Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Elder Kuang Shan had come to the Heavenly Sword Sect expecting to bully swordsmen and reclaim the pride his faction lost during their last encounter. He had brought a mountain of resources and an ancient relic to ensure his victory was absolute. Now he was leaving with nothing but defeat, forgetting that their team had won against everyone that was actually a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. His strongest were unconscious or suffering severe mental trauma. His personal treasury was sitting on the plateau waiting to be collected by his rivals. The ancient relic he wasn’t even supposed to bring out was reduced to useless scrap metal.

Kuang Shan glared down at Li Yu who was standing calmly amidst the brass debris. The elder wanted nothing more than to strike the boy down where he stood. This boy had ruined all of their carefully laid plans and training they had done for this event. They had trained specifically to counter the more well known cultivators from the sect and why they had been winning at the beginning. Kuang Shan wanted to swing his heavy axe and cleave away this stain upon their honor.

Unfortunately for him, he knew he could not lay a single finger on Li Yu. He did not have the face to do it after they had lost every single challenge but much more importantly he did not have the strength to survive the political fallout.

Li Yu was not just a talented junior. He carried the unyielding backing of the Heavenly Sword Sect who seem like they would defend their Holy Son. He carried the terrifying prestige of the Zhan Clan and the Worldkeeper who had proven his willingness to march into enemy territory countless of times.

Furthermore, Li Yu carried the blood of the Li Clan as well to top it all off. Even though the boy was exiled, everyone knew his father Li Canghai would never let an attack on his son go unpunished. Not only does he command his own army, he has enough influence within the clan that if his son were attacked, he would be able to easily rally people from within to take revenge.

The combined wrath of those three monstrous entities was far too great for the Sundered Peak Sect to handle. If Kuang Shan attacked Li Yu right now, his own sect master would likely execute him just to vent his frustration before joining him in death because that was all that awaited their sect if he truly laid his hands on Li Yu.

"Gather the injured," Kuang Shan ordered his remaining conscious disciples with a raspy and defeated voice. "We are leaving now."

The Sundered Peak disciples scrambled to obey. They carefully picked up Tuoba Leng and Tuoba Xiong and slung the unconscious prodigies over their shoulders. Gongsun Bao walked silently among them with his head hung low and he did not look back at Li Yu. His Dao heart was cracked and he needed time in isolation to process the terrifying ocean of killing intent he had just experienced.

Kuang Shan turned his back on the plateau and channeled his Qi to tear open a spatial rift. The jagged tear in reality hummed with chaotic energy as it connected back to their home mountain. The Axe elder did not offer a parting threat or a polite farewell. He simply stepped through the portal and his disciples followed close behind.

As the last disciple stepped through the spatial rift and the portal sealed shut behind them, a strange sensation washed over the retreating faction. They had suffered a nearly total and humiliating defeat but as they walked through the void, they surprisingly realized they did not feel entirely crushed.

The feeling did not stem from a sudden burst of hidden resilience. It stemmed from the simple realization that their opponent was an absolute freak of nature in more ways than one. They had not lost to a peer or a normal genius. They had lost to a monster wearing human skin where logic could not explain him.

There was no shame in losing to a natural disaster that would flatten anyone on its path. Losing to someone by just a bit or falling just a bit short felt bad and made one question themselves. Losing by such a massive gap rarely felt that bad as one was simply outclassed. In a strange and twisted way, they felt their pride remain mostly intact because they survived an encounter with an entity that defied their understanding.

Back in the canyon the Heavenly Sword Sect elders watched the spatial rift seal shut with bright smiles. They had successfully defended their home and gained a massive fortune in the process. It could be said that bragging rights were usually the biggest thing won when these two factions opposed one another. Several of the elders from both sects were somewhat friends with one another and would go drinking together now and again. Bragging rights allowed one to hold their head up high.

Li Yu walked over to the glowing mountain of wagers resting there and waiting to be taken. He looked at the large chunks of Dragon Vein Ore, the heavy blocks of Void Steel and the glowing stalks of ginseng. He casually waved his hand and the spatial ring on his finger flared to life.

