The Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment was profound and wondrous, but precisely because of this, it could easily cause Zhou Wuji to reveal all sorts of extraordinary traits.
His master, Daoist Yiyuan, had been able to cast Yin Thunder directly through the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, yet Zhou Wuji had never once seen him use it.
Whenever he encountered demons, ghosts, or fiends, Daoist Yiyuan had simply drawn his sword and charged in, rarely casting spells at all.
Looking back now, Zhou Wuji understood that his master had simply been cautious and prudent.
Even before a disciple as close as he had been, his master would never show anything out of the ordinary.
Zhou Wuji reminded himself that he had to be especially careful going forward as well, particularly when casting spells—he could never treat others like fools.
Reaching the Consummate realm in the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword was one thing, but if he casually unleashed Yin Thunder, any sect brother or expert who witnessed it would inevitably grow suspicious.
Over the next few days, Zhou Wuji followed Daoist Yiping every day to learn the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Yin Thunder and the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation.
Potent though Yin Thunder was, Zhou Wuji actually felt that the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation was more important.
This incantation could bless oneself as well as others, offering exceptionally formidable defensive protection.
Everyone viewed him as a swordmaster. If he charged into battle with his sword, having the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation guarding him would make him vastly safer.
And if he could cast it instantaneously—well, that wouldn't seem too outrageous.
Zhou Wuji had originally planned to master the Yin Thunder Method first, but given his current circumstances, he felt the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation would serve him better.
For offense, he had the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword; for defense, the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation; and at close quarters, he could draw his blade—perfection!
After ten days of study, Zhou Wuji had basically grasped all three incantations, and the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment displayed all three as having reached the beginner level.
It wasn't that his innate aptitude for cultivation had suddenly improved; rather, his cultivation base had grown immensely strong. In particular, pushing both the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture and the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword to the Consummate realm gave him a deep, intuitive mastery over the stellar properties of the Big Dipper's seven stars.
In this single regard, even Zhiyuan, the abbot of the Branch Abbey, likely could not match him.
The Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture was the very foundation of his arts. With his foundation and spiritual perception now extraordinarily robust, learning new spells was no longer an arduous task.
After ten days had passed, Zhou Wuji finally could no longer resist and took out the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment.
Starting with the Body Cleansing Divine Incantation, he began investing one-liang destiny patterns.
He consumed six destiny patterns, one of which was over two liang, pushing the incantation directly to the Greater Mastery realm.
For an auxiliary incantation like this, the Greater Mastery realm was more than sufficient.
Next came the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Yin Thunder Method. Zhou Wuji poured in three destiny patterns of over one liang, forcibly elevating the Yin Thunder Method to the Proficient realm.
Then he converted two destiny patterns of over two liang into primordial profound spirits. Purple light unfurled, and the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Yin Thunder Method rose to the Adept realm.
To raise it any further, he would have to invest destiny patterns of three liang or more.
Zhou Wuji still held three destiny patterns exceeding three liang: those of the Cold-Blooded Twin Fiends, and that of Chen Dagou from the Five Dragons Gang.
After a moment's thought, Zhou Wuji decided to stick to his original plan and prioritize upgrading the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation.
At the Adept realm, his Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Yin Thunder Method was already on par with Wuzheng's level.
His spiritual perception and magical power were abundant, and he had the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment in hand. Without setting up an altar or relying on the empowerment of banners and magic implements, he needed only ten breaths to trigger Yin Thunder through hand seals, incantations, and pacing the celestial steps.
Moreover, having breached the Heavenly Gate, the power of his thunder arts would surely far surpass Wuzheng's, which was plenty for his current needs.
Finally came the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation.
This divine incantation was actually far more intricate. Though Wuzheng possessed deep attainment in spells, even he had to form a ritual array to cast the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation quickly.
It was precisely because of this that the market price for a Northern Culmen Heavenly Dipper Divine Talisman was so astronomical.
Three destiny patterns of over one liang and two of over two liang pushed the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation to the Proficient realm.
The Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation was even more complex than the Yin Thunder Method, requiring one to coordinate the stellar energy of the Big Dipper's seven stars into a seamless, tightly knit spell.
Reaching this stage, Zhou Wuji truly appreciated why the Northern Culmen Heavenly Dipper Divine Talisman fetched such an exorbitant price.
The incantation was simply too convoluted; those who could truly master its use had to be vanishingly few.
Rarity dictated value—the balance of supply and demand determined the price.
The three Northern Culmen Heavenly Dipper Divine Talismans Wuming had given him had proven exceptionally effective.
Furthermore, the power of a talisman was fixed, yielding the same result regardless of who activated it.
The Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation was different: the stronger the cultivator's magical power and cultivation, the greater the incantation's might.
Zhou Wuji methodically invested his remaining three destiny patterns of over three liang. As the purple light dispersed, the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation reached the Greater Mastery realm.
Zhou Wuji felt a mild pang of disappointment. His cultivation was already quite advanced, yet pouring in three destiny patterns of over three liang had merely brought it to Greater Mastery!
This demonstrated just how intricate and profound the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation truly was. Even so, his Greater Mastery realm was likely the highest level attained anywhere in the Branch Abbey!
Realizing this, Zhou Wuji felt his spirits lift again. Once he mastered this incantation and learned talisman crafting, he could convert the divine incantation into divine talismans, securing a steady source of wealth for the future.
Forming a hand seal, he chanted the incantation. In just ten breaths, an azure-blue light mantle draped over his shoulders like a cloak.
Arranged across the chest of the light mantle were the seven stars of the Big Dipper, glittering with exquisite starlight.
The seven stars served as the visual manifestation of the divine incantation's state; once they vanished, the incantation would dissipate along with them.
The benefit was that the caster could precisely track the incantation's condition; the drawback was that enemies could see it too.
The Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation consumed nearly a hundred points of magical power, but fortunately, it was remarkably stable. Not only did it leave his spellcasting and swordplay completely unimpeded, but it even enhanced the efficiency with which he breathed in spiritual qi.
Zhou Wuji held back for another ten days before finally demonstrating the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation in front of Daoist Yiping.
Seeing Zhou Wuji complete the casting within ten breaths and manifest the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation as an azure-blue mantle of light, Daoist Yiping's narrow eyes widened into perfect circles.
"You... you... this—"
Daoist Yiping rose to his feet in excitement, even reaching out to touch the azure light mantle.
The mantle felt supple and smooth, reminiscent of the finest silk yet dense and fluid like liquid mercury.
Upon it, the seven stars of the Big Dipper shone with pure, clear radiance, bright without being dazzling.
Daoist Yiping could not help but shake his head. "You've already mastered the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation!"
Before Zhou Wuji could speak, Daoist Yiping let out a deep sigh. "I practiced this incantation for over a decade, yet I still need to erect an altar and borrow the empowerment of Daoist soldiers just to draw upon the power of the Big Dipper's seven stars and form the incantation. Sigh... sigh..."
Daoist Yiping was thoroughly familiar with Zhou Wuji and harbored great hopes for this martial nephew, so he did not hide his sense of despondency in his presence.
He had considered himself reasonably talented in the Dao, having steadily advanced to the seventh rank by age twenty-seven.
Having immersed himself in the seventh rank for many years, his true qi and spellcraft were both quite refined.
Yet he had never made any headway with the Big Dipper Heavenly Astral Divine Incantation. That setback had made him realize his cultivation talent was merely ordinary, and that he would never have the chance to reach the sixth rank in this lifetime.
From then on, Daoist Yiping had abandoned his striving, choosing instead to lie flat and drift along in the Branch Abbey—a life he found rather pleasant.
Many Daoists toiled bitterly all their lives with extreme diligence and self-discipline, only to remain at the seventh rank until the day they died.
They never enjoyed a thing throughout their entire lives, living in utter hardship without anything to show for it.
Seeing the spellcasting talent Zhou Wuji displayed, Daoist Yiping could not help feeling stirred.
Zhou Wuji naturally had no idea what was passing through his martial uncle's mind, and seeing the old man's eyes redden again made him feel a bit awkward.
This old man was simply too emotional, ready to burst into tears at the slightest provocation.
Daoist Yiping soon regained his composure, however. Wiping the corners of his eyes, he said with heartfelt gravity, "Your talent in spellcraft is extraordinary, but a tree that stands above the forest is bound to be battered by the wind.
"You are already drawing enough attention in the Branch Abbey. It's best to keep these abilities well hidden and not go parading them outside."
Zhou Wuji nodded. Martial Uncle Yiping had a personality that prioritized safety above all else, which was why he was content to lie flat in Feixuan Hall.
There was indeed no need for him to go showing off; his top priority remained securing his court-issued ordination certificate.
"Martial Uncle, I'd like to learn the art of talisman crafting."
"Ah, that will be somewhat difficult. The seven lineages of our Arctic Sect each have their own specialties, and the Kaiyang lineage is the one skilled in talisman crafting. If you want to learn, you'd have to find an expert from the Kaiyang lineage..."
Daoist Yiping shook his head. "The friction between our seven lineages runs deep. True secret arts are only passed down to disciples within one's own lineage."
