Mortal: Junior Sister Song Yu

On a spring afternoon in Jiangnan City, Huaxia Country, on Blue Star, a light rain was falling.

The air here is always filled with a faint, damp, musty smell, mixed with the aroma of fried dough sticks wafting from the street food stalls, forming the most vibrant and down-to-earth atmosphere of Jiangnan City.

Li Xiao rode his creaking secondhand electric bike, weaving through the narrow alleys of the old city.

He is twenty-four years old this year, in the prime of his life, but he has a weathered face that does not match his age.

He has a sharply defined jawline, a bit of stubble, thick eyebrows like knives, and eyes that are always slightly narrowed, as if he is scrutinizing something.

His hands, calloused from years of practicing with a knife, had large, strong knuckles.

He was wearing a faded black jacket, and the rain had soaked through his right shoulder, but he was completely unaware of it—the martial arts school opened at three in the afternoon, and if he was late, the stingy old man who was in charge of the school would deduct half a day's wages.

"These days, real kung fu skills are worthless." He recalled the rich kid who came to learn swordsmanship that morning, but after three days he complained endlessly and instead signed up for the taekwondo class next door.

For the sake of business, the curator actually asked him to change his knife skills into a performance routine, saying it would be more entertaining.

Li Xiao refused on the spot and almost got fired.

In the end, it was only after other coaches pleaded that the punishment was changed to a deduction of three days' wages.

The electric scooter turned into the last alley; once you pass through here, you'll see the entrance to the martial arts school.

Li Xiao twisted the handlebars, and the old motor emitted a mournful buzzing sound, but the speed just wouldn't pick up.

He muttered a curse under his breath: "Damn it, the battery's failing again."

Just then, the roar of an engine came from afar.

Li Xiao subconsciously looked up and, through the rain, saw a dump truck run a red light and speed towards the intersection at at least 80 miles per hour.

The massive wheels kicked up two streams of water, and the cargo bed, fully loaded with sand and gravel, swayed slightly due to inertia. The driver seemed to be looking down at his phone, completely unaware that someone would be passing by this secluded alleyway.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Li Xiao's muscles reacted before his consciousness.

He slammed on the brakes and tried to turn around, but the handlebars of the electric bike jammed at that moment.

Rain dripped down his hair, and everything before his eyes turned into slow motion—the menacing front of the dump truck, the broken windshield wipers, the driver's terrified face, and the rickety sign that read, "Better to stop for three minutes than risk one second."

"Bang!"

A muffled thud, like a sack full of sand being struck by a heavy hammer.

Li Xiao and his vehicle were hit and thrown into the air by a dump truck.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Xiao opened his eyes again.

What comes into view is a carved wooden bed with exquisite cloud patterns carved on the bedposts. The brushstrokes are delicate, clearly the work of a master craftsman.

Above them was a blue curtain embroidered with cloud patterns, made of the finest silk, breathable but not light-transmitting, priceless.

The faint scent of medicine mixed with the aroma of sandalwood in the air brought a sense of tranquility.

He tried to move, but found that the body was only the size of a five-year-old, and his meridians ached faintly.

It was a deep, tingling sensation that penetrated to the bone marrow, as if countless fine needles were moving through the meridians.

Li Xiao gasped – no, the original owner of this body seemed to have just undergone a marrow cleansing process.

"Xiao'er is awake?"

A gentle female voice rang out, carrying an undisguised weariness, yet unable to conceal the inherent aloofness and nobility within.

Li Xiao turned his head and saw a woman dressed in a light blue palace dress. She was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a beautiful face, delicate and exquisite features, and skin as white as snow. Her black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few strands hanging down beside her ears.

But what is most striking about her is her otherworldly aura—like a celestial being untouched by worldly concerns, yet also possessing a touch of earthly warmth.

She had a palm-sized storage bag hanging from her waist, embroidered with a white phoenix about to take flight.

"Aunt Song..." Li Xiao said subconsciously, as unfamiliar memories flooded back.

He is now the last surviving member of the Li family, an affiliated immortal cultivation family of the Luoyun Sect.

My father, Li Zhentian, is the current head of the Li family. He is a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation and has made a name for himself in the Golden Swallow Mountains with his swordsmanship.

My mother, Su Wanrou, is a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator who is skilled in alchemy.

A month ago, Xie Yan, a late-stage Core Formation elder of the Heavenly Fiend Sect, one of the six major sects of the demonic path, suddenly invaded the Golden Swallow Mountains. As a border guard family, the Li family was the first to be affected.

In that battle, the sky was stained with blood, and more than three hundred members of the Li family perished.

His parents risked their lives to hide him in the family's secret room, giving him a last chance to survive.

Eventually, it was Song Zhi, his mother's friend, who came to the scene and rescued him from the ruins.

Song Zhi is a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and an inner disciple of Bai Feng Peak in the Luo Yun Sect.

Sixteen years ago, during a sect mission to hunt down the third-tier demon beast Crimson Flame Tiger, she forged a deep friendship with Su Wanrou, the matriarch of the Li family.

