Journey to the Purple Lotus Sect: Qi Yuan and Xun Yi's Speed Race

A Few Hours Later.

In a forest near the border of Xianjian Province, Qi Yuan and Xun Yi were walking leisurely beside the towering Huatian Mountain.

Their journey to the capital would now take only a day. Along the way, the two of them tirelessly practiced their martial arts.

Qi Yuan, having recently obtained his own weapon—a sword crafted by the blacksmith Li Dong—was overjoyed and eager to test out a few moves.

After a while, he drew the sword from its scabbard, which was tied to the left side of his trousers.

Xun Yi immediately noticed Qi Yuan unsheathing his weapon and leaned in closer, inspecting the pitch-black blade.

"Woah, this high-tier weapon is truly remarkable! Now that you have your own sword, you should follow my movements. Haha!" Xun Yi said, motioning for Qi Yuan to imitate his techniques.

Xun Yi had a personality akin to a cultivation fanatic—kind-hearted, innocent, and incredibly beautiful. However, she could be quite impulsive when facing an opponent.

Because of her nature, Qi Yuan felt the need to protect her like an older sister. He still vividly remembered the moment when Zhao Feng had injured Xun Yi at the city gate. At that time, Qi Yuan had never harbored the intent to kill anyone—but seeing Xun Yi wounded changed him.

Now, he carefully followed Xun Yi's movements, mimicking her techniques.

"Haha, you little genius! You've almost perfected it after just a few tries. I'm so jealous," Xun Yi murmured to herself, watching Qi Yuan grasp the technique with astonishing ease.

With his exceptional martial arts comprehension, Qi Yuan quickly mastered half of the technique and then suggested they take a short break under a large, shady tree at the base of Huatian Mountain.

They drank the water given to them by Li Dong a few hours earlier, their belongings propped against the tree behind them.

"How much farther to the capital, Sister Xun?" Qi Yuan asked while gripping his sword.

"Well, it's still a few more hours, and the sun is already setting. I'm worried we won't reach the capital before nightfall. Ugh, I'm so exhausted," Xun Yi replied briefly before leaning against the tree with a sigh.

"Let's rest here for a few minutes first. Oh yeah, I should give this sword a name, Sister Xun," Qi Yuan said.

Xun Yi, already feeling drained from their journey from Nanjiang City, simply nodded in agreement.

Qi Yuan pondered for a while, searching for the perfect name for his black sword. Xun Yi also helped him think of one as they enjoyed their brief moment of rest.

"Longyuan Jian!" Qi Yuan suddenly exclaimed, startling Xun Yi, who had just closed her eyes.

"Longyuan Jian? Not bad! Haha!" Xun Yi chuckled, recovering from her surprise.

Qi Yuan then explained the meaning behind the name.

"'Jian' means a double-edged sword, which fits my weapon. 'Longyuan' relates to dragons, and I added my surname at the end. So it represents Qi Yuan, the one who wields a sword like a dragon," he explained with a grin.

As the sun fully set, they realized it was time to resume their journey. With only a few more hours to go, they needed to reach the Purple Lotus Sect as soon as possible.

"This calls for a race! Let's see who reaches the sect's gate first!" Xun Yi declared.

She suddenly remembered how they once needed several days to reach the capital's border, yet now it would take mere hours. Had their speed increased dramatically?

Qi Yuan smirked and reminded her, "Well, I have been practicing my Thunder Serpent Step technique."

"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that," Xun Yi laughed. "Alright, whoever loses the race has to pay for the winner's meal!"

Qi Yuan agreed, but with one condition: he would pay only once he actually had money, since he was currently broke.

"Haha, I get it, little brother—ah, no, I mean big brother. You may be younger, but your body doesn't match your age, you brat!" Xun Yi teased.

Qi Yuan simply scratched his head and smiled in response.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

With that, they both dashed forward at full speed, determined to win the race.

Night at the Purple Lotus Sect.

Two days later, in the capital city of Zhenwu, the Purple Lotus Sect was bustling with preparations for its once-every-three-years disciple recruitment event. As one of the top-ranking sects in Huo Zhou Continent, the Purple Lotus Sect only accepted disciples with exceptional talent and unique abilities.

Despite its prestige, it was actually ranked second among the strongest sects in the continent. Many other sects held similar levels of influence, but the Purple Lotus Sect maintained its own distinct reputation.

In Zhenwu, large crowds had gathered, all eager to participate in the recruitment. Inside the sect, the teachers were busy organizing the entrance exam rules for the incoming disciples.

"Aish, aish, aish... This sect is way too popular. Every three years, this job wears me out," one of the instructors grumbled, sighing in frustration.

The other teachers around him simply laughed at his antics.

"Hahahahaha!"

The Border River Between Nanjiang City and Zhenwu.

At the border, groups of wandering cultivators had set up camp, resting until sunrise. Qi Yuan and Xun Yi sped past them, avoiding detection by running along the forest edge. They leaped across large rocks protruding from the river's surface.

Swoosh!

Tap! Tap!

"Feeling tired already, Sister Xun? Haha! I'm ahead of you!" Qi Yuan teased, glancing back at her with a smirk.

Irritated by his taunts, Xun Yi immediately poured all her remaining energy into a burst of speed, launching herself forward.

Swoosh!

"Haha! Keep up, you little rascal! We should be able to see the Purple Lotus Sect in about twenty kilometers!" she shouted, shooting ahead like a blur.

Qi Yuan was momentarily stunned.

"You cheater, damn it!" he shouted back, quickly matching her pace.

The race was far from over.

To Be Continued...