Morning sunlight filtered through the mountain forest. Drops of rain still clung to the leaves, sparkling whenever a breeze stirred the branches.
Xu Yuan and the Village Chief walked down the winding trail without hurrying. Neither felt the need to speak. The silence between them had gradually become familiar. Not empty. Comfortable.
Halfway down the mountain, the old man suddenly stopped.
Xu Yuan instinctively looked ahead. The narrow path curved around a cliff before disappearing into a grove of towering pines. Nothing seemed unusual. No beasts. No movement. Only the wind.
"...Chief?"
The old man's expression remained calm. "We have a guest."
Xu Yuan's eyes sharpened. He had heard nothing. Not even footsteps. Someone who could approach without him noticing was far beyond anything he had encountered.
A figure slowly emerged from behind the pines. He wore faded gray robes covered in dust from long travel. A bamboo hat shaded most of his face. A simple iron sword rested across his back. Nothing about him appeared extraordinary.
Yet the forest itself seemed quieter around him. Birds continued singing. The wind continued blowing. Even so, an invisible sense of stillness followed his every step.
Xu Yuan unconsciously rested his hand near the black sword.
The stranger noticed. A faint smile touched his lips. "Relax. If I meant harm, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
His voice was calm. Even. Like someone speaking about tomorrow's weather.
The Village Chief chuckled. "I didn't expect you back so soon."
The traveler removed his bamboo hat. He appeared to be in his early forties. His face was weathered by countless journeys. A thin scar crossed the bridge of his nose. His eyes were unusually clear.
"Neither did I." He glanced toward Xu Yuan. "So. He's the child."
Xu Yuan met his gaze without flinching. "And you're the guest."
The traveler laughed. "Haha... Sharp. I like that."
The Village Chief sighed. "You still haven't learned proper introductions."
"They've always seemed unnecessary." The traveler shrugged. "My name is Shen Yu. I wander. I drink. I occasionally teach someone worth teaching."
Xu Yuan blinked. "...That's an unusual introduction."
"So I've been told."
The three stood beneath the ancient pines. For a while, no one spoke.
Shen Yu slowly circled Xu Yuan once. Not invading his space. Simply observing. His gaze lingered briefly on the Twin Divine Swords. Then moved away. He didn't ask. He didn't comment. As though he had already decided not to pry.
Xu Yuan noticed. That alone made the man easier to trust.
Finally, Shen Yu asked, "How long have you been cultivating?"
Xu Yuan answered honestly. "I haven't."
The traveler raised an eyebrow. "You can already sense spiritual energy."
"I learned recently."
"Hm." Shen Yu looked toward the Village Chief. "You've been busy."
The old man smiled. "I've only shown him the door. Walking through it is still his choice."
Shen Yu nodded slowly. Then without warning, he picked up a small pebble from the ground. "Catch."
The stone flew toward Xu Yuan. Not fast. Not slow.
Instinctively, Xu Yuan reached out. The pebble landed neatly in his palm.
He looked down. It was completely ordinary.
Shen Yu smiled. "What did you feel?"
Xu Yuan frowned slightly. "The stone."
The traveler shook his head. "No. What did you feel before you caught it?"
Xu Yuan thought carefully. Not the pebble. Not the movement. Something else. A faint direction. His body had moved before his thoughts finished forming.
"...Instinct."
Shen Yu's smile widened. "There it is."
The Village Chief folded his hands. He already understood where the conversation was heading.
Shen Yu crouched and drew a simple circle in the dirt. "Most people believe instinct comes after experience." He erased half the circle with one sweep of his finger. "I think it's the opposite."
Xu Yuan listened carefully.
"Experience simply teaches us to trust the instinct we already possess."
The words sank into the quiet forest. Xu Yuan remembered the Stone Boar. The Spirit Wolf. Even today's training. Several times, his body had moved before conscious thought. Not blindly. Naturally.
Shen Yu stood. "I've heard enough." He dusted the dirt from his hands. Then looked directly at Xu Yuan. "I'll stay in the village for three days. If, after those three days, I still find you interesting, I'll answer one question."
Xu Yuan tilted his head. "Only one?"
"One."
"What if I have ten?"
Shen Yu laughed. "Then you'd better spend three days deciding which one matters most."
Without waiting for a reply, he placed the bamboo hat back on his head and started walking toward the village.
The Village Chief watched him leave before smiling to himself. "He's an odd man."
Xu Yuan nodded. "I noticed." But he looked at the disappearing figure. "...I don't think he's a bad one."
