The desolate hill, which had witnessed the silent parting, was quickly left behind. Elder Ve's receding figure blended into the night of the City of Chaos, carrying with him the unfinished chess games. As for Tran Kien, without a moment of hesitation, he turned and headed north, embarking on an entirely new journey.
This was not a flight of escape, nor was it a pursuit. This was an inward journey.
He walked neither fast nor slow, every step steady and resolute. He skirted the edges of the Endless Mountain Range, venturing deeper into pristine lands where human footprints had scarcely ever tread. He no longer concealed his identity, nor did he need to wear a disguise. Amidst the wild nature, he was simply himself, a descendant of Lac Viet on the path to rediscovering his true self.
The journey lasted for two whole months.
During these two months, he fought no enemies. His only enemy was himself.
Every day, he adhered to a grueling cultivation schedule. In the early morning, while all creations were still deep in slumber, he would find a high mountain peak, sit cross-legged, and face the slowly rising sun. He circulated the "Heavenly Cycle Qi Guiding" mnemonic, not just to absorb the Qi of the Sun Star, but also to perceive its bright, upright "momentum," its grand "Guardian" intent. The Primordial Chaos Qi within his body became increasingly pure, and his golden Dao Foundation seed gradually grew and solidified.
During the day, he did not rest. He sought out roaring waterfalls and dense forests. He did not use his Primordial Chaos Qi. He relied solely on the strength of his fleshly body, wielding his matte-black saber to battle against nature. He used the saber to slash at the cascading torrents, feeling the rebound, learning to use "softness" to defuse "hardness." He used the saber to carve lines into the hardest boulders, learning to condense all his power into a single point.
His Saber Intent - Thousand Tempers, Hundred Refinements was no longer just a set of techniques. It was gradually becoming an instinct. He could casually unleash a slash carrying the intent of tempering, or strike out with the intent of defense.
"Power," "Momentum," and "Intent" were gradually fusing into one.
At night, he did not sleep. He sat beneath the starry sky, nourishing the two relic fragments. The Sun Star Guardian fragment caused his Primordial Chaos Qi to become even more radiant. The Lac bird fragment of the Unhindered Lac Feathers made his divine sense increasingly agile and ethereal. Simultaneously, in his mind, the complete mnemonic chants and formation diagrams of the Lac Viet Heavenly Cycle Formation were being analyzed and comprehended bit by bit.
After two grueling months of ascetic cultivation, Tran Kien had completely transformed. His physique no longer held the scrawniness of a youth; it had become well-proportioned and sturdy, his ancient-bronze skin brimming with vitality. His cultivation base remained at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, but the aura he exuded was unfathomably deep and restrained. Even a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator would not be able to see through him.
Finally, he arrived at the region Elder Ve had pointed out. A land of rolling mountains, shrouded in clouds and mist year-round.
He stood on a mountain peak, looking down at the vast valley below. According to Elder Ve, the Valley of Oblivion was concealed by a natural formation and could not be found with the naked eye.
Tran Kien was not in a hurry. He sat down and closed his eyes. He used neither his eyes nor his divine sense. He used his connection to the Dragon Veins. He was "listening" to the breathing of Heaven and Earth.
One day. Two days. Three days.
He sat motionless like a stone statue. At dawn on the fourth day, when the first rays of sunlight pierced through the cloud layer, Tran Kien suddenly opened his eyes.
Within his eyes, it seemed as if an entire world was revolving. He had "seen" it.
He didn't see a valley. He only saw that amidst the myriad streams of Heaven and Earth's Spiritual Qi, there was one incredibly minuscule, incredibly discreet current flowing silently into a seemingly ordinary cliff face in the distance. That current was like a tiny fish swimming upstream, incredibly difficult to detect.
That was the entrance!
Tran Kien did not hesitate in the slightest. His body, like a drifting leaf, descended gently from the mountain peak without making a single sound. He arrived before that cliff. It remained a moss-covered rock face, devoid of anything special.
But Tran Kien did not use his hands to search. He reached out, circulated a stream of the purest Primordial Chaos Qi, and gently pressed it against the cliff. He did not attack. He was "communicating."
BUZZ...
The cliff face before him suddenly vibrated. The space in front of his eyes seemed to ripple like the surface of a lake, then slowly became transparent. A small path, paved with white gravel, revealed itself.
Tran Kien stepped inside. The moment he passed through, the space behind him distorted and returned to normal. The cliff was still a cliff.
The world inside was entirely different.
A vast, verdant valley appeared before his eyes. Not only was the air fresh, but the Spiritual Qi was so abundant that it almost condensed into thin mists, lingering over the grassy meadows. In the center of the valley lay a lake as clear as a mirror, reflecting the sky and clouds. Surrounding it were lush peach groves and emerald bamboo forests, with myriad flowers blooming and birds singing melodiously. This was no mere valley. This was a mortal fairyland.
Tran Kien took a deep breath. He felt every cell in his body rejoicing. This was the most perfect place for closed-door cultivation.
He walked along the lakeshore, eventually finding a natural cave hidden behind a small waterfall, incredibly secluded and tranquil.
He stepped inside, found a flat slab of stone, and sat down cross-legged.
He took out the two relic fragments, placing them on either side. He took out his matte-black saber, resting it horizontally across his lap.
The long journey had ended.
But an even longer, more arduous journey deep into the cultivation world had only just truly begun.
He closed his eyes.
Elder Ve, Uncle Sword, Lam Vy... he thought inwardly. Everyone, wait for me. When I emerge from seclusion, that will be the moment all of Dai Viet shall tremble.
Outside, the waterfall continued to flow, and time continued to pass. But inside the cave, a legend was beginning a true metamorphosis, awaiting the day it would break out of its cocoon, become a butterfly, and soar through the Nine Heavens.