The Silent Path of the Swordsman

Chapter 6 - Return

Luo Yi let out a sigh. “So it was you, Master. I thought it was someone else,” he said, looking at Hua Lianyi as she emerged from the entrance to the spiral staircase.

“I was merely testing your composure,” Hua Lianyi said calmly. “Remain calm no matter the circumstances, Yi'er.”

“I truly didn't expect Master to test my composure again.” Luo Yi looked down at the flute in his hand. “I have a feeling Master did something to this flute.”

Hua Lianyi smiled faintly. “You noticed.”

“I feel that Master has countless ways to test my composure.” Luo Yi rose to his feet, his eyes still fixed on the master standing before him. “From now on, I'll do my best to remain calm at all times. Whatever surprise Master prepares to test me, I'll face it with complete composure!”

Three years passed. Under Hua Lianyi's guidance, Luo Yi had become an entirely different person. The nervousness and impulsive anger of his youth had vanished. His gaze was now deep and tranquil, his steps steady, and every word he spoke carried a quiet confidence that put others at ease. Lianhua Forest had become more than just a place of training—it was where he had been reborn.

That afternoon, after meditating alone atop the Blue Lotus, Luo Yi immediately went to see his master at the Peach Blossom Pavilion.

In the span of a single breath, he arrived before Hua Lianyi, who was sitting beneath a peach blossom tree, leaning against its trunk while playing her flute.

There was no way Luo Yi could have traveled from the Lotus Lake to the Peach Blossom Pavilion in the time of a single breath unless he had used the Teleportation Technique.

Hua Lianyi stopped playing and lifted her gaze. Standing before her was the disciple she had guided for the past three years. In silence, she studied Luo Yi.

'You've changed so much,' she thought.

The young man now stood tall, dressed in a blue-green robe that fluttered gently in the breeze. His physique had grown stronger, his features more mature, and his eyes... calm, profound, yet unwaveringly resolute. The restlessness of adolescence had disappeared completely. Every movement he made reflected awareness and perfect self-control.

'Your eyes have changed, Yi'er,' Hua Lianyi murmured inwardly, the corners of her lips curving into a faint, proud smile. 'You're no longer the boy who came to this forest with vengeance burning in his eyes.'

Hua Lianyi looked at Luo Yi, who now stood before her, and calmly asked, “What brings you here, Yi'er?”

Luo Yi lowered his head respectfully. “Master, I've come to say goodbye,” he answered calmly. He no longer spoke with the formal manner he once had. Over the past three years, the bond between him and Hua Lianyi had grown so deep that she had become like a second mother to him.

Hua Lianyi fell silent for a moment, gazing into the young man's eyes. The eyes that had once been filled with turmoil were now as clear and tranquil as a lake at dawn.

“I've mastered the Nature Breathing Technique and every technique you've taught me. I feel... it's time for me to return.”

A gentle breeze drifted through the air, carrying peach blossom petals as they fell around them. Hua Lianyi smiled faintly, though a trace of emotion flickered in her eyes.

Hua Lianyi rose gracefully and walked toward Luo Yi. When she stood before him, she held out her cherished silver flute. “Take this, Yi'er. It's the only keepsake I can give you,” she said softly.

Luo Yi was deeply moved, yet his expression remained calm, for he was no longer easily swayed by emotion. Had it not been for the extraordinary composure he had cultivated, tears would surely have fallen from his eyes. “Thank you, Master,” he replied serenely. “But to me, this flute isn't the only keepsake. Everything you've taught me will remain the most precious memory I'll ever carry.”

“Before you leave, there's something I want you to remember.” Hua Lianyi looked into Luo Yi's eyes calmly. “Use your strength to protect the weak and defend yourself against those who seek to harm you. Never wield your power out of revenge or arrogance.”

“Yes, Master,” Luo Yi replied calmly. He cupped his fists before his chest and bowed slightly. “Then... I'll take my leave.”

“Go, and take good care of yourself,” Hua Lianyi said calmly.

Luo Yi closed his eyes for a brief moment before activating the Teleportation Technique. In an instant, his body faded like mist carried away by the wind, leaving behind faint specks of light that slowly disappeared into the air.

Hua Lianyi stood motionless, gazing at the place where her disciple had stood only moments before. The wind stirred gently, fluttering the hem of her robe and the fallen peach blossom petals around her. No words were spoken—only a silent gaze filled with meaning.

“Farewell, Yi'er,” she murmured calmly. “May you find your own path.”

Lianhua Forest lay southeast of Ningzou Capital. However, instead of teleporting directly home, Luo Yi used the Teleportation Technique to arrive at Mount Cangwu, located northeast of Ningzou Capital. He did this so that anyone who saw him would assume he had come from the mountain rather than from Lianhua Forest.

After all, Hua Lianyi had instructed him to keep the existence of the forest a secret from everyone. Besides, he had no desire to attract attention by appearing to be a Legendary Realm Cultivator simply because he could perform the Teleportation Technique through the power of nature.

Standing atop Mount Cangwu, Luo Yi found the summit completely deserted. There were neither people nor beasts in sight. The only sound breaking the silence was the powerful roar of the mountain wind. Although the air was cold, he did not shiver in the slightest. He remained perfectly calm, as though the chill had no effect on him at all.

Satisfied that no one had witnessed his arrival, he descended the mountain using the Wind Step Technique, moving as swiftly as the wind itself.

Within only a few breaths, he reached the foot of Mount Cangwu. From there, Ningzou Capital was already within sight, no more than about four li away.

From there, he decided to continue toward Ningzou Capital at a leisurely pace. Although he possessed both the Teleportation Technique and the Wind Step Technique, he had no wish to draw unnecessary attention. Still, there was one thing he could no longer hide—his physique. Thanks to years of relentless training and the rare resources found only within Lianhua Forest, he had grown noticeably taller and far more muscular.

After strolling for the time it took a stick of incense to burn, Luo Yi finally arrived at the Qiao Clan, which occupied the eastern district of Ningzou Capital.

Indeed, Ningzou Capital was divided among four great clans: the Qiao Clan in the east, the Yu Clan in the west, the Su Clan in the north, the Luo Clan in the southeast, while the city's center served as the capital's central district.

As Luo Yi entered the Qiao Clan's territory, he suddenly heard someone calling his name from another direction.

“Luo Yi... is that really you?”