In the heart of the island.
Inside a grand hall built against the mountain.
The thick walls of the hall cut off all external noise, lending the interior a solemn and profound atmosphere.
In the center of the hall, wisps of soothing sandalwood incense curled up from a brass censer.
Seated before a long red sandalwood desk to the side was a young man dressed in black robes.
His face was pale and clean, and his long hair was meticulously tied up with a dark jade hairpin. His thin lips were pursed into a sharp line, exuding a cold and solemn aura.
At this moment, he held a weasel-hair brush, reviewing the accounts submitted from various properties.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from afar, approaching the hall and causing the black-robed young man's brow to furrow slightly.
Just as he set down his brush, a disciple entered to report:
“Senior Brother He!”
“Junior Brother Lei Jun has brought a new disciple. He says the newcomer has a recommendation letter from Chief Disciple Zuo of the Chiming Academy...”
“Oh?”
Senior Brother He raised his long eyebrows, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. After a brief moment of thought, he said:
“Bring them in.”
“Yes, sir!”
Not long after.
Shen Xiuhan and Lei Jun stepped into the hall.
Both sides cupped their fists and exchanged pleasantries in accordance with etiquette.
Then, Senior Brother He took the registration roster handed over by Lei Jun. After flipping through and examining it, a look of admiration appeared on his face as he smiled:
“Opening three profound acupoints at eighteen years old. As expected of a genius personally recommended by Senior Brother Zuo... You are truly extraordinary!”
As Senior Brother He spoke, he turned his head to look at Lei Jun and said in a warm voice:
“Junior Brother Lei, I am aware of the situation. Please take Junior Brother Shen to collect his identity token and introductory cultivation technique. Then, inform him of the sect rules, regulations, and daily routines. Do not leave anything out.”
“Yes, Second Senior Brother!”
Lei Jun quickly accepted the command, then clasped his hands in farewell alongside Shen Xiuhan, turning to exit the grand hall.
Once the two had walked far away.
In front of the long desk.
The smile on Senior Brother He's face gradually faded. He reopened Shen Xiuhan's roster file and muttered in an inscrutable tone:
“Changyun County...”
“Tian Ji!”
The reporting disciple standing outside the hall quickly walked in with his head lowered upon hearing the summons, standing respectfully before the desk:
“Senior Brother!”
He Tunan tossed the roster onto the long desk and coldly ordered:
“Send someone to Changyun County. Investigate this Shen Xiuhan's background for me...”
Tian Ji was clearly startled, but his reaction was extremely swift. Without hesitation, he cupped his hands and accepted the command:
“Rest assured, Senior Brother Tunan. I will see to it immediately!”
...
After leaving the Administration Hall, Lei Jun led Shen Xiuhan toward the Technique Transmission Academy, asking curiously:
“Junior Brother Shen, you received a recommendation letter from Chief Disciple Zuo, yet you didn't enter Chiming Academy and chose our Tingquan Academy instead. I assume that if you don't favor the Sword Dao, you must want to learn the Elixir Dao?”
Shen Xiuhan cupped his hands and replied with a smile:
“Indeed, nothing escapes Senior Brother Lei. I do... know a thing or two about swordplay.”
“Haha, then you have truly come to the right place!”
Lei Jun grinned and patted his shoulder:
“Although our Tingquan Academy specializes in both the Elixir and Sword Daos, when it comes to the Sword Dao, we are among the very best even within the Four Sects of Nanxiang!”
“Don't be fooled by the loud reputations of the Qingyuan Sword Pavilion and the Mount Bixia Sword Lineage. In truth, they are just mediocre fools who cling to the past and plagiarize their ancestors.”
When mentioning these two major powers that were equally famous as the Star-Plucking Sect, Lei Jun showed no respect whatsoever, only a hint of disdain.
“The Qingyuan Sword Pavilion's “Great Derivation Qingyuan Differentiation Sword Book” has an intimidating reputation, and is rumored to be an ancient sword technique passed down from the Dayang Dynasty. Yet, for hundreds of years, not a single one of them has managed to master this sword book and advance to the rank of Daoist Master...”
“As for the Bixia Sword Lineage, they are even more of a joke these days!”
