Hanyuan was deep in mediation, his meridians humming in the high density environment of the Qin estate. He was deep within the layers of his consciousness when a sharp rap on the door pulled him back to reality.
"Enter," he said, smoothing his robes.
He expected to see Qin Yu's scholarly face, but instead, the door burst open to reveal a storm of azure silk and lilac perfume. Before Hanyuan could even offer a greeting, Qin Meili's fingers were clamped around his wrist like an iron shackle.
"Little Yu is currently trapped in the Inner Pavilion," she giggled, pulling him out into the sunlight with effortless strength. "Father and the Elders are grilling him about his progress and life in the Sect. He'll be in there for hours. That means... you're all mine! Let's go!"
Hanyuan barely had time to snatch his Spear from the rack before he was being dragged through the labyrinthine corridors of the estate. They soon arrived at the Azure Martial Plaza, a training ground made of reinforced basalt designed to withstand the shockwaves of Mortal Core practitioners.
A handful of elite guards were sparring in the distance, but Qin Meili's eyes were fixed on a tall, solitary figure near a cluster of weapon racks.
"Hey, musclehead! Come over here!" Meili shouted, her voice carrying easily across the yard.
The man turned. He was broad shouldered with short cropped brown hair and a sharp, disciplined gaze. He wore a simple sleeveless tunic that revealed arms corded with heavy, powerful muscle. In his hand was a silver spear that seemed to radiate a faint, humming vibration.
"Little Sister," the man sighed, his voice deep and calm. "What trouble have you brought me this time?"
"Don't be like that, Third Brother!" Meili said, shoving Hanyuan forward. "Take a look at this kid. This is Hanyuan, Little Yu's friend from the Mystic Sky Sect. He's a spear user too!"
She turned to Hanyuan and winked. "This is Qin Rong. My third brother. Don't let his dull face fool you; he's at the 2nd Layer of the Mortal Core Realm, and he's obsessed with the spear. He even sleeps with the damn things."
A spark of genuine interest ignited in Qin Rong's eyes. He looked at Hanyuan, seeing the kids foundation and the scarred Cold Cloud Spear. As a Mortal Core expert, he could sense the "intent" radiating from Hanyuan,it wasn't the aura of a pampered greenhouse disciple, but that of a wolf.
"From the Mystic Sky, you say?" Qin Rong moved with a terrifying, fluid speed, appearing ten paces away in the blink of an eye. "It's rare for my sister to bring someone here instead of a jewelry shop. Show me your forms, boy. If you're a friend of Little Yu, the least I can do is offer a bit of guidance."
Hanyuan didn't hesitate. This was an opportunity many disciples would die for. He stepped to the center of the basalt floor, his obsidian eyes focusing as he gripped the dark blue shaft of his spear.
He began with the basics. Thrust. Sweep. Pivot.
At first, Qin Rong watched with a neutral expression. But as Hanyuan transitioned into the Silver Frost Spear Art, unleashing the Silver Crescent Horizon and the Star-Point Piercer, his eyebrows rose.
"A Spirit-rank manual? And you've already grasped sixty percent of its essence at your age?" Qin Rong muttered.
Meili watched for about an hour, yawning as the boys began discussing the angle of a wrist snap and the flow of Qi into the spear head. "Too much talking, not enough 'pretty' things," she grumbled, eventually waving a hand and wandering off to find some entertainment elsewhere.
For the next three hours, Hanyuan trained hard under instruction. Qin Rong didn't hold back.
"Your Star-Point Piercer is destructive, yes," Qin Rong said, his own spear moving in a slow motion blur to demonstrate. "But you're wasting twenty percent of your Qi at the tip because your grip is too tight. Think of the spear as a needle, not a hammer. Let the cold Qi flow through the metal, not just on top of it."
He showed Hanyuan how to use his waist to generate power for the Whirling Silver Veil, turning the defensive move from a simple rotation into a shifting vortex of frost.
By the time the sun reached its zenith, Hanyuan was drenched in sweat and his muscles were trembling from the precision required by the tips. However, his understanding of the Silver Frost Spear Art had deepened more in these three hours than in the last two weeks of solo practice.
