Wudang's Lost Sword Returns

After a brief moment, Qin Tianzhao returned, carrying an ornate case adorned with the emblems of Wudang and the Azure Dragon Courtyard.

"Here. Be mindful—any misstep during absorption will diminish the pill's effects."

His voice remained steady, but his hand trembled as he passed the case to Jiang Chen. It wasn't fear that made his hand tremble—it was envy.. A mere outer disciple receiving the Flowing Jade Pill? It was unheard of. To Qin Tianzhao, it was simply unfair.

Noticing his reaction, Yun Sheng spoke calmly. "Your path is yet uncarved, Qin. This extends beyond you… beyond even us. There are places where effort alone cannot tread."

The words were meant to console, but they only unsettled Qin Tianzhao further. Even as the most outstanding outer disciple aside from Yujin, even with his talent and hard-earned skill, it still wasn't enough. Yet, under Yun Sheng's authority, he had no choice but to swallow his frustration and relent.

As the tension settled, Jiang Chen opened the case. A faint blue light spilled out, the Flowing Jade Pill pulsing with innate qi. Without hesitation, he took the pill in hand and steadied himself.

Jiang Chen swallowed the Flowing Jade Pill. A heartbeat later, it dissolved, releasing a glacial surge that sent tingling numbness down his throat. As it spread through his meridians, the cold currents softened, flowing like melted jade.

As the energy reached his dantian, his core pulsed—once, twice—like a parched riverbed drinking in rain. Warmth spiraled outward as his qi absorbed the pill's essence, refining it into his foundation. His breathing steadied, synchronized with the ebb and flow of newfound vitality surging through him.

Qin Tianzhao, arms crossed, smirked as he watched. "Don't waste it, junior brother. That pill's worth more than some people."

Yun Sheng, seated nearby, waved a hand dismissively. "Let him find his center. Your barking disturbs the stillness."

Jiang Chen closed his eyes, focusing inward. The Flowing Jade Pill's energy spread through his meridians like droplets of morning dew—cool, refined, deliberate. Each breath guided the essence deeper, tempering his internal qi as he had practiced countless times before. The process was steady, controlled. Safe.

Then, a familiar voice, as soft as wind through pine needles, whispered into his mind

"Your flow is too rigid, too forceful."

Juan Lei reappeared in his mind, his presence restored as the pill replenished a portion of Jiang Chen's qi.

Before Jiang Chen could react, a subtle force wove through his meridians—not disruptive, not invasive, but undeniably present. His qi, once measured and controlled, now surged like floodwaters breaking a dam.

It was like forcing a river through a narrow gorge. His breath hitched as the Flowing Jade Pill's energy, meant to dissolve gradually, surged all at once. His dantian pulsed violently—not just absorbing, but devouring the essence. His meridians stretched, overwhelmed but unbroken

"W-Wait! This is too much—"

"Too much?" Juan Lei's voice held a quiet amusement. "You were wasting the pill's potential. Let it breathe, young Jiang. Let it flow."

It struck him like lightning.

For years, he had cycled qi through rigid patterns, forcing order upon chaos. But as Juan Lei's presence guided his meridians, he understood—qi was never meant to be shackled. Not a beast to subdue, nor a storm to suppress. It was water, flowing freely, carrying him forward without resistance.

Then—

[New System Feature Activated: Legacy of Murim]

[System Notification: Pill Absorption Efficiency Increased by 1000%]

[Flowing Jade Pill's effects have been magnified tenfold!]

[Warning: Over-absorption may lead to instability! Adjusting…]

The panel—or rather, the scroll—materialized once more.

Jiang Chen's eyes snapped open. 'What?!'

Juan Lei, however, remained unfazed. "Hmm. I see… The heavens themselves seem to interfere. Curious." He chuckled. "Very well, let us guide it properly."

Jiang Chen had no idea what was happening, but one thing was certain—his cultivation was skyrocketing. Waves of pure energy surged through him, refining his meridians at an absurd pace. Even his foundation, which had been solid yet unspectacular, was now strengthening at a visible rate.

Meanwhile, Qin Tianzhao and Yun Sheng, who had been casually observing, suddenly frowned.

"Hm… the air thickens. Why does the river swell around him?" Yun Sheng muttered, eyes narrowing.

Qin Tianzhao sat forward, gripping his teacup. "This… isn't normal. The Flowing Jade Pill is strong, but not this strong."

Jiang Chen, still in a trance, had no idea that his breakthrough was becoming a spectacle. His aura fluctuated wildly, causing the very air in the hall to tremble.

Juan Lei sighed. "You're too rigid. Loosen your grip on control—let it flow."

Jiang Chen exhaled, releasing control. In that instant, his qi merged—gentle, yet unstoppable. Like a river flowing home

Then—

A powerful surge burst forth from Jiang Chen's body. The very floor beneath him cracked slightly as his cultivation soared. Qi Awakening? No—Qi Refinement! Middle stage… no, late stage! His meridians gleamed with newfound strength, his dantian stabilizing into a refined state.

