Heart Sword Same Origin Art

"Yes, I did."

Lin Chan knew he was referring to Four Eyes.

So this matter had originated there. But he had never harmed anyone together with Four Eyes.

"That tiger had committed evil around Heze Mountain for many years. My junior sister, True Person Xuan Ji, had intended to eliminate it after some time, but you got there first and reformed it. Now that evil tiger's vicious aura has dissipated, and it has left Heze Mountain for parts unknown."

The male cultivator explained the whole sequence of events.

Only then did Lin Chan realize that Four Eyes' affairs had implicated him.

"Immortal Master! This has nothing to do with me. I was merely staying in a Broken Temple when, who could have known, four tiger ghosts came at night and cast illusions upon me one after another. My heart in seeking the Dao was steadfast, and I was not beguiled by those evil ghosts.

"Then that Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger came over on its own, intending to eat me. I debated with it and spouted a few nonsensical words, only then escaping death. I have no connection with that evil tiger."

Lin Chan explained.

The male cultivator glanced at the Void Clarity Mirror. It showed that Lin Chan had not lied.

"That evil tiger possessed Five Hundred Years of Dao, comparable to a Core Formation cultivator. How could it have let you off so easily?"

The male cultivator asked suspiciously.

"Immortal Master! Every word I spoke was true. That evil tiger had eaten too many people and was already entangled in Karmic Obstacles, muddled and dazed. I merely urged it not to eat people. That was all."

Lin Chan said.

"No matter what, you are but an ordinary mortal, yet you so easily obtained the Merit of reforming an evil tiger. It is truly strange."

The male cultivator met Lin Chan's eyes, his gaze as still as lake water, without the slightest ripple.

"Immortal Master! If this is about the Merit, I can return it to True Person Xuan Ji!"

Lin Chan gritted his teeth.

In the end, the two True Persons of Shu Mountain had sought him over two matters.

One was that Four Eyes had escaped. The other was Merit—and Merit might even have been the more important matter.

He had already seen through it. That evil tiger had been deliberately indulged by True Person Xuan Ji, just as the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain in Journey to the West indulged demons in devouring mortals until corpses carpeted the land. It was all done deliberately by gods and Buddhas, to set up Eighty-One Tribulations for Tang Sanzang's Scripture Pilgrimage and accumulate Merit. Now that he had resolved Four Eyes' matter, the True Persons of Shu Mountain simply would not let it go.

His strength was still meager, so he could only bend and yield for now, waiting to settle the score in the future.

"Is Merit some commodity that can be traded at will? You obtained the Merit of reforming that evil tiger, so it is yours. No one can take it from you."

The male cultivator curled his lips into a smile.

Hearing this, Lin Chan let out a breath. At least there was still room to ease this matter.

"Then, Immortal Master, how should I atone for my sins?"

Lin Chan asked nervously.

Thinking of True Person Xuan Ji's earlier appearance, she had looked as though she wanted nothing more than to flay him alive.

"From the current circumstances, you have done nothing wrong. Why speak of atonement? It is merely that this matter is too strange. As a mere mortal, you reformed an evil tiger that had eaten people for decades, then came to Shu Mountain afterward. One cannot help but suspect that you have some other purpose."

The male cultivator said with a smile.

"Immortal Master! I merely wish to take a master and learn the arts. Nothing more."

Lin Chan hurriedly answered.

The male cultivator checked the Void Clarity Mirror again. This, too, was true.

"With such great Merit upon you, Foundation Establishment will not be difficult. I would be willing to take you as my disciple, but there will be no way to answer to Junior Sister Xuan Ji. She had set her sights on that evil tiger years ago, merely waiting for the right opportunity, only for you to snatch it away."

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

Yet there seemed to be another meaning beneath that difficulty.

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

Lin Chan hastily said.

He understood what True Person Xuan Chen meant. True Person Xuan Chen was willing to protect him.

He had never expected such a good thing to fall into his lap.

Not everyone in Shu Mountain was evil.

The male cultivator smiled knowingly and said:

"I have investigated your identity for quite some time. You did not lie just now either, so this matter has basically been clarified. You stumbled into this Merit by chance. If it were simply allowed to dissipate, that would be a waste. Since that is so, I shall take you as my disciple. As for Junior Sister Xuan Ji, I will plead your case for you. But this will inevitably incur a great debt of gratitude. When your cultivation bears fruit in the future, you will repay that favor on behalf of your master."

