Forge an Assembly of Our Own, Blazing a New Bypath!

Lu Xuan did not know where Wei Zhixing had gone.

At that moment, he was cultivating in his cave abode after taking a pill.

Cool and clear, vast and hazy—he did not know how long passed before he finally opened his eyes.

His gaze was crystalline and brilliant, as though spiritual light were about to shine through his body.

"Millet Pearl Suspended Over the Heart—truly wondrous beyond words..."

Lu Xuan let out a delighted sigh.

At that moment, within his Consciousness Sea, a radiant Millet Pearl hung high, making his Consciousness Sea gleam, bright and utterly clear.

A pearl born within the Consciousness Sea was an auspicious phenomenon of cultivation.

And wherever there was an auspicious phenomenon, it meant one's cultivation had reached an unfathomably profound realm.

Lu Xuan's Spiritual Sense was precisely like this now.

Not only had it increased by twenty percent, but with the Millet Pearl suspended over his heart, its ability to illuminate darkness and break falsehood had greatly increased as well.

If he once again activated [Burning Heart Sunfire] with his current Spiritual Sense, its lethal might would surely rise by several more degrees.

"Lush and thick the reeds, the white dew must surely dry..."

With this Spiritual Sense, Lu Xuan felt several degrees more confident.

And as his killing power rose, Lu Xuan inevitably recalled Zhou Xuanpu's three assessments.

Qi Refining, spell cultivation, demon slaying.

Now that his spell cultivation was complete, only Qi Refining and demon slaying remained.

Qi Refining could not be rushed. If he wanted to pass another assessment, he could only choose demon slaying.

Slaying demons was not only a test of one's cultivation, but could also earn a considerable supply of cultivation resources.

"It's just... where am I supposed to find demons?"

Lu Xuan sank into thought once more.

The demons Zhou Xuanpu required were wicked demons that committed evil deeds.

Such demons were exceedingly rare within the Jade Court Daoist Grounds of the Heaven-Gazing Sect.

Even if there were any, they would not be left for him; they would have long been dealt with by others, or else the wicked demon's own Demon Race would have "righteously purged its own kin."

If he wanted to find and slay wicked demons, he would likely have to leave the mountain gates or seek them in other remote Daoist sects.

Zhou Xuanpu had likely set this assessment to temper the few of them in their ability to stand independently beyond the mountain gates.

"I need to make careful inquiries..."

"There are also two Ancient Scripts that I need to find a way to reflect."

"In three days, it will be the fifteenth-day lecture. This time, I should ask Mystic Master Zhou to assess my three spells. So long as I pass, I can earn a Grade Jia evaluation."

"That way, I can determine whether the condensation of the [Jia] character truly uses assessment evaluations as its standard."

"If so, could I ask Mystic Master Zhou for further assessments then? Could I compete for Grade Jia again and rapidly condense this character?"

"But Mystic Master Zhou will likely be unwilling..."

Thoughts churned endlessly in Lu Xuan's mind.

He had long known the method of reflecting the [Bypath] character: blaze a new bypath.

But for the [Jia] character, he had only a conjecture and had not confirmed it completely.

Over the past half year, he had devoted himself wholly to arduous cultivation and had not attempted it often.

In any case, he had no immediate use for Ancient Scripts.

But now that he was considering leaving to slay demons, Ancient Script Reflection had to be placed on the agenda.

"I'll wait until three days later..."

After some thought, a plan gradually formed in Lu Xuan's mind. He then closed his eyes and resumed cultivating.

Although he had bested Wei Zhixing in the path of Spiritual Sense, he had fallen short in the path of spells.

He had gathered Dawn Radiance True Qi. Though he could not enter enlightenment at every moment, and the flashes of insight at daybreak were not omnipotent, they had still granted him an extra trace of comprehension.

How could he so easily lose to Wei Zhixing?

"Roar!"

Six crimson dragon phantoms coiled around him, circulating spiritual energy for him and steadily expanding his Qi Sea.

When Heavenly Light broke at dawn, Lu Xuan began refining spells and probing the mysteries once more.

Three days later.

It was once again the day Zhou Xuanpu came to the Instruction Hall every fifteen days.

Naturally, Lu Xuan and the others had gathered in the hall.

The flood dragon maiden had come as well, bringing roaring wind and thunder and the rumble of rain.

Though they had cultivated in the same hall for half a year, Lu Xuan and the others had scarcely exchanged a few words with the flood dragon maiden. Whenever a lecture began, she arrived with wind and rain; when Zhou Xuanpu's lecture ended, she left with wind and rain.

She was much like the "eldest miss chauffeured around in a luxury carriage" from Lu Xuan's past life.

This time was no different.

After the flood dragon maiden took her seat, Zhou Xuanpu began his lecture. When it ended, he swept his gaze over the crowd and asked:

"Do any of you have questions? Speak..."

