C3 Eight Years the Coldness in His Heart

Sunn Cheng ventured into a dense forest on the town's western edge. Beyond this forest lay the Myriad Beast Mountain Range, a place occasionally stalked by Barbarian Beasts. Few townspeople dared to venture here alone.

In his spare moments, Sunn Cheng would often retreat to this secluded spot to hone his martial arts or simply lie on a tree branch, lost in thought.

After hanging his wine bag on a tree, Sunn Cheng drew his meat knife. His movements were swift and precise, the result of years of practice. The meat knife had become an extension of his own limb, perfectly attuned to his will.

His actions were quick and deadly, his techniques simple yet brimming with lethal intent. These seemingly chaotic moves were hard-won from life-or-death encounters within the Myriad Beast Mountain Range. They were devoid of frivolity, designed solely for survival and combat.

Pausing to reflect, Sunn Cheng steadied his breath, gripped the knife in one hand, and bellowed, "Mad Blade - Water Dragon!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than his steps wove into a complex dance, and he thrust the meat knife forward. It sliced into a thick tree trunk with a resounding crack. With a forceful tug, the trunk split in two. Sunn Cheng eyed the jagged break and shook his head, dissatisfied.

He was practicing the Mad Blade Technique, a martial art imprinted upon him in his youth under his father's stern tutelage. Alas, to fully wield this technique, one must at least reach the Qi Drawing Realm and harness Spiritual Force to tap into its true potential.

Currently, Sunn Cheng's cultivation level meant he could only rely on the raw power of his physical strength. He had mastered the form but not the essence of the technique.

On the cultivation journey, the third level of Body Tempering involved "treating the skin as iron," "treating the bones as steel," and "treating the blood as a liquid." The Qi Drawing Realm followed, starting with "absorbing Qi" to draw Heaven Earth Spiritual Energy into the body, "passing through the meridians" to cleanse them with Spiritual Energy, "collecting" to form a Spirit Energy Cyclone at the Dantian, and finally reaching the Consciousness Sea Space. This laid the groundwork for the Soul Union Stage and the development of a robust Soul Sense.

Blackbeard was unaware, as was the garrison of Azure Sun County, that Sunn Cheng had actually achieved the third level of Body Tempering eight years prior. Since then, his cultivation had stagnated, yet his muscles and bones had grown significantly stronger.

The Qi Drawing Realm is primarily for cultivators to absorb Heaven Earth Spiritual Energy, cleansing and unblocking their meridians. As the meridians are repeatedly flushed with Spiritual Energy, they expand and begin to generate a faint Spiritual Force.

Spiritual Force is the coveted power of Heaven and Earth among cultivators; it's the force harnessed through the physical cultivation of their bodies.

Despite Blackbeard's peak cultivation at the first level of Qi Drawing, his physical strength hadn't increased much. However, his bodily functions had greatly improved after being refined by Spiritual Energy.

But when compared to Sunn Cheng's exceptionally powerful physique, Blackbeard had no advantage, and his slight edge in cultivation level was utterly ineffective against Sunn Cheng.

In terms of combat experience and skill, Sunn Cheng, who had traversed the outskirts of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range for thousands of miles, was second to none.

Lost in thought, he was startled by a rustling from the bushes behind him. A slender, middle-aged scholar with a goatee and a refined look emerged from the underbrush.

"I knew I'd find you here! Take a look at these; they're the latest books from the county bookshop. I've brought them all for you!" he exclaimed.

The middle-aged scholar, Chen Ding, was clad in a faded green robe and carried a weighty bundle on his back. He laughed breathlessly, fanning himself with a tattered folding fan.

Chen Ding had arrived in Mouth Connecting Town a few years back, claiming to have been a minor official in Ping Mountain City within Phoenix Soaring County before falling on hard times. Naturally, the townsfolk were skeptical of his story.

Known affectionately as Scholar Tan for his pedantic speech, Chen Ding was nonetheless well-versed in knowledge. This wasn't just Sunn Cheng's opinion; Old Madam Luo, Sunn Cheng's grandmother, had insisted on hiring Chen Ding as the private tutor for Sunn Cheng and his sister Xiaonuo.

Sunn Cheng couldn't help but admire the fellow who had earned Old Madam Luo's approval, even if he kept his thoughts to himself.

