There were no days or months in the mountains; winter passed, and no one knew how many years had gone by.
Six years had passed in the blink of an eye since the Qin Family set a ten-year deadline for the Conquest of Chu. The morning bells and evening drums at Cloud Mist Villa had witnessed Qin Yu grow from a passionate twelve-year-old boy into a tall, upright eighteen-year-old young man. The childishness had faded from his face, and his brows and eyes had gained the composure born of years of arduous cultivation. The Xiantian aura around him was no longer as raw as before; it had become concentrated and solid, settling firmly at the Xiantian Late Stage—just one step away from the pinnacle of External Martial Arts.
In these six years, Qin Yu had never slacked off. He rose each day before dawn and practiced the Heaven-Reaching Chart in the Spirit Gathering Array, progressing from the sixth level to the eighth. His physical strength had long surpassed that of other Xiantian cultivators at the same level. Even against experts at the Xiantian Great Perfection, he could hold his own with his formidable physique. Yun Ce remained his strongest support. As a mighty cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage, he often guided Qin Yu through the intricacies of cultivation techniques and occasionally told him about the cultivation world and the fundamentals of cultivation. Qin Yu's horizons had long since surpassed those of ordinary scions of noble families.
Over these six years, Qin Yu had gained a special companion: a Black Eagle.
One morning three years ago, after finishing his cultivation, Qin Yu found the hungry eaglet by a cliff deep in Cloud Mist Mountain. Its wings had yet to fully grow, and its down was grayish-black, but its bright black eyes held a lively glint. A branch had cut its left leg, leaving it unable to fly. It huddled in a crack in the rocks, trembling, small and adorable. Feeling sorry for it, Qin Yu brought it back to his little courtyard and carefully nursed it.
He named the Black Eagle Xiao Hei. At first, Xiao Hei was tiny and could only curl up on Qin Yu's shoulder, living on spiritual grain and exotic beast meat that Qin Yu fed it. Three years had passed since then, and Xiao Hei had long outgrown its infancy. It had become a mighty eagle with a wingspan of over ten feet, its feathers black as ink and gleaming. Its sharp eyes could spot movement several miles away, and it flew at tremendous speed. It was also highly intelligent and could understand Qin Yu's commands.
During the day, while Qin Yu cultivated, Xiao Hei circled above the courtyard on watch or perched quietly on the stone table to keep him company. When night fell and Qin Yu rested, Xiao Hei curled up on his windowsill, guarding him. Sometimes, when Qin Yu went down the mountain to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion, Xiao Hei would spread its wings and accompany him, soaring over forests and cities. It had become Qin Yu's most loyal companion, as well as a unique sight at Cloud Mist Villa.
That day, night deepened. Cloud Mist Villa had shed the bustle of daytime, leaving only the chirping of insects and the wind, the quiet stretching far into the distance. Qin Yu finished a day of arduous cultivation but did not rest immediately. Instead, he went alone to the hillside outside his courtyard and sat cross-legged. Xiao Hei perched on his shoulder, gently rubbing its head against his cheek and giving a soft cry, utterly docile.
Qin Yu raised a hand and gently stroked Xiao Hei's feathers, his gaze fixed on the vast starry sky. The night was as dark as ink, dotted with countless stars. The Milky Way stretched across the heavens, dazzling and brilliant. In six years of arduous cultivation, he had never forgotten his mother's blood feud or the ten-year pact. Whenever he gazed up at the stars in the deep quiet of night, his resolve grew firmer: only by becoming stronger could he lead an army in the Conquest of Chu four years from now, avenge his mother, and clear the Ying Clan's ancestors' names.
"Xiao Hei, only four years left. In four years, we'll join Father and the others on the campaign against Chu." Qin Yu spoke softly, his voice carrying both anticipation and solemnity. "By then, I'll kill Xiang Guang, destroy the Chu Dynasty, and let my mother rest in peace."
Xiao Hei seemed to understand. It gave another low cry and rubbed its head against his palm, as if answering him—or comforting him.
Just then, Qin Yu's gaze suddenly froze, surprise flashing in his eyes. A dazzling meteor streaked across the distant night sky, trailing a golden halo as it hurtled toward Cloud Mist Mountain. It flew at tremendous speed, its light growing brighter by the moment. Even from such a great distance, Qin Yu could sense the immense energy it contained—warm and pure, utterly unlike that of an ordinary meteor.
"What is that?" Qin Yu rose slightly, his eyes filled with confusion. He had never seen such a strange meteor. Its light was dazzling, and it carried an energy that stirred his heart, as if it exerted a powerful, invisible pull on him.
Almost the instant the meteor appeared, Yun Ce opened his eyes in the little courtyard on Cloud Mist Mountain. Understanding and a sharp glint flashed in his gaze. His divine sense had already spread across the entire mountain, and he had sensed the meteor as soon as it entered the Hidden Dragon Continent.
