Chun Shu, often referred to as the [Bamboo of Spring], was a symbol of potential and discord within the [Chun] clan. Born in a remote village, far from the world of cultivation, her life took a dramatic turn when her estranged father, Chun Lang, suddenly appeared, claiming her as his daughter. With his death shortly after during a clan power struggle, Chun Shu was left to navigate a path she hadn’t chosen.
The Chun clan, a small-sized and struggling subsidiary of [Yuxuan City], had ambitions of elevating itself from vassalage to full allyship with one of the city's main clans and families. To achieve this, the clan needed a young cultivator to pass the entrance exam of the [Yuxuan Martial Academy], an institution that served as both a proving ground and a gateway to the city’s elite ranks.
The academy’s exam was divided into two tiers: one for inner disciples, requiring only the Sage realm, and another for the elite disciples, open only to those who had reached the Warrior Lord realm. Success in the elite exam not only guaranteed entry but also granted the right to study directly under the city’s top cultivators.
For the Chun clan, producing an elite disciple would secure their position among the city’s true personages, allowing then to both expand and obtain some position in the city itself.
Chun Shu, despite her raw talent and rapid rise to the Sage realm, found herself caught in this high-stakes struggle. While others in the clan viewed the inner disciple exam as sufficient, the [Spring Elder], the clan’s head and her staunchest supporter, had placed all his hopes on her reaching the Warrior Lord level in time to attempt the elite disciple trial.
Yet, Chun Shu’s path was fraught with challenges. Her background as the daughter of a mortal woman and her late arrival at the Chun estate left her at a disadvantage. Though she possessed immense potential, her skills lagged behind her peers due to her lack of formal training and limited combat experience. Her natural naivety often left her unprepared for the ruthless world of cultivation, where every advantage was exploited. Rivals like Chun Yue, a shrewd and calculating cousin, and Chun Hong, an ambitious and aggressive peer, eagerly awaited her failure, seeing her as an obstacle to their own aspirations.
The academy entrance exam was only days away, set to begin during the Dark Days, an annual phenomenon when the skies of [Sky Tear Plane] plunged into unbroken darkness for nearly a week during the last days of winter. The cataclysmic event, shrouded in mystery, was said to mark the zenith of spiritual energy in the region, making it the perfect backdrop for both festivals and trials. For Chun Shu, the timing only heightened the pressure. She had yet to break through to the Warrior Lord Realm, and without that advancement, her chances of competing in the elite disciple exam—and surpassing her rivals—were all but impossible.
As the clan buzzed with preparations, whispers of doubt surrounded her. Many questioned whether she had the strength to compete at all, while others accused the elder of favoritism for backing her so fully. Chun Yue spread quiet rumors of Chun Shu’s unworthiness, while Chun Hong made no secret of his desire to see her falter. Even the elder’s support, unwavering as it was, seemed like a fragile shield against the growing tide of opposition.
Chun Shu herself felt the weight of expectations crushing down on her. Every moment spent in meditation or practice seemed insufficient, her movements awkward compared to her peers. Her rise to the Sage realm, once heralded as miraculous, now felt like a distant memory as the threshold to the Warrior Lord level loomed like an unscalable wall.
Still, Chun Shu’s spirit remained unbroken. As the Dark Days approached, she resolved to give everything she had, knowing that failure would not only make her fail the Elder that has been helping her so much, but also destroy her true wish of getting away from the ambitions and undercurrents of the [Clan].
She might not yet have the skills of her rivals or the experience of her peers, but Chun Shu carried within her a quiet resilience—a determination to rise above the shadows, no matter the cost.
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The deep forest covering the entire region, a sprawling wilderness of towering trees and dense undergrowth, was a place of both danger and opportunity. Rumors spoke of rare but numerous [Qi Springs], natural wells of condensed energy that could accelerate cultivation hidden among the trees. For Chun Shu, it was her last hope.
Her cultivation method, the [Advance of Spring Wind], demanded mastery of balance and control. While elegant in its design, its true potential could only be unlocked through rigorous training and deep comprehension—neither of which Chun Shu had truly achieved. Her rapid rise through the ranks had left her foundation imperfect, and her naivety had only compounded her struggles. She was painfully aware of her rivals’ mockery, their whispers of her being undeserving of her position as one of the Chun clan’s heirs.
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The [Spring Elder], her most steadfast supporter, had offered her pills and resources to aid her breakthrough, but even his generosity could only carry her so far. The path to the Warrior Lord realm required something more—a sudden surge of opportunity.
