Water-Separating, Sea-Calming, Heart Band

Senior Brother Wei's temperament was known to all.

This "letter" was an old tradition as well.

Having met for the first time today, Lu Xuan had gained a slight edge in their clash of Spiritual Sense, drawing Wei Zhixing's attention. He had known that a "letter" would likely be coming.

Still, for it to arrive after only half a day truly caught him by surprise.

Yet he felt no fear. With a thought, he activated the jade talisman and opened the formation around his cave abode.

"Coo, coo!"

The spirit pigeon was exceedingly intelligent. It immediately beat its wings and flew to Lu Xuan's side, delivered the letter to him, then turned and flew away.

Lu Xuan opened the envelope, and neat, forceful little characters, like silver hooks and iron strokes, came into view.

"Greetings, Junior Brother Lu. Please forgive this presumptuous letter."

"Today, seeing that Junior Brother and I both gathered True Qi of the Great Yang, I was delighted. After pondering for a long while within my cave abode, I ultimately selected three arts. They are most compatible with the Great Sun attribute, profound and extraordinary, and all superior techniques that Junior Brother may use for reference."

"The Great Sun Water-Separating Seal harnesses the Spiritual Impetus of the Great Sun to forcibly part seawater and command water essence. It is a preliminary lesser art for the Great Sun Golden Seal, broad in its might and bright in its prospects, and it can ward off water."

"The Abyss-Sealing Sea-Calming Art levels towering waves and stills tsunamis. It can forcibly restrain water spirits and is a preliminary lesser art for the Sea-Calming Golden Seal, sufficient to suppress a hundred zhang of sea."

"The Demon-Binding Golden Cord condenses Great Sun Qi into a golden cord, binding water demons and tying up Spirit Monsters. This art is exquisite, and its might can continually rise along with one's realm. Once cultivated to minor accomplishment, it is enough to immobilize a minor demon at the Qi Refining First Layer."

"I will choose these three arts to study, and am specially informing Junior Brother."

"—Wei Zhixing."

There was no needless verbosity in the letter. Wei Zhixing had written only to inform Lu Xuan of the three techniques he intended to choose.

"He truly was an interesting fellow..."

Lu Xuan put away the letter, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

Was he afraid Lu Xuan might choose other arts, making it inconvenient for them to contend? Making it hard to determine who was superior?

Did he insist on defeating him with the very same arts?

Still, Senior Brother Wei had a truly sharp eye. Every art he selected was a lesser technique with immense potential, capable of continually improving with one's realm.

"Our views are indeed largely alike. But for me, this Demon-Binding Golden Cord is inferior to the Origin Astral Heart Band."

The Origin Astral Heart Band was a method that condensed Great Sun Qi into Origin Astral Qi, supplemented by the power of the mind. Once activated, it could not only immobilize a Demon Cultivator's body, but also pin down their Spiritual Sense and thoughts.

It suited someone with powerful Spiritual Sense like Lu Xuan perfectly.

If paired with his Burning Heart Sunfire, it would surely yield remarkable results.

"Still, if I choose the Water-Separating and Sea-Calming arts, I fear there will be no peace in my days ahead..." Lu Xuan shook his head slightly, but fighting spirit rose in his heart the next instant. "But this is good too. Only through competition can one continue to improve, just like Senior Brother Qi..."

"But I possess the Jade Disc. I cannot sit atop a treasure mountain and leave it unused. I still need to find an opportunity to condense the characters."

Lu Xuan had made up his mind, yet when he thought of the Ancient Characters on the Jade Disc, he fell into deep contemplation again.

In the past, when he had obtained only one ancient character, he would naturally have chosen to use it only during a Grand Rite or Minor Offering Ritual. But now that two Ancient Script Reflections had appeared at once, could he use them on the arts he cultivated in ordinary days as well, enhancing their power?

Idle speculation was useless. He could only consider it after the ancient characters had completely solidified.

Lu Xuan closed his eyes and quietly nurtured his spirit.

A single day passed with startling swiftness.

Lu Xuan activated Cloud Qi and arrived at the Instruction Hall once more.

Before long, everyone had arrived.

"Whoosh!"

At that moment, a faint breeze suddenly rose within the hall, water vapor spreading through the air. Then Zhou Xuanpu was already seated upright upon his meditation cushion.

"Greetings, Instructor!"

Everyone saluted, much like saying "Good morning, teacher" before class in Lu Xuan's previous life.

"Sit quietly and wait until everyone has arrived before instruction begins."

Zhou Xuanpu raised his head and swept his gaze over them, spoke a single sentence, then closed his eyes without another word.

Wait until everyone had arrived before instruction began?

Lu Xuan and the others exchanged looks, surprise filling their hearts, before immediately turning toward the ninth empty meditation cushion.

They had all been curious about that ninth cushion before. Since no one had come yesterday, they had thought it merely vacant. They had not expected someone truly remained to come.

