Wudang's Lost Sword Returns

(Author's Note: The Change to Third Person Perspective is on purpose!)

Jiang Chen awoke to the scent of medicinal herbs and the distant murmur of disciples training. His body felt heavy, as if he had been carrying a mountain on his back.

The moment he regained consciousness, he noticed it—his qi was completely drained. That could only mean one thing: Juan Lei would be out of commission for a while, and with him, the strange panel.

Blinking away the haze clouding his vision, he took in the rough wooden ceiling above him—a familiar sight. He was in the medicine hall.

The fight. Haoyu. Juan Lei.

Memories flooded his mind—the world blurring, his body moving with an effortless grace he had never known, a prowess unseen in Wudang for years. He recalled the moment he struck down Haoyu, as if the boy were nothing more than a leaf caught in the wind.

He swallowed hard.

That wasn't him.

That was Juan Lei.

Did that mean his strength was never truly his own? Was he merely a vessel? The thought unsettled him. The movements had felt natural—his body flowing as if born to them—yet at the same time, they were foreign, something not entirely his. Without Juan Lei, what was he really capable of?

"You're finally awake," came a voice beside him.

Jiang Chen turned his head and saw Yujin sitting nearby, arms crossed, his expression caught between relief and exasperation. Beside him, Elder Xu Mingzhi busied himself with herbs and plants, his reputation as Wudang's foremost medicinal expert well known throughout the neighboring towns.

A thought crept into Jiang Chen's mind—why would an elder of such stature personally tend to him? Two possibilities surfaced. Either Elder Xu had another motive, or his injuries were severe enough to warrant such attention after attempting a technique far beyond his level.

Yujin let out a sigh. "I thought you'd become a cripple after that fight. Or worse, just straight-up died."

Jiang Chen gave a weak chuckle, only to feel a sharp jolt of pain through his ribs. "How long was I out?"

"Half a day. Instructor Yuan had you brought here after you collapsed. Everyone's been talking about the match."

"Talking?" Jiang Chen frowned.

Yujin leaned in. "More like whispering. Some say you've been hiding your true strength. Others think you were possessed by a martial spirit. And then there are those who believe you cheated—some even whisper about demonic techniques."

Jiang Chen scoffed. Cheated? Against Haoyu? With demonic techniques? Ridiculous.

Then again, he couldn't blame them. What had happened on that stage was anything but normal.

How about the other matches?" Jiang Chen asked, his curiosity piqued. As remarkable as his fight had been, the others were still potential rivals—or allies.

"Well… it went well…?" Yujin let out an awkward laugh. "After that display, the entire outer sector of Wudang went crazy with ambition. Seeing you two fight lit a fire under them—it was an absolute spectacle."

He went on to recount the most memorable matches between disciples, some even approaching the level of Juan Lei's demonstration.

"And then there was me," Yujin said with a shrug. "My matches weren't all that noteworthy—most of my opponents went down in a few minutes."

He let out a small huff of satisfaction before adding, "Except for one, of course."

Jiang Chen didn't need to ask. He already knew who Yujin was referring to. Aside from Haoyu, there was at least one more outer disciple with enough talent to stand out—not quite on Yujin's level, but enough to catch the attention of some inner disciples.

A firm knock on the door cut their conversation short. Instructor Yuan stepped in, his sharp gaze scanning Jiang Chen before nodding approvingly.

"You're recovering well," he said. "Good. That means you can answer my questions."

Jiang Chen sat up slowly. "Questions?"

Yuan's eyes narrowed, his gaze focused on the strains in Jiang Chen's body. "What you displayed in that duel was far beyond what you've ever shown in training. It wasn't just skill—it was mastery. Where did you learn it?"

Jiang Chen felt Yujin's gaze on him. He could lie, say he had a sudden breakthrough, that desperation had pushed him beyond his limits. But Yuan wouldn't believe that. Not entirely.

"It was instinct," Jiang Chen finally said. "At that moment, I didn't think. I just moved."

Yuan studied him for a long moment before exhaling. "I won't pry into things that aren't my business, Jiang Chen. But understand this—Wudang values harmony, and sudden, overwhelming strength often disrupts that balance."

