Lodges Taking Their Places

"Tidal Sword Intent is a water-element sword art. Why didn't he go to Blackwater Peak?"

"Sword-Coming Peak has plenty of metal-element Sword Qi. What is he supposed to collect there?"

"Could it be... that he is after the Ginseng Water Ape Dao Lineage?"

Elder Sun's whisk paused. He looked at Shen Qingzhou, then shook his head after a moment. "What a pity."

The order of entry was quickly decided.

The hundred and thirty-seven disciples were grouped by peak and entered the Twenty-Eight Lodges Qi Repository under their elders' guidance. Sword-Coming Peak went first, Blackwater Peak second, Cinnabar Glow Peak third, and Heavenly Craft Peak brought up the rear.

Lu Chen was Sword-Coming Peak's first entrant.

The White Tiger Lodge Domain opened, and seven stone gates lit up with golden-white radiance at the same time.

No one outside could see what lay beyond the stone gates.

But the demonstration platform had a phenomenon-viewing formation. Through the water mirrors on its surface, the elders and some disciples could observe what was happening within.

Shen Qingzhou squeezed his way to a spot where he could see the water mirror.

Within the White Tiger Lodge Domain, thirty-six Qi Seeds hung in midair, varying in size and radiance.

Lu Chen stood utterly motionless in the center of the Lodge Domain, carrying something of the air of: I do not go to see the mountain; the mountain comes to see me.

No wonder he was the original body's formidable rival... He really is no ordinary person! Shen Qingzhou thought as he watched and learned from the side.

It was always good to have someone demonstrate first.

After several breaths, four or five of the thirty-six Qi Seeds slowly drifted toward Lu Chen. Their grades varied. Three shone brilliantly, at least sixth-grade or above, while the other two were restrained and unreadable.

Earth-yellow spiritual charm circulated as Lu Chen raised a hand and plucked one.

Like a sweeping curtain of yellow sand falling from the sky, the Qi Seed dissolved the instant it reached his hand, scattering hazy earth-colored mist in every direction.

The Qi Seed entered his body, and Lu Chen's aura immediately changed. He broke straight through from the Marrow Cleansing realm to the first level of Qi Refining.

Several elders on the platform watched the scene in the water mirror and nodded.

"He chose Mountain-Sealing Concealment. A case of deep accumulation bursting forth."

An elder beside him added, "He did not covet splendor, choosing the steadiest and most compatible one. To possess such temperament at fifteen... this child's future will be extraordinary."

The disciples below could not make out the details within the water mirror, but from the elders' comments alone, they knew the outcome.

"This year's first place truly did not earn his reputation for nothing."

Shen Qingzhou focused on only one thing: the distribution pattern of the thirty-six Qi Seeds in the White Tiger Lodge Domain.

After Lu Chen plucked one away, the remaining thirty-five shifted slightly before becoming still again.

Before the second batch entered, the Lodge Domain would close again and release a new set of thirty-six Qi Seeds. In other words, every batch encountered different Qi Seeds.

That meant Shen Qingzhou could not scout things out in advance. He could only wait until he entered.

Fortunately, he had Investigation of Things.

Qi collection began at Blackwater Peak as well. Zhao Heng was the first of that batch.

When the water mirror shifted to the Black Tortoise Lodge Domain, Shen Qingzhou saw Zhao Heng's transformation.

Shen Qingzhou narrowed his eyes. This Zhao Heng had no lack of comprehension.

A water-element Qi Seed spun several circles within Zhao Heng's Sword Qi before finally being drawn into his body.

He drew in Qi and broke through the pass. Success.

Elder Sun stroked his long beard. "The Zhao Family's generation has finally gained a few signs of fresh vigor."

When Zhao Heng emerged from the Lodge Domain, he spoke to no one. His gaze swept through the crowd before finally landing on Shen Qingzhou.

Liu Yinghan's Qi collection was quiet. The water mirror showed only that, after she took her stance, the temperature around her suddenly plunged, and a Qi Seed like a cold pool condensed into her palm on its own.

Fang Wuji's Alchemical Fire was inwardly warm. The Qi Seed melted as soon as it entered his body, and he was fast as well.

Zhong Yuan was the slowest. He wandered around the Lodge Domain for half the time it took an incense stick to burn.

Several highly ranked geniuses completed their Qi collection without a single failure.

By the time it was Shen Qingzhou's turn, it was already Sword-Coming Peak's third batch.

He followed the dozen or so disciples in his batch toward the stone gates of the White Tiger Lodge Domain. Before the gate, a registered disciple checked the roster. When he read out "Shen Qingzhou," he looked up at him twice more, unable to understand why Shen Qingzhou had deliberately delayed until so late.

The stone gates opened, and golden-white light surged forth.

Shen Qingzhou stepped into the Lodge Domain.

It was an enclosed space. Its four walls were built from some unknown ore, radiating a faint metallic sheen.

Dozens of Qi Seeds floated in the air at varying heights, flickering like fireflies.

Most of the dozen or so disciples who had entered with him did not hesitate, rushing directly toward the directions they sensed.

Shen Qingzhou stood at the Lodge Domain entrance.

Investigation of Things.

In an instant, the Dao rhythm distribution throughout the entire Lodge Domain spread across his mind. The outer appearances of the thirty-six Qi Seeds faded away, revealing their underlying Dao-rhythm patterns with perfect clarity.

Most were pure metal-element Sword Qi, suitable for disciples following the Lou Jin Lineage.

Yet in the northeastern corner of the Lodge Domain, several Qi Seeds possessed distinctly different Dao rhythms.

