Scripture Mystic Daoist, Orthodox Lineage of the Mystic Gate! (4500 words)

Mountain Guardian Daoists guarded mountain gates, while Demon-Slaying Daoists swept away evil spirits. But in the end, both types of Daoists were merely side branches of the Daoist path, not part of the orthodox lineage.

Scripture Mystic Daoists were different—their lineage took Daoist scriptures and mystic canons as its root, and the scripture methods of the Mystic Gate's main branch as its foundation. They were the orthodox scripture masters who oversaw scripture collections within temples and monasteries, carrying on the Daoist lineage. They walked the proper cultivation path of "bearing the Dao through scriptures, communing with the divine through mysticism."

It was precisely because of this lineage's nature that, after becoming a Scripture Mystic Daoist, most of the profession passives Jiang Xuan gained would be related to meditation, comprehending the Dao, and grasping cultivation methods.

As long as he changed professions, this lineage would provide Jiang Xuan with a permanent boost to Dao comprehension. Later, it could even help him see through cultivation bottlenecks and resolve stagnation in his techniques.

At the peak of this lineage, one could practically be called a "walking Scripture Repository for Dao comprehension." Because it could increase the comprehension that cultivators valued most, in Jiang Xuan's mind, the versatility and practicality of a Scripture Mystic Daoist were far beyond those of a Mountain Guardian Daoist or Demon-Slaying Daoist.

Besides that, there was another, more realistic consideration that made Jiang Xuan decide to lean toward becoming a Scripture Mystic Daoist:

"Although the abilities of a Demon-Slaying Daoist are good, and a Daoist wielding a sword to slay demons and eliminate devils looks dashing, that sort of thing is fine for playing in a game. In reality, though, I only have one life. Nor is there any truth in the mundane world that evil can never overcome righteousness. Taking this path would be no different from repeatedly hopping across the gates of hell. One careless step, and I would die with my Dao extinguished."

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"If there were no other choice, that would be one thing. But now I have many paths to choose from. Choosing this dangerous road again would be far too unwise."

Having settled on his profession direction, Jiang Xuan turned his attention to the specific requirements for becoming a Scripture Mystic Daoist.

[Profession: Scripture Mystic Daoist (Purple Treasure)]

[Requirements:

①: Prerequisite profession [Daoist Acolyte] cultivated to perfection (Incomplete)

②: The three great spells raised to mastery (Incomplete)

③: Read and be able to recite three hundred volumes of Daoist scriptures and Daoist canons (Incomplete)

④: Deeply understand one Daoist scripture or spell, and possess one's own unique understanding and insight into it (Completed)

⑤: Enter the Scripture Repository of a Daoist temple and conduct a special profession-change ceremony inside it (Note: the Scripture Repository must contain no fewer than three thousand volumes, and eighty percent of its collection must be related to Daoist scriptures and Daoist canons) (Incomplete)]

"This doesn't look too difficult... No, the most difficult requirement has already been completed."

Looking over the five requirements for becoming a Scripture Mystic Daoist, the first was the prerequisite foundation for changing professions, while the second was a hard threshold for entering the orthodox lineage of the Mystic Gate.

As for the third requirement, although it demanded extraordinary memory, anyone who wished to oversee scripture collections and pass down the lineage of the Dharma had to go through such training.

"And while this is difficult for ordinary people, it isn't a problem for me. With a powerful soul and sincere focus, as long as I have texts to read, I can memorize them all in a short time."

As his thoughts turned, Jiang Xuan's gaze fell upon the fourth requirement.

This was the true heavenly chasm.

Although the third condition required Jiang Xuan to recite three hundred volumes of Daoist scriptures, it tested only memory and could be achieved through slow, grinding effort. The fourth condition, however, tested comprehension—that tiny spark of spirituality that could be encountered but never sought.

"People often say that genius consists of ninety-nine percent perspiration and one percent inspiration. Requirement Three is that ninety-nine percent perspiration. Requirement Four is that one percent of inspiration that determines the upper limit—and is far rarer."

Jiang Xuan now understood that a Scripture Mystic Daoist was a profession belonging solely to geniuses. Fortunately, through the mutual fusion and verification of the Sword of the Mind and the spells, he had already crossed this threshold in advance.