True Person Xuan Chen wished to preserve Lin Chan's life, but he would have to pay a certain price as well. He used this to admonish Lin Chan, telling him to cultivate diligently.

"Master above, please accept your disciple's bow! In the future, I will certainly do all I can to compensate True Person Xuan Ji."

Lin Chan knew that the male cultivator before him intended to protect him. He did not stand on ceremony, immediately taking him as his master and bowing with cupped hands.

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

Still, this could be considered a blessing in disguise. It spared him years of waiting for Shu Mountain to open its gates and accept disciples.

"Good disciple, my Daoist title is Xuan Chen. I am 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 spoke calmly.

Then he took a Jade Slip carved from a long strip of jade from his sleeve and sent it flying through the air to Lin Chan.

"This is the Lesser Merit Record. It can help you record your Merit and prevent it from dissipating. Simply drip blood onto it, and it can be used."

True Person Xuan Chen explained.

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

As the blood was absorbed, Lin Chan felt something invisible fly out from his body and settle upon the Merit Record, becoming a line of glittering golden text.

Reformed a man-eating fierce tiger with Five Hundred Years of Dao — Seventh Grade

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

Seeing the golden words bloom upon the Lesser Merit Record, True Person Xuan Chen smiled as well.

"Thank you, Master!"

Lin Chan said gratefully again and again.

"I nearly forgot—you are merely a mortal and do not know what cultivation is all about."

True Person Xuan Chen remembered this point.

"In cultivation, one first practices Qi Cultivation, then Foundation Establishment, then Core Formation. Each realm is a layer of heaven. Your master is currently only at Core Formation. When I behold the scenery beyond, I will tell you of it."

True Person Xuan Chen briefly explained the realms of cultivation.

"Yes, Master. I understand."

Lin Chan nodded, committing it all to memory.

Afterward, True Person Xuan Chen swept his divine sense over Lin Chan, clearly seeing Lin Chan's talent, physique, and Spiritual Root.

"You possess no Spiritual Root, though your constitution is somewhat unusual and can contain spiritual power. It is not too bad, I suppose."

True Person Xuan Chen was slightly disappointed.

Originally, seeing Lin Chan casually reform the evil tiger, he had viewed him in a different light.

But now, Lin Chan's talent was not especially outstanding, and he was somewhat disappointed.

Fortunately, Lin Chan's bone age was young. He was still young enough to be molded.

True Person Xuan Chen did not show this disappointment. He merely said:

"In that case, there is no need to seek another cultivation method for you. You shall cultivate the founding supreme art of our Shu Mountain Sword Sect, the Heart Sword Same Origin Art. This technique is the best for you."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

"Thank you, Master!"

Lin Chan understood nothing at present, so simply obtaining a cultivation method already left him deeply satisfied.

"Like this—your Sixth Senior Brother Xu Chang has only recently emerged from seclusion. Let him teach you this sword art. Your master will be leaving next month, so I will not be able to keep you company for long."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

Then he took out a Jade Jue from his sleeve and sent several wisps of mana into it. Before long, a young man's voice came through.

"Master! What do you need of me?"

"I have taken in a new junior disciple for you. Come and look after him."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

"Yes, Master!"

A reply came from the jade.

While they waited afterward, True Person Xuan Chen had Lin Chan put away the Lesser Merit Record and explained the cultivation methods of Shu Mountain to him.

They primarily cultivated sword arts through Dual Cultivation of Life and Spirit, though they also possessed all manner of other cultivation methods, while additionally cultivating Merit.

True Person Xuan Chen repeatedly emphasized that Merit must not be manipulated carelessly, or one could very easily suffer Merit backlash.

Lin Chan kept all this firmly in mind. Then he saw a handsome young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes stride into the great hall.

"Master!"

The young man first bowed to True Person Xuan Chen, then looked toward Lin Chan and said:

"This must be my junior brother! I am your Sixth Senior Brother, Xu Chang."

"Martial Brother Xu! I am Lin Chan."

Lin Chan immediately rose, cupped his hands, and introduced himself.

"No need for such courtesy, Junior Brother."

The young man smiled and waved his hand.

"Xu Chang, Lin Chan is in your care now. Take him around Tianquan Peak, then teach him the Heart Sword Same Origin Art. As for the matter of a Flying Sword, I will consider it further."

True Person Xuan Chen said to Xu Chang.

For cultivating the Heart Sword Same Origin Art, a Destiny Flying Sword was extremely important and had to be chosen with great care.