Qi Yuan's gaze rested upon Destiny's Guide, his expression calm.
"You're saying the Three Pure Ones Method is on me?" Qi Yuan asked in surprise.
He thought of the Sword of Oblivion. Could the Three Pure Ones Method be within the Sword of Oblivion? He investigated it thoroughly, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
"Destiny's Guide... has settled upon you!" Zhao Jian stared at Qi Yuan, his mind a tangled web of thoughts.
"Yet I don't possess the Three Pure Ones Method," Qi Yuan answered earnestly. He truly had no such thing.
"How could that be?" Zhao Jian felt a twinge of suspicion. Was Qi Yuan holding the Three Pure Ones Method and unwilling to share it? Of course, it was also possible that Destiny's Guide had made an error. Even though Destiny's Guide was created by a Dao Lord, that did not make it infallible.
"Even if it isn't on your person right now, it must share a profound connection with you..." Zhao Jian pressed, his voice taut with urgency and excitement.
If he truly found the Three Pure Ones Method and brought it back to the organization, perhaps several powerhouses capable of surviving the tribulations could emerge among their ranks. That would grant them far more leverage against rival factions, freeing them from their perpetual peril. The Three Pure Ones Method was of paramount importance.
Before coming here, Zhao Jian had never imagined that their group would actually uncover the whereabouts of the Three Pure Ones Method.
"Is that so?" Qi Yuan mused, his thoughts unknown.
Seeing this, Zhao Jian was struck by a thought. "Could it be that Senior does not know the contents of the Three Pure Ones Method, and thus failed to recognize it even if you have encountered it? I possess the opening twelve words of the method right here: *Before heaven and earth took shape, before the sun and moon shone light, there was only one Qi...*"
This was the opening passage of the Three Pure Ones Method.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan felt bewildered.
*Transforming one Qi into the Three Pure Ones? A fellow transmigrator? Or did the Dao Ancestor cross over into this world too?*
"I have never heard of this," Qi Yuan said.
Zhao Jian's heart sank with disappointment. Judging by Qi Yuan's mental state, he did not appear to be lying. Could something truly be wrong with Destiny's Guide? Was it all a mistake? In hindsight, that made sense. If the Three Pure Ones Method truly existed in this world, countless mighty experts would have found it long ago; how could it fall into his lap so easily?
"*Sigh.*" Zhao Jian let out a long sigh, concluding that he had merely become obsessed. After all, when he tried using Destiny's Guide again just now to search for the Three Pure Ones Method, it gave no reaction whatsoever. It had likely been triggered by accident earlier.
"Although I don't possess the Three Pure Ones Method, I'm quite skilled myself. I reckon I can create a Three Pure Ones Method based on this opening," Qi Yuan remarked solemnly, eager to try.
Zhao Jian froze upon hearing those words.
Create a cultivation technique?
At their realm of cultivation, creating an ordinary art was as easy as drinking water. But could the Three Pure Ones Method be compared to ordinary techniques? This was a supreme method capable of weathering the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations! Not even Dao Lords or Dao Gods could forge one from scratch.
Yet recalling Qi Yuan's eccentric state of mind, Zhao Jian could only say, "Then I shall await Senior's good news."
At present, Zhao Jian felt thoroughly crestfallen. It was as if hope had flared up only to plunge into despair; it would have been better had that glimmer of hope never appeared at all.
***
*"Before heaven and earth took shape, before the sun and moon shone light, there was only one Qi..."*
[This is a unique passage of text. Using it as a foundation, countless unique cultivation arts can be created.]
This was the hidden information Qi Yuan's eyes perceived.
A look of delight surfaced on his face.
"Since I haven't obtained the Three Pure Ones Method, why not create one myself... Wouldn't that count just the same?"
Qi Yuan found the logic sound. With his special ability and the opening passage of the Three Pure Ones Method, he could completely fabricate a Three Pure Ones Method to bypass the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations.
"One Qi transforming into Three Pure Ones... three avatars enduring the tribulations in my stead?"
"No, not avatars—the true body itself."
"This is different from the past body and future body of a Yang God in the Immortal Realm."
The Three Calamities and Three Tribulations targeted the true body; no matter how many avatars one had, none could take the fall.
"Still, the hidden information I see each day differs. Creating the Three Pure Ones Method won't be easy," Qi Yuan mused.
He remained in the dark regarding the specifics of the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations. However, he had grasped the ultimate purpose of the Three Pure Ones Method. With the intended outcome and the opening lines in hand, all he needed to do was fill in the intermediate steps.
Though this path was fraught with thorns and would consume immense time, giving this task to Emperor God without the ability to exploit hidden information would likely result in failure across a lifetime. Even for Qi Yuan, concocting the Three Pure Ones Method presented immense hurdles.
"I understand what I'm missing!"
