Encounter at the Star River

As on every day before, he smoothly completed his Pulse-Opening cultivation, then drove his newborn Dao Essence to align positions within the Heaven-Connecting Palace, bringing himself one step closer to Foundation Establishment.

After finishing his Pulse-Opening cultivation, Jiang Wang did not rest. Instead, he sat at his desk by the oil lamp and began copying the Purple Void Sublime Supreme Scripture.

Since only the two siblings lived here, they occupied the main house, so they had directly turned the south room into a study.

The senior brothers had long warned him about Iron-Faced Xiao's coldness, so Jiang Wang's copying attitude was proper and meticulous. The importance of the classes teaching Dao techniques went without saying—every missed session was a huge loss. Thus, Jiang Wang tried to copy as quickly and accurately as possible.

Until—

"Brother, what are you doing?"

Jiang An'an had somehow slipped into the study, her big, dark eyes wide with curiosity.

"..." Jiang Wang said, "Practicing calligraphy."

"Why suddenly practice calligraphy?"

Jiang Wang said seriously, "As the saying goes, the handwriting reveals the person. Judging a person by their writing can tell honesty from deceit. The teachers have taught this, haven't they? Calligraphy practice is very important. An'an, you should remember to practice more too."

"Then how much longer will it take..."

"...Quite a while." Jiang Wang said, "You go to sleep first today."

"Oh..."

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"No, no..."

Turning to leave the study, Jiang An'an sighed like a little adult.

That old bastard, making me copy so many characters as punishment. Now the study's taken over too—where am I supposed to copy them?

It wasn't that the study couldn't fit both her and Jiang Wang; she just didn't want her brother to know she was being punished with copying.

Jiang An'an thought for a moment, then moved a small stool into the bedroom, laid out paper and brush, and crouched in front of the stool to start copying.

"Heaven and earth, dark and yellow, the universe vast and wild, sun and moon wax and wane, stars spread in array..."

She glanced toward the study—the lamp was still lit. Mm, keep copying...

The moon hung at its zenith. Jiang Wang rubbed his wrist, blew the ink dry, extinguished the oil lamp, and rose to return to the bedroom. Even with his stamina and speed, he was still far from having copied it a hundred times, but at this moment he had something more important to do.

Because tonight was the fifteenth of September—the Blessed Land challenge day in the Great Void Illusion Realm.

When he returned to the bedroom, An'an was already asleep. He tucked the corner of her blanket in, then lay down on his own bed.

The silver moon mark on his palm appeared and began to grow warm. Jiang Wang closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered the Great Void Illusion Realm.

The ink characters on the sundial had changed: [The Green Jade Altar Master has confirmed the challenge. In one quarter-hour, the challenge begins.]

The Green Jade Altar Master had finally decided to challenge!

Seeing this line, Jiang Wang felt both the urgency of time slipping away and a hint of relief—like the other shoe finally dropping.

On the past fifteenth of August, the Green Jade Altar Master had also chosen to forfeit. It seemed that in those bygone days, Zuo Guanglie had cast too heavy a shadow on him. But this also meant that after multiple forfeits, this round's challenger was determined to win.

Jiang Wang did nothing superfluous. He simply cleared his mind and silently waited for the time to come.

When the sundial finally changed, a round jade-colored stone platform rose beneath Jiang Wang, lifting him away from the True Insight Ruins Blessed Land and flying into the brilliant star river.

This stone platform was simple in form, without any decoration, yet it naturally exuded an ancient aura. Its surface was mottled with countless marks—blade scars, sword scars, burn scars, scorch marks... and it carried a fierce, killing intent.

Jiang Wang understood—this was his Sword Discussion Platform. Since obtaining the Void Key and entering the Great Void Illusion Realm, he had never used the Sword Discussion Platform before. One reason was that he knew his strength would only result in being slaughtered here with no training benefit. Another... was that each activation of the Sword Discussion Platform cost ten Achievement Points.

Aside from the Blessed Land's natural yield, Jiang Wang gained no profit from the Sword Discussion Platform, so he was even more reluctant to spend. Especially after experiencing the power of the Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword Technique, he understood even better how precious Achievement Points were.

Before long, Jiang Wang could see another Sword Discussion Platform of the same form flying toward him from the depths of the star river. On it stood a figure in fluttering black robes. The two platforms accelerated in the star river and collided.

Two small platforms merged into one large one. Jiang Wang and his opponent stood on opposite sides of the Sword Discussion Platform. This merged and expanded platform was no different from before, only in size. It was roughly a hundred meters in diameter. Jiang Wang knew—this was the true arena.

