"According to the palace martial arts masters, although my physical strength is limited and my bones are still tender, my refined swordsmanship makes me a second-rate expert."
"Do not underestimate that. For a martial artist in the Great Han Dynasty to reach the second rate at her age is already an extraordinary talent. Yet she still lacks some Jianghu experience; if she had not panicked and inhaled the sleeping powder at Mingjing Temple that day, those four bandits could never have kidnapped her."
"However, compared to spells, martial arts are mere clay chickens and pottery dogs. If I were to unleash the lightning spell I just learned, it would be enough to kill a first-rate expert. I fear that no matter how exquisite one's swordsmanship is, it cannot withstand a single spell."
"So, according to Senior Sister's previous words, cultivators practice the Sword Dao rather than swordsmanship."
"Then what is the Sword Dao?"
Chapter 22: The Mystery of the Soul
With this thought arising, Xu Yingzhen inevitably fell into confusion.
Sitting upright at her desk with lowered eyelids, she failed to find any definitive answer after a moment of thought. Deciding not to dwell on it further, she instead circulated the *Eighteen and a Half Revolutions* to guide her mana through her meridians, melting away the layer of shimmering light.
This shimmer was the transformation of the Bone-Tempering Wind. Once refined by mana, it would truly integrate into her physical body, providing a profound nourishment.
Based on her current speed, Xu Yingzhen estimated it would take two or three days to completely melt and integrate it into her physique.
When the final bell chimed, the once-every-seven-days lecture finally came to an end.
With no disciples left seeking instruction around him, Yuan Yuan formed hand seals with both hands, causing the dense black wind suspended at the top of the cave to stream back into the azure jade bottle.
He properly stored the bottle and said to the disciples in the cave, "Do not waste your time! The puppet you will face in the year-end examination is in the exact same realm as you, but it possesses the strength of steel and the body of iron. A moment of carelessness will lead to defeat."
With that, Yuan Yuan did not linger. With a tap of his toes and a burst of physical strength that sounded like a roll of thunder, his figure vanished within a few breaths.
Inside Mingyang Cave, the disciples all heaved sighs of relief, groaning endlessly. Xu Yingzhen also stood up and stretched lazily.
As the disciples walked toward the cave entrance, Wang Miaoyuan stepped up to her and said, "If you have free time, come find me on Lingliu Peak."
Xu Yingzhen nodded with a smile, and then watched as a purple light darted from Wang Miaoyuan's right sleeve, revealing a long sword. Wang Miaoyuan stepped lightly upon it and flew out of the cave entrance on her flying sword.
"It must be the Yin hour now."
Xu Yingzhen also walked out of Mingyang Cave. The sun had not yet risen; only the Yujian hung in the sky, casting a cold radiance.
The moon was high, the wind settled, and the dew was clear. The ripples of the water remained motionless, coldly immersing the myriad stars.
Liutang Mountain was surrounded by clear waters. The water was cold and the river was still when a strong wind suddenly blew past, carrying the fragrance of sweet osmanthus from the foot of the mountain and sending ripples across the water mirror.
Waiting at the entrance of Mingyang Cave, Xu Yingzhen did not feel annoyed. She simply looked up at the moon, wondering if her mother and the others, locked away in the mortal abyss, were looking at this exact same moon.
"Junior Sister! Your dear Senior Sister has arrived!"
Seeing a beauty arrive in a flurry upon a silken ribbon while chanting phrases of "Junior Sister," a few disciples cast curious and probing gazes in her direction.
Xu Yingzhen stood on tiptoe, waved into the air, and shouted, "Senior Sister, I'm here!"
spotting her figure, Song Hanzhi formed a hand incantation with her right hand, causing the Feiyun Gauze to transform into a white ribbon that wrapped around Xu Yingzhen's waist, gently lifting her onto the fabric.
As they flew through the air, Song Hanzhi divided her focus and said with a smile, "It is the Yin hour now, Junior Sister. In half an hour, it will be the Mao hour, which is when the daily market opens. I will take you to the Law Pavilion first to collect your Legacy Disciple stipend, and then we will head straight to the market; the timing will be just right."
Xu Yingzhen nodded and asked, "Senior Sister, the Legacy Disciple stipend is ten superior-grade spirit stones a month, but are there any others?"
"Of course. Taixuan is one of the nine great sects of Shangling, with a heritage spanning over a hundred thousand years and an extremely profound foundation. In addition to the ten superior-grade spirit stones, Legacy Disciples may choose one bottle of pills, one talisman, and one spirit herb every year, all of Upper Yellow Grade."
