"The Heaven-Testing Pagoda?" Li Yao asked, curiosity brightening her eyes.
"Yes, it opens once every ten years, so it makes sense you haven't heard of it," Elder Guo explained, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "It's a treasure that was discovered by the ancestor of our Azure Cloud Sword Sect long ago." His voice carried a reverent tone as he continued, "As long as you complete challenges and climb, you can receive all sorts of rewards."
Li Yao regarded him with skeptical eyes, her mind racing. What rewards could it possibly provide that would be worth the effort? Nothing that impressive, surely.
Noticing her dubious expression, Elder Guo's eyes narrowed. "Don't look down on this treasure. This was where your martial aunt obtained her phoenix bloodline."
When Li Yao heard this revelation, her perception of the pagoda transformed instantly. If it could bestow something as extraordinary as a phoenix bloodline, perhaps it truly was remarkable. Her thoughts immediately turned to her senior brother—could she find something within the tower that might help him overcome his lack of spiritual roots?
"So, are you interested in participating? It will open in about two weeks," Elder Guo explained, his gaze moving between his disciples.
"I'll go!" Li Yao responded enthusiastically, practically bouncing with excitement.
"I'll just stay here and train," Xiang Yu stated flatly, his expression impassive.
When Elder Guo heard this, he released a resigned sigh. He had anticipated this response, yet still harbored hope that his disciple might have changed after growing stronger. It seemed one's nature truly couldn't be altered so easily, not even through cultivation breakthroughs.
"Are you certain you don't want to participate? The Heaven-Testing Pagoda is genuinely mysterious. You might even discover a solution to your spiritual root problem there," he coaxed, making one final attempt.
Xiang Yu considered the offer, finding it momentarily tempting. It was inside the sect without apparent danger, and he might indeed find something beneficial there. But he wouldn't fall for this. What if he became a target for others inside? Many pavilions would likely send their elite combatants, so what could a mere Body Refining 4th Layer cultivator like himself possibly gain? And even if he obtained something valuable, it would inevitably attract others' jealousy. He would die without even having a burial place.
Moreover, in these scenarios, strange occurrences always plague such things. What if the pagoda served as a sealing ground for demons? What if some ancient monster was using it to absorb people's energy to facilitate its revival? Xiang Yu shuddered inwardly at the possibilities.
Just then, the wind intensified as Elder Huang descended gracefully from the sky. Seeing her arrival, Xiang Yu rose to his feet.
"The other pavilions will also send their strongest disciples, so I wouldn't be able to acquire anything worthwhile anyway," he explained as he retrieved the meal he had carefully preserved for his martial aunt.
Li Yao, though disappointed that her senior brother wouldn't accompany her, acknowledged the logic in his reasoning. Even without external threats, the pagoda contained numerous unknowns. She consoled herself with the thought that she alone would suffice—she would discover enough rewards for both herself and her senior brother.
Elder Huang rushed forward, her eyes falling on the cleared table. Disappointment clouded her features as she believed she had missed the opportunity for spirit food. She had been busy arranging her disciples' participation in the Heaven-Testing Pagoda and consequently lost her chance to enjoy Xiang Yu's cooking. If only she'd known, she would have prioritized the meal.
But then the fragrant aroma reached her nostrils. She turned to see Xiang Yu holding her portion with a warm smile.
"Martial nephew..." she exclaimed, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, her gratitude overwhelming.
...
In the afternoon, Xiang Yu and Li Yao resumed their rigorous practice under the warm sun. Xiang Yu struggled initially with his newly acquired Phantom Footwork, his movements awkward and unpredictable. Sometimes he shot forward too quickly, crashing into trees or stumbling over uneven ground. Other times, his technique failed to activate when needed, leaving him vulnerable to Li Yao's lightning-fast strikes.
"Focus on your intent rather than the physical movement," Li Yao instructed, demonstrating with a fluid step that left a faint afterimage. "The technique responds to your will more than your muscles."
Beads of sweat trickled down Xiang Yu's forehead as he concentrated, gradually finding the delicate mental thread that connected his intention to the technique's activation. Each successful execution built upon the last, his body slowly adapting to the unnatural speed and directional changes.
Though he made progress, he still couldn't match Li Yao's astonishing velocity. She moved like a phantom herself, appearing and disappearing with such grace that it seemed effortless. This gap wasn't surprising—she had likely perfected her movement technique long ago, while he was still fumbling with the basics.
Yet the overwhelming pressure served a purpose, forcing Xiang Yu to leverage his heightened battle awareness and mental clarity. Rather than relying solely on physical prowess, he developed elaborate tactics—feints within feints, calculated retreats that baited attacks, and precisely timed counterstrikes. He utilized environmental features, positioning himself to limit her approach angles and sometimes deliberately creating openings to lead her into traps.
