Purple Sun Art

In the faint light of dawn, Su Yu followed the morning dew to the Scripture Repository.

The old-fashioned pavilion appeared and disappeared in the morning mist. Wind chimes on its eaves tinkled softly in the breeze, their notes crisp and clear.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, Su Yu immediately spotted the familiar figure.

Elder Wei still wore that gray robe. He hunched in a wicker chair, seemingly dozing, just as he had when they first met several months earlier.

"Elder Wei." Su Yu stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Disciple Su Yu entered the inner sect yesterday and came to choose a cultivation technique and a martial skill."

Elder Wei didn't even raise his eyelids. By habit, he said, "Go up to the second floor. Choose one Human-grade High-tier cultivation technique and one Low-grade Yellow-tier Martial Skill. You have a quarter of an hour. Don't exceed the time..."

He had only gotten halfway through when the old man suddenly opened his cloudy eyes and straightened up. "Wait... Are you Su Yu?"

"This disciple is Su Yu." Su Yu clasped his hands and replied.

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Elder Wei's previously cloudy eyes as he looked Su Yu up and down. "That brat Mu came by especially yesterday to tell me you'd be here today."

The old man gave a soft snort. "For that arrogant sword fanatic to come all this way himself, you must be something, kid."

As he spoke, Elder Wei suddenly remembered something, and a hint of surprise crossed his eyes. "You really mastered the Lone Peak Sword Art?"

He studied the faint Sword Intent around Su Yu. "I misjudged you that day. I didn't expect you to actually have the talent."

Su Yu was about to respond modestly, but Elder Wei waved him off. "Talent is talent. I hate fake modesty and empty pleasantries."

He pointed upstairs. "Go on. By the standard for Core Disciples, choose one Low-grade Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique and one Mid-grade Yellow-tier Martial Skill. Remember, you only have half an hour."

The old man paused, then added, "There are a few specially marked texts on the shelves in the northwest corner. They might suit you. But..."

He gave Su Yu a meaningful look. "Whether you find something truly good still depends on your eye and your luck."

Su Yu bowed deeply. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Wei."

As he passed through the first floor, Su Yu was surprised to find a disciple reading a copy of the Lone Peak Sword Art. He couldn't help smiling. "Could it be that I made this manual popular?"

With that strange feeling in mind, he climbed the stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was more spacious than he'd imagined. Rows of sandalwood shelves stood neatly arranged, giving off a faint, sweet fragrance.

Su Yu first went to the cultivation technique section, where Human-grade High-tier and Low-grade Yellow-tier manuals were organized by category.

He casually picked up a copy of the Blazing Sun Art. On the title page, he saw these words written in bold, flowing script: "Draw the sun's yang into the body, transform fire into essence; fierce and blazing, it burns away evil and breaks through obstacles."

Further in, there were detailed notes: "Spiritual power carries a scorching attribute and possesses astonishing might, capable of burning gold and melting iron."

"Truly extraordinary," Su Yu murmured in admiration. "Human-grade techniques can't compare at all."

But as he sensed the Spiritual Qi circulating within him, he shook his head. "Too bad the attributes don't suit me."

He picked up a copy of the Cold Ice Art. It said: "Gather the chill of heaven and earth, refine the softest true essence; shape the meridians with ice, freeze all evil."

It was equally powerful, but it didn't suit his constitution either.

Remembering Elder Wei's hint, Su Yu headed straight for the shelves in the northwest corner.

The light was dim there, and a thin layer of dust covered the manuals. Clearly, few people paid them any mind.

Suddenly, a copy of the Purple Sun Art caught his eye. A faint purple-gold sheen glimmered along its spine.

"Absorb the morning sun's purple qi, refine the purest Spiritual Qi; let the purple sun shine through the meridians, dispelling all evil at daybreak."

The opening summary made Su Yu's heart skip.

As he read on, he discovered something even more astonishing: the technique had seven levels. Upon reaching the highest level, one could transform some Spiritual Qi into true essence.