Upon hearing about new books, Sunn Cheng eagerly opened his bundle and started flipping through them. He soon let out a sigh of disappointment, "These are just novels and anecdotes, along with some history and geography. It's impossible to find a solution for my stalled cultivation in these books!"

Chen Ding, noticing Sunn Cheng's deflated mood, chuckled, "Don't worry. Books on cultivation are rare treasures, mostly held by noble families and powerful factions. They are the pillars of our world and not something shared lightly."

He paused, then offered some consolation, "Cultivation issues can't be resolved overnight. Why not broaden your horizons with these more common books? It's always good to enrich your mind!"

Sunn Cheng looked up at Chen Ding, who stood with his hands clasped behind him, and couldn't help but smile. The fan in Chen Ding's hand was torn, yet he maintained a nonchalant demeanor.

Picking up a book, Sunn Cheng flashed a mischievous grin and teased, "Tell me, Scholar Zhao, I'm all for reading more, but I've noticed a certain 'Mr. Ming'an' popping up quite frequently in these books you bring me. His works cover everything from the Great Qin Dynasty's court politics to the geographical atlas of its thirteen prefectures. He seems quite formidable. Do you know him?"

Chen Ding was momentarily taken aback, then stroked his goatee and cleared his throat before replying, "Uh... Mr. Ming'an... He's decent, knows a thing or two. I've read some of his works before and thought you might find them interesting..."

Sunn Cheng just smiled quietly and set the book down, not pressing the matter further. He casually inquired, "By the way, you must have encountered the garrison on your way here. What's going on? Has someone important arrived in the county?"

After a moment of reflection, Chen Ding's face grew serious as he responded, "Indeed. And from what I gather, this individual... harbors great ambition and possesses formidable abilities. However... he's also quite dangerous!"

"The most crucial thing is that this matter involves you!" Chen Ding stated to Sunn Cheng with a grave look on his face after a brief pause.

Sunn Cheng scratched his head in frustration, his expression sour, "It's got to be about Soul Breaking Cliff again! I knew something like this would happen... What a hassle! Does this mean I can't dodge it this time?"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Ding shook his head, "It's highly unlikely! Everyone in Azure Sun County knows you're the only one who's been to Soul Breaking Cliff!"

Sighing deeply, Sunn Cheng slung his pack over his shoulder and left the woods alongside Chen Ding.

At the crossroads, they went their separate ways; Chen Ding had rented a small courtyard at Aunt Li's place, taking a different path than Sunn Cheng.

Having only walked a short distance, Sunn Cheng looked back and called out to Chen Ding, "Chen Ming'an! Your 'Golden Bottle Record' is my absolute favorite! The part describing the brothel was damn exhilarating to read!"

Chen Ding, who had been strolling casually along the rural path, nearly slipped into a ditch at the unexpected shout.

Regaining his balance, he turned back, flustered, pointing at Sunn Cheng with his folding fan from a distance, too indignant to speak. He hurried off, repeatedly muttering under his breath, "Utterly disgraceful! Absolutely disgraceful!"

Sunn Cheng threw his head back in laughter, humming a tune as he leisurely made his way home.

As dusk fell and the evening darkened, the quiet courtyard bathed in the golden afterglow. Wisps of cooking smoke and the chirping of birds from the forest lent a cozy atmosphere to the simple homestead.

Inside, Sunn Cheng and his sister Xiaonuo sat opposite each other at a square table, with their grandmother, Old Madam Luo Fu, presiding at the head. Dressed simply, her silver hair neatly combed, she embodied the family's matriarch.

The trio dined in silence, adhering to the strict rule of not speaking during meals. The only exception was Sunn Cheng, who couldn't resist making the occasional silly face at Xiaonuo, his eyes playfully darting about.

Xiaonuo, at fourteen years old, was clad in a simple cloth dress, her long, lustrous black hair simply secured with a wooden hairpin. Her not yet fully matured features were strikingly beautiful, with round eyes and elongated eyebrows that reflected the elegance of a southern Great Qin woman. The quiet and well-behaved Xiaonuo struggled to contain her giggles, playfully hiding her cheeks behind her bowl as she coyly wrinkled her nose at Sunn Cheng.

