Chương 1008: Chapter 1006: The Splintered Jade

The first morning lecture concluded as another senior speaker stepped down from the elevated stone platform. The teachings covered the intricate balance between breathing rhythms and projecting internal intent outward. The vast audience dispersed into the sprawling courtyards to enjoy the noon meal and digest the theories they had just absorbed. Li Yu walked among the diverse crowd while observing the stark contrasts in attire scattered throughout the gardens.

Rich silks and polished armor brushed shoulders with coarse linen and worn leather. The Li Clan had also distributed tickets across their outer territories to ensure the convention was not just a gathering of the elite lineages. These special entry tokens were awarded based on sword skill, through competitions or obtained by fate. The cultivators who won these entry tokens carried a hungry look in their eyes as they tried to memorize every detail of the opulent estate and engraved every word heard into their minds.

Li Yu found an empty seat at a long wooden table next to a young man wearing tattered grey robes. The young man carried an iron sword strapped to his back but his eyes were sharp and alert.

"This food is incredible." The young man said as he devoured a piece of roasted spirit fowl.

"I am called Suo."

'Nice to meet you Suo." Li Yu said back with a smile.

"Which fraction are you from?"

"I am not here by direct invitation. I managed to block three strikes from a Li Clan disciple during the selection tournament to earn my place here." Suo happily replied back with pride.

"That is an impressive feat," Li Yu replied while pouring them both a cup of warm tea.

"The disciples here are trained rigorously. I am Li Yu. How are you finding the convention so far?"

"It is overwhelming," Suo admitted as he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

"The elders speak of internal pathways and elegant intent. Out where I am from, we just swing hard and hope the beast dies before we do. But listening to them makes me realize how much depth I am missing in my own forms. When the elder spoke about syncing the breath with the movement of the blade, I realized I have been wasting half my energy on unnecessary tension." Lead Envoy Ren walked over and took a seat across from them while setting a large jug of wine on the table.

"Do not let their fancy words confuse you Suo. A sword is still a tool for killing. They just like to dress it up in poetry so they feel better about the blood." Li Yu smiled as he took a sip of his tea.

"Ren makes a fair point but the poetry helps structure the mind. If your mind is chaotic your blade will be slow. Finding a balance between the survival instinct and the refined technique is the real trick. Follow your own style that best suits you but learn from others."

"I will try to remember that," Suo nodded while looking at the surrounding orthodox factions with a mix of awe and apprehension.

"I just hope I can learn enough here to survive my next contract." Across the courtyard stood a grand pavilion reserved for the host lineage. Li Mei sat at the center of an ornate table carved from white jade. She radiated grace and aristocratic dignity while she poured tea for Elder Bai of the Ethereal Lotus Sect. Her brother Li Jian and her sister Li Hua stood respectfully a half step behind her chair to offer silent support.

"Your clan has outdone itself, Heir Mei," Elder Bai praised as he accepted the delicate teacup.

"The logistics required to host so many diverse paths in peace is staggering. The morning lecture on breathing rhythms was particularly insightful for our own lotus arts." Li Mei offered a warm and measured smile.

"We are honored by your presence, Elder Bai. The Ethereal Lotus Sect brings an unmatched elegance to the gathering. We believe that sharing our foundational theories will only strengthen the Myriad Realms as a whole. My brother Jian was just remarking on how your disciples incorporate shifting footwork to mask the movement of their blades." Li Jian bowed his head slightly to address the elder.

"It is true, Elder Bai. The way your students pivot on the heel before striking creates a beautiful misdirection. It makes predicting the angle of the cut highly difficult. I hope to exchange pointers with them during the evening forums."

"You are too kind," Elder Bai chuckled softly.

"We would welcome the exchange. True progress is forged through such open dialogue. I will instruct my senior disciples to seek you out tonight." Li Mei maintained her serene facade as she navigated the political intricacies of the conversation. She was the picture of the ideal future leader. She knew exactly when to speak and when to let the guest shine. Her diplomatic skills were unrivaled among her generation. However, her expression faltered just a fraction of an inch.

She glanced past Elder Bai and saw Li Yu sitting with the Freeblade Alliance and a group of ragged ticket winners. Several disciples from other orthodox sects had gathered around their table to listen to a story Ren was telling. Li Yu was laughing and sharing his own insights with the group as if he were an old friend to them all. A cold knot formed in her stomach. She viewed every action Li Yu took through a lens of suspicion.

