A Sword Rises from the Sea of the Heart, Slaying Others and Slaying Myself!

When Daozi Academy was mentioned, Xia He's expression became rather hard to describe. Clearly, Daozi Academy had left a profound impression on her.

After hearing her account, Jiang Xuan could not help but sigh inwardly. Daozi Academy truly was a gathering place for monsters.

From Xia He, Jiang Xuan learned that someone in Daozi Academy had been born with a Thunder God Physique. Not only did he fear neither thunder nor lightning, but he could directly devour the power of lightning tribulations to temper himself and advance his cultivation.

Others possessed talents related to dreams. While asleep, they could even adjust the flow of time. One period of slumber granted them six times the time others had to comprehend the Dao. A hundred days of sleep amounted to six hundred days and nights, equal to two or three years of arduous cultivation for ordinary people.

That was only because one could comprehend cultivation methods and techniques while dreaming, but could not refine spiritual energy to increase cultivation. Otherwise, there would be no need to compete for first place in the Hundred-Day Grand Examination. They could simply hand it to him directly.

Beyond that, some had hearts of sword clarity, some were born protected by embryonic spirit treasures, some were innately close to the Dao, and some could commune with the stars.

After bitterly listing those "freaks," Xia He said something that left a deep impression on Jiang Xuan. "In Daozi Academy, if you merely possess a heaven-grade Spirit Root, you cannot even touch the words 'exceptionally gifted.' You will only be called utterly ordinary. With those monsters standing across our path, forget fighting for the top three—even the top ten is beyond us by the slightest chance."

"Although heaven-grade Spirit Roots are nothing special in Daozi Academy, those people who were born close to the Dao cultivate at a speed that utterly crushes ours. Excluding them, there are also the descendants of great Lineages from the Upper Branch. There are not actually that many spots left for us to compete over."

"Even if it is only thirty-sixth place, we must give it everything we have!"

"..." The news of Daozi Academy left Jiang Xuan speechless. It also made him understand that Divine Firmament Sect was filled with prodigies everywhere. Before he had fully grown, he had no grounds for arrogance.

"I still need to develop."

The only thing Jiang Xuan found fortunate was that although Zi Dao Academy had its gifted monsters, he, who possessed the Infinite Profession System, was no ordinary person either.

Xia He did not know where Jiang Xuan's confidence came from. Seeing the emotion on his face, she mistook it for worry and anxiety.

Afraid that Jiang Xuan might retreat, she hurriedly comforted him. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We only need to preserve Four Seasons Valley's rating; there is no need to fight for the top three or top ten. As long as both of us can enter the top thirty-six, Four Seasons Valley's rating will be more than halfway secure. We will not need to directly face those top monsters at all."

"Besides, we have never fought alone. Everyone in Four Seasons Valley will do everything in their power to help us improve our cultivation."

Those words made Meng Yingyue, Wu Shan, Zhou Qing, and the others smile.

Di Chuan was concise. "It is our duty."

Meng Yingyue's brows and eyes were gentle. "You may freely take and use the Autumn Valley's autumn-fruit spiritual grain."

Wu Shan said, "The Summer Valley's spiritual melons and unusual fruits will also be open to you at any time."

Xia He's words and the others' promises brought an open, wholehearted smile to Jiang Xuan's face. "I have a large appetite. I'll have to trouble you all often in the future."

"It is no trouble. Besides, being able to eat is a good thing." Wu Shan said this, and Meng Yingyue and Di Chuan beside him nodded in deep agreement.

Clearly, in the cultivation world, being able to eat truly was not a bad thing.

It meant Jiang Xuan could swallow vast quantities of spiritual materials and transform the essence of heaven and earth into his own power.

Once Meng Yingyue, Wu Shan, and the others learned that Jiang Xuan could eat so much, they regarded him even more highly.

Naturally, Four Seasons Valley's help for Jiang Xuan would not be limited to food such as fruits and grain. At this moment, Jiang Xuan brought up another matter that interested him greatly.

"Do I need to change cultivation methods?"

"That will not be necessary." Meng Yingyue spoke softly, resolving his doubts. "For the Hundred-Day Grand Examination, the sect values fairness above all else. Contestants are strictly forbidden from changing cultivation methods midway through. Besides, the cultivation methods of Four Seasons Valley—or rather, every branch of the Divine Firmament Sect—may be more miraculous, profound, and infinitely powerful than the Nine-Breath Qi-Absorption Art."

"But in terms of Aperture Opening alone, the effects of those many cultivation methods may not necessarily surpass the latter... After all, the Nine-Breath Qi-Absorption Art was originally a marvelous method written specifically for the path of Aperture Opening."

