C46 - The Weight of a Sword

The sixth morning arrived beneath a gray sky.

Clouds gathered over Azure Cloud Mountain, hiding the highest peaks behind a veil of mist. The air felt colder than usual, and a faint smell of rain lingered in the wind.

Two days ago, the outer disciples had been restless.

Yesterday, they had been busy.

Today, the mood was different.

The trial was close enough to feel real.

Conversations had become shorter.

Training sessions had become more intense.

Even the most confident disciples seemed to have lost some of their earlier excitement.

Everyone understood that tomorrow would be their final full day of preparation.

After that, there would be nowhere left to hide behind excuses.

Ye Chen arrived at the outer training grounds shortly after sunrise.

Several disciples were already practicing.

The familiar sounds of weapons striking targets filled the air.

He had barely entered when a voice called from behind.

"Ye Chen."

He turned.

Lin Xu stood near one of the practice platforms.

A wooden sword rested in his hand.

"Do you have time for a spar?"

Ye Chen looked at the cloudy sky.

Then at Lin Xu.

"Of course."

They stepped onto the platform.

No crowd gathered around them.

Neither announced the spar.

Neither made a wager.

There was no pride involved.

Only practice.

They bowed.

Lin Xu raised his wooden sword.

Ye Chen did the same.

For several breaths, neither moved.

Then Lin Xu stepped forward.

His first strike was simple.

Ye Chen blocked.

The wooden swords collided with a sharp crack.

Lin Xu attacked again.

A horizontal slash.

A thrust.

A downward strike.

Ye Chen defended each one.

Neither used spiritual techniques.

Neither attempted to overwhelm the other.

They were testing fundamentals.

After several exchanges, Lin Xu suddenly changed his rhythm.

His next attack came half a beat faster.

Ye Chen adjusted.

Their swords collided again.

Lin Xu retreated.

"You're different from six days ago."

Ye Chen lowered his sword slightly.

"How?"

"You're not trying to win."

Ye Chen thought about that.

"Neither are you."

Lin Xu smiled.

"Exactly."

They resumed.

This time, Ye Chen attacked.

His sword moved steadily.

Lin Xu blocked.

Ye Chen changed his footing.

Lin Xu responded.

Neither gained an advantage.

After dozens of exchanges, both stepped backward.

The platform fell silent.

Lin Xu breathed out slowly.

"The trial won't be like this."

"No."

"There won't be anyone stopping us if someone decides to fight seriously."

Ye Chen nodded.

"That's why this matters."

Lin Xu looked at him.

Ye Chen continued.

"If we only practice defeating people, we won't learn what happens when defeating someone isn't the right choice."

Lin Xu's expression became thoughtful.

Before he could respond, shouting erupted from the neighboring training ground.

Both turned.

A younger disciple had fallen hard onto the stone floor.

His opponent stood over him, wooden sword raised.

"Get up."

The younger disciple struggled.

"I... can't."

The older disciple sneered.

"If you can't even endure this, don't enter the trial."

He raised his sword again.

Ye Chen stepped down from the platform.

"Enough."

The older disciple turned.

"This is a spar."

"I know."

"Then stay out of it."

Ye Chen looked at the younger disciple.

His breathing was uneven.

One hand clutched his ribs.

He wasn't seriously injured, but another strike could make the injury worse.

"He's done."

The older disciple scoffed.

"You think the forest will stop attacking because you're tired?"

"No."

Ye Chen's voice remained calm.

"But this is training."

He looked directly at the older disciple.

"If you continue after your opponent can no longer defend himself, you're not practicing combat."

"You're practicing cruelty."

Several nearby disciples fell silent.

The older disciple's expression darkened.

For a moment, it seemed he might challenge Ye Chen.

Instead, he lowered his sword.

"Whatever."

He turned away.

Ye Chen helped the injured disciple sit upright.

"Can you walk?"

The younger disciple nodded.

"Thank you."

Ye Chen gave him a simple instruction.

"Rest for today."

The disciple bowed repeatedly before leaving.

Lin Xu had watched everything from the platform.

When Ye Chen returned, he spoke quietly.

"You knew that would happen."

"Not exactly."

"But you noticed."

Ye Chen nodded.

"The boy stopped defending himself."

Lin Xu smiled faintly.

"That's what Elder Mo meant."

Ye Chen looked at him.

"Perhaps."

They continued sparring.

But something had changed.

Their movements became more deliberate.

They practiced retreating.

Changing direction.

Breaking distance.

Defending without counterattacking.

They even practiced surrendering advantageous positions to escape dangerous terrain.

The session lasted until noon.

By then, both were exhausted.

They sat beneath the training hall's roof while light rain began falling outside.

Lin Xu watched the rain.

"Do you think we'll all return?"

Ye Chen didn't answer immediately.

"I don't know."

Lin Xu nodded.

"Neither do I."

Rain struck the stone courtyard in a steady rhythm.

After a while, Lin Xu spoke again.

"That's what scares me."

Ye Chen looked at him.

"I'm not afraid of losing."

Lin Xu's voice was quiet.

"I'm afraid of watching someone disappear and knowing I could have helped."

Ye Chen remained silent.

He understood.

Strength had never been only about surviving alone.

At least, that was what he was beginning to believe.

Later that afternoon, Ye Chen returned to his room.

He cleaned his practice sword and placed it beside his travel equipment.

Then he added one more thing to his bag.

A spare strip of clean cloth.

Not for himself.

For whoever might need it.

He didn't know whether he would use it.

Perhaps he never would.

But carrying it cost almost nothing.

And if the opportunity came to help someone, he wanted to be prepared.

Outside, the rain continued falling.

The sixth day was ending.

Tomorrow would be the final day before the trial.

Ye Chen looked toward the dark mountains beyond his window.

The Emerald Spirit Forest waited somewhere beyond them.

He had spent the week preparing his body.

His equipment.

His knowledge.

His mind.

Now he understood that the hardest preparation was not learning how to defeat an enemy.

It was deciding what kind of person he would remain when survival demanded a choice.

Ye Chen closed the window.

Tomorrow would be different.

For tonight, there was nothing more to prepare.