Chapter 14: Successfully Arrived, This Is The Body Sect!
The crackling campfire cast dancing orange shadows across Liu Yuan's face. He kept his gaze fixed on the flames, carefully schooling his features into a mask of calm indifference. Beneath that placid exterior, his pulse thrummed with quiet anticipation. The two young women sitting across from him were not just chance encounters; they were the golden keys to the gates of the Body Sect.
The deep ties between the Heavenly Soul Empire's royal family and the Body Sect were an open secret among the upper echelons of the Douluo Continent. As a transmigrator, Liu Yuan held an even greater advantage—he knew the lore inside and out. Princess Vina wasn't just royal blood. She was a core disciple of the Body Sect.
Securing this connection meant his entry was practically guaranteed. The Body Sect was notoriously fiercely protective of its own, possessing a ravenous hunger for any Soul Master who awakened a Body Martial Soul. For a genius possessing a top-tier variant like his, rejection was an impossibility. The only real hurdle had always been locating their elusive, reclusive mountain gates.
Now, that hurdle had practically delivered itself to his campfire.
Liu Yuan took a slow, measured breath, letting the cool night air settle his nerves. He didn't rush to state his intentions. Instead, he steered the conversation toward casual topics, trading light banter with Vina and Mu Xue. He needed to close the distance between them organically before dropping the bait.
Surprisingly, Vina took the bait before he even cast the line.
As the conversation lulled, she leaned forward. The firelight caught the intense curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "Young Master Liu, your performance earlier was truly extraordinary. Your Martial Soul feels entirely unique, and you possess healing abilities on top of your combat prowess. If I may ask... what exactly is your Martial Soul?"
Though she had only caught a fleeting glimpse during the battle, Vina's instincts as a Body Sect disciple were razor-sharp. Body Martial Souls shared an innate connection. Looking into Liu Yuan's strange, dual-pupiled eyes earlier had triggered an inexplicable sensation within her—a strange mix of deep, instinctual intimacy and heavy, suffocating pressure.
Liu Yuan met her gaze squarely. He raised a hand, tapping a finger lightly just below his right eye. "My Martial Soul is my eyes," he said, his tone perfectly even. "They are called the Double Pupils."
"Your eyes? A Body Martial Soul?!"
Mu Xue, who had been quietly tending to her gear, snapped her head up. Her usual icy demeanor shattered, replaced by a burning, intense heat as she stared at his face.
Even with her excellent royal upbringing, Vina's breath hitched. Her fingers tightened around the hem of her skirt. A Body Martial Soul! And not just any part—the eyes! In the strict hierarchy of Body Martial Souls, the brain, torso, and eyes stood at the absolute pinnacle. They were legendary, possessing potential that ordinary limbs or skin could never hope to match.
"That's right." Liu Yuan nodded, letting a perfectly crafted, self-deprecating smile touch his lips. "To tell you the truth, my presence in this forest isn't a coincidence. I am traveling to the Heavenly Soul Empire to search for a legend. I am looking for the Body Sect."
He let out a soft, perfectly timed sigh, his gaze drifting up toward the starry canopy above as if lost in a distant dream. "I've heard it is the ultimate holy land for anyone in this world who awakens a Body Martial Soul."
He lowered his gaze, looking at his hands with a hint of manufactured helplessness. "Ever since my Martial Soul Awakening, I have been fumbling in the dark. I've had to figure out my own cultivation path through trial and error. I know far too little about the true mysteries of a Body Martial Soul. So... I want to find them. I want to see if I can be accepted into their ranks and finally learn how to cultivate properly."
He shook his head, offering them a wry chuckle. "It's a pity. I've heard the Body Sect sealed its gates years ago, and no one knows where their mountain is located. My journey to the Heavenly Soul Empire is little more than a blind gamble."
Vina and Mu Xue exchanged a swift, silent glance. The dancing flames illuminated the identical, suppressed amusement in their eyes.
What kind of absurd luck was this? Wearing out iron shoes in a fruitless search, only to find the prize sitting right in front of them!
Just moments ago, Vina had been secretly plotting. She had decided that even if she had to knock this peerless genius unconscious and tie him up in a sack, she was dragging him back to the sect. She never expected the prize to wrap itself in a bow and deliver itself directly to her doorstep.
"Ahem." Vina coughed delicately behind her hand, forcing down the bubbling joy in her chest. She adjusted her posture, adopting an air of dignified reserve. "Since Young Master Liu harbors such grand ambitions, traveling thousands of miles to the Heavenly Soul Empire in pursuit of knowledge... it is truly admirable." She paused, letting a small, knowing smile break through. "However... to be completely honest with you, I am a disciple of the Body Sect."
