Cave-Origin One-Qi

Before a whale's draught could swallow the sea, Sword Qi had already swept across the autumn sky.

If there was one path in the cultivation world Jiang Yang yearned for most, it had to be sword cultivation.

Riding a sword through the Azure Firmament, settling debts of gratitude and vengeance as he pleased, he could roam freely between heaven and earth with nothing but three feet of keen steel in hand.

The "Finger-Sword Awakening of Insects" he had practiced before was merely a minor, ungraded spell.

Though it bore traces of a Sword Art, neither its killing power nor its difficulty quite satisfied him. At its heart, it was still meant to repel insects. Using it felt like gazing at flowers through mist—it simply failed to scratch the itch.

Brimming with excitement, Jiang Yang made a Jade Slip copy of a genuine Sword Art from the bookshelf and held it in his hand.

The Dao Merit had scarcely been deducted before he eagerly began reading.

"Cave-Origin One-Qi Sword Art!"

This was a third-grade Sword Art, costing twelve Dao Merit—almost the highest price among arts of the same grade.

Yet Jiang Yang felt no heartache at all. Dao Merit was earned to be spent, and he truly did love this Sword Art.

"Cave-Origin condenses a single qi; a single qi pierces the Growth rainbow."

These were the essential principles opening the Sword Art. It was an art of decisive combat and daring risks, demanding that every stroke be unleashed without regret. Like a rainbow piercing the sun, its killing power was formidable.

Sword cultivators acted with nothing but three feet of sword steel in hand, taking all they sought from the blade's edge and finding every answer within the sword. The entire Sword Art carried a spirit that would rather break than bend.

Jiang Yang skimmed through it once, then put it away in his Storage Bag. He was still in the Library Pavilion; this was no place for a careful study.

Having chosen his Sword Art, Jiang Yang no longer wished to browse farther. Instead, he turned back to exchange for the two Spell Arts he had singled out earlier.

While browsing them one by one, he had already made a shortlist in his mind. Now he only needed to take them down and make copies.

He chose just one defensive escape art and one movement art for dodging and maneuvering, a perfect complement to his Sword Art practice.

With that, the three Spells Jiang Yang had envisioned—one to fight enemies, one to defend himself, and one to close in and evade—were all secured, costing twenty-four Dao Merit in total.

With the three differently colored Jade Slips safely tucked into his bag, Jiang Yang lost all interest in further browsing. It was already late, so he hurried out of the Library Pavilion.

When Jiang Yang emerged again and looked up, the night sky outside was already thick with stars.

Drifting clouds half veiled a crescent moon curved like a hook. Its hazy, clear radiance spilled over the ground, lighting his way back.

Standing before the entrance, Jiang Yang turned to look at the enormous gold-lettered plaque overhead and sighed.

“The Sect's Dao Canon is as vast as a sea of mist. I've gathered no more than a single grain from the boundless ocean, yet I've gained so much.”

Then he turned and left the Library Pavilion.

Jiang Yang knew neither the people nor the surroundings at the ancestral grounds, and there was no reason to linger, so he hurried straight toward Dew-Covered Lake.

The treasure boats were driven by formations and operated day and night. Before Jiang Yang even reached the lakeshore, he could already see the soft, warm light shining from a boat in the distance.

His movements were nimble, his Growth figure rising and falling through the darkness. Before long, he arrived just ahead of its departure.

The area before the boat was still lively at night. Although there were fewer people than on his outward journey, disciples still filled well over half the seats.

With his mind occupied, Jiang Yang had no desire to mingle. He found a secluded corner and sat down alone.

Once seated, he eagerly took a Jade Slip from his Storage Bag and connected to it with his Spirit Sense, beginning a careful study.

"Wind-Folding Returning Shadow."

This was the movement art Jiang Yang had chosen. It was second-grade and cost only five Dao Merit. Though not top-tier, its strength lay in how well it complemented his Sword Art.

That was precisely why Jiang Yang had chosen it over the many third-grade movement arts.

A quick scan of its guiding principles gave Jiang Yang a clear understanding. The effects of Wind-Folding Returning Shadow seemed simple, but its capabilities were anything but ordinary.

Its wonders lay in riding the wind to turn back and conjuring phantom bodies and shadow doubles.

In battle, it allowed the user to change direction abruptly during a full-speed charge without the slightest delay. When circling away or fleeing, it could also leave a phantom double behind to confuse an opponent. It was an excellent movement art for both advancing and retreating.

