Chapter Thirty-Nine: Enlightenment Amidst Rolling Waves

After leaving the training grounds, he went directly to his mother Liu's small courtyard. As for his own injuries, Yun Yufeng never cared much—he would just bandage them casually. But this time, it was his younger brother who was hurt, so he brought him to their mother to have the little maid apply medicine.

“Feng'er, what happened? Who hurt Yulan like this?” Liu gazed at the wounds on Yulan’s small hands, her eyes full of distress.

“Someone with no manners. Mother, don’t trouble yourself over these things. I’ve already taught him a lesson.”

“You, always so quick to use your fists. Remember last time when Yun Shangmo beat you so badly you were bedridden for a week? Haven’t you learned your lesson?” Liu shook her head, reproach in her voice.

Feeling his mother’s concern, Yun Yufeng’s heart warmed. He said softly, “Mother, I’m grown up now. A man must know when to act and when not to. I can tell the difference—don’t worry, I understand.”

“Oh, if only you’d understood before, I’d have had far less to worry about.” Liu stroked Yun Yufeng’s head.

“I’ve troubled you enough, Mother. Let’s see how my brother’s wounds are.”

She nodded in agreement.

“My lady, the young master’s wounds have been bandaged. He didn’t mention any other injuries, so it should just be his arm,” the maid reported.

“Bring some fruit for the young master to soothe his nerves,” Liu instructed.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Mother, I’m going out for a walk. Yulan, stay here with Mother and rest. I’ll come find you later.” Smiling at Yun Yulan, Yun Yufeng dusted off his robe and left the courtyard.

The flower path gradually narrowed, but the blossoms grew ever more abundant. Passing through this ocean of flowers, Yun Yufeng arrived at a small lakeside.

The sky blushed with red clouds, the setting sun casting its crimson rays slantwise across the lake. A gentle breeze rippled the surface, turning the whole lake red.

He sat on the shore, staring fixedly at the water, lost in thought. Yun Yufeng pondered quietly. This little mountain town was not the stage he wanted; his stage should be far broader. Once the family affairs were settled, he would find a chance to enter an academy in the spring and experience the outside world.

His slim figure remained motionless, as if merging with the tranquil landscape, an intangible aura shrouding him, seeking to become one with the eternal mountain and water.

He absentmindedly picked up pebbles and tossed them into the lake, sending out rings of ripples. Each wave overlapped or dipped, depending on the force he used.

A sound came from behind. Clad in a blue robe, Yun Yexiang flopped down beside him, quietly watching Yun Yufeng throw stones.

Yun Yufeng paused. “You’re here?”

“Yes, I am. Ever since your accident, I’ve come to enjoy this lake’s tranquility.”

“Should I thank you for causing that accident?” Yun Yufeng’s tone was calm. He sat quietly, not turning around, eyes still on the water.

“I don’t ask for your forgiveness,” Yun Yexiang replied.

“So what brings you here today?”

“I’m not here to see you. I just came to look at the lake.”

“I’m only here for the lake too, not for you.”

“But you just said, ‘You’re here?’” Yun Yexiang sounded puzzled.

Yun Yufeng smiled. “You are here, after all.”

Yun Yexiang fell silent.

Yun Yufeng glanced at him, his aura vast, his energy steady.

“I’ve been throwing stones for so long, and you’ve been watching. Tell me, what have you seen?” Yun Yufeng gazed at the ripples spreading over the lake.

“I see your ambition. This mountain is too small for you; you have a restless heart. You’re not tossing stones—you’re casting away loneliness.”

Yun Yufeng sighed deeply. “You shouldn’t have done what you did. We were brothers, or at least could have been friends.”

Yun Yexiang shrugged. “I had my reasons. I had no choice.”

Yun Yufeng frowned, then after a long silence said, “That’s a pity.”

“Yes, a real pity.” Yun Yexiang gave a wry smile, full of regret.

“I thought you were a wastrel. That would have made me feel less guilty, but I was wrong,” Yun Yexiang said.

“When I heard it was your doing, I thought you were a fool. Turns out I was mistaken. You still have a conscience—that gives me some comfort.”

“So you really didn’t come here to find me!”

“I wish I could forget who you are!”

“But now you can’t forget me anymore.”

Yun Yufeng shook his head. “How do you think you compare to Yun Shangdi?”

“I’m not his equal.”

“No confidence?”

“Give me three years like he had, and I’ll surpass him.”

Yun Yufeng fell silent.