Desperation had led her to a whisper of a rumor: within the forest in between the clan's manor and the [Yuxuan City], a Qi Spring was sensed. On the eve before the Dark Days, when the sun would not shine and hid for nearly a week, the spring’s energy was said to surge to incredible levels, enough to push even a struggling cultivator past its bottleneck.
She hadn’t told anyone of her plan. Time was short, and the annual darkness was only days away. If she succeeded, she could make her breakthrough just in time to take the academy’s entrance exam.
***
The forest grew darker the deeper she ventured. The dense canopy above blocked most of the light, leaving her to navigate by the faint glimmers of moonlight filtering through the leaves. The air was heavy with spiritual energy, enough to make her breathing shallow. It was intoxicating, yet dangerous—a subtle reminder of the forest’s reputation for swallowing the unprepared.
Chun Shu pressed on, guided by instinct and scraps of the rumor she had pieced together. The Qi Spring was said to be marked by a natural stone basin, surrounded by trees with leaves that shimmered faintly in the dark.
Hours passed before she found it. The clearing was smaller than she had imagined, but there it was: a shallow basin of crystalline water, glowing faintly with a soft, golden light. The air here was thick with Qi, the sheer density of it making her skin tingle.
She stepped forward, her heart racing with anticipation. The energy emanating from the spring was undeniable, its purity enough to push her toward the breakthrough she so desperately needed.
But as she knelt at the edge of the basin, dipping her hands into the cool water, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
The forest, once alive with distant sounds, had gone silent. The faint rustle of leaves and the occasional cry of beasts were replaced by an oppressive stillness. She froze, her instincts screaming at her to retreat.
Before she could move, figures emerged from the shadows, stepping into the clearing. Chun Shu’s breath hitched as she recognized them—disciples of rival clans, their expressions a mix of amusement and disdain.
Leading them was Chun Hong, his smirk twisted with satisfaction. “Did you really think you’d find a shortcut to surpass us, cousin?” he sneered, his voice dripping with ridicule. “Your little quest ends here.”
Chun Shu rose slowly, her hand gripping the hilt of her blade. Her mind raced as she counted the enemies before her. There were too many—far more than she could handle on her own. Heavens, she couldn't see herself even winning against Chun Shu alone, even if her cultivation surpassed the latter by an entire level!
“Leave,” she said evenly, masking the tremor in her voice. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Chun Hong laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. “Oh, it concerns us more than you know. A little bird told us where you’d be. It seems even the Elder’s favorite isn’t above being outplayed.”
The clearing grew colder, the tension thick enough to choke. Chun Shu’s fingers tightened on her blade, but she knew she couldn’t win.
Then, everything changed.
A faint movement at the edge of the clearing drew everyone’s attention. From the dense shadows beneath the trees, a figure emerged, slow and deliberate. Chun Shu’s breath caught as the intruder came into view.
He was wrapped in a tattered, black hooded cloak that obscured his face, save for the lower edge of his jaw, pale and gaunt. His thin figure, draped in filthy rags, seemed almost skeletal. Yet it wasn’t his appearance that unnerved her—it was the absence of his presence.
He released no Qi, no aura, no trace of cultivation. Yet the clearing seemed to warp around him, the air growing colder with every step he took. Even the faint glow of the Qi Spring seemed to dim in his presence.
The disciples shifted uneasily, their bravado faltering under the weight of the figure’s silent menace. Chun Hong, who had been so confident moments ago, took an involuntary step back.
“Who—” Chun Hong’s voice cracked, and he swallowed hard before trying again. “Who are you?”
The figure did not answer. He stopped at the edge of the spring, his hood tilting slightly as though surveying the scene. Chun Shu felt a shiver run down her spine.
Then, in a voice as dry as dead leaves, the figure spoke, his words low and unhurried.
“Leave.”
It wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t even a command. Yet the single word carried a weight that sent chills through everyone present.
For a moment, no one moved. Then Chun Hong, sensing no actual qi coming from the newcomer, turned sharply to his companions, “Gather yourselves, don't forget what we came to do here and what we will gain!"
***
Chun Shu stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest. The figure remained silent, unmoving, his presence an enigma that defied explanation.
She didn’t dare speak.
Unbeknownst to her, this meeting was the first ripple in a chain of events that would forever alter her path—and perhaps the fate of the Chun clan itself.