In this world, heavenly treasures, talismans, pills, and arrays are all divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, which correspond to the first four realms of the five major realms of cultivation.
Anything surpassing the Heaven Grade belongs to the Immortal Grade, matching cultivators of the fifth major realm.
Hearing this, Xu Yingzhen's eyes held a trace of surprise. The Upper Yellow Grade corresponded to the pinnacle of Muddy Embryo Stage cultivators. Take her for instance; even if she were granted a spirit herb of that grade, she could not withstand its surging medicinal power. Only those in the later three layers of the Muddy Embryo Stage could refine it for their own use.
"So that's how it is."
"The sect is certainly wealthy and generous."
"After all, we are Legacy Disciples," Song Hanzhi replied, then added, "For the martial combat in the exam, outer sect disciples only need to last half an hour against the bronze puppet, but we Legacy Disciples must defeat it, otherwise we fail."
"You have just entered the first layer, Junior Sister, but fortunately the *Eighteen and a Half Revolutions* focuses on nurturing the foundation and excavating human potential. After three months of secluded cultivation, aided by the 'Xilin Pond' of Tianxuan, it won't be too difficult for you to handle the puppet."
"Xilin Pond?"
Song Hanzhi smiled, stretched out her right hand, tapped her index finger between Xu Yingzhen's brows, and replied, "You just attended the martial combat class, so you must have absorbed the Bone-Tempering Wind."
"Let me tell you, the five inner sect branches each have their own heritage, and their foundations are beyond imagination. Tianxuan Peak houses the 'Xilin Pond,' which has miraculous effects for physical tempering; even Master often goes there to practice. The predecessors set up a formation that can be adjusted slightly to allow even us Muddy Embryo cultivators to step inside."
"There is no rush for this; we have a long time ahead. You will eventually come to know every treasure and rare item on Tianxuan Peak."
Xu Yingzhen nodded, feeling much lighter at heart.
If that was the case, she could be certain of victory in the martial combat class. Having gone through the study of those three spells, she had a rough idea of her own aptitude and comprehension, leaving her with nothing to worry about either.
Thus, she only needed to pour all her effort into the knowledge class for the exam.
Xu Yingzhen let out an "ouch," feigning a look of complete distress, and said, "Adding the three texts together, I have to be tested on eighty-three volumes in my very first year. It seems I will have to memorize one book every single day for the remaining three months."
Hearing this, Song Hanzhi also wore a worried look in her eyes, supporting her chin with her right hand in thought before saying, "Those who practice cultivation have sharp ears and clear eyes, but eighty-three volumes is truly too many. Why don't we go back and ask the Senior Brother if he has any clever tricks?"
"Eat some magic pills?"
Xu Yingzhen burst into laughter. Where would such pills exist? If they truly existed, they would surely be extremely precious; otherwise, why wouldn't the Taixuan Sect distribute one to every disciple to spare them six years of book-studying misery?
Leaning closer to Song Hanzhi, she said, "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I've had a photographic memory since I was a child; I can manage it with a little effort."
Precisely because of this, Xu Yingzhen had been able to memorize the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood while also keeping up with martial arts, reading a vast number of travelogues and classics, and often lighting candles at night to secretly read vernacular novels.
"You actually have a photographic memory? Could it be that your soul is extraordinary, Junior Sister?"
Song Hanzhi wore a surprised expression. The soul resides within the enclosed Niwan Palace, but it is closely tied to a person's thinking and memory.
If Xu Yingzhen possessed such a talent, her innate soul must be extraordinary.
"A soul? Come to think of it, when Master found me in the mortal world, she said a snake demon's soul wanted to seize my body, but it seemed to suffer karmic retribution. Was she talking about my soul being somewhat miraculous?"
Song Hanzhi patted her junior sister's head and praised, "When cultivators break through to the second major realm, they must use the Dao Platform as a guide to open the Niwan Palace and nourish the soul. Only when it grows strong to a certain degree can one achieve a photographic memory. But you were born with it—how is that not miraculous?"
"When you enter the Dao Platform stage, your Niwan Palace will open, and you will explore the mysteries of the soul, bringing all sorts of benefits."
While they conversed, the Feiyun Gauze continued to speed along. Looking down now, the mountain terrain gradually recessed into a ring, with rivers flowing mightily and a towering peak rising straight up in the center. An octagonal tall tower stood upon it, counting twelve stories in total, with bronze ancient bells hanging from every corner—ancient, profound, and solemn.
