance increases comprehension of sword techniques.]
Li Qingyun exhaled, a thin mist leaving his lips.
"So this is the right blade," he murmured. "Silent… but powerful."
The sword gleamed slightly in response, as if acknowledging his words.
In the fading light, his figure danced between the bamboo stalks — swift, balanced, and composed. Every cut he made seemed to echo something deeper, refining his sword intent further.
---
When the moon had risen high and the courtyard was bathed in silver, Li Qingyun finally sheathed Shadowfang. He closed his eyes — calm, steady — and brought up his system interface.
---
[System Interface]
[Host:] Li Qingyun
[Realm:] Qi Gathering Realm (8th Stage)
[Physique:] Primal Chaos Vessel Physique
[Slots:]
Slot 1: Jade Body Tempering Scripture — Transcendent stage (Passive effect: Unshakable Core)
Slot 2: Ninefold Essence Sutra — Perfect (Transcendent locked – requires 500 points.)
Slot 3: Locked (Requires 100 points to unlock.)
[Techniques:]
Jade Body Tempering Scripture — Transcendent stage
Ninefold Essence Sutra — Perfect
Voidcleave Sword Manual — Perfect (Sword Intent: Advancing Edge)
Phantom Step Art — Perfect
[Bound Weapon:] Shadowfang – Spirit Grade
[Weapon Traits:] Adaptive resonance, enhances Sword Intent, evolves with usage
[Energy:] 0 Points
---
A faint breeze rustled the bamboo again. Li Qingyun looked up toward the stars, his eyes quiet but focused.