Jiang Xuan could understand that. With the Nine-Breath Qi-Absorption Method serving as the foundation, its effects were not merely excellent; there was not the slightest stagnation when changing cultivation methods. Thus, most branches of Divine Firmament Sect did not continue investing effort in that area. Rather than spend time and energy on it, they might as well consider how to increase the power and Dao resonance of their own branch's cultivation methods.

With less deduction and development, those methods naturally became increasingly inferior to the Nine-Breath Qi-Absorption Art in the path of Aperture Opening.

Unable to immediately experience the wonders of the Four Seasons Reincarnation Art, Jiang Xuan felt somewhat regretful. Seeing this, Meng Yingyue gave a soft laugh. "Junior Brother, do not worry about having nothing to practice. I cannot teach you cultivation methods for now, but you may choose one of the valley's techniques, sword arts, or many unique secret skills to cultivate."

"Logically speaking, even Inner Disciples must spend sect merit to exchange for the right to cultivate the branch-guarding secret techniques ranked among the twenty-four solar terms. But your circumstances are special. You are fighting for Four Seasons Valley's honor. As long as Junior Sister speaks on your behalf, you can cultivate one secret technique for free." At this point, her gentle gaze fell upon Jiang Xuan as she quietly asked, "Would you prefer to first learn techniques, body arts, or sword arts?"

After her, the cold-faced Di Chuan also reminded Jiang Xuan, "Techniques value mastery over quantity. Focusing on one is also beneficial for you."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I understand." Having said that, Jiang Xuan gave his answer. "Sword arts."

He did not hesitate in the slightest when giving that answer.

Having taken up the prized profession of Clear-Heart Sword Disciple, his efficiency in learning sword arts was undoubtedly the highest.

"As for technique cultivation, I should wait until I build the Scripture Repository and become a Scripture Mystic Daoist."

"However, I need to quickly get that thing built. A Scripture Mystic Daoist can improve comprehension, and that will surely be a tremendous help to my sword cultivation as well..."

At that thought, bitterness rose in Jiang Xuan's heart.

Building a Scripture Repository was no easy matter, especially since Jiang Xuan had no intention of doing it halfheartedly.

When he became a Gourmet, the profession had changed from blue rare to purple prized. Not only had it greatly increased Jiang Xuan's strength, it had also made him understand something: even identical professions could ultimately display vastly different grades depending on how thoroughly their awakening conditions were fulfilled.

Jiang Xuan naturally wanted to raise the profession of Scripture Mystic Daoist to prized grade. That meant when building the Scripture Repository, he could not merely satisfy the minimum requirements carelessly. He needed to do everything he could and polish it to the highest possible standard.

"What a hassle. And borrowing someone else's Scripture Repository will likely affect the quality of the Scripture Mystic Daoist profession and future profession changes. That means I can only build it with my own hands..."

The more Jiang Xuan thought about it, the more his head hurt. Yet these were only his inner thoughts. Outwardly, not a trace of abnormality showed on his face.

On the other side, seeing that Jiang Xuan's first choice was sword arts, the aloof Di Chuan's attitude toward him improved further.

"You chose correctly. Sword arts are the best, fastest, and strongest means of increasing combat power!"

At those words, Wu Shan, Zhou Qing, and Meng Yingyue all curled their lips at the same time. Clearly, Di Chuan practiced the sword, while the other three did not.

This made Jiang Xuan clasp his hands and bow toward Di Chuan. "Then I will have to trouble Senior Brother to guide me often in my future sword cultivation."

"..." The moment those words came out, Di Chuan's expression immediately turned strange.

Zhou Qing, standing nearby, could not hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Junior Brother, you do not actually think Di Chuan teaches our Four Seasons Valley's sword inheritance, do you?"

Jiang Xuan said, "Uh? Isn't that so?"

"Of course not." Meng Yingyue spoke this time, smiling gently. "Junior Brother Di Chuan's sword arts are strong, but he has not yet reached the point where he can teach others. Nor has Four Seasons Valley declined so far that it needs a disciple to teach sword arts."

"Your instruction will be handled by the sect's elder masters."

At this point, her gaze dimmed slightly, and she let out a soft sigh. "It is a pity you came one step too late. Had you arrived earlier, we might even have invited a sword grandmaster from the Upper Branch to teach you personally... But it is not too late now. Within Four Seasons Valley, there are several sword masters who have comprehended sword intent."

Before her words faded, she waved her fair hand. As her magical power flowed, several phantom swords formed in midair.

