Volume 1: The Purple Void True Dragon, Chapter 17: Arduous Training at Yunmen

“In the realm of swords, the main movements include chopping, slashing, breaking, lifting, pointing, blocking, sweeping, intercepting, striking, thrusting, stirring, pressing, hanging, and swirling. Its characteristics are the combination of hardness and softness, smooth and effortless movement, lightness, and gracefulness… However, the essence of swordsmanship can be summarized in four sentences: ‘Show emptiness, use sharpness, act swiftly, and achieve perfection.’ As for specifics, the master will start with our Yunmen’s Qi Flow Sword Technique…” Xianyun casually picked up a ‘sword’ bought from the city that hadn’t been sharpened yet—usually used by the elderly for morning exercises—and demonstrated while explaining to Tianyu.

Ever since Chu Tianyu accidentally developed the Purple Void Dragon Qi while training on the mountain, the old Taoist Xianyun has been dedicated to teaching him various Taoist teachings, elixirs, and external martial arts exercises. He also made several lead bags for Tianyu to wear on his arms, waist, and legs. At the same time, Tianyu was not allowed to use any internal energy; he could only practice for a short while during morning breathing exercises. Otherwise, he had to focus on external muscle and bone training.

As Chu Tianyu’s Purple Void Dragon Qi took shape, his originally tanned skin returned to a fair, delicate complexion, with a faint glowing effect. But due to Xianyun’s special arrangements and Tianyu’s own physical development, in less than a month, his skin and physique changed drastically. Though his body wasn’t covered in bulging muscles, his bronze-colored skin returned, and he grew much more robust…

“Second Master, why does Tianyu have to practice this Qi Flow Sword Technique every day? It seems like it’s only for dancing with a sword. Although the movements are intricate and the angles are tricky, they don’t seem suitable for fighting. When will you teach me Yunmen’s peerless sword technique?” During this time, as his body developed and with Xianyun’s guidance, Tianyu’s mind also advanced rapidly. He was no longer the naive young man who had just followed his master on adventures.

“Tianyu, what is a peerless sword technique? In fact, the use of a sword is ultimately about defeating the enemy. A so-called ultimate move lies in the cleverness of the attack and anticipating the enemy’s actions. If the enemy is defenseless, a simple straight thrust can defeat them. At such a moment, even if your thrust is just extending your hand, it counts as a clever, brilliant, and ultimate move! Our Yunmen’s Qi Flow Sword Technique focuses on practicing all possible paths a sword can take and the angles of attacks. By truly mastering these, one can adapt to situations in battle, regardless of the limitations of specific moves. Victory without a fixed move—this is the ultimate realm…”

Chu Tianyu’s expression remained solemn as he said, “Second Master, Tianyu has learned from you!”
Xianyun nodded and continued, “Also, the reason the master told you not to use internal energy while practicing with lead weights is to let you understand the principle of handling heavy things as if they were light, and the concept of appearing simple while being highly skilled.”
From then on, every sunset and dawn witnessed the figure of a graceful young man practicing swordsmanship. Chu Tianyu followed Xianyun throughout bustling cities and famous mountains, seeking wisdom, fighting wild beasts, and experiencing supernatural phenomena. Through relentless cultivation, three years passed in the blink of an eye…
Nanjing, a private villa.
Chu Fangshan and Han Yixue finally saw Tianyu, whom they had been missing dearly all along. Yet when Tianyu appeared before them, they didn’t dare to recognize him at first.
At fifteen, Tianyu no longer had the innocent charm and childlike appearance of before. In place of that were clearly defined facial features, healthy skin, and a strong physique. His height had increased significantly, and he exuded a rugged, wild aura. At the same time, there was also an indescribable, ethereal elegance about him. With his slightly upturned lips and deep, dark eyes, he radiated confidence and positivity—far from the silly boy who used to drool and stare blankly as a child.
They arranged to meet outside instead of returning to the Chu family, as Chu Fangshan had already declared that a wise master would take Tianyu to a quiet place for treatment. Although many in the family were skeptical, including Chu Minglei’s opposition, Chu Fangshan’s decision carried weight. Han Yixue, Tianyu’s mother, had no objections and even strongly supported it, so the plan went through. They agreed that Yixue would keep in touch with them later.
And since Tianyu still needed to spend three more years training under the Mad Scholar, this small lie had to continue. The Mad Scholar found a place where Tianyu could reunite with his grandfather and mother.
The reunion was joyful, but brief. Fortunately, both Chu Fangshan and Han Yixue were extraordinary people. Seeing the astonishing changes in their grandson and son, they realized how wise their initial decision had been. Especially Han Yixue—her “silly” son had always been a source of worry for her. But now, Tianyu remained calm in the face of challenges. Though he spoke little, his words were profound and thought-provoking—true to the idea of appearing foolish while being extremely wise.

