The cold mountain wind swept across the narrow trail.
Each step that Sun Yunso took left a fresh footprint in the thick blanket of snow that covered the mountain path.
He trudged through the snow, a sack of supplies slung over one shoulder, his sword hanging still at his waist.
The cold air bit at his face, but his expression remained unmoved, a mask of calm in the frozen landscape.
Sun Yunso finally stopped walking after a while and took a look around.
The trees were completely covered in snow, their branches bent down under the heavy load.
The mountain looked like an endless sea of white.
“It’s really snowy here, a lot more than back in town.”
He glanced back at the village, which was far away, sitting at the bottom of the mountain.
“This winter has been really surprising, it came way sooner than I thought it would.”
He didn’t think twice, just shifted the sack on his shoulder and kept on walking, his feet crunching in the snow.
The familiar outline of a small wooden house finally came into view.
Sun Yunso walked up to the door and pushed it open.
The warmth that remained within the house was barely enough to fight off the cold.
He set the sack of supplies down on the old wooden table, then turned to look at the stone fireplace, the warm glow of the fire pit catching his eye.
The fire had almost died out.
Only a few glowing embers remained, flickering weakly beneath the layer of ash.
Without a word, Sun Yunso walked over to the neatly stacked pile of firewood beside the hearth.
He picked up several logs and carefully placed them onto the dying flames.
The fire slowly came back to life and orange flames danced across the fresh wood, filling the room with warmth once more.
Sun Yunso quietly stretched out a hand toward the fire, allowing the heat to chase away the mountain’s bitter cold.
“…Much better.”
He turned his focus to the supply bag and began walking towards it.
Sun Yunso rummaged through the bag, pulling out the groceries he had picked up.
Living alone didn’t mean he could skip meals, and he was grateful to Anyu Feng for the annual stipend that kept him afloat.
It was a routine they had fallen into, with Anyu Feng stopping by every year to check in and refill Sun Yunso’s coffers, allowing him to continue his solitary existence.
While he was sorting out the groceries an unexpected knock was heard on the door.
Sun Yunso was immediately on his guard but after the second knock a familiar pattern was heard and he calmed himself because he knew who it was.
“Come in.”
The door creaked opened and Anyu Feng came inside.
“Hello,Uncle Anyu.
How have you been?”
Anyu Feng came inside the small house.
“Hmph, don’t try to flatter me.
Anyway I’m doing good.”
“Fair point.”
Anyu Feng put his belongings on the floor and walked to the small chair right in front of him.
He sat down, making himself at home.
“So, how’s your training so far?” Anyu asked.
Sun Yunso was at the fireplace to put in more wood, then he placed a kettle that was filled with water above a stove.
“Straight to the point…your inpatient as ever Uncle Anyu.
If I were to rank my training I’d give it a perfect ten.”
“A perfect ten, must mean you even master Seidan huh.”
“Yeah, I did.”
***
Seidan
It’s not just about the spirit or the body, but about how they work together in balance.
You could say it’s like a mix of the soul and the body, all connected and in sync.
Some call it the breath of life while others believe it is a blessing left behind by the heavens.
Whatever its origin, one truth has never changed:
Every human possesses Seidan.
But just because you’re born with something, doesn’t mean you can automatically use it.
Most people go through life without ever tapping into their inner Seidan, leaving it unused until their dying day.
But with intense training, unshakeable discipline, or a brush with death, someone can unlock its real potential.
When you unlock Seidan, it boosts everything about your body.
Your muscles get a lot stronger, you move way faster, your senses get sharper, and your spirit gets tougher.
Someone who has mastered Seidan can do some pretty amazing things – they can smash through stone with just one hit, travel huge distances in the blink of an eye, and keep fighting for a long time after a normal person would be exhausted.
Yet Seidan is more than strength alone.
Each person has their own special way of being, their Seidan.
It’s like a foundation that’s the same for everyone, but how it shows up is different for each person.
This is because it’s influenced by their body, their spirit, the things they’ve been through, and what they want.