“Ever since the Feng clan's ancestor, who was a Sword Immortal, passed away, the Feng clan seems to have been drained of all sword talent. Aside from their Lineage Master Feng Buxing, they haven't produced a single genius who has comprehended sword-glow in over ten years. They are truly a laughingstock...”
Having said this, Lei Jun chuckled, his tone filled with pride:
“Compared to our Tingquan Academy's Academy Head, they are nothing!”
“Ten years ago, the Academy Head, with a single sword, challenged the other three of the Four Sects of Nanxiang all by himself!”
“Relying on his immense willpower of 'nourishing the sword with the sword, and sustaining battle with battle,' he successfully condensed the “Flying Waterfall Sword-Yuan,” securing his throne as the number one expert of the Sword Dao in Nanxiang in one fell swoop!”
Whoa!
The number one expert of the Sword Dao in Nanxiang? There was such a history?
Hearing this, Shen Xiuhan was secretly astonished:
“This Tingquan Academy seemed rather obscure, but I didn't expect such a formidable expert to be backing it!”
“However...”
“What exactly is this “Flying Waterfall Sword-Yuan”? Are there different names and classifications for sword-yuan?”
Puzzled, Shen Xiuhan immediately asked for clarification.
“Of course!”
Lei Jun was more than happy to explain:
“Once martial arts of slaughter—such as the sword, saber, and spear—reach the Gangjin Rank, they attain a profound truth and subtlety that ordinary people can scarcely comprehend.”
“If one can cultivate them to Great Perfection, they will have the chance to refine their own sword-yuan from those tens of thousands of forms!”
“For instance, the Academy Head's “Flying Waterfall Sword-Yuan,” which shook the entire prefecture capital, was born from cultivating our sect's “Thousand-Wave Flying Waterfall Sword” to Great Perfection, thereby refining and birthing a supreme method of slaughter.”
Without waiting for Shen Xiuhan to ask, he smiled and continued:
“Of course, a newly joined disciple shouldn't aim too high and think about the “Thousand-Wave Flying Waterfall Sword” just yet.”
“According to the academy's rules, one must progress step-by-step. Only by first mastering the “Thousand-Wave Sword” and the “Great Waterfall Sword” can you hope to catch a glimpse of the core inheritance!”
“Aside from the Sword Dao, our academy also teaches many methods involving alchemy, identifying Precious Herbs, and even angling for spirit fish.”
As he spoke, a trace of pride colored his voice:
“Junior Brother Shen, you must not look down on these auxiliary paths.”
“It is precisely because of our Elixir Dao inheritance that our Tingquan Academy's status in the sect is so high, not even a bit inferior to the Chiming Academy, which is the main lineage of the sect master.”
“The reason is that our Tingquan Island holds the power over the supply of spirit pills and medicinal cuisine for more than two thousand inner and outer sect disciples.”
“In the Star-Plucking Sect, from the elders down to the core disciples, no one dares to easily offend the people of our Tingquan Academy.”
Hearing this, Shen Xiuhan immediately understood.
The importance of grand elixirs and medicinal cuisine to martial artists went without saying.
With the Tingquan Academy already backed by a powerful Academy Head and controlling the entire sect's elixir supply, it was no wonder its status rivaled that of Chiming Academy.
But at this point, Lei Jun changed the subject and sighed:
“However, for ordinary disciples like us, this might not be entirely a good thing.”
“Though the Elixir Dao is prestigious, alchemy consumes vast amounts of spirit herbs and Precious Fish. The reason the Academy Head is away all year round is precisely to search for ancient Precious Herbs or capture exotic spirit fish.”
“As a result, the daily cultivation of newcomers in the academy is mostly guided by the senior brothers on his behalf.”
“Junior Brother Shen, if you wish to practice the Sword Dao, you can wait until Senior Brother Wen returns from Guangwu Prefecture before seeking his guidance.”
“First Senior Brother's sword talent is astonishing; he already comprehended sword-glow three years ago. His strength is unmatched in Tingquan, and even those veteran disciples who have reached the Huajin Rank dare not cross paths with him.”
“If you want to learn the Elixir Dao, you can look for Fourth Senior Sister or Fifth Senior Brother. Every seven days, they lecture at the Dharma-Transmission Hall, teaching the fundamentals of identifying herbs and controlling fire.”
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