As on every preceding day, the session of meridian-charging cultivation had been completed without issue. Following this, the nascent Dao Yuan was meticulously guided within the Sky-Reaching Palace, precisely positioning itself, thus bringing him closer to the foundational establishment of his cultivation base.

Upon concluding his meridian-charging, Jiang Wang did not rest. Instead, he settled before his desk, illuminating the workspace with an oil lamp, and began to transcribe the Scripture of Supreme Subtlety and Grand Profundity from the Purple Void.

As they were but two siblings residing in the main house, they had repurposed the south chamber as a study. His senior brethren had long warned him of Xiao Tiemian’s unyielding nature, thus Jiang Wang’s approach to the transcription was earnest and meticulous. The lessons on Dao techniques were of paramount importance; every missed session represented a significant loss. Therefore, Jiang Wang endeavored to transcribe both swiftly and skillfully.

Until…

“Brother, what are you doing?”

Jiang Anan had somehow stealthily entered the study, her dark, limpid eyes wide with curiosity.

“…” Jiang Wang replied, “Practicing calligraphy.”

“Why suddenly practice calligraphy?”

Jiang Wang adopted a serious mien. “As the saying goes, one’s writing reflects one’s character. By observing one’s writing, one can discern sincerity and artifice. Did the masters not teach you this? Practicing calligraphy is very important, Anan must remember to practice often as well.”

“And how much longer must you practice…?”

“…Quite a while.” Jiang Wang said, “You should go to sleep for now.”

“Oh…”

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing…”

Turning to leave the study, Jiang Anan sighed like a little adult.

That grumpy old man, making me transcribe so many words. Now the study is occupied too, where am I supposed to transcribe?

It wasn’t that the study couldn’t accommodate both her and Jiang Wang; rather, she didn’t want her brother to know she had been punished with transcription.

Jiang Anan pondered for a moment, then carried a small stool into the bedroom. She laid out her paper and brush, and then, squatting before the stool, began to transcribe.

“Heaven and Earth, black and yellow; the cosmos, vast and boundless; the sun and moon wax and wane; the stars and constellations array themselves…”

She glanced back at the study. The lamp was still lit. Hmm, continue transcribing…

…

With the moon at its zenith, Jiang Wang rubbed his wrists. He blew on the ink to dry it, extinguished the oil lamp, and rose to return to the bedroom. Even with his physique and speed, he was still far from having transcribed a hundred times, yet at this moment, he had a more important task at hand.

For tonight was the fifteenth of the ninth month, the day of the Blessed Land Challenge in the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm.

When he returned to the bedroom, Anan was already asleep. Jiang Wang tucked her blanket around her and then lay back down on his own bed.

The silver moon mark on his palm appeared, beginning to warm. Jiang Wang closed his eyes, his divine consciousness having entered the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm.

The ink characters on the sundial had changed: The Lord of the Cyan Jade Altar has confirmed the challenge. In one quarter-hour, the challenge will commence.

The master of the Cyan Jade Altar had finally decided to challenge!

Seeing these words, a sense of pressing urgency filled Jiang Wang, yet there was also a sliver of relief, like a boot finally dropping.

On the fifteenth of the eighth month, which had already passed, the master of the Cyan Jade Altar had likewise chosen to forfeit. It seemed the shadow cast by Zuo Guanglie in the preceding days was too heavy. However, this also indicated that in this round of challenges, after numerous forfeitures, the opponent was determined to win.

Jiang Wang did not engage in unnecessary actions. He simply cleared his mind, silently awaiting the appointed time.

When the sundial finally underwent a change, a circular jade-colored stone platform beneath Jiang Wang simultaneously rose. It then lifted Jiang Wang, departing from the Blessed Land of the Cavernous Truth Ruin, and soared into the brilliant star river.

This stone platform was simple in form, lacking any ornamentation, yet it naturally exuded an ancient aura. The surface was scarred and mottled, bearing countless marks of blades, swords, scorching, and charring, imbued with a potent aura of killing intent.

Jiang Wang understood that this was his Sword Debate Platform. Since obtaining the Illusory Key and entering the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm, he had never used the Sword Debate Platform before. Firstly, because he knew that with his current strength, he would likely gain no training effect in the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm save for being utterly defeated. Secondly, because… each activation of the Sword Debate Platform required a consumption of ten points of merit.

Aside from the natural output of the Blessed Land, Jiang Wang could not gain any benefit on the Sword Debate Platform and therefore was reluctant to expend his merit. Especially after experiencing the power of the Violet Qi Coming From the East Sword Art, he understood even more the preciousness of merit.

Before long, Jiang Wang could already see an approaching Sword Debate Platform of the same form emerging from the depths of the star river. A figure in fluttering black robes stood upon it. The two small platforms rapidly accelerated within the star river, colliding with one another.