"It's here." Yun Ce murmured, a faint smile curving his lips. "As expected, it's the Meteor Tear. Qin Yu's greatest opportunity has finally arrived right on schedule."
He knew this was no ordinary meteor. It was the Meteor Tear of Zuo Qiumei, the Life God King of the Divine Realm. As the only Life God King in the Divine Realm, Zuo Qiumei had been immensely powerful, but the Eight Great Sacred Emperors had feared her strength and hunted her down. Before she died, she condensed her soul and the essence of her life's work into two Meteor Tears. One fell into the Mortal Realm, seeking someone destined to inherit its energy and life force; the other landed within Jiang Li, the Divine Realm Princess, becoming the bond that intertwined their fates. Yun Ce had no intention of telling Qin Yu all these secrets of the Divine Realm. He would only explain the Meteor Tear's purpose.
The one flying toward Cloud Mist Mountain was the Meteor Tear that had fallen into the Mortal Realm—and Qin Yu's heaven-defying opportunity. Yun Ce knew that Qin Yu had an unusual dantian and could not cultivate ordinary internal arts. Even if he trained in the Heaven-Reaching Chart and brought his External Martial Arts to its pinnacle, he would eventually hit a bottleneck. This Meteor Tear was the key to changing his fate. Its powerful life-restoring energy would nourish Qin Yu's body and meridians to the utmost, freeing his External Martial Arts cultivation from its shackles. It would also grant him extraordinary recovery and the ability to conceal his soul, helping him protect himself amid future dangers and laying the groundwork for him to practice a special cultivation technique and break through later on—but it would not directly advance his cultivation realm.
Yun Ce did not get up to intervene. He simply sat quietly in the courtyard, watching the meteor's course with his spiritual sense. He knew this was Qin Yu's opportunity, and Qin Yu had to catch and merge with it himself. If someone else interfered, they might disturb this chance or even affect how well the Meteor Tear harmonized with Qin Yu.
The golden meteor was already nearing Cloud Mist Mountain. Its light grew ever more dazzling as its speed gradually slowed, until it flew straight toward Qin Yu on the hillside. Qin Yu felt a warm current wash over him, soothing his whole body and calming his tense mind. He did not dodge. Instead, he instinctively reached out his hand, feeling inexplicably certain that the meteor had come for him.
The golden meteor landed in Qin Yu's palm but did not immediately vanish. Instead, it turned into a golden crystal, no bigger than a soybean, glowing with a gentle light. It lay steadily in his palm, warmth flowing from it into his body. Qin Yu held the crystal carefully, his eyes full of wonder. He could clearly sense the immense life energy it contained. Even his dantian felt warm and tingling, though it remained just as strange as before, showing no sign that it could store internal energy. He was about to examine it more closely when the golden crystal in his palm suddenly flashed and disappeared!
"Hm?" Qin Yu panicked and quickly opened his palm, checking it again and again. It was empty; the golden crystal seemed never to have been there at all. "What happened? It was right here!" In his alarm, Yun Ce was the first person he thought of. His master was in the courtyard, and with his strength at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage, he could have taken the crystal without Qin Yu noticing. At the thought, Qin Yu felt a pang of disappointment and urgency. He instinctively circulated his energy, only to feel a warm force slowly moving through his chest. It was richer than the warmth he had felt in his palm, spreading along his meridians throughout his body. He could clearly feel it rapidly nourishing his meridians and physique. The tiny injuries left by practicing the Heaven-Reaching Chart healed instantly, while his physical strength and meridian resilience steadily improved. Even the aura of his Xiantian Late Stage peak grew more concentrated and solid, bringing him another step closer to the pinnacle of External Martial Arts. Only his dantian remained as strange as before, unable to store even a trace of internal energy. The improvement in his physique offered some comfort, but the mystery of the crystal's disappearance and his suspicions about Yun Ce still lingered in his heart.
Perched on Qin Yu's shoulder, Xiao Hei warily watched their surroundings but made no sound, as if it knew Qin Yu was at a crucial moment and did not want to disturb him.
From the courtyard, Yun Ce clearly sensed the changes within Qin Yu. His eyes brimmed with satisfaction. The Meteor Tear's energy was slowly merging with Qin Yu's body, nourishing his physique and meridians to the utmost and freeing his External Martial Arts cultivation from its shackles. His aura grew more concentrated, but his realm did not advance; he remained at the Xiantian Late Stage. In time, with the powerful physique nourished by the Meteor Tear, his steadily refined Xiantian Late Stage cultivation, and a technique suited to his dantian, Qin Yu would be able to break through to a higher realm.
