The white-faced heretic's corpse lay in two uneven pieces. The right arm had already been severed, so the halves did not match.
Jiang Chen stood over the body. His fingers loosened. The longsword shattered into countless fragments, raining onto the ground.
Its duty was done.
The blade was ordinary steel. It could not withstand so much Dao essence pouring through it.
And Jiang Chen felt his Celestial Palace empty once more. Those lively little sparks — not a single one remained.
Before the lingering gray mist could spread, Jiang Chen returned to the post road. He noticed some of it drifted toward the road's edge, where an invisible force blocked and slowly dissolved it.
The array markings on the road, he realized. Protective measures carved into the very stone.
He waited. Thunder rumbled in the distance, growing louder. Zhang Yuan dropped from the treetops and landed beside him.
"You did not leave?"
Despite the fighting, Zhang Yuan's clothes remained immaculate. Even his hairpin sat perfectly in place. Every movement spoke of cultivated grace.
"I met... the heretic from Tangshe Town."
"He needed your blood to escape Zhuang. Without it, he could only flee the country."
"I killed him."
Zhang Yuan's brows rose. "What?"
Jiang Chen pointed toward the corpse. "I do not know if the body holds any clues."
Zhang Yuan recovered from his surprise and shook his head. "These people have damaged souls. Soul-searching fails even when they live. It is worse after death. I killed several just now — all the same."
"I see." Jiang Chen felt no disappointment. Killing that monster was enough.
He did not blame Zhang Yuan for pursuing other enemies instead of protecting him. He was no fragile flower. Zhang Yuan was not his nursemaid.
Besides, without Zhang Yuan's pressure, the pale heretic would never have fled without fighting. His accomplices would never have given Jiang Chen a one-on-one chance.
Zhang Yuan glanced at the dissolving mist and sighed. "The array markings here are corroded. We must report this to the authorities for swift repair."
The horses had not bolted. Jiang Chen flicked the reins and his mount trotted forward.
Then he felt it — deep in his Celestial Palace, a Dao essence crystal rolled free. Then another. Five in total, fuller and rounder than before.
Not enough to replace what he had spent. But a welcome surprise.
Only then did the senior cultivators' lectures truly make sense. Dao essence was not simple blood-and-qi refinement. It was the perfect fusion of will and power. The truest feedback of a sentient being to the primordial source.
* * *
They reached the Academy while daylight still held. They went straight to Dean Dong's courtyard to report.
The gate stood open. The yard was empty except for Fang Lin pacing about, bored.
Seeing them enter empty-handed, his eyes brightened.
Fang Lin greeted Zhang Yuan properly first, then offered mock consolation: "It seems Brother Zhang found nothing this trip... Even a genius like you must find it difficult dragging along a clueless newcomer."
He certainly did not consider himself a newcomer. The Fang family had produced many cultivators across generations. He had grown up immersed in their world. What could some town-bred nobody know?
Jiang Chen ignored him.
Zhang Yuan had patience for games. "Oh? It seems Helin found something significant."
"Went fairly smoothly." Fang Lin offered token modesty, then launched into his boasting.
At the Fulai Inn, someone had been spying on them. Li Yun had attacked decisively and captured the man alive. A promising leadless investigation had suddenly gained direction.
How much Fang Lin actually contributed remained questionable.
"Where is Junior Brother Li now?" Zhang Yuan asked.
Fang Lin hesitated, embarrassed. "In his room. Dean Dong is performing soul-searching on the prisoner."
Dean Dong conducting the search. Li Yun attending. Fang Lin not even allowed to observe... his contribution spoke for itself.
Zhang Yuan and Jiang Chen could not interrupt, so they waited in the yard with Fang Lin.
Jiang Chen closed his eyes and guided the new Dao essence crystals to their proper positions. Zhang Yuan chatted idly with Fang Lin.
Fang Lin was naturally pleased. Dean Dong had said merit points would be split ninety-ten. Jiang Chen clearly had nothing to show. Their side had captured a live prisoner. The first gap in their standings had opened.
Before long, Dean Dong emerged in black Dao robes, Li Yun following.
Facing Fang Lin's expectant gaze, Li Yun shook his head.
Dean Dong said: "The prisoner's soul is damaged. I found only scattered fragments. Nothing useful."