"What I'm missing is... devising a detailed and rational plan."
"Without a plan, without an outline, whatever one attempts will end in failure."
With that realization, Qi Yuan felt the creation of the Three Pure Ones Method become simple again, no longer an insurmountable task. He had a plan now. If the plan failed, it simply meant the game wasn't showing him any respect.
"Step one of the plan: find a place where time flows rapidly."
"Step two of the plan: observe the opening of the Three Pure Ones Method each day and craft the subsequent sections."
"Step three of the plan: successfully create it."
"Indeed, once a plan is established, my sense of security is maxed out."
"No wonder so many people in this world always fail at what they do. It's because they don't formulate a detailed plan like I do."
***
No sooner said than done.
Over the following days, Qi Yuan spent some divine crystals in Myriad Gods Mountain, borrowed another portion from God Lord Heitian, and exchanged them for the qualification to enter the Mihua Void Realm.
A single day in the mortal world amounted to a thousand years in the Mihua Void Realm.
Each day, Qi Yuan glanced at the opening of the Three Pure Ones Method, deciphered the hidden information, and continued his deductions.
Time slipped by swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, a century had passed in the mortal world. Inside the Mihua Void Realm, an untold amount of time had elapsed.
Qi Yuan opened his eyes, a momentary daze flickering within them.
"The Three Pure Ones Method... has it finally been created?"
[This is the Three Pure Ones Method, created by you. Perhaps... it can be used to bypass the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations.]
Looking at the technique he had forged, he felt a flicker of hesitation.
"The so-called Three Pure Ones Method splits out three of me... No, more accurately, it splits out one of me... who will grow up, and then... perish while crossing the tribulation."
Rather than transforming one Qi into Three Pure Ones, it was more accurate to say that this cultivation art required Qi Yuan to shed everything and become a brand-new self. This self would grow, become powerful, and eventually die enduring the tribulation.
After the first self died, a second self would appear; after the second self died, a third would emerge. Only after the third self perished would the true Qi Yuan reappear to face a vastly weakened version of the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations.
"Quite interesting."
When creating this Three Pure Ones Method, Qi Yuan had drawn reference from a Yang God's past body, present body, and future body.
"So, the first life of my Three Pure Ones Method... resides in the past?"
The second life in the present, and the third... in the future.
"So... should I begin utilizing the Three Pure Ones Method... to evade the calamity?"
Qi Yuan hesitated. Once the Three Pure Ones Method was activated, it could not be halted. Only three deaths could bring about his return. Furthermore, this was no avatar, but his true body. The true body would be stripped of everything.
"My special abilities, my divine powers, my skills... all of them will be gone. Can I still reach the other shore?"
None of that was the core issue, however.
"Most importantly, the brilliant brain I rely on to survive will be gone too."
Qi Yuan felt deeply conflicted. He had always made his living through pure intellect. What if his first incarnation turned out to be an idiot?
"Whatever. In any case, after dying three times, I'll return. If it fails, it fails; it's not like I'll lose anything."
Thinking this way, Qi Yuan felt it was no big deal after all. Without his brilliant brain, at worst, it was like disconnecting from a game and letting an AI take over. Once the AI died three times, he would be back.
Thus, Qi Yuan returned to Myriad Gods Mountain, traveled to the Abandoned Lands, and even returned to the Immortal Realm to make various arrangements. After all, he also wished to see what scenery the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations held. He wanted to see what lay beyond a Dao Lord.
A year drifted by.
His preparations complete, Qi Yuan stayed in the Abandoned Lands, his gaze profound.
"In that case... let the Three Pure Ones Method begin. The first time... the past."
Following Qi Yuan's words, his body dispersed.
From that moment on, Qi Yuan's figure vanished from this world.
***
Yunmeng Mountain rose a hundred thousand light-years high. Countless living beings inhabited this mountain, filled with diverse spectacles, ancient ruins, and innumerable burgeoning civilizations.
At the foot of Yunmeng Mountain, lightning crackled and thunder rumbled across Feilai Kingdom.
Inside the Marquis Manor, a crowd of servants was racked with anxiety as agonizing wails from a woman echoed from within the chambers. Outside the room, a middle-aged man paced incessantly, his face etched with worry.
The wind blew harder, and the rain grew heavier.
Outside the Marquis Manor, thirty-seven men clad in black stood with blades and swords drawn, murderous intent radiating from their faces. Today, they had received orders to slaughter everyone in the Marquis Manor down to the last soul. Each harbored lethal intent, and their auras were beyond anything the mere mortals within the estate could match.
Right at that moment, an infant's cry suddenly rang out, and joy broke across the Marquis Manor.
A bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens.
A notification chime sounded at that very instant.
[On this day, you were born. A heavenly anomaly manifested, and thirty-seven villains were struck down and slain by heavenly thunder. You helped the Marquis Manor avert a total slaughter.]
