Surrounding them was a crowd of stunned scholars, and the one who had just mentioned the foul smell was even more astonished. He had never imagined that the young man and woman, who moments ago were dancing intimately together, would suddenly turn to deadly violence. The brocade-clad youth had slammed the girl so hard she was embedded into the brass pillar—a truly brutal act that left a psychological shadow!
Before long, Shen Wanyun approached and delivered a palm strike to the brass pillar. The pillar shook violently, and Yue Qinghong, who had been embedded within, fell out like she had been electrocuted, then fled while covering her face. The young woman's face was bruised and swollen, making it hard for her to maintain her composure.
She could have freed herself from the pillar, but with spectators all around, she felt her dignity was at stake, so she remained hidden inside, planning to emerge when fewer people were watching. To her dismay, more and more people gathered.
Shen Wanyun then went to the rocky cliff where the wolf slave was suspended by blades. He pulled out the two demon blades, freed the wolf slave, then jumped down from the jade cliff, removed his outer robe, and draped it over Monk Yunque's body to cover him before awakening him.
Yunque, finding himself in nothing but a pair of white shorts, immediately realized he had been robbed after being knocked unconscious by that youth named Qin Mu. He felt both ashamed and humiliated. His white monastic robe was extraordinarily valuable, worth more than ordinary spirit weapons. Yunque had sold all his possessions to afford it, only for Qin Mu to strip it from him.
Before long, Shen Wanyun, Yunque, the wolf slave, and Yue Qinghong gathered together. Shen Wanyun smiled and said, "Junior brother, junior sister, what do you think of this Qin Mu's abilities?"
Yue Qinghong gave a cold snort. "You weren't confident you could defeat him, so you sent us as vanguard to test his true strength? Senior brother, aren't you being a bit too cunning?"
Shen Wanyun replied calmly, "All is fair in war—that's a lesson I learned on the battlefield. I also learned to know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll win every battle. Without identifying his weaknesses, I won't make a move lightly. You two aren't much weaker than me. If you can't defeat him, neither can I. So we must find his weaknesses. If even I lose, then he becomes the senior brother of our Scholar's Residence and the face of our academy."
Yunque conceded grudgingly. "Senior brother, what did you discover?"
"His mana, cultivation, techniques, combat awareness, skill, and cunning—all are first-rate!"
Shen Wanyun continued, "When he clashed palms with you, your Buddhist cultivation is extremely profound with astonishing defensive techniques, yet he shattered you with palm force. His mana cultivation exceeds even yours! The wolf slave's cultivation is also extremely robust, and his blade work consists of battlefield killing techniques, yet he couldn't handle Qin Mu at all, falling in three moves—which shows his combat awareness and techniques are top-notch! As for defeating junior sister Yue, he relied on skill and cunning. While Yue Qinghong was examining the wolf slave's injuries, he silently approached, robbing her of the initiative and forcing her into close-contact dancing, thus ensnaring her."
Yue Qinghong blushed slightly at the memory of being pressed against Qin Mu and gave another cold snort.
Shen Wanyun said, "His sword speed is incredibly fast—when he injured Daoist Lingyun and humiliated him before the hall, it proved his swordsmanship is his strongest skill. And when he defeated the dozen scholars of the Scholar's Residence, he used spells to control their minds, showing he's also精通 in magic arts. This man has virtually no weaknesses."
As Yunque and Yue Qinghong listened, they grew increasingly alarmed. Although Yue Qinghong had investigated the techniques Qin Mu used to defeat various scholars, trying to know her enemy, she still knew less than Shen Wanyun.
Shen Wanyun had held the position of senior brother at the Scholar's Residence for years indeed not by empty reputation.
"A person so perfect without flaws—how can he be defeated?" Yunque murmured.
Shen Wanyun replied calmly, "This concerns the dignity of our Scholar's Residence, our Imperial Academy, and the scholars of the State of Yankang. He must be defeated no matter what! He is an abandoned outcast from the Great Ruins. If he isn't defeated, doesn't that mean our Yankang scholars are inferior to an outcast?"
