Dao Heart! Fist Intent!

"Who are these two people!?"

The killing intent was sharp, making Qiu Yan's heart tighten!

These two murderous intents, lurking in a Lin Zhong, felt to Qiu Yan like two venomous snakes, lying in ambush, gathering strength, and waiting for an opportunity. With too many people waiting, it was inconvenient for them to make their move. For the latest free chapters of this book, please visit [website address]. Fastest updates.

However, before he could investigate further, his expanded senses suddenly contracted, as if a spring stretched to its limit was suddenly retracted!

Shrink!

This contraction brought over a trace of all the surrounding emotions and thoughts, presenting dozens of scenes that instantly filled Qiu Yan's mind. A massive amount of information surged into his soul and was swallowed up by his Three Souls!

Then, the Three Souls swirled and converged towards the central point!

Three Souls unite!

"Hmm!"

The changes in his soul were ultimately reflected in his body. The sudden contraction and condensation caused Qiu Yan's face to turn pale, and he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.

Sun Xingming, who was talking to Qiu Yan, noticed Qiu Yan's expression and wisely said, "Shen Zhi, you've been preparing for the Provincial Examination and studying the situation in the southwest these past few days. You must have exhausted yourself. Now that you've returned from such a long journey, you must be tired. So let's go into the city first. I'll visit your residence in a few days."

Hearing Sun Xingming say this, Pan Xiang, though still having ideas, had no choice but to give up for the time being.

The others who came to greet them naturally did not go against Sun Xingming's wishes, and all offered words of congratulations, inviting Qiu Yan and his party into the city.

The Liu Household's neighbors were even more enthusiastic. They had been eager to curry favor with Qiu Yan after he became the top scholar in the imperial examinations, and now they would seize any opportunity to surround him, acting all warm and helpful in carrying Liu Huai's family's luggage.

Soon, Liu Huai and the others returned to their own courtyard, each with a stray dog on a leash.

This mongrel was given to the Liu Household family by Qiu Yan when he was in Qingchang County. It was usually lazy and picky about food, but after being scolded by Liu Huai a few times, it gradually became more obedient.

At this moment, the dog walked cautiously, its back arched, the fur on its back standing on end, its eyes fixed on Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan remained silent. After returning to the old house with Liu Huai, he took the package, went into the room, closed the door, and even temporarily entrusted Zheng Yun to Liu Huai.

"Father, what's wrong with my cousin?" Liu Yue asked, puzzled. "Is it really from overwork? That can't be right, he was fine in the car earlier..."

"Yan'er has his reasons, which we don't understand. But we shouldn't cause him trouble. Let him rest for a while. Honey, go out and buy some vegetables. We're in a rush today and don't have time to prepare, but we need to set up a few tables tomorrow and invite the neighbors over to celebrate Yan'er's birthday."

At this point, he took out a bag from his pocket and handed it to Liu Yue.

The bag jingled, making a "clinking" sound, indicating that it contained a considerable amount of copper coins and silver.

"Father, what is this...?" Liu Yue asked, puzzled, looking at the money pouch in his hand.

"In the play, when those top scholars Golden List examination and return home in glory, people will come to congratulate them and ask for rewards, hoping for good luck. We can't let Yan'er down, so we need to prepare in advance. Later, you and your wife can prepare a few red envelopes."

"Yes." Liu Yue finally realized.

Following Liu Huai's instructions, the Liu Household family quickly got busy. They didn't notice that after Qiu Yan entered the room, the stray dog finally relaxed, its tongue lolling out, panting heavily, looking as if it had been granted a pardon, its eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

At the same time, Qiu Yan was sitting quietly in the room, eyes closed and silent.

He exuded a chaotic aura, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, which was difficult for ordinary people to detect.

"What's going on? It's like my Three Souls have fused together into one, but I'm stuck at the last step!"

Within Qiu Yan's body, his Living Soul was in flux. The Three Souls Heaven, Earth, and Man swirled and merged like a vortex, releasing three distinct auras. They showed a tendency to slowly change and combine into one, but this process was extremely slow, as if it would take a very long time to complete the fusion.

"The Three Souls Unity into Divine Soul is the key to advancing from the Soul-Congealing Realm to the Unity Realm. I don't have the corresponding Cultivation Method, so I can only rely on my own accumulation. Now, due to the disintegration of kinship Karma ties, my body feels light, my State of Mind has been sublimated, and the Three Souls are showing a tendency to merge..."

Just as Qiu Yan was pondering and reflecting, a childish voice speaking in Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription came from beside him.

"How strange! You, scholar, are strange in every way. What's the reason that you're about to Three Souls Unity the moment someone greets you? However, there's still something lacking; you can't truly condense your Divine Soul."

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan suddenly opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice. He saw the Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription hovering in mid-air, releasing perceptual fluctuations, clearly observing and probing him.

A thought struck him, and Qiu Yan asked, "You said I'm still lacking something. What is it that I'm lacking?"

"Your progress is too fast; you haven't yet grasped your own Dao..." The Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription, upon hearing the question, subconsciously answered, but suddenly realized halfway through and changed the subject, "You can want to know, but don't forget my request: I don't need you to pay, just..."

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a resounding clang—

"Your words are utterly shrewd and full of cunning," the steel longsword flew straight at him. "What's the point of hiding something like this? Even if you don't tell me, with Qiu Yan's current level of cultivation, comprehending the Fist Intent is only a matter of time. Why listen to your nagging?"

