Chapter 32: Meeting in the Sea of Stars

Just like every day before, I smoothly completed the Chongmai (Meridian Clearing) practice, and then urged the newborn Dao Yuan (Source of Dao) to align itself in the Tongtian Palace (a region in the body), bringing me one step closer to laying the foundation (for cultivation).

After finishing the Chongmai practice, Jiang Wang did not rest, but sat at his desk under the oil lamp and began transcribing the "Supreme Scripture of Purple Emptiness and Profound Subtlety."

Because only the two siblings lived here, they lived in the main house, so they directly used the south room as a study.

The senior brothers had long reminded him of Xiao Tiemian's (Iron Face) unapproachability, so Jiang Wang's attitude in transcribing was very correct, meticulous. The importance of the courses teaching Daoist techniques need not be said, losing even one class would be a huge loss. So Jiang Wang tried to copy as quickly and well as possible.

Until...

"Brother, what are you doing?"

Jiang An'an didn't know when she had sneaked into the study, and was staring with her big, bright eyes, full of curiosity.

"..." Jiang Wang said, "Practicing calligraphy."

"Why do you suddenly want to practice calligraphy?"

Jiang Wang said solemnly, "As the saying goes, 'Calligraphy reflects the person.' By observing a person's calligraphy, one can know their sincerity and falsehood. The teachers have all taught this, right? Practicing calligraphy is very important, An'an must also remember to practice more."

"Then how long do I have to practice..."

"...A long time," Jiang Wang said, "You should go to sleep first."

"Oh..."

"What's wrong? Is there something?"

"No, nothing..."

Turning around and leaving the study, Jiang An'an sighed like a little adult.

"Stinky old man, he punished me to copy so many characters. Now the study is also occupied, where am I going to copy?"

It's not that the study couldn't accommodate her and Jiang Wang, it's just that she didn't want her brother to know that she had been punished to copy.

Jiang An'an thought for a while, moved a small stool to the bedroom, spread out the paper and pen, and squatted in front of the stool to start copying.

"Heaven and earth were born, the universe was formed, the sun and moon wane, the stars are arrayed..."

She turned her head to look at the study, the light was still on, um, continue copying...

……

The moon was high in the sky, Jiang Wang rubbed his wrist, blew the ink dry, extinguished the oil lamp, and got up to return to the bedroom. Even with his physical strength and speed, he was still far from copying a hundred times, but at this moment he had more important things to do.

Because tonight was September 15th, the day for the blessed land challenge in the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void.

When he returned to the bedroom, An'an had already fallen asleep, Jiang Wang tucked her in, and then lay back on his own bed.

The silver moon mark on his palm appeared and began to heat up. Jiang Wang closed his eyes, his divine consciousness already entering the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void.

The ink characters on the sundial had changed: "The master of the Azure Jade Altar has decided to challenge. The challenge will begin in a quarter of an hour."

The master of the Azure Jade Altar has finally decided to challenge!

Seeing this line of words, Jiang Wang felt a sense of urgency, but also a sense of relief that the shoe had finally dropped.

On the previous August 15th, the master of the Azure Jade Altar also chose to abstain. It seems that in the past few days, Zuo Guanglie had left too much of a shadow on him. But this also shows that after abstaining many times, the opponent is determined to win this round of challenges.

Jiang Wang didn't do anything extra, just cleared his mind and waited silently for the time to come.

When the sundial finally changed, a circular jade-colored stone platform rose beneath Jiang Wang, and then carried Jiang Wang away from the blessed land of Dongzhen Ruins, flying into the brilliant galaxy.

This stone platform had a simple shape and no decoration, but it naturally exuded an ancient aura. The surface of the platform was mottled with traces, knife marks, sword marks, burn marks, scorch marks... countless, and it also had a strong aura of killing.

Jiang Wang understood that this was his Sword Debate Platform. Since obtaining the Void Key and entering the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void, he had never used the Sword Debate Platform. One reason was that he knew that with his strength, he would probably only be killed in the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void and would have no training effect at all. The second reason... was that each time he activated the Sword Debate Platform, it would cost ten points of merit.

Apart from the natural production of the blessed land, Jiang Wang could not obtain any benefits on the Sword Debate Platform, so he was even more reluctant to consume it. Especially after experiencing the power of the Purple Qi Comes East Sword Art, he knew the value of merit even more.

Before long, Jiang Wang could see another Sword Debate Platform of the same shape flying towards him from the depths of the galaxy, with a black-clad figure standing on it. The two Sword Debate Platforms accelerated instantly in the galaxy and collided.