"We've arrived at the Law Pavilion. Junior Sister, just take out your Legacy token to claim your stipend. Let's go."
Song Hanzhi formed hand seals, and the gauze beneath her feet instantly retracted and transformed into fluttering ribbons winding around her right arm. She took Xu Yingzhen's hand, and together they landed before the octagonal tall tower.
As soon as they landed, two pavilion disciples came forward to inspect them. They were also those who had originally completed their immortal schooling in the outer sect and been selected into the inner sect, though they had made different choices due to the varying benefits of the five branches and the Law Pavilion.
Xu Yingzhen and Song Hanzhi produced their tokens for inspection and were promptly led into the first floor.
Both being courteous individuals, she smoothly collected her spirit stone stipend for the year, but when it came to choosing the Upper Yellow Grade item, Xu Yingzhen hit a snag.
Chapter 23: The Daluo Armory
The twelve stories of the Taixuan Law Pavilion each contained the shrinking-universe transformation of Mount Sumeru, housing a miniature world within.
The disciple responsible for distributing the Legacy stipend brought out a ledger; once Xu Yingzhen made her selection, the corresponding item would be retrieved from the treasury on that floor.
Xu Yingzhen flipped through the ledger. There were thirty-seven kinds of spirit herbs available for selection, along with seventy-nine kinds of talismans and twenty-six kinds of pills.
Supporting her chin with the palm of her hand, her gaze swept across page after page, looking quite troubled.
She wanted this one, and she wanted that one too.
Seeing her like this, Song Hanzhi leaned closer, pondered for a moment, and pointed with her finger.
"For the pill, choose the 'Rongzhi Peiyuan Pill.' Its medicinal properties are extremely gentle, allowing you to swallow it even with your low realm, though it must be refined slowly."
Xu Yingzhen did not have a detailed understanding of pills, so she followed her senior sister's advice and chose the Peiyuan Pill.
Then, she pointed her finger at the 'Minor Origin Sword-Borrowing Manual' and the 'Dragon Scale Ancient Ginseng.'
"Not bad. The sword-borrowing manual can serve as a trump card, and as for the ancient ginseng, when paired with our Tianxuan's Xilin Pond, the effect will be exceptional."
Hearing her senior sister's words, Xu Yingzhen smiled.
"Affected by the pre-natal breath, my mana cultivation will probably not progress quickly, so I thought it might be better to temper my physical body and gain tangible benefits."
Nourishing the Huangya with mana was a slow grinding process, and through her previous 'martial combat' class, she knew that hammering the physical body yielded quick results and was never a loss.
After the encounter with Li Chen in Mingyang Cave, Xu Yingzhen inevitably wanted to grow stronger faster.
With her selections finalized, the Law Pavilion disciple took back the ledger and returned a moment later with a mustard ring, handing it to Xu Yingzhen.
"Please inspect this carefully, Legacy Disciple. If there are any anomalies, replace them promptly; the Law Pavilion will not be responsible thereafter."
Song Hanzhi took it on her behalf, knowing that her junior sister had only recently been exposed to cultivation and would find it difficult to spot any underlying issues.
Her mana flowed into the ring for a careful inspection before she handed it back to Xu Yingzhen, saying, "The talismanic patterns are clear, the talismanic rhyme is condensed, and the quality is top-tier. The medicinal power of the Peiyuan Pill and the Dragon Scale Ginseng is also intact. They can be considered fine goods."
Naturally trusting her, Xu Yingzhen smiled, sent the items from the ring into herbaixu bracelet, and bowed to the Law Pavilion disciple with cupped hands: "Thank you for the trouble."
"It is my duty." The disciple returned the bow.
Xu Yingzhen then said to her second senior sister, "Senior Sister, let's go to the market! I still don't know what prices are like in this cultivation world, and I'd like to understand them thoroughly."
Song Hanzhi nodded, walked hand in hand with her out of the Law Pavilion, urged the Feiyun Gauze once more, and rode away upon it.
As the Mao hour arrived, the sky began to brighten, clouds formed scales, and the bright moon gradually hid behind the mist, signaling that dawn was approaching.
Xu Yingzhen said with a hint of envy, "Senior Sister, this precious gauze of yours is truly amazing."
"I currently have a total of two hundred and twenty superior-grade spirit stones. I wonder what grade of treasures I can buy with them?"
Song Hanzhi looked up at her and replied, "If you want to purchase spirit herbs and pills, there are plenty of options. But as for Dharmic Instruments, I'm afraid you won't even find a suitable lower-grade one."
