Mountains Again, Towards Mountains Again

The White-Faced Monster's corpse was split in two at the middle, but because his right arm had long since been severed, the two halves were not quite symmetrical.

Jiang Wang landed before the corpse and relaxed his grip. The long sword in his hand shattered into countless fragments, clattering to the ground.

Its mission was complete.

This sword, made of ordinary material, could not withstand such prolonged infusion of Dao Essence.

And once again, Jiang Wang clearly sensed that the Heaven-Connecting Palace was utterly empty. Those lively, adorable little things were gone, not a single one left.

Before the masterless gray mist could spread, Jiang Wang returned to the official road. He noticed that part of the mist had drifted to the roadside, but was blocked by an invisible force, slowly dissipating.

Jiang Wang understood that this must be the power of some formation inscribed on the official road.

He waited a while longer. The rumbling sound of thunder approached from afar, and Zhang Linchuan landed beside Jiang Wang in a few bounds.

"Junior Brother Jiang didn't leave this place, did he?" he asked.

Despite having been through a battle, his attire was still neat, and even his topknot was meticulously preserved. Every gesture exuded natural grace.

"I encountered... that monster from Tangshe Town earlier."

"The one whose blood you spilled. He had to come for it, or else he could only flee the Zhuang Kingdom."

"I killed him."

Zhang Linchuan's brows jumped. "What?"

Jiang Wang pointed toward where the White-Faced Monster had fallen. "I just don't know if the corpse is useful, if it can yield any clues."

Zhang Linchuan recovered from his surprise and shook his head. "These people have deficient souls. Soul-searching is useless even while they're alive, let alone after death. I just killed a few, and it was the same."

"I see." Jiang Wang felt no disappointment. For him, killing the White-Faced Monster was enough.

He did not resent Zhang Linchuan for choosing to pursue the enemy immediately rather than staying to protect him. He was no fragile thing in need of protection, nor was Zhang Linchuan his babysitter.

Moreover, if not for the pressure Zhang Linchuan exerted, the White-Faced Monster would never have been so devoid of fighting spirit as to flee at the first opportunity. And his accomplice would never have given Jiang Wang the chance for a one-on-one fight.

Zhang Linchuan glanced at the spot where the gray mist had dissipated and sighed. "The formation on this section of the official road has been corroded. We must report it to the authorities and have them send someone to repair it quickly."

The two horses had not bolted. Jiang Wang flicked the reins, and the horse trotted lively forward.

At that moment, he felt something in the Heaven-Connecting Palace. From some unfathomable place, a Dao Essence rolled down, then another, and another—five in total. And they were fuller, rounder.

Though it did not fully replenish his previous consumption, it was still an unexpected delight.

Only then did he more deeply understand the lessons those senior Daoists had taught.

So-called Dao Essence, the origin of the Great Dao. The birth of Dao Essence is not a simple sublimation of blood and qi, but a perfect fusion of intent and power, the truest feedback of sentient beings to the essence of heaven and earth.

When they returned to the Dao Academy, it was still early, so the two went directly to Dong A's courtyard to report.

The door was open, but the courtyard was empty, with only Fang Heling pacing about, looking utterly bored.

Catching sight of the two entering empty-handed, his eyes lit up.

Fang Heling first greeted Zhang Linchuan respectfully, then said in a tone of feigned consolation, "It seems Brother Zhang's trip bore no fruit... Even for a genius like Brother Zhang, bringing along a newcomer who knows nothing is really too much of a burden."

He certainly did not consider himself a newcomer. The Fang family, a century-old clan, had produced many cultivators. He had grown up immersed in knowledge of battles between cultivators. And this Jiang fellow, from some small town—what experience could he have?

Jiang Wang couldn't be bothered with him.

Zhang Linchuan, however, had the leisure to tease him. "Oh? It seems Heling's harvest was considerable this time."

"It went smoothly enough." Fang Heling forced a modest reply, then couldn't wait to show off.

It turned out that when they went to the Fulai Inn to investigate, someone had been spying on them from the shadows. But Li Jianqiu struck decisively and captured the man alive. What had seemed like a trip with little hope of results suddenly gained direction thanks to this living captive!

Of course, how much of a role Fang Heling had played in that was debatable.

"And where is Junior Brother Li now?" Zhang Linchuan asked.

Fang Heling froze awkwardly for a moment before saying, "In the room. Master Dong is using a secret technique to soul-search."

Dong A was soul-searching, with Li Jianqiu attending him, while Fang Heling wasn't even qualified to watch... His contribution to this trip was clear.

Zhang Linchuan and Jiang Wang couldn't very well intrude, so they had to wait in the courtyard with Fang Heling.

Jiang Wang said nothing, closing his eyes to send the Dao Essence in the Heaven-Connecting Palace to where it should hover. Zhang Linchuan and Fang Heling chatted idly.

Fang Heling was naturally pleased. After all, Dong A had said earlier that the Dao Merit from the mission would be split nine to one. Jiang Wang had clearly gained nothing, while they had brought back a living captive. This was the first step in widening the gap.

Before long, Dong A, clad in a black Daoist robe, strode out with Li Jianqiu.

Meeting Fang Heling's expectant gaze, Li Jianqiu shook his head.

Dong A said, "This man's soul is deficient. This Seat only managed to glean a few scattered fragments, nothing of importance."

Fang Heling rushed to show his initiative. "With such thorough precautions, there must be a tightly organized group behind these people! This matter is far from simple!"

Dong A made no comment, instead looking at Zhang Linchuan.

