Gu Kingdom

Bai Yu strode into the bustling mission hall, the air thick with the murmur of cultivators seeking their next challenge. After a focused perusal of the available options, his gaze settled on a solitary mission. "This is it," he thought, a glint of determination in his eyes.

"The Royal Capital of the Gu Kingdom, a subordinate territory of the Azure Sword Sect, is bracing for a beast wave in three days," the mission description stated. "They require assistance from Bone Forging Realm cultivators."

"Three days," Bai Yu mused, a flicker of urgency crossing his features. Internally, he added another goal to his to-do list. "Perhaps after this mission, I'll be ready to take the inner disciple exam."

Two days of travel brought Bai Yu to the bustling capital city of the Gu Kingdom, a tributary state under the Azure Sword Sect. Upon reaching the imposing gates of the Royal Palace, he was intercepted by a contingent of guards.

"Halt!" a guard barked, his voice laced with a hint of nervousness. "State your business here."Bai Yu met their gaze with unwavering confidence. "I am Bai Yu, a disciple of the Azure Sword Sect," he declared, a sliver of his aura escaping his control. The guards flinched under the sudden pressure, faces paling slightly.These guards, skilled at Blood Condensation Realm, were considered formidable within the Gu Kingdom. But faced with Bai Yu, a Bone Forging expert, they were acutely aware of the vast power gap."A... a Bone Forging expert," one of the guards stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I will inform His Majesty of your arrival," a guard conceded with a polite bow. Three tense minutes ticked by before the guard reappeared, his posture more deferential this time."You may enter," he announced. "His Majesty awaits you."With a curt nod, Bai Yu followed the guard into the opulent confines of the palace.

The throne room bustled with activity – kingdom officials and military generals engaged in hushed discussions, their faces etched with worry. As Bai Yu scanned the room, he noted the generals – their postures exuded a practiced discipline, their cultivations peaking at the Blood Condensation Realm.

His gaze then settled on the King, seated upon a throne adorned with precious gemstones. Flanking the monarch were two figures: a middle-aged man with a prominent scar bisecting his face, and an older man whose wispy beard betrayed his advanced years. Both emanated auras that resonated with the early stages of the Bone Forging Realm, marking them as the kingdom's most potent cultivators.