In Zhao Yan's sprawling estate, two figures clashed and separated in flashes of sword light.
Clang!
Zhao Yan's sword jarred loose and flew from his grip. Jiang Chen's blade had already stopped at his throat, its owner grinning down at him.
"Incredible!" Zhao Yan gasped. "What sword art is this?"
He and Jiang Chen had always been close in skill. In past sparring sessions, Zhao Yan usually won three or five out of ten. But today they had fought twenty bouts, and Zhao Yan had not won a single one.
Jiang Chen sheathed his sword with a smile. This art truly deserved its reputation as a mystical path from martial to Dao cultivation. It had nine training forms and five killing forms. He had barely mastered four training forms and one killing form, yet his understanding of swordsmanship had already far surpassed his previous level.
He judged his combat power now as entry-grade. If he met that night-cultivator again, he could fight.
"This sword art came to me through serendipity. It has no name. You excel at both literature and combat, Yan. What should we call it?"
Zhao Yan thought briefly. "This is the sovereign among swords. It should be named... Violet Dawn."
"Violet Dawn..." A strange light flickered in Jiang Chen's eyes. "An excellent name!"
For a moment, he thought he saw something vast and regal in Zhao Yan that had never shown before.
But it must have been his imagination. Because in the next moment, Zhao Yan snatched up his fallen sword and bounded over, all easy grins. "Third Brother, teach me!"
"Gladly." Jiang Chen's smile was bright.
Both men were master swordsmen in the mortal world. They understood the value of the Violet Dawn Sword Art perfectly. It was nothing like the crude combat techniques circulating among common folk. It was a true transcendent sword classic, a path from martial to Dao cultivation.
The great sword cultivators of legend were second to none against Dao art masters.
Such a classic would spark rivers of blood in the martial world. Yet one asked to learn without hesitation, and the other agreed without fuss. As if the art were trivial.
* * *
Jiang Chen returned to the Academy as evening fell.
Zhao Yan rarely stayed at the Academy when he had no classes — a true young lord's temperament.
Jiang Chen walked the grounds turning over the mysteries of the Violet Dawn Sword Art in his mind. He only noticed Li Yun standing at the inner dormitory entrance, sword in arms, when he was nearly upon him.
"So deep in thought?" Li Yun smiled.
"Some sword questions." Jiang Chen answered openly. "What brings you, Senior Brother Li?"
"No wonder your swordsmanship is extraordinary." Li Yun offered casual praise, then said: "Dean Dong wants you to visit him after morning class tomorrow. I didn't find you in the dormitory, so I waited."
"Ah, I spent the whole afternoon at Yan's estate." Jiang Chen felt awkward. "How could I trouble Senior Brother to wait? A word with the attendants would have sufficed."
Inner disciples had personal attendants to handle clothing and meals, letting the Daoist seeds focus entirely on cultivation.
"The Dean asked me to deliver the message. That duty cannot be delegated. And I am no noble so highborn that I cannot wait for someone."
Jiang Chen dipped his head. "I am humbled."
He truly was. Li Yun was two cohorts above him, one of the brightest talents of his year. He would certainly advance to the Clear River County Academy — one of the most accomplished students in the city Academy.
And such a man had waited at his door without a trace of impatience.
Li Yun clapped Jiang Chen's shoulder. "I see unlimited promise in you, Junior Brother. No need for such formality."
He turned and left.
* * *
The night passed without incident. The next morning, as soon as class ended, Jiang Chen went to Dean Dong's residence.
In the courtyard, besides Li Yun, stood two others. One was a senior brother named Zhang Yuan, from the Zhang clan — one of the three great clans. He was quietly counted among the strongest disciples in the city Academy, with a formidable reputation.
He was not strikingly handsome, but tall and well-built, with natural poise. Every fold of his clothing was impeccably arranged.
He stood listening to someone speak.
The other person in the courtyard was Fang Lin.
Spotting Jiang Chen's arrival, Fang Lin raised his voice deliberately. "Brother Zhang! Yesterday my estate hunters sent a pair of fine bear paws. Tomorrow I'll have the Moon-Gazing Tower's chef prepare them properly. We must taste them together."
Zhang Yuan smiled and nodded.
Fang Lin turned to invite Li Yun as well. "Senior Brother Li, you must come!"
Li Yun did not refuse outright. "If I have time."
Before Fang Lin could continue his flattery, Li Yun took a few steps toward the gate. "Junior Brother Jiang has arrived?"