He straightened up and said slowly, "Since he has no weaknesses in these aspects, I turned my attention to his cultivation technique to find a flaw. I found it."
Yunque and Yue Qinghong were shaken and looked at him.
Shen Wanyun smiled. "I found the weakness in his cultivation technique. When he activated his technique while fighting you, during qi circulation, there was a nearly imperceptible flaw. That is his weakness. I still need to observe him for a while to determine the exact location of this flaw."
Yue Qinghong conceded with a sigh. "Our defeats at your hands these past years weren't without reason. You truly are a cut above us."
Shen Wanyun laughed. "Without you pushing me, I wouldn't have improved so quickly. Your pursuit forced me to train desperately. Once I identify the exact location of his weakness, I will make my move and publicly defeat him before all the scholars of the Imperial Academy, preserving the reputation of our Yankang scholars!"
At the Scholar's Residence, as Qin Mu walked through, he was met with fearful faces on all sides. Many had apparently witnessed him embedding Yue Qinghong into the brass pillar and pinning the wolf slave to the rocky cliff. Others had likely heard that Yunque had been knocked unconscious and thrown off the cliff.
Two of the three great experts of the Scholar's Residence had been beaten soundly by this outcast from the Great Ruins. Except for Shen Wanyun, who could possibly be a match for Qin Mu?
Qin Mu opened his door and stepped inside. Then the little fox poked her head out and called, "Are there any more sword cases anyone wants? If not, I'm selling them in the capital!"
"Hold on!"
A scholar hurriedly said, "Wait, I want to buy back my sword case!"
"And mine—don't sell it! I'll redeem it once I have the money!"
"Little fox, my monthly allowance hasn't come through yet. Could you make an exception and let me retrieve my sword case first?"
"Then you'll need to write an IOU. When you have the money, you can take it back."
...
Hu Ling'er finished processing the sword cases in the courtyard, clutching several IOUs as she entered the room. "Young master, did I write these IOUs correctly? I can't read."
Qin Mu said with an amused expression, "You dare write IOUs when you can't read? These IOUs are correct. Just keep them safe."
Hu Ling'er was delighted and hastily hid the IOUs in a hole in the wall.
Qin Mu called her over. "There are two days before school starts. I'll teach you the Creation Spirit Art."
Hu Ling'er immediately sat down properly, and Qin Mu began explaining the Creation Spirit Art in detail. The Creation Spirit Art was the final chapter of the Seven Creation Chapters within the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra. This technique could be practiced by both humans and demons. During his recent study of the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra, Qin Mu discovered that the Creation Spirit Art might be even more suitable for demons.
Having studied under The Deaf, who had him read extensively, The Deaf taught him not only Confucian classics but also various ancient poems that were quite tongue-twisting. But precisely because of this, Qin Mu found it much easier to comprehend other scriptures.
Qin Mu explained the Creation Spirit Art in the simplest, most accessible terms as he taught the little fox. The Seven Creation Chapters were considered superior techniques within the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra. The Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra was the supreme sacred text of the Heavenly Demon Cult, capable of leading one to become a god or demon. The Creation Spirit Art being among them spoke volumes about its brilliance.
Over these two days, Qin Mu stayed in seclusion and taught the Creation Spirit Art to Hu Ling'er, who had already gained a basic grasp of the technique and was attempting to form a Spirit Womb.
The purpose of this Creation Art was specifically to transform the Spirit Womb. If one had a Black Tortoise Spirit Body, their Spirit Womb would be a Black Tortoise Spirit Womb, but through the Creation Spirit Art, they could transform it into a White Tiger Spirit Womb or other Spirit Womb forms. Even the attribute of one's qi would change accordingly—a truly miraculous technique within the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra.
Of course, each of the Seven Creation Chapters contained equally wondrous techniques on par with the Creation Spirit Art.
The reason Qin Mu believed the Creation Spirit Art was more suitable for demons was that creatures like Hu Ling'er and the demon ape—exotic beasts or demons—had no Spirit Womb and no Divine Treasuries.
