Chapter 66: The Sword Draws the Attention of Experts

Wang Sheng had proven himself to be quite a responsible senior brother. Late at night, he even went down the mountain to buy two mosquito nets and hung them up for his senior and junior sisters.

In the past, when it was just him and his senior sister, Wang Sheng slept in the inner room. But now that Chi Wen was staying with them, he felt it inappropriate to share a room with them. Hence, he instead took a meditation cushion and went to sit by the courtyard gate, cultivating through the night.

Meditation could replace sleep, and besides, Wang Sheng was also concerned about Chi Wen trying to sneak away in the middle of the night.

Having gone down the mountain twice in a row, his cultivation had indeed been somewhat affected. Previously, he had already touched the threshold of the Seed Formation Realm, but now, after spending an entire night, he barely managed to regain the state of comprehension that he had experienced at the Li residence.

Upon entering the Seed Formation Realm, cultivators would begin forming their Dao Seed.

The main goal of cultivating the Dao was to attain unity with the heavens and merge with the Dao, However, that was an advanced realm, not something that could be reached through a few mere moments of enlightenment.

At the Breath Condensation Realm, cultivators would begin absorbing primal qi from the heavens and the earth. They would then refine it through their respective mental cultivation methods to transform it into their true essence.

Upon reaching the Spirit Convergence Realm, they’d start perceiving and comprehending the world and nature with their spiritual consciousness. They could also seek traces of the Dao within the vast expanse, initiating a preliminary fusion with the world.

However, disregarding bottlenecks and the limits of one’s potential, if their true essence and spiritual consciousness continued to grow without restraint, they would ultimately integrate completely into the heavens and the earth, return to dust, and dissolve into the primal qi of heaven and earth—all against their will.

Thus, that could not be considered as completing one’s Foundation Establishment.

Cultivators pursued the Dao and sought to comprehend nature, but their fundamental goal was to elevate themselves while striving for transcendence and ascension.

Therefore, forming a Dao Seed was about mastering the connection between oneself and the world—merging with it when necessary and severing that connection at will. That was the significance of the Seed Formation Realm.

A Dao Seed was merely a conceptual term. Cultivators did not form literal seeds in their bodies. Rather, it referred to their Daoist form achieving a complete internal cycle.

Before reaching the Seed Formation Realm, Wang Sheng had to absorb primal qi through the acupoints in his body. After stepping into the realm, his internal and external energy cycles became connected, allowing him to draw primal qi directly from the world itself.

A cultivator at the Breath Condensation Realm could absorb primal qi as if sipping from a small cup, whereas one at the Spirit Convergence Realm would absorb it like drinking from a large bowl. In comparison, a cultivator at the Seed Formation Realm could bathe themselves in a vat of primal qi, absorbing it through every part of their being.

Wang Sheng's goal now was to achieve a perfect, seamless internal circulation.

The Pure Yang Immortal Incantation contained four verses that corresponded to this realm.

The mysterious yin conceals and nurtures.

Movement and stillness flow naturally.

The immortal veins are sealed.

Fasting returns to the source.

In simple terms, it repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining a Pure Yang Physique.

For someone like Wang Sheng, who had started cultivating upon regression and had nurtured his Yang qi for four years, reaching the Seed Formation Realm was certainly relatively easier. Perfecting it was more achievable as well.

On the other hand, someone like Shi Qianzhang, who frequented massage parlors and foot spas, would find this realm to be a major hurdle.

Somewhere in the distance, a rooster's crow shattered the silence, waking Wang Sheng from his meditation.

He opened his eyes to a bright and clear world. The sun rose between the mountains, and clouds drifted freely across the sky.

With a sweep of his spiritual consciousness, Wang Sheng sensed his senior sister meditating on the earthen bed, while Chi Wen remained sound asleep within the mosquito net.

He moved quietly back inside to retrieve a Daoist robe, changed out of his shorts into his training attire, and then left the room. He shut the courtyard gate behind him carefully and made his way to the Purple Cloud Temple to collect breakfast.

