“A first-grade divine weapon?” Wu Yuan was slightly taken aback.
“You’ve already obtained the Sunfury Saber. I won’t delve into the specifics. Once you are acquainted with this divine saber, you will understand what I mean,” the Sword Hierarch said indifferently. “Just remember, the divine saber possesses a spirit. One can learn from the weapons path, but must not grow obsessed with it.”
“The path forged with one’s own power is the strongest,” The Sword Hierarch glanced at Wu Yuan.
“Disciple will keep these words in my heart.” Wu Yuan said.
The Sword Hierarch nodded and looked towards The Rain Hierarch.
“Alright, Wu Yuan, you are now a Heavens Heir. This is the Heavens Heir Token.” The Rain Hierarch flipped her palm, revealing a white token. She tossed the token towards Wu Yuan. He caught it with ease and proceeded to examine it carefully.
The token was round and white, about the size of half a palm, and as thick as a pinky finger. It was warm and smooth like jade but didn’t feel quite like it due to its weight.
The small token seemed unassuming, but Wu Yuan estimated it to weigh about twenty catties, incredibly dense. Clearly, it was made of very special material. On its front, the words ‘Heavens Heir’ were carved. On the back was the word ‘Cloudstride’.
“Hmm? Spiritual qi?” Wu Yuan could feel a faint trace of spiritual qi within the token as his fingers made contact with the token.
“This Heavens Heir Token is crafted from fine-grade etherstone after its spiritual qi is exhausted,” the Rain Hierarch explained softly, “Though it no longer contains qi, its material has been nurtured by spiritual qi. Simply carrying it will have a calming effect.”
“Fine-grade etherstone?” Wu Yuan looked at the token in surprise.
Etherstone was something he had encountered in the Grandmaster’s Insights, but he had never seen any in person. It was a very special type of jade, containing incredibly pure spiritual qi. At its core, it was similar to the Ancient Immortal Dew.
Ancient Immortal Dew was in a liquid state and could be easily absorbed while etherstone was solid. Typically, only a Grandmaster was able to absorb the qi within it. However, by crafting it into jade platforms, sitting on one long-term would strengthen the foundation of the body. In the history of the Middle Land, many kings and emperors constructed jade coffins with large quantities of etherstone, in hopes of preserving their bodies for thousands of years. Etherstone was considered the highest tier among jade stones.
One catty of ordinary etherstone is worth a minimum of 100,000 silver taels. The value of fine-grade etherstone is at least 100 times that of ordinary etherstone! This is truly a priceless treasure.
As stated in ‘Grandmaster Fang Xia’s Insights’, one catty of fine-grade etherstone, if exchanged for silver, was worth at least ten million silver taels. It was a useful resource even for Heavenly Rankers. Naturally, the value of the Heavens Heir Token in Wu Yuan’s hand was much lower than that, as the qi it contained was almost completely depleted. But the material alone, which weighed up to twenty catties, was worth at least several million silver taels.
“Wu Yuan, now that everything has been clarified, make arrangements to leave the mountain.” The Rain Hierarch instructed. “I’m not forbidding you from visiting your home or returning to the Sect, but refrain from causing any disturbances before you have sufficient strength.” The Rain Hierarch insisted.
“Disciple understands.”
Shortly thereafter, The Rain Hierarch and The Sword Hierarch watched Wu Yuan disappear into the dense forest.
“What do you think?” The Rain Hierarch asked.
“He’s probably not a reincarnated immortal being.” The Sword Hierarch slowly said, “If he truly is one, then he has disguised himself too well, and is too bold. I had a chance to kill him just now.”
The Rain Hierarch nodded lightly.
“In reality, whether he is one or not, it doesn’t make much difference,” The Sword Hierarch said, shaking his head slightly. “Since we’ve made up our minds, why hesitate? I’ve given the matter some thought. Even if there is a soul remnant residing in his body, he still needs to possess the necessary talent to reach such heights in such a short period,” Sword Hierarch said calmly. “Look at those Heavenly Rankers. Can you easily nurture a new one?”
The Rain Hierarch nodded, understanding what he was getting at. A new Heavenly Ranker? In the Middle Land, Heavenly Rankers weren’t just produced at will.
