Sword Scripture

The strongest martial skill of Wentian Cliff was a sword art, called the Wentian Sword Art.

It emphasized striking after the opponent had already moved, ensuring a single, decisive blow.

A single move, executed with exquisite perfection, directly targeted the flaw and weakness in the opponent's technique—no second strike was needed.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

This was too close to his own style.

As the saying went, fellow practitioners were natural rivals. Both relied on ending the fight in one move, but Wentian Cliff's approach was about precision and subtlety, while his own relied on Super Sensation and the Great Avalanche Sword Art.

Which was stronger and which was weaker was hard to say. Only a real fight would tell.

For now, it was clear his cultivation level wasn't enough.

He should be able to break through to the Fifth Layer Jade Tower within a few days, but even at the Sixth Layer, he'd still be two layers behind Cheng Tianfeng—and that was assuming Cheng Tianfeng was only at the Eighth Layer.

Why hadn't the Emperor's support arrived yet?

He was being far too patient!

After reviewing the files, he took his leave of Ma Tianhe and left the Supervisory Department, returning to the residence beside Earthly Soil Hall and Bright Moon Tower, ready to attempt a breakthrough to the Fifth Layer Jade Tower.

With the Imperial Heaven Earthly Soil Scripture, even if he suffered severe injuries, he could recover in time. There was no need to worry about the consequences.

By dusk, he was sitting cross-legged on the bed. He opened his eyes and shook his head.

Still a bit short.

If his meridians were just a little stronger, or if he had one more Dragon Binding Rope, he should have been able to break through. Unfortunately, he was just a hair's breadth away.

He would have to keep training the Dragon Transformation Technique.

By the time he returned to Prince Qing's Estate, the lanterns were already lit.

The whole family gathered for the evening meal.

Chu Zhiyuan noticed Chu Yi's face was bright with excitement. It seemed the rare flowers and exotic plants he had found for her were making obvious progress.

Bai Ningshuang chewed gracefully, then said in a casual tone, "Oh, by the way, Yuan'er, your grandmother sent you a box of things today."

Chu Zhiyuan looked at her.

"Your grandmother said these should suit your taste."

Chu Yi giggled. "Grandmother gave me two rare flowers too—they're precious ones from the imperial rear garden!"

Bai Ningshuang got up and retrieved a small, exquisite green jade box, about the size of a book.

The jade box was a pure, clear green, its surface warm and glossy with flowing luster.

He was quite surprised.

This small jade box actually blocked his Super Sensation, preventing him from seeing inside. He could only feel the biting cold of the green jade.

It was made of Cold Jade—truly extravagant.

Cold Jade had the wonderful effect of calming the mind and settling the spirit.

One could exchange a Ninth Grade Merit for a Cold Jade Pendant. Wearing it aided cultivation and reduced the chance of Qi Deviation.

He had the Qingying Sword, which was even more effective than Cold Jade, so he hadn't bothered to exchange a merit for one.

"Here, this is it," Bai Ningshuang said, handing him a white jade key.

The jade key seemed to blend seamlessly with her slender, delicate fingers, about the size of her pinky. "This jade box has a one-time key. Once opened, it becomes useless."

Chu Zhiyuan took the key and gently inserted it into the small hole on the jade box.

"Snap!" A crisp sound rang out as the white jade key was instantly shattered into powder by an invisible force, vanishing into the small opening of the green jade box.

The green jade box slowly opened like a clam shell.

Inside were a small white jade bottle and a thin booklet.

Chu Zhiyuan's gaze immediately fell on the booklet. He carefully picked it up. The cover read "Void Controlling Sword Scripture."

The moment he saw the words "Void Controlling," he immediately thought of the Void Controlling Sword Sect.

The Void Controlling Sword Sect's legacy was stored in Bright Martial Hall, but the shelves there only held the Qi Washing Art.

Was this Void Controlling Sword Scripture the true inheritance of the Void Controlling Sword Sect?

He quickly flipped through the dozen or so pages, his eyes gleaming like cold stars.

Chu Minghou, Bai Ningshuang, and Chu Yi had been watching him the whole time. Seeing how delighted he was, they smiled as well.

Chu Yi couldn't help asking, "Eldest Brother, is the Void Controlling Sword Scripture really that important?"

Chu Zhiyuan shifted his blazing gaze to her and smiled. "Very important."

"How important?" Chu Yi tilted her head and asked.

Chu Zhiyuan shot her a glance, then stroked the Void Controlling Sword Scripture with emotion. "As expected of a top-tier ancient sect."

This Void Controlling Sword Scripture contained not only the Qi Washing Art, but also two other sections: the Meridian Washing Art and the Sword Washing Art.

After reading these two techniques, he vaguely guessed why they weren't placed in the Bright Martial Hall.

The cultivation requirements for these two techniques were too high, and they couldn't be practiced at the Postnatal Realm either. Placing them in the Bright Martial Hall would only disturb people's minds.

The Meridian Washing Art and the first layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique were somewhat similar, but the threshold for cultivation was extremely high, demanding too much in terms of comprehension and Spiritual Power.