Viewed on its own, its power seemed unremarkable. But paired with a Sword Art of formidable killing power, it immediately became the finishing stroke that brought the dragon to life.

As the boat set off, Jiang Yang remained utterly undisturbed by the sound of waves parting around it, absorbed in reading the Jade Slip's formulas.

Putting away the movement art, Jiang Yang took out the final Jade Slip. This held a shield art devoted primarily to defense.

It was called "Clear-Wave Mystic Shield," another third-grade spell. It cost seven Dao Merit, a moderate price.

His reason for choosing it was simple: it was a water art. Whatever else Rain Xiang Mountain might lack, it had Cold Creek and a great lake nearby. Its water veins flourished, and dense moisture filled the air year-round.

Casting water arts here offered a uniquely blessed advantage. Not only were they easy to cast, but they also received a subtle boost.

Water was yielding by nature and excelled at defense. Generally, water-based shield arts had many advantages: they were easy to construct, conserved magical power, and produced tough Mystic Shields. Their only drawback was their weakness against explosive attacks.

But the shield art Jiang Yang had chosen offered another benefit. If he could find a Spirit Treasure called [clear-wave origin water] and blend it into his magical shield through a secret method, its defenses would immediately rise beyond the third grade.

This [clear-wave origin water] should be a Qi Refining Level One Spirit Treasure, right? If it's at the Foundation Establishment level, I couldn't afford it even if I sold myself...

Holding the Jade Slip, Jiang Yang muttered inwardly.

Fortunately, Rain Xiang Mountain was rich in resources and produced plenty of Spirit Treasures such as spirit water. Their uses were broad: they could be swallowed or drunk, mixed with water for pill refinement, or used to practice secret arts.

On his last stroll through Chuanwu Market, Jiang Yang had seen quite a few stalls selling spirit water. But his knowledge had been shallow then, and he could not recognize the different kinds, so he had passed them by.

He planned to ask around the market when he had time and see whether he could Harvest a portion of clear-wave spirit water. No amount of care was excessive when it came to protecting himself.

Thud!

A dull sound roused Jiang Yang from his thoughts. He put away the Jade Slip and turned to look. The boat had reached Pill Spring Island and was docking there to wait for disciples to board.

Few disciples seemed interested in returning so late at night. Only a handful boarded, and they were all aboard in no time.

Jiang Yang also raised his head for a few glances. He did not see the figure from earlier that day; presumably, she had stayed at Pill Spring Island rather than boarding.

Dan Ruo, Dan Ruo...

A poised, radiant face surfaced in Jiang Yang's mind. This woman had come and gone in such haste that she seemed rather mysterious.

Their meeting had been no more than a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan. He had little feeling for her personally; instead, his thoughts turned more readily to Elixirs.

Although Jiang Yang was fairly comfortable financially at present, he was not wealthy enough to buy Elixirs for regular consumption.

He still had a little over twenty Dao Merit, which could be exchanged for more than two hundred Spirit Stones. Yet if he used that to buy Elixirs, he estimated it would only cover a few bottles of Essence-Nourishing Pills.

Jiang Yang still had seven or eight Essence-Nourishing Pills left, and he had not reached a bottleneck. For now, he had no particularly urgent need for Elixirs.

Elixirs were certainly fine things, but Bi's purse was shallow. As he saw it, he ought to spare himself that expense for the time being.

While he weighed things in his mind and planned for the future, the boat quietly reached its final stop. Jiang Yang followed the crowd ashore in the darkness.

At night, mist gathered over the flowing waters of Cold Creek, glimmering beneath the Lunar Radiance with a beauty all its own.

Jiang Yang stopped to admire it for a while, then turned and hurried toward his cave abode on Morning Rain Peak.

Come to think of it, he had not returned to his cave abode to rest for several days. For days on end, he had replaced sleep with meditation.

Even a Qi Refining cultivator grew somewhat weary after several days without sleep or rest. On top of that, Jiang Yang had spent the entire day consuming Spirit Sense to read Cultivation Arts and Spell Arts. The moment he touched the bed, waves of exhaustion washed over him.

Had his Spirit Sense not grown through the insight he gained while admiring Dew-Covered Lake, he might not have managed to last this long.

Jiang Yang reclined on the bed, intending to close his eyes and rest his mind. Yet his breathing gradually steadied, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.