In the small courtyard, one could dress casually, but when moving about the mountain, it was important to maintain proper etiquette—he did not want to bring shame to his master.

As anticipating Wang Sheng's return, Zhou Yinglong was already waiting for him at the dining hall. The moment he saw Wang Sheng, he immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Good morning, Junior Brother Wang."

Wang Sheng was slightly puzzled. Zhou Yinglong had never seemed this enthusiastic before. Could he be interested in his junior sister?

"Good morning, Senior Brother Zhou," Wang Sheng replied with a smile. Seeing Zhou Yinglong hesitate to speak, he asked, "Is something troubling you?"

Zhou Yinglong cleared his throat, glanced around, and lowered his voice. "I thought about it all night and finally understood the principle of 'those who excel should lead.' Junior Brother Wang, let me ask you seriously. Would you be willing to guide me in my cultivation of the Dao of the Sword?"

Wang Sheng blinked and hesitated for a moment.

Zhou Yinglong quickly added, "I won't take up too much of your time. Just let me know whenever you're practicing swordsmanship, and I'll come observe."

Wang Sheng smiled. "There's no need for that, Senior Brother. Let’s agree on a time and spar every other day instead."

Having someone to practice swords with would be beneficial for them both.

Zhou Yinglong immediately agreed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He even enthusiastically offered to buy breakfast, only to awkwardly remember that meals at the Purple Cloud Temple were now provided for free.

Wang Sheng grabbed two bowls of porridge and several vegetarian buns. He then leisurely made his way back to the courtyard.

By then, Chi Wen had already woken up. After sleeping from eight or nine o'clock the previous night until morning, she looked much more refreshed. She stood at the doorway in her nightgown, curiously eyeing Wang Sheng, who was now dressed in his Daoist robes.

"Senior Sister, Junior Sister, come eat," Wang Sheng called out as a faint fragrance drifted in the air.

His senior sister walked out of the makeshift bathroom in the corner of the yard, drying her damp hair while humming a little tune. The moment she saw breakfast, she smiled in delight.

A life where one could eat without having to cook—now that was happiness.

Chi Wen stood before them with her lips pressed together. Her long hair was a bit messy, and her face looked somewhat pale.

"Come and eat something. The food on the mountain is light and clean, so it won't accumulate too much grease and impurities," Wang Sheng insisted. "It is beneficial for the early stages of cultivation."

Mu Wanxuan was much more direct. She walked over and pulled her junior sister out, then sat her at the low table.

Wang Sheng smiled and walked to the courtyard gate to meditate. Just as he entered a meditative state, he heard Chi Wen sobbing in the house.

"Senior sister, I..."

"

Mm?

"

Though feeling a bit helpless, Mu Wanxuan still tried to comfort her patiently. Wang Sheng didn't interfere, letting things take their course instead of forcing anything.

Wang Sheng spent another day in meditation and comprehension, gradually grasping the key to forming an internal circulation. Meanwhile, Mu Wanxuan spent her time cooking and washing clothes for her junior sister, even taking Chi Wen for a walk around the area to help her clear her mind.

Mu Wanxuan was gentle by nature. Even though she knew her junior sister was burdened with guilt, she still hoped that she would pull herself together soon.

In the evening, Wang Sheng stood up and placed Abyss Listener in front of him for a moment. He then drew it and began practicing a swift sword technique. Only when the stars filled the sky did he stop.

Standing still, he carefully tried to sense something. The feeling he had was quite profound. Everything coexisted with him yet remained separate; the world existed alongside him but did not share his emotions.

With a casual flick of his sword, a streak of sword energy shot out, severing a tree branch dozens of meters away.

He seemed to have understood the path that he had to take and found the right state to reach the Seed Formation Realm. Now, all he had to do was refine his realization and cautiously take a step forward.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent Abyss Listener into its scabbard, which was a few meters away. He then heard a round of applause behind him.