The instant the Meteor Tear's energy fully merged with Qin Yu's body, the system's cold, mechanical notification suddenly rang in Yun Ce's mind.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Qin Yu, has obtained a core opportunity—the Meteor Tear! Special sign-in triggered!] [Sign-in location: Cloud Mist Mountain · Meteor Tear impact site] [Sign-in reward issued!] [Special item reward: Chaos Source Bead. Contains the primordial energy from the birth of the universe and can continuously nourish the body and soul.]
A pure stream of energy instantly poured into Yun Ce's body, nourishing his dantian and Nascent Soul. His already stable peak Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivation grew even richer, and his soul became more condensed, bringing him another step closer to the bottleneck of the Void-Piercing Early Stage. This was the benefit of being bound to a Child of Destiny: when Qin Yu gained an opportunity and his physique and aura improved, Yun Ce also received a system reward suited to a cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage. This reward was especially excellent. He had obtained a supreme treasure like the Chaos Source Bead. With it constantly nourishing his body and soul, his cultivation would surely go smoothly.
Yun Ce slowly closed his eyes and refined the reward within him, his smile growing broader. Qin Yu had obtained the Meteor Tear, and his physique and meridians were being nourished to the utmost, making his Xiantian Late Stage peak aura increasingly concentrated. His future cultivation would be smooth sailing. Meanwhile, thanks to Qin Yu's opportunity, Yun Ce had further stabilized his peak Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivation, laying the foundation for his own advancement to the Void-Piercing Early Stage after Qin Yu broke through to the Golden Core Stage. He was one step closer to a higher realm.
On the hillside, Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them. His Xiantian Late Stage aura had grown denser and more solid. Though his realm had not advanced, he was several times stronger than before. Even more exciting, he could clearly feel that his physical strength and meridian resilience had increased several times over. The stiffness he had felt while practicing the Heaven-Reaching Chart was completely gone, and even the circulation of his Xiantian power had become smooth. Still, the golden crystal was nowhere to be seen, and his dantian remained as strange as ever, unable to store even a trace of internal energy. His confusion and disappointment only deepened, and he became even more certain that Yun Ce had taken the crystal.
"My physique and aura have become so much stronger! I'm another step closer to the pinnacle of External Martial Arts!" Qin Yu was overjoyed. He raised his hand and sent a wave of concentrated Xiantian power, backed by his formidable physical strength, toward a boulder nearby. With a thunderous boom, the boulder shattered. The force was several times greater than before. But his joy was soon replaced by disappointment. He lowered his gaze to his empty palm and murmured, "What a shame the crystal's gone... Master must have taken it. But why would he do that?" He was puzzled. He was grateful for the improvement in his physique and aura, yet regretted that the crystal had been taken, and could not fathom Yun Ce's intentions.
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Hei gave a clear cry, spread its wings, and circled above Qin Yu's head, as if celebrating for him.
Qin Yu raised his hand and stroked Xiao Hei's head, his eyes filled with excitement, confusion, and disappointment. He could clearly feel the warmth left in his body, still slowly nourishing his physique and meridians and filling him with strength. Yet the golden crystal that had brought him this opportunity had vanished into thin air, and his dantian remained unchanged. Only now did he realize that he had indeed received a tremendous opportunity. But the crystal's disappearance, along with his suspicions about Yun Ce, left him bewildered. He did not dare question his master outright, yet could not help wanting to know the truth.
"What exactly was that thing...? Why did it suddenly disappear? Did Master really take it?" Qin Yu murmured. He gazed toward where the meteor had fallen, then turned to look at the courtyard, confusion filling his eyes. Without thinking, he touched his chest. The warmth there felt more pronounced, as though something had taken root beneath his skin.
Still full of questions, Qin Yu picked up Xiao Hei and turned toward the courtyard. Yun Ce had finished refining his reward and was standing at the courtyard gate, smiling as he watched Qin Yu return.
"Master." Qin Yu walked over and bowed. His voice held unmistakable excitement, confusion, and a hint of disappointment. "A meteor just fell into my palm and turned into a golden crystal shaped like a teardrop, but it disappeared a moment later. I thought only you had the power to take it without me noticing. Master... why did you take the crystal? I only had it for a moment, but my physique and meridians became incredibly strong, and my Xiantian Late Stage aura grew more concentrated, bringing me another step closer to the pinnacle of External Martial Arts. I want to know what that crystal was."
Looking at his eager, uncertain expression, Yun Ce couldn't help smiling. His tone was gentle, yet carried a hint of solemnity. "Silly boy, I didn't take that crystal. It wasn't an ordinary meteor, but a Meteor Tear—a rare crystal of life energy found in the world. It didn't disappear because someone took it. It merged with your body on its own."