She believed he was purposefully courting the rogue factions and the common cultivators to build a grassroots foundation of support against her. People that she could never think to win over, Li Yu was effortlessly befriending.

"Heir Mei?" Elder Bai asked while noticing her brief lapse in attention. Li Mei snapped her gaze back to the elder and forced her smile to widen.

"Forgive me, Elder Bai. I was just ensuring the enforcement elders were maintaining proper patrol routes near the southern gates. Please tell me more about your recent harvest of spirit lotuses. I hear the crop was exceptionally potent this cycle." The conversation resumed but the tension in her shoulders remained tight. Once the elder finally departed to attend the afternoon demonstrations, Li Mei let her polite smile drop into a severe frown.

"Hua," Li Mei snapped while turning to her sister.

"The tea you brewed for the elder was far too bitter. You left the leaves steeping for three breaths too long. Do you want our guests to think we lack basic refinement?" Li Hua flinched and lowered her eyes to the floor.

"I apologize sister. I will be more careful next time. I thought the temperature of the water would balance the steeping time."

"Do not think," Li Mei said coldly.

"Follow the established procedures. Jian, keep an eye on the southern tables. Note down every faction that interacts with Li Yu. I want to know exactly who he is trying to bribe with his false humility." This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Li Jian hesitated for a moment and looked at his older sister with concern.

"Sister, do you truly think he is plotting against you? He has not made a single political move since he returned to the estate and they have publicly declared he would not hold that title. If they go back on their word like that, not many would trust them. He also spends all his time with those loud mercenaries and those of little influence."

"That is exactly why it is a plot," Li Mei hissed under her breath.

"He plays the humble outsider to win sympathy. He collects the commoners and the brutes while pretending he does not care for the throne. It is a calculated deception and I will not let him steal my place by playing the role of the reluctant hero." The second day of the convention brought a technical demonstration in the afternoon. Senior experts took the stage to display intricate defense arrays and high speed evasion drills without exchanging actual blows.

The audience watched in respectful silence before breaking into lively discussions regarding the mechanics they had just witnessed. Li Yu then spent his afternoon exploring the outer gardens where the Elderwood Valley delegation had set up their resting area. He admired the sturdy nature of their wooden weapons and approached a towering cultivator named Thale.

"Your demonstrations were fascinating," Li Yu said as he offered a polite bow to the large man.

"The way you absorb impact is unique. I use a staff in combat and I struggle with the recoil when blocking heavy strikes from stronger opponents. How do you prevent the shockwave from shattering your wrists?" Thale looked down at Li Yu and offered a friendly booming laugh.

"It is all about the roots, young friend. You cannot treat your arms like rigid iron. Wood bends before it breaks and you need to do the same."

"What do you mean?" Li Yu asked while stepping closer to examine the hardened bark armor Thale wore over his chest.

"When the strike hits your staff, you must sink your Qi into your heels," Thale explained as he grabbed his own dense wooden club to demonstrate the stance.

"You open the meridians in your legs and let the force travel down your spine and out through your feet. If you try to stop the force in your chest or your arms, the bones will snap under the pressure. You must act as a conduit for the impact rather than a rigid wall. It is going through you without impact instead of at you." Li Yu nodded slowly as he absorbed the advice.

"That makes a lot of sense." A monk from the Golden Bell Monastery walked over and joined the conversation. He wore a simple golden robe and carried a small brass chime resting in his palm.

"The principle of redirection is universal. We achieve a similar result using sound."

"I am Li Yu," he introduced himself to the monk.

"May I ask your name?"

"I am Monk Jin," the man replied with a peaceful smile.

"When a heavy strike approaches, we strike our bells. The resulting sound wave creates a vibrating frequency in the air. The physical force of the enemy attack hits the vibrating air and disperses outward and around before it ever touches our bodies. It is the same concept as Thale grounding the force but we scatter it to the winds instead."

"That requires incredible timing and powerful Qi." Li Yu noted with admiration.

"If you strike the bell too late the attack will crush you."

"Indeed it does," Monk Jin agreed.

"It requires a still mind and a pure intent. Fear creates hesitation and hesitation brings death on the battlefield. You must trust the resonance of the bell just as you trust the strength of your own bones. Confidence breeds success and success breeds continued confidence in an infinite and powerful loop." Li Yu spent hours talking with Thale and Monk Jin. He shared his own thoughts on integrating multiple weapons using his Qi.

