Chapter 25: Sharpening The Heart

Since that night of bone-chilling “guidance,” Qing Wan seemed like a different person.

No longer did she hide in her remote room, wallowing in self-pity, nor did she wander aimlessly around Jinghong Peak.

She poured every moment into cultivation—a cultivation that burned with the intensity of life itself.

The Silent Heart Sword Art, imprinted in her sea of consciousness by Shu Yue, was profoundly intricate. Its core wasn’t the accumulation of spiritual energy but the tempering of the sword heart and the forging of sword intent through extreme emotions.

It was as if the technique was tailored for her—or for her current state of despair.

She avoided places rich in spiritual energy, instead seeking out a barren ravine behind Jinghong Peak, where spiritual energy was thin and biting yin winds howled.

The harsh environment was perfect for cultivating the first stage of Silent Heart Sword Art: “Honing the Heart.”

Each day, she repeated the most basic sword forms, no longer venting chaotically but channeling all her pain into every swing.

When spiritual energy ran dry, she pushed her physical strength.

When her body gave out, she relied on sheer will.

The yin winds cut her skin like knives, and she used them to sharpen her senses.

Hunger and thirst were met with dew and wild berries.

Her mind replayed Shu Yue’s cold gaze, her merciless words, and that crushing sword pressure.

Each time she collapsed from exhaustion, each time her wounds reopened, each time she shivered in the cold winds, she gritted her teeth, stood up, and gripped her increasingly familiar iron sword.

The embryonic sword intent, born from her despair, didn’t fade under this grueling regimen. Like stubborn iron forged a hundred times, it shed impurities, growing more solid, sharp, and cold.

No longer just a product of emotion, it began to fuse slowly with her will.

Her cultivation remained at mid-Qi Refining, progressing slowly.

But her gaze grew sharper, calmer, tinged with an icy edge akin to Shu Yue’s—yet beneath it burned a fierce flame.

Shu Yue’s divine sense occasionally swept the ravine silently.

She “saw” the struggling, battered figure—falling, rising, wounded yet resolute—and the complex emotions in her heart intensified.

‘The progress in Silent Heart Sword Art is faster than I expected… At this rate, perhaps…’

She saw Qing Wan’s transformation, her increasingly refined sword intent, and the near-obsessive madness beneath it.

She didn’t know if her drastic intervention had saved her or pushed her toward a more dangerous abyss.

For now, she could only watch.

And quietly, she left better healing salves, spirit stones, and demon beast meat suitable for refining a Qi Refining cultivator’s body along Qing Wan’s path back.

Each time Qing Wan found these resources, she paused silently, then took them without hesitation, using them to fuel her relentless training.

She felt neither gratitude nor resentment, as if it were a transactional necessity.

She used the resources to mend her body, then plunged back into her torturous cultivation.

A strange, cold understanding formed between them.

Meanwhile, Jinghong Peak’s other side painted a different picture.

Shu Yue and Wan Qing’s “friendship” seemed cemented.

Wan Qing visited more frequently, their discussions over tea and sword practice becoming routine.

Though Shu Yue remained reserved, her icy facade thawed slightly with Wan Qing.

Wan Qing’s gentle, considerate, and insightful nature was a rare “safe zone” amid Shu Yue’s turmoil.

Chu Yi approved, occasionally joining their discussions, growing fond of Wan Qing.

Liu Qingxu, consumed by jealousy, could only spy, waiting for an opportunity.

One day, Wan Qing and Shu Yue played chess in the Bamboo-Listening Pavilion.

Wan Qing’s style was gentle and meticulous, while Shu Yue’s was sharp and unorthodox.

Shu Yue narrowly won.

Wan Qing smiled behind her hand. “Elder’s chess is masterful; I’m no match. But your aggressive moves leave a lingering vulnerability, as if something unresolved weighs on you.”

Her words were soft, seemingly about the game, but her eyes held concern.

Shu Yue’s fingers paused on a chess piece.

‘She noticed?’

Though she enjoyed Wan Qing’s company, the desperate figure in the ravine pricked her heart, preventing true peace.

Especially after her late Golden Core breakthrough, this restlessness had worsened.

She replied faintly, “Cultivation has its obstacles.”

Wan Qing, tactful, didn’t press, instead shifting topics. “I hear the sect’s decennial ‘Sky Ravine Trial’ is approaching?

Rumor has it the trial’s ‘Wind Eye Secret Realm’ shows signs of anomaly, possibly revealing rare opportunities.

With Junior Brother Chu Yi’s talent, he must be eager, no?”

Sky Ravine Trial?

Wind Eye Secret Realm?

Shu Yue’s heart stirred.

‘Right, that’s it!’

‘The trial restricts bone age and cultivation, barring those above Golden Core. It’s the perfect chance for Qi Refining and Foundation Building disciples to seize opportunities and make a name!’

A plan formed swiftly.

Perhaps she could send Qing Wan to the trial.

The secret realm was perilous but rich with opportunities—an ideal path to rapid growth!

More importantly, it would remove Qing Wan from Jinghong Peak, from her sight, letting time and distance cool those misplaced emotions and giving Shu Yue time to untangle her own mess.

As for danger… what part of cultivation wasn’t dangerous?

Better to let her fight in a broader world than destroy herself on Jinghong Peak!

“Mm, Chu Yi should indeed temper himself,” Shu Yue said, her face impassive, following Wan Qing’s lead.

Wan Qing smiled. “With Junior Brother Chu’s ability, he’ll surely shine. Perhaps he’ll bring us a surprise.”

Her words hinted at something, but Shu Yue’s mind was elsewhere.

After sunset, she summoned Chu Yi.

“The Sky Ravine Trial approaches—a chance to hone yourself. Prepare well,” she said sternly.

“The secret realm holds both danger and opportunity. Don’t be reckless; prioritize tempering your heart.”

Chu Yi replied enthusiastically, “I won’t disappoint you, Master!”

Shu Yue looked at his eager face, pausing before adding casually, her tone flat, “Also, inform Su Qing Wan. She’ll go too.”

Chu Yi froze, thinking he’d misheard. “…Master? You mean… Junior Sister Qing Wan?

But she’s only mid-Qi Refining…” The trial had no lower cultivation limit, but mid-Qi Refining was tantamount to suicide!

“Mid-Qi Refining can still be tempered,” Shu Yue said coldly, devoid of emotion. “Whether she survives depends on her fate. Jinghong Peak doesn’t nurture the useless.”

Chu Yi’s heart shook. For the first time, his Master’s expressionless face sent a chill through him.

He opened his mouth to plead for Qing Wan, but her fathomless eyes silenced him.

Finally, he lowered his head, voice strained. “…Yes, I obey.”

When he brought the news to the ravine, to the cold-eyed girl who’d just finished her day’s grueling training, Qing Wan slowly wiped the dust from her sword.

She looked toward Jinghong Hall, her gaze eerily calm.

“Fine.”

“I’ll go.”

Her response was as brief and resolute as when she accepted the Silent Heart Sword Art.

As if she’d been waiting for this chance.

A chance to… perhaps grow stronger and return.

From the hall, Shu Yue’s divine sense “saw” Qing Wan calmly accep

t the task. The thorn in her heart twisted, bringing a deeper pang of bitterness.