Qin Tianzhao blinked. "…Did he just jump an entire major realm in one sitting?"

Yun Sheng exhaled slowly, his gaze sharp. "This child… a dragon in mist, or a ghost in daylight?"

A surge of energy burst from the hall, drawing the attention of the inner disciples outside. One by one, they stepped inside, curiosity and disbelief etched on their faces.

"What the…? Did that outer disciple just reach enlightenment?"

"A junior brother? Achieving a breakthrough with the Flowing Jade Pill alone?"

Murmurs spread through the crowd of inner disciples as they poured into the hall, their voices echoing off the walls.

The air around Jiang Chen swirled with power, his hair and eyes glowing a deep, oceanic blue. A surge of energy rippled outward, billowing the robes and hair of the gathered disciples—Yun Sheng and Qin Tianzhao among them.

As if recalling Yun Sheng's earlier command, Jiang Chen willed a sword into existence, forging it from pure qi.

Jiang Chen's body trembled. His meridians burned as if molten fire coursed through them, his muscles seizing under the sheer force.

Yet, his body moved without hesitation—flowing through the motions of the Taiji Sword, parrying an imagined strike with the grace of a master.

For a fleeting moment, the entire hall seemed to tremble under the weight of his presence.

Qin Tianzhao's grip tightened around his teacup, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No… That's impossible. This level of qi—this isn't just a breakthrough. He's…"

He swallowed hard, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

"…Standing on the same level as Yujin?"

Seated beside Qin Tianzhao, Yun Sheng suddenly rose, his hands coming together in a slow, deliberate clap.

"Exquisite," he murmured, his gaze fixed on Jiang Chen. Then, with a knowing smile, he added, "My dear friend Juan Lei… I never knew you left behind a second shadow."

As Jiang Chen's qi surged to its peak, his body suddenly convulsed, trembling uncontrollably. His meridians burned, stretched to their absolute limit—like an ocean forced into a mere cup. His breath came in ragged gasps, his vision blurring at the edges as the overwhelming energy threatened to consume him.

Too much.

The realization struck even before he could react. His qi, wild and untamed, threatened to rupture his body from the inside out.

Then—

[WARNING: Host's body is unable to contain this energy. Forced Qi dispersion initiated.]

A sharp jolt coursed through him. His qi, which had surged to a level rivaling Yujin's, suddenly shuddered—fracturing like a dam being forcibly drained.

An invisible force swept through his body, siphoning away the overflowing energy before it could cause irreparable damage. The golden radiance in his meridians dimmed, the overwhelming pressure in the hall easing as the surge of power receded.

Qin Tianzhao watches as Jiang Chen's aura collapses. "It's… fading? No, it's being forced down…" His eyes darken. "Was it unstable from the start?"

Yun Sheng exhales, tension leaving his body. "For a moment… I wondered if another Yujin had stepped into the river."

Jiang Chen staggered, nearly collapsing to his knees as the last remnants of the excessive Qi bled from his dantian-like mist dissolving in the morning sun. His limbs, which had moved with unparalleled grace only moments ago, now felt heavy—like lead weighing him down.

He gasped for breath, his entire body drenched in sweat. The exhilaration of wielding such power had vanished, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

Jiang Chen, finally regaining his senses, opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of mist-like Qi. His body felt light, his mind clear—as if he had shed layers of restriction he never even knew existed.

"This…" He looked at his hands in awe. "This is insane."

Juan Lei smiled faintly. "Even I'm impressed. I expected you to break into the early stages of Qi Refinement, not the late stages. For a moment, you even brushed against the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment."

"But I urge you to be cautious. We still don't know the true purpose of this so-called 'system.' Rely on me, not on it."

Jiang Chen sat in silence for a long moment before exhaling. This... wasn't how he imagined it would go.

Qin Tianzhao and Yun Sheng exchanged glances before shaking their heads.

Yun Sheng smirked, his tone light yet unreadable.

"I had thought to guide your steps… but it seems the path is already paved."

"You may go. But the winds carry whispers, and I suspect the coming days will be… interesting."

Qin Tianzhao crossed his arms, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Watch your back," he said. "It seems I have another rival now—besides Yujin."

His stare was piercing, like daggers thrown without malice. A challenge, perhaps, but one laced with the respect due to a fellow martial artist who had achieved a breakthrough. Yet, beneath his words, I sensed something more—an unspoken motive lurking beneath the surface.

"Be careful around him, young Jiang," a voice echoed in my mind. "I glimpsed the conversation within your thoughts while I was away. There is more to Qin Tianzhao than meets the eye."

And with that, he was silent.

Jiang Chen nodded absentmindedly, his mind still reeling. He could feel it—his understanding of qi had deepened in ways he hadn't even dreamed of. But more than that, he realized something far more troubling.

Juan Lei's influence wasn't just lingering.

It was growing.