"The Awakening of the Sealed Sword"

“Stronger... you have to get stronger.” A

mysterious voice echoed in the darkness,
followed by a desperate cry. “Survive, Anris!”

A boy jolted awake, gasping for breath, his heart

racing. "That same nightmare again," he
muttered, trying to calm himself. "I keep having
that same dream." He glanced out of the window,
watching the first light of dawn break across the
sky. After a moment, he got out of bed,
freshened up, and made his way downstairs.

The house was alive with the sound of children

running around. Spotting a maid, the boy asked,
“Where’s Grandma Quinn?” She pointed him in
the right direction, and he headed straight for
the training grounds.

Quinn was outside, teaching newcomers how to

control their energy. When she finished the
lesson, Anris approached and greeted her
warmly.

“Anris,” Quinn said with a smile, “how’s your

training going?”

“It’s fine,” Anris replied, though his voice was

tinged with frustration. “I just can’t awaken my
energy nature.”

“That’s alright,” Quinn reassured him. “You’ll

get it eventually. Don’t force yourself.”

From a distance, a mocking voice interrupted.

“You’re seven years old and you still can’t use
your energy nature? What a complete failure.”
An arrogant girl stepped forward, glaring at
Quinn with disdain. “Since when did your sect
start feeding failures?” she sneered.

Before Quinn could respond, a cold voice cut

through the air. “That’s none of your business, is
it?”

The girl turned toward the speaker, her eyes

narrowing. She was about to retort, but then she
held back, forcing a smile instead. “Kael, it’s
been a while since we last met.”

Kael ignored her greeting and turned to Anris.

“Don’t take her words seriously, Anris. She only
speaks nonsense.”

Calyandra’s face flushed with anger, but she

swallowed her pride. She then addressed Quinn
again. “Miss Quinn, have you thought about the
offer our sect made?”

Quinn’s expression hardened. “The offer your

sect made is clearly biased, and I’m not foolish
enough to accept it. If your higher-ups are
serious, they can come discuss it in person—if
they’re not too scared.”

Seeing no way to persuade her, Calyandra left,

frustration evident on her face. Anris, however,
remained unfazed by her taunts. He wasn’t the
type to dwell on insults.

“You okay, Anris?” Kael asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Anris replied. “I was planning to

go to the Zurin Mountains for training.”
Quinn’s concern was immediate. “The Zurin
Mountains again? But you haven’t gained much
from going there, and it’s dangerous.”

Kael chimed in, “Don’t worry, he can handle it.

I’m sure he’ll awaken his energy nature this
time.”

Anris forced a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Quinn sighed, sensing his determination.

“Alright, but be careful. How long will you be
gone this time?”

“Maybe a month, or longer,” Anris answered.

With a heavy sigh, Quinn gave her permission.

“Take care, Anris.”

In the depths of the Zurin Mountains, a boy was

training diligently with a wooden sword. He
struck at a tree, channeling his energy through
the weapon, hoping to push himself to the limit
and finally awaken his energy nature. After a
while, he stopped, panting, and sat down to rest.
The longer he trained, the more he felt his hope
slipping away. Determined, he resolved not to
return until he had awakened his nature.

Just as he was about to resume his training, he

heard a low, experienced voice. “The way you’re
holding your sword is completely wrong. You’re
restricting your power from flowing properly
through the sword, and that’s why you can’t cut
the tree.”

Startled but respectful, Anris responded, “My

apologies, elder. I wasn’t trying to slice the tree.
I’m only using a wooden sword, so even if I tried,
I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

The voice replied with a soft chuckle, “So you

think it’s impossible to cut something without a
real sword?”

Anris stood there, confused. Then, out of

nowhere, a mysterious shadow appeared beside
him. The figure bent down and plucked a long
blade of grass from the ground. Gripping it firmly
with his energy, the shadowy figure said, “Watch
closely.”

He approached the tree with an air of calm

confidence, moving the blade of grass with a
royal and elegant precision. In the next moment,
the massive tree, which seemed impossible to
cut even with a real sword, was effortlessly
sliced in half. Anris’s eyes widened in shock, and
he murmured, “How... how is that possible?”

The seemingly old man turned to Anris with a

gentle smile. “It’s not about the weapon; it’s
about the user. Anything can be a weapon if the
art is truly mastered.”

In awe, Anris bowed deeply and said, “Thank you

for this valuable lesson.”

The old man waved him off with a chuckle. “No

need for that. I was just passing by and couldn’t
resist correcting that stance of yours. Here, let
me show you how to hold your sword properly...”

And with that, the old man began to teach Anris

the true art of wielding a sword, guiding him.
After the elder taught Anris the correct way to
wield a sword, Anris hesitated before sharing his
true concern. “Elder,” he began, “no matter how
hard I train, I can’t seem to awaken my energy
nature.”

