C1 Shen Mengxian

Eighteen types of weapons, half long and half short. A gentleman adores the sword, while a sovereign favors the saber!

The saber is the valor within weapons, the general among soldiers!

Chu Tian was a martial arts prodigy, utterly infatuated with sabers. At the tender age of three, he first grasped a sword, and from that moment, his passion was uncontainable. By thirteen, he had bested every saber master across the globe, and by sixteen, he stood unrivaled in the art of sabreplay.

This was a realm nearly divine. After vanquishing the final sabreplay master, Chu Tian left behind only four words: "Born in the wrong era!"

From then on, the martial arts prodigy vanished from public view.

In China, atop the majestic Mount Tai of the Five Great Mountains, a gentle breeze stirred and leaves rustled. An elder in a white robe stood at the summit, gazing over the grand expanse of rolling clouds.

A gleaming sword, meticulously polished, hung at the elder's waist. The setting sun's dying light bathed his face, leaving a visage of serenity.

For a long while, the elder sighed softly: "Eighty years have passed without drawing my sword. I have come to understand... Alas, fate is unjust, for I, Chu Tian, was born in the wrong era."

His voice was tinged with a profound sense of solitude and melancholy.

It was the solitude of one who had no equal left in the world. As the old man watched the clouds churned by the wind, a sharp intensity flashed in his tranquil eyes.

"Today, I, Chu Tian, shall unsheathe my sword once more!"

In an instant, a fierce gale swept across the peak of Mount Tai, sending stones scattering.

The elder's aged hand rested on the hilt of his sword, and then... with a burst of cold brilliance, he leaped skyward, piercing through the clouds.

His robe billowed, and his white hair whipped about wildly, as if he were ascending on the clouds themselves.

Then, with a resolute slash, an invisible saber aura surged forth.

The tumultuous sea of clouds was cleaved in two, and for a moment, all was silent as if the very sky had been split asunder!

Soon, the clouds merged once again, and the wind fell silent. In the air lingered only a faint whisper.

"If there is an afterlife, I, Chu Tian, wish to wield the sword once more..."

In Southreach, Yizera, the city of Ogeigh, which was usually quiet, began to buzz with activity. Not only were the locals present, but young lords and ladies from neighboring towns had also arrived. The cause for the excitement was the quintennial sect examination taking place in the city.

The Coldtalons Sect, the premier sect in Yizera, along with several smaller sects, were conducting their assessments here.

For a time, Ogeigh was the focus of everyone's attention!

One place, in particular, drew the eyes of many: the Chu Mansion.

The reason was simple: the young master of the Chu Mansion was a martial prodigy. At the tender age of fourteen, his innate talent in the Martial Dao was nothing short of breathtaking.

Everyone, including the royal family, held Young Master Chu in high regard and had great expectations for him.

Especially since the royal family had formed a marital alliance with the Chu family. Once the examination concluded, the Chu Mansion was poised to reach new heights of glory!

In the backyard of the Chu Mansion, the sound of a sword slicing through the air was incessant, making the maidservants wince as they watched. A young man in a black robe was practicing his swordplay.

He executed one cut after another, focusing on the most fundamental techniques.

He practiced tirelessly, over and over, the sound of his swordplay mingling with the gentle breeze as he worked up a sweat.

After about half an hour, the young man finally paused, accepting a towel from a maidservant to wipe away the perspiration. His eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity.

Standing there, he exuded an unparalleled edge, eliciting admiration from onlookers.

"What a splendid and graceful young man!"

"Young Master, the sect examination will soon commence," the maidservants murmured, heads bowed, their cheeks flushed with a rosy hue.

"Please, leave me be for now," the young man said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Once alone, he sighed, "I have been in this world for fourteen years, and today, I shall finally encounter the spiritual energy spoken of in ancient texts... or perhaps, the saber aura!"

Indeed, the young man was none other than Chu Tian, whose passion for the saber bordered on obsession. It seemed as though fate had smiled upon him, bringing him to a world where the martial arts thrived.

In this realm, the spiritual essence of heaven and earth was rich, enabling those who harnessed it to possess power beyond imagination. Once one resonated with this spiritual energy, they could create a unique force of their own.

For swordsmen, it was sword aura.

For saber wielders, it was saber aura.

For spearmen, it was spear aura.

With countless weapons came countless forms of spiritual energy, but swords and sabers reigned supreme!

"My saber aura isn't like any of the hundreds out there; it's uniquely mine," Chu Tian mused, admiring the cold saber in his hand as a proud smile played across his lips.

The anticipation for today's Coldtalons sect examination was palpable.

"Chi'er, stop dawdling and get ready. Everyone's waiting for you!" A robust voice echoed from the front of the courtyard as a middle-aged man in green strode forward. His eyebrows, sharp as blades, arched upwards, exuding an air of authority and composure, and his eyes sparkled with unparalleled wisdom.

This man was Chu Wuhan, master of the Chu Estate and the esteemed Prime Minister of Yizera...

"Father, I'm on my way to prepare," Chu Tian replied, sliding his blade back into its sheath, the intensity in his gaze vanishing in an instant.

He stood there, unassuming in appearance.

Chu Wuhan's eyes narrowed in astonishment. "Have you already advanced to the third level of the Martial Tao?"

The Martial Tao was comprised of nine levels, each representing a deeper understanding and mastery of the martial arts.

This understanding was distinct from the realm of cultivation; it was the purest insight into the Martial Tao.

Even a warrior of the Martial Ancestor Realm might only grasp up to the fifth level.

The final four levels were elusive, likely only documented in obscure royal archives.

"Yes, Father. As of yesterday, I have reached the level where I can control it at will," Chu Tian said, his tone even, suggesting that such an achievement was hardly worth noting.

At just fourteen, Chu Tian had already glimpsed the third realm of Martial Tao. Chu Wuhan could hardly contain his excitement.

"My son..." Overcome with emotion, Chu Wuhan's complex feelings burst into a hearty laugh. "Excellent, excellent, excellent! Truly worthy of being my son. Chi'er, one day, you will surely make our Chu Family's name echo throughout Southreach!"

"He's arrived at last!"

"Look, there's Young Master Chu Tian!"

"Rumor has it that the Coldtalons Sect dispatched three elders for Young Master Chu this time. The Chu Family must be blessed. Not only do they have the Prime Minister, Chu Wuhan, but now his son is a prodigy. The Chu Family is set for greatness..."

The crowd outside the Chu Estate buzzed with excitement, their eyes eagerly tracking Chu Tian as he approached on a majestic snow horse.

Clad in white that outshone the snow, his black hair fluttered in the breeze, his presence as regal as jade—a true scion of the heavens.

The Chu Family's pride was also Ogeigh City's pride!

Just then, the lively crowd parted, and Chu Tian caught sight of a girl in purple clothes.

Shen Mengxian moved with effortless grace, her elegant purple gown complementing her cascading green hair. Bathed in the gentle sunlight, she radiated an intoxicating glow, her purple eyes captivating all who met her gaze—unforgettable at first sight.

With each step, she seemed to cause lotus blossoms to unfurl, her figure swaying with the poise of a celestial bird.

Her purple gaze stirred the soul, leaving onlookers in awe, as if witnessing a dream come to life.

With every step, lotuses bloomed, outshining all other flowers.

She was the unrivaled beauty of Ogeigh City, the royal family's third princess—Shen Mengxian!