Sword Offering Ritual

"Martial Uncle Xuan Ji is a Core Formation True Person, after all. She might not be that petty."

Xu Chang spoke up in defense of True Person Xuan Ji.

In Xu Chang's view, a Core Formation True Person stood far above people like them. She would not be unable to accept defeat.

"It is not that I am speculating about Martial Uncle. It is simply that this matter is too strange."

Lin Chan said.

"Perhaps the Si Mu Tiger Demon was simply more sensitive."

"I considered that possibility as well, but there are others. Perhaps Martial Uncle Xuan Ji secretly attacked the Si Mu Tiger Demon, forcing it to flee."

Lin Chan did not suspect that his master, True Person Xuan Chen, wanted to send him to his death.

If his master had wanted him dead, he would not have given him a Top Grade Magic Tool Flying Sword before he left.

"Junior Brother, one must not speak carelessly of a True Person!"

Xu Chang said sternly.

If True Person Xuan Ji discovered it, he would be implicated as well.

"Senior Brother, I misspoke."

Lin Chan also sensed that something was off with Xu Chang. Xu Chang was far too nervous.

There had to be a reason for him to act this way.

True Persons' divine abilities were likely so vast that even discussing them behind their backs carried great risk.

"Junior Brother, say no more. I understand what you mean. I will proceed with caution."

Xu Chang gave Lin Chan a look, and the matter was laid to rest.

"I shall take my leave, Junior Brother. I will not disturb your rest."

Lin Chan said no more and turned to leave.

He had told Xu Chang about this matter. Xu Chang understood its gravity and would naturally think it over.

After stepping outside, Lin Chan gazed at the sinking moonlight, his heart filled with faint worry.

In the end, he was still too weak. He had no voice in the matter and did not even know the specific circumstances.

I hope it is not as bad as I imagine.

Lin Chan thought to himself.

After returning home and cultivating as usual, Lin Chan examined the newly acquired Flying Sword in his hand.

Though the sword had not left its sheath, it already gave off a faint chill.

"It should have a name."

Thinking of how this sword would henceforth be bound to his life, Lin Chan decided to name it.

After pondering for a long while, Lin Chan still could not settle on anything. He could only rest first and think it over slowly in the future.

The next day, when he opened his eyes, Lin Chan saw a trace of frost forming around the mouth of the Flying Sword's sheath. A fine name suddenly came to mind.

"Mystic Frost! From now on, you shall be called Mystic Frost!"

Lin Chan thought.

Wiping away the thin frost, Lin Chan closed the Flying Sword tightly into its sheath.

"Master said that before Foundation Establishment, I should not let the Flying Sword leave its sheath. He probably meant that I should not fight others or vie for superiority."

Lin Chan thought.

Otherwise, was Mystic Frost truly supposed to remain in its sheath for years, or even decades?

That was clearly impossible.

Nor would Lin Chan be foolish enough to understand only the surface meaning of True Person Xuan Chen's words.

As for going to Wu Country a few months later, Lin Chan had already considered it at length.

Though the journey was indeed dangerous, Lin Chan was not without means of defense.

He still had a Lesser Merit Record in his possession.

Within it was recorded a Seventh Grade Merit.

Some time ago, Lin Chan had learned much about Merit from books and from his senior brothers.

Merit was a reward bestowed by the laws of Heaven upon living beings for "benefiting Heaven and earth, aiding the common people, and following the Great Dao."

Besides assisting cultivation and helping one break through bottlenecks, it also possessed many wondrous uses, such as protection and purification.

By rank, aside from Lesser Merit that did not enter the grades, there were nine grades in total. First Grade was the highest, and Ninth Grade the lowest.

The Seventh Grade Merit in Lin Chan's hand, if used properly, could surround him with golden Merit light strong enough to resist that Core Formation Tiger Demon.

Of course, this Merit came from the Tiger Demon. It naturally could not completely subdue Four Eyes and could only hold out a little longer.

Together with Xu Chang's methods, they would still have some means of escape even in the worst-case scenario.