She knew even better that besides resolving the mental issues that had troubled her, her son also possessed a level of skill that ordinary people could only dream of. Although none of the masters in Tianyu had mentioned much about this, she had still learned something from their occasional remarks—things like Tianyu’s ability to fly, his invulnerability to bullets, and his power to blow up mountains with a single palm strike… Though all these were unimaginable, she believed them wholeheartedly. It was as if, from the moment Tianyu was born and Longyu chose him as its master, his extraordinariness was destined! Which mother doesn’t wish for her son to succeed? Which mother doesn’t love her child dearly? Especially someone like Tianyu, who had suffered scorn and ridicule since childhood—not less because he was born into the Chu family; on the contrary, there were even more whispers and jokes about him, providing endless material for entertainment magazines and gossip weeklys! Seeing her son’s achievements today filled her with genuine joy. Though he still had three years of training ahead, likely the most dangerous and difficult ones, she and her father-in-law decided to suppress their deep affection and keep it hidden. So they only had a brief meeting, giving him a few words of advice and encouragement. A true man aspires to explore the world—like an eagle that soars or a dragon that thrashes through the skies. So when parting, she didn’t even turn around, though her eyes were already moist. Her father-in-law, too, wiped at the corners of his eyes, muttering that his old eye condition had flared up and he couldn’t stand the wind, even though the sky was clear and the wind had stopped… Themad scholar was also quite satisfied with Tianyu’s training progress, especially after hearing Xianyun’s account and the series of extraordinary events, such as Tianyu attaining the Purple Void Dragon Qi. His confidence in his plan grew even more! Xianyun elaborated on everything that had happened over the three years. When he finally said he needed to talk to Tianyu alone, themad scholar looked wary, as if afraid his precious disciple might be taken away again. Xianyun glanced at him but pretended not to see, saying, “I need to convey a few matters from our Yunmen to Tianyu alone. The others…” Hearing this, themad scholar left reluctantly, looking displeased.

Xianyun called out to Tianyu. He organized his thoughts again and said, “Tianyu, I won’t go into all that nonsense about fighting evil, upholding justice, and such. You’re already the next successor of the Yunmen sect, so you should know something about our sect. Although we always claim to have a single line of inheritance, that’s not true. Each generation of sect leader usually takes two to three disciples, teaching them equally without favoritism. Only the best one is chosen as the sect leader. Besides being a title for external purposes, the sect leader is no different from the other disciples. Moreover, our Yunmen’s cultivation method emphasizes following nature and not forcing anything. That’s why, for thousands of years, there have been no disputes over succession within Yunmen. Instead, we remain united. Apart from the sect leader, the other disciples of each generation remain unknown to most people. They only step forward to help when the sect leader or Yunmen is in trouble. Currently, the only ones left in Yunmen are your two uncles and their disciples, along with one elder brother of yours. But your elder brother is too absorbed in medicine and has no interest in learning. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of taking in disciples. This is Yunmen’s unique way of communication. Remember, this method can only be used in times of crisis or for important matters. Keep it safe. In the future, if you meet anyone from Yunmen, be sure to offer help and support. Of course, you can also give orders as the sect leader. Keep this sect leader’s jade token safe for now. Phew, finally, this important task is done. Tianyu, see you in three years, master and disciple. Hehe, I’m really curious to see how this reckless scholar will further test you. Oh, by the way, Tianyu, be more cautious. Your third master may seem serious all the time, but he’s actually quite cunning. The Xuanji Sect is even more inscrutable! Sigh, their methods are completely the opposite of ours in Yunmen. Thankfully, whatever they do is for good; otherwise, I really wouldn’t want to part with them…”

Tianyu’s eyes also turned red as he said with a hint of sadness, “Second master, I won’t want to part with you either!”

Seeing Tianyu in this state, Xianyun thought about how these three years had been spent together. It didn’t seem unnatural; although he had been with Tianyu for twelve years, back then Tianyu had his parents, grandparents, and brother among his relatives, so it was only natural that he had a deeper bond with him. Yet such affectionate feelings were contrary to the principles of the Yunmen Sect. So he quickly steadied his emotions and said, “Hehe, Tianyu, you’ve grown up. There are many important things ahead of you. In three years, your second master will come to see you along with your first master. That will be the real time for you to graduate and spread your wings. Come, let’s go find that mad scholar and formally hand you over to their Xuanji Sect. I guess your third master must be extremely anxious by now. But wait and see—he’ll surely still put on that annoying grim face, hehe…”
“Achoo~ Achoo~” Somewhere else, someone who was already extremely anxious yet still kept a calm expression sneezed heavily several times. Even though he had reached a high level of mastery, he was still surprised—how could he sneeze like this?