"Fist Intent?" Upon hearing the longsword's words, Qiu Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he noticed something amiss.

"Not bad," the longsword floated up and down, "The so-called 'Fist Intent' is actually a metaphysical concept. It is not recorded in many Cultivation Method manuals because it requires the cultivator's own accumulation. Once the accumulation reaches a critical point, one will naturally comprehend the Fist Intent."

The longsword's voice deepened as he continued, "The Fist Intent doesn't necessarily require the complete refinement of Seven Souls to be comprehended. As long as one accumulates enough, one's state of State of Mind can undergo a transformation. Xi Yun also comprehended the Fist Intent before his Seven Souls were fully formed. With the Fist Intent fighting in one's heart, advancing to the next realm is a natural process."

The longsword's perception enveloped Qiu Yan, and it continued, "Your progress is too rapid. Your Fist Intent hasn't even been established yet, but your cultivation is already close to the threshold. That's why you're in this situation where your soul is condensed, but you're finding it difficult to break through."

"Fist Intent? Accumulation? State of Mind transformation?" Qiu Yan pondered these words. "But what I need to break through right now is the path of Nature Cultivation, not the Life Cultivation. Do I really need to comprehend Fist Intent as well?"

While speaking, Qiu Yan shifted his attention to the deity himself, using the connection and following the Incense Faith to peruse Tang Lai's memories.

Before the longsword could answer, the childish voice of the Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription interrupted, "What Fist Intent? That's too narrow! It should be the Dao Heart! The so-called transformation of the State of Mind refers to a Spiritual Light inspiration condensed from life's insights, guiding the soul, not for you to understand how to speak with your fists. That's too vulgar!"

Ancient Seal Script had intended to use this to blackmail him, but he hadn't expected Chang Jian to speak directly and explain everything clearly. Now, he had no choice but to speak up to make amends for his earlier actions.

"I see," Qiu Yan said after listening to their conversation and simultaneously retrieving the relevant fragments from Tang Lai's memories. "The Fist Intent and the Dao Heart refer to the same concept; it's just that the Nature Cultivation and the Life Cultivation have different expressions."

As soon as he finished speaking, his thoughts shifted, his consciousness sank into his mind, and his Divine Sense seeped out from the Soul Aperture, condensing the memories in his mind. The bits and pieces of the past slowly became clear—

Calligraphy, Sage, and the many Confucian scholars, officials, and examinees I met...

Memories flow, gradually surfacing from the depths, bit by bit, shining like stars...

"That's right, but accumulation can't be achieved overnight. Although you have high talent, you still need some time..." The longsword swayed, about to continue, but suddenly stopped, and then revealed a look of horror.

Beside him, the Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription were frozen in mid-air, their emotions fluctuating wildly.

In both of their perceptions, Qiu Yan underwent a dramatic change. His aura surged, and his Literary Qi overflowed, surging out like a giant, continuous wave. However, instead of dissipating, it swirled around his body and slowly settled.

"Good heavens! He's about to concentrate his Fist Intent! I just finished speaking, and he's already found the trick? That's too fast!" The clanging of the longsword was filled with surprise. "However, this Fist Intent is too weak and ethereal, lacking the iron will of martial arts. Could it be that he's going to abandon martial arts and specialize in literary Literary Thought?"

Unlike the longsword, the Eight-Character Ancient Seal Inscription quickly turned from shock to joy. "Excellent! This Dao Heart is meant to interpret the writings of Sage! Once it solidifies, Qiu Yan's Literary Thought will immediately rise to a new level, laying a solid foundation for his Nature Cultivation! Cultivating the soul through literature!"

Amidst the starkly different reactions of the longsword and the Ancient Seal Script, Qiu Yan's aura grew increasingly intense, and his momentum surged, but he discovered a problem in his heart.

"Hmm? As my mind focused, the vortex of my Three Souls spun even faster, almost becoming one, but a barrier gradually appeared between my consciousness, thoughts, and the Four Souls? Could it be...?"

Upon realizing this, he asked, "Does the moment the Fist Intent is concentrated, one must choose between Nature Cultivation and Life Cultivation? Is it impossible to do both?"

Longsword immediately replied, "There are some tricks to condensing Fist Intent, otherwise it's difficult to manage it all. Right now, your Three Souls are about to condense, Nature Cultivation reached a critical point. Therefore, use this as a guide, Fist Intent Dao Heart you condense will be based on this!"

"Originally, I could manage both paths, but now my Nature Cultivation has reached a critical point, so my comprehension is mainly focused on Literary Thought. I can only manage my soul and life when my Life Cultivation also reaches a critical point. Now that we know the reason, things are easier. However, we can't waste the current momentum!"

With a change in expression, Qiu Yan made a decision, then raised his hand and grabbed the longsword.

"Brother Jian, thank you for your guidance!"

As he spoke, Qiu Yan pushed off with his feet, shooting out like an arrow, leaping outside, flipping onto the roof, quickly getting his bearings, and then striding away! Each step covered three zhang!

"Qiu Yan, what are you going to do?"

Qiu Yan calmly replied, "There happen to be two sword testing stones. Instead of waiting for them to come to the door, why not take the initiative to go for a while!" (To be continued.. ps: Thanks to "Tianwaizhilang", "Very Xuan", "gjk", "Qin Han Piaomiao Chu Xiaoyao", "s222zhy", "Rainy Night Creek", and "Thick Shaowen" for their monthly votes!

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