The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

「Winter of the 38th year of Yuanding.」

Over a hundred elite powerhouses from the Demon Sect secretly crossed Hidden Dragon Pass to launch a surprise attack on the Northern Garrison Camp.

Among these powerhouses were many Junior Grandmasters, and even eight Sensing Powerhouses. This terrifying lineup caught the Northern Garrison Army completely off guard.

At this critical moment, Dong Wanjun, Peak Master of Wan Jun Peak of the Divine Mansion Sect, single-handedly fought three Sensing Powerhouses, turning the tide of the battle.

After the battle, Dong Wanjun even broke through to the Sensing Powerhouse realm in one fell swoop.

He was acclaimed as a true hero by the Grand General of the North.

For a time, Dong Wanjun’s name spread throughout Xuan Yang.

...

"Junior Brother Dong..."

News from the Northern Garrison Army reached the Divine Mansion Sect.

When Sect Leader Murong Tian saw that Dong Wanjun had finally broken through to the Sensing Powerhouse realm, he had mixed feelings.

Dong Wanjun’s breakthrough also meant that he could no longer suppress the Thousand-Handed Butcher.

Even before his breakthrough, Dong Wanjun could fight against Sensing Powerhouses. Now that he had broken through, he was like a great serpent transforming into a dragon. No one in Huanglong Prefecture, or even the entire Ling Province, could stop him now.

Standing beside Murong Tian, Murong Jiujiang also had a complicated look in his eyes.

His Junior Martial Uncle Dong was truly no ordinary man.

In truth, with Dong Wanjun’s talent, he could have broken through to the Sensing Powerhouse realm twenty years ago.

But Dong Wanjun had insisted on cultivating every technique under the sun, practicing countless Cultivation Techniques and deliberately keeping himself at the Entering the Realm stage.

While practicing so many Cultivation Techniques slowed his breakthroughs, once he did break through, his killing power would surely be feared by all Martial Artists of the same rank.

Murong Tian let out a long sigh.

’I might never break through Mingxin Pass in this lifetime. I’ll most likely never be able to surpass my Junior Brother Dong.’

"So be it."

Murong Tian’s expression returned to normal. ’Since the Divine Mansion Sect has produced a true dragon, I’ll simply be the loyal subject who helps it ascend. With Dong Wanjun’s genius, perhaps he can truly lead the Divine Mansion Sect to unprecedented heights. This is a good thing...’

However, Dong Wanjun had now become the Grand General of the North’s foremost warrior and would have to remain in the Northern Territory for the time being. Given the state of the war between Xuan Yang and the Demon Sect, he probably wouldn’t be able to return anytime soon.

Murong Tian wished he could trade places with Dong Wanjun to bring him back, but the Northern Garrison Army would, of course, never agree.

...

On Wan Jun Peak.

You Shengnan received the battle report from the front lines. When she saw that Old Dong had broken through during the battle, she couldn’t help but cheer out loud.

Xiongshan was also grinning from ear to ear.

Wan Jun Peak now even showed signs of surpassing the main peak.

Whether it was the Peak Master or the True Disciple, they both seemed more dazzling than their counterparts on the main peak.

The other twelve peaks that had originally opposed Wan Jun Peak completely changed their tune.

More Inner Sect Disciples had come to the mountainside of Wan Jun Peak during this period than in the previous thirty years combined.

It wasn’t just Bai Yuan; even Inner Sect Disciples like You Shengnan and Xiongshan had become hot commodities within the Divine Mansion Sect.

Many gossiping Elders and disciples speculated that the day Peak Master Dong returned from the Northern Territory would be the day Murong Tian abdicated his position.

Currying favor with Dong Wanjun’s disciples before his return was undoubtedly the wisest course of action.

Those who had previously targeted Wan Jun Peak had all put on a different face.

They never expected that Peak Master Dong could actually break the iron law of Ling Province that had stood for a thousand years, managing to break through even after cultivating over a hundred Cultivation Techniques. It was simply beyond imagination.

Bai Yuan had just returned from a Demon Hunt when he heard this explosive news from Liu Qing and Jiang Fei.

He had to admit the sheer difference between people.

’If I had Old Dong’s terrifying talent, I might already be in the Xuanyang Imperial Palace, frowning as I utter the words, "My entire life has been like walking on thin ice."’