The elder’s expression grew serious as he

carefully observed Anris. After a moment, he
looked at the boy with shock in his eyes. “The
problem isn’t your training or the effort you’re
putting in,” he said gravely. “There’s no amount
of training that will help you awaken your energy
because it’s not about your technique or
discipline. Your energy is being restricted by a
very powerful seal.”

Anris’s heart sank. “Does that mean I can never

awaken my energy?” he asked, his voice tinged
with sadness.

The elder shook his head. “No, that’s not the

case. Your energy was awakened the moment
you were born, but it was sealed immediately
after. Whoever placed that seal on you is
incredibly powerful. I doubt anyone on this
planet could even hope to set such a seal.”

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Anris

forced a smile and thanked the elder, though the
pain in his eyes was evident. The elder, noticing
this, said, “Don’t be so disheartened, boy.” He
reached into his storage ring and pulled out a
small green bottle, handing it to Anris. “This
contains a Tier 7 pill. Although the seal on your
energy is strong, some parts of it indicate it was
meant to be broken one day. This pill should help
you do that. Focus your energy around your
heart and try to shatter that shield.”
Anris’s eyes widened in disbelief. He had only
ever seen Tier 3 or 4 pills before, and here the
elder was, offering a Tier 7 pill as if it were
nothing. “Thank you, but I can’t accept this. I
wouldn’t be able to repay you,” Anris said,
humbled by the elder’s generosity.

The elder waved off his concern. “There’s no

need for repayment,” he replied, pausing
thoughtfully before adding, “However, there is
one thing. Have you heard of the Twisted Purple
Lotus?”

Anris nodded. “Yes, it grows near Ruochin Lake,

but it’s guarded by a very powerful snake.”

The elder’s eyes gleamed with interest. “How

strong are we talking?”

“Rumour has it the snake is just one step away

from achieving emperor-level strength,” Anris
answered.

The elder chuckled. “You call that strong?

Visiting these lower planes really is amusing.”
Without another word, his body suddenly
disappeared, leaving behind only his fading
voice: “Take that pill, kid, and break the seal. I’m
curious to see the true extent of your energy.”

Anris hesitated for a moment before swallowing

the Tier 7 pill. Almost immediately, his body
began to heat up, and his energy surged
uncontrollably. The pill’s immense power was
overwhelming, but Anris remained calm,
directing all the chaotic energy towards his
heart. For three agonizing hours, he endured the
pain and desperation until a deafening burst
echoed through the forest, signalling something
had broken.

Miles away, the elder dressed in minimalist blue

and white robes noticed the sky darkening and
lightning crackling ominously. A smile crept
across his face as he murmured, “He really did
it.” In an instant, the elder vanished,
reappearing near where Anris was training.

With experienced eyes, the elder observed the

bolts of lightning surrounding Anris. To any
onlooker, it might seem Anris had awakened a
rare lightning nature, but the elder’s expression
shifted to one of shock. “What… how?” he
muttered, eyes locked on the swirling energy.
The lightning was not Anris’s natural element but
was being manipulated by his energy. As the
elder inspected further, a chilling realization
dawned on him, causing beads of sweat to form
on his brow—something that happened only in
extraordinary situations. “This boy possesses
destructive energy… and with this level of
purity? This is truly one in trillions.” He paused,
contemplating. “But why is it sealed behind a
divine barrier? And who knows how many more
seals there are? Someone went to great lengths
to restrict this boy’s power… perhaps to hide
him. Fascinating.”

Anris slowly rose from where he had been

kneeling, gazing at his hand, where an elegant
bolt of lightning danced across his palm. He then
turned to the elder, who was watching him with a
knowing smile. After a moment’s thought, Anris
knelt and, with unwavering respect in his voice,
pleaded, “Elder, this may be too much to ask, but
please, teach me and guide me. I will do
everything in my power to become the best
student I can be.”

The elder approached slowly and asked, “Even if

it means leaving your loved ones without a
second thought?”

“Yes,” Anris replied.

“Even if it means enduring training worse than

death?”

“Yes.” Anris replied.

The elder paused, then asked, “One last

question: What would you do if a bloodthirsty
sword came toward you, with no chance of
dodging?”

“I would face it until my very last breath,” Anris

answered resolutely.

The elder’s smile broadened. “Very well then.”

Suddenly, a monstrous pressure filled the air.

Anris looked up just in time to see an elegant
white sword descending toward him with deadly
intent. Without hesitation, he drew his wooden
sword, channeling his newfound lightning
energy. But before he could strike, the white
sword was already at his neck. For a brief,
terrifying moment, Anris thought he had asked
too much and was now being punished.

Then, just as suddenly, the sword halted, and the

elder’s serious voice cut through the tension.
“You passed. From today on, you are the student
of the Thousand Sword Saint—at least, that’s
what people call me.” He added with a hint of
amusement, “Your training begins tomorrow.”