Inscriptions Reflected

At the first hint of dawn, a faint fish-belly white spread across the eastern horizon, gently sketching the outline of Listening Tide Courtyard out of the darkness.

Chen Yuan slowly awoke from his profound meditative state.

He opened his eyes, divine light gleaming within them. The dual exhaustion of body and spirit brought on yesterday by cultivating the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon and practicing the Mist Manipulation divine ability had vanished without a trace.

In its place was a surging abundance of qi and blood, along with a clear and penetrating consciousness upon his Spirit Terrace.

He did not rise at once. Instead, as was his habit, he sank his mind into that wondrous and profound Sea of Consciousness.

The ancient Tidal Stele still floated there in silence, as though it had existed since time immemorial.

Across the stele, deep-blue ripples of light slowly spread like water patterns. Row after row of clear yet profound characters emerged, reflecting his most complete current state:

Realm: Skin Grinding Realm · Minor Accomplishment (32/100) (His skin was as tough as cowhide, his strength had risen significantly, and the efficiency of his qi-and-blood force circulation had improved.)

Technique: Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method (Proficient) The circulation of his Spiral Force had grown ever smoother and more natural. Its tempering of his skin had progressed from the surface inward, with steadily increasing efficiency.

Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon (Beginner) He had initially grasped the surface meaning of the first move, "Cold River Reflecting Moon"—"stillness, wholeness, and endless continuity." His resonance with the saber Cold Ripple had risen slightly.

Divine Ability: Mist Manipulation (Initial Glimpse) He had mastered the basic applications "Mist Barrier," "Mist Walking," and "Gather Mist." It could be combined preliminarily with the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon to produce the effect of "cold mist."

Skills: Basic Tracking (Beginner): Could identify common footprints and traces. Sailing (Rudimentary): Could skillfully control small and medium fishing boats and handle ordinary wind and waves. Swimming (Expert): Had excellent water skills, moving through water like a fish...

Items: Cold Ripple Blade (Low-Grade First-Rank Magical Artifact): Sharp, faintly imbued with coldness. Scarab Fish Secret Pouch (High-Rank Magical Artifact · Bound): Contents: Zhao Canghai's cultivation notes, Crimson Blood Pills...

Tide Fortune: 10/100 (Tide Fortune must accumulate to 100 before it could be activated again.)

His gaze carefully swept over every piece of information on the stele. Chen Yuan gained a much clearer understanding of his current progress.

His cultivation was steadily improving, especially the progress of his two primary techniques. Although mastering the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon had been difficult, he seemed to have advanced a touch faster than his master had expected. This was undoubtedly the result of the combined effects of the Tidal Stele and his own comprehension.

His newly acquired divine ability was also being mastered steadily, and he had found a direction for integrating it with his own system. This would be of tremendous help.

"Tide Fortune has accumulated another ten points..." he calculated silently.

It seems that not only battle and breakthroughs, but also clearly planning my path and mastering and applying new abilities can drive Tide Fortune's growth. It's just that this speed... I still need more opportunities.

After withdrawing from his Sea of Consciousness, he found that most of the daylight had already filled the world outside. He rose and went into the courtyard, beginning his unchanging morning practice.

It was still the tempering of the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method.

But after yesterday's exquisitely concentrated saber cultivation and the divine ability practice that had consumed so much mental energy, he gained new insights when circulating this foundational technique again.

The Spiral Force seemed to have become even more obedient to his every command. Its tempering of his skin also seemed deeper and finer, carrying a nourishing quality that seeped inward.

As his qi and blood surged, the rhythm of rising and falling tides became increasingly distinct. It faintly echoed the fluctuations of the Tidal Stele in his Sea of Consciousness, seemingly raising his cultivation efficiency by a small amount.

"Profound martial arts truly can nourish the foundation in return."

Chen Yuan understood. "Different techniques and skills aren't isolated from one another. Some may even complement each other."

