Setting Out

At the foot of Lingyue Peak, a small front courtyard had been built against the mountainside. It was not particularly grand, yet every detail revealed ingenuity and refinement.

The courtyard walls were built from bluish-gray stone, with clusters of green vines creeping over their tops. Morning dew still clung to the leaves, reflecting specks of light.

The courtyard gate was a simple wooden structure, free of elaborate carvings, yet polished smooth and warm.

A level bluestone path ran through the courtyard, flanked by several rare flowers and exotic herbs. Their petals were elegantly colored, releasing a faint, refreshing fragrance. They were pleasing to the eye and also subtly nourished the surrounding air.

At the end of the path stood a small hall. Simple cloud patterns were carved into its doors and windows, while several strings of wooden wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, producing crisp, pleasant notes whenever the wind blew.

In the open space at the center of the courtyard, two figures had already become shifting afterimages, weaving and darting across the bluestone ground. Their fluttering robes stirred fierce gusts of wind.

There was no need to look closely to know that this was a spar between high-level experts. As sword and ruler clashed and Dou Qi collided, they deliberately restrained their power and did not unleash world-shaking force. Even so, a vast pressure churned beneath the surface, making the surrounding air ripple faintly. Even the leaves of the spiritual herbs in the corners of the courtyard trembled gently in the invisible shockwaves.

Such precise control, along with the traces of immense aura that leaked out during their collisions, was far beyond what ordinary cultivators could attain. They clearly possessed the foundation of Dou Zun-level experts.

As the two figures flashed back and forth, every move concealed profound subtleties.