The first to take effect was [Clear-Heart Mirror (Self-Reflection)]. Originally, this ability could only let him reflect his own condition. But ever since he had regarded Qingli as a part of himself, the instant his fingertips brushed over the blade, Qingli's slender figure appeared within the Clearheart Mirror in his sea of consciousness, round as a full moon and still as a placid lake.
The sword dwelled in his heart, so he naturally sensed its spiritual resonance, its inhalation and exhalation with perfect clarity.
Naturally, Jiang Xuan's breathing perfectly synchronized with the blade's tremors.
"Breathe... in... out..."
As their breathing synchronized and man and sword became one, something else happened that Jiang Xuan had never anticipated.
His consciousness actually followed the bond linking man and sword, using Qingli's perspective to glimpse the world around him.
Previously, whenever Jiang Xuan sensed the world during cultivation, he had used his own Divine Soul.
But his Divine Soul was weak, and it had to pass through the restraints of his physical body and vital energy. The range he could sense was no more than a stone's throw, and the images were all blurry.
Yet now, under Unity of Man and Sword, his Soul Spirit actually spread outward through Qingli.
Though Qingli could not truly be considered a famous sword, and was not even a magical artifact, so the range it allowed him to observe remained limited, Jiang Quan had truly put his heart into forging this sword for his young son.
Moreover, he had enjoyed the Su Household's support at the time, and his resources had been fairly abundant. Because Jiang Xuan had been young, he had not set any offensive restrictions within the sword, but the Clear-Sound Bamboo used to forge it was genuine third-grade Spirit Material.
Clear-Sound Bamboo itself was not particularly hard, but when wind passed through a bamboo grove, it caused the bamboo to emit a uniquely clear and melodious rhythm. This rhythm could not only calm the mind and soothe the spirit, easing Divine Soul fatigue, but could also carry across an immense distance.
And now, with man and sword as one, Jiang Xuan observed the world through the sword. The unique rhythm of the Clear-Sound Bamboo quietly dispersed along with the blade's faint tremors.
"Ring!"
As the Azure Glaze Sword trembled gently, clear soundwaves swept across the surroundings like ripples upon water.
The sword was him, and he was the sword. As the Azure Glaze Sword's soundwaves spread, Jiang Xuan's spiritual awareness followed them, unfurling in every direction.
Though the world revealed through soundwaves remained indistinct, the range of their spread far surpassed what his own Divine Soul could sense.
What made Jiang Xuan's heart tremble even more was that, as third-grade Spirit Material, Clear-Sound Bamboo attracted certain kinds of spiritual energy.
When Jiang Xuan's consciousness spread alongside Clear-Sound Bamboo's rhythm and gave off a sense of yearning to be completed, the emerald-green spiritual energy drifting through the air gathered toward the Azure Glaze Sword in his hand of its own accord, like swallows and sparrows returning to their nests.
Part of that spiritual energy was absorbed by the Azure Glaze Sword, nourishing the Spirit Material's innate resonance that had lain dormant for years. The rest flowed through the bond of Unity of Man and Sword, trickling into Jiang Xuan's body thread by thread.
"Breathe... in... out..."
Warm, pure spiritual energy flowed through his limbs and bones, making Jiang Xuan feel as though every pore across his body had opened wide. It felt so comfortable that he nearly sighed aloud.
"Jiang Xuan, it's time for morning class."
Before he could continue immersing himself in that wondrous state, his mother's gentle call came from outside the door.
Hearing her voice, Jiang Xuan could only open his eyes helplessly.
Still, he did not feel interrupted.
"Unity of Man and Sword is not some fleeting encounter for me. It is my normal state. From now on, I can enter this realm anytime, anywhere!"
At that thought, Jiang Xuan could not help tightening his grip on the Azure Glaze Sword, his heart brimming with excitement.
"Choosing to become a Clear-Heart Sword Disciple truly was the right decision! This profession is far too powerful!"
In truth, Jiang Xuan's current gains contained a degree of luck. Had Jiang Quan not left behind this Clear-Sound Bamboo sword, and had the original owner not preserved the bamboo sword for its commemorative value, Jiang Xuan's beginning would not have gone so smoothly.
Then, without the illumination of the Daoist Acolyte profession's three great dharma spells, Qingli would not have been restored to life.
Only after that did the Clear-Heart Sword Disciple's passive ability take effect.
"But this was inevitable as well. Even without Qingli, I would merely have had a slower start. Once I found a sword that suited my heart in the future, I could still synchronize with it, achieve Unity of Man and Sword, and cultivate by borrowing the sword's power."
"Of course, the current situation is the best possible one. With Qingli helping me cultivate, earning an Excellent Rating within three days will no longer be an unattainable dream."
His affection for Qingli made Jiang Xuan carry it even while eating afterward.
And because an Excellent Rating was now within reach, he had gained the right to compete on the same stage as scions of Aristocratic Clans and Cold Gate prodigies. The heaviness around him dissipated somewhat, and his entire being exuded the ease and vigor of someone who had cast off his shackles.
Naturally, his mother, who had always worried over him, noticed this utterly different state.
Seeing him relaxed, the worry between Shen Yuerong's brows eased considerably as well.
"Here, these are pastries Aunt Liu brought for you. Eat them on the way, and save the rest for lunch."
"I understand, Mother."
Jiang Xuan did not stand on ceremony. Right now, he truly needed to race against time.
Taking the pastries, a water flask, and the Azure Glaze Sword that never left his side, Jiang Xuan hurried toward the training grounds of Star Daoist Academy.