Liu Yuan widened his eyes, his expression the picture of stunned disbelief. "Truly? Such a coincidence exists in this world?"
"It does!" Vina laughed, the sound bright and clear in the night air. "So, why don't you travel with us, Young Master Liu? The roads are dangerous, and it's always better to have companions looking out for each other. Once we reach the Heavenly Soul Empire, I can personally recommend you to the sect."
"That would be incredible. I am in your debt, Lady Vina!" Liu Yuan stood and offered a deep, formal bow, his hands clasped respectfully.
The next morning.
The sky was just bleeding into a pale, bruised purple when the camp broke down and the group resumed their journey. With Liu Yuan acting as a heavy-hitting vanguard, the remaining trek through the outer edges of the forest became a walk in the park. Any stray Soul Beasts foolish enough to approach were swiftly and ruthlessly dispatched.
During the downtime, Liu Yuan put the social acumen of two lifetimes to work. He knew the value of networking; in this brutal world, multiple paths meant multiple lifelines.
For the rugged mercenaries like Tie Feng, Liu Yuan played the part of a grounded, generous brother-in-arms. He would casually toss them skewers of Huo Yuhao-style grilled fish, the rich, spicy aroma instantly winning over their stomachs. Whenever a mercenary suffered a scratch or pulled a muscle, a wave of Liu Yuan's hand provided instant, soothing healing. Within two days, the hardened veterans were clapping him on the back and calling him brother.
With Vina and Mu Xue, his approach shifted. He was polite, refined, yet effortlessly witty. He spun bizarre, fascinating tales from his travels—stories adapted from his past life that left the two sheltered women wide-eyed and hanging onto his every word. He sprinkled in just enough subtle charm to keep the atmosphere light and engaging, making the girls flush and laugh freely.
Even Mu Xue, whose default expression was a frosty glare, found herself offering rare, genuine smiles under Liu Yuan's relentless, calculated charm offensive.
As for Vina, her favorability toward him skyrocketed. In her eyes, Liu Yuan wasn't just a monstrously talented combatant; he was cultured, well-spoken, and deeply reliable. He was someone worth keeping close.
The grueling, blood-soaked reality of the Star Dou Great Forest faded into the background. Their journey felt more like a leisurely spring outing, filled with the scent of roasted meat and echoing laughter.
Days bled into one another until the oppressive canopy of the Star Dou Great Forest finally broke, giving way to the open, sunlit plains of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
According to her original itinerary, Vina was supposed to return straight to the imperial capital. She needed to report her survival and rest within the safety of the palace walls. But the past few days had changed her priorities. Her dynamic with Liu Yuan had shifted from cautious allies to genuine, familiar friends.
In Vina's mind, the logic was simple. Liu Yuan was desperate to join the Body Sect, and his Double Pupils were a once-in-a-century treasure that the sect elders would go mad over. Why delay the inevitable?
Vina's heart stirred with sudden resolve.
"Liu Yuan, we are changing our route."
The heavy velvet curtain of the carriage lifted. Vina leaned out, the wind catching her hair as she smiled brightly at Liu Yuan, who was riding a steady stallion alongside them. "Since you are so anxious to reach the Body Sect, we won't return to Heavenly Soul City first. I am taking you straight to the mountain gates!"
Liu Yuan pulled back on the reins, his eyes lighting up with perfectly feigned surprise. "Really? Then I owe you my deepest thanks, Vina!"
"Why are you still being so polite with me?" Vina winked playfully, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Just don't forget my kindness once you become successful in the future."
A few days later.
Deep within the borders of the Heavenly Soul Empire, the carriage rolled to a halt at the base of a massive, undulating mountain range. The terrain here was jagged and unforgiving, a maze of steep cliffs and deep ravines swallowed by a thick, swirling sea of white mist. It was a desolate, untouched place, utterly devoid of human tracks.
Liu Yuan sat atop his horse, tilting his head back to stare at the precipitous peak that pierced straight through the cloud cover like a jagged spear. The sheer scale of it was oppressive.
'As expected of a reclusive sect,'Liu Yuan thought, a cold, pragmatic satisfaction settling in his chest.'Without a guide, a person could wander these misty peaks for a lifetime and never find the entrance.'
"We've arrived."
Vina stepped down from the carriage, pointing toward a narrow, almost invisible path winding up the cliffside. A proud, brilliant smile bloomed on her face. "If we walk a little further forward, we will reach the Body Sect."
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