The two small platforms merged into one large platform. Jiang Wang and his opponent stood on either side of the Sword Debate Platform. There was no difference between the merged and expanded Sword Debate Platform and the previous one, except for the size. It was estimated to be a hundred meters in radius, and Jiang Wang knew that this was the real fighting arena.

Due to the special rules of the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void, Jiang Wang could not see his opponent's appearance clearly. But he heard his opponent's voice.

"Since my last defeat at your hands, I have been preparing for this battle for a whole half year!" The master of the Azure Jade Altar said, "I have finally cultivated a remnant of the Gentleman's Nine Swords from ancient times. Please try it!"

The Gentleman's Nine Swords from ancient times? Sounds very powerful... A Confucian disciple?

Jiang Wang thought this, already secretly mobilizing his True Essence, preparing to respond. The True Essence consumed in the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void is not real, so he dared to fight with all his strength. The Purple Qi Comes East Sword Art is an extraordinary sword classic, and only with the infusion of abundant True Essence can it truly exert its power.

Therefore, he would show his strongest state, never seen before.

"As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman strives for self-improvement!"

Then, Jiang Wang heard the master of the Azure Jade Altar chant this lightly.

Then he saw a sword, an ordinary-looking sword with no special characteristics. It just moved forward, forward. If there was a mountain in front, it pierced through the mountain. If there was a river in front, it cut off the river. If there was a vast sky in front, it also pierced the sky!

It was indomitable, it was unstoppable.

Breaking rocks, felling trees, slaying demons, vanquishing evil... This sword pierced through all things that hindered it, no matter what it was!

Jiang Wang was still holding his sword, the Dao Yuan accumulated in the Tongtian Palace was boiling and surging, and the killing techniques of the Purple Qi Comes East Sword Art had almost been integrated into his instinct. But that sword had already pierced his heart.

He had died in battle.

The master of the Azure Jade Altar looked at the suddenly empty Sword Debate Platform and was stunned. He had considerable confidence in the Gentleman's Nine Swords lost in the river of history, but he also remembered how powerful his opponent was.

But this battle was a complete crush, a sweep.

He had won.

The master of the Azure Jade Altar, no, now the master of the Dongzhen Ruins. The new master of the twenty-third blessed land, stood on the Sword Debate Platform, his heart surging.

And Jiang Wang, who had been relegated to the Azure Jade Altar, had already accepted the fact of his defeat.

According to the rules of merit production for the thirty-six blessed lands, each level increases by one hundred points of merit. This month he would only harvest 1750 points of merit, a full hundred points less.

The blessed land in the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void is just a title and has nothing to do with the real blessed land in the real world. Therefore, from Dongzhen Ruins to Azure Jade Altar, the environment has not changed, it is still a dreamy space filled with immortal energy, even the sundial is the same. The only thing that has changed is the production of merit.

Jiang Wang thought for a while and silently summoned the Dao Evolution Platform.

His 1850 points of merit from August were untouched, plus the 1750 points of merit produced in September, for a total accumulation of 3600 points of merit. Jiang Wang invested all these merits into the Purple Qi Comes East Sword Art and started the derivation.

The shock that the ancient Gentleman's Nine Swords brought him was too great, it was a sword technique that he could not resist at all. He didn't have even a trace of a chance, so he needed a stronger sword classic. Even if it meant exhausting all his current resources.

The jade book on the green bamboo desk changed slightly, then suddenly stopped. Then a line of ink characters appeared on the jade book: "The current sword art has reached the limit of the first level Dao Evolution Platform and cannot be derived." Remaining merit: 3590 points.

Jiang Wang's eyelids twitched. This broken Dao Evolution Platform didn't complete the derivation, but it still deducted 10 points of merit!

It turned out that the Dao Evolution Platform's derivation of cultivation methods and techniques could not be infinitely elevated, but had its own inherent foundation and limits. And different levels of Dao Evolution Platforms can explore different limits.

The Purple Qi Comes East Sword Art was originally derived based on secular martial arts, and it had reached its peak. Unless the Dao Evolution Platform was upgraded, it could not be further improved.

Jiang Wang had no stronger moves on him, and he had no intention of going to the Sword Debate Platform to be abused again, so he slightly adjusted his mood and exited the Illusory Realm of Supreme Void.

But no matter what, he had lost 110 points of merit for nothing this month.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wang sighed deeply.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Jiang An'an's voice sounded in the room, sounding very concerned. It was unclear if she had woken up in the middle of the night, or if she hadn't been asleep at all.

Jiang Wang said unhappily, "I'm staying up late, I'll call you when it's done."

In the darkness, Jiang An'an's eyes lit up, "Is it delicious?"