He actually came forward to greet him.
Jiang Chen hurried over. "My apologies for coming late."
He reached Li Yun's side and cupped his hands to Zhang Yuan. "Greetings, Senior Brother Zhang."
He did not acknowledge Fang Lin at all.
"Greetings to you as well." Zhang Yuan nodded with a faint smile, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents between Jiang Chen and Fang Lin.
But some people simply had to assert their presence.
"Hmph." Fang Lin made a pointed sound, then said in a barbed tone: "The Dean summoned us, and both Brother Zhang and Senior Brother Li arrived early. I didn't even make it to morning class, rushing here the moment I woke. Yet I wonder what virtue some people possess, to keep the Dean and two senior brothers waiting?"
Jiang Chen still ignored him, addressing only Li Yun and Zhang Yuan: "I came straight from morning class. I meant no disrespect to the Dean's summons. Morning and evening, scripture and breathing — the bells and drums leave no room for slack."
Li Yun patted Jiang Chen's shoulder again, a gesture of solidarity. "No matter. We came early, not you late. The path of cultivation tolerates no negligence. Brother Zhang and I may not attend scripture hall with the junior disciples, but we keep our morning practice in our rooms."
Fang Lin burned hotter inside, but with Li Yun's clear stance, he dared not fan the flames further.
Just then, a creak — Dean Dong pushed open his door.
"All here?" He swept his gaze around, authority radiating without anger.
All four performed the Daoist salute. "Dean!"
Dean Dong waved his hand. He was a decisive man who hated delays. "I called you here for a mission. You all know about the heretic cultivator's attack on the outer Academy and the death of an outer disciple. The Punishment Bureau has investigated for ages with no result. There's no need to wait for them. I am assigning you to investigate, counted as an Eighth-Rank mission for merit."
Unlike outer Academy missions, inner missions were ranked by the highest combat power involved. And the reward unit shifted from contribution points to Dao merit.
The difficulty gap was heaven and earth; so were the rewards. A Meridian-Opening Pill, for example, cost a fortune in outer contribution points, but only a hundred points of Dao merit.
Of course, a hundred Dao merit was not easily earned either.
This heretic attack on the outer Academy had shown only Ninth-Rank strength. Dean Dong ranking it as Eighth Rank carried an encouraging tone.
"Jiang Chen and Fang Lin are the only two disciples in this cohort with manifested meridians so far. They need proper tempering. Linchuan, Jianqiu — you have more experience. Take the junior disciples and investigate separately. The rewards split ninety-ten. Whichever side solves it first takes ninety percent."
Zhang Yuan and Li Yun both bowed. "We obey the Dean's command."
Dean Dong swept his sleeve and returned inside, showing no interest in what followed.
Zhang Yuan had come prepared. After a moment's thought, he said: "I have a friend in the Punishment Bureau. Two leads stand out. One: before the attack, the heretic stayed at the Fulai Inn for three days. There may be clues. Two: a family was massacred in Tangshed Town, and corpse energy was found at the scene — similar to what we saw at the outer Academy. Junior Brother Li, which path do you choose?"
Li Yun said: "This is your intelligence, Senior Brother Zhang. I defer to your分配."
Zhang Yuan was not surprised. Li Yun would be foolish to compete with him now. He said all this only as formality. He nodded. "Then I will go to Tangshed Town. Junior Brother Li, take the Fulai Inn."
Fang Lin's eyes lit up beside Zhang Yuan. "With Senior Brother Zhang on the case, what heretic could escape?"
He glanced at Jiang Chen, quite pleased with himself.
Any clear-eyed person could see that Tangshed Town offered better conditions for heretic concealment and clearer leads. In Fang Lin's view, his first Eighth-Rank mission would net him the lion's share.
Then Zhang Yuan said to Li Yun: "Junior Brother Li, may I take Jiang Chen?"
Li Yun's expression did not change. "Certainly."
Their previous positions had already implied the split. Jiang Chen was closer to Li Yun; Zhang Yuan and Fang Lin shared clan backgrounds.
Though Jiang Chen did not understand why Zhang Yuan would not choose the more familiar Fang Lin, he had no say in the matter. He bowed: "Then I will trouble Senior Brother Zhang."
Zhang Yuan and Li Yun were both experienced. They quickly arranged supplies and contingencies. Jiang Chen helped prepare busily.
Only Fang Lin stood there, his face shifting between green and white.
He had plenty of opinions. Not one could leave his mouth.