"As for the fifth requirement, it is nothing more than finding a Scripture Repository to join... If I can receive an outstanding evaluation in this academy assessment, it should not be difficult."

But as soon as the thought arose, Jiang Xuan shook his head. He did not want to attach himself to the Scripture Repository of the Divine Firmament Sect. Instead, he wanted to build one himself.

This was not a momentary whim. Rather, an intuition from somewhere unseen told him that possessing a Scripture Repository wholly his own would bring immeasurable benefits to his cultivation path, and even to the road ahead.

"Could it enhance my comprehension? Or... is it connected to higher profession changes in the future?"

Unable to see through the key to it for the moment, Jiang Xuan stopped drilling into a dead end and temporarily pressed the matter into his heart.

At the same time, Jiang Xuan inwardly sighed.

"At least three thousand volumes of Daoist classics, plus a spacious courtyard. To keep the Daoist scrolls properly protected, I would need dedicated people to manage them, and high-quality camphorwood bookshelves... Building a Scripture Repository would certainly consume no small number of Spirit Stones. With my current family assets, it is simply a fool dreaming in broad daylight."

Even the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice. Without Spirit Stones—and with Jiang Xuan's most important task now being to open thirty-six acupoints and successfully enter the Dao-Bearing Class—

Although building a Scripture Repository was important, it could only be set aside for now.

Afterward, Jiang Xuan no longer used the Sword of the Mind to fuse with the Purification Spell before using the Sword of the Mind to cut away the impurities in his fleshly body.

—That method was indeed convenient and swift, but a sword was ultimately an instrument of slaughter. By using it this way, Jiang Xuan could indeed cut the turbid qi from his body. Yet because that turbid qi had long fused with the qi and blood of his flesh, each slash that expelled the turbid qi would also sever a thread of his own vital essence.

If he used it too frequently, Jiang Xuan would still deplete his origin and damage his foundation.

"In the end, I still lack Spirit Stones. If I had enough Spirit Stones to buy restorative pills, I could use this Purification Sword to carve out an immaculate, clear, spiritual Dao body in the shortest time possible."

Thinking of this, Jiang Xuan silently made a resolution.

"Once I successfully enter the Dao-Bearing Class, I must find a way to overcome this hurdle called 'wealth.'"

"Relying on others' support is never stable in the end. Nor can I encounter opportunities like wagers every time. I must find a lasting way to generate wealth."

Sitting cross-legged in the hall that had been converted into a Daoist temple, Jiang Xuan's thoughts turned a hundred times as he considered many things.

And just as he closed his eyes to regulate his breathing and sort through his thoughts, voices outside the courtyard gradually rose—Su Wanyi, the matriarch of the Su Household, had personally arrived at Green Bamboo Town with her daughter Su Linyin to inspect their territory.

Looking out through the window lattice, Jiang Xuan saw a large number of servants clustered around the Su Household's party. Their procession was imposing.

The first person who caught his eye was a young married woman dressed in a black palace gown. Her features were incomparably beautiful, her demeanor cold and dignified. Every gesture she made carried rules and the bearing of an Aristocratic Clan carved into her bones.

Su Linyin at her side possessed a different sort of graceful elegance.

Because Green Bamboo Town was controlled by the Su Household through Zhou Lie, the people here basically lived by attaching themselves to the Su Household. Thus, the arrival of the Su mother and daughter was met with the crowd's utmost respectful flattery.

Jiang Xuan's mother, Shen Yuerong, was also summoned over. She followed behind Liu Hui and helped entertain Su Wanyi.

What made Jiang Xuan sigh was that, influenced by her past living circumstances, the education she had received, and this world's atmosphere of rigid hierarchy, his mother behaved before Su Wanyi with respect that bordered on servility.

The other woman had merely offered a few gentle words of comfort, yet Shen Yuerong's eyes reddened as she said tearfully, "Madam Matriarch, it is not your fault. This servant simply has a bad fate..."

That grateful, worshipful appearance made Jiang Xuan knit his brows tightly, yet he had no grounds to interfere.

"Forget it... Let it be for now. My cultivation is still shallow, and my wings have yet to grow full. Once I become strong enough in the future, Mother will naturally be able to straighten her back. She will not have to bow and scrape like this anymore."

