The morning sun poured over the Jade Sword Mountains, catching the broken tiles of the Heavenly Sword Sect in a warm golden light. The ruins, though battered by centuries, seemed to pulse faintly with renewed energy as Zhou Yu and Ling moved through the halls.
After the events with the Glacier Python, Zhou Yu had a renewed sense of purpose. Today, he would attempt something far bolder — restoring a fragment of the Flying Sword Formation that had once protected the sect and served as a training ground for disciples. It was a dangerous endeavor; the formation had been shattered long ago, and any misstep could backfire, dispersing his Qi and causing injury.
Zhou Yu cleared debris from the Forge Hall and studied the remaining array plates. Faint traces of formation energy shimmered in a broken pattern on the floor. Kneeling, he extended his Qi, letting it flow like water over the plates. The fragment of the Sword Spirit Scroll he had discovered pulsed faintly in response.
He whispered to himself, steadying his breathing: "Step by step… patience… control…"
Qi circled through his body, moving into the array plates. Faint sparks of sword energy began to connect the broken paths. Slowly, one of the fragmented flying swords — a small, unremarkable blade — trembled, then hovered above the plate. It spun, catching the light, responding to the residual Qi, as if awakening from a long slumber.
Zhou Yu's eyes widened. It was far from perfect; the sword trembled uncontrollably, unstable and barely able to follow his commands. Yet it hovered. It moved. It obeyed him.
"This… this is it," Zhou Yu whispered, a mix of awe and excitement in his voice. Ling barked softly, tail wagging, as if sharing in the triumph.
Zhou Yu's excitement was short-lived. From the ridge above, a figure watched him silently. A young man, clad in simple yet well-maintained robes, stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, calculating, and a faint aura of Sword Qi flickered around him.
"You there," the youth called, voice carrying over the ruins. "Who dares awaken the Heavenly Sword Sect's relics?"
Zhou Yu froze. Though he had never faced a human rival in combat before, he sensed this youth was no ordinary bandit. The faint aura of cultivated Sword Qi indicated at least a beginner Qi Condensation stage cultivator.
"I… I am Zhou Yu," he said carefully, keeping his hand near his iron sword. "This sect… it was ruined. I intend to restore it."
The youth's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Restore it? Hah! Do you even understand what you're meddling with? This sect fell for a reason. And yet you… a child from Skywind City… dare to rebuild it?"
Without another word, the rival lunged, sword flashing. Zhou Yu reacted instinctively, calling upon the Flying Sword Formation. The hovering blade shot forward, intercepting the attack. Sparks flew as metal met metal, and Zhou Yu's Qi surged, guiding the sword.
The fight was fast and tense. Zhou Yu's body cultivation gave him speed and reflexes, while his small fragment of Sword Qi helped him control the unstable flying sword. The rival, skilled and agile, pressed the attack relentlessly. But Zhou Yu's determination — strengthened by the ruins, the relics, and the whispering Sword Spirit — kept him focused.
After several exchanges, Zhou Yu managed a decisive move: the flying sword spun in a controlled arc, forcing the rival to retreat. Panting, Zhou Yu kept his stance firm.
"I… I'm not here to fight you," Zhou Yu said, voice steady. "But I will defend this sect."
The rival glared at him, then nodded slightly, respect mingling with challenge. "Interesting," he said. "You may survive longer than I expected. Perhaps we will meet again." With that, he vanished into the misty ridge, leaving Zhou Yu both exhilarated and wary.
After the encounter, Zhou Yu returned to the central hall. He placed the flying sword carefully beside the other relics and knelt at the altar. The Sword Spirit fragment stirred, more responsive than ever. Its whisper carried faintly:
"He grows… but the path is fraught. Others will come, drawn by the Sword. Choose carefully who stands with you… and who stands against."
Zhou Yu closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the moment. The Boundless Heaven Domain was vast, and while he had taken the first steps toward rebuilding the Heavenly Sword Sect, the road ahead was filled with rivals, mystical beasts, and secrets buried since the Great Cataclysm.
Yet for the first time, Zhou Yu felt a surge of certainty: the sect could rise again, and he would stand at its center.
Ling padded forward, resting a warm head against his leg. Zhou Yu smiled, placing a hand on the wolf's fur. "Step by step," he whispered. "One blade at a time."
The ruins of the Heavenly Sword Sect were no longer a graveyard. They were a battlefield, a forge, and the cradle of a future legend.