Heart Sword Same Origin Art

"I did encounter it."

Lin Chan knew this referred to the Four-Eyed Tiger.

This matter had come to light here, yet he hadn't harmed anyone alongside the Four-Eyed Tiger.

"That tiger terrorized the Heze Mountain area for years. My junior sister, True Person Xuan Ji, planned to eliminate it in due time, but you got there first and reformed it. The vicious tiger has since shed its malice and left Heze Mountain, whereabouts unknown."

The male cultivator explained the sequence of events.

Only then did Lin Chan realize the Four-Eyed Tiger incident had implicated him.

"Immortal Master! This has nothing to do with me. I was staying in the Broken Temple when, come night, four Karmic Obstacles showed up and cast illusions on me one after another. My resolve to seek the Dao is firm—I wasn't swayed by those evil spirits.

Then the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger walked over on its own, intending to eat me. I debated with it, blathered a bit, and barely escaped with my life. I have no connection to that vicious tiger."

Lin Chan explained.

The male cultivator glanced at the Void Clarity Mirror, which showed Lin Chan wasn't lying.

"That vicious tiger had five hundred years of cultivation, on par with a Core Formation cultivator. How could it have let you off so easily?"

The male cultivator asked, somewhat suspicious.

"Immortal Master! I speak nothing but the truth. That tiger had devoured too many people, was already burdened by Karmic Obstacles, and was muddled and confused. I merely advised it not to eat humans, nothing more."

Lin Chan said.

"Regardless, a mere mortal like you effortlessly gaining the merit of reforming a vicious tiger is truly suspicious."

The male cultivator met Lin Chan's gaze, his eyes calm as a lake, utterly unruffled.

"Immortal Master! If it's about the merit, I can return it to True Person Xuan Ji!"

Lin Chan gritted his teeth.

In the end, the two Shu Mountain True Persons sought him out for two reasons.

One was the Four-Eyed Tiger's escape; the other was the merit—and the merit was the most important matter.

He had already figured out that the vicious tiger was deliberately allowed to roam by True Person Xuan Ji, much like how the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain in Journey to the West permitted demons to devour mortals, leaving corpses strewn across the land—all orchestrated by gods and Buddhas to set up the Eighty-One Tribulations for Tang Sanzang on his Scripture Pilgrimage, amassing merit. Now that he had resolved the Four-Eyed Tiger matter, the Shu Mountain True Persons wouldn't let it go.

With his current meager strength, he could only swallow his pride and bide his time for future retribution.

"Merit is not some commodity that can be freely traded? You earned the merit of reforming that vicious tiger—it's yours, and no one can take it away."

The male cultivator smirked.

Hearing this, Lin Chan breathed a sigh of relief. At least there was room for negotiation.

"Then, Immortal Master, how should I atone?"

Lin Chan asked, extremely tense.

He recalled True Person Xuan Ji's earlier demeanor—she looked ready to flay him alive.

"As things stand, you've done nothing wrong, so why speak of atonement? It's just that this matter is truly odd. A mere mortal like you reforming a tiger that had preyed on humans for decades, then showing up at Shu Mountain—it's hard not to suspect you have some other agenda."

The male cultivator said with a smile.

"Immortal Master! I only wanted to take a master and learn the craft, nothing more."

Lin Chan quickly replied.

The male cultivator checked the Void Clarity Mirror again—this statement was true.

"With such great merit on you, Foundation Establishment will be no challenge. I'm willing to take you as my disciple, but I can't justify it to Junior Sister Xuan Ji. She had her eye on that tiger for years, waiting for the right moment, and you snatched it away."

The male cultivator glanced at Lin Chan, shook his head, and spoke with some difficulty.

Yet that difficulty seemed to carry a hint of something else.

"I am willing to take you as my master, Immortal Master!"

Lin Chan said hastily.

He understood True Person Xuan Chen's meaning—True Person Xuan Chen was willing to protect him.

He hadn't expected such good fortune.

Not everyone at Shu Mountain was wicked.

The male cultivator smiled knowingly and said:

"I've looked into your background for quite a while, and you didn't lie just now. This matter is essentially cleared up. You stumbled into this merit by accident—it would be a waste to let it dissipate. So, I'll take you as my disciple. As for Junior Sister Xuan Ji, I'll plead your case. But this will inevitably incur a great debt of favor, and that favor will be for you to repay on my behalf once you've made progress in your cultivation."

True Person Xuan Chen wanted to keep Lin Chan alive, but it came at a cost. He used this to caution Lin Chan, urging him to cultivate diligently.