He did not take the entire pile though. He carefully sorted the resources and pulled exactly one quarter of the fortune into his own storage ring. It was a generous amount of wealth but it left a massive pile sitting on the stone floor. Li Yu turned around and gestured toward the Sect Master.

"The rest of this belongs to the sect," Li Yu called out with a warm smile. "Consider it a small token of gratitude for your hospitality and for allowing me to study here by the campfire."

The canyon fell silent once more but this time it was out of surprise and gratitude. Sect Master Ling Wuji stroked his white beard and his eyes softened slightly. Not at the value being offered since while it was large, it wasn’t enough to move him in any way. It was from the gesture itself and how he presented himself. Ling Wuji flew down and landed gracefully next to the wagers. He looked at the precious materials and then looked at Li Yu.

"This is incredibly generous of you, Li Yu," Ling Wuji said with a sincere tone. "But you fought every duel when the wager was set and you took the final challenge yourself. You earned this wealth with your own hands. It is not right for the sect to take the lion's share of your victory."

"I am the Holy Son of this sect so this sect is like another home." Li Yu replied smoothly while pointing at the World Anchor Stele resting a few feet away. "I will also hand over the stele for the disciples to train with. The oppressive gravity is a great tool to refine their bodies and temper their sword intent. It will ensure they will be better prepared in the future."

Ling Wuji looked at the World Anchor Stele and nodded slowly. The treasure was immensely valuable for training and having it permanently stationed at the sect would elevate the physical strength of every sword disciple.

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"We will accept the stele and place it in the training grounds," Ling Wuji agreed with a firm nod. "But I insist you take another portion of the resources. We will split the ore, steel and medicine evenly. You take half and the sect takes half. That is my final offer and I will not allow our Holy Son to be shortchanged."

Li Yu saw the stubborn determination in the Sect Master's eyes and chuckled softly. "Very well. A fifty percent split is more than fair. I appreciate your guidance, Sect Master."

Li Yu waved his hand again and pulled another twenty five percent of the resources into his spatial ring leaving exactly half of the original pile for Ling Wuji to collect. Both sides were incredibly happy with the arrangement. Li Yu secured some high tier crafting materials for any additional weapons he was going to get crafted and the sect gained a powerful training relic.

The tension that had gripped the canyon throughout the duels completely evaporated. The memorial ceremony resumed but the atmosphere underwent a drastic and vibrant shift. The quiet solemnity of honoring the ancestors was replaced by a fiercer and burning determination.

The junior disciples felt their blood boiling with inspiration from watching the matches and also what happened at the end. They had witnessed their Holy Son stand against a veteran elder and shatter an ancient relic with the weight of his comprehension. They saw the World Anchor Stele sitting on the plateau as a physical reminder of their victory. The canyon felt truly alive and every swordsman and swordwoman was eager to return to their secluded peaks to cultivate and swing their swords until their hands bled. They wanted to become strong enough to stand beside Li Yu in the future.

Up on the high pavilion the Heavenly Sword Sect leadership gathered to discuss the events that had just transpired. Elder Huo Zheng was grinning from ear to ear while pacing back and forth.

"We need to spread the news of this immediately," Huo Zheng declared while pounding his fist into his open palm. "We need to send missives to every major hub across the Myriad Realms. We will tell them how Kuang Shan tried to bully our juniors and ended up running away with his tail between his legs. We will embarrass the Sundered Peak Sect so thoroughly they won't dare show their faces in public for a century!"

Several other elders nodded in eager agreement as only a well known fact would allow them bragging rights. The factional rivalry demanded they capitalize on this crushing victory and expand the fame of their sect.

Sect Master Ling Wuji remained silent for a long time while looking down at Li Yu who was currently chatting with Lin Xue and Zhou Ming near the campfire. He remembered the terrifying ocean of killing intent that had swallowed the valley and the blinding radiant light that followed.

"No," Ling Wuji said softly but his voice carried unquestionable authority. "We will not spread this news."

Huo Zheng stopped pacing and looked at the Sect Master in confusion. "Why not? This is the perfect opportunity to strike a blow against their reputation."

