Chapter 2

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Chapter 2: Falling from Grace

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, nine years swiftly passed!

Fifteen-year-old Lou Yun sat cross-legged in the training room, a warm, gentle white glow emanating from his lower abdomen. Moments later, the light vanished. Lou Yun opened his eyes, letting out a sigh far too world-weary for his age. Though his handsome young face appeared calm, a trace of unshakeable anxiety lingered beneath the surface.

Nine years ago, with no instruction from anyone, he had independently cultivated his weapon spirit power to the tenth tier. This feat branded him as a once-in-a-generation genius of the Lou Family, earning him profound expectations, especially from his grandfather, Lou Runshui, and the entire clan.

However, when Lou Runshui formally began Lou Yun\’s cultivation, an extremely bizarre situation manifested in this prodigy. His progress slammed into a complete standstill. Not only did he fail to condense a magical weapon before the projected age of ten, as Lou Runshui expected, but even now, at fifteen, he remained utterly unable to form one.

Consequently, more and more people cast doubt upon this genius, gradually losing faith in him.

Regardless of when someone\’s weapon spirit power reached the tenth tier, an inability to condense a magical weapon doomed their future prospects, potentially earning them the label of \"waste.\" After all, the paramount standard for judging strength on the Spirit Weapon Star was the magical weapon itself.

While some cultivated without a magical weapon, relying solely on bare-handed combat or man-made common weapons, and occasional strong individuals did emerge among them, this strength was only relative. They could never attain the heights reachable by magical weapons masters who possessed an actual magical weapon.

For the people of the Spirit Weapon Star, successfully condensing a magical weapon bestowed the title of \’magical weapons master,\’ signifying one’s formal entry into the ranks of cultivators.

If Lou Yun still failed to condense a magical weapon by the age of sixteen, just one year away, his future would become exceedingly bleak.

At six years old, Lou Yun hadn’t truly grasped the significance of the magical weapon. But now, after nine years of cultivation, he understood perfectly what lacking one meant for him. Anxiety gnawed at him, yet his desperation was useless. Every time he absorbed sufficient spiritual energy into his dantian and strained to condense it into a magical weapon, the energy inevitably dissipated.

He had tried countless times, failing every single one.

Today, he made over a dozen consecutive attempts, only to meet the same failure yet again. After sitting in futile silence for a moment, Lou Yun rose to his feet, pushed open the training room door, and walked out.

As he emerged, several pairs of eyes immediately turned towards him, and a buzz of conversation sprang up.

\"Haha, look at him! Another failure!\"

\"Hmph. Reached the tenth tier weapon spirit power at six, yet can\’t even condense a magical weapon by fifteen!\"

\"In my view, it won\’t be long before our Lou Family\’s \’genius\’ becomes useless!\"

\"What do you mean \’won’t be long\’? He’s already a waste!\"

Though Lou Yun couldn’t condense a magical weapon, his innate senses – sight, sound, flavor, scent, touch, and spirit perception – vastly surpassed those of his peers. Every whispered insult reached his ears with crystal clarity.

Over these nine years, he had heard such words too many times to count. Blessed with precocious intelligence and hardened by his mother\’s early death, which fostered a deeply mature character early on, he understood the fickleness of human nature. He’d long grown accustomed to it. Pretending not to hear, he quickly turned towards the inner courtyard.

After walking about ten meters, a crisp voice called out from behind him: \"Lou Yun, wait up!\"

Hearing that voice, Lou Yun stopped. A faint smile touched his lips as he turned back around.

The Lou Family was vast, encompassing main and branch lines, totaling over four or five hundred people, many of them children. Initially, due to his reputation as a genius, nearly every child, regardless of age, fawned over Lou Yun, eager to befriend him. As his inability to condense a magical weapon became undeniable, however, more and more children began to drift away. Now, he was viewed as persona non grata by the majority within the clan.

A few individuals, however, genuinely regarded Lou Yun as family. Lou Qian, the one calling out to him now, was among them.

Lou Qian was the daughter of Lou Yun’s Second Uncle. A year older than him at sixteen, she possessed striking beauty, yet her personality was that of a brash tomboy – decisive, efficient, and fiercely intimidating. Even most children older than her respected her temper. She was particularly protective of Lou Yun; whenever she was present, no one dared bully him.

Because of this, Lou Yun had accepted her as a true sister in his heart. \"Sister?\" he asked with a smile, \"What is it?\"

Lou Qian had obviously been running. Two light flushes reddened her lovely cheeks, enhancing her charm. \"Where are you running off to so fast?\" she said in mock annoyance. \"You nearly ran me ragged chasing you! Uncle wants to see you.\" She pointed towards the family head\’s residence.

The \"Uncle\" Lou Qian referred to was Lou Yun’s father – Lou Tianming. Six years prior, Lou Runshui had entered seclusion for cultivation and had passed the position of family head to his son.

