Zhou Wuji's White Rainbow Sword was peerlessly sharp, and having brought the Xiaoxiang Sword to perfection, his Descending Goose Sword was truly as swift as lightning.
Even if the malevolent spirit had been on guard, avoiding the strike would have been nearly impossible, let alone caught unawares.
Having landed the blow, Zhou Wuji unleashed the blazing Sunset Sword without pause, utterly annihilating the fiend.
In a single exchange, the creature shattered into countless fragments, dead beyond all doubt.
The Daoists present were all at least of Rank Seven and sword cultivators of the Yuheng lineage, so they naturally recognized the sheer brilliance of Zhou Wuji's two strikes.
The first strike in particular had seemed like a god working a miracle, descending without the slightest warning yet striking as fast as lightning.
Every one of them took great pride in their swordsmanship, yet each knew deep down that they could never have dodged that blow.
Which meant that had they crossed swords with Zhou Wuji, they would have died the moment he drew his blade.
As the realization sank in, the Daoists' initial shock gave way to chilling dread.
Wu Leng's bright eyes were likewise filled with astonishment. Better than the others, she saw just how terrifying Zhou Wuji's strike had been—fast to the absolute extreme, with qi and sword acting as one and a sword intent of purest concentration.
Even with her abilities, she could not claim she would have parried it, even fully prepared.
She had heard her grandmaster mention that Zhou Wuji had already reached Rank Six. Yet she had never imagined his swordsmanship had attained such an exquisite realm, surpassing hers by far.
The shattered remains of the fiend strewn across the ground slowly converged and merged, coalescing into a murky, crimson bead the size of a peanut.
Though somewhat cloudy, millions of tiny, needle-fine runes writhed within its depths.
Zhou Wuji glanced at the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and confirmed the fiend was dead, convertible into five liang and three qian of Primordial Profound Essence.
He already held four strands of Primordial Profound Essence in hand, but not daring to use them just yet, he could only store them away for the time being.
As for the bead left behind by the fiend, he had no idea what it was.
When malevolent spirits and demon-ghosts perished, they sometimes condensed crystal cores. These served as central conduits through which they circulated heaven and earth's spiritual qi, and under certain conditions, they manifested into physical substance.
Yet this bead actually contained all manner of runes. It looked like a magic implement crafted by someone's hand.
Just then, Zhou Wuji sensed a gaze watching him from afar.
He cast his Heart Mirror to reflect the surroundings, but found no trace of the observer.
The presence felt cold and sinister—unmistakably a demonic cultivator, and very likely Xue Ying of the Heavenly Ghost Sect.
He had only detected the aura because having formed his Sword Heart, its synergy with his Heart Mirror made his senses extraordinarily sharp.
Unfortunately, the distance was too great for the Heart Mirror to pinpoint their location.
Though the technique of using the Northern Dipper as eyes was powerful, it consumed true qi far too heavily to conduct a broad search.
Keeping his expression entirely composed, Zhou Wuji casually sheathed his sword, clasped his hands toward Wu Leng with a smile, and said, "I merely seized the opening and took advantage of the moment. Please don't take offense, Junior Sister."
Hearing the address "Junior Sister" again, Wu Leng no longer found it grating. Lacking his skill, she had no ground to object.
Still, she felt uncomfortable at heart. Zhou Wuji was clearly a disciple of the Tianshu lineage; how could his swordsmanship be so transcendent? Even after devoting herself exclusively to the sword, she could not measure up to him.
Yet the gap between them was undeniable, and she had to admit it.
Wu Leng returned the bow with solemn earnestness. "Senior Brother Wuji's swordsmanship is sublime. I am far outmatched. You have my respect."
"Junior Sister, your Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword is profound and elusive. If I am not mistaken, that routine must be the Yaoguang Sword. Impressive indeed."
Zhou Wuji made no effort to conceal his admiration. Though he knew little of the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword, observing the momentum and shifts in her sword intent told him it had to be the Yaoguang Sword.
It could only be said that Wu Leng's attainment was still shallow. By conventional tiers, her mastery of the art was barely at the proficient level, yet it had already displayed such might, attesting to the Yaoguang Sword's formidable nature.
As strong as the Xiaoxiang Sword was, it had reached its ceiling.
In terms of sheer grade, the Xiaoxiang Sword was not even qualified to compare with the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword...