"Sabers, spears, swords, and halberds—they are countless, and we collectively call them 'Arms.' Compared to consumable items, 'Arms' are permanent. They are forged together from exotic stones and immortal materials, requiring inscriptions during casting, and higher-quality ones even contain the profound mysteries of talismans and arrays."
"As for grades, they are first divided into lower, middle, and upper grades of Dharmic Instruments. Going further up, an 'Arm' will give birth to intelligence and step into the ranks of Spiritual Treasures, divided into acquired and innate. And rumor has it that the ultimate pinnacle of Arms is transformed from the Great Dao itself, called a 'Dao Arm'."
"An ordinary lower-grade Dharmic Instrument probably has a market price of around eight hundred superior-grade spirit stones, and if it's of superior quality, it starts at a thousand superior-grade spirit stones."
Xu Yingzhen let out an "ah" and sighed, "So expensive! Our Tianxuan branch receives a hundred superior-grade spirit stones a month. If I wanted to buy a lower-grade Dharmic Instrument, I would have to save for at least half a year."
"Who asked you to save! Haha, silly junior sister, we are Legacy Disciples."
Song Hanzhi laughed heartily and continued, "Senior Brother's 'Wind and Thunder Chant' and my 'Feiyun Gauze' are both upper-grade Dharmic Instruments. If sold outside, they would fetch millions of spirit stones; both were bestowed by Master."
"However, saying they were bestowed by Master isn't entirely accurate. Every Taixuan Legacy Disciple who enters the middle three layers of the Muddy Embryo Stage is given one chance to enter the Daluo Armory."
The Daluo Armory was one of Taixuan's treasured grounds, housing 'Arms' collected continuously since the founding of the sect. Disciples obtained treasures from it, and upon their fall, the treasures were returned to the armory.
Although some could not be retrieved due to accidents, new ones were constantly added. Taken as a whole, the cycle of inheritance never stopped, and by now the armory's foundation had grown increasingly profound.
Song Hanzhi suddenly could not hide her smile as she said,
"Entering the armory is actually not just about choosing an 'Arm' for yourself, but rather the 'Arm' choosing its master. Although Dharmic Instruments have not given birth to complete intelligence like Spiritual Treasures, they do possess rudimentary spirituality."
"If you are chosen by an upper-grade Dharmic Instrument, because our cultivation is still low, we have no ability to resist."
"Do you know what chose Senior Brother? Haha!"
"Let me tell you, it was an upper-grade magic robe with extremely strong defensive capabilities. It's just a pity it was a wide-sleeved flowing fairy skirt that couldn't be changed. When that flowing fairy skirt went straight onto Senior Brother's body and he walked out of the armory, he looked prettier than a flower, and the purple butterflies on the hem of the skirt were simply gorgeous, tsk tsk."
"And you, Senior Sister?" As soon as Xu Yingzhen said this, Song Hanzhi's laughter stopped abruptly.
A moment later, she muttered gloomily, "Mine was a giant meteor hammer, the kind with spikes."
"The handle of that hammer was more than twice as thick as my waist! I... I am a fairy!"
Song Hanzhi looked depressed, while Xu Yingzhen tried her best to hold back her laughter.
"Such mismatched situations are extremely rare, yet both Senior Brother and I ran into them. Fortunately, Master stepped in and used her personal favors to exchange those two upper-grade Dharmic Instruments with other cultivators."
"Senior Brother already had a divine cauldron due to an opportunity, so Master found the 'Wind and Thunder Chant' whose spiritual rhyme matched him. As for me, I exchanged it for the 'Feiyun Gauze,' which was most to my liking. Upper-grade Dharmic Instruments can match cultivators at the peak of the Dao Platform Stage. Although we can drive them, it's actually very difficult when fighting enemies because our mana is insufficient, and we cannot display even a tenth of their true power."
"When you advance to the fourth layer of the Muddy Embryo Stage, Junior Sister, you can go to the Daluo Armory to choose. It doesn't matter even if you get a lower-grade Dharmic Instrument, because when you reach the Dao Platform Stage, Legacy Disciples get another chance to enter the armory."
Song Hanzhi rubbed her head and said gently, "Anyway, it's not being refined as a natal item; it's just that soul power must be expended during the contract. Natal items are extremely important, and Master will naturally plan those for us."
Hearing so many explanations, Xu Yingzhen also made her calculations in her heart.