Knowing clearly that everything in this world depended on strength, Jiang Xuan chose to let his eyes see nothing and his heart know no irritation. He simply hid in the hall and did not go out.

Yet just when he thought that Su Wanyi, as the Su Household's matriarch, was too busy to notice a nobody like him—

After the inspection was complete, while leaving Green Bamboo Town, Su Wanyi suddenly glanced sideways at Su Linyin beside her and spoke blandly.

"You care greatly about that Jiang Xuan?"

Those indifferent, calm words made Su Linyin pause.

Thinking of how she had peered inside Jiang Xuan's doorway several times earlier, Su Linyin nodded. "A little, indeed. But I care about him not because of what happened before, but because of Dong Hao..."

With great speed, she explained how highly Dong Hao regarded Jiang Xuan. Then, with some conflict in her brows, she said, "Earlier, I was hesitating over whether I should compete with Dong Hao and make Jiang Xuan pledge loyalty to me."

"Shen Yuerong is very respectful toward you, Mother. If I start with her, I have a chance of winning him over."

After hearing this, Su Wanyi did not directly give an instruction. Her expression unchanged, she merely asked, "And what are you planning now?"

"I have decided to give up." When Su Linyin spoke these words, she showed not the slightest hesitation. There was even a lofty indifference in her voice. "Jiang Xuan is far too aloof, and he also fails to recognize his own place."

"Earlier, I was looking for Jiang Xuan, but I was also giving him an opportunity."

"If he had appeared, it would have meant that he still understood some hierarchy and rules. Such a person would have been worth recruiting."

"Unfortunately, he never showed himself from beginning to end. With such a proud and unruly temperament, he clearly refuses discipline. Even if I recruited someone like that, he would only become a problem."

Su Wanyi neither approved nor disapproved of her reasoning. She merely said lightly, "Since you are not recruiting him, are you planning to watch Dong Hao pull him over with your eyes open?"

"Of course not." At this point, a sly smile appeared on Su Linyin's face. "Tomorrow, I will find a reason to bring this matter out into the open before everyone. I will let Dong Hao and the others know that I voluntarily yielded Jiang Xuan to him. That way, Dong Hao will owe me a favor."

Seeing that she possessed such thoughts, Su Wanyi finally nodded in satisfaction. Then her tone shifted as she asked about something else.

"How many people at your academy have now been rated outstanding?"

"Eighteen." Su Linyin answered, then hurriedly added, "By the seventh day, the number of people at Star Daoist Academy who can receive an outstanding rating should be between thirty and forty."

"Forty people..." Su Wanyi's tone was calm, but it carried unquestionable weight. "According to the rules of previous years, only nine or ten people from Star Daoist Academy can directly enter the inner sect in the Hundred-Day Grand Examination. Even in the second round of assessment, there are only ten slots for those who can ultimately receive an outstanding rating."

"If you wish to enter the inner sect securely, you must place in the top ten in the second round of assessment."

"Your daughter understands." Su Linyin fell silent for a moment, then reached out and linked her arm with Su Wanyi's. With a furrowed brow, she sighed. "It is precisely because the competition is so great that I had previously thought of recruiting Jiang Xuan, to gain another helping hand."

"Unfortunately, Jiang Xuan can obtain, at most, a Grade B rating. He may even fail to obtain one at all. He lacks strength and refuses discipline. Someone like that is simply not worth wasting my thoughts on."

Naturally, Jiang Xuan, who remained in the courtyard, knew nothing of the mother and daughter's assessment and decision regarding him.

After taking his pills and eating his spiritual meal, he slept soundly through the night with the Azure Glaze Sword in his arms.

The next day, Jiang Xuan's routine was no different from usual.

He rose just as dawn broke. First, he thoroughly cleaned his little "Daoist temple," earning over a dozen points of Daoist Acolyte profession experience. Then he carefully maintained the Azure Glaze Sword and began reciting the three great divine spells while holding it.

Once all these matters were completed, morning lessons were nearly upon him, so he rose and headed for the training ground.

Then, still in that secluded corner, he completed in sequence the fasting and offering rites of purifying his clothes, body, hands, mouth, and heart.

Once his mind was clear and his body free of dust, he ran his fingertips inch by inch over the blade of the Azure Glaze Sword, establishing a deeper resonance with the weapon.

Only after everything was done did he enter meditation and cultivate.