These strategies rarely succeeded completely, but each minor victory—each moment where he managed to pressure the vastly superior Li Yao—was a triumph worth celebrating.
As the golden light of evening painted the sky, they paused for their customary meal. Xiang Yu prepared a sumptuous feast, channeling his Abyssal Void Flame with improved control. The black fire danced beneath his cooking vessels, occasionally flaring with white sparks that looked like distant stars.
After they had eaten and revitalized their energy with the qi-rich food, they returned to the training grounds. This time, Xiang Yu sheathed his knife and drew his sword instead, the weapon gleaming in the moonlight. The switch altered his entire fighting style—broader movements, longer reach, different balance points required.
Steel sang against steel as they sparred beneath the stars, their silhouettes casting long shadows across the moonlit ground. Though his sword technique had reached Completion stage, matching his knife mastery, the practical application still required different muscle memory and timing.
They continued until midnight, when fatigue finally forced them to conclude. With respectful nods, they parted ways toward their separate quarters.
Alone in his simple room, Xiang Yu reclined on his bed, summoning his status interface with practiced mental focus. The familiar blue glow illuminated his features as he examined the day's progress:
[Enlightenment: Low (107/1000) (+7/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (46/100,000) (+6/100,000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (10/30,000) (+6/30,000)]
[Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (12/1000) (+10/1000)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (202/400) (+30/400)]
[Mid-grade Phantom Footwork: Beginner (5/100) (+5/100)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Major Success (50/400) (+50/400)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (250/500) (+50/500)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Completion (100/500) (+100/500)]
[Cook: 8th Grade (11/200) (+5/200)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Cook: 8th Grade (11/200) → 8th Grade (22/200)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Completion (100/500) → Completion (200/500)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (250/500) → Great Completion (0/1000)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Major Success (50/400) → Major Success (100/400)]
[Mid-grade Phantom Footwork: Beginner (5/100) → Beginner (10/100)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (202/400) → 5th Layer (0/500)]
[Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (12/1000) → Level 1 (24/1000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (10/30,000) → 7th Grade (20/30,000)] 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
[Battle Instinct: (46/100,000) → (92/100,000)]
[Enlightenment: Low (107/1000) → Low (214/1000)]
When his enlightenment doubled, getting over a hundred new points, Xiang Yu experienced something transcendent. If yesterday's sensation was intense, this was an entirely different realm of perception. His consciousness seemed to explode outward, merging with the world around him. Insights about his techniques cascaded through his mind like a torrent of crystalline understanding, each concept perfectly clear yet overwhelmingly numerous.
The sensation persisted, building in intensity that threatened to overwhelm him. When it finally subsided, Xiang Yu gasped for breath, his chest heaving as though he'd run for miles. "That was... intense," he murmured to himself, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. A genuine concern flashed through his mind—if these doublings continued at their current pace, could his body and mind withstand such profound transformations? The enlightenment felt like trying to pour an ocean into a teacup.
But just as panic threatened to overwhelm him, a sudden clarity washed through his consciousness. His racing thoughts settled into perfect order, his mind becoming as still and reflective as an undisturbed pond. This must be the effect of the doubled Mountain Heart Sutra, he realized. The mind cultivation was balancing the explosive growth of his enlightenment, providing the mental fortitude necessary to process such vast insights.
"The mind level is truly crucial," he thought, making a mental note to prioritize this aspect of his cultivation more. Without it, his accelerating talents might tear his consciousness apart rather than elevate it.
His attention shifted to his knife technique, which had undergone its own remarkable transformation. Unlike the broad insights granted by enlightenment, these revelations focused exclusively on bladecraft—pure, concentrated understanding of the knife's every application.
Memories flowed through him like a visual montage: his first awkward grip on the weapon's handle; vegetables yielding beneath its edge in the kitchen; the desperate, survival-driven slashes against Gu Wuqing's men; the more calculated exchanges with Gu Hanming's disciples; countless sparring sessions with Li Yao; and finally, that triumphant moment when he'd first managed to pressure her into a genuine defensive position.
All these experiences, once separate events, now connected into a seamless understanding. This was Great Completion—true mastery that transcended mere mechanical skill to become intuitive expertise. Xiang Yu exhaled slowly, appreciation flowing through him. "If Great Completion feels like this," he wondered, "how profound must Perfection be?"
His eyes found the system interface floating before him, noting the experience required for Perfection was double that needed for Great Completion. The magnitude didn't discourage him—how could the pinnacle of mastery be easily attained?
Methodically, he examined his other advancements. His cooking skill had improved marginally, offering refinements to techniques he already possessed rather than revolutionary new insights. His Abyssal Void Flame had reached twenty points, progressing faster than initially predicted—a pleasant surprise.
His battle instinct had nearly reached a hundred points, though without actual combat, he couldn't fully appreciate the changes this would bring. The movement technique showed modest improvement, granting him slightly better control over its execution. His iron body technique's advancement was more tangible—he could feel his skin hardening further, developing the resilience he'd need for future conflicts.