At that time, Su Wanrou withstood the Crimson Flame Tiger's near-death attack to save her, which damaged her meridians and made it impossible for her to advance in this life.

Song Zhi remembered this kindness for sixteen years.

Now that her old friend has passed away, she resolutely takes care of the orphan to repay his kindness.

"You have been unconscious for seven days." Song Zhi brought over a bowl of warm spirit rice porridge. The rice was fragrant and each grain was crystal clear, radiating a faint spiritual light.

This is made from spirit rice. For ordinary people, it is a treasure that prolongs life, while for cultivators, it is an excellent product for strengthening the body and nourishing the vital energy.

"Have some porridge first, then Aunt Song will teach you how to guide your Qi into your body. The Li family has been practicing swordsmanship for generations, and you must inherit the Golden Flame Sword Technique."

Li Xiao silently took the bowl and sipped the porridge slowly. The porridge melted in his mouth, turning into a warm current that slid into his stomach, quickly nourishing his weak body.

He was filled with mixed feelings—he had inherited all the memories of the original owner as a five-year-old child, and those warm scenes with his parents and the tragic scene of his family being wiped out were so real.

At the same time, he also retained his twenty-four-year life on Earth, living two lives, which made him much more precocious than his peers.

He knew the cruelty of the cultivation world—a cruel world where the strong prey on the weak, Qi Refining stage cultivators are as common as dogs, Foundation Establishment stage cultivators are everywhere, and only Core Formation stage cultivators are considered experts.

Here, even family ties and friendships can become bargaining chips.

A child who has lost the protection of his family is like a small boat in a storm, which may capsize at any moment.

And right now, he hasn't even completed the process of drawing qi into his body.

"Aunt Song, I want to learn how to use a knife first." Li Xiao raised her head, her gaze firm.

Song Zhi was taken aback, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "But you haven't had your spiritual root tested yet... Guiding Qi into the body is fundamental. Without cultivation, no matter how strong your swordsmanship is, it's just a mortal martial art."

"My father said, 'The Li family's descendants are as loyal as their swords.'" Li Xiao recalled that in the original story, Han Li was in the Land of Desolation, where worldly martial arts skills were still somewhat useful. Although he might not be able to use them later, it was always good to learn more.

"I want to lay a solid foundation first, and then decide on my cultivation direction after the spiritual root test. Besides..."

He paused, a hint of world-weariness beyond his years flashing in his eyes. "The blood feud of my family remains unavenged. If I can't even hold a knife properly, how can I face my parents' spirits in heaven?"

These words are well-reasoned and supported by both family tradition and practical considerations.

Song Zhi pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Very well, your father entered the Dao with the sword, and comprehended the rudimentary form of sword intent during the Qi Refining stage. Tomorrow I will send you to the mortal martial arts school in Lin Yuan City to hone your skills for three years. However..."

She looked at Li Xiao seriously, "Three years from now, no matter how good your swordsmanship is, you must return to the path of immortality. No matter how strong your martial arts are, they can't defeat a single spell from a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"good!"

Li Xiao obediently agreed, but she had other plans in mind.

That evening, Li Xiao sat alone in the courtyard, gazing at the starry sky.

This is a villa located on the mountainside of Baifeng Peak in the Luoyun Sect. It has three courtyards and three entrances, and includes a martial arts training ground and a spiritual herb garden.

As an inner disciple, Song Zhi receives a monthly stipend of five hundred spirit stones, which is enough to cover the expenses here.

The bright moon hangs high in the night sky, its pale gold color casting a cool, clear glow.

The arrangement of the stars was completely different from that of the blue planet. He could identify stars such as the Heavenly Fiend Star and the Seven Killings Star, which were associated with killing and warfare. They emitted a scarlet light, as if foreshadowing the bloodshed and turmoil that would ensue in this world.

"Li Xiao of Blue Star is dead!" he muttered to himself, his voice so soft that only the wind could hear it.

"From now on, I am only Li Xiao of the Li family."

The moonlight, like water, shone on the tender face of a five-year-old child, yet reflected a pair of deep eyes that seemed beyond his years.

Those eyes held the joy of rebirth, the grief of losing a loved one, and boundless hope for the future.

Lin Yuan City, Yun Lai Martial Arts School.

"Waist and stance as one! The blade must be straight; power originates from the ground, flows through the waist and hips, through the arms, and finally gathers at the tip of the blade!"

The master of the martial arts school, Wang Meng, was a burly man with a full beard, standing nine feet tall with broad shoulders and a thick waist. Although he was an ordinary martial artist, he possessed a fierce and bloodthirsty aura honed from battles.

He was originally a captain in the army of Xi Kingdom, but he was forced to resign after offending powerful figures, and opened a school here to teach students.

Li Xiao gets up at 3 AM every day, before dawn, and starts practicing his stances at the training ground.

Originally, it was a four-square horse, with legs bent at a ninety-degree angle and arms wrapped around the chest, as if holding an infant.

After an hour, his legs trembled like leaves, and his clothes were soaked with sweat.

However, his background as a cultivator allowed him to recover extremely quickly. In addition, Song Zhi gave him a Qi-Nourishing Pill every month. This pill, which should be taken by cultivators at the third level of Qi Refining to strengthen their foundation and consolidate their essence, had an effect that was nothing short of miraculous on a mortal like him.