True essence! Su Yu sucked in a sharp breath.

That was a power possessed only by Essence Transformation Realm experts.

If he could transform true essence while still in the Spirit Condensation Realm, not only would his strength soar and challenges against stronger opponents become child's play, but, more importantly, breaking through to the Essence Transformation Realm would come naturally, with almost no bottleneck.

"This technique..." Su Yu's fingers trembled. "Is it really only a Low-grade Yellow-tier technique?"

He carefully checked the cover and, after confirming it was genuine, found it even more unbelievable.

If Elder Wei hadn't pointed him in the right direction, he would surely have missed out on this extraordinary technique.

When he moved on to the martial skills section, a copy of the Flowing Cloud Sword Art caught his eye.

Could it be an advanced version of the Flowing Cloud Sword Style?

He opened the title page and read: "The sword is like flowing clouds, the intent like a gentle breeze; ever-changing and Formless, its myriad transformations follow the heart."

It described five exquisite sword techniques in detail, each one profoundly mysterious.

"These are the ones." Su Yu carefully carried the two manuals downstairs.

When Elder Wei saw the Purple Sun Art, a sharp glint flashed in his cloudy eyes. "Well done, kid. You really did find it."

He ran his fingers over the cover, his tone turning grave. "But I'll warn you: since this technique was added to the collection, fewer than three people have ever cultivated it to the highest level. Consider its dangers carefully."

Su Yu bowed solemnly. "Thank you for the warning, Elder Wei. This disciple will train diligently without pause."

By the time Su Yu left the Scripture Repository, the sun had climbed high into the sky.

In the faint morning light, Su Yu sat cross-legged beneath the century-old plum tree in his courtyard, a faint purple Spiritual Qi swirling around him.

For the past three days, he hadn't left his room, devoting himself entirely to cultivating the Purple Sun Art.

The first day was the hardest.

When Su Yu followed the technique's instructions and tried to transform the white Spiritual Qi cultivated through the Qi Nurturing Technique into purple Spiritual Qi, a tearing pain immediately surged through his meridians.

Each wisp of Spiritual Qi he transformed felt like molten lava being poured into his meridians.

Sweat soaked through his clothes, then steamed into mist under the scorching spiritual power.

No wonder Elder Wei said few people could master it... Su Yu gritted his teeth and persisted, guiding the first wisp of morning sunlight's purple qi into his body.

When this wisp of purple qi merged with the Spiritual Qi within him, he was delighted to find that the Spiritual Qi, previously as loose as mist, had become as dense as water.

On the second day, the transformation grew noticeably faster.

Su Yu discovered that as more and more purple qi entered his body, his meridians were gradually growing tougher.

The scorching sensation that had once made him feel as if he were dying of pain gradually turned into a comforting warmth.

By the evening of the third day, the last wisp of white Spiritual Qi had finally been completely transformed into purple.

Su Yu looked within himself and saw Spiritual Qi flowing through his meridians, clear and gleaming like purple crystal. It was several times purer than before.

Although its total quantity hadn't increased by much, the quality of every wisp of Spiritual Qi had undergone a leap.

"Peak of the third level..." Su Yu opened his eyes, and a flash of Purple Glow vanished from his gaze.

He drew the Lone Swan Sword and swung it lightly. Purple qi swirled around the blade as a streak of purple Sword Qi shot through the air, leaving a sword mark an inch deep in the courtyard's blue stone paving.

"This power..." Su Yu marveled to himself.

With the same move, using his previous Spiritual Qi, he could at most have left a faint white mark on the stone.

Even more astonishing, using martial skills now consumed nearly thirty percent less Spiritual Qi.

The sun sank in the west, and Su Yu lowered his sword.

"Elder Wei was right." Su Yu gazed at the evening clouds and murmured to himself. "The Purple Sun Art really is extraordinary. But to break through to the fourth level, I'm afraid I'll need more time."