The sword technique had gained a hundred points, impressive progress that confirmed the efficacy of spirit food in accelerating cultivation. At this rate, it would soon match his knife mastery at Great Completion.
Finally, he turned his attention to the Mountain Heart Scripture. Breaking through to the fifth layer of Body Refining represented a significant milestone in his journey. Strength flowed through his muscles, his physical form growing more powerful with each passing moment. Xiang Yu savored this sensation of tangible growth.
Satisfied by the day's progress, he summoned his complete system interface, ready to plan his next cycle of advancement.
...
The system interface floated before Xiang Yu, its ethereal blue glow illuminating his face as he meticulously examined each statistic:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body: 5th Layer; Mind: Level 1]
[Species: Human] [Spiritual Root: null]
[Enlightenment: Low (214/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (92/100,000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (20/30,000)]
[Professions: Cook: 8th Grade (22/200)]
[Techniques: Mid-grade Phantom Footwork: Beginner (10/100); Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Major Success (100/400); Basic Knife Technique: Great Completion (0/1000); Basic Sword Technique: Completion (200/500)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 5th Layer (0/500); Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (24/1000)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
Satisfaction flickered across his face as he observed his growth. Just as the previous evening, Xiang Yu decided to practice the Mountain Heart Sutra rather than waste precious hours on sleep. He settled into the lotus position, his back perfectly straight as he regulated his breathing. His consciousness gradually detached from physical sensation, drawing inward until he found himself once again in the boundless void of his spiritual sea.
Unlike his earlier experiences, the seductive pull toward peaceful non-existence no longer threatened to consume him. The Abyssal Void Flame still burned steadily on his spiritual forehead, illuminating the darkness around him with its strange black radiance punctuated by tiny white sparks like distant stars. The flame's presence anchored his awareness, protecting him from the mental demons that had nearly claimed him before.
Throughout the night, Xiang Yu cultivated within this protected space, gradually expanding his mental strength. The flame occasionally pulsed as if responding to his progress, its white sparks growing momentarily more numerous before settling back into their regular pattern. Time held no meaning in this state—what felt like minutes within his spiritual sea translated to hours in the physical world.
Dawn's first light was filtering through his window when Xiang Yu's eyes finally opened. He felt refreshed despite not having slept, his mind sharper than ever before. Curious about his overnight progress, he summoned his system interface once more: 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
[Enlightenment: Low (216/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (96/100,000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (22/30,000)]
[Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (30/1000)]
The gains were modest but significant, particularly the Battle Instinct that now stood at the precipice of crossing into triple digits. Satisfied, he closed the interface and prepared for the day's training.
At the usual training ground, Li Yao was already waiting, her slender form silhouetted against the morning sun. They exchanged brief greetings, neither wasting time on idle conversation when cultivation beckoned.
Xiang Yu drew his knife, the weapon feeling like a natural extension of his arm. Across from him, Li Yao prepared her sword form, her movements flowing with elegance. The mere sight of her perfected technique generated a pressure that rippled through the air, creating an invisible but tangible aura of danger.
He exhaled slowly, deliberately calming his nerves as his eyes locked onto her with predatory focus. His stance shifted subtly, muscle memory from countless hours of practice positioning his body for optimal response. Without realizing it, his own Battle Instinct—nearly a hundred points now—began to manifest as an aura of its own, projecting deadly intent.
When Li Yao saw Xiang Yu's stance, she froze momentarily, her confident expression faltering. What was that? She wondered. She felt as though she had encountered a wild beast. This senior brother right now was a whole different monster compared to before. The way he looked at her, she felt as though his gaze penetrated through her.
[Get yourself together] the Empress's voice snapped within her mind, pulling her back to reality.
The oppressive feeling had diminished slightly when she refocused, but hadn't disappeared completely. "What was that just now?" she silently asked.
The Empress released a contemplative sigh. [It's called battle intent. People who have experienced countless battles hone their battle intent. At some point, battle intent can become so great that it can kill you just by glancing at you.]
Li Yao absorbed this explanation with growing astonishment. How could her senior brother possess such formidable battle intent already? She acknowledged his rapid advancement, but wasn't this progression unnaturally swift? Even she, acknowledged as a genius, felt her own progress seemed sluggish in comparison.
[It seems your senior brother is a combat genius,] the Empress explained with admiration. [This is actually beneficial for you. Having encountered someone with such strong battle intent early in your cultivation, you can use him to hone your own resistance so you won't be paralyzed by fear when facing truly fearsome opponents.]
Li Yao took a deep, centering breath, closing her eyes to steady herself. When her eyelids finally lifted, she charged forward without hesitation, her blade gleaming in the morning light as it sought her suddenly formidable senior brother.