---
The moon hangs high over the Nine Sects Alliance. Jiang Chen sits cross-legged on the cliff outside the dormitory, surrounded by mist and silence. His sword, silent and sheathed, lies across his lap. His breathing is slow, deliberate. He's meditating.
Jiang Chen (thoughts, calm and resolute):
"That battle… it taught me something. My movement was clean, but my strikes lacked weight. I need more than just speed."
His fingers slowly run along the hilt of his sword. A flicker of silver qi pulses through the blade, responding faintly to his inner energy.
Jiang Chen (narrating internally):
"The Whispering Blade… My past life's legacy wasn't just in memory. It's etched into my soul, waiting to awaken."
---
He shifts into a meditative pose. The wind rustles through the leaves, whispering like ghosts. Jiang Chen channels his breath inward, drawing in the spiritual energy from the night air. Threads of qi begin to coil through his meridians—more refined, more focused than before.
Inside his body, the spiritual veins begin to thrum faintly. His consciousness dives inward…
He sees flickers of his past life—flashes of bloody duels, a final fall, and a whispering voice:
Past Voice (echoing, faint):
"Swordsmanship is not strength… it is clarity. Let the wind carry your edge. Let silence guide your hand."
Jiang Chen's veins glow with pale silver light. His breathing slows further—then snaps. A burst of energy flares outward. His cultivation base trembles, then stabilizes.
[BREAKTHROUGH: Initial Stage of Whispering Veins Realm]
Sweat beads his brow. He exhales slowly, a faint smile forming.
Jiang Chen (softly):
"Now, the foundation is laid. My path begins here."
---
The next morning, word of Jiang Chen's victory and unusual sword form has spread through the alliance. Whispers follow him in the courtyard.
Random Disciple 1 (whispering):
"That's the new guy. Defeated Thunderclap Sect's Xu Fan in a single move."
Random Disciple 2:
"I heard he's from a fallen clan. But his sword… it was like mist and thunder."
Jiang Chen ignores them. As he moves toward the training arena, a figure steps into his path—Nie Long, a prodigy from the Storm Ape Sect known for brute force and arrogance.
Nie Long (mocking):
"So you're the whispering swordsman? That tickle you gave Xu Fan last night impressed nobody. Let's see how you handle real power."
Without warning, Nie Long lunges. A test—not formal combat, but a public challenge.
Jiang Chen draws his sword smoothly, his movements like flowing water. Nie Long's punch comes fast and heavy—but Jiang Chen slides under it like a breeze and taps the flat of his blade against Nie Long's ribs before he even finishes turning.
Jiang Chen (quietly, serious):
"If you challenge others, don't forget your balance."
Nie Long freezes, stunned. Around them, murmurs break into full-throated cheers. Jiang Chen sheathes his sword and walks away.
---
Unseen from the upper balcony, Lin Shaoyu leans on the wooden railing, sipping tea. His eyes are calm, thoughtful.
Lin Shaoyu (to himself, smiling faintly):
"Jiang Chen… You've begun to unsheath your edge. Good. This alliance needs disruption."
A shadowy attendant appears beside him, bowing.
Attendant (softly):
"Young Master, shall I have someone test him further?"
Lin Shaoyu (coldly):
"No need. Let the wolves circle. He'll either rise—or be devoured."
---
Later that day, Jiang Chen is summoned to the Violet Flame Hall, where the elders of the alliance's inner council gather. Elder Mo, with a long silver beard and eyes like glass, regards him.
Elder Mo (measured):
"Jiang Chen. Your performance has drawn attention. The Sect Tournament continues in three days. Until then, we invite you to the Inner Courtyard—for elite disciples."
Jiang Chen bows respectfully but keeps his voice measured.
Jiang Chen:
"I accept. But I did not come here to be noticed. I came to walk my own path."
Elder Mo (a flicker of amusement):
"So did all great cultivators—before the world noticed them."
---
That night, in a distant corner of the alliance grounds, masked figures from the Vermilion Shadow Sect gather around a jade table. A black-robed man, Mo Yun, watches flames flicker in a bowl of burning incense.
Mo Yun (whispering):
"The boy from the fallen Jiang Clan… His qi is awakening. The Whispering Sword must not rise again."
Masked Assassin:
"Orders?"
Mo Yun:
"Let the Tournament continue. But if he survives the third round… kill him in the fourth."
---
End of Chapter 5