Three months later, Li Xiao had mastered the eight basic sword techniques.

Chop, cut, flick, stab, smear, cut, pick, entangle—each move is as precise as if measured with a ruler.

Wang Meng watched with awe, clicking his tongue in amazement: "This kid has a natural talent for swordsmanship; every strike he makes has a certain spirit. I've taught martial arts for thirty years and have never seen such a promising talent. In five years, at most five years, he'll have drained my meager skills."

The other disciples were even more astonished.

Senior Brother Zhao Hu is eighteen years old this year and has been practicing swordsmanship for ten years.

He looked at five-year-old Li Xiao, his heart filled with mixed feelings: "Could this kid be a reincarnation of a monster? I practiced the moves for a year, and he learned them in three days, and his swordsmanship is even more fierce than mine."

The second senior sister was a lively fifteen-year-old girl who always liked to tease her junior brother: "Junior brother, how about you marry your senior sister when you grow up?"

Li Xiao always answered expressionlessly, "Senior sister, as long as the knife is there, I am there; if the knife is gone, I am gone. My life was given to me by the knife, not by a woman." This made Lin Wan'er stomp her feet in anger.

A year later, Li Xiao was seven years old.

He has mastered all the essence of the martial arts school's sword techniques and can even point out the subtle flaws in Wang Meng's demonstration.

Wang Meng was completely convinced and took out the "Wild Goose Technique" manual, a treasured possession of the museum: "This was given to me by a wandering Taoist priest I saved years ago. It is said to have been passed down from ancient times, but because there is no matching internal energy cultivation method, no one has been able to master it. You are a natural genius, perhaps you can unravel its mysteries."

"The Wild Goose Technique" is a martial art that imitates the flight of wild geese, emphasizing using external forces and moving with the wind.

The manual not only records movement techniques, but also a unique breathing and exhalation technique.

Li Xiao was overjoyed and chased fallen leaves in the backyard of the martial arts school every morning.

He first observed the wind's path, and then tried to move his feet in the direction of the wind.

At first, he could only leap three feet, but after half a year, he could leap more than ten feet. His movements were as light as a swallow, and when he landed, he didn't even disturb a withered leaf.

Later, as he delved deeper, he discovered that the Wild Goose Technique could significantly increase movement speed.

When he practiced his technique, he was like an arrow released from a bow, instantly leaping three zhang away, then turning in the air like a wild goose circling.

Wang Meng was dumbfounded; such power was beyond the reach of ordinary martial artists.

"Could this kid be a reincarnation of a celestial master?" Wang Meng said privately to the deputy curator.

The deputy headmaster, a mature and prudent man in his fifties, stroked his beard and pondered, "I think so. Hahaha, this child's future achievements are limitless. Our Yunlai Martial Arts School is truly honored to have produced such a disciple!"

When he was eight years old, Song Zhi brought him the secret manual of "Wild Wind Blade Technique".

"This is what your father obtained in a hermitage when he was young," Song Zhi said, handing him the yellowed booklet.

A hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes. "The owner of that cave was a sword fanatic. Unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, he eventually passed away. He left behind this sword technique, which was originally a mortal martial art. You should study it on your own first, and come ask me if you don't understand anything."

Li Xiao opened the manual and saw that the pages were drawn with figures wielding knives, their sword strikes continuous and unending, like a whirlwind passing by.

The annotation beside it, written in small seal script, reads: "The raging wind is not force, but momentum; by harnessing momentum, the blade is drawn without regret." He treasured it, spending all his time practicing with his sword except for eating and sleeping.

The Gale Blade Technique consists of six moves, each pursuing the ultimate speed and power. When combined with the blade technique, Li Xiao can sense faint fluctuations of spiritual energy.

Wang Meng watched with a pounding heart: "Xiao'er, your swordsmanship... has transcended the mortal realm. My Yunlai Martial Arts School can no longer contain such a true dragon as you."

In two years, Li Xiao mastered the Gale Blade Technique.

He could unleash twelve slashes in three breaths, the blades weaving a golden curtain of light that impenetrable to water.

What's even more remarkable is that he grasped the essence of swordsmanship—an invisible aura that can intimidate opponents before the battle even begins.

When he unleashed his full swordsmanship, a sword domain seemed to form within three feet of him, where fallen leaves would shatter upon contact and mosquitoes dared not approach.

On this day, Li Xiao sheathed his sword and stood watching the sunset, a sense of peace filling his heart.

He has the body of an eight-year-old but the soul of a twenty-four-year-old; his mortal swordsmanship is infused with the spiritual energy of immortal cultivation.

He knew that the three-year period was approaching, and the day to test his spiritual roots was not far off.

"The Heavenly Fiend Sect..." he muttered the name of his enemy, his eyes like knives, "The day I form my Nascent Soul, it will be the day you pay for your blood debts."

The moonlight rose, casting a long shadow on the child's slender figure.

The shadow was straight as a knife, as if it wanted to pierce the night and reach the heavens.