Unfortunately, methods to improve one’s innate constitution and comprehension in this world were virtually nonexistent.

His current, decent constitution was all thanks to the guidance Old Dong had given him back then in the Five Flavors Pavilion in Qinghe County. If he had missed the tempering during the Bone Forging Pass, he would have struggled to find another way to improve his constitution.

Bai Yuan didn’t dwell on the matter for too long.

’My master’s strength belongs to his generation. The only true way forward is to become strong myself.’

「The next day.」

As expected, Sect Leader Murong Tian bestowed another round of rewards.

The treasures You Shengnan and Xiongshan received were comparable to those of a True Disciple.

Bai Yuan, moreover, was given an opportunity to enter the Dubhe Pavilion.

This was all, of course, Murong Tian’s way of currying favor with the Wan Jun Peak faction.

Previously, for the sake of power, he had to employ balancing tactics against Dong Wanjun’s influence, and the other twelve peaks had targeted Wan Jun Peak with his tacit approval.

It wasn’t that he and Dong Wanjun were truly as incompatible as fire and water; it was merely a matter of the Emperor’s Heart Technique.

But now that Dong Wanjun’s strength was enough to suppress the entire Divine Mansion Sect, such tactics had become unseemly.

Murong Tian naturally had to use gentle methods to mend their relationship.

Bai Yuan wasn’t too surprised by this.

’Things like this happened all the time in the ancient history of my past life. It’s the same for people and for nations—interests are the only constant.’

He gladly accepted Sect Leader Murong Tian’s reward and went to the Instructor Hall that very day.

’The matter between Murong Tian and Wan Jun Peak will be settled once Old Dong returns; all I have to do is accept the rewards and focus on my training. No matter what Old Dong ultimately decides, I’ll benefit. The reason is simple: I’m on the right team, so whatever I do is correct. Not like the disciples from the other twelve peaks, who are scared out of their minds right now.’

"Junior Brother Bai, you’re here."

The Elder of the Instructor Hall saw Bai Yuan’s figure and trotted over to greet him from a distance.

He even lowered his own seniority to be on the same level as Bai Yuan; otherwise, in terms of age, he was actually about the same as Old Dong.

"Elder Liu."

Bai Yuan cupped his fist as usual, showing no trace of arrogance.

Instructor Hall’s Elder Liu felt a secret sense of relief. ’Thank goodness I’m on good terms with Wan Jun Peak’s only True Disciple. I’ve stumbled onto the winning team by sheer luck. My previous action of personally recommending Bai Yuan for the Merak Pavilion drew considerable criticism, but I managed to deflect it all. Looking back, it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.’

Elder Liu led Bai Yuan all the way to the Dubhe Pavilion on the top floor of the Instructor Hall.

"Elder Murong."

He bowed respectfully to a white-haired old man who was reading a book inside the Dubhe Pavilion.

Even though he was the Elder in charge of the Instructor Hall, he was still not qualified to enter the Dubhe Pavilion. The one presiding here was Murong Qing, a Supreme Elder of the Murong Family.

Bai Yuan looked at the Supreme Elder in the Dubhe Pavilion with surprise.

’The Murong Family sure has a lot of masters who have Entered the Realm.’

"Since you’re here, feel free to choose for yourself."

Murong Qing merely gave Bai Yuan a faint glance without much other movement.

He had clearly been informed of Bai Yuan’s reward beforehand, which was why he didn’t raise any objections.

Bai Yuan bowed. "Thank you, Elder Murong."

He didn’t stand on ceremony any longer, stepping over the threshold of the Dubhe Pavilion and into the room.

Very few in the Divine Mansion Sect could cross this threshold; all of them, without exception, were Junior Grandmasters.

Someone like Bai Yuan, who had yet to break through to Entering the Realm, was the first in a hundred years to be admitted.

It wasn’t that the Divine Mansion Sect was stingy, but that the Cultivation Techniques in the Dubhe Pavilion were too profound, making them more harmful than beneficial to Martial Artists below Entering the Realm.

Only a monster like Bai Yuan, who could kill an Entering Martial Artist while still at the Blood Refining Pass, would be granted special permission to enter.

The number of Cultivation Techniques in the Dubhe Pavilion was pitifully small.

There were only a mere four of them.