Time passed in a blur, and the young master of the Marquis Manor grew up.
He was no different from other children. His aptitude was mediocre, his skeletal structure ordinary; only his background was illustrious, and his appearance outstanding. The heavenly anomaly that had accompanied his birth was gradually forgotten. As for the thirty-seven brigands slain by lightning, the lord of the Marquis Manor had investigated for a long time without uncovering any clues, eventually ordering everyone to keep silent. From that day onward, a faint, hidden worry lingered on the Marquis's brow.
Five years later, another child joined the Marquis Manor. The young master gained a younger sister.
Life was blissful, tinged with a touch of youthful indulgence, filled with laughter and song.
Yet this tranquil happiness was destined to shatter.
[Though born with divine grace, you ultimately lapsed into mediocrity. When newly born, an anomaly descended, slaying thirty-seven villains and saving the Marquis Manor. But this time, you were no different from an ordinary mortal. Clutched in hand was an iron sword as you watched helplessly while your parents died horrific deaths, your servants were wiped out, and the maidservant who doted on you most—the young girl who dreamed of warming your bed—died right before your eyes.]
The rain fell ceaselessly, a soft drizzle that nevertheless could not extinguish the raging inferno consuming the Marquis Manor.
By the lakeshore, shadows of trees swayed heavily.
The youth was covered in blood, his eyes brimming with tears and exhaustion. Gripping his sword, his breath was as faint as a wisp of thread. He felt profound hatred—hatred for his own weakness, hatred for his mediocre aptitude, and hatred that only he had survived.
"No... there's still Little Sister!"
A fierce will to live flared in the youth's eyes.
Yet... vengeance? How could he seek vengeance? Surviving alone was already an ordeal.
Just then, a dark shadow abruptly appeared beside the youth.
"Do you seek vengeance?"
The youth looked around in haste, yet he saw nothing at all—the dark shadow was nowhere to be seen.
"I do!"
"Even if it costs you everything?" the shadow asked.
The youth nodded, vivid memories of his family's brutal deaths flashing through his mind. "Yes! Even if I must fall into becoming a demon or a disciple of an evil god, I am willing!"
"Good." The dark shadow seemed to chuckle. "In that case, I want all your emotions. In exchange, I shall grant you... the world's supreme swordsmanship talent."
At that moment, the youth hesitated.
Without emotions, if he became a powerhouse, wouldn't he be capable of killing anyone apart from his targets of revenge? What if he killed his sister?
"Naturally... I am not so heartless as to forge you into an unthinking god of slaughter. How about this: you may retain three things, or rather... three sentences. For instance... just like in those storybooks, that you will not harm your little sister." The shadow chuckled, though its tone held a trace of mockery.
The youth's expression grew solemn. In the end, he gritted his teeth and spoke the first sentence.
His sister was his only remaining family. No matter what, he would never harm her.
"And the second sentence?" the shadow laughed.
"I... must survive, grow strong, and exact vengeance," the youth said.
Losing all emotions, including desires, meant that even with the world's foremost swordsmanship talent, he might not bother cultivating. As for whether the entity was deceiving or mocking him, did that even matter?
"And the third?"
"I..." The youth hesitated, at a loss for what the third sentence should be.
Wealth? Carrying on the bloodline? Revitalizing the Marquis Manor? Or...
Just then, struck by an inexplicable impulse, he uttered as if possessed:
"I will forever abide by the Lawful Good creed and protect the world."
This youth had not been completely blinded by hatred and slaughter. Perhaps this was rooted in his childhood.
"Very well. The bargain is struck."
With those words, the dark shadow vanished without a trace.
Lying in the lake water, the youth felt as though it had all been a dream. Yet as his hand closed around a floating reed stem in the water, he sensed that the entire world had changed.
"From this day forth, in this world, there is no longer... there is only the Sword Disciple."
The moment he gripped the sword, the Sword Disciple lost all emotion.
He could not feel the chill of the lake water. The gruesome deaths of his parents and the slaughter of his clan appeared merely like cold, distant images. He felt neither hunger nor pain, lacking even the burning desire for revenge or curiosity. What sustained him... were solely those three sentences.
They would become his entire existence.
From then on, an expressionless Sword Disciple appeared in Feilai Kingdom. None knew his identity, none knew what he truly pursued, and none knew his weaknesses.
They only knew that he was a true swordsmanship genius.
Carrying an iron sword, he traveled three thousand li.
Seeing two armies slaughtering each other in a canyon, he comprehended the Seven Kills Sword Technique.
Seeing a powerhouse cleave the sky with a single strike, he comprehended the Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique.
Seeing flowers bloom and wither, he comprehended the Samsara Sword Technique.
All things under heaven became the sword.
Chapter 609