Great Circuit Marrow-Purging Art

Xiao Nan thought, "As far as I know, among the younger generation of righteous and evil sects across the world, only three or five people have ever managed to refine their sect's introductory sword formula talismans within a year of entering the sect."

"The last such formidable figure in our Five-Terrace Sect was the third-generation patriarch, Red Robe. We have not seen anyone like him for five or six hundred years. Sadly, not only did that patriarch fail to bring glory to the Five-Terrace Sect, but after losing a sword duel, he unwisely went to study some unorthodox arts. Calling himself the Union of Righteousness and Evil, he believed his cultivation would advance greatly. Yet he never expected something to go wrong during cultivation; he suffered qi deviation and turned into an evil creature."

"The elders of our sect joined forces to seal the patriarch away. None of them wished to remain in the Five-Terrace Sect, so they scattered and founded their own lineages. A fine great sect of the righteous path thus scattered like stars and drifting clouds, leaving only a few juniors to struggle on at the mountain gate."

Thinking of this, Xiao Nan felt somewhat saddened and did not wish to dwell further on old affairs.

Little Bug did not know how he ought to demonstrate that he had opened a spiritual aperture. He came up with a compromise and unleashed all twenty-eight Heaven-Mixing Talismans at once, aiming them at a thick tree branch. Stirred by Wang Chong's magical power, the branch twisted through the air like a soaring dragon, coiling and striking with lightning speed. He secretly thought, This level of power should count as having refined open one spiritual aperture, right?

Xiao Nan's expression changed again. He reached out and pressed a hand against Wang Chong's crown, and a stream of magical power passed through the Baihui acupoint and coursed through his body. Naturally, he had a secret method to determine exactly how many spiritual apertures Wang Chong had opened.

That stream of power immediately sensed, amid the dim and indistinct, a hollow aperture in the void. Just as Xiao Nan was beginning to feel gratified, his magical power was so forceful that with this slight probing, Little Bug felt another hole "leak" open within the void, carrying the intent of circulation. By sheer coincidence, the Heaven-Mixing Talisman called Sound of Madness fitted itself into it.

Little Bug was overjoyed and said hesitantly, "Thank you, Teacher, for helping me force open my second spiritual aperture."

Xiao Nan was utterly speechless. Only after a long while did he say, "There is no need for such courtesy between master and disciple."

His heart churned like rivers and seas overturned, his emotions surging violently. He secretly thought, This was originally only a stopgap measure to save someone. Who would have thought I would pick up such a treasure!

Xiao Nan did not withdraw his magical power. Instead, he continued to drive it into Wang Chong's body and shouted, "Quickly, sit down cross-legged."

The stream of power turned blazing hot, running along the Ren and Du meridians and plunging into the dantian. Within the dantian, it transformed once more into bitter cold and spread through the extraordinary eight meridians. This icy energy traveled throughout his body before changing again, producing sensations of soreness, itching, pain, and numbness. The joints in his limbs and bones felt as though ten thousand ants were gnawing at them, unbearably painful.

Little Bug did not dare move. Though he did not know what Xiao Nan was doing, he guessed that his teacher would not harm him. He clenched his teeth and endured it all.

The many changes in his body did not settle until one or two hours had passed. Xiao Nan reached out and gave him a pat. Crisp cracks erupted from every bone in Wang Chong's body, ringing from his tailbone all the way to the crown of his head. Finally, with a crack, a current of cool air flowed down from the Baihui acupoint, soothing away every discomfort in his body.

Xiao Nan was also very pleased that Wang Chong could endure so much. Smiling, he said, "This is our Five-Terrace Sect's Great Circuit Marrow-Purging Art. Very few can withstand it. Through this secret art, one changes the sinews, refines the meridians, washes the marrow, and purges the bones. The body becomes strong, free from all illness, and cultivation of true qi proceeds several times faster than for ordinary people. Its benefits are endless; you will understand when you cultivate in the future."

Although the Five-Terrace Sect cultivated both magic and martial arts, like the other sects, it did not place much importance on martial arts. After all, no matter how high one's martial skill, it could not withstand a single spell.

