Plundering Worlds: I Have a Shotgun in a Fantasy World-Chapter 56: The Weight of the Blade
[Morning - Sect Kitchen]
Footsteps pounded across the courtyard, followed by laughter.
Yun chuckled. "Those two never stop."
Kael glanced out the window and saw Yun Juan chasing Yun Shu around the training yard, both of them grinning.
Shitou sat on the steps with his knees pulled up to his chest, still guarded but no longer hiding. His new clothes were clean and neat, his eyes following the twins’ movements.
"He’s settling in," Kael observed.
"Slowly." Yun rolled out the dough with practiced ease. "He’ll get there. Kids like him just need time."
Kael finished chopping the vegetables and set down the knife. "What else?"
"Mix these with the meat. Add some ginger and garlic. Not too much—just enough to bring out the flavor."
Kael followed the instructions, working the mixture together with his hands.
Kael worked the mixture together with his hands, focusing on the texture, the smell of ginger and garlic.
Simple. Mechanical.
"Zhihuan?"
Kael blinked and looked up. "Yes?"
Yun was watching him with a thoughtful expression. "You were somewhere else just now."
"I’m fine."
Yun held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Bring the filling over here. Let’s start wrapping."
They worked together in silence, folding delicate pleats into each dumpling and lining them up on a bamboo tray.
When the tray was full, Yun set it aside and started on the next dish—a whole fish, cleaned and ready to be steamed.
"Go get the twins," Yun said. "And Shitou. Tell them to wash up. We’ll eat in an hour."
Kael nodded and stepped outside.
[The Courtyard]
Yun Juan was sitting on Yun Shu’s back, victorious, while he groaned dramatically beneath her.
"I win!"
"You cheated!"
"Did not!"
Kael cleared his throat.
Both twins looked up.
"Food’s almost ready," Kael said. "Go wash up."
"Finally!" Yun Juan hopped off her brother and ran toward the well. Yun Shu followed, still grumbling about how she’d "definitely cheated."
Kael walked over to where Shitou sat on the steps.
The boy looked up at him, quiet and watchful.
"Come on," Kael said gently. "Time to eat."
Shitou stood slowly and followed Kael toward the main hall.
[The Main Hall - Family Feast]
The table was set with care—white rice, steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, dumplings, and a pot of savory soup. Morning light filtered in through the lattice windows, laying soft bands of gold across the table and warming the room.
Master Yun sat at the head of the table, smiling as everyone settled into their seats. Yun Juan and Yun Shu sat on one side, Kael and Shitou on the other.
"Eat," Yun said simply.
The twins dove in immediately, chopsticks flying as they grabbed dumplings and fish. Shitou hesitated, glancing at the others before carefully picking up a dumpling and placing it in his bowl.
He took a small bite, chewing slowly.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
He took another bite. And another.
Yun Juan grinned. "Good, right?"
Shitou nodded, still chewing.
"Master makes the best dumplings in the province," Yun Shu said proudly.
Yun laughed. "Flattery won’t get you extra helpings."
"Yes it will."
"No it won’t."
"It did last year!"
Everyone laughed.
The meal continued in warm chaos—stories shared, jokes told, food passed around the table. Shitou stayed quiet, but he ate steadily, his eyes darting between the others as if memorizing their faces.
At one point, Yun Juan leaned over and placed a piece of fish in Shitou’s bowl.
"Try this one. It’s the best part."
Shitou looked down at the fish, then up at her.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Yun Juan smiled. "You’re welcome."
Kael watched the exchange and felt something warm settle in his chest.
This.
This was what family felt like.
More than blood. More than obligation.
Just people sitting together, sharing food, sharing warmth.
For a moment, an old memory surfaced.
A wooden table. Steam rising from a simple meal. His father’s quiet voice. His mother’s hands setting bowls down without fuss.
It had been years.
They were gone now.
The warmth in his chest tightened—not enough to break him, but enough to remind him what had been taken.
After the meal, the twins helped clear the table while Master Yun poured tea. Shitou sat quietly, his hands folded in his lap, but he looked... content.
Yun set down his cup and smiled at all of them.
"Another year," he said softly. "Another family feast."
He raised his cup.
"To those who are here. And to those who will be."
Everyone raised their cups.
"Ganbei."
They drank.
[Later That Night - Courtyard]
The twins had gone to bed, and Shitou had fallen asleep on a cushion in the corner of the main hall, curled up like a cat.
Master Yun sat on the edge of the training platform, a jug of wine beside him. He poured two cups and gestured for Kael to join him.