During that morning's cultivation, Jiang Xuan no longer stubbornly focused on opening a single acupoint. Beginning with liver wood, he circulated through heart fire, spleen earth, lung metal, and kidney water, completing a full cycle through the five organs and five elements. In each organ, he successfully opened one acupoint.

Five organs, five acupoints—the Five-Organ Origin Qi of the five elements circulated without end. By the time he completed one full cycle, noon was close at hand.

Yet after finishing his cultivation, he did not immediately open his eyes.

Five organs, five acupoints, Five-Organ Origin Qi—this gave Jiang Xuan an insight.

"My One-Qi Sword can try to transform into the Innate One-Qi Sword!"

Because Jiang Xuan had already taken the pills and spiritual meal pastries Dong Hao had given him before cultivating, the gentle medicinal power had long seeped into his limbs and bones. Thus, even after opening five acupoints, he still had strength remaining within him.

Seeing this, Jiang Xuan no longer hesitated and began attempting to fuse the One-Qi Sword with the Five-Organ Origin Qi.

For his first attempt, Jiang Xuan used the heart as the core.

"The heart is the sovereign official, the root of life, the supreme ruler of the five organs and six bowels... And the heart belongs to fire; flames can melt all things..."

With this thought, he drew a thread of origin qi from each of the other four organs and poured them all into his heart, intending to use it as a pill furnace to refine the five elements and forge innate one qi.

Boom!

After a round of experimentation, Jiang Xuan... failed.

Whether the heat was wrong or the proportions had gone astray, the power of the five elements not only failed to merge within Jiang Xuan's heart, it nearly exploded.

Fortunately, with the Clearheart Mirror, Jiang Xuan's control over his body was extraordinarily precise.

The instant he sensed something wrong, he opened his mouth and directly expelled that chaotic spiritual power from his body.

"Too close."

But after this incident, Jiang Xuan no longer dared to experiment recklessly.

"Phew... I cannot rush."

"My cultivation is still shallow, my foundation not yet stable. I can afford even less to delay the Hundred-Day Grand Examination."

"Once I successfully enter the Dao-Bearing Class, open all the acupoints within the five organs, and stabilize my foundation, it will not be too late to deduce and experiment again."

After abandoning the fusion of the Innate One-Qi Sword, Jiang Xuan's morning cultivation was completely over.

Just as yesterday, Dong Hao came again the moment noon arrived, inviting Jiang Xuan to lunch with him.

Jiang Xuan did not refuse. But for the sake of peace and quiet, he suggested eating in the back.

This suggestion made Dong Hao pause slightly before he immediately nodded with a smile. "Of course."

The moment the words left his mouth, he seemed to remember something. A trace of annoyance appeared on his face as he clasped his hands toward Jiang Xuan in apology. "Sorry for the trouble, Brother Jiang. Yesterday, I failed to consider things thoroughly. Your body was still weak then; I should not have insisted on dragging you to the front."

"It is nothing."

Jiang Xuan considered his actions and response utterly normal, but to others, they painted an entirely different picture.

Cheng Xiu, who had already thrown in his lot with Jiang Xuan, helplessly smacked his own forehead hard.

Su Linyin and Zhou Lin, who were walking over, both halted at once. An indescribable speechlessness appeared on both women's faces.

"He really thinks he can stand on equal footing with Dong Hao!"

He found eating at the front troublesome, so he proposed eating in the back. Dong Hao took the initiative to apologize, and he calmly accepted it... Such a way of interacting would naturally have been perfectly ordinary between friends in his previous life.

But this was not his previous life. This world valued ordered hierarchy and distinctions between high and low. It valued even more the idea that thunder and rain alike were the sovereign's grace.

And in everyone's eyes, Jiang Xuan was the inferior party who had been recruited.

Therefore, in the eyes of Cheng Xiu, Nan Zhi, and Zhou Lin, Jiang Xuan should not have presumptuously offered any suggestion, much less directly accepted Dong Hao's apology.

This counted as a form of overstepping.

"Sure enough, my judgment was not wrong. Jiang Xuan is far too arrogant." Naturally, this was what Su Linyin thought.

After thinking this, even the gaze she turned toward Dong Hao carried a trace of pity. If you want to take someone like him for yourself, you have plenty of headaches ahead of you.