Ordination

Inside Heart Inquest Hall, the originally hazy bronze mirror was now exceptionally clear and bright, vividly displaying Zhou Wuji's battle against the baleful ghosts. Standing before the bronze mirror with hands clasped behind his back, Abbot Zhiyuan saw Zhou Wuji's sword-light fall like rain, instantly slaying nine fierce ghosts. He could not help but nod slightly. "Fine swordplay." In terms of cultivation, Zhou Wuji was merely at the eighth rank, hardly worth mentioning. Yet his courage in daring to face a multitude of fierce ghosts was truly out of the ordinary. His sword technique was also remarkably refined, even carrying a touch of sublime mastery. Though the branch abbey had no shortage of experts, few achieved real mastery in swordplay. After all, the sect's primary practice was qi-refining, centered on Daoist arts and divine abilities. Zhiyuan remarked with feeling, "Worthy indeed of being Yiyuan's personal disciple—he has truly grasped the essence of Yiyuan's swordplay." As he spoke, he let out a sigh tinged with regret. In swordplay alone, Yiyuan could be considered unmatched throughout Yunyang Prefecture. What a pity that such a man had suffered cultivation deviation and met an untimely death. Daoist Yiping stood to one side, bowed slightly in a somewhat restrained posture. Hearing the abbot praise Zhou Wuji, a trace of joy surfaced on his face. A fifth-rank Scripture Master was among the very strongest figures in Yunyang Prefecture, commanding vast resources. If this elder thought well of Wuji, his nephew-disciple's path forward would be much smoother. Weighing his words, Daoist Yiping said slowly, "Wuji does possess talent in the sword; in that regard, he takes after Senior Brother Yiyuan. Though young, he is tenacious, able to endure solitude, and naturally clever and alert." Zhiyuan nodded. Judging from Wuji's performance, Daoist Yiping was hardly exaggerating. "He is promising material," Zhiyuan said. "You may set up the altar and preside over his ordination. "However, his cultivation is still lacking. He cannot preside over Canglong Temple." Daoist Yiping nodded hurriedly. "The abbot speaks rightly." Even setting aside the Zhang family, the prominent clans of Siming County boasted several seventh-rank experts. Although Wuji's swordplay was masterful, he was only in the eighth rank after all. Returning to Canglong Temple right now would do Wuji no good. "Let him cultivate arts here at the branch abbey for now. After some time, I will make other arrangements." Zhiyuan did not actually wish to keep Zhou Wuji at the branch abbey indefinitely; the abbey was bogged down in mundane affairs, which was highly unfavorable for cultivation. Daoist Yiping nodded repeatedly. When Zhou Wuji emerged from Myriad Ghosts Cavern, he found Daoist Yiping already waiting at the entrance. He was somewhat surprised. He hadn't even known when he would come out, and his martial uncle couldn't have been standing guard here the whole time. Yet he quickly understood: there must be some means of viewing the cavern, and his martial uncle had come to meet him after seeing him exit. It was fortunate he had remained cautious and refrained from expelling more vital blood to lure baleful ghosts. The first level was likely cleared out regularly, meaning ghosts were limited in number anyway. There was no need to waste excessive time and energy here, let alone appear too eager. After all, to an ordinary Daoist, slaying yin ghosts brought no benefit whatsoever... In front of onlookers, Daoist Yiping said little, offering only a few words of praise for Zhou Wuji. Back at Feixuan Hall, Daoist Yiping finally relayed Abbot Zhiyuan's arrangements. "Study arts in the branch abbey first, with other arrangements later?" Hearing that he could not become the temple master of Canglong Temple, disappointment showed on Zhou Wuji's face. "Feixuan Hall is quiet and free of distractions, very suitable for cultivation," Daoist Yiping said. "As for affairs in Siming County, you need not worry about them. What Zhang family or Fang family would ever have the nerve to come stir up trouble for you at the branch abbey!" "Yes, yes, I'll follow Martial Uncle's guidance..." Knowing his martial uncle meant well, Zhou Wuji obediently complied. "Tonight we will open the altar in the Celestial Emperor Hall for your ordination. I'll have Shangxing take you to the bathhouse to bathe. When you return, do not eat. Light three sticks of Mind-Calming Incense to settle your spirit and calm your mind." Daoist Yiping gave these instructions before heading off to the Celestial Emperor Hall to make all the necessary preparations. Setting up an altar for ordination was a profoundly important rite with intricate steps that permitted no mistakes. From the various spiritual offerings to the invocations used, everything was governed by strict protocol. Among them, the most critical items—the Numinous Script Talisman Scrolls and the Golden Register of Oaths—were immensely costly. If a single character were written erroneously, the whole sheet had to be discarded and rewritten from scratch. Daoist Yiping had little experience presiding over ordination ceremonies himself, so he had to prepare thoroughly in advance. Using the Hall of the Arctic Celestial Emperor also required coordination with the Hall Master. The Three Overseers and Five Directors were specifically responsible for managing various sect affairs. The Hall Master oversaw the sacred halls; rites such as setting up altars for ordination, preaching the law, and performing sacrifices all fell under the Hall Master's purview. Although Daoist Yiping had already cleared it with the abbot, he still needed to coordinate the details with the Hall Master to prevent the man from deliberately making things difficult... Zhou Wuji went to the bathhouse to wash up, and upon returning, changed into brand-new clothing from the skin out. Costing ten taels of silver a set, the Daoist robe