Outside, the elders saw through the water mirror that Shen Qingzhou had yet to move.

"Why has he not chosen yet?" a disciple asked in confusion.

"The time of one incense stick is not long. Several people from his batch have already plucked Qi Seeds and begun breaking through."

"Those sixth-grade metal-element Qi Seeds have extraordinary manifestations. Why is he passing them up?"

Having already weighed everything in his heart, Shen Qingzhou bypassed several metal-element Qi Seeds and headed toward the northeastern corner. The Qi Seeds there also became clearer.

The first shone brightly with golden light, but it contained too little water-element aura—roughly ninety percent metal and ten percent water. It was still metal-element. No good.

It did not suit the Kan-Water Fate he wanted. Cultivating it would only bring trouble instead.

The second was a deep blue. Metal and water were evenly divided, but the two auras were too far apart. Its grade was likely around eighth-grade.

The third...

Shen Qingzhou stopped. This Qi Seed was tucked deepest into the corner. Its light was dim, and it did not even look as eye-catching as a ninth-grade seed nearby.

His eyes flickered. Investigation of Things saw through its outer appearance, and the Dao rhythm within was entirely different.

Metal and water mingled together. Metal existed within water, while water rode atop metal; the two auras constantly transformed into one another without end.

Kan Water Qi Seed, above sixth-grade.

It was a high-grade Qi Seed from the Kan Water branch among the White Tiger Seven Lodges.

In the water mirror, Shen Qingzhou reached for that inconspicuous Qi Seed in the corner.

"That child actually chose that one?"

Elder Li stared at the water mirror and spoke. "The one Cloud Hermit brought back?"

The Cinnabar Glow Peak elder frowned. "That one... the one Senior Brother brought back from the Northern Wastes?"

"Yes."

Elder Xie shook his head and sighed. "Interesting. If he chooses this one, he will be entering Senior Brother Cloud Hermit's sect. His arts are not easy to learn..."

After those words, no one continued the conversation, as though the topic was somewhat sensitive.

Elder Sun rested his whisk back over his arm and watched the water mirror for a while before saying softly, "This child has a good eye."

"A Rogue Cultivator with no one to teach him these intricacies... yet through his own cultivation and insight, his Dao wisdom is not low. What a pity. His fate is unusual, and he and I have no bond of master and disciple."

Within the Lodge Domain, Shen Qingzhou reached out and touched it.

The instant he made contact, Investigation of Things activated on its own. The Qi Seed's outer appearance faded, exposing the Dao rhythm beneath. Sure enough, it was Kan Water.

"Ape God..."

Shen Qingzhou closed his eyes and extended his divine sense into the Qi Seed. In that instant—

A scene unfolded in his mind.

His first reaction was: an abyss.

In the depths of endless darkness, a rusted sword lay submerged at the bottom of the water. Water flowed over the blade, its ripples split apart, while undercurrents formed whirlpools all around it.

The sword did not move, yet the water avoided it of its own accord, dividing and flowing around either side.

As their auras resonated, as life and nature cultivated together, an invisible connection formed.

The Qi Seed transformed into a ray of light and slid through the meridians in his palm into his dantian.

First level of Qi Refining, achieved.

Within the newly opened sea of Qi, the Qi Seed merged into it and became part of his foundation.

The panel lit up.

[Kan Water · Abyss-Hiding Sword]

[Detected that the host has drawn innate Qi into the body and opened a sea of Qi]

[New profession unlocked,]

[Qi Collector (0/100)]

[Qi Collector: Heaven and earth possess righteous Qi, which takes form as it flows through all things]

[Profession ability comprehended: Source Tracing]

[Source Tracing: Can sense the aura imprints left behind by predecessors within a Dao Lineage, distinguishing its branching paths and levels of depth.]

The ability of Source Tracing activated, and Shen Qingzhou's perception sank inward at once.

The Kan Water path unfolded before him like an upside-down tree. Its roots were at the very top, piercing into some unknown place. That was the origin of the Kan Water Dao Lineage.

The trunk extended downward, splitting into countless branches. Each branch represented an image of the Kan Water path.

[Abyss-Hiding Sword] was merely a slender twig at the very end.

Looking upward, there were many more.

[Still Waters of the Abyss] [Surging Undercurrent] [Water Mirror Reflecting the Moon] [Rippleless Cold Pool]...

"Are these all the images Kan Water has evolved into over the years?"

Every image possessed a somewhat different aura.

Some were ancient, having existed since chaos first opened. They were natural Dao lineages, born of heaven and nurtured by earth, carrying the weathered weight of countless years.

Others were new, as though they had been opened up only later.

His divine sense touched one of the images: [Still Waters of the Abyss].

Bzzzz.

He could not see anything clearly.

...There was no face, no form—only the afterimage of a will.

Yet that will was so oppressive it made breathing difficult.

The afterimage moved. Boundless whirlpools surrounded it. Perhaps it was a hand, perhaps a weapon, perhaps something else... the waters of the abyss surged upward in reverse, charging toward the heights.

This was absolutely not a method Foundation Establishment could possess... Shen Qingzhou revealed a shocked expression.

Purple Palace? Golden Core? Or something even higher?

This question was beyond the syllabus. Shen Qingzhou could not judge.

He had never seen those higher realms. He had not even witnessed the methods of Foundation Establishment.

"On the day It attained the Dao, heaven and earth responded. The Kan Water Dao Lineage engraved Its enlightenment, transforming it into the image of [Still Waters of the Abyss] for later generations to comprehend and cultivate..."