Chapter 99 - 44: With a Sharp Blade, Killing Intent Arises

Chapter 99: Chapter 44: With a Sharp Blade, Killing Intent Arises

The Sword Intent behind Yi Jiu and Er Jiu, the first two of the three Sword Techniques in the Guicang Jie Mie Sword style that come after Winter Solstice, was straightforward, and their purpose was extremely clear:

The initial move, Zero (Winter Solstice), draws upon the deep winter between heaven and earth to unleash a bone-chilling killing intent and Annihilation Death Intent. It overwhelms the opponent from the outset, forcing their Heart Spirit to falter and expose a weakness.

The technique that follows, Yi Jiu, is the pursuit of ultimate speed! The moment an opponent reveals an opening, Jiang Xuan’s sword must arrive like a shadow—the flaw appears, the sword strikes.

After that comes Er Jiu, which emphasizes ultimate killing power. Its effect, Ice Burst Shadow, causes the Ice Sword to detonate violently inside an opponent’s body upon impact, tearing them apart from within with a boundless chill.

These three techniques build upon one another, forming a flawless, self-contained offensive cycle.

But starting with the Three Nine Frost Sky Divine Sword, everything was different. This technique truly touched upon the very source of Guicang Annihilation, invoking the Frosty Winter Dao Rhyme. Its difficulty and importance were on par with Winter Solstice.

"But I’ve finally done it!"

The boons from being a Clear Heart Swordsman, from the Heart·Sincerity Sword, and from the Three Purification Mantra: True Communication were just that significant.

And after half a month of continuous Cultivation, Jiang Xuan’s power had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

One day, at the Martial Arts Arena.

His face pale as if he were an icy specter, Jiang Xuan stood facing Xia He.

Jiang Xuan stood his ground, gaunt and so frail it seemed a gust of wind could topple him. He did not draw his sword; he simply gazed silently at his opponent.

Jiang Xuan’s gaze wasn’t savage—merely indifferent and cold. Yet those very eyes sent a chill down Xia He’s spine, making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

In the next instant, a heart-stopping chill crept over her.

Though the sky was clear and vast, Xia He felt as if it had suddenly turned overcast. A bone-piercing, sinister wind swept in from all directions. The wind felt as if it could pierce her flesh and chill her to the marrow, threatening to extinguish not just her body’s warmth, but her very flame of life.

After they had locked eyes for a mere three breaths of time, Xia He felt her limbs grow stiff, as if her very blood was about to freeze solid.

The bone-piercing chill forced her breath into short, ragged gasps. Her grip on her sword tightened until her knuckles turned white, and she could barely suppress the urge to swing it.

’Only by drawing her sword could she regain some sense of security.’

But what the two were competing in at that moment was precisely the Sword Intent of Winter Solstice.

Whoever failed to withstand the other’s aura first—whoever trembled or struck out—would be the one to reveal an opening and lose the match.

Xia He, of course, did not want to lose, so she fought to suppress her body’s instinctive reactions.

However, some of the body’s instincts cannot be suppressed by sheer will alone.

As the chill clung to her bones like a plague, winding ever tighter, her limbs grew numb from the cold.

Finally, her shoulder gave a slight, uncontrollable shudder.

"Alright, that’s enough. Jiang Xuan wins this duel."

Granny Lan had noticed the very instant Xia He’s body reacted and immediately declared the outcome.

But after making the announcement, she showed no sign of pleasure. Instead, she shook her head, at a loss for words.

"It’s been nearly half a month, and you still haven’t even mastered the basics of the Frosty Winter’s Intent. Xia He, you are fundamentally unsuited for the Annihilation Sword. Listen to me. Go to another Dharma Vein and cultivate other Techniques."

"I refuse! It’s my duty to protect the Four Seasons Valley..."

"You... Hah..." Looking at the girl’s stubborn expression, Granny Lan felt a mix of helplessness and heartache. She couldn’t help but be reminded of her own eldest son, who had died far too young.