The old man chuckled. "No. He isn't. He simply enjoys letting people discover answers on their own."
Xu Yuan smiled faintly. For some reason, the wait already felt like it was about more than a single question.
The three returned to the village together. Shen Yu walked in front as though he had visited countless times before.
Children stared at the unfamiliar traveler. Some whispered. Others simply followed him from a distance until their parents called them back. He didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps he simply didn't mind.
At the entrance to the village, an elderly blacksmith looked up from his forge. "Oh? A rare guest."
Shen Yu raised a hand lazily. "Still alive, Old Han?"
The blacksmith snorted. "I was about to ask you the same."
"Haha... Disappointingly, yes."
The two exchanged a brief laugh before returning to their own business.
Xu Yuan noticed something. Nobody treated Shen Yu with excessive respect. Nor did anyone fear him. They greeted him like an old acquaintance who disappeared for years before suddenly returning. The familiarity felt real.
As they passed through the marketplace, Shen Yu stopped beside a fruit stall. "Two."
The old woman running the stall placed two bright red peaches into his hand. "You'll pay this time?"
"I always pay."
"You always say you'll pay."
Shen Yu smiled helplessly before placing several copper coins onto the wooden counter. "There. I'm preserving my reputation."
"You never had one."
The old woman laughed.
Xu Yuan couldn't help smiling. For someone who carried himself like a wandering expert, Shen Yu fit into the village almost too naturally.
One peach landed in Xu Yuan's hands. He looked up. "...For me?"
Shen Yu had already taken a bite from the other. "You've been staring at it. I figured you wanted one."
Xu Yuan hesitated for only a moment. "...Thank you."
The peach was surprisingly sweet. Juice ran across his fingers. It reminded him of the fruit markets he used to visit as a child. For the briefest moment, the memory of Earth resurfaced. Crowded streets. Vendors shouting. Summer afternoons. The feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Yet it left a faint warmth behind.
The Village Chief watched the young man. He noticed the distant look in Xu Yuan's eyes. He didn't ask why. Everyone carried memories they weren't ready to share.
By midday, word had spread that Shen Yu had returned. Several hunters gathered outside the meeting hall. Not because they sought guidance. They simply wanted to hear stories from beyond the mountains.
Shen Yu sat beneath a large tree with a cup of tea in one hand. "You people really never get tired of asking the same question."
A hunter laughed. "We only know these mountains. Someone has to tell us what's beyond them."
Shen Yu scratched his chin. "Hm... Let's see. The western mountains are still mountains. The eastern mountains... believe it or not... are also mountains."
The hunters burst into laughter. "You're impossible."
"I've been told."
Xu Yuan stood nearby, listening. Unlike the others, he wasn't interested in amusing stories. He wanted information. Real information.
Fortunately, Shen Yu seemed to notice. His eyes briefly met Xu Yuan's. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded. As if saying, Wait.
Later that afternoon, the crowd gradually dispersed. Only Xu Yuan, the Village Chief, and Shen Yu remained beneath the tree.
The traveler placed his empty cup aside. "So. You've been looking at me all day."
Xu Yuan answered honestly. "I'm trying to understand you."
Shen Yu laughed. "That's dangerous."
"...Why?"
"Because people are usually more complicated than beasts."
The words sounded casual. Yet Xu Yuan knew there was truth behind them.
Shen Yu picked up a dry twig and snapped it in half. "When you fought the Spirit Wolf, you watched its habits. When you fought the Stone Boar, you found its weakness." He looked directly at Xu Yuan. "What would you do if your opponent had neither?"
Xu Yuan thought carefully. "If every weakness is hidden, I'd wait."
Shen Yu nodded. "And if waiting isn't possible?"
Xu Yuan remained silent.
The traveler smiled faintly. "Good. You didn't rush to answer." He tossed the broken twig aside. "Never trust the first answer that comes to your mind. It's usually the one everyone else would choose."
A gentle breeze passed through the square. Leaves drifted between them.
Shen Yu suddenly stood. "Come."
Xu Yuan looked up. "Where?"
"The river. We're going fishing."
Xu Yuan blinked. "...Fishing?"
The Village Chief chuckled. "I told you. He's an odd man."
Shen Yu looked over his shoulder with a grin. "If you think today's lesson is about catching fish, you're already learning the wrong thing."
Xu Yuan followed without another question. After only a few days in this world, he had learned something important. The best lessons rarely began with someone saying, "Today, I'm going to teach you."
The Spirit River flowed as calmly as ever. Afternoon sunlight danced across its surface, turning every ripple into scattered pieces of gold.