While the position of Lou Family head wasn’t strictly hereditary, it was always held by the strongest cultivator within the main lineage.

\"Oh!\" Lou Yun nodded. Appraising her swiftly, a knowing smile touched his lips. \"Sister Lou Qian, congratulations! Your magical weapon has evolved to one-star! It shouldn’t be long before you condense the second star.\"

Lou Yun’s acute spirit sense allowed him to perceive changes in Lou Qian’s internal magical weapon – though currently, he could only detect shifts in elementary-stage weapons.

Lou Qian couldn\’t suppress a flicker of pride. She poked Lou Yun\’s forehead lightly but firmly. \"Sharp as ever! Now go! Don\’t keep Uncle waiting! And quit holing up alone in that room cramming all the time. Come find me later. I\’ll take you out to relax!\"

Lou Yun smiled and nodded, \"Deal.\"

Turning towards his father\’s chambers, Lou Yun felt a twinge of unease settle in his heart.

Over the years, despite the creeping disappointment felt by most of the Lou Family, Lou Tianming remained his son\’s unwavering pillar of support. Not only had he never diminished his concern for Lou Yun, but his affection for him only grew. He tirelessly searched for any possible solution to enable Lou Yun to condense a magical weapon.

Ironically, this very steadfast support amplified Lou Yun’s internal burden. He could brush off the opinions of clan members and outsiders, but feigning ignorance of his father’s deepest hopes was impossible. His mother had fallen ill and died shortly after his birth; Lou Tianming had raised him alone, fulfilling both parental roles. Each time Lou Yun noticed the premature silver threads threading through his father’s temples, that invisible weight grew heavier.

Reaching Lou Tianming\’s open study door, his father\’s voice drifted out: \"Is that you, Yun\’er? Come in.\"

Lou Yun entered to find his father seated behind a desk buried beneath piles of opened books. Just a glance told Lou Yun they were all volumes concerning magical weapons, part of the family collection.

Compared to six years ago, Lou Tianming carried a more weathered and imposing aura, tinged with the gravity of leadership. Yet, before his son, he remained the gentle father. Especially now, when everyone else saw only a waste, his love for Yun\’er had only deepened.

\"Come, Yun\’er. Any… progress recently?\"

A wry smile flashed across Lou Yun’s face. He shook his head. \"None.\"

Lou Tianming stood and approached his son. Wearing a gentle smile, he raised a hand and ruffled Lou Yun’s hair, just like he did when the boy was small. \"Don’t fret. Take it slowly. You’re only fifteen. There’s still a year left.\"

On Spirit Weapon Star, if someone hadn’t condensed a magical weapon by age sixteen, their fate was sealed as an ordinary person with limited prospects.

One year.

A heavy sigh echoed in Yun’er’s mind. He’d fought for nine long years and failed to condense a magical weapon. Could a single additional year make any difference? Honestly, Lou Yun harbored no confidence whatsoever within his heart.

Lou Tianming understood his son\’s turmoil. He patted the boy’s head again. \"Enough. Push those thoughts aside. I summoned you for a reason.\"

\"A reason?\"

Lou Tianming paused, choosing his words carefully. \"This evening, we will have… guests. After dinner, remain in your quarters. Whatever you hear, whatever stirs outside, do not come out. I’ll have someone guard your door.\"

Lou Yun blinked rapidly, confusion etching his features. Unable to comprehend this directive, he opened his mouth to press for details, but Lou Tianming had already waved dismissively. \"Yun\’er, you\’re still young. Some matters are not for your ears. You may go.\"

Lou Yun knew well his father\’s deep affection for him, but he also knew that once the man spoke decisively, the matter was settled irrevocably. Further questions were futile. Suppressing the sting of discontent, Lou Yun bowed his head and withdrew.

Exactly as Lou Yun reached the courtyard gate, his keen innate senses picked up a heavy, despairing sigh drifting faintly from the study:

\"Yun\’er… Grandfather once pinned the Lou Family\’s hopes of turning the tide on your shoulders… But now… Alas!\" The voice trailed off into sorrow.

The rest of the way back to his room, Lou Yun wrestled with the meaning behind his father’s words and that ominous sigh. Over the years, the Lou Family regularly entertained guests, yet never once had his father ordered him confined to his room. And what did it mean – pinning hopes on him to be the \’key to victory\’?

Lou Yun considered seeking out Lou Qian for answers. He searched briefly but couldn’t find her. Approaching any other clan members felt like an unacceptable burden. Abandoning the quest, he returned to his training room.

Settling into a cross-legged position on the floor, Lou Yun swiftly entered a trance-like state of deep concentration. As before, the gentle white light glowed softly over his lower abdomen. Simultaneously, a fleeting flash of iridescent, nine-colored light erupted from his chest, vanishing as swiftly as it appeared. Lou Yun remained completely unaware.