and undergarments were woven from a blend of cotton and silk. The fabric was fine-grained, resilient, crisp, and draped cleanly while remaining breathable and comfortable. Looking at his fluttering green robes, Zhou Wuji felt quite pleased. Ten taels of silver was well worth the price. Following his martial uncle's instructions, Zhou Wuji lit three sticks of Mind-Calming Incense and sat quietly emptying his mind amid the gentle wreaths of aromatic smoke. Yet after sitting for a while, drowsiness inevitably crept over him. Having passed the trial with flying colors, he felt no excitement, only the relaxation and fatigue that followed a completed task. To Zhou Wuji, the ordination ceremony was just a ritual. Ever since ancient times when heaven and earth were severed, the mortal realm had seen neither immortals nor buddhas. The Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment was miraculous, but it was not an anthropomorphic deity. At this thought, Zhou Wuji could not resist opening the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment in his mind, seeing all eleven ghosts recorded upon it. According to Master, setting up an altar for ordination allowed a cultivator to establish a connection with the Celestial Emperor. The Celestial Emperor might be severed beyond the Nine Heavens, but the statues in the sacred halls had received worship and offerings from believers for countless years. If one could establish resonance with them, it would assist a cultivator in absorbing primordial qi and grasping the subtleties of secret arts and divine abilities. Cultivators who achieved sudden enlightenment during an ordination ceremony were viewed by the sect as prodigies capable of communing with the divine, and were often nurtured with special care. The primordial profound qi converted from those eleven ghosts could be released at that very moment, allowing him to pose as a genius... Even if it didn't guarantee royal treatment from the sect, it would at least provide a plausible explanation for any sudden leap in his cultivation. At the thought, Zhou Wuji grew excited again. If the abbot were watching from the side, his eyes would surely pop in shock! From then on, the sect would treat him as a peerless prodigy and focus their resources on him! Reaching the happiest part of his daydream, Zhou Wuji couldn't help letting out a chuckle. Reality proved that Zhou Wuji had overthought things. Inside the Hall of the Arctic Celestial Emperor, there was only him, Daoist Yiping, and the prepared ritual altar. Seven tripod bronze cauldrons were arranged according to the positions of the Seven Stars, and various offerings and spiritual items were set out in order on the incense table. Presiding over the ritual altar, Daoist Yiping wore a purple-gold star crown and an ornate purple-gold vestment patterned with the Northern Dipper. Gripping the Seven Stars Sword, he knelt on a prayer mat in solemn prayer and recitation. Zhou Wuji knelt behind Daoist Yiping, silently chanting the Supreme Numinous Arctic Scripture under his breath. This text was the foundational scripture of the Arctic Sect; although it did not involve specific cultivation techniques, it was extraordinarily important. Having recited the scripture, Daoist Yiping rose, paced the celestial constellations, impaled the Golden Register of Oaths and the Numinous Script Talisman Scrolls with the Seven Stars Sword, and cast them together into the incense burner. Instantly, flames surged from the incense burner, leaping several yards into the air. Daoist Yiping proceeded to recite the Intermediate True Precepts, and Zhou Wuji repeated each line after him. The Intermediate True Precepts consisted of thirty-two articles, rather intricate and extensive. Once they had recited the precepts, Zhou Wuji took an oath before the statue of the Arctic Celestial Emperor: "This disciple, Wuji, vows to uphold and practice the precepts, daring not to begin diligently only to slacken in the end, nor to betray the Dao or disobey my master. If I fail this oath, I willingly submit to the judgment and restriction of the Profound Law." Daoist Yiping drew the Seven Stars Sword from the incense burner and tapped it lightly toward the space between Zhou Wuji's brows, calling out, "Uphold the precepts without straying; the Celestial Emperor bestows blessings. May all things bring auspicious fortune, and may you attain the Dao and become true..." As the rite concluded, Zhou Wuji felt the statue of the Celestial Emperor before him radiate a hazy, deep-blue starlight. In a trance, he seemed to behold the myriad stars of the heavens sparkling across the firmament. The brightest among them was the Celestial Pivot star, with which he had established a connection. As its brilliant light flickered, it resonated in sync with the divine acupoint between his brows, guiding the true qi within his body to breathe in harmony with it. The statue of the Arctic Celestial Emperor was truly wondrous; it genuinely established a resonance with him, allowing him to "see" the sky full of stars, to see his natal star, to see the endless flow of primordial qi, and to perceive how the Celestial Emperor's statue and the boundless astral spiritual qi formed a vast domain... At this moment, Zhou Wuji attained an even deeper comprehension of the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture, faintly grasping the profound connection among the Celestial Emperor, the starry heavens, and the mortal world. He saw the direction of his path and grasped certain transformations of heaven-and-earth primordial qi, which would prove of immense benefit to his future cultivation. Yet that was all. Seizing this precious opportunity, Zhou Wuji opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment in his sea of consciousness. Channelling the primordial profound qi converted from the two baleful ghosts and nine fierce ghosts, he poured it all into the divine acupoint between his brows...