A Hundred Years in a Glance, the Five Triumphs Cycle Through Dominance and Captivity

"Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart..."

"The talent I drew this time really is SSS-grade!"

Indeed, what Xu Changsheng had drawn this time was one of Zhu Xiaoliang's very best talents: the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart, with SSS-grade potential.

"Did I trigger hard pity? Awesome!"

Xu Changsheng's eyes brimmed with delight as he said silently, Keep-a-Low-Profile System, inspect the description of Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart.

[Talent: Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart]

[Grade: SSS]

[Effect: The host will acquire the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart. All other specific abilities must be developed by the host.]

???

"How is this description any different from no description at all?"

Xu Changsheng was speechless as he pondered silently, The Keep-a-Low-Profile System wants me to develop it myself?

Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart...

What are dominance and captivity?

The Daoist School holds that all things in heaven and earth flourish and decline, repeating endlessly in cycles. This is dominance and captivity.

As he thought, Xu Changsheng closed his eyes slightly, sensing what had changed about him since just moments before.

Xu Changsheng vaguely sensed...

His understanding of the beginnings and endings of all things seemed to have undergone an earth-shattering change. He seemed able to "see" a power of time, invisible between heaven and earth, yet endlessly cycling...

"So this is what it means that autumn kills, winter kills, and spring's birth and summer's growth begin another cycle..."

"So that's how it is."

"Slaughter and new life, death and reincarnation, are inherently two sides of the same coin."

"Phew!"

Xu Changsheng let out a long breath of stale air and slowly opened his unfocused eyes. "Mountains and rivers retain their old forms, but will departing years ever stay? A hundred years pass in a glance; the five triumphs cycle through dominance and captivity..."

"So that's it. That's why the system told me to develop it myself!"

At this moment, Xu Changsheng thoroughly understood the fundamental difference between a sword heart and a sword instruction.

The Lone Star Slashes the Moon Saber Instruction was a purely immortal martial technique, with fixed moves and saber intent.

Whoever cultivated it would cultivate those same things.

Moreover, if Xu Changsheng did not use this saber instruction's moves against his enemies...

Then it would offer Xu Changsheng very little benefit. Only the saber intent contained within it would still be of some use...

But constrained by weapons and moves, the improvement could be described as negligible.

The Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart was entirely different.

It was a realm, without fixed moves or rigid, inflexible methods of use, so Xu Changsheng needed to develop it himself.

After all, even the same person, with a different state of mind and different experiences...

Would very likely develop entirely different ways of using the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart after acquiring the talent.

Take Zhu Xiaoliang, for instance...

She was innocent by nature and sought no contention with the world, so what she primarily developed was the life-centered artistic conception of "spring's birth and summer's growth" within the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart.

If Xu Changsheng developed it, he would definitely focus on the slaughter-centered artistic conception of "autumn's killing and winter's concealment."

Or perhaps the artistic conception of time, of flourishing and decline, of all things cycling.

Moreover, precisely because of this...

Whether Xu Changsheng used a saber, a sword, or even a bamboo leaf or a withered branch in the future, he could manifest the artistic conception unique to the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart.

Even when using the Lone Star Slashes the Moon Saber Instruction, he could perfectly incorporate the cyclical power of flourishing and decline granted to him by the Dominance and Captivity Sword Heart into the saber instruction's moves...

Achieving an improvement where one plus one exceeded two.

This was an advantage that immortal martial techniques such as sword instructions and saber instructions, which could not be used simultaneously and had an upper limit to their power, could never match.

"Everyone says..."

"Possessing a sword heart means possessing top-tier aptitude. Sure enough, a sword heart is far beyond what any single move or technique can compare to!"

With that thought, Xu Changsheng looked at Zhu Xiaoliang and reached out to pat her flushed little face gently.

"Little lazy pig, wake up..."

No response.

Xu Changsheng gave her a gentle pinch with his thumb and forefinger...

Still no response.

After confirming that Zhu Xiaoliang was utterly exhausted and definitely would not wake:

"Although I've only just acquired it, I can already put it to basic use. Let me try..."

Murmuring inwardly, Xu Changsheng raised his hand.

Whoosh!

Several vines bearing tender green shoots suddenly sprouted from the bed's rosewood, silently coiling around Zhu Xiaoliang's fair, slender wrists and ankles like snakes.

Then the vines tugged gently, binding the sleeping Zhu Xiaoliang's limbs and slowly suspending her in midair.

Still lost in a haze of sleep, Zhu Xiaoliang did not wake.

She even seemed to be having some pleasant dream. Her tender pink tongue lightly licked her lips as she murmured in her sleep:

"Daddy... Xiao Liang's full... too full... my tummy's still bulging..."

Looking at the little Daoist nun before him, her long black tresses hanging down, her skin fairer than snow, her sleeping face impossibly adorable...

Xu Changsheng rose with anticipation and heat, then walked over to her.

Attention, time was beginning to speed up!!!

The following morning, at dawn.

The first ray of sunlight passed through the carved window lattice and spilled into the Hall of Longevity, falling across the soft brocade quilt.

Zhu Xiaoliang's long eyelashes fluttered gently, and she slowly opened her eyes, clear as water.

"Mmm!"

Still a little groggy, she stretched and rubbed her eyes.

When she saw Xu Changsheng beside her, watching her with a smile, she first froze. Then memories of the first half of the previous night instantly surged into her mind like a tide.

"Ah!"

Zhu Xiaoliang cried out. Her entire body turned as red as a boiled shrimp, even her small earlobes taking on an alluring crimson.

Then she abruptly pulled the quilt over herself, wrapping herself tightly and leaving only her flushed little head exposed.

Her ten adorable, red-painted toes curled tightly beneath the quilt.

"G-good morning..."

Zhu Xiaoliang lowered her head, not daring to meet Xu Changsheng's eyes, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

Xu Changsheng bent down with a smile and kissed her smooth forehead gently. "Good morning. How did you sleep last night?"

"P-pretty well..."

Zhu Xiaoliang spoke softly, but felt somewhat puzzled.

Strange, why did I have such a bizarre dream?

I actually dreamed that someone hung me up with ropes, then fed me sweet porridge, spoonful by spoonful...

As she thought, she unconsciously licked her lips.

Watching Zhu Xiaoliang's adorable, puzzled expression as she lightly smacked her lips, Xu Changsheng's mouth curved into a mischievous smile.

He reached out a finger, gently wiped the corner of her mouth, then placed the finger in her mouth.

"Mmm..."

Zhu Xiaoliang froze instantly.

She stared blankly at what Xu Changsheng was doing. This taste...

It seemed exactly the same as the porridge in her dream!

Could it be...

That wasn't a dream?!

Zhu Xiaoliang's cheeks instantly grew even redder, almost as though blood might drip from them.

She buried her head beneath the quilt like an ostrich, refusing to come out again.

"All right, all right, I'll stop teasing you."

Xu Changsheng patted the quilt with a smile. "Now sense your cultivation. How is it? Can you reach the Tenth Realm: Dao Comprehension Realm within three months?"

Only upon hearing the word "cultivation" did Zhu Xiaoliang finally poke her adorable little head out from beneath the quilt.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, sensing the spiritual power within her.

The next second...

An incredibly delighted smile instantly blossomed across Zhu Xiaoliang's face.