Just like yesterday, after reaching the mountainside, Jiang Xuan found a secluded spot.
Only this time, he went farther from the crowd, nearly reaching the edge of the plaza and sitting right beside the woods bordering it.
Qingli was forged from Clear-Sound Bamboo and belonged to the wood element. Its efficiency in absorbing wood-attributed spiritual energy stood supreme among those of its rank. Since Jiang Xuan wished to cultivate with Qingli's help, he naturally needed to be closer to the spirit-energy-rich forest.
He sat in an out-of-the-way place, but because of yesterday's events, quite a few people still noticed him and secretly glanced in his direction.
Dong Hao was naturally among them.
Though he had received his Lineage's teachings and did not care about temporary gains or losses, nor particularly about whether Jiang Xuan would repay him, this was still an investment. As the investor, and with Jiang Xuan not far from him, Dong Hao naturally looked his way several more times.
But at that glance, his eyes suddenly widened, and the hands hidden within his sleeves abruptly clenched tight.
This is Unity of Man and Sword?!
This is... Unity of Man and Sword?!
It was no wonder Dong Hao's heart shook violently and he nearly cried out in alarm.
He truly had not expected that, in merely one night, Jiang Xuan's aura would undergo such a heaven-and-earth overturning transformation.
The Dong Household was a cultivation Aristocratic Clan of some renown, with its own inheritance and foundation. One such inheritance was the "Treasure-Discernment Spirit Eye."
Every direct descendant of the Dong Household could have this eye opened through a secret ritual passed down by the Lineage. It could distinguish the grades and authenticity of heavenly treasures and earthly materials, and it could also vaguely observe the fortune surrounding cultivators.
The reason he had taken the initiative to befriend Jiang Xuan yesterday, even going so far as to gift him a cultivation art, was certainly because he had been moved by Jiang Xuan's meticulous reverence during the body-cleansing ritual. But the more central reason was that, under the Treasure-Discernment Spirit Eye, he had seen that the aura around Jiang Xuan was pure and untainted, faintly suffused with a layer of lustrous white treasure light.
At that time, he had concluded that Jiang Xuan was no creature trapped in a pond, and worth placing a wager on.
But when he looked again through his Spirit Eye, the pure and untainted aura surrounding Jiang Xuan remained unchanged, yet it had gained a natural quality of blending with heaven and earth, while concealing an incomparably sharp edge.
How could someone as experienced and knowledgeable as him fail to recognize it—Jiang Xuan had clearly stepped over the threshold of Unity of Man and Sword, and had even formed a faint, barely perceptible embryonic Sword Intent!
Such a Jiang Xuan held even greater value than Dong Hao had expected.
Of course, that alone would not have left him so stunned and shaken.
For Sword Cultivators, Unity of Man and Sword was merely the beginning.
What made his clenched knuckles turn white and stirred stormy waves in his heart was that, unaware Jiang Xuan possessed an attribute panel and had encountered a burst of good fortune yesterday to become a Treasure Grade Clear-Heart Sword Disciple, he attributed all of Jiang Xuan's changes to the One Qi Sword Art.
And the One Qi Sword Art was a cultivation art he had personally handed to Jiang Xuan only yesterday.
"Just one day... To use a single cultivation art to hone the realm of Unity of Man and Sword—just how terrifying is Jiang Xuan's talent for the sword?!"
The extreme shock caused his expression to change for an instant.
Fortunately, the composure forged through years of Aristocratic Clan upbringing allowed him to quickly suppress his surging emotions. Afterward, he did not rashly step forward to disturb Jiang Xuan.
However, during cultivation, the repeated glances he cast toward Jiang Xuan were eventually noticed by several observant people nearby.
Jiang Xuan naturally sensed none of the countless waves stirring within Dong Hao's heart.
After reaching the seat he had chosen, he calmed himself and began making preparations before cultivation.
Cleanse the body, cleanse the hands, cleanse the mouth.
And this time, not only did he meticulously complete his own cleansing ritual, he also solemnly performed every step for the Azure Glaze Sword in his hand.
Afterward, he stroked Qingli inch by inch, establishing sensory communion with it.
—With his profession's passive ability, the latter could have been achieved with a single thought.
But his heartfelt sincerity toward the sword, and his respect for this blade that accompanied him, made him unwilling to omit even half a step. He sought only for heart, intent, and hand to all arrive together, perfect in every respect.
This set of rituals was still quite complicated and time-consuming.
As was only natural, when the surrounding students saw him treat a bamboo sword as a priceless treasure and solemnly perform a cleansing ritual for it, many revealed looks of disdain. They merely thought he was once again putting on an act and grandstanding for attention.
"Yesterday, he cleansed himself. Today, he brought a longsword. Is he trying to pull another trick?"
"Hmph, I refuse to believe anyone will be fooled by you again today."
"Nothing but crooked paths and side doors. We cultivators should take breathing exercises and qi refinement as our foundation. What future could there be in wasting every day on all this hollow nonsense?"
The scattered discussions drifted over, but naturally, other people's remarks did not affect Jiang Xuan in the slightest.
With his entire heart focused on the Azure Glaze Sword, Jiang Xuan spent a full quarter-hour before entering a perfect state where his spirit merged with the sword, clear and empty.
And when Jiang Xuan had finished everything, Instructor Song Zhou arrived as well.
Raising his eyes toward the eastern horizon, he saw that the morning sun had yet to rise, the finest hour for breathing exercises and cultivation. He immediately issued a deep command:
"Cultivation begins."