Chronicles of Cultivation and Dust-Slaying

The Azure Heavens Record of Dust-Cleaving

Chapter 1: Withered Wood Finds a Spark of Spirit

The setting sun was blood-red, staining the vast, rugged Blackstone Mountain. Lin Yue curled up in a crevice between the rocks in a mountain ravine. His ragged gray shirt was caked in mud, and the dull ache in his ribs grew worse with every breath. It was an injury from being kicked by bandits that morning. He stared at the smooth wooden token in his palm. The four characters “Qingyun Sect Outer Disciple” had long since blurred, much like his circumstances over the past three years.

As the most insignificant outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect, Lin Yue had a mixed spiritual root and could barely manage even the most basic task of drawing qi into his body. His peers could already wield low-grade magical artifacts, while he still spent every day chopping wood and hauling water, barely scraping by on his meager sect stipend. Three days ago, the sect distributed its monthly body-tempering pills. Seeing that Lin Yue had made no progress in his cultivation, the steward simply gave his share to someone else, saying, “You can't carve a rotten piece of wood. Giving him pills would be a waste.”

“Cough...” A metallic taste rose in Lin Yue's throat. He gripped the token tightly, his knuckles turning white. He refused to accept this. He had left his frail mother behind, taking half a sack of dried provisions she had saved up, and crossed mountains to reach the Qingyun Sect. He hadn't come here to become a useless nobody anyone could bully.

Just then, something stirred outside the crevice. The sound of hurried footsteps mixed with panting, and two figures stumbled inside: a man and a woman, both dressed in fine robes and clearly cultivators. A black arrow was embedded in the man's chest, its tail still trembling slightly, while the woman clutched an ancient wooden box protectively, her face as pale as paper.

“People from Blackwind Stronghold... They've caught up with us!” the woman said, her voice trembling. When her gaze fell on Lin Yue, a flash of disgust crossed her eyes. “Where did this little gutter rat come from? Get out of the way!”