So, no two warriors have the exact same journey, they all walk their own path.
Those who reach the highest realms are said to make their Seidan an extension of their very existence, where sword, body, and spirit become one.
***
Anyu Feng was intrigued by Sun Yunso’s statement.
“Is that so?
Then what about the sword style that Su Qing created.
Did you manage to master it as well?”
Sun Yunso did not answer, instead he kept quiet because that name reminded him of the very person he had lost.
Anyu Feng felt the silence and immediately understood why that was the case.
“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to bring up his name.”
“No it’s fine, it just hits me sometimes when I hear his name.”
“Yea, I’m the same as you.”
“Anyway regarding your question, I actually did master his sword style.
It did take me a while to fully grasp it but I eventually got the jist of it.”
“Oh,is that so well congratulations then.”
Sun Yunso made some tea and brought two cups to the table where Anyu Feng was seated.
Anyu Feng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then put it back down slowly.
“…Yunso.”
Sun Yunso looked up from his own cup.
“Yes, Uncle Anyu?”
Anyu’s eyes wandered to the two scars that crossed over Yunso’s eyelids, which were shut at the time.
“How have your eyes been?”
Sun Yunso stopped for a moment, then took another sip of his tea.
His fingers gently touched the scar that went across both of his eyes.
“It’s been eight years since something terrible happened to my eyes – they got slashed.
Honestly, I’m lucky to still have my sight.
I mean, it just doesn’t add up, no matter how many times I try to make sense of it.
I should have gone blind that day, but somehow I can still see just fine, even if not clearly but it’s still weird, and I can’t wrap my head around it.” You are reading on novelping(.)com, the official source.
Anyu Feng silently listened.
“Sometimes I wonder if surviving that day was a blessing or something else entirely.”
The fire crackled between them, but neither man spoke for a while and a question lingered in the room.
Why had someone whose eyes had been cut open…
never gone blind?
Anyu Feng lowered his gaze.
“…I’m sorry.”
Sun Yunso looked at him.
“For what?”
I’m sorry for not being honest with you eight years ago, you had the right to know back then.
Sun Yunso gently shook his head.
“It’s alright.”
“I understand why you didn’t.”
“You were trying to protect me.”
Anyu gave a small smile.
“…Perhaps.”
They sat there in silence, sipping their tea and letting the warmth spread through them.
As they sat, Anyu’s gaze began to drift around the cozy cabin, taking in the quiet atmosphere.
Her eyes wandered over the simple furnishings, the soft glow of the fire, and the gentle shadows on the walls.
Eventually, they came to rest on something that caught her attention – an object sitting on a stone rack against the wall, its presence seeming to draw her in.
A sword.
The scabbard was black and plain, but there was something about it that caught his eye right away.
“Hmm?
What sword is that?”
Sun Yunso followed his gaze.
“Oh…”
He looked at the weapon for a moment.
“That’s the sword Master Su Qing forged eight years ago.”
His expression softened.
“I’ve finally finished learning the art of swordsmithing and even got to put my skills to the test by making one myself.
I also made a few tweaks and adjustments to the design, and I used the meteorite you brought me to give it a unique touch.”
Anyu’s smile instantly became awkward.
“…Ah.”
He recalled that day vividly, it was etched in his memory forever.
The day he splurged almost half a year’s worth of savings on a mysterious black meteorite, all because of the whispers that it possessed the power to craft truly exceptional blades, the kind that could change his life.
Seeing his expression, Yunso tilted his head.
“…Uncle?”
Anyu quickly coughed into his fist.
“A-Anyway, it turned out well.”
His eyes returned to the sword.
“You’ve finally got a blade that’s good enough to use.”
Sun Yunso blinked.
“…?”
Anyu gave him a look that said it was pretty clear what the answer was.
“You’ve spent eight years training, mastered Seidan and even inherited Su Qing’s sword style.
So tell me, isn’t it about time your sword tasted its first real battle?”