Shen Yu walked ahead with a bamboo fishing rod resting across his shoulder. Xu Yuan followed beside the Village Chief.
"...Do you actually know how to fish?" Xu Yuan asked.
Shen Yu glanced back. "No."
Xu Yuan blinked. "...Then why are we fishing?"
The traveler shrugged. "Because the fish don't know that."
The Village Chief burst into laughter. Xu Yuan simply shook his head. "I'm beginning to understand why everyone says you're strange."
"Haha... I'll take that as a compliment."
The three stopped beneath a large willow overlooking a quiet bend in the river. The current slowed here. Several fish occasionally broke the surface before disappearing again.
Shen Yu sat comfortably on a flat stone. He tied a simple hook to the end of the fishing line with an easy, well-worn motion.
Xu Yuan watched. "...You said you couldn't fish."
"I said I don't know how."
"That's different."
"...How?"
"I've never caught one."
Xu Yuan stared at him for several seconds. Then he laughed. It wasn't loud. Just real.
Shen Yu smiled to himself. Good. The boy finally laughed naturally.
The fishing line landed with barely a splash. Silence returned.
Minutes passed. No one spoke.
Xu Yuan gradually realized something. Neither Shen Yu nor the Village Chief seemed bothered by the silence. There was no urge to fill it with meaningless conversation. They simply enjoyed the moment. It reminded him of something he'd forgotten long ago. Not every silence needed words.
Eventually, Xu Yuan spoke. "...Chief."
"Hm?"
"You said cultivators chase speed."
"I did."
Xu Yuan looked toward the flowing river. "Does anyone ever regret it?"
The Village Chief didn't answer. Instead, Shen Yu spoke first. "Every single one." His tone was calm. Matter-of-fact. "As long as they're honest with themselves."
Xu Yuan turned toward him.
Shen Yu's eyes remained fixed on the river. "I once knew a man. He broke through three realms before the age of thirty. People called him a genius."
"What happened?"
Shen Yu smiled faintly. "He spent the rest of his life trying to repair the foundation he ignored."
Xu Yuan remained silent. The story was short. Yet its meaning lingered.
A fish suddenly tugged at the line. Shen Yu reacted too quickly. Splash! The fish escaped.
He stared at the empty hook.
The Village Chief sighed. "I've watched you fish for twenty years. You've learned nothing."
Shen Yu nodded seriously. "That appears to be the case."
Xu Yuan couldn't help laughing again.
The traveler looked toward him. "See? I told you I couldn't fish."
Another peaceful silence fell over the riverbank. This time, Xu Yuan didn't feel awkward. He watched dragonflies skim across the water. Small fish darted between submerged rocks. The breeze carried the scent of wet earth. The world seemed content.
Without warning, Shen Yu pointed toward the river. "What do you see?"
Xu Yuan answered naturally. "The current."
"What else?"
"The fish. The reflections."
Shen Yu nodded. "And beneath all of that?"
Xu Yuan looked longer. The water became clearer. Smooth stones rested beneath the current. Water plants swayed gently. Tiny schools of fish hid among them. "...The riverbed."
"Hm." Shen Yu smiled. "Everyone admires flowing water. Few people notice what allows it to flow."
Xu Yuan immediately understood. "...Foundation."
The traveler pointed at him with the fishing rod. "There. You've started connecting the lessons."
The Village Chief smiled to himself. Neither he nor Shen Yu had planned these conversations beforehand. The lessons simply emerged naturally. Like the river itself.
As the sun began its slow descent, the fishing basket remained completely empty.
Shen Yu stood and stretched lazily. "Excellent."
Xu Yuan looked inside the basket. "We didn't catch anything."
"Exactly." Shen Yu grinned. "So today's lesson wasn't interrupted."
Xu Yuan sighed helplessly. "You planned that from the beginning."
"I hoped. The fish cooperated."
Even the Village Chief laughed this time.
The three began walking back toward the village. Halfway across the old wooden bridge, Xu Yuan suddenly stopped. His gaze shifted toward the opposite side of the river.
"...Did you hear that?"
Shen Yu and the Village Chief stopped as well. The laughter disappeared from Shen Yu's face.
The forest beyond the river had fallen unnaturally quiet. No birds. No insects. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
The traveler slowly turned his head toward the dense trees. His relaxed posture disappeared. For the first time since Xu Yuan had met him, Shen Yu's eyes became sharp. Very sharp.
"...Interesting."
The Village Chief rested one hand on his walking cane.
Neither man moved. Neither spoke.