Old Madam Luo, well into her eighties, still possessed a robust psychic force. A serene smile graced her face, and her dining habits had remained unchanged for decades. Neither the humble meals nor the dimly lit room ever prompted her to lower the standards she held for herself and her grandchildren.

In due course, the old lady gently set aside her chopsticks and dabbed at her lips with a silk handkerchief that had seen many years of use. She then picked up her teacup for a delicate sip.

Observing his grandmother's movements, Sunn Cheng hastily finished his meal, wiped his mouth, and readied himself to receive the old lady's wisdom.

Meanwhile, Xiaonuo, ever sensible, quietly rose to clear away the dishes, a routine deeply ingrained in Sunn Cheng's household.

"Sheng, I'm somewhat aware of the situation in the county. You're grown now, and you should make your own decisions. There's no need to always consider Xiaonuo and me. Understand?" Old Madam Luo spoke earnestly to Sunn Cheng.

Sunn Cheng quickly responded, gulping down his last bites. "I understand, Grandma. You can rest easy!"

Old Madam Luo let out a soft chuckle, grasped her wooden cane, and with Sunn Cheng's assistance, rose to her feet. After a couple of steps toward the inner room, she paused, turning back to admonish him, "Remember, never be lazy in your cultivation, never neglect your studies, and never fail to honor our ancestors!"

These words, oft-repeated over the years, were among Old Madam Luo's most emphatic demands. Sunn Cheng, well accustomed to them, took them to heart and did not dare to take them lightly. He bowed respectfully and assured her, "I will remember, Grandmother."

Satisfied, Old Madam Luo nodded approvingly and slowly made her way into the inner room to begin her daily evening recitations and lessons.

Sunn Cheng let out a sigh of relief. His grandmother's three unwavering demands had been a constant since his earliest memories. As a child, he would often be disciplined by his grandmother for his clever attempts to shirk his duties. It wasn't until he grew up and became the pillar of the family that she eased her supervision, though she still often offered reminders and advice.

To the left of the courtyard was a small room, furnished only with an altar table and two meditation cushions. On the table were four spirit tablets. The two at the top were inscribed with "Ancestor Sunn" and "Immortal Master!"

Below were the memorial tablets for his father, Sunn Lin, and his mother. Sunn Cheng lit three sticks of sandalwood incense and respectfully placed them before the tablets. After bowing deeply, he rose and approached the altar.

On either side of the altar were a small, dark green jade bracelet suspended on a red cord, and a sharp, dark red arrow, its surface stained with blood.

The arrow had been removed from his father's chest. Its metal shaft, made of an unknown material, bore a faint golden inscription, which was highly unusual. Sunn Cheng even felt a palpable sense of unease when he touched it.

As for the archer... Sunn Cheng was still in the dark, perhaps by Old Madam Luo's design.

Caressing the chilly shaft, the arrow's keen point lightly grazed Sunn Cheng's fingertip, drawing a spot of crimson. He whispered to himself, "Whoever you are, you must stay alive. Wait for me to come for you. Then, either this arrow will pierce my chest, or I will slit your throat with a meat knife..."

He smiled quietly to himself and picked up the dark green jade bracelet once more. Frowning, he examined it intently before reluctantly placing the decidedly unmasculine ornament around his neck.

The moment the bracelet touched his skin, Sunn Cheng shivered. He had a suspicion that his stalled progress in cultivation might be linked to the bracelet. Whenever he attempted to channel the Spiritual Force his father had taught him to challenge the barriers of the Qi Gathering Realm, the nascent Spiritual Force in his meridians would be siphoned off by the bracelet.

This cycle prevented the Spiritual Qi from flowing freely through his meridians, thwarting any breakthrough to the Qi Gathering Realm.

Despite the jade bracelet likely being the root cause of his eight-year stagnation in cultivation, Sunn Cheng harbored complex feelings for it. It was an item that had been with him since childhood.

When Sunn Cheng first realized his cultivation had ceased progressing, he was engulfed by rage and despair. In a moment of fury, he cast the bracelet into the abyss of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.

Yet, within days, the bracelet would reappear by his side. It became clear that the bracelet was incapable of staying too far from Sunn Cheng.

Now, Sunn Cheng had grown accustomed to the bracelet's presence. Each time he prepared to venture into the mountains, he would don the bracelet, embracing the icy sensation at his core, which brought him an inexplicable comfort.