Fortunately, the situation was different now.

She glanced at Jiang Xuan, and a few thoughts began to turn over in her mind.

’With Jiang Xuan here, as long as he matures, the Four Seasons Valley won’t be at risk of having its rank drop... Once the Hundred-Day Exam is over, if Jiang Xuan achieves a good result, I’ll try persuading her again. She should be willing to listen then.’

Shaking her head, Granny Lan put the matter of Xia He aside and turned her gaze to Jiang Xuan.

This time, her gaze softened a little. "To be able to stir the ambient energy of heaven and earth with nothing but the Frosty Winter’s Intent... that is the mark of the Second Realm of the Winter Solstice Sword Intent. To have made such progress in only half a month is excellent. You’ve done very well."

After the praise, however, her tone took a sharp turn. "But you have a problem, too. The frosty aura you just radiated was cold enough, but it lacked Annihilation Death Intent. You have no real killing intent toward Xia He."

"..." Jiang Xuan couldn’t refute her words. It was thanks to Xia He’s wholehearted support that his Cultivation had progressed so smoothly over the past half-month.

He saw Xia He as his junior sister and his personal patroness, so his heart was filled only with gratitude, not killing intent. (Of course, part of the reason Xia He took such good care of Jiang Xuan was that she saw herself as his senior sister; experiencing that role for the first time, she had taken to treating him like a younger brother.)

Granny Lan understood the reason for Jiang Xuan’s silence and had no intention of asking him to change his attitude toward Xia He. "Next, you must comprehend killing intent and death intent and fuse them into your Winter Solstice technique. This kind of Cultivation isn’t something you can undertake here in the Four Seasons Valley, trying to grasp it from your fellow disciples."

At this, she glanced toward the world outside the Shenxiao Sect’s gates and sighed. "The best way to comprehend killing intent is to journey through the outside world. Once you have seen enough of its evils and darkness, the killing intent in your Heart will overflow on its own, with no need for nurturing."

"Unfortunately, you’re too weak right now. Venturing beyond the Mountain Gate to train would be far too risky for you."

Shaking her head, Granny Lan looked away and revealed her plan. "Go to the Sect’s Martial Arts Arena. Disciples from every peak gather there, each with their own unique Techniques and Swordsmanship. They will make perfect opponents for you."

"There, you can not only hone your killing intent in real combat, but also witness different styles of Cultivation Techniques, making up for the shortcomings of training in isolation. If you want to secure a spot in the top thirty-six of the Hundred-Day Exam, it’s absolutely impossible without enough practical combat experience."

Jiang Xuan said, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I will give it my all."

Jiang Xuan had no objection to honing his killing intent at the Martial Arts Arena.

Carry a sharp blade, and the will to kill shall rise.

After half a month of arduous training, Jiang Xuan was eager to test if the blade in his hand was truly sharp enough.

And so, having received his instructions, he didn’t hesitate for a moment.

He agreed readily enough, but he didn’t set off immediately.

After bidding farewell to Granny Lan, Jiang Xuan first headed toward his small courtyard in Huangni Village.

He was no longer living in the residence Xia He had arranged for him. Instead, he had built his own house in a corner of the village near the Valley of Winter.

He hadn’t chosen this spot to be closer to the Valley of Winter for his Cultivation, nor was it because he had been ostracized.

The main reason Jiang Xuan chose to live here was this:

As Jiang Xuan arrived at his front door, the first thing that met his eyes was a sign bearing two large words: Profoundxin Temple.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside. In the center of the main hall hung a scroll bearing just two words, "Heaven" and "Earth," written with powerful brushstrokes that carried a profound meaning.

That’s right. Jiang Xuan had moved the Daoist Temple he was "employed" at from Cui Bamboo Town all the way to Huangni Village.

And his new residence wasn’t just a Daoist Temple.

To one side of the courtyard stood a small, two-story building. On it, a sign boldly proclaimed its identity with two large words: Scripture Pavilion!