Behind every successful man, there might not necessarily be a woman. But there was always a story weighed down with hardship.
In his previous life, his foster father, Shu Tianhao, had died, leaving behind the Drunken Snow Blade and a final command for Chu Yun to succeed him as the master of Shu Family Island. Before then, Chu Yun's swordsmanship had been unremarkable. Afterward, he spent at least two hours every day practicing with the blade.
Through wind and rain, he never let up!
Back then, the Drunken Snow Blade had been the shadow of his foster father in his eyes. The emotions he poured into his practice were both tragic and desolate—a tribute to the old man.
Later, he sought out secluded mysteries and weathered countless dangers. Tempered between life and death, his already impressive blade skills gradually reached the heights of mastery.
It could be said that Chu Yun's blade skills were in no way inferior to those of the island master, Shu Tianhao.
Demon Weapons had standards for choosing their masters. Otherwise, why would the Drunken Snow Blade have recognized Chu Yun as its master after he killed Remnant Wolf?
Of course, no one knew the secret of his rebirth. In the eyes of outsiders, his mastery of the blade was simply monstrous talent—the greatest of geniuses in the art of the blade!
Only Chu Yun knew that his natural talent was merely above average. The so-called genius was simply the result of the sweat he had shed in his previous life.
Rebirth had not erased his memories or experience. That was his greatest asset and treasure right now.
"The Shu Clan Blade Technique is a standard military art. It's suited to slaughter on the battlefield, with broad, sweeping strikes that are fierce and ruthless. But it lacks important long-range attacks and some auxiliary techniques, making it unsuitable for one-on-one fights. There's room for improvement. Heavenly Song Academy should have some excellent blade techniques; I'll keep an eye out for them later. But after today's fight, I'm afraid I'll be bedridden for at least three days... Ugh!"
He forced himself to his room and used his identity jade to enter. Once he had shut the door behind him, Chu Yun finally gave out. He collapsed to the floor with a thud.
The longer the Drunken Snow Blade was used, the sharper its edge became and the heavier its body grew. During his fierce battle with Yan Que, Chu Yun had gritted his teeth and held on. Why had he met attack with attack? Because he had meant to end the fight as quickly as possible. He knew he had wielded the Drunken Snow Blade for only a short time, and his body had yet to be fully transformed by spiritual energy. He couldn't keep fighting for long.
Yan Que was indeed one of the first-rate talents Heavenly Song Academy had cultivated in recent years. Even without the fortuitous encounter that would later grant him the Universal Pill-Origin Tree, his Thunder Vine alone—a mid-grade one—already gave him impressive combat strength. His final tactic, detonating the thunderfruit, had been almost impossible to counter. Chu Yun had won by a hair, thanks to his unexpected mastery of the blade and his ability to cleave through lightning.
Pain! Pain! Pain!
His muscles had been pushed far beyond their limits. It felt as though flames were burning throughout his body, filling him with an unrelenting, searing agony. Lying on the ground, he drew in sharp breaths. Every cell trembled with pain, and his nerves were being tested to the limit.
At first, the pain surged over him like a tide, nearly drowning him. But through sheer determination, Chu Yun forced himself to endure. Gradually, he grew accustomed to wave after wave of indescribable agony. Yet as time passed, his consciousness began to blur.
He wasn't made of iron, after all. He was only thirteen.
As his vision faded, he vaguely heard a startled cry beside him. When he awoke again, he found himself lying in bed, with Jin Bihan standing beside him, looking at him with a complicated expression.
She was the Princess of Dunhuang. Though she had been willing to bury her own talents and squander her time to let her elder brother shine, that didn't mean she lacked discernment. She had seen Chu Yun's blade skills before, but only in renowned masters many years her senior. Witnessing them firsthand in someone her own age had shaken her beyond imagination.
All the way back, she had kept seeing the image of Chu Yun striding forward, his blade sweeping through the thunder. Who would have thought that when she returned to her room, she would find him collapsed on the floor, unable to move?
At a glance, she could tell that Chu Yun had overtaxed himself and was utterly exhausted. He would need to stay in bed for at least three days. It was a wonder he had managed to hold on all the way back.
Suddenly, she remembered her father's instructions: Go to Heavenly Song Academy. Improve yourself there and build your own following.
I can hardly stand against this corrupt state alone. Isn't Chu Yun right here, a young genius? If I bring him into my service, he'll be a great asset to me! The Princess of Dunhuang had met all kinds of talented young men, and there were plenty whose gifts were even more extraordinary than Chu Yun's. With such a heavy responsibility on her shoulders, her heart was difficult to stir. Chu Yun's performance had merely caught her attention, so she decided on the spot to show him goodwill and win him over.
She took a bottle of medicine from her robes and set it by Chu Yun's bed. "This is a top-grade Muscle-Regenerating Ice Jade Ointment. Apply it to your body, and it'll ease the pain, heal your muscles, and improve your physical constitution."
Chu Yun couldn't help rolling his eyes. Barely able to speak, he managed to say, "I can hardly move right now. How am I supposed to apply it?"
Jin Bihan's beautiful eyes widened. "You mean you want me to apply it for you?"
"What's the problem? Why be so coy between men? Besides, you owe me a favor. Consider this payback." Chu Yun glanced at Jin Bihan. This handsome scholar was so beautiful he hardly seemed real, and now his face was flushed like jade, making him a breathtaking sight.
Jin Bihan was left speechless by Chu Yun's words. She took a deep breath, her stubborn nature taking over. In a fit of pique, she agreed. "Fine. Consider it repayment for the favor!"
As soon as she said it, she regretted it. She sat down in front of Chu Yun and slowly extended her delicate, petite hands, trembling as she reached for his buttons.
Seeing her stammer and hesitate, Chu Yun couldn't help urging her on. "Could you hurry up?"
This was quite a challenge for the Princess of Dunhuang. She had never undressed a man before.
After a great deal of effort, she finally opened Chu Yun's shirt, revealing his well-defined chest. The combined spiritual energy of the Heavenly Fox and the Drunken Snow Blade had transformed him, leaving his skin crystalline and pale as snow. The room was dim, but to Jin Bihan, it seemed to glow.
Jin Bihan felt her face grow hot. Her head buzzed, and her heart pounded. She quickly looked away, picked up the bottle, and poured out some Muscle-Regenerating Ice Jade Ointment.
The medicine was like a transparent gel, faintly tinged with the color of white jade. Jin Bihan poured some into her hand and spread it across her palm. As she reached toward Chu Yun's chest, she hesitated, moving in fits and starts.
She gritted her teeth, shut her eyes, and pressed down hard. At last, her hand touched Chu Yun's chest.
"Ah..." He sucked in a sharp breath, the corner of his eye twitching. "I said, could you be a little gentler?" His muscles burned with pain, and even the slightest pressure brought an agony beyond measure.
Jin Bihan's face turned bright red. Embarrassed and annoyed, she retorted, "You're so demanding. Of course applying medicine hurts! If you're not satisfied, do it yourself."
Chu Yun gritted his teeth and said no more.
Jin Bihan's breathing grew a little ragged. Keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the bedside, she avoided looking at Chu Yun's chest. Her hands were soft as boneless jade as they moved back and forth over his chest, spreading the Ice Jade Ointment evenly across it.