Since they had none, they could only create their own.
By practicing the Creation Spirit Art, Hu Ling'er could possess her own Spirit Womb and even change its form.
Two days later, the Imperial Academy finally opened.
Qin Mu, along with other newly enrolled scholars, followed the Imperial Preceptor to the treasury to collect their sword cases, pills, clothing, pill furnaces, jade stones, brushes and ink, writing tablets, and a bag of money called a salary—though Qin Mu heard scholars referring it as monthly allowance, given once a month. Though not much, just over ten coins, it was considerable wealth for common folk.
Simply becoming a scholar at the Imperial Academy granted one the rank of eighth-grade official, so the court provided a salary accordingly.
After collecting his belongings, they gathered before the Imperial Academy hall for a speech by the Young Ancestor Patriarch, who encouraged the scholars to study diligently and strive for progress. Qin Mu placed his things in his room and followed the other new scholars to the Hanguang Hall for a lecture. Among those who had come to study were members of the royal family. Qin Mu looked around and spotted a familiar young woman who winked at him, but when she noticed others looking, she became reserved once more.
"Seventh sister, what are you doing?" The young woman was Ling Yuxiu. A prince beside her noticed her repeatedly glancing toward Qin Mu and frowned, asking in a low voice.
In the Hanguang Hall, a man in black robes sat in seiza, a sword laid across his knees. This was the Imperial Preceptor of the Hanguang Hall—his gaze sharp as a sword. He swept his eyes over the assembled scholars and settled on Qin Mu, his eye twitching slightly. He said unhurriedly, "The Hanguang Hall is the hall of sword study. What is Hanguang? The sage said: 'I have three swords for you to choose from. None can kill, yet let me first describe their appearance. One is called Hanguang—when you look at it, it cannot be seen; when you wield it, it seems nonexistent. Where it touches, all vanishes into boundlessness, passing through things without their awareness.' This is the origin of Hanguang. To reach this realm is to become a Sword God."
①
Qin Mu was surprised and thought to himself, "This Imperial Preceptor is our Holy Cult's Sword Hall Master..."
The Sword Hall Master was tall and imposing, dressed entirely in black, and extremely proud. During the three hundred and sixty hall trials, Qin Mu had sent him flying with a single sword thrust before he could even execute a technique.
However, Qin Mu found it strange. The Imperial Academy was the highest sanctuary of the State of Yankang—how had they recruited a hall master from the Heavenly Demon Cult?
After explaining the origin of the Hanguang Hall, the Sword Hall Master said, "When the sword reaches the realm of Hanguang, it has achieved the ultimate state—the supreme realm. Therefore it is called the Dao Sword. In this world, only one or two have reached this step, and only one is called the Hanguang Sword God. I am still far from it. You scholars from across the lands should make the highest realm of swordsmanship your goal and never slacken for a day. Today, I will teach you the basics of swordsmanship—the simplest thrusts, lifts, sweeps, and cloud techniques."
The scholars in the hall were astonished. The Hanguang Hall of the Imperial Academy wasn't teaching profound sword techniques but instead the most basic fundamentals? Such basics could be learned without entering the Imperial Academy!
The Sword Hall Master said solemnly, "Do not look down on the fundamentals of swordsmanship. Without a solid foundation, all wondrous techniques are futile. Over three years ago, I encountered a child only eleven or twelve years old whose foundation was incredibly solid. When I dueled him at the Spirit Womb realm, he defeated me with a wooden sword. Only then did I realize how crucial the fundamentals of swordsmanship truly are."
The scholars in the hall buzzed with astonishment. One murmured, "Defeating a teacher with a wooden sword—is this child a Sword God?"
The Sword Hall Master shook his head. "Not yet. This child is only fifteen now—it's impossible for him to have reached the Sword God realm."
① This passage is taken from Liezi's "Tangwen," describing three divine swords—Hanguang, Chengying, and Xiaolian—also known as the Three Swords of the Shang Emperor, representing three realms of the Dao Sword.