The two small platforms combined into one large one. Jiang Wang and his opponent stood on either side of the platform. This merged and expanded Sword Debate Platform was no different from before, merely larger. Estimated to be a hundred meters across, Jiang Wang knew this was the true arena of conflict.

Due to the special rules of the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm, Jiang Wang could not clearly see his opponent’s appearance. But he heard his opponent’s voice.

“Since my crushing defeat at your hands last time, for this battle, I have prepared for a full six months!” The master of the Cyan Jade Altar said. “Finally, I have cultivated the incomplete moves of the Nine Nobleman Swords from the ancient era. Please, allow me to present them!”

The Nine Nobleman Swords from the ancient era? It sounded quite powerful… A Confucian disciple?

As Jiang Wang thought this, he had already secretly channeled his true essence, preparing to respond. The true essence consumed in the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm was not real, so he dared to fight with all his might. The Violet Qi Coming From the East Sword Art was originally an extraordinary sword canon, and only when infused with abundant true essence could its power be truly unleashed.

Therefore, what he would reveal next was his strongest state, one never before seen by others.

“The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring!”

Then, Jiang Wang heard the master of the Cyan Jade Altar softly chant this phrase.

And so he saw a sword, a sword that appeared ordinary, utterly unremarkable. It simply moved forward, forward. Ahead lay a mountain, it pierced through the mountain. Ahead lay a river, it severed the river. Ahead lay the vast, boundless sky, it also pierced directly into the sky!

It was indomitable, it was resolute in its advance.

Breaking stones, felling forests, slaying demons, executing evil… this sword struck at everything that obstructed it, no matter what it was!

Jiang Wang still clutched his sword, the accumulated Dao Yuan within the Sky-Reaching Palace boiling and surging. The killing moves of the Violet Qi Coming From the East Sword Art were almost instinctual. But that sword had already pierced his heart.

He had died in battle.

The master of the Cyan Jade Altar stared at the suddenly empty Sword Debate Platform, momentarily stunned. He had considerable confidence in the Nine Nobleman Swords, lost to the river of history, but he also remembered how powerful his opponent was.

Yet this battle was a complete碾压, a sweep.

He had won.

The master of the Cyan Jade Altar, no, now the master of the Cavernous Truth Ruin. The new master of Blessed Land Twenty-Three stood stunned on the Sword Debate Platform, his heart surging.

And Jiang Wang, having been transported down to the Cyan Jade Altar, had by this time accepted the reality of his defeat.

According to the merit production rules of the upper thirty-six Blessed Lands, there was an increment of one hundred points of merit per level. This month, he would only be able to collect 1750 points of merit, a loss of a full one hundred points.

The Blessed Lands in the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm were merely a name, unrelated to the actual Blessed Lands in the real world. Thus, from the Cavernous Truth Ruin to the Cyan Jade Altar, the environment remained unchanged, still an ethereal, dreamy space filled with spiritual energy, even the sundial was the same. The only change was the merit production.

Jiang Wang considered for a moment, then silently summoned the Dao Deduction Platform.

His 1850 points of merit from August remained untouched. Adding the 1750 points of merit produced in September, he had accumulated a total of 3600 points of merit. Jiang Wang invested all of this merit into the Violet Qi Coming From the East Sword Art, initiating the deduction.

The ancient Nine Nobleman Swords had left him profoundly shaken. It was a sword art he was utterly incapable of resisting. He hadn’t even a sliver of a chance, thus he craved a stronger sword canon, even if it meant expending everything he currently possessed.

The jade book on the green bamboo desk underwent a slight transformation, then abruptly stopped. Subsequently, a line of ink characters appeared on the jade book: The current sword art has reached the limit of the first-level Dao Deduction Platform and cannot be further deduced. Remaining merit: 3590 points.

Jiang Wang’s eyelids twitched. This cursed Dao Deduction Platform, it hadn’t completed the deduction, yet it still deducted 10 points of merit!

It turned out that the Dao Deduction Platform’s deduction of cultivation methods and Dao techniques could not be infinitely elevated. There was an inherent foundation and limit. Furthermore, different levels of Dao Deduction Platform could explore different limits.

And the Violet Qi Coming From the East Sword Art was originally a deduction based on worldly martial arts; it had already reached its peak. Unless the Dao Deduction Platform was upgraded, it could not progress further.

Jiang Wang had no stronger techniques on him, nor did he have any desire to step onto the Sword Debate Platform to be abused again. Therefore, he slightly composed himself and exited the Taiyuan Illusionary Realm.

But regardless, he had simply lost 110 points of merit this month.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wang sighed deeply.

“Brother, what are you doing?” Jiang Anan’s voice echoed in the room, sounding very concerned. Who knew if she had woken up in the middle of the night or hadn’t been asleep at all earlier.

Jiang Wang replied irritably, “I’m staying up late. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

In the darkness, Jiang Anan’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Is it delicious?”