Xiao Nan feared that Wang Chong would waste too much time on bodily cultivation. That was why he had not hesitated to expend his own cultivation and use the Great Circuit Marrow-Purging Art to strengthen his foundation, so that this disciple could master mortal martial arts sooner and have more time to cultivate the arts of a sword immortal.

After Little Bug rose, he felt light and nimble, as though he possessed boundless strength. There was also a mighty current of true qi within him, completely different from the magical power produced by opening spiritual apertures. He hurriedly got up, thanked Xiao Nan, and said, "Thank you, Teacher, for granting me this."

Xiao Nan looked Wang Chong over several times and found him increasingly pleasing to the eye. He secretly thought, Such a treasure truly fell from the heavens. How can I let him remain merely a nominal disciple?

Still, I should not be hasty for now. Once Chong'er cultivates the first circuit of the Great Five-Element Qi Refinement Art, I will take it as an opportunity to formally accept him into the sect as his reward.

In Xiao Nan's eyes, Wang Chong had already become Chong'er. His status far surpassed Zhu Ying's and was even far more important than the Five-Terrace Sect's rules.

The Five-Terrace Sect had sixteen kinds of people it would not accept. Among them were nonhuman beings, as well as those whose hearts were overly consumed by fame, profit, and rank. But Xiao Nan's previous inability to accept Wang Chong had not been because of either of those rules. It was because he himself had not yet emerged into the world.

According to the Five-Terrace Sect's rules, he had to cultivate a sword art to great perfection and receive the approval of his master, Master Bai Yue, before he could be considered to have properly left the mountain and be permitted to accept disciples and teach.

Breaking sect rules could be a grave or minor matter. At the lightest, one would be punished with several years of secluded cultivation; at the worst, one would be expelled from the sect.

Xiao Nan would rather endure punishment under the sect rules than not formally accept Wang Chong as his disciple.

Little Bug had gained benefits, but his heart was uneasy. There were no remains of Red Staff True Person on Youxuan Mountain. If Xiao Nan discovered this, how would he punish him?

He did not dare mention it and could only secretly think, I absolutely cannot tell the truth. I can only think of another way to make Master give up.

For instance, I could pin the blame on Sun Yougui and say that he took Red Staff Immortal's treasure.

Xiao Nan instructed him, "You have only just escaped from Sun Yougui's hands, and you have also undergone sinew-changing, meridian-refining, marrow-washing, and bone-purging. Rest for today!"

"Tomorrow, I will personally instruct you in the Primordial Sword Formula."

Xiao Nan led Wang Chong into the thatched hut, spread out bedding for him, and even gave him a fasting pill to temporarily ease Little Bug's hunger.

Little Bug had wanted to be more diligent and prepare some food for his master, to show that things were different under Xiao Nan than under Sun Yougui. Under Sun Yougui, it had always been that elder of the Heavenly Corpse Sect who personally prepared the food. But there was not a single extra object in the thatched hut. Even if Wang Chong wished to curry favor, he had no way to do so. He could only follow Xiao Nan's arrangement, swallow the fasting pill, and rest obediently.

He had spent these past days sleeping rough and eating whatever the wind and dew provided, suffering greatly. Now that he finally had a thatched hut to shelter in, his spirits relaxed, and before long he fell into a deep sleep.

After a while, Xiao Nan even came in to tuck the blanket around his disciple.

Xiao Nan could not sleep, nor did he wish to meditate. He sat idly before the thatched hut and secretly pondered, I originally wanted to find the Red Staff Immortal's hidden legacy and restore the Five-Terrace Sect's glory.

After searching Youxuan Mountain for many days, Heaven did not disappoint those with affinity. I truly found a formation restriction, but I lack the means to break the formation and enter.

Now Sun Yougui has come as well. His magical power is formidable, far beyond mine. Last time, I merely relied on the lingering prestige of the Five-Terrace Sect to intimidate him and demand Chong'er back. If we truly fought with magic, I fear I would be no match for him.

If I do not get rid of this man, it will be exceedingly difficult to obtain the treasure at leisure and find a place for secluded cultivation.