Supreme Induction Scripture

In the sky, Lin Xuan hurried onward. After breaking through to the Nirvana Realm and becoming a Heavenly Symbol Master, he had gained another new insight into the qi of life and death.

Heaven and earth, yin and yang, life and death, vertical and horizontal...

For a time, countless realizations and flashes of inspiration flickered through Lin Xuan's mind.

The sword strike that had just killed Mu Shi was the killing move of the Vertical Sword Technique. It could be said to be an application of the Qi of Death. In response, Lin Xuan also thought of how the Horizontal Sword Technique could employ the qi of life.

The horizontal sword attacked through technique, seeking sharpness—this was opening; the vertical sword attacked through momentum, seeking substance—this was closing.

One opening and one closing, horizontal and vertical as one—heaven and earth as one, life and death as one!

Moreover, the characteristics of the Vertical Sword Technique and Horizontal Sword Technique were remarkably mystical. The Vertical Sword Technique could borrow the enemy's attacks to continuously build up its own sword momentum. In other words, the more it was beaten, the stronger it became.

The horizontal sword was the exact opposite. The more the Horizontal Sword Technique attacked, the more its sword momentum would rise. In other words, the more it fought, the stronger it became.

The Vertical Sword Technique's One Blade Throat Sever and Hundred Steps Flying Sword—when the sword moved, the man moved—sought a single killing blow. It was death at its utmost, a sword strike that pursued destruction. One could even say that strike was seeking life after being driven into death.

When the sword emerged, the man moved. That sword strike was himself, entering life from death!

The Horizontal Sword Technique's Horizontal Sweep of Eight Directions, meanwhile, emphasized continuity without end, life everlasting. It was life at its utmost, using endless vitality to wear away the opponent's life force until destruction was achieved.

When the sword rose and fell, that strike contained boundless vitality, using life to extinguish death!

Opening and closing were the way of heaven and earth: one opening, one closing; one life, one death; the cycle of life and death!

Heaven and earth were qian and kun. "Heaven moves with vigor; thus the gentleman strives unceasingly to better himself. The earth's nature is receptive; thus the gentleman supports all things with generous virtue." The way of heaven was the cycle of life and death; the way of earth was to bear life and death!

The sword's twin edges: one within and one without, one life and one death. The sword's sharpness: one point and one line, one vertical and one horizontal. The sword's curves and straightness: one soft and one hard, one yin and one yang. The sword path and Sword Heart: one qian and one kun, one heaven and one earth.

Heart and path as one, sword joined with heaven and earth; life and death revolved, yin and yang unceasing!

Suddenly, Lin Xuan, who had been flying at high speed, abruptly stopped. After sweeping his gaze around, he fixed his eyes on a certain spot and spoke softly.

"Greetings, Palace Master. Lin Xuan pays his respects."

"You are Lin Xuan?"

Seeing that Lin Xuan had actually detected her location, the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace was slightly startled. She immediately revealed herself. Upon hearing Lin Xuan state his name, a few traces of gentle warmth appeared on her usually icy face.

After carefully examining Lin Xuan from head to toe, the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace could not help nodding. Looking at him with deep emotion, she exclaimed, "Your talent truly deserves to be called unparalleled throughout the ages. For Qingzhu to lose to you is, instead, her good fortune."

"You overpraise me, Palace Master. Lin Xuan is merely an ordinary swordsman with mediocre talent. Had Miss Ling not yielded, the one defeated would have been Lin Xuan."

His calm face did not stir in the slightest from the praise of a mighty expert of the Revolving Wheel Realm. Even his tone remained as still as water.

To those who heard it, he seemed merely to be stating what he believed to be fact. Yet the way he referred to himself again and again as Lin Xuan carried a pride that seemed to emanate from his very bones.

A title? None! This humble one? His confidence would yield to no one! There was only Lin Xuan—only one Lin Xuan, an ordinary swordsman!

Looking at the young man before her, the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace felt as though she were seeing the shadow of her disciple—the sole inheritor who always spoke of "Qingzhu, Qingzhu."

However, compared with Ling Qingzhu's cold and aloof pride, Lin Xuan's pride was far more domineering. So domineering that no one who heard it could feel the slightest displeasure; instead, they could only feel a greater degree of respect.

If Ling Qingzhu was like an Azure Lotus in the nine heavens—seemingly tranquil and elegant, yet possessing a cold pride that could be admired from afar but never profaned, because she had always stood above in those nine heavens—

Then Lin Xuan before her was an immortal banished to the mortal realm. He stood amid the mundane world, yet everyone knew clearly that none of the people in that mortal world belonged to the same world as him.

To ordinary people, an Azure Lotus in the nine heavens was unreachable. Yet to others who likewise lived above the nine heavens, that was not necessarily so.

But all mortals, when facing an immortal banished to the world like him, would inevitably seem somewhat inferior by comparison.

"Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

After composing herself, the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace took the initiative to invite him, anticipation showing in her expression. Even the way she referred to herself had changed to "I."

"Lin Xuan seeks the Dao with all his heart. May I ask, Palace Master, what Dao can you teach?"

Lin Xuan did not answer immediately. Instead, he questioned the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace in return, leaving her directly at a loss.

Resources were not something a cultivator like Lin Xuan, one wholly devoted to the Dao and possessed of immense strength, lacked. Furthermore, the Hundred Dynasty War would begin soon. With Lin Xuan's strength, there would be no issue in effectively reserving the championship for him in advance.

As for martial arts, there was even less need to mention them. Lin Xuan's swordsmanship meant that he did not rely on martial arts at all.

Moreover, Lin Xuan was asking about the Dao, not seeking resources. Yet the only thing the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace possessed was the Supreme Dao within the Supreme Induction Scripture.

However, the rules of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace dictated that the Supreme Induction Scripture could only be passed down to women, never to men.

Thus, from the very founding of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace, every Palace Master had been a woman. This was also why Little Marten had been able to identify the visitor as the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace at a glance: throughout the entire Eastern Xuan Region, there was only one woman in the Revolving Wheel Realm.

"Ah, so be it."

The Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace shook her head and sighed. Gazing at such an unparalleled genius, she let out an emotional sigh. After hesitating briefly, she pointed a finger at Lin Xuan.

In the blink of an eye, a streak of light arrived before Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan neither dodged nor resisted, simply allowing the beam of light to enter his mind.

After closing his eyes and sensing it briefly, Lin Xuan raised a hand in salute to the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace and spoke softly.

"Lin Xuan will remember the grace of this teaching in his heart."

His voice remained calm, yet it somehow carried an air of solemnity. Hearing this, the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace gave a light laugh.

"I merely wished to see just how far a genius unparalleled throughout the ages such as yourself could rise, and whether you could comprehend the secret art left behind by Lord Symbol Ancestor."

Looking at his eyes, which remained calm yet firm and confident even upon hearing the words "Symbol Ancestor," an utterly absurd thought flashed through the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Great Purity Palace's mind.

Perhaps he could surpass Lord Symbol Ancestor?