Kael sat down, accepting the cup.
They drank in silence for a while, watching the stars.
Then Yun spoke.
"You know," he said quietly, "you’ve been different since that trial."
Kael paused mid-sip. "Trial?"
Yun nodded. "You left for three weeks. Came back... changed."
Kael searched Luzhihuan’s memories, but found nothing. Just a blank space where something important should have been.
"I... can’t recall it clearly."
Yun studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Maybe that’s for the best."
He poured another cup and pushed it toward Kael.
"But whatever happened then, it’s still with you."
Kael looked down at the wine.
Yun stood and stretched. "Tomorrow, bring your sword. The one in the armory. It’s been gathering dust for too long."
Kael frowned. "My sword?"
"The black one." Yun smiled faintly. "You’ll know it when you see it."
He picked up the wine jug and walked toward his quarters.
"Don’t stay up too late."
Kael sat alone under the stars, turning the cup in his hands.
A trial. A year ago. Something that changed Luzhihuan.
But he had no memory of it.
Kael finished his wine and stood.
Tomorrow, he would find the sword.
[The Next Morning - Armory]
The armory was a small stone building at the back of the sect compound, cool and dim even in daylight.
Rows of practice weapons lined the walls—wooden swords, staffs, training spears. Everything was neatly organized, dusted, cared for.
But in the corner, leaning against the stone wall, was something different.
A sword.
Sheathed in black lacquered wood, wrapped in dark cloth that had gathered a thin layer of dust.
Kael approached it slowly.
The moment his hand touched the hilt, something clicked into place—like a key turning in a lock.
He lifted the sword. It was heavier than he expected, but the weight felt... right.
He drew the blade.
The steel was black as ink, drinking in the morning light rather than reflecting it. The edge gleamed faintly, sharp and cold.
Kael stared at the blade.
He’d seen this before.
In the dream.
The same weight. The same balance. The same cold, beautiful deadliness.
He turned the blade slowly, watching the way it moved through the air—silent, precise.
It fit his hand like it had been made for him.
No.
Like it had been made for him.
Kael sheathed the sword and walked back out into the courtyard.
[Training Courtyard - Morning]
Master Yun was waiting in the courtyard, a wooden practice sword in his hand.
"Ready?" he asked.
Kael drew the black blade and nodded.
Yun moved first.
Despite his age, his movements were still sharp—decades of muscle memory guiding every step, every turn. His wooden sword came in fast, angled low toward Kael’s ribs.
Kael shifted his weight and deflected the strike with the flat of his blade.
*Clack.*
Yun pivoted and came again, this time from the opposite side.
Kael met the strike, his black blade moving smoothly through the guard positions—rising, falling, turning.
They moved through the forms together—attack, parry, counter.
No Qi. No internal energy. Just technique.
Kael’s movements were fluid, precise. Each strike clean, each defense efficient.
He felt good. Sharp. Focused.
Yun came in again—a testing strike, aimed high.
Kael deflected it and countered with a horizontal slash that stopped inches from Yun’s throat.
Fast. Brutal. Aimed to kill.
Yun stood perfectly still. He just lowered his wooden sword slowly and stepped back.
"Again," he said.
They resumed.
Kael pressed forward this time, his blade moving in tight, controlled arcs. Every strike was precise, every angle calculated.
Efficient.
Lethal.
Yun defended, but Kael could feel himself gaining ground. His footwork was better. His timing sharper.
He was improving.
Another exchange—Kael’s blade came down in a vertical slash, Yun deflected, Kael reversed into a thrust aimed at the solar plexus.
Yun sidestepped, but only barely.
Kael pulled back, breathing steady, waiting for the next opening.
Yun lowered his sword and studied Kael for a long moment.
"Your technique has improved," Yun said quietly.
Kael nodded, sheathing the black blade. "Thank you, Master."
Yun remained silent for a moment. He just stood there, watching Kael with an unreadable expression.
Then he spoke.
"Your sword is too heavy."
Kael frowned. "It’s the same weight as always."
"Not the blade." Yun gestured toward Kael’s chest. "Here. Your heart."
A wind moved through the courtyard.
At the edge of the training platform stood the old ginkgo tree—its trunk thick, bark deeply furrowed with age. It had stood there longer than any disciple in the sect could remember.
Golden leaves loosened from the branches and drifted down across the stone.
One landed on the flat of Kael’s blade.
Kael tilted his head, genuinely confused. "I don’t understand. I was following the forms correctly."
Another leaf fell.
Kael brushed it away without thinking.