Zhang Linchuan then described what had happened after they went to Tangshe Town, without any embellishment. As for the details of Jiang Wang's two battles with the White-Faced Monster, Dong A would not ask, and Jiang Wang need not say.

He was a proper disciple of the Dao Academy, not a criminal; there was no need for interrogation.

Hearing this, Dong A simply nodded and said, "Jiang Wang did well."

These words sounded cold, but to those familiar with Dong A's temperament, they were a rare form of praise.

In this mission, both teams led by Zhang Linchuan and Li Jianqiu had submitted new clues, but neither had any follow-up, so the task could not be considered a success. Still, Dong A allocated five Dao merits to each of them as a token of encouragement.

For Zhang Linchuan and Li Jianqiu, they had merely been guiding junior brothers new to ranked missions—if there were gains, good; if not, it didn't matter. Their own senior brothers had once guided them the same way.

But for Jiang Wang and Fang Heling, five Dao merits were not insignificant; it was equivalent to half-completing a lowest-level ninth-rank mission.

A ninth-rank mission yielded between ten and one hundred merits, while an eighth-rank mission yielded between one hundred and five hundred, varying with difficulty.

Dong A acted decisively. After declaring the mission temporarily concluded, he dismissed the disciples.

Once matters were settled, Fang Heling urged Zhang Linchuan and Li Jianqiu to go for a few drinks. Jiang Wang thought it over and decided to visit the Dao Merit Hall.

The Dao Merit Hall stood directly opposite the Sacrificial Hall, a testament to its importance.

The entire hall was empty and bare, with nothing but a Dao Merit Board emitting a faint, hazy light, suspended above an offering table.

No one guarded it, for the Dao Merit Board could protect itself. It was itself a spirit treasure—or more precisely, this board enshrined in the Dao Merit Hall of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy was a subsidiary board of the main Dao Merit Board at the State Daoist Academy, which received incense offerings from across the nation.

Jiang Wang had made a special trip here just to broaden his horizons.

Before the Dao Merit Board stood a Hemp-Robed Daoist of medium build, hands clasped in front of him, staring absently at the board.

From behind, Jiang Wang couldn't see his face, but among the inner academy, anyone he didn't recognize was surely of higher cultivation than him.

Because they were all his senior brothers.

Jiang Wang didn't disturb him. He walked on his own toward the Dao Merit Board, focused his mind, and gazed at the board. The faint light rippled slightly, and a flood of information flowed through his heart.

This was only a subsidiary board, so he could only see information related to Maple Forest City Daoist Academy. The main board, it was said, encompassed everything under heaven. But that was still far beyond Jiang Wang's reach.

The exchange options on this Maple Forest City subsidiary board were numerous enough to dazzle Jiang Wang's eyes. But the prices of those exchangeable items made him want to turn and leave.

The cheapest Vein-Opening Pill cost one hundred Dao merits each—its true value was certainly higher, but as academy disciples, the Daoist Sect offered some support. Exchanging for a second Vein-Opening Pill required one thousand five hundred Dao merits. That was likely the real price.

Beyond that, even the cheapest standard magical sword started at five hundred Dao merits!

Jiang Wang looked at his own five Dao merits... Well, this trip was just for broadening his horizons.

The so-called Dao Merit Board, being a ranking board, naturally had a ranking. Only now did Jiang Wang realize that Zhang Linchuan, whom he had thought unfathomable, only ranked third on this Maple Forest City subsidiary board.

Second place was a man named Wei Yan, who was not an academy disciple but a military officer in the City Guard. From his name, he might have some connection to Wei Quji.

And first place, with one thousand three hundred Dao merits, was Zhu Weiwu, the universally acknowledged senior brother of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy, always elusive like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail. Jiang Wang had only heard his name, never seen him in person.

It was worth noting that second-place Wei Yan had only seven hundred Dao merits, similar to Zhang Linchuan, yet both were far outdistanced by Zhu Weiwu.

Jiang Wang scrolled further down, spotted Li Jianqiu at seventeenth place, and then severed his connection to the Dao Merit Board.

"A newly entered junior brother?"

The senior brother from before seemed to have deliberately waited for him.

Jiang Wang turned his head at the sound and saw a face with a warm, gentle smile.

"Greetings, senior brother. This Humble One is Jiang Wang, recently entered the inner sect."

"Greetings to you too. My name is Wang Changxiang." Wang Changxiang's features were unremarkable, but the smile on his face made him very approachable. "Well then, see you next time."

"Until we meet again." Jiang Wang's heart stirred. In the Dao Merit Board he had just checked, this man ranked seventh, far above Li Jianqiu.

Of course, the Dao Merit Board only tallied merits, not personal strength. But in a sense, it could still reflect something.

Back in the outer sect, he and his sworn brothers had stood out from the crowd, unmatched by any. Only upon entering the inner sect did he realize the height of heaven and the depth of earth.

From what he had encountered so far, Li Jianqiu, Zhang Linchuan, and Wang Changxiang each had distinct temperaments, but all were outstanding individuals. Jiang Wang knew he was far from their match.

If Maple Forest City Daoist Academy alone produced so many talents, what of the entire Qinghe Prefecture, or even the whole Zhuang Kingdom?

And those prodigies whose fame spread across the world, making heroes of all nations look up to them—what manner of brilliance must they possess!

Thinking of these things did not discourage Jiang Wang; instead, an endless fighting spirit burned within him.

At least now, he had set foot on the path of transcendence, standing on the same arena as those dazzling figures. What was there left to fear?