Aside from the sword manual called "Divine Power Sword Intent" that Supreme Elder Murong Qing was holding, there was a saber manual, a fist manual, and a spear manual.

A major sect like the Divine Mansion Sect would almost never bother to collect obscure Cultivation Techniques; after all, too few people studied them, and they weren’t considered a "royal road" to power.

Bai Yuan didn’t have much of a choice, so he decisively picked up the saber manual—the Wave-Splitting Saber.

A saber technique placed in the Dubhe Pavilion by the Divine Mansion Sect could not possibly be ordinary.

Bai Yuan couldn’t be bothered to take it back with him, so he simply sat down cross-legged, leaned against the wooden railing, and started reading.

"The Wave-Splitting Saber has three layers of heaven: the first splits water, the second splits waves, and the third breaks rivers!"

According to the manual, the Wave-Splitting Saber was created by a fisherman from overseas who loved to angle. That fisherman later became a great figure renowned throughout Xuan Yang.

The manual described three layers of heaven, but in reality, there were only two.

This was because the third layer, "breaking rivers," was merely a theoretical realm envisioned by that great figure; even he had not reached the Third Layer Heaven.

That was why the technique was called the Wave-Splitting Saber, not the Broken River Saber.

According to that great figure’s theory, if one truly mastered the third layer, they might actually be able to sever a river with a single slash.

This saber technique was just like the ones he had practiced before.

The Wave-Splitting Saber did not fixate on killing power, but rather on seeking the flaws in all things.

When he was a fisherman, that great figure discovered that dissecting large caught fish required great skill, using what was known in his homeland as "fish veins."

As long as one cut along the fish veins, a fishmonger could process a hundred large fish in a single day.

But for someone who didn’t understand the fish veins, it would probably take a whole day just to handle a single one improperly.

Splitting water was like this, and so was splitting waves.

To achieve a slash that could astound the world, one had to grasp these "veins"; otherwise, even if the slash was executed, the result would be unsatisfactory.

Bai Yuan became completely engrossed in his reading.

By the time he turned the final page of the Wave-Splitting Saber manual, the sky had already turned a dusky yellow.

"Just put the saber manual back where you found it."

Supreme Elder Murong Qing, who had been reading his sword manual off to the side, noticed the movement.

Bai Yuan rose and bowed to Murong Qing. "Thank you."

He placed the saber manual back on the table, then looked at his status panel.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Class: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Screen Master]

[Skills: Wave-Splitting Saber (Uninitiated), Demon Qi Lure (Master), Thousand Face Technique (Master), Sunflower Acupoint-Striking (Proficient)...]

[Enhancement Points: 0]

’Even with my current mastery of the saber, I still couldn’t even reach the initiated level after one read-through. Aside from my poor comprehension, this means the Wave-Splitting Saber’s rank is even higher than I imagined.’

’Still, I can feel that this Wave-Splitting Saber doesn’t quite measure up to the saber technique I created myself. It’s not that the Wave-Splitting Saber is truly inferior to my Returning Mountain Saber—otherwise, its creator wouldn’t have become a great figure revered throughout Xuan Yang. It’s just that a self-created technique is always a better personal fit. If someone else practiced the Returning Mountain Saber, they’d probably find it lacking compared to the Wave-Splitting Saber.’

Having acquired a new saber technique, Bai Yuan was in high spirits.

To his surprise, when he walked out of the Dubhe Pavilion, Elder Liu from the Instructor Hall was still waiting outside.

"Junior Brother Bai."

Elder Liu gave him a warm smile but didn’t say anything foolish like "please take care of me in the future."

In his younger years, he too had knocked about in the Jianghu.

He knew that if he had actually said something like that, any goodwill he had built with Bai Yuan would have vanished.

Sometimes, saying too much does more harm than good.

He knew that Dong Wanjun’s sole True Disciple was no fool; as long as his actions were sufficient, the young man would naturally remember these favors.

It was the wisdom of seeing the truth but not speaking it aloud.

"Take care, Junior Brother Bai."

Elder Liu saw him off the main peak, even waving at Bai Yuan as he left.

Bai Yuan walked along the path back to Wan Jun Peak.

His expression suddenly tensed, and he looked toward the east.

’That Tier Eight Great Demon seems to be moving faster than before. According to the guides from my past life, the entrance to the Divine Mansion is very likely connected to it.’

...