He placed a folded letter on the bedside table, his tone lacking accusation, only quiet concern. "The elders are taking notice. Some are merely curious, others… less so. Be mindful of your steps moving forward."

With that, Yuan gave Jiang Chen a reassuring nod before turning to leave.

Jiang Chen exhaled slowly. Trouble. That was the last thing he needed.

Elder Xu's silence was more unnerving than Instructor Yuan's questions. He moved with practiced ease, grinding herbs with slow, deliberate strokes. But Jiang Chen could feel it—the weight of the elder's gaze, studying him like a patient under examination. When Elder Xu finally spoke, his voice carried the same authority as his hands—a man used to both healing and passing judgment.

"A body pushed beyond its limits suffers in ways not immediately visible. Bones knit, flesh scars, but qi... qi leaves traces. The council speaks not because you fought well, but because you fought in a way that shouldn't be possible. And when things defy nature, suspicion follows." He paused, his tone thoughtful. "I came to see if you were truly as remarkable as they claimed. And for now, I'd say this has been worthwhile."

Jiang Chen felt Elder Xu's gaze lingering on him, as if assessing every part of his body where the strain had taken its toll.

"Familiar indeed…" Elder Xu's fingers traced the edge of Jiang Chen's wrist as if feeling something unseen beneath his skin. "Like an echo of an old friend's technique… but echoes do not carry such weight." His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—recognition, or perhaps… expectation. And then, just as quietly as he had arrived, he turned and left.

leaving only Jiang Chen and Yujin to ponder the folded letter.

His fingers hovered over the letter, hesitating as his eyes lingered on the seal of the Azure Dragon Courtyard—the residence of Wudang's inner disciples. Did he even want to know what was inside?

Meanwhile, at the top of Wudang Sect's second-highest peak, outside the Great Elder Pavilions, Elder Jung-hi sat in quiet contemplation. Across from him, Elder Lei Zheng scowled.

"You saw it too, didn't you? That wasn't ordinary growth." Lei Zheng's fingers drummed against the table. "A disciple doesn't just wake up one day and defy Wudang's principles of gradual mastery."

Jung-hi took a slow sip of his tea. "Unnatural? Or prodigious?"

"Prodigies do not leap from mediocrity to near-mastery overnight," Lei Zheng countered. "Instructor Yuan may have overlooked it, but I won't. If he's hiding something, we must uncover it. If he's a danger, we must control it." His voice was heavy with concern. "Are we certain the demonic cult isn't involved? Only their teachings could allow an outer disciple to progress this quickly."

Jung-hi set his cup down with a quiet clink. "Unlikely. Even if the great sects have waned in recent years, the demonic cult wouldn't dare act so boldly on Mt. Wudang itself. If it were a minor branch of Wudang in some distant town, perhaps. But tell me, Lei Zheng—when was the last time we saw such promise in an outer disciple?"

Lei Zheng slammed his palm against the table. "Does that really matter, Jung-hi? Even if that boy is the second coming of Juan Lei, it changes nothing! Even Juan Lei wasn't this skilled as an outer disciple." He stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting as realization struck.

Lei Zheng's fingers stilled. He wanted to dismiss the thought outright, to call Jung-hi a fool for even suggesting it. But the more he considered, the more his resistance wavered. "No... That can't be. Zhang wouldn't be that reckless. Would he?"

"Perhaps," Jung-hi admitted. "That movement was unmistakably Juan Lei's, but we still don't know why. For now, we will observe. I ask that you hold off on taking action. I'll have someone else keep watch—perhaps Yun Sheng would be fitting."

Lei Zheng frowned. "The Cloudborne Sage? That seems excessive. Even if I agree that Jiang Chen is a potential threat, sending a master from the Seven Daoist Peaks is overkill. An inner disciple trained by Yun Sheng would be more than enough."

Jung-hi responded once more, "Then I suggest the outer disciple who showed some promise. I heard Yun Sheng was considering him for the inner disciples. If I recall correctly, his name was Qin Tianzhao."