Yun walked over and sat down on the edge of the training platform.
"When you swing your sword," Yun said quietly, "you’re not here. You’re somewhere else."
Kael shook his head. "I was focused on the forms. I was present."
"Were you?" Yun’s gaze was steady. "Then why does every strike carry the weight of something unfinished?"
Kael opened his mouth, then closed it.
Master Yun’s words made no sense to him.
"Something’s weighing on you," Yun continued. "Something heavy. You carry it with you—into every strike, every breath."
Kael looked down at the black blade in his hand. "I feel fine."
Yun studied him for a moment longer, then stood.
"The blade doesn’t care about what happened before. It doesn’t care about what might happen next. It only exists in this moment—in your hand, in this courtyard, under this sky."
He placed a hand on Kael’s shoulder.
"When your heart is still, the sword is light."
Kael had no answer.
Master Yun squeezed his shoulder once, then let go and turned toward the main hall.
"Think about it."
Kael stood there, holding the black blade, still confused.
The ginkgo leaves continued to fall around him.
He felt fine.
His technique was sharp. His mind was clear.
---
[A Few Moments Later]
"Senior Brother!"
Kael turned.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were standing at the edge of the courtyard, both grinning.
"You were amazing!" Yun Juan said, eyes bright. "You almost got Master that time!"
Yun Shu nodded enthusiastically. "You’re getting so much better! You were keeping up with him the whole time!"
Kael smiled faintly. "Master’s still holding back."
"Maybe," Yun Shu said. "But you’re way stronger than you were before.Once you reach Xiantian1, you’ll beat Master for sure!"
Yun Juan nodded. "Definitely!"
Kael sheathed the black blade. "We’ll see."
"Can we watch Master spar now?" Yun Juan asked, turning toward Yun.
Master Yun chuckled. "You two want a demonstration?"
"Yes!"
"Please!"
Yun sighed in mock exasperation. "All right, all right. Get your practice swords."
The twins scrambled to grab their wooden training swords and took up positions in the courtyard.
Kael stepped aside, leaning against one of the wooden posts.
On the other side of the courtyard, near the steps, Shitou sat quietly, his eyes fixed on the training ground.
He was always watching. Always silent.
But there was something different in his gaze now—not just wariness, but focus. Curiosity.
Master Yun faced the twins, his wooden sword held loosely at his side.
"Come."
Yun Juan attacked first—a straight thrust toward Yun’s chest.
Yun sidestepped easily, tapping her shoulder with his sword as she passed.
Yun Shu came in from the other side, aiming low.
Yun shifted his weight and deflected the strike with a flick of his wrist, then tapped Yun Shu’s head lightly.
"Too slow."
The twins attacked together this time, coordinating their strikes.
But Master Yun moved like water—flowing around their attacks, redirecting their momentum, never using more force than necessary.
Every movement was economical. Effortless.
Beautiful.
Kael watched, impressed despite himself.
This was what mastery looked like.
After a few more exchanges, Master Yun lowered his sword.
"Enough for now. Go cool down."
The twins, breathing hard but grinning, bowed and walked off to get water.
Master Yun turned toward Shitou.
The boy was still sitting on the steps, his eyes wide, staring at the training ground.
Yun walked over and crouched down in front of him.
"Did you like that?" Yun asked gently.
Shitou nodded slowly.
"Do you want to learn?"
Shitou’s eyes widened. He looked at Master Yun, then at Kael, then back at Master Yun.
Then he nodded again—firmly this time.
Master Yun smiled. "Good. We’ll start tomorrow."
Shitou’s face lit up—not quite a smile, but close.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu returned, still catching their breath.
"Senior Brother," Yun Juan said, grinning. "Spar with us!"
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You just finished sparring with Master."
"But we want to practice with you!" Yun Shu said. "Come on!"
Kael glanced at Master Yun, who just smiled and shrugged.
"All right," Kael said. "But I’ll use a practice sword."
He set the black blade aside carefully and picked up a wooden training sword from the rack.
The twins took their positions, both grinning.
Kael settled into his stance, the wooden blade held loosely in his hand.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
Kael moved.
The wooden sword cut through the air with a soft *whoosh*.
Yun Juan ducked and countered.
Yun Shu came from the side.
Kael shifted his weight, deflecting both strikes with minimal effort.
From the steps, Shitou watched, his eyes wide and focused, memorizing every movement.
Master Yun stood in the shadow of the main hall, arms crossed, watching silently.
His expression was thoughtful.
---
Xiantian先天=the realm beyond First-Rate.