Lu Xuan was the first to speak. "Mystic Master, this disciple has achieved mastery in the three spells. I ask Mystic Master to assess me."

No one was surprised by his words. They had all learned that Lu Xuan had used the demons in the Heavenly Melody River to test his spells.

"Activate your three spells and use them on me."

Zhou Xuanpu did not waste words and immediately told Lu Xuan to demonstrate them.

Lu Xuan complied, displaying the three spells in succession.

Great Sun Water-Separating Seal, Abyss-Sealing Sea-Calming Art, Origin Astral Heart Band...

These three spells were methods for avoiding water, suppressing seas, and restraining demons. Using them on a human was naturally strange, but Zhou Xuanpu was at the Foundation Establishment realm. Since he used his own body to assess the three spells, no one had any objection.

With a sweep of his sleeve, all three spells vanished into it, then transformed into a cloud of Cloud Qi that dispersed.

"Not bad. Your three spells have all reached mastery. You may receive Grade Jia!"

"You have passed one of the three assessments."

Zhou Xuanpu slowly nodded and gave his affirmative answer.

"Thank you, Mystic Master!"

Lu Xuan bowed his head in thanks.

Yet taking advantage of the moment, his consciousness sank into the Jade Disc.

He saw azure light flowing within it, and the [Jia] character had indeed become a little more solid.

So that was it.

Lu Xuan's heart settled. Then he proactively asked Zhou Xuanpu, "May I ask, Mystic Master, whether there are assessments for other spells? This disciple has mastered the three spells. If there are further assessments, it will give this disciple greater motivation to cultivate."

Hearing this, Zhou Xuanpu merely replied flatly, "You are only at the Qi Refining First Layer. Cultivation should be your priority. I have said before that if you pass all three assessments and there is still time remaining within the year, I will naturally have other assessments for you. Now, you have passed only one of the three assessments. Cultivate diligently."

With that, he transformed directly into a fine breeze and misty rain, vanishing from the hall.

The flood dragon maiden followed close behind.

Lu Xuan could only join the others in offering a helpless salute.

Yet he was not disappointed. He had already guessed that Mystic Master Zhou would refuse; he had merely made an attempt.

He had another plan. If it succeeded, it would accomplish several things at once.

It was only that this plan could not do without Senior Brother Wei's cooperation.

Lu Xuan smiled to himself, exchanged a few pleasantries with the others, then returned to his cave abode to cultivate in peace.

And so, another ten days passed.

"Coo, coo!"

Before Lu Xuan's cave abode, the familiar spirit pigeon appeared once more.

But this time, there was no [Thought Casket Stone], only a letter.

"Junior Brother Lu Xuan, I hope you are well. Please forgive this presumptuous letter."

"Ten days ago in the Instruction Hall, I saw Junior Brother display the [Great Sun Water-Separating Seal]. Its dazzling golden radiance and profound spiritual ingenuity left me deeply impressed."

"However, while cultivating by breathing in and exhaling spiritual qi, I gained further insight and comprehended a trace of the mysteries within Great Sun Spiritual Resonance. Thus, my cultivation of the [Great Sun Water-Separating Seal] has advanced another step. I am greatly delighted, and have specially set down my deductions in writing to inform Junior Brother."

"..."

The letter went on at great length, setting down an even more profound method for using the [Great Sun Water-Separating Seal], one that could increase the seal's power by a full ten percent!

Lu Xuan was deeply moved as well.

These past days, he had not rested for even one day and had cultivated relentlessly.

He, too, had made some progress with the [Great Sun Water-Separating Seal], allowing its power to grow somewhat stronger, but he had not reached the level of "ten percent."

Yet with this letter, he felt even more assured.

He took up brush and ink and wrote a reply:

"Greetings, Senior Brother Wei."

"From your letter, I see that Senior Brother's marvelous spell has advanced once more. This junior brother is deeply impressed."

"However... deductions in writing can never compare to actual combat. How can cultivators like us kill enemies with words? Discuss spells in letters?"

"Only through a battle can victory and defeat be decided."

"Several months have passed. Our fellow students on the island have all greatly advanced in cultivation, and their spells are nearing completion. Before long, we will likely leave to slay demons. The outside world is perilous, so we fellow students must naturally watch over and aid one another, traveling together."

"But if we do not know one another's strength or understand one another's spells, how can we join forces?"

"Therefore, let us organize a 'Sword-Dueling Assembly' ourselves. No methods barred—let us determine victory and defeat, and learn one another's abilities. What do you think?"

"To stir the interest of our senior brothers, the final victor may be honored as the foremost Grade Jia and, when we leave to slay demons, command all cultivators as a reward."

"—Junior Brother Lu Xuan, respectfully."

Lu Xuan dried the ink with a breath and smiled faintly.

If the Heaven-Gazing Sect would not grant Grade Jia through assessments, then he would create one himself.

If it succeeded, he could not only obtain the [Jia] character, but also—blaze a new bypath!