Zhihe arrived as well. Gazing at the crimson bead on the ground, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Zhou Wuji clasped his hands in greeting. "Abbot, this was left behind by the fiend. Do you know its origin?"
Zhihe swept his sleeve to collect the bead, holding it up to examine closely for a moment, yet he failed to recognize the runes inside.
Only four lineages of runes were passed down in the Daoist sects today, alongside several types circulating in Buddhism.
Beyond those, numerous ancient runes had survived from antiquity.
Take the Serpent-Insect Seal Script, for example: originally designed to express the transformations of heaven and earth through snakes and insects, it later became runes exclusive to witchcraft.
Zhihe had limited knowledge of runes and could not even fully identify all four lineages taught in Daoism.
Yet he was certain the runes condensed within the bead were exceedingly peculiar, distinct from those used by any contemporary school.
"If this fiend was left behind by a cultivator, things become rather complicated..."
A cultivator would not leave a malevolent spirit behind without reason. Most likely, some treasure lay buried underground, or a subterranean cave dwelling, or perhaps something else entirely.
Slaying this fiend was not the end; rather, it might invite even greater trouble!
Zhihe sighed inwardly, though his face remained impassive. Turning to Zhou Wuji, he said, "You did well."
He then turned to Wu Leng and the others. "You have all worked hard. Wait a few more days until the pit is completely flooded with water, and then we will return to the Lower Court."
Normally, dispatching the fiend would have settled the matter. However, to avert further incidents, filling the massive pit with water was the prudent choice.
Filling the pit was easy, but pumping the water back out would be difficult.
Whatever lay beneath, submerging it under water would suppress it for now.
The Daoists bowed in unison, looking noticeably relieved. This grueling assignment was finally drawing to a close...
After giving a few more instructions, Zhihe returned to his tent.
To his surprise, Zhou Wuji followed right behind him.
Zhihe could not help but chuckle. "Transmitting secret arts is no small matter. We must return to the Lower Court, swear an oath before the statue of the Northern Emperor, and prepare the proper rituals.
"Besides, we must at least wait until the scripture debate concludes. Do not be in such a hurry."
"Abbot, while I am eager to learn the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps, I came for another matter."
Zhou Wuji came straight to the point: "Just now, I felt someone watching from afar. The aura was dark and sinister—almost certainly a demonic cultivator."
"Oh?"
Zhihe was slightly surprised. With him and the Lower Court disciples setting up an altar here to subdue the evil entity, a demonic cultivator still dared to lurk nearby?
"Are you certain?"
"Certain," Zhou Wuji nodded with firm conviction.
He had long known Xue Ying of the Heavenly Ghost Sect was in Wu Family Village, but having never caught her scent before, he had refrained from speaking out.
Now that he had detected her trace, he naturally had to inform Zhihe to prevent any mishaps.
Zhihe let out a helpless sigh. "These demonic cultivators truly never rest. I understand. Be careful once you return to your tent..."
Zhihe offered a few words of caution. Over these past days together, he had found Zhou Wuji remarkably clever and capable.
Setting aside his swordsmanship, his competence in handling affairs far outstripped that of his own disciples.
It was only a pity that Zhou Wuji did not belong to the Yuheng lineage. He could look after the youth, but he could not place him in positions of heavy responsibility.
When Zhou Wuji returned to his tent, Yang Tieying was still awake and hurried out to greet him upon hearing footsteps.
"Master, you were incredible just now! You left those Yuheng fellows utterly stunned, completely dumbfounded!"
Yang Tieying's praise was heartfelt. Seeing his master slay the fiend with a single strike had terrified the Yuheng Daoists until their faces went pale.
Earlier, they had carried their noses in the air, looking down on him. But after that single sword strike, every one of them looked at him with newfound courtesy and respect.
Yang Tieying was young and spirited, hating nothing more than being looked down upon. Seeing the Yuheng Daoists go from haughty disdain to deferential respect filled him with immense delight and pride.
Now that his master had returned, he naturally showered him with praise.
Zhou Wuji chuckled. His disciple lacked book learning, but his sincere attitude provided plenty of emotional value.
There was no need for modesty before his own disciple. He casually waved a hand. "A trivial matter, not worth mentioning. Don't go bragging about it outside."
"How was that trivial? Even the Abbot couldn't do anything about that fiend!"