"It merged with my body on its own?" Surprise and confusion crossed Qin Yu's eyes. He instinctively pressed a hand to his chest, clearly feeling the gentle warmth there. "But I felt it disappear. How could it have merged with me?"
"The Meteor Tear is sentient. Once it recognizes its master, it merges with their body and hides there, silently nourishing their physique and soul." Yun Ce did not mention the Divine Realm or the secrets of the Life God King. He only explained what Qin Yu could understand. "It was formed from the life's work of an ancient mighty cultivator who practiced the Dao of Life. Before dying, that cultivator condensed their life energy and vitality into two Meteor Tears, which were scattered across the world to seek people destined to inherit them. Being able to obtain it was your opportunity. By merging with you, it has acknowledged you as its master."
He paused, then continued, "Its purpose is to nourish your body and soul to the utmost. It can make your Xiantian Late Stage aura ever more concentrated, break through the shackles on your External Martial Arts cultivation, and bring you another step closer to its pinnacle. It also grants you exceptional recovery, allowing you to heal quickly even from severe injuries, and can conceal your soul's aura so enemies will struggle to discern your true strength. Once it merges into your chest, it will continue to silently nourish your body and meridians and refine your aura. It won't appear as a crystal again. As for your dantian, it isn't that the Meteor Tear cannot change it. Your dantian is simply special. The Meteor Tear's purpose is to lay the groundwork for you to practice a special cultivation technique and break through later, not to forcibly change its nature. Even if you can't store internal energy, your formidable physique, nourished by the Meteor Tear, and your concentrated Xiantian power will still make you far stronger than other Xiantian cultivators at your level."
Qin Yu was stunned. He pressed a hand to his chest again, carefully sensing the gentle warmth there. His confusion and disappointment vanished, replaced by intense excitement and relief. He bowed deeply to Yun Ce. "Thank you for telling me, Master! So that's what happened. I was wrong to think you'd taken the Meteor Tear. I'm truly sorry! I never imagined it would recognize me as its master and merge with my body. It strengthened my physique and concentrated my aura, and it will keep nourishing me and refining my cultivation. Without the Meteor Tear, I wouldn't have come so close to the pinnacle of External Martial Arts!"
"No need to thank me. This is your own opportunity." Yun Ce nodded slightly, his voice full of expectation. "The Meteor Tear has strengthened your physique and broken through the shackles on your External Martial Arts cultivation, bringing you another step closer to its pinnacle. It has also laid the groundwork for your future cultivation and breakthroughs. Your dantian may seem strange, but it's actually a tremendous blessing. Once you encounter the special cultivation technique suited to it, you'll understand its wonders. Even if you can't store internal energy, you can still forge your own path of cultivation. From here on, you must keep your feet on the ground and refine your Xiantian Late Stage peak cultivation. Strive to reach the pinnacle of External Martial Arts as soon as possible. With the Meteor Tear's help, your cultivation will speed up considerably. I'm sure it won't be long before you break through your bottleneck and advance to a higher realm." Yun Ce thought to himself that he would remain at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage; once Qin Yu broke through to the Golden Core Stage, Yun Ce would advance to the Void-Piercing Early Stage.
"I'll remember your teachings, Master!" Qin Yu nodded firmly, determination shining in his eyes. "I'll cultivate even harder and live up to this opportunity and your expectations. In four years, I'll be ready to shoulder the responsibility of the Conquest of Chu and avenging my mother!"
He did not know that the Meteor Tear had not only changed his fate, but had also tightly linked him to Jiang Li, far away in the Divine Realm. A bond of destiny stretching across the worlds had quietly begun.
By now, Jiang Li had probably arrived in the Mortal Realm, Yun Ce thought.
But Qin Yu was consumed by thoughts of cultivation and revenge, and gave no thought to the deeper meaning behind this opportunity.
Watching Qin Yu's resolute expression, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Yun Ce's eyes. The Meteor Tear had arrived, nourishing Qin Yu's physique and meridians to the utmost and making his Xiantian Late Stage peak aura ever more concentrated. The shackles on his External Martial Arts cultivation were gone.
Four years. Only four years remained.
In four years, the Qin Family would officially begin the Conquest of Chu. Xiang Yang of the Xiang Family, a Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator, and Wu Xing and Wu De, cultivators at the Golden Core Mid Stage and Golden Core Late Stage, respectively, would be easy prey for Yun Ce with his current strength at the peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage. They would eventually fall by his sword. In four years, if Qin Yu could reach the Xiantian pinnacle in External Martial Arts or even enter the Xiantian Great Perfection, he would be able to stand on the land of the Chu Dynasty with even greater strength and help the Qin Family complete its revenge.
The night remained deep, and the stars remained dazzling. The wind on Cloud Mist Mountain carried a hint of warmth as it stirred Qin Yu's robes and Xiao Hei's wings...
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