“You don’t need to worry about him. He has his own pride,” Yun Yexiang glanced at him.

“That’s good, then,” Yun Yufeng smiled.

“So you really plan to leave.”

“This isn’t your destination either, is it?” The two shared a smile.

“Soon you’ll be heading to the scripture hall, I suppose.” Yun Yufeng’s eyes were full of mirth; his mood had lightened, and his earlier anger over his brother’s bullying had faded.

“I could go now, really, but I don’t want the old man to worry about me. It would make me seem incompetent.”

Yun Yufeng tossed another stone into the lake and sighed. “You’re a proud man too.”

Yun Yexiang laughed cheerfully. “Getting your praise is no small thing.”

Yun Yufeng smiled but said nothing, continuing to toss stones, sending ripples across the water.

He stared quietly at the lake, murmuring softly, “Waves stacking to form peaks, accumulations forming valleys… peaks… valleys…”

“What?” Yun Yexiang hadn’t caught it, only hearing Yun Yufeng muttering.

“Superposition… the overlapping of waves, the transmission of energy, that’s what it is…” Yun Yufeng remained motionless, stopped throwing stones, and slowly closed his eyes.

Within him, his tranquil mind surged with revelation. So this was possible?

The Blazing Wave Slash could now strike down a hundred times in an instant. If he adjusted the intervals, the power would multiply, even bypassing surface defenses to strike the core.

His mind raced, simulating the superposition of shockwaves. Every battle involved repeated collisions; if he could harness the transmission of those shocks, much strength could be saved.

Yun Yufeng understood the theory of superposition well—it was only practice and experience he lacked. Every material transmitted shockwaves differently, so what he needed was to quickly familiarize himself with how each object responded to the waves.

His mind simulated, and his battle aura began to stir restlessly, shifting speeds as obscure currents flowed out from his body in rippling waves, spreading outward.

Yun Yexiang watched in amazement, realizing Yun Yufeng was suddenly comprehending something new. But hadn’t they just been talking? Could talking with him really inspire such insight?

It made Yun Yexiang dizzy.

Suddenly, Yun Yufeng stood, walked over to a large boulder, and placed his palm against it, sending battle energy through the stone.

He felt the texture of the rock, then suddenly struck it a hundred times in rapid succession. Purple flashes burst from the points of contact.

The force wasn’t great, just a rapid barrage—over a hundred strikes in an instant, each one faster than the last, so the later shockwaves caught up and overlapped with the earlier ones at the same point.

He withdrew his hand, pressed it lightly against the stone again, battle energy pulsing as he sensed the rock’s state. After a single breath, he withdrew, satisfied, dusted his hands, and returned to his spot by the lake, tossing stones as before.

“What just happened?” Yun Yexiang couldn’t help but ask.

“Heh, I was throwing stones, so naturally I was thinking about things inspired by the stones.”

“Things inspired by stones?” Yun Yexiang didn’t understand. Everyone’s thrown stones—what could possibly come of it?

Yun Yufeng tossed a stone. “Dong”—a ripple spread.

“What do you see now?”

“Ripples?” Yun Yexiang replied, confused.

Yun Yufeng didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed a handful of stones and threw them into the lake all at once. Splashes sounded. “And now?”

Yun Yexiang stared. “Waves?”

“Why?”

Yun Yexiang shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Yun Yufeng stood, brushed off his robe, and walked down the flower path. “Waves stacking to form peaks, accumulations forming valleys—how much you understand is up to you.”

Yun Yexiang murmured, “Waves stacking to form peaks, accumulations forming valleys… stacking waves…” Over and over, his eyes full of bewilderment, as if on the verge of grasping something important, yet unable to seize it.

He stood up and approached the large boulder. With a single sword stroke, he split the rock as if it were tofu. Stunned, he saw that while the cleaved face was smooth, the interior was almost powder.

“Is this what Yun Yufeng just realized? Incredible.” Yun Yexiang muttered, dazed before the stone.

After a while, he looked up, confusion in his eyes giving way to clarity. He whispered, “Grandfather told me not to provoke you anymore, but who’s to say our rivalry can’t be resolved? You didn’t come for me, but you waited for me. You want to forget me, but can you now? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have shared your insight. Heh, it seems the tranquility of this little lake has its reason.”

He struck the shattered boulder with his palm. The two millstone-sized halves flew into the air, landing far out in the lake and sinking to the bottom, the broken stone heart scattering on the ground. Dusting off his hands, Yun Yexiang turned and walked down the flower path as well.