Yang Tieying still felt indignant on his master's behalf. "If Master hadn't stepped in, that fiend wouldn't just have killed people, it would have escaped clean away!"
"Hahaha... not quite to that extent," Zhou Wuji laughed.
With the matter resolved, Zhou Wuji accompanied Zhihe back to the Lower Court the following morning, with Yang Tieying in tow.
As for the others, they had to remain behind until the pit was completely filled with water before making the journey back.
Daoist Yiding stayed as well; with a demonic cultivator watching from the shadows, someone had to hold down the altar.
On the way back to the Lower Court, Zhou Wuji spoke with Zhihe once more, requesting that he transmit the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps ahead of time.
His reasoning was straightforward: mastering the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps would increase his certainty of winning the scripture debate.
After a moment's contemplation, Zhihe surprisingly agreed.
This was primarily because he had witnessed Zhou Wuji's lethal strike against the fiend—sharp, swift to the extreme, and far superior to Wu Leng's skill.
Magic implements were forbidden in the scripture debate, so fine as Zhou Wuji's White Rainbow Sword was, he could not use it.
Passing down the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps early would indeed greatly improve his chances in the contest.
Taking advantage of Yiding's absence, Zhihe held the transmission ritual that very night in the Arctic Celestial Emperor Hall, imparting the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps to Zhou Wuji.
He handed Zhou Wuji a small jade plaque containing the steps recorded via the Water Mirror technique.
Zhihe did not allow Zhou Wuji to take it with him; he could only study it within the hall.
Evidently, Zhihe lacked the ability of Daoist Master Zhihua, who could transmit secret arts directly through spiritual sense.
Zhou Wuji did not mind. Zhihe had kept his word, and that was good enough!
With his powerful spiritual sense, a single reading was enough to memorize it completely.
Even so, to avoid appearing monstrously gifted, Zhou Wuji spent more than four hours studying it before returning the plaque to Zhihe.
"Once you practice this art, do not use it casually before your fellow disciples, lest you invite trouble."
Zhihe reminded him once more. The Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps he had transmitted were limited to the Rank Five tier, yet it was still improper to pass it outside his lineage.
If the elders of the Yuheng lineage found out, a dispute would inevitably arise.
Zhou Wuji solemnly agreed.
Returning to his stone cottage, Zhou Wuji opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and first invested two portions of primordial profound spirit, each worth over two liang, into the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps.
When the purple light faded, Zhou Wuji had already attained extraordinary proficiency with the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps.
The Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps actually comprised eight steps: Beiji, Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang.
Each step corresponded to a star of the Northern Dipper, possessing its respective shifts in magical power.
This footwork originated from the Arctic Sect's most orthodox art of pacing the Big Dipper. Refined and expanded across generations of sword cultivators from the Yuheng lineage, it had evolved into the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps unique to their branch.
Paired with the corresponding sword arts, it formed the complete Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword.
Zhihe had imparted the footwork without head or tail, leaving out the accompanying sword techniques, which meant the corresponding shifts in magical power were absent as well.
The true wonder of the footwork was diminished, leaving only twenty or thirty percent of its full depth.
Fortunately, Zhou Wuji possessed the Tianji Sword. If nothing else, he could at least master the Tianji Step.
Deeming the footwork immensely practical, Zhou Wuji converted Zhang Yunfeng's destiny pattern of three liang and three qian into primordial profound spirit and channeled it further into the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps.
This was the last destiny pattern exceeding three liang in his possession.
When the purple light dispersed, the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps had been elevated to the realm of mastery.
Only now could Zhou Wuji be considered to have thoroughly mastered the Northern Dipper Seven Stars Steps, gaining his own deep comprehension of the art.
Among the steps, the Beiji Step was the most difficult; the Tianshu Step formed the foundation of all footwork variations; Tianxuan was an art of concealing one's trace and presence; Tianji was an exquisite method of shifting position and maneuvering within small spaces;
Tianquan was an art of distant escape; Yuheng was an art of pursuit; Kaiyang was an art of gathering power; and Yaoguang was an art of explosive release.
The secret methods corresponding to each step were intricate and profound. Fortunately, he had already mastered the Tianji Sword, grasping the delicate circulation of yin, yang, water, and fire magical power, which aligned seamlessly with the Tianji Step and granted him profound attainment in that particular footwork...
Chapter 139