After finishing his practice, heat steaming from his body, he returned indoors and solemnly took the cultivation notes given to him by his master, Zhao Canghai, out of the Scarab Fish Secret Pouch.

The pages had already yellowed, and the edges showed slight wear. Clearly, they had been read often.

He drew a deep breath and slowly opened the first page. The opening contained no specific moves, but rather a general preface.

"On the path of martial arts, one is like a boat sailing the Vast Sea. At first, one may borrow the force of wind and waves, but to travel far, one must first forge the boat. The heart is its keel, the will its sail, and the technique its planks. Not one may be lacking. If the heart is not calm enough, and sudden waves rise upon the river, how can it reflect the bright moon? Let those who come after me take heed and beware."

Those opening words alone made Chen Yuan's mind turn solemn.

He continued flipping through the notes. Their contents were extensive yet clearly organized. They not only recorded in detail the cultivation hurdles, force-circulation techniques, and common mistakes and methods of correction for the first few moves of the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon, including "Cold River Reflecting Moon" and "Lone Boat Slashing Waves"...

They also contained a wealth of Zhao Canghai's cultivation insights and realizations of artistic conception from different periods and states of mind, along with reflections on encounters with various opponents.

"Seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, heavy snow. After observing the cold river outside the city for three days, I had an insight. 'Reflecting the moon' does not mean imitating the moon, but rather allowing the heart to reflect the cold river's lonely clarity. Only then can the blade light reveal its 'cold' and 'stillness.' The force should be like faint ripples upon the river, arising slowly and continuing without end. Never release and withdraw it abruptly."

"Fifteenth day of the first lunar month, full moon. Sparred with an Attendant of the Mountain Carrying Sect. His force was fierce and powerful, so I opposed it with 'Undercurrent,' layering the force three times like a hidden current surging beneath the surface, breaking his fierce attack invisibly. However, the mental expenditure was immense. This move emphasizes intent and spirit; those lacking abundant qi and blood and resilient mental strength must not use it lightly."

"Seventh in the Province Examination! Victory after victory in consecutive battles, and the name of my 'Cold Abyss Saber' has gradually risen. Excellent! Yet I must not become complacent. After witnessing the methods of the heroes from every path this time, I learned that beyond the heavens there are still greater heavens..."

"...The 'coldness' of saber intent is 'composure,' 'tranquility,' and 'solemn stillness.' It means preserving a single point of clarity upon the Spirit Terrace amid turmoil and slaughter. Only then can one discern the initiative and defeat the enemy with a single strike."

Chen Yuan read ravenously. Whenever he reached a crucial passage, he would close the notes and shut his eyes to savor it, comparing it with his own experience practicing "Cold River Reflecting Moon" the previous day and verifying the two against each other.

Many subtle doubts—such as why the force always became sluggish at a certain transition, or why a particular visualization point was so difficult to grasp—suddenly became clear under the notes' guidance.

"So that's how it is! At this point, the force shouldn't be forced through the bottleneck. It must be guided by intent, imagining it as moonlight flowing onward, passing through naturally..."

"When visualizing the cold river, the focus should be placed on 'stillness' and 'emptiness,' rather than single-mindedly pursuing the meaning of 'cold.' Only then can one grasp its spirit and lessen the mental burden..."

"And so my master's honorific, Cold Abyss Saber, actually came from the Province Examination."

He read with total concentration, his mind utterly immersed in the wondrous saber intent and cultivation insights. The sun climbed higher outside, and sunlight spilled through the window lattice onto the pages, yet he remained completely unaware.

An entire morning quietly slipped away amid his rapt reading and intoxicated contemplation.

Only when a faint hunger stirred in his stomach did he suddenly realize that it was already noon.

Carefully returning the notes to the Scarab Fish Secret Pouch, he felt that his understanding of the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon had deepened another layer.

"What one gains from books always feels shallow; one must truly understand it through practice." Chen Yuan murmured, his eyes gleaming with eagerness to try. "These insights still need to be tested in actual combat."