"Master above, please accept this disciple's bow! In the future, I will do my utmost to compensate True Person Xuan Ji."

Lin Chan knew the male cultivator intended to protect him, so he didn't hesitate. He immediately took him as master, bowing with clasped hands.

Without this man's shelter, that so-called True Person Xuan Ji might well have killed him.

Still, this misfortune had turned into a blessing, sparing him years of waiting for Shu Mountain to open its doors for disciples.

"Good disciple, my Dao name is Xuan Chen, a Core Formation True Person of Tianquan Peak. From now on, you are my ninth disciple."

True Person Xuan Chen put away the Void Clarity Mirror and said calmly.

Then, he took a jade slip carved from a long strip of jade from his sleeve and handed it across the air to Lin Chan.

"This is the Lesser Merit Record. It can help you record merit and prevent it from dissipating. Just drip blood onto it, and it will work."

True Person Xuan Chen explained.

Under True Person Xuan Chen's watchful gaze, Lin Chan bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto it.

As the blood successfully took effect, Lin Chan felt something formless fly out from within him, landing on the Merit Record and transforming into a gleaming golden text.

"Educated a man-eating ferocious tiger with five hundred years of Dao—Seventh Grade Merit."

"This Seventh Grade Merit is enough to help you break through to Foundation Establishment."

Seeing the golden text shining on the Lesser Merit Record, True Person Xuan Chen spoke with a smile.

"Thank you, Master!"

Lin Chan expressed his gratitude repeatedly.

"I almost forgot—you're just a mortal and have no idea what cultivation truly entails."

True Person Xuan Chen recalled this oversight.

"In cultivation, first comes Qi Cultivation, then Foundation Establishment, and then Core Formation. Each realm is a separate world. For now, your master is only at Core Formation. When I see the scenery beyond, I'll tell you about it."

True Person Xuan Chen briefly explained the cultivation realms.

"Master, I understand."

Lin Chan nodded, committing this to memory.

Afterward, True Person Xuan Chen swept his divine sense over Lin Chan, clearly perceiving his talent, bone structure, and Spiritual Root.

"You have no Spiritual Root, but your physique is somewhat special—it can accommodate spiritual power. Not too bad, I suppose."

True Person Xuan Chen was slightly disappointed.

Originally, seeing Lin Chan casually educate the ferocious tiger had made him think highly of him.

But now, with Lin Chan's talent not particularly outstanding, he felt a bit let down again.

Still, Lin Chan was young in bone age and not old, making him somewhat malleable.

True Person Xuan Chen didn't show this disappointment and simply said:

"In that case, there's no need to find you another technique. You'll cultivate the founding art of our Shu Mountain Sword Sect, the Heart Sword Same Origin Art. This technique is the best for you."

True Person Xuan Chen stated.

"Thank you, Master!"

Lin Chan, knowing nothing at the moment, was already satisfied just to receive a technique.

"Alright, your Sixth Senior Brother, Xu Chang, just came out of seclusion not long ago. I'll have him teach you this sword art. Your master will be going out next month, so I won't be able to stay with you much."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

Then, he took a Jade Jue from his sleeve, infused it with a few strands of mana, and soon a young man's voice came through.

"Master! What do you need me for?"

"I've taken on a new junior disciple. Come over and look after him."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

"Yes, Master!"

A reply came from the jade.

After that, during the wait, True Person Xuan Chen had Lin Chan put away the Lesser Merit Record and explained the cultivation methods of their Shu Mountain Sect.

They focused on sword techniques that combined Dual Cultivation of Life and Spirit, along with various other cultivation methods, and also practiced merit cultivation.

True Person Xuan Chen repeatedly emphasized that merit should not be manipulated carelessly, or it would easily lead to backlash.

Lin Chan kept all this in mind, and then he saw a young man with sharp brows and bright eyes stride into the hall.

"Master!"

The young man first bowed to True Person Xuan Chen, then looked at Lin Chan and said, "So this is my junior disciple? I'm your Sixth Senior Brother, Xu Chang."

"Martial Brother Xu! I am Lin Chan."

Lin Chan immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and introduced himself.

"No need to be so formal, little junior disciple."

The young man waved his hand with a smile.

"Xu Chang, I'm entrusting Lin Chan to you. Take him around Tianquan Peak, then teach him the Heart Sword Same Origin Art. As for the flying sword, I'll think it over."

True Person Xuan Chen said to Xu Chang.

Cultivating the Heart Sword Same Origin Art made the Destiny Flying Sword extremely important, requiring careful consideration.