"Our Four Seasons Valley has four complete branch-guarding sword arts. Which one would you like to cultivate?"

As she questioned him, she used illusion arts to manifest sword stances and explain them to Jiang Xuan one by one. Only then did Jiang Xuan learn that Spring Valley specialized in healing arts and ceaseless vitality, and possessed no exclusive sword inheritance.

Summer Valley had one sword art, called Grain in Ear: Blossoming Flame Tree. This sword art brought the flourishing essence of summer to its utmost extreme.

Summer governed abundance, growth, and the most violent blossoming. Grain in Ear was both the season for planting hope and the moment when all things burst forth in an instant. This sword did not seek heaviness or harvesting. It sought only one word—"burst."

To cultivate this sword, one first had to condense a sword seed within the dantian sea of qi. When facing an enemy, after the sword seed left one's hand, it would not strike directly at the opponent's body. Instead, it would rapidly grow in the void, shooting upward, branching, spreading leaves, and blooming flowers, expanding from a faint glimmer into a sky full of sword radiance in an instant.

The sword emerged like fireworks soaring into the sky, its bloom like the Milky Way pouring down in reverse. Only a sword so dazzling to the extreme and flourishing to the extreme deserved the four words "Blossoming Flame Tree."

The Blossoming Flame Tree that Senior Sister Meng Yingyue demonstrated with illusion arts left even Jiang Xuan somewhat dazed.

The second sword art was Autumn Valley's Autumn Equinox: Autumn Equilibrium Boundary Sword. Its concept was lofty—so lofty that it touched the level of heaven's will.

Summer was the peak of yang, governing flourishing growth; winter was the peak of yin, governing stillness and return. Autumn Equinox was precisely the absolute midpoint of abundance and stillness, heat and cold, day and night in a year—the only point among the twenty-four solar terms where yin and yang were equal, day and night evenly divided, and cold and heat balanced. It was the sole dividing line where the qi of heaven and earth shifted from rising growth to sinking descent.

At the same time, autumn harvest marked the fulfillment of life and the end where Dao Fruits ripened; autumn storage marked the beginning of death, the start of mortal forms returning to the soil. The day grain filled the granaries was the time the stalks met the sickle and turned to mud. Glory at its extreme became withering; life at its fullness became death. Autumn Equinox was the absolute boundary between life and death, withering and flourishing, cause and effect.

All methods in the world could not escape the opposition of yin and yang, the mutual birth of two poles. The Autumn Equilibrium Boundary Sword was the principle of the boundary that defined the two poles and divided heaven and earth.

Where the sword blade pointed became the midpoint of the Heavenly Dao. When one sword descended, it cleaved apart every opposing Great Dao—yin and yang split in two, life and death separated, withering and flourishing severed, cause and effect cleared away.

Its concept is exceedingly lofty. Its cultivation difficulty must be equally high. Jiang Xuan thought to himself as he continued listening intently to Meng Yingyue's explanation.

The final two sword arts both came from Winter Valley.

The first was Major Snow: Thousand-Mountain Snow-Burial Sword.

The Dao intent of this sword was straightforward and chilling. Taking the Major Snow solar term's imagery of "ice sealing a thousand miles, snow covering a thousand mountains, heaven and earth closing into storage, and all sounds falling silent" as its Dao source, it brought the true meaning of the four words "Thousand-Mountain Snow-Burial" to the utmost extreme. When the sword emerged, snow fell. When the sword formed, mountains formed. Once a sword was unleashed, it condensed into snow-mountain sword bodies spanning countless peaks and ravines. With bone-piercing icy Sword Qi that annihilated the Dao, it buried the enemy's vitality, cultivation, and even Dao heart within an endless snowfield, where they would never see daylight again.

Four Seasons Valley's final sword art was called Winter Solstice: Returning to Stillness Annihilation Sword. This sword art took "stillness" as its core, corresponding to Winter Solstice's ultimate principle of "yin reaching its extreme, all sounds utterly silent."

"Stillness" was cessation, tranquil stability, and the end of all motion. Wherever the sword edge reached, all circulation ceased.

Four Seasons Valley's four sword arts each possessed wondrous profundity, yet Jiang Xuan chose Winter Solstice: Returning to Stillness Annihilation Sword with almost no hesitation.

The reason was that he had learned from Di Chuan that this sword art was intimately connected to the Four Seasons Reincarnation Art.

"A sword rises from the sea of the heart, slaying others and slaying myself... To others, these words are merely a maxim of the sword path. But for those of us who cultivate Four Seasons Cycle, they are an iron law of cultivation. Four Seasons Cycle is fundamentally about seeking life amid death. To truly 'die' and welcome rebirth through reincarnation, one must use the Returning to Stillness Annihilation Sword to slash oneself once."