Wang Sheng turned around, finding his senior sister and junior sister sitting side by side at the courtyard gate. Chi Wen looked quite amazed.

He approached with his hands behind his back. Smiling, he asked, "Feeling a bit better?"

Chi Wen's expression darkened slightly, but instead of ignoring him, she nodded. "

Mm.

"

"Has our senior sister shown you where Master stays?" Wang Sheng pointed to the side room. "He’s currently in seclusion to break through to the next realm. We're not sure when he will return, so just stay here with peace of mind for now. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me. There's no need to be polite."

Chi Wen bit her lip, and tears streamed down her face once again. Mu Wanxuan, who was standing beside her, looked flustered and unsure of what to do.

Wang Sheng exchanged glances with Mu Wanxuan, traces of helplessness flashing in their eyes.

They could only take things slowly. Having encountered a major setback in life, Chi Wen needed time to move forward on her own.

***

The next day, Zhou Yinglong came over to spar. He had taken the trouble to put on a silk Daoist robe and tie his hair up with a Daoist headband. In his hand was an ancient sword, emitting a faint spiritual glow.

Wang Sheng changed into his training attire and then tossed a wooden sword to Zhou Yinglong. "We're only sparring using sword techniques, so don’t infuse true essence into that sword. If you break it, you'll have to carve another one yourself."

"Alright." Smiling, Zhou Yinglong quickly assumed a stance and locked his gaze on Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng remained relaxed, treating this purely as an exchange of sword techniques.

His Seven-Star Sword Formation focused on variations and entrapment, while Zhou Yinglong's Taiyi Golden Immortal Sword Art emphasized precision and refinement.

With a low shout, Zhou Yinglong lunged forward and opened with a technique called Moon-Gazing Immortal.

Wang Sheng slowed his Seven-Star Footwork and met the technique head-on. As he swung his wooden sword, sword phantasms followed, countering Zhou Yinglong's attacks one by one.

Right in front of the courtyard gate, the two clashed repeatedly, their swords rising and falling. Whenever a particularly intricate move was executed, two distinct sword intents would collide against each other—one clear, one obscure.

While analyzing the Taiyi Golden Immortal Sword Art, Wang Sheng reciprocated the gesture by using his sword intent as a whetstone to help Zhou Yinglong refine his.

Before long, the commotion drew Chi Wen's attention. She stood at the doorway, staring blankly at the two. As she watched, tears welled up in her eyes again.

Inside the main house, Mu Wanxuan, who had been meditating on the bed, could only sigh and smile wryly. Her junior sister was such a crybaby that it was giving her a headache.

After half an hour of sparring, Zhou Yinglong began to struggle. He eventually backed off and sat down to reflect on his insights. He quickly closed his eyes and immersed himself in contemplation.

Still wielding his sword, Wang Sheng stood still and also closed his eyes, mentally replaying an entire sequence of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Sword Art. He compared its techniques to the Seven-Star Sword Formation, making him feel as though his understanding of the Dao of the Sword was broadening further.

Eventually, he sat down to meditate, feeling himself closing in on the completion of his internal circulation. He could not even notice that Zhou Yinglong had left; his departure was the last thing on his mind.

***

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Two days later, Zhou Yinglong brought Wang Sheng a surprise—one that did not involve joyous pulses[1].

Zhou Yinglong guided over a Daoist master who had come to spar with Wang Sheng in the Dao of the Sword. Upon meeting him, Wang Sheng immediately realized that the Daoist master was the expert whom he had once hoped to apprentice for when he first arrived at the Wudang Mountains.

Gao Shixing, a man with Wudang's Daoist lineage.

Wang Sheng didn’t find it a pity, though. If he had truly succeeded in becoming Gao Shixing’s disciple back then, he would have missed the chance to follow Qing Yanzi.

That was how life worked.

Gains and losses—how else could one describe it but as a marvel?

1. the pulse or heartbeat that appears around the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy ☜