“A seventeen-year-old Great Grandmaster… We’ve done everything we could. If he still cannot make the Heavenly Rankings,” Sword Hierarch shook his head, “then we cant be blamed.”
“Mm. Heavenly Rankings?” The Rain Hierarch’s eyes held a hint of melancholy as she sighed, “Before I realized it, you’ve already surpassed me. You never mentioned perfecting the Harmony of Man and Nature before.” freeweɓnvel.com
“Perhaps providence truly does exist. I only reached this level after Wu Yuan ascended the mountain,” The Sword Hierarch remarked, “Throughout this past year, I have immersed myself in the cultivation of qi. Naturally, I did not have the time to discuss it with you.”
“Oh?” A hint of surprise flashed in The Rain Hierarch’s eyes. She had initially thought that Huan Jian was just making casual conversation with Wu Yuan. Who would have thought it was true?
“Fortunately, youve made a breakthrough. When Wu Yuan matures, our Cloudstride Sect will have two Heavenly Rankers. When that happens, the sect will truly flourish.” The Rain Hierarch’s eyes brimmed with anticipation.
Back then, Imperator Jin single-handedly expanded the Great Jin Empire’s territories, turning it into a vast empire spanning several continents and nearly a hundred provinces. Once any sect obtained the support of two Heavenly Rankers, its power was bound to expand rapidly.
“Senior Sister, don’t pin your hopes on me. You know my temperament,” Sword Hierarch said indifferently. “I have no interest in worldly affairs such as sects and clans. Power struggles are like fleeting clouds to me. I am solely devoted to the path of immortality.”
The excitement in the Rain Hierarch’s eyes dimmed.
“What about the Chu-Jiang Token? Will you participate?” The Rain Hierarch asked softly.
“If I enter, my power will be restricted, drastically reducing my combat power,” The Sword Hierarch shook his head. “Besides, at this moment, my priority is to evolve my body and strive to unlock my qi sea at the fastest speed. The more I delay, and the older my body gets, the harder it will be. If you want to participate, go ahead.
The Rain Hierarch felt helpless. She could tell that her junior brother truly had no worldly desires.
“Senior Sister, our master entrusted me with the responsibility of looking after you before his passing. 30 years ago, before Dong’er left us, she also wanted me to promise that our little fatty would live a prosperous life.” Sword Hierarch softly said, “These are my commitments and the essence of my Dao Heart, my final worldly attachments.” [1]
“If it weren’t for you, I’m afraid I would have faked my death and roamed the world long ago,” Sword Hierarch spoke softly.
The Rain Hierarch smiled bitterly. How could she not understand Huan Jian’s personality?
“Regarding Wu Yuan, I neither like nor dislike him. Today, if you hadn’t intervened, I wouldn’t have bothered giving him guidance even if he possessed extraordinary talent,” Sword Hierarch casually remarked.
“I will honor my promise to you. When Great Jin’s troops arrive, I will protect Cloudhill. However, it is just this once. Dynasties rise and fall, sects flourish and decline, this is the natural cycle of the world, there is no use being obstinate about it.” Sword Hierarch casually said, “Whether the Cloudstride Sect thrives or not, it will eventually fall.”
“But we can’t let it fall under our watch.” The Rain Hierarch gritted her teeth.
“The sect is yours, not mine.” Sword Hierarch smiled lightly. Then he stepped forward and strode into the distance. He was walking on air!
As heaven and earth’s power distorted the air, his figure became increasingly blurred until it was completely invisible. One last sentence echoed in the air. “After seeing you and the little fatty off, Huan Jian of the Cloudstride Sect will no longer exist.”
This was the power of the Harmony of Man and Nature. When one was able to harness heaven and earth’s power, dominating battles and restricting one’s opponents were just the tip of the iceberg. There was an entire slew of mysterious capabilities one gained with it as well, far beyond the level of the Grandmasters.
Atop the Cloud Hall, only the Rain Hierarch remained. A soft sigh escaped her lips, as her eyes betrayed a mixture of reluctance and apprehension.
1. What is a Dao Heart? /r/noveltranslations/comments/y9aurm/the_concept_of_dao_heart_an_explanation/