Xu Yuan instinctively understood. Something had entered the mountain forest.
The three remained on the wooden bridge. The silence from the forest hadn't changed. It wasn't the peaceful silence of nature. It was the kind that appeared when every living creature had chosen to disappear.
Xu Yuan's hand instinctively rested near the Twin Divine Swords. He didn't draw them. He simply waited.
Shen Yu took a slow breath. Then he smiled. "It isn't a Spirit Beast."
Xu Yuan looked at him. "How do you know?"
"If it were, the birds would've flown. They didn't."
The Village Chief nodded. "They hid."
Xu Yuan frowned slightly. "There are people in the forest."
"At least two." Shen Yu corrected. "Maybe three."
Xu Yuan was startled. He hadn't sensed anyone. Not even a trace. The gap between them was larger than he'd imagined.
Several breaths later, leaves rustled softly.
Three figures emerged from the trees. They wore travel robes stained with dust. Each carried a weapon. One had a saber. One carried a spear. The youngest, barely older than Xu Yuan, wore a sword at his waist.
The moment they saw Shen Yu, relief washed across their faces.
The eldest quickly cupped his fists. "Senior Shen. We finally found you."
Shen Yu sighed. "I knew it. You people are troublesome."
The eldest smiled awkwardly. "We wouldn't disturb you unless it was important."
"You've said that every single time."
"..."
"We have?"
"You have."
The Village Chief stepped forward. "Travelers?"
The eldest immediately bowed respectfully. "Forgive our intrusion. We're disciples of the Azure Pine Martial Hall. We're passing through on our way north."
The old man nodded. "So why search for him?"
All three looked toward Shen Yu.
The youngest finally spoke. "Our Master asked Senior Shen to return. He said the Martial Hall has accepted a disciple he cannot teach."
Shen Yu rubbed his forehead. "That old fox. He found another excuse."
The disciples exchanged helpless smiles. Apparently, this wasn't the first time.
Xu Yuan watched closely. The three disciples carried themselves well. Their steps were even. Their breathing controlled. Even the youngest displayed discipline far beyond ordinary villagers.
Without realizing it, he began comparing them to himself. If they fought, he would probably lose. Not because of strength alone. Experience. Coordination. Training. They possessed things he had only begun learning.
Instead of feeling discouraged, he felt motivated. The road ahead was becoming clearer.
The eldest disciple suddenly noticed Xu Yuan. His eyes lingered briefly on the Twin Divine Swords. Not greedily. Simply with curiosity.
He cupped his fists politely. "Young Master."
Xu Yuan returned the gesture. "I'm Xu Yuan."
The disciple smiled. "I'm Lin Qiao. This is Zhao Ming." He pointed toward the spear user. "And this is Wei Chen." The youngest swordsman nodded politely.
Neither side asked unnecessary questions.
Shen Yu stretched lazily. "I'll answer before you ask."
The disciples immediately straightened.
"I'm not returning."
"...Senior."
"I'm retired."
"...Master said you would say that."
"I'm pleased to know he still understands me."
The eldest hesitated. "Then... he also asked us to give you this."
He carefully removed a small bamboo tube from his robes.
Shen Yu accepted it. He didn't open it immediately. Instead, he tucked it into his sleeve. "I'll read it later."
The atmosphere gradually relaxed. The strange silence surrounding the forest disappeared. Birdsong slowly returned. The wind once again rustled through the trees. It was as though the mountain had exhaled.
The Village Chief smiled. "Since you've traveled this far, you should rest in the village tonight."
The disciples looked at Shen Yu. He shrugged. "Don't look at me. I don't own the village."
The eldest quickly bowed. "Then we'll gratefully accept."
As they walked back together, Wei Chen drifted beside Xu Yuan. After a moment, he asked, "How long have you trained with the sword?"
Xu Yuan answered truthfully. "I've only just begun."
Wei Chen looked surprised. "I thought you'd trained for years."
Xu Yuan smiled faintly. "I'm still learning how to hold the sword."
Wei Chen laughed. "Haha... I still feel the same."
For a brief moment, the two young swordsmen looked at one another. No rivalry. No comparison. Just two people standing at different places on the same road.
Sometimes that was enough to begin a friendship.
As the village roofs appeared beyond the trees, Shen Yu glanced briefly at the setting sun. His expression remained relaxed. But his thoughts had already shifted to the unopened bamboo tube hidden within his sleeve.
Whatever message his old friend had sent, it was important enough to search half the mountain for him. And that rarely meant peaceful days lay ahead.