"Because our relationship with the Sundered Peak Sect is not truly that hostile," Ling Wuji explained while keeping his eyes on Li Yu. "They are annoying rivals but they are not our mortal enemies. We have embarrassed them in the past and they have embarrassed us. That is the nature of our dynamic. Spreading this particular event far and wide would cross a line and breed genuine hatred rather than competitive rivalry."

The Sect Master paused and lowered his voice. "More importantly, I am unsure of what exactly we witnessed today. The intent pouring from our Holy Son was terrifying and profound. Spreading news of a young man possessing the ability to shatter ancient testing relics will draw unwanted attention towards our Holy Son. We must protect Li Yu by limiting what the wider world knows about his true depth. We will let matters end here and keep the details of this day confined to our own ranks. I am sure they would also not want the events of today to spread but I will send word to them about this as well."

The elders fell silent as they realized the wisdom in his words. Protecting the foundation of their Holy Son was far more important than scoring cheap political points against a rival sect. They agreed to keep the explosive details of the Dao Weighing Crucible a tightly guarded secret.

Down on the plateau, Li Yu found a quiet moment to himself as the junior disciples went back to the sword graves and cultivated. He excused himself and found a secluded spot near the edge of the canyon. He sat down in a meditative posture and closed his eyes. He needed to check on his soul space after the volatile shifts that had occurred during the test.

Li Yu sank his consciousness inward and found his soul space surprisingly calm. The cloudy fog that had bothered him for days was completely gone and he had access. The environment was clear and stable.

He looked toward the central islands and saw his Human Soul sitting peacefully under the shade of a large spiritual tree. Elysia was sitting next to him and the two were enjoying the quiet serenity of their private sanctuary. The Human Soul looked perfectly normal and just as it always did. The blinding radiant light and the suffocating dark energy were nowhere to be seen.

He shifted his gaze across the ethereal waters and found the Fisherman Soul sitting alone on his island. The figure was holding his fishing rod and staring out over the currents of the Ocean of Qi. He was not smiling eagerly and he was not radiating violent urges. He looked just as he always did before the strange fog arrived.

It was as if the intense emotional clash and the realization of duality had never happened at all. The only proof that the event actually occurred was hovering directly above his vast Ocean of Qi.

A slowly spinning vortex of energy had formed above the waves. The vortex was a perfect mixture of brilliant radiant light and dark shadowy energy. The two forces spiraled around each other in an endless and harmonious dance representing the Yin and Yang balance that was achieved during the test.

Li Yu tried to communicate with his souls. He sent a mental inquiry toward the Human Soul and asked about the sudden shift in energy. The Human Soul did not answer him. He simply smiled gently and continued to sit with Elysia and enjoy his time with her.

Li Yu sent a thought toward the Fisherman Soul and asked about what had happened. The figure did not turn his head or offer a reply. He kept his eyes locked on the flowing river and ignored the question entirely.

Li Yu realized he was not going to get any direct answers from them as usual. They were a part of him but they operated on a conceptual level he was still trying to fully grasp. He smiled at both of his souls and accepted their silence.

'Live well,' Li Yu told them both through his divine sense before pulling his consciousness away from the islands. He understood he would not learn anything more from them unless they actively wanted to show him.

As Li Yu's primary consciousness retreated back to the physical world, he missed a small detail occurring near the edge of the island.

Grandma Xyphyra, the ancient sinner and the bound maid of the Fisherman was standing near the rocky shoreline. Her hunched and withered form was completely still. She was not sweeping the dirt or complaining about her captivity.

Her hollow eyes were locked onto the sky above the Ocean of Qi. She was staring directly at the spinning vortex of radiant light and dark shadow. She watched the flawless harmony of the two opposing forces and her ancient mind struggled to process what she was seeing within this soul space.

She had lived for countless millennia and had witnessed the rise and fall of entire realms. She possessed an unparalleled understanding of the soul and ethereal arts but the sight of that perfectly balanced vortex defied what she knew to be true.

"This is impossible," Xyphyra whispered into the quiet void of the soul space.