The first three layers of the Muddy Embryo Stage were still unable to drive the Art of Controlling Objects. Even with a Dharmic Instrument on hand, its power could not be unleashed by even a fraction. If she really spent spirit stones to buy one, it would only be placed in the baixu bracelet to gather dust.
When she reached the fourth layer of Washing the Muddy Embryo, she could enter the Daluo Armory to make her choice, and it wouldn't be too late to consider it then.
Xu Yingzhen nodded and sighed again.
"Weapons, natal items, pills, spirit herbs... So there are so many things to carefully consider in cultivation."
Song Hanzhi chuckled and said, "How to relieve your worries?"
"Eat something good!"
"You don't need to think too much since you've just entered cultivation, Junior Sister."
"Your senior sister has plenty of spirit stones. Later, I'll take you to the Jade Tower to order a few dishes of spirit cuisine. Different from mortal food, spirit cuisine can nourish blood and qi while containing spiritual energy. Their signature 'Hibiscus Jade Soup' is an absolute must-try!"
"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Hearing this, Xu Yingzhen felt a surge of anticipation in her heart.
Chapter 24: Protagonist's Guide
When Xu Yingzhen was in the mortal world, her grandfather was a tremendously wealthy merchant, her mother was a high-ranking noble in the imperial court, and she herself was favored by the Empress. What kind of rare delicacies had she not tasted?
However, spirit cuisine was unique to the cultivation world, and she could not help but be extremely curious.
After flying through the air for two or three quarters of an hour, Xu Yingzhen looked down as the scenery shifted. The emerald-dyed mountain ranges gradually faded away, revealing vast plains and open fields outside the walls of the Taixuan Sect, where crowds were already bustling.
"Look, Junior Sister, this is the market. Most of it is built around the sect walls, with shops rising in multi-story buildings along the mountain contours, such as the Jade Tower, Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Longevity Hall, and so on."
At this moment, the light in the sky grew even brighter. A vast expanse of orange-red stained the edges of the eastern mountains and fields; the clear moon had already vanished, and the sun poked out a corner, its radiance illuminating the busy crowds and painting a vibrant scene.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Hanzhi withdrew the Feiyun Gauze and landed on an open space with her junior sister.
"Come, come, come! Treasures just unearthed from the ruins of Qinglan Mountain, everyone come take a look and see!"
"Nurturing Qi Pills, Nurturing Qi Pills! Ten spirit stones each, selling cheap!"
"A family heirloom saber! If it weren't for family misfortune, how would I ever bring this out?"
...
The market had just opened, yet it had already gathered a considerable crowd. It was noisy and bustling, with cries of hawking endless. A look of surprise appeared on Xu Yingzhen's face, which then turned into understanding.
Whether in the mortal realm or the cultivation world, human nature was always the hardest thing to change.
Song Hanzhi took her junior sister's hand and said, "Come, I'll take you for a good look."
Xu Yingzhen said, "Senior Sister, I want to go to that vendor selling spiced spirit pepper small dried fish first. I promised Huahua."
"Over there."
For some reason, compared to other disciples, Song Hanzhi was somewhat more leisurely and not very diligent in her cultivation.
Otherwise, possessing an upper-grade spirit root with a pure fire spiritual rhyme and having practiced since childhood, she ought to have stepped into the later three layers of the Muddy Embryo Stage even earlier than her senior brother Chu Jinzhao.
Hearing that Xu Yingzhen wanted to buy those small dried fish, and knowing the distribution of vendors like the back of her hand, she led her junior sister right over.
Making several turns without a single pause, Song Hanzhi and Xu Yingzhen soon stopped as a rich, spicy aroma hit both their noses.
Long, slender fish imbued with a trace of spiritual energy had their internal organs cleaned, were pre-marinated, pan-fried in clear oil, brushed with sauce, roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and finally dusted with spirit pepper seasoning and chopped green onions for added fragrance.
This was the signature specialty of the old stallholder, costing a single lower-grade spirit stone for a single portion.
Outer sect disciples who completed sect missions like sweeping and cleaning would only earn seven or eight lower-grade spirit stones after working hard for several hours. This was still not enough for their cultivation consumption, so they had to grit their teeth before daring to buy a portion to taste.
The old woman at the stall also possessed cultivation, but at her age, she was only in the first layer of the Muddy Embryo, having long since given up thoughts of ascending higher in cultivation.
After asking the price and pondering for a moment, Xu Yingzhen ordered ten portions in one go.
She was well-off, had no immediate use for the stones, and having grown up as a pampered beauty showered in wealth, she had never known thrift and naturally found it hard to change her habits now.