Due to the special rules of the Great Void Illusion Realm, Jiang Wang could not clearly see his opponent's face. But he heard his voice.

"Since my last miserable defeat at your hands, I have prepared for this battle for a full half year!" the Green Jade Altar Master said. "I have finally cultivated a remnant move of the ancient Nine Swords of the Gentleman. Please, try it!"

The ancient Nine Swords of the Gentleman? Sounded strong... A Confucian Sect disciple?

Thinking this, Jiang Wang had already secretly circulated his true essence, ready to respond. The true essence consumed in the Great Void Illusion Realm was not real, so he dared to fight with all his strength. The Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword Technique was a transcendent sword canon, and only with abundant true essence poured into it could its true power be unleashed.

Thus, what he would now reveal was the strongest state he had never shown before.

"As Heaven moves with vigor, the gentleman strives to constantly strengthen himself!"

Then Jiang Wang heard the Green Jade Altar Master softly recite this line.

And so he saw a sword—a sword that looked ordinary, nothing special. It simply advanced, advanced. Ahead were mountains—it pierced through them. Ahead were rivers—it cut through them. Ahead was the vast, boundless sky—it thrust straight into the sky!

It was indomitable. It charged forward without hesitation.

Breaking stone, felling forests, slaying demons, exterminating evil... This sword thrust at everything that obstructed it, no matter what!

Jiang Wang still held his sword. The Dao Essence accumulated in his Heaven-Connecting Palace was boiling and surging. The killing method of the Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword Technique had almost merged into instinct. But that sword had already pierced his heart.

He had died in battle.

The Green Jade Altar Master stared at the suddenly empty Sword Discussion Platform, stunned. He had considerable confidence in the remnant move of the Nine Swords of the Gentleman, lost in the long river of history. But he also remembered how powerful his opponent was.

But this battle was a complete rout, a clean sweep.

He had won.

The master of Green Jade Altar—no, now the master of True Insight Ruins. The new owner of the twenty-third blessed land stood frozen on the Sword Discussion Platform, his heart surging with emotion.

And Jiang Wang, who had descended to Green Jade Altar, had by now also accepted the reality of his defeat.

According to the merit production rules of the Upper Thirty-Six Blessed Lands, each level increased by one hundred merit points. This month, he would only harvest one thousand seven hundred and fifty merit points, a full one hundred points less.

The blessed lands within the Great Void Illusion Realm were merely titles, unrelated to the true blessed lands of the real world. Thus, the transition from True Insight Ruins to Green Jade Altar brought no change in environment—it remained a dreamlike space filled with immortal mist, even the sundial was identical. The only difference was the merit output.

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and silently summoned the Dao Evolution Platform.

His one thousand eight hundred and fifty merit points from August remained untouched, plus the one thousand seven hundred and fifty points produced in September, totaling three thousand six hundred merit points. Jiang Wang poured all these points into the Purple Qi Coming from the East Sword Art, initiating the deduction.

The shock the Nine Swords of the Ancient Gentleman had given him was too great—it was a sword art he simply could not resist. Not even a sliver of a chance. So he needed a stronger sword manual, even if it meant exhausting everything he had.

The jade book on the green bamboo desk shifted slightly, then suddenly stopped. A line of ink characters appeared on the jade book: [Current sword art has reached the limit of the first-level Dao Evolution Platform, unable to deduce further. Remaining merit: three thousand five hundred and ninety points.]

Jiang Wang's eyelids twitched. This broken Dao Evolution Platform—it hadn't completed the deduction, yet it still deducted ten merit points!

So it turned out that the Dao Evolution Platform's deduction of techniques and spells could not be infinitely elevated; it had its own inherent foundation and limits. Moreover, different levels of the Dao Evolution Platform could explore different limits.

And the Purple Qi Coming from the East Sword Art had already been deduced based on mundane martial arts—it had reached its peak. Unless the Dao Evolution Platform was upgraded, there was no way to advance further.

Jiang Wang had no stronger techniques left, nor did he have any desire to go back to the Sword Discussion Platform to be humiliated. So he composed himself slightly and exited the Great Void Illusion Realm.

But regardless, this month he had already lost a full one hundred and ten merit points for nothing.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wang let out a deep sigh.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Jiang An'an's voice came from the room, sounding quite concerned. Whether she had woken up in the middle of the night or hadn't been asleep at all was unclear.

Jiang Wang replied grumpily, "I'm staying up late. I'll call you when I'm done."

In the darkness, Jiang An'an's eyes suddenly lit up. "Does it taste good?"