Who could it be?

But since Zhou Xuanpu said nothing, they could only wait in peace.

"Rumble!"

"Crash!"

Only several dozen breaths later, thunder suddenly boomed outside the Instruction Hall. A torrential rain fell, splashing up water vapor that filled the air.

"This weather..."

Lu Xuan and the others immediately frowned.

Though they had not reached the realm of summoning wind and rain, having succeeded in Qi Gathering, they possessed a vague sensitivity toward heavenly phenomena.

The sky had been clear for ten thousand li just moments ago, yet the weather had abruptly changed. It did not seem naturally occurring.

None of them panicked, but each harbored a measure of doubt.

At that moment, beyond the Instruction Hall, within the vast clouds, a streak of light seemed to be "thrown down." Then, upon the ninth meditation cushion, there appeared a delicately carved little girl, her twin hair buns hanging down.

She looked no more than eight or nine years old.

Yet she had already reached the Qi Refining First Layer.

Moreover, a small coral-like horn seemed faintly visible upon her forehead, concealed amid her twin buns.

Lu Xuan could not help exchanging a glance with Zhang Xuange. Both had undisguisable shock in their eyes.

"Flood Dragon maiden Han Ying greets Instructor and greets all Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters!"

Yet the little girl was remarkably well-behaved. She clasped her tiny hands and saluted Zhou Xuanpu and Lu Xuan's group, though her voice still carried a trace of childish softness.

A Flood Dragon maiden!

Lu Xuan and the others were immediately startled.

The ninth meditation cushion belonged to a Flood Dragon maiden!

They were not merely shocked by the girl's identity. The crucial thing was that they had just eaten Flood Dragon Meat Soup yesterday.

And today, a Flood Dragon maiden had entered the hall for instruction?!

Seeing this, Zhou Xuanpu spoke indifferently. "She is merely a Flood Dragon maiden. What is there to be surprised about? If you enter the Violet Palace in the future, you will study in the same hall as mirage dragons, phoenix maidens, qilin sons, and roc descendants."

"They are merely living beings from the Demon Fiefs under the rule of our Immortal Cult."

As if he knew their misgivings, he added, "The Flood Dragons of the East Sea ate men and defied the law; they had only themselves to blame. There is no need to concern yourselves over them. The Flood Dragons of our Immortal Cult receive Clear Qi and obey Heaven's will. They are fellow cultivators!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan and the others forcibly suppressed the strange feelings in their hearts and returned the Flood Dragon maiden's salute.

Yet their hearts remained far from calm. A Flood Dragon maiden studying in the same hall was truly something they had never imagined before.

Still, there were twelve Demon Fiefs under the Immortal Cult, containing who knew how many Demon Race variants. Now that the Sea-Calming Bureau had been established, drawing upon Flood Dragons as support was indeed only proper.

They could only blame their low realms for their inability to recognize the Immortal Cult's foundations.

"Gather your minds. Write the arts you have chosen upon the Light Mirrors, and I will instruct you in them one by one."

Zhou Xuanpu's voice was like a thunderclap, jolting everyone awake. With a sweep of his sleeve, nine curtains of light immediately hung before them.

Lu Xuan stirred his Spiritual Sense and wrote the three arts he had chosen upon the Light Mirror.

The moment he finished writing them, Zhou Xuanpu's solemn voice rang out within his mind.

"Keep your mind upright. I will first impart to you the cultivation methods for these three arts, then explain their key points one by one."

Hearing this, Lu Xuan immediately steadied his mind.

"Condense sunlight and wield the golden seal; gather Spiritual Impetus at the fingertip..."

The solemn words came one character at a time, slowly imparting the three arts. Afterward, Zhou Xuanpu explained the principles within them in detail, revealing how Spiritual Impetus arose and developed.

Lu Xuan immersed his mind in them, unaware of time passing.

"You have eaten Flood Dragon flesh, which should strengthen your Qi Sea and meridians. I will also impart to you a True Qi Control Formula. With this method's aid, you may accelerate your cultivation of the true scripture."

"From now on, I will come to the Instruction Hall once every fifteen days to assess your cultivation and answer your questions."

"The cultivation of the Great Dao is like rowing a boat against the current: if you do not advance, you fall back. I hope you will be diligent, strengthen our Immortal Cult, and spread the Way of Heaven-Mirroring throughout the Five Realms."

Without realizing it, after this round of instruction, the sun had already sunk toward the western horizon.

Zhou Xuanpu left behind those final words, then vanished from the Instruction Hall like a gentle breeze and fine rain.

Only Lu Xuan and the others remained, sitting cross-legged in the hall with fatigue showing between their brows.

Only the Flood Dragon maiden remained full of spirit. She swiftly rose, saluted them, and then wind and thunder erupted outside the hall. A beam of light descended, and the Flood Dragon maiden vanished as well.