Draw a thread of Void Power, merge it with True Qi, and then wash and refine the meridians.

The Sword Washing Art was an advancement of the Qi Washing Art. After washing the Qi to its utmost, one introduced a thread of Void Power, causing a strange transformation that could catalyze Sword Light.

Sword Light was something only Grandmasters could cultivate.

That meant possessing a Grandmaster-level killing power.

He revealed a smile.

The Emperor had finally made his move.

Yet it was in such a silent manner—soundless and seamless, concealing heaven and crossing the sea.

He opened the White Jade Bottle again; inside were nine Marrow Cleansing Pills.

He shook his head.

Nine Marrow Cleansing Pills were merely nine instances of Eighth Grade Merit.

He had originally thought that with so many Miraculous Pills and Elixirs in the Heavenly Treasure Department, the Emperor would at least grant pills exchangeable for Third Grade Merit, or even First Grade. In the end, he only gave a bottle of Marrow Cleansing Pills.

So it really was that his cultivation wasn't enough to withstand higher-grade Spiritual Medicine?

"Eldest Brother, you don't need this bottle of pills?" Chu Yi asked curiously.

"I can use them," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile. "Many thanks to Grandmother for her kindness."

Bai Ningshuang said, "As long as they help you... In a few days, it'll be your Fourth Uncle's birthday banquet. Yuan'er, won't you come with us to meet people?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I still need to train."

Bai Ningshuang said, "Don't just bury your head in training all the time. Going out to relax is good too—alternate tension with release."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head.

"You... don't push yourself too hard. Our prince's mansion's situation is already good enough," Bai Ningshuang said with a smile.

Chu Minghou said, "Yuan'er, your mother is right. Don't force yourself too much."

"Yes," Chu Zhiyuan agreed.

After eating, he took the Cold Jade Box, the Marrow Cleansing Pills, and the Void Controlling Sword Scripture back to the Listening to Waves Courtyard. He sat cross-legged on the bed and began studying the two techniques.

The window was open; moonlight and the evening breeze drifted in gently, falling upon him.

The Greater Violet Sun Technique circulated on its own, driving away the chill.

All his focus was on the secret manuals.

The greatest threshold of the Void Controlling Sword Scripture was the Void.

Understanding the Void, comprehending the Void, connecting to the Void, and ultimately controlling the Void—this was the tenet and essence of the Void Controlling Sword Sect.

The reason the Void Controlling Sword Sect's teachings were lost was that the requirement for comprehension was too high.

The understanding of the Void was too profound and mysterious—a subtlety that could not be conveyed in words, only grasped by the mind.

The Qi Washing Art was still manageable; it had traces to follow and didn't require the Void's involvement. But when it came to the Meridian Washing Art and the Sword Washing Art, both required Void Power, deep and abstruse.

How to sense the Void and connect to it relied solely on a single piece: the Void Inscription.

Void as the body, Emptiness as the mother, Void as the spirit, Emptiness as the home, Void as the beginning, Emptiness as the end, Void as Nothing, Emptiness as Being, Void as Yang, Emptiness as Yin, Void as motion, Emptiness as stillness, Void as softness, Emptiness as hardness, Control the Void, ride the Emptiness—supreme and limitless.

This inscription seemed plain at first reading, but upon careful pondering, it was profound and difficult to understand, leaving one baffled.

To comprehend the essence and wonder of the Void through this Void Inscription was nearly impossible.

Chu Zhiyuan studied it for a while, feeling as if he had gained something, yet also as if he had gained nothing.

His vision blurred and his head spun. He steadied his mind, then simply set it aside and first practiced the Meridian Washing Art.

After circulating through a unique movement route once, his True Qi changed, faintly forming an inexplicable connection with the Void.

This connection was minuscule, barely there.

But it couldn't escape Super Sensation.

He focused his Super Sensation on this thread of connection, cross-referencing it with the Void Inscription. He verified it over and over again, countless times, until a spark of insight arose naturally.

This sliver of insight took some geniuses decades to grind out, while most talents could never condense it in a lifetime.

As the insight coalesced, the pull between True Qi and the void grew clearer. He continued cross-referencing it with the Void Inscription, deepening his understanding.

Thus the cycle repeated, growing clearer with each turn.

The power descending from the void was now visible to the naked eye. When it merged with True Qi, a strange transformation occurred: the Misty Purple Qi turned into a milky white vapor, like fresh milk.

Wherever this milk-like vapor passed, it was swiftly absorbed by the meridians, growing thinner and thinner until it became a transparent mist, then vanished abruptly.

He continued circulating the Meridian Washing Art. The Earthly Yuan Art converted into True Qi, which the Meridian Washing Art then transformed into that milk-like vapor, constantly absorbed by the meridians.

An hour later, he began practicing the Jade Lock Golden Pass Technique.

At dawn the next day, when he opened his eyes, a sharp gleam shone from them, his pupils flowing with light.

The Fifth Jade Tower had been breached—he had already stepped into the Sixth Layer Jade Tower realm.