The men found his ideas highly unorthodox with the way Li Yu was doing it but fascinating. They admired that he had the mental capacity as well as the Qi to do that while continuing to fight. The three exchanged martial theories late into the afternoon and forged a camaraderie based on respect for their differing paths but with some shared similarities. The third day featured morning lectures on spiritual resonance and the subtle art of masking Qi signatures.

The crowds were dense and the ambient energy was thick with contemplation. Li Mei walked through the central plaza with her siblings trailing behind her. She had spent the morning securing a lucrative trade agreement with the White Jade Clan regarding their foundation pills. It was a masterful stroke of diplomacy that solidified her worth as the heir. She felt a surge of confident pride as she approached the main hall to attend the afternoon events.

Her good mood shattered the moment she heard a group of wandering cultivators whispering near a stone fountain.

"Did you see Li Yu during the evening forums last night?" One cultivator asked his companion while adjusting his sword belt.

"He possesses two of the Ten Great Swords of the Li Clan. I heard the Heavenly Sword Sect even named him their Holy Son. He must be a god with the sword and highly favored by the Patriarch to hold so much prestige."

"He is very approachable too," the second cultivator added.

"He answered my questions about internal Qi cycling without any arrogance. He acts more like a true leader than most of the other disciples of those powerful sects. They are usually maneuvering for power and politics." Li Mei stopped in her tracks and her hands clenched into tight fists inside her wide sleeves. Her breathing grew shallow as the whispers burrowed into her mind like venomous insects. She had worked her entire life to be the perfect heir.

She had studied diplomacy, mastered the orthodox sword arts and navigated the treacherous political waters of the clan since she was a child. Yet this boy who lived in the dirt and fought like a street thug was stealing the admiration of the masses just by existing. Of course, she had just heard one random conversation but it did not matter in her mind.

"Sister," Li Jian whispered cautiously as he noticed her rigid posture and pale face.

"Do not listen to them. They are just ignorant rogues who do not understand our clan politics or the burdens you carry." Li Mei turned her head and glared at her brother. The regal mask she wore for the public cracked to reveal the bitter anger simmering beneath the surface.

"They are spreading sedition," Li Mei said with a voice as sharp as glass.

"He is encouraging this. He sits with the mercenaries and the peasants to make himself look like a savior while painting us as out of touch elitists. He is actively turning the convention against me."

"I do not think he is doing it on purpose," Li Hua offered timidly from the back.

"He just seems to prefer their company over ours."

"You are naive, Hua," Li Mei snapped harshly.

"There are no accidents at this level of power. Everything is a calculated move. If he continues to gather influence like this, the elders might actually reconsider the succession. I will not be replaced by a feral child." She turned and marched toward her private pavilion. She refused to attend the afternoon demonstrations and opted to brood in silence instead, saying she had matters to attend to.

Her siblings followed her nervously and realized the convention was pushing their sister closer to a dangerous breaking point. The sun dipped below the mountain peaks to signal the end of the third day. The floating orbs illuminated the courtyards as the guests transitioned into the evening forums. The atmosphere remained vibrant and peaceful as cultivators from countless backgrounds shared their experiences under the night sky.

Li Yu sat on a stone bench near the outer gardens while sharing a quiet moment with Ren, Suo and Thale. They passed a jug of wine around and laughed at a joke the mercenary had just told about a stubborn earth beast. The convention had not provided the magical catalyst Li Yu needed to break past the ten thousandth step of any of his laws. His understanding remained firmly bottlenecked at the threshold despite the lectures. However, he did not feel disappointed by the lack of a sudden breakthrough.

The past three days have been an incredible experience. He had taken a much needed break from the grueling physical torture of his daily training and the mental strain of his soul resonance. His mind felt refreshed, clear and even stronger than before. Sometimes a break was what one needed to truly grow stronger or head in the right direction. He had spoken with monks, mercenaries, scholars and warriors from all over the cosmos.

He had built slow but meaningful friendships with people who respected him for his actions rather than his bloodline. He looked up at the stars twinkling above the Li Clan estate and smiled as he took another sip of wine. The week was only half over and he looked forward to whatever lessons the remaining days would bring.