"Oh?" Zhou Wuji was somewhat surprised. He knew the Arctic Sect's seven lineages engaged in intense infighting, but he hadn't realized the situation had deteriorated to this extent.
Curious, he asked, "What is our Tianshu lineage skilled in?"
"We specialize in spells," Daoist Yiping replied with a dry chuckle.
"And Yuheng?"
"They specialize in swordsmanship. The Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword is our sect's esoteric sword art; it's said that in years past, a senior predecessor attained the Dao through the sword and was hailed as a sword immortal."
"That formidable?" Zhou Wuji's interest was piqued. Since their sect possessed such supreme swordsmanship, he genuinely wanted to see it for himself.
Yiping, however, did not wish to dwell on the subject. Changing the topic, he said, "Daoist Yiding belongs to the Yuheng lineage, which has long been at odds with our Tianshu lineage—a grudge accumulated over many years. That's why he finds you an eyesore.
"Moreover, Yiding controls the Discipline Hall. Whatever you do, don't step out of line and cross him. Yiding is not just one man; behind him stands the entire Yuheng lineage."
Zhou Wuji found this rather baffling and asked, "The Branch Abbey can barely maintain its footing in Yunyang Prefecture, yet our lineages are still locked in internal strife?"
"The Branch Abbey is merely close to losing its footing; after all, nothing catastrophic has happened yet."
Daoist Yiping shook his head. "The struggle among our sect's seven lineages has been handed down for generations. It isn't something anyone can just cast aside on a whim.
"When there are too many people, hearts will never align. Everyone knows this is wrong, but no matter how benefits are divided, it's impossible to satisfy everyone.
"If you don't fight, your share will be snatched away, and how would you answer to those under you then? There is no choice—everyone has to fight with everything they have. Whoever slacks off is finished..."
Zhou Wuji was left speechless. It was indeed an intractable knot, unless everything could be overturned and started anew.
Still, none of this had much to do with him. He was merely an insignificant seventh-rank Daoist; such grand sect affairs were for the important figures to worry about.
As for Daoist Yiding's malice, Zhou Wuji was staying in Feixuan Hall and was a seventh-rank Daoist himself; the man couldn't easily make a move against him.
It was only factional strife, after all; the other party surely wouldn't go out of his way to destroy him.
During his last visit to the Branch Abbey, Zhou Wuji had only stayed for a few days and hadn't gotten a clear grasp of the situation.
This time was different: he would be residing here long-term, so these factional struggles were somewhat troublesome.
Having attained success in his spells, Zhou Wuji had originally planned to take Yang Tieying and Shangxing out for a stroll while the spring weather was so pleasant.
With Daoist Yiping's warning in mind, Zhou Wuji had no wish to invite trouble. He remained in Feixuan Hall, and aside from his daily duties, he occasionally guided Yang Tieying's cultivation, spending most of his time perusing ancient texts.
He had obtained a yellow jade gourd from the Cold-Blooded Twin Fiends and had never figured out its purpose.
He wanted to search the records to see if there were any similar descriptions or relevant accounts.
He could have asked Martial Uncle Yiping, of course, but he preferred to puzzle over it himself first.
Peaceful days passed in the blink of an eye, and early April soon arrived.
On this morning, the sunlight was radiant. Zhou Wuji was leaning by the window browsing an ancient text when a figure stirred in the courtyard—Daoist Yiping had returned from outside.
Setting down the book, Zhou Wuji asked with a smile, "Where did you go so early in the morning, Martial Uncle?"
Daoist Yiping's round face bore an unsightly expression, and he said in a low voice, "The Celestial Master Mansion's patrolling inspector has arrived at the Branch Abbey. I just happened to run into him. His Daoist name is Zhishan—and he's actually an expert from our sect."
The examination for the ordination certificate was of paramount importance. Generally speaking, the Celestial Master Mansion would not appoint an expert from the candidate's own sect to oversee the test, in order to prevent cheating.
Encountering an expert from one's own sect during an assessment was normally a good thing. Unfortunately...
Seeing Daoist Yiping's grim expression, Zhou Wuji immediately thought of the strife among the sect's seven lineages.
He asked, "Which lineage does this Zhishan belong to?"
"The Yuheng lineage. This is going to be troublesome..." Daoist Yiping said with deep concern.
Had it been an expert from any other lineage, it wouldn't have mattered much; even if there were friction between lineages, they wouldn't stoop to making things difficult for a junior like Zhou Wuji.
Yet Yiding of the Yuheng lineage shared a bitter grievance with Yizhen, and he was very likely to seize this opportunity to stir up trouble—which would be a massive headache.
Chapter 90