Fang Lin rushed to show his insight: "Such thorough precautions — these people must belong to a strict organization! This matter is far from simple!"
Dean Dong neither agreed nor disagreed. He turned to Zhang Yuan.
Zhang Yuan reported their Tangshe Town mission without embellishment. Dean Dong did not ask about Jiang Chen's battle details, and Jiang Chen did not need to volunteer.
He was an Academy disciple. Not a criminal on trial.
Dean Dong simply nodded. "Jiang Chen performed well."
The words sounded cold. But those who knew Dean Dong recognized rare praise.
Both teams had submitted new leads without follow-through. The mission could not be called complete. But Dean Dong awarded each of them five merit points as encouragement.
For Zhang Yuan and Li Yun, this was routine — they were merely guiding juniors through their first ranked missions. For Jiang Chen and Fang Lin, five points was significant. It equaled half a completed Nine-Rank mission.
Nine-Rank missions awarded ten to one hundred points. Eight-Rank missions ranged from one hundred to five hundred, depending on difficulty.
Dean Dong finished swiftly and dismissed the disciples.
Afterward, Fang Lin urged Zhang Yuan and Li Yun to drinks. Jiang Chen decided to visit the Merit Hall.
* * *
The Merit Hall stood opposite the Worship Hall. That placement alone showed its importance.
The hall was empty except for a glowing Merit Board suspended above the offering table.
No guards stood watch. The Board protected itself. It was a spiritual treasure — more precisely, this Board was a subsidiary of the national Merit Board at the capital Academy, which received incense and worship from across the realm.
Jiang Chen came mainly to broaden his horizons.
A medium-built Daoist in hemp robes stood before the Board, hands clasped, staring at the glowing names.
From behind, Jiang Chen could not see his face. But anyone in the Inner Academy he did not recognize outranked him.
They were all his senior brothers.
Jiang Chen did not disturb him. He approached the Board, focused his spirit, and gazed at the clear light. Information flowed into his mind.
This subsidiary only showed Maple City Academy matters. The main Board supposedly contained everything in the world. That remained distant for Jiang Chen.
The exchange options dazzled him. The prices made him want to turn and leave.
The cheapest Meridian-Opening Pill cost one hundred points — subsidized for Academy disciples. A second pill cost fifteen hundred. That was the true price.
The cheapest standard enchanted sword started at five hundred points.
Jiang Chen checked his five points... He had come to expand his horizons.
As a ranking list, the Board had names. Jiang Chen discovered that the unfathomable Zhang Yuan only ranked third here.
Second place belonged to Wei Feng, not an Academy disciple but a City Guard officer. From his name, he likely had ties to Wei Lin.
First place, with thirteen hundred points, was Zhu Xing — the undisputed top senior brother of Maple City Academy. A legend who showed his face rarely. Jiang Chen had heard his name countless times without ever seeing him.
Second-place Wei Feng had only seven hundred points. Zhu Xing had left them all in the dust.
Jiang Chen scrolled further and found Li Yun at seventeenth place. Then he broke the connection.
"New junior brother?"
The earlier Daoist had apparently been waiting for him.
Jiang Chen turned and saw a face with a warm, inviting smile.
"Greetings, Senior Brother. I am Jiang Chen, recently admitted to the Inner Academy."
"Greetings to you too. I am Wang Hao." His features were unremarkable, but that smile made him instantly likable. "Until next time, then."
"Until next time." Jiang Chen noted that this Wang Hao ranked seventh on the Board — far above Li Yun.
Of course the Board tracked merit points, not raw strength. But it reflected something nonetheless.
Back in the Outer Academy, he and his brothers had stood above the rest. Now in the Inner Academy, he saw how vast the sky truly was.
Li Yun, Zhang Yuan, Wang Hao — each had their own brilliance. Jiang Chen knew he was no match for any of them.
And this was just Maple City. What about Clear River County? The entire State of Zhuang?
What about the legendary geniuses whose names made heroes across the land look up in awe?
Such thoughts did not discourage him. They lit a fire in his chest.
At least now he walked the path of the extraordinary. He shared the same arena as those brilliant stars. What was there to fear?
Higher mountains awaited. He would climb them all.