"Returning Extinction?" Upon hearing Jiang Xuan's choice, Meng Yingyue's delicate brows furrowed slightly, but they soon relaxed. She spoke calmly. "Very well. For you, who have resolved to walk the Great Dao of Four Seasons Cycle, this sword is a required lesson to begin with. Learning it late is worse than learning it early."

Having decided on his primary sword art, Jiang Xuan did not immediately begin cultivating it. Today had originally been the day of the sect examination, and countless miscellaneous affairs entangled him. True cultivation would only officially begin tomorrow.

Yet after finishing all those miscellaneous tasks, Jiang Xuan did not immediately return to his residence.

He found Xia He and asked whether Four Seasons Valley had a Scripture Repository and whether he could enter to read the Daoist canon.

"I do not want cultivation methods or secret arts. I only need ordinary Daoist scriptures, Daoist canon, and the cultivation insights of senior predecessors and sages."

The moment he said that, Xia He immediately looked him up and down several times with suspicion.

This made Jiang Xuan frown slightly. "What is it? Is that not allowed?"

"That is not it." Xia He shook her head, her expression still strange. "As an Inner Disciple, the first three floors of Four Seasons Valley's Scripture Repository are open for free. You have not yet formally registered your name, but I still have some influence. Taking you inside will naturally not be a problem. I simply did not expect that you, having chosen the sword path, would actually like reading."

Jiang Xuan was speechless. "What is strange about a sword cultivator liking to read? What do you think sword cultivators are supposed to be like?"

Upon hearing that, Xia He did not even need to think. She raised her hand and pointed at Di Chuan nearby. "Aloof and cold by nature, fierce and sharp in action, sparing with words, wholeheartedly devoted only to the sword, disliking every other trivial matter—he even thinks women are troublesome."

"..." Di Chuan's mouth twitched slightly at those words, but in the end, he maintained his cool aloofness and did not refute her.

His silence also left Jiang Xuan silent.

Di Chuan was a genuine sword cultivator, and his temperament perfectly matched outsiders' stereotypical impression of sword cultivators. For a moment, Jiang Xuan did not know how to argue.

Fortunately, Xia He merely found it strange that this "sword cultivator," Jiang Xuan, liked reading. She did not consider it troublesome.

Using her special status, she quickly completed the procedures and led Jiang Xuan into the Scripture Repository.

Four Seasons Valley's Scripture Repository was located in Yellow Mud Village. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary small courtyard of blue bricks. Only after entering did Jiang Xuan discover that there was a whole other world inside.

This place used a spatial expansion method. On the first floor, bookshelves and jade slips stretched in rolling waves. Jiang Xuan, who had just entered, could not see their end at all.

"There are at least hundreds of thousands of volumes stored here."

After entering the Scripture Repository, Jiang Xuan was like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin. He immediately went to a bookshelf, operated the Nine-Breath Qi-Absorption Method, casually pulled out a Daoist scripture, and began reading.

Because he had the Three Purification Incantations: Communion with Truth enhancement upon him, Jiang Xuan possessed Clarity of the Spirit Platform and an exceptionally good memory.

Moreover, while holding Qingli in his arms, he triggered the Clear-Heart Sword Disciple's Heart: Sincerity talent.

With the dual enhancement and Jiang Xuan's remarkably powerful soul, his reading efficiency was extremely high at the beginning. In a short time, he had memorized four Daoist scriptures.

But after the fourth, Jiang Xuan's page-turning slowed. This was not because his reading efficiency had declined. Rather, the talent of [Heart: Sincerity] had been completely activated.

At this moment, he brought sincerity of heart and concentration to their utmost extreme.

Now, there was only one thing in his heart—books. Even the matter of "reading in order to become a Scripture Mystic Daoist" had been flung beyond the clouds.

Because his sincerity was so pure, he no longer read merely to memorize by rote. Instead, he immersed himself completely, comprehending every word and every sentence, and the Dao intent behind them all.

The only unusual thing about Jiang Xuan, whose mind had sunk into the texts, was this.

Eight or nine out of ten Daoist scriptures and Daoist canon in Four Seasons Valley's Scripture Repository revolved around the cycle of the four seasons, the changing of solar terms, and the influence of both upon the Great Dao of heaven and earth. Yet whenever Jiang Xuan recited these texts, he would always subconsciously transform the supreme principles of the four seasons' circulation and solar terms' alternation into—sword arts!