"You have a good heart for the spear, Hanyuan," Qin Rong said, wiping his own weapon with a clean cloth. "Most youths your age worry about how flashy the light is.Keep that edge." Hanyuan bowed deeply, his voice filled with sincere gratitude. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother Rong. I will never forget it."
His steps where light despite the fatigue as he left the training grounds.
Hanyuan made his way back through the winding jade tiled corridors of the Guest Wing. Before he could reach his door, he spotted a dejected figure leaning against a pillar, sighing heavily. Qin Yu's robes looked slightly rumpled, and his eyes were glazed with the exhaustion of someone who had just survived an intellectual siege.
"Uh... I was trapped in the Pavilion for four hours," Qin Yu groaned, looking up as Hanyuan approached. "Father and the Elders took turns lecturing me. Apparently, not making the Top 20 as an 8th-layer disciple is an 'unacceptable stain' on the Honor of the Qin family."
Hanyuan couldn't help but chuckle. "At least you survived. I spent my time getting a different kind of lecture.Qin Rong gave me some personal guidance."
Qin Yu's eyes popped open, his misery momentarily forgotten. "Third Brother? You're joking. He usually ignores everyone except his weapons. To him, the world consists of spear heads and training dummies. No... wait." He paused, squinting at Hanyuan's spear. "You're both obsessed with the spear. Of course he took an interest in you. Like attracts like, I suppose."
Qin Yu sighed again, then stood up straight, trying to assume a dignified posture. He reached down and began stroking his chin as if pulling on a long, non existent beard. "You have done well, Junior Brother," he said in a forced, gravelly voice.
Hanyuan looked at him, completely dumbfounded. "Are you actually trying to imitate a Sect Elder? You don't even have a single hair on your chin, Brother Yu."
Qin Yu flushed red and quickly dropped his hand, coughing awkwardly. "Ahem, never mind. Anyway, I came to tell you that the Successor Ceremony is tomorrow evening. It's an open event held at the Great Azure Plaza. Every prominent merchant and warrior in Blue Dew City will be there, and you're invited to watch as a disciple of the Mystic Sky."
Hanyuan nodded, his interest piqued. These ceremonies were often display of a clan's true power.
"And," Qin Yu added with a mischievous grin, "sister Meili ordered the servants to prepare a medicinal bath for you. You should enjoy it; even in the Sect, you won't find this level of luxury unless you're an Inner Disciple or a Elder's Disciple. I'll see you tomorrow."
Qin Yu waved a hand and wandered off toward his own quarters, leaving Hanyuan alone with his curiosity.
Inside his room, several servants were already finishing their preparations. They guided Hanyuan into a side chamber where a large, sunken tub of carved white jade waited. Steam rose from the water, carrying a heavy, aromatic scent of crushed lavender, pine needle herbs, and something metallic.
"Young Master Bai," a head servant explained with a low bow. "We have prepared the 'Jade Bone Restoration Bath.' We infused the water with relaxation herbs and Mind Cleansing petals to settle your Qi and repair the micro tears from your training."
As the servants retreated, Hanyuan stripped and stepped into the water. A sharp intake of breath hissed through his teeth as the warmth enveloped him. It wasn't just hot water; it felt like a thousand tiny silk threads were weaving through his muscles, undoing the knots of his three hour training session.
He leaned his head back against the jade rim, closing his eyes. The scent of the herbs took him back to the small bathhouse in Spirit Springs City. He remembered the many nights he had returned from the training grounds, bruised and bloody, only to find his mother, Lin Ruo, waiting with a similar bowl of herbal water and a stern lecture.
I'm actually homesick, Hanyuan thought with a bittersweet smile.
The Sect's rules were strict; as an Outer Disciple, he was only permitted to return home once a year. It would be many months before he saw his parents again. He let the warmth of the Bath soak into his skin, his mind drifting into a calm, dreamlike state.
An hour later, feeling lighter than he had since arriving at the Mystic Sky Sect, Hanyuan stepped out of the bath. His skin had a healthy, translucent glow, and his Qi felt exceptionally stable.
He didn't waste the sensation. He returned to the main bedroom, sat cross legged on the silk draped bed, and entered a state of deep cultivation. "Tomorrow, the second son of the Qin Clan would rise as successor." Hanyuan thought as he began to cultivate.