Merit had so many wondrous uses and was part of the grand and righteous path.

Yet not many cultivated specifically through it.

More people still walked crooked paths and heretical ways.

The reason was very simple.

First, Merit was naturally difficult to capture and employ. One needed Dharma Artifacts such as a Lesser Merit Record or Merit Record to record and guide it.

This magic tool alone was a massive threshold, shutting out many Rogue Cultivators and evil cultivators.

Even if one possessed everything needed, Merit was not so easily obtained.

Moreover, it was exceedingly easy to suffer Merit backlash.

First one nurtured evil and indulged evil, then, once the Merit had grown great enough, one eradicated that evil.

That would trigger Merit backlash instead, harming one's cultivation.

What True Person Xuan Ji had done was similar, though far more sophisticated.

She had discovered Four Eyes' affairs years ago but had not intervened.

Logically speaking, a demon like Four Eyes, one that devoured humans, would completely lose its reason after swallowing dozens or hundreds of people. It would become an evil demon that knew only how to eat people, raging mad and clouded in ignorance day after day.

Yet this demon had continued devouring until it possessed Five Hundred Years of Dao, with countless wronged souls in its belly, before showing signs of losing its mind.

Xuan Ji had been waiting for it to become completely demonized before killing it, so that she could obtain greater Merit.

Moreover, dealing with a demon that had lost its mind was always easier than dealing with a benevolent demon whose intelligence remained clear.

Heaven's Dao was omniscient and omnipotent. True Person Xuan Ji could not conceal this act from Heaven's Dao.

Every step she took had been exceedingly cautious, every step in accordance with the known laws governing Heavenly Dao Merit.

The slightest misstep would have turned her into a silkworm spinning a cocoon around itself.

For this, she had plotted for years, only for Lin Chan to pluck the peach at the end. How could she not be furious?

Yet True Person Xuan Chen did not consider her actions particularly wise. In his view, True Person Xuan Ji might already be about to suffer Merit backlash. On the contrary, Lin Chan had saved her.

After all, if one often walked by the riverbank, how could one keep one's shoes from getting wet?

Forget Core Formation—even a Nascent Soul True Lord of Shu Mountain had suffered calamity because of this, had they not?

Naturally, Lin Chan knew none of this.

Right now, he only thought that if all else failed, he could only use the Merit.

He could only hope that Four Eyes remembered the bond from their night of conversation and would not turn hostile at once.

For the next period of time, Lin Chan studied how to use Merit.

Occasionally, he practiced swordsmanship.

True Person Xuan Chen had not yet taught Lin Chan any sword techniques, but Lin Chan could practice the basics in advance.

Even profound sword techniques evolved from low-level sword techniques. Many sword moves were interconnected, so learning them early would do no harm.

Thus, he sought out Zhang He and asked him to teach him swordsmanship.

Zhang He was old and well-traveled. He had been in the Sword Sect, so he had naturally practiced swordsmanship in his youth.

It was simply that he was older now and no longer focused on such things.

So he taught Lin Chan a set of basic sword techniques that he knew.

Lin Chan broke down the sword techniques and focused especially on practicing the individual sword moves.

The movements of basic sword techniques were rich and varied, forming the cornerstone of complex swordsmanship systems. They could roughly be divided into thrusting, chopping, slashing, lifting, hanging, circling, wiping, pointing, snapping, intercepting, sweeping, picking, and drawing. Truly practicing them all was exceedingly complicated.

Fortunately, Lin Chan had practiced martial arts and saber techniques since childhood, so he had some experience.

The difference between mortal sabers and swords was merely that one had a single edge while the other had two.

Many saber moves and sword moves were interconnected, though some required further practice and correction.

Busy every day, Lin Chan soon found that the Mid-Autumn Festival had arrived in the blink of an eye.

It was time for the Sword Offering Ritual.

Lin Chan prepared the ritual implements, invited Xu Chang to stand guard outside, and beneath the full moon, began the Sword Offering Ritual.

At the request of our many readers, we have now launched a VIP membership feature that removes advertisements.

Click to view.